Monthly Archives: January 2011

WTO Lowers Boom on Boeing – WSJ.com

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WTO Lowers Boom on Boeing – WSJ.com.

It was just a matter of time -

The WTO has now found that both Boeing and Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., received illegal aid. A negotiated settlement between the U.S. and European Union now seems almost certain, but it remains unclear how that process will play out.

In trade disputes, the WTO’s only prescription is to eliminate subsidies still having an effect. It’s up to the losing government to define its compliance in a proposal agreed to by the winner.

The amounts involved are so massive, in the tens of billions of dollars, that returning the money to governments is unthinkable.

Loneliest Man in Davos Foresees 2015 Bank Crisis While Global Elites Party – Bloomberg

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“The fundamentals haven’t been addressed at all,” Wilkinson, a London-based partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman, said in an interview at the Hotel Morosani Schweizerhof. “The things that caused the previous crisis — loose monetary policy and trade imbalances — they’re actually bigger now than they were then.”

In the caste system of the World Economic Forum’s annual event in the Swiss ski resort, Wilkinson was at a bottom rung, with an identification badge that denied him access to most sessions and soirees. His message clashed with the optimistic tone of many at the center of the meeting, who were eager to emphasize the progress made after two years of hand-wringing in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

via Loneliest Man in Davos Foresees 2015 Bank Crisis While Global Elites Party – Bloomberg.

Clinton convenes mass meeting of U.S. ambassadors – Politics – White House – msnbc.com

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Clinton convenes mass meeting of U.S. ambassadors – Politics – White House – msnbc.com.

First such global meeting of

The top envoys from nearly all of America’s 260 embassies, consulates and other posts in more than 180 countries will be gathering at the State Department beginning on Monday. Officials say it’s the first such global conference.

Well, why not – that ought to do some good . . .

Conservative high-rollers gather to plot strategy – Politics – More politics – msnbc.com

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Conservative high-rollers gather to plot strategy – Politics – More politics – msnbc.com

And, setting up their plan for the “grass roots” strategy, raise $30 million dollars and – this note from the article – which suggests that we will be getting blasted by that many more conservative backed messages from every possible avenue – (my note)

Much of the funds pledged this weekend by donors, however, may never be disclosed publicly because they will be directed to politically oriented non-profit organizations, like the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity, that — thanks to last year’s Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case — are now much freer to run political attack ads without publicly reporting their contributors.

‘Million man march’ planned to bring Mubarak down – The Times of India

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Egyptian protesters on Monday called for an indefinite strike in Egypt and a “million man march” on Tuesday in Cairo, upping the stakes in their bid to topple President Hosni Mubarak’s regime.

via ‘Million man march’ planned to bring Mubarak down – The Times of India

 

 

 

2011 Spring Festival – China starts Feb. 3

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The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important traditional festival for family reunions. It begins on Feb 3 this year and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac.Millions of Chinese take the week-long holiday from Feb 2 to Feb 8 to go home despite unbelievable difficulties, like waiting for hours in chilly weather to buy a railway ticket. >>>

via 2011 Spring Festival.

Starts in a couple days – the site above has slides with a stereographic of bugs bunny and trees with red lanterns hanging from the limbs – among others, really pretty.

This one has a nifty photo of tiger cub and bunny -

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-01/30/content_11938561.htm

DAVOS-Lobster in the mountains, riots on the Nile | Reuters

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DAVOS-Lobster in the mountains, riots on the Nile | Reuters.

The global elite, dining on Norwegian lobster and reindeer at the end of the World Economic Forum on Saturday, felt pretty chipper despite growing concerns about the inequality of the economic recovery.

JAN 30, 2011 (Reuters)