Reading these days... V

And after a few days off due a short vacation in Germany (where, btw, Alles (not) in Ordnung) ... back to reading.

So I found out that While I was away there was the Obama Libya Speech: How the President's War Has Won Him Arab Respect. This while, apparently,we had Washington in Fierce Debate on Arming Libyan Rebels. That's interesting, as it was also revealed that Obama authorizes secret help for Libya rebels already. So, in practice, Intelligence on Libya rebels shows "flickers" of Qaeda, we will have Jihadis who killed Americans get U.S. support in Libya. And in effect, the Libyan rebels struggle to explain rift. That said, an interesting question: What If Gadhafi Had Gone Nuclear? If I were a dictator in the world now, I'd definitely do anything in my power to get a hold of nuclear weapons, since giving it up does not seem to help.

Ah, speaking of countries speeding to nuclear weapons: How the Obama Administration Can Get Serious About Iran Sanctions

Anyway, if we intervened in Libya, why not in Syria, where Syrian cabinet resigns amid unrest,
or in Yemen, where the Trends 'Not Good'? Or Ivory Coast (where actually the French army once again intervened by itself... truth to be told)?

Not to mention that is we are to defent human rights, what to do with China's Crackdown on Bloggers and Human Rights Activists and the Worsening Crackdown in China?

In effect, the overall situation is such a nonsense that Saudis ‘So Unhappy' With Obama They Sent Emissaries to China, Russia Seeking Enhanced Ties while Gates tries to soothe Saudis rattled by unrest. Oh, and speaking of censorship and crackdowns, Indian state bans controversial book on Gandhi... ah, those Censorius Souls.

Not to mention the effects of this in Israel. If you are not aware, in September an U.N. Vote on Palestinian State Could Force Israel's Hand and create major Shock Waves. What could it be
Bibi’s Choice?

Anyway, while Opec set for $1,000bn in export revenues, the western "green" biofuel mania is having Food Prices Stir Concern About Biofuels Mandates . In effect, i always tought that, i a world where hunger is a real problem, having food converted to fuel isn't exactly a smart idea, but what do I know? And besides, not like prices can get any worse, right? Except Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon expects inflation.

It wouldn't be all so complicated if not for Human Complexity: The Strategic Game of ? and ?.

Let's go to the movies to get some relax... this is another I'll try to watch once it gets out: ‘Atlas Shrugged’

Exit question: Is it time to outsource cities?

Reading these days... IV

While the NATO "protection of civilians" mission on Libya continues, we discover that Usa may supply Gaddafi rebels with weapons. Now, that seems indeed a good idea, considering that Al-Qaeda snatched missiles' in Libya. But what do we have to be afraid of, it's not like Energized Muslim Brotherhood in Libya eyes a prize, the "Freedom fighters" and "rebels" are pro-democracy, civil people, not like Libyan rebels appear to take leaf from Kadafi's playbook or, like, we have cases of Revolutionary Justice in Benghazi.

In the meanwhile, the question is Will Syria be Next? While we find out, I'm slightly troubled that 'Abbas would give up US aid to reconcile with Hamas'. Wasn't he a western-supported, democracy nurturing leader? In the meanwhile, my new heroine of the month (and let's hope she will be alive at the end of it) is a Pakistani Actress Bravely Unloads on Mullah & Media. But then again, nothing of this really matters, since an Iranian Video Says Mahdi is 'Near'

In case you haven't been following the last two years of economics news (were you in a coma or something? In case, I hope you didn't have stocks in your portfolio when you went under), you might be interested to know Why European Banks Are Stressed Out. Also because this is what could happen The Day When the Debt Comes Due. In effect, What happened to stimulus vs. austerity?

Of course, all of this seems pretty reasonable, considering how broker seem to be making investments these days and relying on young actresses while taking Outside Edge: Hathaway conquers sage and screen

Good think that The City keeps its composure... ok, maybe not: 200 arrested as protesters cover Trafalgar Square in graffiti

Well, at least they will not be able to vandalize cars for much longer as EU to ban cars from cities by 2050. The thing about steep increases on jet fuel worried me, tho, as it's a huge part of my monthly expenses.

At least, one of the things I always thought has been scientifically proved: Employers, you should Indulge your employees so they don’t mess up. More Facebook in the office!

I'm not yet sure I will be go and watch "Sucker Punch"... but definitely Iwill go and see The Adjustment Bureau!

And finally, two VERY politically un-correct articles: First of all, stop being all melodramatic about Berlusconi’s Teenage Whore and, was Gandhi indeed a Great Soul?

Reading these days... III

First of all, Something I always suspected: Men May Be Jerks...But Women Are Insane (the article is much more serious than the title, worth a reading and I find myself 95% in agreement)

Obama: No U.S. Forces on the Ground in Libya . . . Except for Those Guys.

U.S. must take sides to keep the Arab Spring from Islamist takeover

The Unknown in Libya

So, in short, there is no need to be afraid that the Arab uprising will necessarily lead to islamist government in those countries. After all, there is no evidence of links between uprising and, say, Al Qaeda. Right. Too bad that...

Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links and In Egypt, Muslim Group Takes Lead Role in Post-Mubarak Era (and, btw List of looted antiquities finally released).

In the meanwhile, More Protests Across Syria... which makes me wonder, no one noticed that all the countries affected (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria) so far were the ones were the governments were, indeed corrupt autocracies, but secularist or trying to be?

In the meanwhile, on the economy news are comforting... well, nevermind that:

US Finances Rank Near Worst in the World while Moody's warns Britain over triple-A credit rating.

Not like the news from the old continent are much better Portugal teeters on brink of bailout, with the WSJ suggesting that the Weak Educational System Hobbles Portugal (but read the original title of the article...). Eventually, the Collapse of Euro Not 'Unthinkable', says Warren Buffett.

Americans are startig to address the problem tho, even if somewhat indirectly: CBO: Taxing mileage a 'practical option' for revenue enhancement.

Really, American politicians are starting to think that highways should have a toll? How amazing. But it will never work, US have the strongest Teamsters Union of the world, and with Rocky as president for a time ;)

And speaking of marvelous ideas, and Emotional voter ID bill debate ends in passage. Apparently they realized that requiring an ID with a picture (as opposed to, say, a library card) might be a good idea to avoid vote frauds. Even more amazing, how could they come up with such a notion, I wonder.

All this while Japan's Nuclear Crisis Worsens. However, I shall point out that, no matter what everyone writes, they are wrong: the power plant had withstood a quake 100 times stronger it was designed for without major problems... then a hour later came a tsunami twice as high (14 meters) as planned. But in all the chaos and despair, you can always count on Japanese people to do something superhuman and earn the title of Badass of the Week: Hideaki Akaiwa (or, the mainstream media less cool version of the story For one quake survivor, self-help in the face of seeming helplessness).

In unrelated news, considering the body's track record, I suppose the resolution was written in ancient Aramaic and therefore absolutely impossible to understand if the UN rights body ditches call to condemn religious ‘defamation,’ focuses on freedom of belief. In fact, it sounds too good, I'll have to find the text and see how the journalist got it wrong.

If you are into macroeconomics, you might be happy to know that the

BPEA is now open access

and you might also want to check

More BPEAs

even because the dream of an universal online library might be over as it looks like while they try

Explaining the Google Books Case Saga.

Nevermind, movies would be good for distraction so I've read the new movie from teh director of 300 is out, however ‘Sucker Punch’ Review: Strong on Action, Average on Story. Well, maybe I will watch it. Or not? "Sucker Punch" goes beyond awful, to become commentary on the death of moviemaking (granted, with such a headline one is compelled to go and see it just to see how bad it is...).

Speaking of movies, Legendary Oscar-Winner Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79. I shall add that she died, artistically speaking, heir-less. Who would be, in fact, her modern day version?

Yes, he was the supreme leader of his contry at the beginning of the XX century, supported eugenics and he thought that his countrymen "have no business to permit the perpetuation of citizens of the wrong type". No, it's not Germany and Adolf Hitler, it's the United States of America and Theodore Roosevelt. What, you didn't know the USA flirted with eugenics?

Ok a laugh is sorely needed: ways to avoid getting the sack: HR recommends and, if you are economics inclined, Planet Money's Toxic Asset.

Reading these days... II

Japan quake: Power lines reconnected to Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plant
Related to:
* Tokyo (Japan) : Tokyo (Japan) News and Photos
* Nuclear energy 101: Inside the "black box" of power plants
* Quake leaves Tokyo waiting for the Big One
Yes, I can tell you, it's a busy time for wheoever works in the nuclear sector...

Libya war: Germans pull forces out of NATO as Libyan coalition falls apart
Related to:
* France Says New Non-Nato Body To Lead Action
* U.S. Says Libyan Campaign to Ease as No-Fly Zone Is Secured
* Split on Libya averted as Nato given military control (doesn't seem so averted at all, in fact...)

Gulf Cooperation Council Between Two Fires in Bahrain and Libya
Ah, the joy of the straightforward policy of western democracies that always intervene for the defense of civilians like in Kossovo and Lybia. Except, of course, in Darfour, Iran, Bahrain, Yemen, Congo, Tibet, Birmania... ok, nevermind.

Work of Depressions Watch
Not the most interesting, but probably one of the last articles of Krugman I'll read, since the New York Time is switching to payment service next week.

Happy Birthday: The Mighty William Shatner Turns 80 Today
Oh my goodness... Captain Kirk is 80??? Now I feel old for real...

Pray for Japan, Worry for Europe
Related to: US Approaching Insolvency, Fix To Be 'Painful': Fisher
It's a good time for not having debts... just wondering wheter I should start buying a few gold ingots...

Yes, sex can kill you, U.S. study shows
Worrying...

Reading these days...

Nicolas Sarkozy declares multiculturalism had failed
Related to:
*Merkel says German multicultural society has failed
***Erdogan’s Visit to Germany Offends – Again
And Also:
*Cameron's Multicultural Wake-Up Call
***Why Cameron is Right on Multiculturalism
***Concerned With Muslims, Gay Activists Cancel Parade in England
***U.K. Court: Christian Beliefs are Harmful to Children, Christian Couple May Not Be Allowed to Adopt
And also:
*Australia ex-PM Howard attacks 'multiculturalism'
*José Maria Aznar attacks multiculturalism

Did the Copts Miscalculate in Egyptian Elections?
Related to Egypt to Vote Tomorrow on Constitutional Amendments

The Long and Short of Energy Prices

How Obama turned on a dime toward war
Related to Egypt Said to Arm Libya Rebels

Clash Warfare

47% of Germans think Israel exterminating Palestinians
Related to Are Israeli Settlers Human?

The Bankrupt Nihilism of Our Fallen Fantasists
Related to:
*Sanity and Sanctity: The Ennobling Fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien Part 1
*The Order of Grace: The Ennobling Fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien, Part 2
*Eucatastrophe: The Ennobling Fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien Part 3
*Bored with the Good: The Ennobling Fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien Part 4

Europe: Northern exposure
Related to:
*Greeks adopt ‘won’t pay’ attitude
*Why the eurozone will survive
*The Eurozone’s new clothes

Illiteracy Rules

Where Have The Good Men Gone?

Degrees and Dollars

Work in Progress... ?

Well. It has been more than a year, one and a half rather, since I last posted on this blog.

Since then, my life has I had planned it (moving to Germany, getting married, starting a family) had to be totally scrapped and replanned and not on my own initiative too.

Truth to be said, I haven't forgotten about this blog and for the last few months I've been, now and then, thinking about what to do with it. The options are easy enough: closing and deleting it or scrapping all the entries, the overwhelming majority, that constitute now mostly a painful reminder of my foolishness or just keep going, changing the nature of it as th eoriginal intent, keeping updated my friends of what was going on with me, especially while living abroad, i snow mostly performed via facebook.

Truth to be said, I still can't decide.

Civilian Security Forces!?

"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." Sen. Obama.

Now, historical precedents should tell us something, I believe. Did anyone hear of the Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse (KdA), for instance? What about the Blackshirts? Or the Sturmabteilung?

I thought the liberals were aghast at the idea of paramilitary services and left them to the "right wing nutjobs". Apparently not anymore.

This is getting a bit too creepy...

Could it be we hadn't seen things like that in the western world since, say, the mid '40s?

You've got to be kidding, FT

From the Financial Times "Republican legislators ripped into a $700bn financial rescue package backed by almost the entire US political establishment. "

Now:

- 94 Democrats, members of the party holding an overwhelming majority in the American House of Reporesentatives, voted against the package, included 5 committee chairmen

- the House (democratic) speaker, besides being unable to keep control of more than one third of her party's votes, thought it was a good idea to lunch herself in an aggressive speech right before the vote criticizing the very idea of a bailout, putting all the blame on the republicans (first video) and casually forgetting the prominent role of the democrats in refusing regulations on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which could had avoided the subprime crisis (second video)

- Contrarily to McCain, Obama didn't even try to help the bill pass (NYT: "Aides to Mr. Obama said he had not directly reached out to try to sway any House Democrats who opposed the measure. ")

... and the republicans ripped into the package?

An Autumn afternoon walk in Bretzenheim

The light and the colors of Autumn, the houses and look of Bretzenheim:

Blue eyes, baby's got blue eyes...

Goodbye Paul Newman.

And you might want to read this too.

Unassuming

German classes every day at 8.45 is not a light task, I can assure you... however, at 10.30 we get 20 minutes of a pause. After much searching, finally a place was found worth of the walk (and the occasional 50 cents of fine for getting back late...) . It's in Fort Malakoff, which is unassuming from outside (left) and unassuming from inside (right).










The Bar itself is unassuming (so much that, having gone there a half dozen times, I still have to catch the name of the place), with unassuming façade (left), unassuming customers (except when the occasional first or second grade class parks in front of it, which happens surprisingly often) and, you bet, unassuming espresso... but then... try the apfelstrudel or the puddingbretze...

Igloos

A couple of days ago, Mainz demonstrated as the climate change might be affecting the city, but also that they will be ready for the next ice age, as the new polar compound stood proudly in Gutembergplatz.
No, seriously, it was a series of tents to host some kind of intercultural manifestation, but considering it was FIVE degrees this morning, one has to wonder...

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

Here we are again... for the third time in my life, I try once again to learn German. After having signed with the Berlitz school here in Mainz for a course that never started and made me waste 2 whole months, eventually I signed up at the VolksHochSchule... will I manage this time to grasp at least the basics of this barbaric and hypercomplicated language? Ich weiss nicht...

The school (left) , located downtown near the Zitadelle and Fort Malakov, and the old style corridors of the school (right).








The classroom empty and with some of my colleagues. The group s incredibly varied, with people coming from 4 diferent continents and countries as Italy, Iran, Iraq, Chile, Hungary, Japan, Turkey, Greece, Philippines, Cambodia...







Kindergarden feelings: the sparrschwein (left) where people arriving late must deposit 1 euro and (right) an awesomely useful rigmarole to try and remember the insane rules of the language







The two teachers: Angelika (left) and Peter, who apparently has been an actor in the past and that indeed does show when he teaches, making him the funniest German teacher I ever met...

The night of the open churches

Once a year, the churches in Mainz (well, 18 of them) are kept open untill late at night, each organizing some music, reading or similar events. It was an interesting chance to give a peek to places of Mainz I hadn't been before and so, there I went. Eventually, I visited 12 out of the 15 open churches, stopped in my plan to visit all of them by the storm that struck the city at about 11pm... Here are the pictures from ten of them, St. Bonifaz is missing as it is a modern church whith little or nothing of note, while the rain was already pouring by the time I reached the Altmuensterkirche, preventing me to take pictures.

One note, however: while the protestant churches in Mainz are, as any protesta church, pretty bare, here also the catholic ones tend to be disadorned. That is mostly due the fact that just about all of them were bombed and burned down in 1944. What a little wonderful gem must have this city been before the war, one can only wonder...

S. Quintin (click to enlarge)










The Cathedral (St. Martin)




















St. Johannis










JohannisKapelle










St. Cristoph (what used to be the abside is still a small church, the rest was never rebuilt after WWII)














KarmeliterKloster










St. Peter










ChristusKirche











St. Emmeran (which, I discovered, is the Italian parish of Mainz and where I still have to understand why they have that kind of tent...)










St. Antonius

How many times...

...Can people repeat something over the years before that becomes a meaningless mantra?" Following the democratic side of the presidential campaign, apparently a number higher than a lot and closer to infinite. In fact, googling for "republican failed policies" returns 1.060.000 results, "republican divisive politics" returns 517.000 hits. Not that all those hits are about democrats accusing the republicans of either or both, but an overwhelming majority definitely is. At least we know that for democrats, republicans are twice as failed than divisive... in a country that has Chapter 21 and personal failure in a venture is regarded as much less as a social stigma as it is in Euope, but rather as a wrong attempt on the path ro success, perhaps that is not all that bad.

Bu really, don't people ever get bored in the USA? Perhaps so. Maybe that's why as a mean of diversion, democrata tend to use the terms against each other too like here, here, here...

Various from the world

Russia, unsurprisingly for all but the western foreign ministers it seems, officially recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Protests and shrieks followed from the western capitals, calling the move illegal and unacceptable, proclaiming the territorial integrity of Georgia untouchable and vowing that the two small breakaway regions will never ever be independant.

Yet, not a single politician or analyst who dared to draw a comparison between the case for Kossovo's independence and South Ossetia's and Abhkazia's ones to demonstrate the differences advocating for a different treatment.

In South Africa, a land reform bill which effectively gave major powers to the government to exporpriate the white ladowners to redistribute their properties to the black people was, at least for the time being, shelved. Considering that was the very move that precipitated Zimbabwe from being a relatively wealthy african country and a breadbasket for the continent to a eight (nine? ten?) zeroes inflation rate and economic disintegration, perhaps that's not a bad news at all.

In the meanwhile, in the States, the democratic convention is going on. Considering I didn't join an investment program because I didn't trust a banker with decades of experience to administer my money, it is still beyond me how the democrats could trust so much part of their life in the hands of a nearly-zero-experience orator. Hillary Clinton had sum it up as no repubblican could with her famous statement "I know Sen. McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002.". Even now, I feel Hillary doesn't regret saying that a bit.

Pro-Russia

A semi-authoritarian country wishing to re-exert its control on a breakaway province which has been practically independent for more than a decade resolves to armed intervention which includes firing on peacekeeping forces present in the region, but is pushed back by the intervention of a superpower strongly opposed by its long time cold-war era opponent. Are we talking of Serbia, Kossova, USA and Russia? No, rather of Georgia, South Ossetia (and Abkhazia), Russia and USA.

Now, all would be a "normal" old fashioned sphere on influence's quarrel were it not for the uncommon, even for the protagonists of the events, amount of hypocrisy involved. It is not one year yet that the USA supported the independence of Kossovo, the breakaway province of Serbia, after having been the leader in the war that wrestled it away from Serbia's rule. Having in Kossova's case explicitly rejected the principle of territorial integrity for Serbia, now they want it upheld for Georgia.

And what would be the difference? That Georgia is a democracy that needs to be defended (which is false) , that Russia has been unlawfully deploying forces in South Ossetia in the first place (false, considering that the Russian forces have been there after a joint agreement dated 1996 between the then Georgian president and the South Ossetian one following the war in the early 90s). All that, disregarding that South Ossetia and Abkhazia had been "donated" to Georgia by Georgian soviet dictator Stalin (himself a Georgian) despite ethnic, linguistic and religious differences.

Now, even more worrying (and no doubt a trigger, if not the trigger, of the crisis) is Georgia's bid to enter the NATO. Personally, I think it's an absolute nonsense and a very shortsighted move to allow countries neighboring Russia to enter the NATO, potentially forcing an armed reaction from the western countries in what Russia consider, and rightly so, its backyard. The USA almost started WWIII when Russia moved to install missiles in Cuba, would Russia back down seeing USA doing exactly the same forty years later? Is it worth risking a shooting war with Russia for a semi-dictatorial aggressive state in the Caucasus? No, thank you.

B-2-B: Back to Blog

Can't believe it has been almost 10 month since last time I posted something on the blog. I would say that the Master kept me totally busy, but that would be a half-truth at best. What had me discontinuing my blog for real was a casual comment by SO (and that's not Second Officer) about her not wanting to start one due blogging being wonderful for keeping in touch with friends, but hazardous for your career, as more and more firms Google applicants' names first time in the hiring process.

Intrigued I Googled myself and, lo and behold, the first entry is exactly this page. That made me think and a whole 10 months at that. Granted, this blog would prove to a potential boss that I can decently write in English, but would I want to disclose much of my personal events or thoughts? The answer was an unqualified no.

So what do I do back here? Well, I still like writing and still need to keep in touch with a number of people (even if Facebook now helps with that) without the time to emailing each and one of them. So, for now, I've decided a partial resurrection of this blog which, however, will contain more comments about politics, news, books and, possibly, movies (I do not get to see many of them in Germany...) and less and definitely sketchy news about me personally. Probably more boring, I know.

As for now, the interface was totally redone as a sign of good will signalling I really intend to be back. Posts will follow, probably not at the pace of 2006... we'll see how it goes.

Readings - 2007

15) King, S. - Cell - 8/10
14) Perez-Reverte, A. - The Club Dumas - 8,5/10
13) King, S. - Hearts in Atlantis - 8,5/10
12) Guillou, J. - The Heritage of the Templar - 8,5/10
11) Guillou, J. - The Kingdom at the End of the Road - 8,5/10
10) Guillou, J. - The Knight Templar - 9/10
9) Guillou J. - The Road to Jerusalem - 8,5/10
8) King, S. - The Regulators - 5,5/10
7) Lewis, C.S. - The Chronicles of Narnia - 8/10
6) Cantarella, E. - I supplizi capitali in Grecia e a Roma (unifnished) - 6/10
5) Howard, R.E. - The Conan Cycle II - 7/10
4) Howard, R.E. - The Conan Cycle I - 7/10
3) McDougall, S. - Romanitas - 6/10
2) Figes, O. - A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 - 7,5/10
1) Ken Kalfus, K. - The Commissariat of Enlightenment - 8,5/10