Israel is Officially an energy power
The amount of gas in the Leviathan reservoir off the coast of Haifa is as large as originally estimated. The Leviathan exploration prospect, which is located northwest of the coast of Haifa, contains 80% more natural gas than the Tamar reservoir, which was previously considered Israel's largest drilling site, a report released Wednesday by Delek Energy revealed. "Today we received the most important piece of Energy news since the foundation of the State," National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said. "Israel can enjoy not only the use of the gas, but can actually also turn into a gas supplier in the Middle East."
COMMENT: And after all that, Israel now is one of the infrastructure leaders for electric cars. Not complaining...just happy we didn't land up in Ghana! There were, however, historic complaints that Moses had lost his way. Now they will be saying that he invented the GPS!
ChemChina Purchases Makhteshim Agan
The deal is done. The sale of agrochemicals company Makhteshim Agan Industries Ltd. (TASE: MAIN) to China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) at NIS 20 per share, reflecting a company value of $2.4 billion was signed and sealed today after 3 months of negotiation.
COMMENT: I wonder how the Iranians would feel today about targeting Chinese assets in Israel with their missiles? Somehow I think they might be too busy trying to hold their collapsing economy together.
Income from tourism reaches record $4.4b in 2010
The Israel Hotels Association also reported a record 3.4 million tourists visited Israel this year. This is about 2.2% (two point two) of GDP. This gives some perspective of how strong the rest of the economy is this year.
COMMENT: And all of this in spite of not apologising to Turkey.
Israel and Cyprus sign offshore oil and gas exploration agreement
Friday's agreement enables Israel and Cyprus to pursue development of their energy sources in the deepwater East Mediterranean Basin. Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador Gaby Levy for a sharp rebuke. Turkey does not recognize the Cypriot government, and is the only country to recognize the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
COMMENT: Goodness, the Turks are mad! Maybe we should apologise to them.
Israel and Philippines sign 'landmark' mutual assistance agreement
Israel and the Philippines on Tuesday signed an agreement on customs and mutual assistance and cooperation, the first of its kind between the two states. "This agreement constitutes an important landmark in Israel's relations with the Philippines, especially in light of the recent sharp rise in the scope of trade between the two countries," said Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, at the signing of the agreement in the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.
People who think of retreating before a battle is fought ought to have stayed home - Michel Ney
H
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Rare Earth going nuts!!! - FLASH
Today Tuesday Dec 28th China reduced its export Quotas of rare earth elements. Massive volume on the markets and the shares are rocketing. Looks like we are about to witness the mother of all shortages. Some of the more interesting companies are RARE ELEMENT RES LTD (REE), GREENLAND MINERALS (GDLNF.PK), TASMAN METALS (TASXF.PK), QUEST RARE (QSURD.PK) and the ETF (REMX) on the NYSE. (please check with your broker as regards risk). Amazing that this is not making headline news.
For anyone who is still unaware of this please read "Rare Earth Revolution" from Nov 17th and "The Middle East has oil, China has Rare Earths" October 15th on this blog.
H
China Plays Its Hand
China, supplier of about 95% of the international market for rare earths metals, the materials used in high-tech gadgets from smartphones to laptops to LED televisions, is once again asserting its dominance in the market by paring its export quotas of rare earths by 11% in the first round of permits for 2011 to 14,446 metric tons, according to Bloomberg News. The country allotted 16,304 tons and 7,976 tons in the two permit rounds this year, Bloomberg reported.
News of China's reduced export quotas has helped the Rare Earth Stocks Index surge by 13.6% this morning, adding to a massive gain of over 300% in the past six months. China has also said it will raise export taxes on select rare earths by as much as 25%, and the lower quotas may force major rare earths consumers such as Japan and the U.S. to seek alternative supplies from countries such as Australia, Mongolia and Thailand, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. was once a major rare earths supplier, but mining activity here has dwindled. Molycorp (NYSE: MCP - News) is looking to change that and recently started work on a rare earths mine in California. Shares of Molycorp are up 9% today and have surged 72% in the past month.
For anyone who is still unaware of this please read "Rare Earth Revolution" from Nov 17th and "The Middle East has oil, China has Rare Earths" October 15th on this blog.
H
China Plays Its Hand
China, supplier of about 95% of the international market for rare earths metals, the materials used in high-tech gadgets from smartphones to laptops to LED televisions, is once again asserting its dominance in the market by paring its export quotas of rare earths by 11% in the first round of permits for 2011 to 14,446 metric tons, according to Bloomberg News. The country allotted 16,304 tons and 7,976 tons in the two permit rounds this year, Bloomberg reported.
News of China's reduced export quotas has helped the Rare Earth Stocks Index surge by 13.6% this morning, adding to a massive gain of over 300% in the past six months. China has also said it will raise export taxes on select rare earths by as much as 25%, and the lower quotas may force major rare earths consumers such as Japan and the U.S. to seek alternative supplies from countries such as Australia, Mongolia and Thailand, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. was once a major rare earths supplier, but mining activity here has dwindled. Molycorp (NYSE: MCP - News) is looking to change that and recently started work on a rare earths mine in California. Shares of Molycorp are up 9% today and have surged 72% in the past month.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Politically Incorrect
Quite a few people might be upset by this blog. However, I need to say things as I see them. Most analysts would be careful of saying these things lest they be labelled as racists or bigots or whatever. Lets start with a challenge. I challenge anybody to show me a public speech made by any Arab leader of any arab state or entity, calling on his people to make peace with the Jewish State of Israel. The condition would be that the speech must be in Arabic. To be frank, if such a thing exists one could count the instances on the fingers of one hand.
Then of course there are three different words for peace in arabic. The three Arabic words translated as "peace" in English are salaam, hudna, and suhl. Two of these words are phony substitutes. Salaam is the peace of submission. It is the arabic word for submission and obedience and the peaceful intent is only for moslems or those who submit to Islam. Therefore salaam, Moslem peace, is not the absence of violence as it is for us, but the absence of disobedience. But then who would know that? (probably about 1.3 billion Muslims).
Hudna, the second Arabic word translated in English as "peace," means cease-fire, a temporary truce.The
word most commonly used by Hamas.So when they propose a Hudna with israel, it's hailed in the Western media as a peace proposal. It is instead a tactical, temporary break in hostilities, giving Moslems time to re-organize, re-arm, then renew the Jihad against the infidels (non believers) when they can be most caught off-guard.
Sulh or Sulha the third Arabic term for "peace," means reconciliation and is the word they always refuse to use. The Encyclopedia of Islam describes sulh as a concept of Islamic sharia law: The purpose of sulh is to end conflict and hostility among believers so that they may conduct their relationships in peace and amity....In Islamic law, sulh is a form of contract (aqd), legally binding on both the individual and community levels. That these words matter is shown by Arab resistance to signing an agreement that makes it a binding contract using sulh. Even Sadat refused the word in the Camp David accords, and in spite of this, he was assasinated for his efforts.
Interesting that every arab on the planet understands the language but the Sean Penns and the Oliver Stones of the world, even if they are aware (not quite sure they are aware of anything...) of the nuances, continue to sprout their cockeyed belief that Israel is the source of all evil. Even more interesting are arab and muslim attitudes to people of colour, even though they (the people of colour) are muslims. Bare with me and we shall reach our politically incorrect conclusion.
It is true that the population of most North African countries is mixed, but it is not a secret that in these countries there is a gradation of human valuation that corresponds directly to skin color, with the most privileged status being accorded those perceived rightly or wrongly as being of "pure" Arab stock while those with the darkest skin and curliest hair are located on the lowest rung of the social hierarchy.
Arab racism is so deep it is inscribed in the fundamental semantic structure of the Arabic language. Till this day, the generic word or for a black person is the preface "abd," which translates as "slave," as in "Abd"-allah (slave or servant of God). This linguistic norm, among many other racially-charged ones, is an expressive constant which holds true for the entire Arab-speaking world regardless of dialect and orthography.
Arabs still generally regard the Darfur genocide as a public relations disaster rather than as a barbaric racist war against black people. I have not heard one word from all these foreign policy experts in Hollywood on this painful truth. Obviously it would be politically incorrect. We have yet to hear unequivocal condemnation of the Sudanese government's racist practices from Arab states. In Morocco, Tunisia, and throughout much of the Arab world, the only ticket to social visibility for blacks is soccer. Becoming a soccer star gives a black person access to coveted corridors of society and enables them to "marry up", racially speaking.
And I could go on and on. I have spent many evenings in conversation with arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza and they discuss the above truths without blinking an eyelid. I could go on for hours. We could discuss Durban 1,2 and 3. The zionism is racism BS. What about Israel the Apartheid State? Canadian universities are full of these enlightened morons. However, all of this pales compared to the above. Clearly this is a culture where dishonesty, racism and deception are deeply inbred. The pot calling the kettle black (Excuse the pun). All we have to do is listen to what they are saying in arabic.....and believe them. One morning, North America will wake up and the coffee will be cold.
The upside to all this? Islam is hostile to all religions. You know what they say about fooling all the people....
Dedicated to Thomas Friedman of the New York Times whose coffee is cold and he is asleep at the wheel!
Life's a bitch.You've got to go out and kick ass - Maya Angelo
H
Then of course there are three different words for peace in arabic. The three Arabic words translated as "peace" in English are salaam, hudna, and suhl. Two of these words are phony substitutes. Salaam is the peace of submission. It is the arabic word for submission and obedience and the peaceful intent is only for moslems or those who submit to Islam. Therefore salaam, Moslem peace, is not the absence of violence as it is for us, but the absence of disobedience. But then who would know that? (probably about 1.3 billion Muslims).
Hudna, the second Arabic word translated in English as "peace," means cease-fire, a temporary truce.The
word most commonly used by Hamas.So when they propose a Hudna with israel, it's hailed in the Western media as a peace proposal. It is instead a tactical, temporary break in hostilities, giving Moslems time to re-organize, re-arm, then renew the Jihad against the infidels (non believers) when they can be most caught off-guard.
Sulh or Sulha the third Arabic term for "peace," means reconciliation and is the word they always refuse to use. The Encyclopedia of Islam describes sulh as a concept of Islamic sharia law: The purpose of sulh is to end conflict and hostility among believers so that they may conduct their relationships in peace and amity....In Islamic law, sulh is a form of contract (aqd), legally binding on both the individual and community levels. That these words matter is shown by Arab resistance to signing an agreement that makes it a binding contract using sulh. Even Sadat refused the word in the Camp David accords, and in spite of this, he was assasinated for his efforts.
Interesting that every arab on the planet understands the language but the Sean Penns and the Oliver Stones of the world, even if they are aware (not quite sure they are aware of anything...) of the nuances, continue to sprout their cockeyed belief that Israel is the source of all evil. Even more interesting are arab and muslim attitudes to people of colour, even though they (the people of colour) are muslims. Bare with me and we shall reach our politically incorrect conclusion.
It is true that the population of most North African countries is mixed, but it is not a secret that in these countries there is a gradation of human valuation that corresponds directly to skin color, with the most privileged status being accorded those perceived rightly or wrongly as being of "pure" Arab stock while those with the darkest skin and curliest hair are located on the lowest rung of the social hierarchy.
Arab racism is so deep it is inscribed in the fundamental semantic structure of the Arabic language. Till this day, the generic word or for a black person is the preface "abd," which translates as "slave," as in "Abd"-allah (slave or servant of God). This linguistic norm, among many other racially-charged ones, is an expressive constant which holds true for the entire Arab-speaking world regardless of dialect and orthography.
Arabs still generally regard the Darfur genocide as a public relations disaster rather than as a barbaric racist war against black people. I have not heard one word from all these foreign policy experts in Hollywood on this painful truth. Obviously it would be politically incorrect. We have yet to hear unequivocal condemnation of the Sudanese government's racist practices from Arab states. In Morocco, Tunisia, and throughout much of the Arab world, the only ticket to social visibility for blacks is soccer. Becoming a soccer star gives a black person access to coveted corridors of society and enables them to "marry up", racially speaking.
And I could go on and on. I have spent many evenings in conversation with arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza and they discuss the above truths without blinking an eyelid. I could go on for hours. We could discuss Durban 1,2 and 3. The zionism is racism BS. What about Israel the Apartheid State? Canadian universities are full of these enlightened morons. However, all of this pales compared to the above. Clearly this is a culture where dishonesty, racism and deception are deeply inbred. The pot calling the kettle black (Excuse the pun). All we have to do is listen to what they are saying in arabic.....and believe them. One morning, North America will wake up and the coffee will be cold.
The upside to all this? Islam is hostile to all religions. You know what they say about fooling all the people....
Dedicated to Thomas Friedman of the New York Times whose coffee is cold and he is asleep at the wheel!
Life's a bitch.You've got to go out and kick ass - Maya Angelo
H
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Palestine - A Contrary Opinion
Most political agendas and foreign policy decisions are based on economic shortages and especially long term economic trends. Specifically in the Western World post world war 2. In the early fifties most foreign offices came to the conclusion that oil would be a critical factor in the economic development of western economies. And so the political pendulum swung in the direction of of the oil producing nations. The arab world, aware of this newly found power realised the opportunity and this gave birth to arab nationalism. OPEC was established in 1960 and the PLO headed by Yasser Arafat was born in 1964. At the time the price of oil was 3 (yes, three) dollars a barrel. To be fair, the price in real terms of 2008 dollars was closer to 20 bucks a barrel. The price remained stable until the early seventies when OPEC began to flex its muscles.
The Yom Kippur War erupted in 1973 when Syria and Egypt surprised Israel in an almost deadly attack. OPEC saw the opportunity and placed an oil embargo on the West. The price of oil jumped fourfold to 12 dollars a barrel (About $40 a barrel in 2008), but that is a story for another day. Back to the PLO and Yasser Arafat. In 1974 this gentleman appeared before the UN packing a pistol at his side and threatened "Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter’s gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat: do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." And the members sucked it up! The PLO had the world at its feet.
In 1979 cracks began to appear between Shiite and Sunni Muslims as Iran and Iraq went to war sending the price of oil to $35 a barrel (about $80 in 2008 prices). And this is where the PLO fairy tale peaks. Like with all economic shortages, the market takes over and creates alternatives. Oil is no longer a political weapon. Some members of OPEC have over-extended themselves to the point of bankruptcy. The former PLO and their cronies are split between Hamas and the PLA, and of course Arafat has been buried together with his olive branch and pistol.
The long term trend today is towards electricity. Not oil. The price today is $90, but in devalued dollars. Alternative energy sources like nuclear energy, solar and wind power plus huge discoveries of oil sands etc.
are making oil as a weapon, irrelevant. The danger to Israel has not passed, but the miracle of Israel is there for all to see. Israels currency is one of the strongest in the world. China, India and Russia are all making large investments in Israel. Gas in sizeable amounts has been discovered off Haifa and Israel is the third largest exporter of weapons in the world. And lets not forget hi-tech and medicare. Not bad for a country 62 years old and surrounded by enemies.
Bottom line. Even though the "Palestinians" still behave as though they are the centre of the universe, The universe has changed. The so-called Palestinian problem was created by the oil weapon, and suffice to predict that it will be relegated to the back rows of history as OPEC (remember them?) sinks into oblivion.
The pendulum is swinging. Roll on 2011!
And to all my friends....Merry Christmas, A Happy New Year and Happy Holidays
If you have abandoned one faith, do not abandon all faith. There is always an alternative to the faith we lose. Or is it the same faith under another mask? - Graham Greene
H
The Yom Kippur War erupted in 1973 when Syria and Egypt surprised Israel in an almost deadly attack. OPEC saw the opportunity and placed an oil embargo on the West. The price of oil jumped fourfold to 12 dollars a barrel (About $40 a barrel in 2008), but that is a story for another day. Back to the PLO and Yasser Arafat. In 1974 this gentleman appeared before the UN packing a pistol at his side and threatened "Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter’s gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat: do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." And the members sucked it up! The PLO had the world at its feet.
In 1979 cracks began to appear between Shiite and Sunni Muslims as Iran and Iraq went to war sending the price of oil to $35 a barrel (about $80 in 2008 prices). And this is where the PLO fairy tale peaks. Like with all economic shortages, the market takes over and creates alternatives. Oil is no longer a political weapon. Some members of OPEC have over-extended themselves to the point of bankruptcy. The former PLO and their cronies are split between Hamas and the PLA, and of course Arafat has been buried together with his olive branch and pistol.
The long term trend today is towards electricity. Not oil. The price today is $90, but in devalued dollars. Alternative energy sources like nuclear energy, solar and wind power plus huge discoveries of oil sands etc.
are making oil as a weapon, irrelevant. The danger to Israel has not passed, but the miracle of Israel is there for all to see. Israels currency is one of the strongest in the world. China, India and Russia are all making large investments in Israel. Gas in sizeable amounts has been discovered off Haifa and Israel is the third largest exporter of weapons in the world. And lets not forget hi-tech and medicare. Not bad for a country 62 years old and surrounded by enemies.
Bottom line. Even though the "Palestinians" still behave as though they are the centre of the universe, The universe has changed. The so-called Palestinian problem was created by the oil weapon, and suffice to predict that it will be relegated to the back rows of history as OPEC (remember them?) sinks into oblivion.
The pendulum is swinging. Roll on 2011!
And to all my friends....Merry Christmas, A Happy New Year and Happy Holidays
If you have abandoned one faith, do not abandon all faith. There is always an alternative to the faith we lose. Or is it the same faith under another mask? - Graham Greene
H
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bloomberg,Russell and Dines
1.Moody's, the credit agency, says that due to the cost of the new tax cut deal between Obama and the GOP, US Treasuries may lose their AAA rating within 2 years. The US losing its credit rating would be fantastic shock, yet it may happen. By the way, after they failed so miserably during the housing disaster, the credit agencies may be forced to be honest and do the required work.
2.The gold price continue to hold near its all-time high. And no wonder, with China's government allowing its
mainlanders to invest in foreign exchange-traded gold funds for the first time. Now that the quacks running the world's central banks have dumped most of their gold in favor of public ownership
3.Silver is outperforming gold, as it did in the 1970s. Silver is more speculative than gold and when it gets going will attract much more buying. At $30.27/oz reached on 6 Dec 10, silver was at its highest level since 15 Oct 1980.
4.There is an insatiable demand for energy in China. Seventy percent of its electricity is supplied by coal-fired power plants. There's a coal bubble forming. China currently burns half of the six billion tons of coal used every year on earth. The United States now ships coal to China all the way from West Virginia. And it's not just the high-end coal — or coke for making steel; the U.S. companies are shipping regular thermal coal halfway around the world.
5.On the uranium front, as recent strength in uranium-mining shares has been validated by higher prices for uranium metal.The weekly spot price has risen from $40 in Apr 09 to $61.75 currently.
COMMENT: The demand for energy seems endless, whether gas, coal, electricity, wind, solar and to a lesser extent, oil.
2.The gold price continue to hold near its all-time high. And no wonder, with China's government allowing its
mainlanders to invest in foreign exchange-traded gold funds for the first time. Now that the quacks running the world's central banks have dumped most of their gold in favor of public ownership
3.Silver is outperforming gold, as it did in the 1970s. Silver is more speculative than gold and when it gets going will attract much more buying. At $30.27/oz reached on 6 Dec 10, silver was at its highest level since 15 Oct 1980.
4.There is an insatiable demand for energy in China. Seventy percent of its electricity is supplied by coal-fired power plants. There's a coal bubble forming. China currently burns half of the six billion tons of coal used every year on earth. The United States now ships coal to China all the way from West Virginia. And it's not just the high-end coal — or coke for making steel; the U.S. companies are shipping regular thermal coal halfway around the world.
5.On the uranium front, as recent strength in uranium-mining shares has been validated by higher prices for uranium metal.The weekly spot price has risen from $40 in Apr 09 to $61.75 currently.
COMMENT: The demand for energy seems endless, whether gas, coal, electricity, wind, solar and to a lesser extent, oil.
6.The first U.S. exchange-traded fund (ETF) investing in companies that produce rare-earth elements and other strategic metals has been trading since November on the NYSE Arca Stock Exchange. Managed by Van Eck Global, the Market Vectors Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF trades under the symbol REMX. The ETF tracks an index comprising of 24 mining companies including Iluka Resources Ltd., the world’s biggest zircon producer, China Rare Earth Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong-based manufacturer and wholesaler of rare-earth products; and Titanium Metals Corp.
7.If you think you have it tough, read history books - Bill Maher
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7.If you think you have it tough, read history books - Bill Maher
H
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Between The Headlines
1.Iran Feeling The crunch
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president on Saturday announced the start of a plan to slash energy and food subsidies, part of government efforts to boost the country's ailing economy. The U.N. Security Council slapped a fourth round of sanctions on Iran last summer over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, and there are signs those penalties are taking a toll on the nation's economy. On Saturday, thousands of police in riot gear were stationed at gas stations to protect them from possible rioters, while police were also seen patrolling streets and guarding banks. Please read "Iran - A Contrary Opinion" 4th Nov
2.UN OKs Israel-led blood diamonds resolution
Led by Israel, more than 60 other countries co-sponsored the resolution deepening the commitment by UN member states to halt the use of the diamond trade to fund armed conflicts across Africa. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously agreed Thursday to strengthen global efforts to curb the trade in so-called blood diamonds, saying better enforcement and reporting can help end violent conflicts fueled by illegal exploitation of the rough gems.'This is an impressive achievement for Israel,' says Ambassador Meron Reuven.
COMMENT: My, my how the world is changing. Can you imagine this scenario a few years back?
3.Obama signs Bush tax cuts extension into law
Nobody has been more opposed to the Obama policies than myself. But credit where credit is due. The man has moved from left to centre, infuriating the likes of Pelosi and CNN. This could easily be the death knell of his political career, but he did it anyway. Thats what a President does. He does what is needed for the American people. That was easy. Now comes the hard part. Budget cuts. Lets see how that goes.
QUESTION: Has the leopard changed his spots?
4.Erdogan exposed! Calls WikiLeaks docs 'gossip'
Turkish prime minister visibly upset by leaked cables which claim he has eight Swiss bank accounts with private funds and surrounds himself with fawning advisors; says US must 'hold cable writers accountable for slander'
COMMENT: The Turkish prime minister not paying his taxes? Maybe its his getaway stash...If the funds were obtained through political corruption, that falls under international money laundering laws and the Swiss system will not protect him. Somebody should follow this up.
5.Dead end: U.S. drops demand for Israeli settlement freeze in ongoing peace talks
The surprise announcement came nearly a month after Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed in principle on 90-day settlement moratorium extension in exchange for a package of incentives from Washington.
COMMENT: It took the administration two years and a ten month settlement freeze which came to nought, to work it out. They should have read my blog! Now, for goodness sakes, they are negotiating on how to get indirect talks started, because the peace loving palestinians are hurt. Shame! Ramallah is about 3 km from Jerusalem. Maybe we should all get together and buy Abbas a Blackberry. How pathetic.....
6.H ANALYSIS: Apparently the emphasis has shifted. It looks like Obama has decided to concentrate more on the economy and less on foreign policy. It took a thrashing at the polls for him to understand that he should concentrate on where his bread is buttered and not on foreign pita bread.
He who loses wealth loses much. He who loses a friend loses more. But he who loses his courage loses all.
-Miguel de Cervantes
H
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president on Saturday announced the start of a plan to slash energy and food subsidies, part of government efforts to boost the country's ailing economy. The U.N. Security Council slapped a fourth round of sanctions on Iran last summer over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, and there are signs those penalties are taking a toll on the nation's economy. On Saturday, thousands of police in riot gear were stationed at gas stations to protect them from possible rioters, while police were also seen patrolling streets and guarding banks. Please read "Iran - A Contrary Opinion" 4th Nov
2.UN OKs Israel-led blood diamonds resolution
Led by Israel, more than 60 other countries co-sponsored the resolution deepening the commitment by UN member states to halt the use of the diamond trade to fund armed conflicts across Africa. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously agreed Thursday to strengthen global efforts to curb the trade in so-called blood diamonds, saying better enforcement and reporting can help end violent conflicts fueled by illegal exploitation of the rough gems.'This is an impressive achievement for Israel,' says Ambassador Meron Reuven.
COMMENT: My, my how the world is changing. Can you imagine this scenario a few years back?
3.Obama signs Bush tax cuts extension into law
Nobody has been more opposed to the Obama policies than myself. But credit where credit is due. The man has moved from left to centre, infuriating the likes of Pelosi and CNN. This could easily be the death knell of his political career, but he did it anyway. Thats what a President does. He does what is needed for the American people. That was easy. Now comes the hard part. Budget cuts. Lets see how that goes.
QUESTION: Has the leopard changed his spots?
4.Erdogan exposed! Calls WikiLeaks docs 'gossip'
Turkish prime minister visibly upset by leaked cables which claim he has eight Swiss bank accounts with private funds and surrounds himself with fawning advisors; says US must 'hold cable writers accountable for slander'
COMMENT: The Turkish prime minister not paying his taxes? Maybe its his getaway stash...If the funds were obtained through political corruption, that falls under international money laundering laws and the Swiss system will not protect him. Somebody should follow this up.
5.Dead end: U.S. drops demand for Israeli settlement freeze in ongoing peace talks
The surprise announcement came nearly a month after Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed in principle on 90-day settlement moratorium extension in exchange for a package of incentives from Washington.
COMMENT: It took the administration two years and a ten month settlement freeze which came to nought, to work it out. They should have read my blog! Now, for goodness sakes, they are negotiating on how to get indirect talks started, because the peace loving palestinians are hurt. Shame! Ramallah is about 3 km from Jerusalem. Maybe we should all get together and buy Abbas a Blackberry. How pathetic.....
6.H ANALYSIS: Apparently the emphasis has shifted. It looks like Obama has decided to concentrate more on the economy and less on foreign policy. It took a thrashing at the polls for him to understand that he should concentrate on where his bread is buttered and not on foreign pita bread.
He who loses wealth loses much. He who loses a friend loses more. But he who loses his courage loses all.
-Miguel de Cervantes
H
Friday, December 10, 2010
Letter to Elizabeth Edwards
Dear Elizabeth,
It was with great sadness that I read of your passing. Your life and death has had such a profound effect on my life, I feel compelled to write you this letter. If there was ever a definition of motherhood, you would be it. I have followed your struggle with cancer, your partners betrayal and, despite all these blows, your loyalty to him and your kids. You put family first. You did it with strength and dignity, head held high. So many of us would like to be like you.
In todays world of hostilities and dog eat dog, words like loyalty, trust, principles and friendship seem to have lost their place in our lexicon. You have given all these words significance. But most of all you have given meaning to the sentence that directs our lives and the principle I continuously teach my children. Love is the strongest force in the world. You prove it!
So straight off the bat I will tell you that we do not have the same political views, we have never met and I consider myself to be just one of many. That being said, it would be correct to state that if there were more people like you on the planet, it would be a very different and better place.
True greatness comes with bravery, leadership and dignity. In life and in death. You have them all, in fact in bucket loads. Maybe you will notice that I am writing in the present tense. Simply put, people like you live forever in our thoughts and actions.
Have you ever seen an injured elephant mother, trumpeting anger, charge a pride of lions threatening her calves, scattering them in all directions? This is the image that flashes through the mind, watching you supporting your husband and protecting your offspring, in spite of betrayal and disease. Lady, you are the mother of all leaders, the mother of all partners and the mother of all mothers.
As for the father of your offspring (possibly the jackal in our story), a little toilet talk is necessary. His political career is over, but he will not be allowed to slink off into the night back to his girlfriend. Every time his name is mentioned, it will be associated with the word "Creep!" We the public will enforce your legacy of love. So rest assured Elizabeth, your children will be well looked after and you will be a shining light in their eyes and in the annals of history.
A Friend
It was with great sadness that I read of your passing. Your life and death has had such a profound effect on my life, I feel compelled to write you this letter. If there was ever a definition of motherhood, you would be it. I have followed your struggle with cancer, your partners betrayal and, despite all these blows, your loyalty to him and your kids. You put family first. You did it with strength and dignity, head held high. So many of us would like to be like you.
In todays world of hostilities and dog eat dog, words like loyalty, trust, principles and friendship seem to have lost their place in our lexicon. You have given all these words significance. But most of all you have given meaning to the sentence that directs our lives and the principle I continuously teach my children. Love is the strongest force in the world. You prove it!
So straight off the bat I will tell you that we do not have the same political views, we have never met and I consider myself to be just one of many. That being said, it would be correct to state that if there were more people like you on the planet, it would be a very different and better place.
True greatness comes with bravery, leadership and dignity. In life and in death. You have them all, in fact in bucket loads. Maybe you will notice that I am writing in the present tense. Simply put, people like you live forever in our thoughts and actions.
Have you ever seen an injured elephant mother, trumpeting anger, charge a pride of lions threatening her calves, scattering them in all directions? This is the image that flashes through the mind, watching you supporting your husband and protecting your offspring, in spite of betrayal and disease. Lady, you are the mother of all leaders, the mother of all partners and the mother of all mothers.
As for the father of your offspring (possibly the jackal in our story), a little toilet talk is necessary. His political career is over, but he will not be allowed to slink off into the night back to his girlfriend. Every time his name is mentioned, it will be associated with the word "Creep!" We the public will enforce your legacy of love. So rest assured Elizabeth, your children will be well looked after and you will be a shining light in their eyes and in the annals of history.
A Friend
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Gathering Storm- Bloomberg Russell and Dines
The Gathering Storm is the 12th book of the fantasy series The Wheel of Time. The series' storyline has been leading up to the "Last Battle", a fight between the forces of Light and Shadow. Of course, the hero has to be present for the forces of light to be victorious.
Now, a series of articles, Rising above The gathering storm has become popular reading.
1."Thirty years ago, ten percent of California's general fund went to higher education and three percent went to prisons. Today, nearly eleven percent goes to prisons and eight percent goes to education."
Comment: no wonder Cal wants to legalize pot. Filling up Cal's prison for pot is becoming damn expensive, this in a state that is already broke.
2.Some tidbits...Of Wal-Mart's 6,000 suppliers, 5,000 are in China. IBM's once promising PC business is now owned by a Chinese company. The legendary Bell Laboratories is now owned by a French company.
United States consumers spend significantly more on potato chips than the US government devotes to energy R&D.
3.A fatal flaw in the US system as it faces the 21st and 22nd centuries. Gridlock. Every suggestion, idea and strategy is subject to debate. Nothing gets done. The Chinese advantage -- once the government decides to do something, it gets done in a hurry, no arguments, no debates.
4.The great irony. The US continues to "advise" China on what China should do. According to US "authorities," China should raise the competitive price of the yuan. And China should become a consumer society much like the US. The reality -- China will do just what's best for China. China will only consider US "instructions" if they will help China.
5.The second great irony. The world's investors rushing into US dollars and Treasuries as if these two were "safe havens." There's only one true safe haven, and that safe haven is gold. Five thousand years of history underscores that statement. Where are all the other fiat currencies that have been created in the past ("Greenbacks, Continentals)??
6.First Greece, then Ireland, and now Spain and probably Portugal. And Spain is no little Ireland. Spain is big time, and it will take one heck of a lot of euros to bail Spain out. And the question, of course, is this -- could the euro and the euro-zone be falling apart? The Euro-zone has put up one trillion dollars to cover emergency bailouts. If Spain and Portugal unravel, there won't be enough money.
7.What's the biggest selling alcohol beverage on the planet? I ask friends this question, and nobody ever comes up with the right answer. Answer -- Saki. All Asia drinks saki; nuff said. Second biggest seller -- rum, a great mixer, and a Central and South American favorite.
Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weights you down - Toni Morrison
H
Now, a series of articles, Rising above The gathering storm has become popular reading.
1."Thirty years ago, ten percent of California's general fund went to higher education and three percent went to prisons. Today, nearly eleven percent goes to prisons and eight percent goes to education."
Comment: no wonder Cal wants to legalize pot. Filling up Cal's prison for pot is becoming damn expensive, this in a state that is already broke.
2.Some tidbits...Of Wal-Mart's 6,000 suppliers, 5,000 are in China. IBM's once promising PC business is now owned by a Chinese company. The legendary Bell Laboratories is now owned by a French company.
United States consumers spend significantly more on potato chips than the US government devotes to energy R&D.
3.A fatal flaw in the US system as it faces the 21st and 22nd centuries. Gridlock. Every suggestion, idea and strategy is subject to debate. Nothing gets done. The Chinese advantage -- once the government decides to do something, it gets done in a hurry, no arguments, no debates.
4.The great irony. The US continues to "advise" China on what China should do. According to US "authorities," China should raise the competitive price of the yuan. And China should become a consumer society much like the US. The reality -- China will do just what's best for China. China will only consider US "instructions" if they will help China.
5.The second great irony. The world's investors rushing into US dollars and Treasuries as if these two were "safe havens." There's only one true safe haven, and that safe haven is gold. Five thousand years of history underscores that statement. Where are all the other fiat currencies that have been created in the past ("Greenbacks, Continentals)??
6.First Greece, then Ireland, and now Spain and probably Portugal. And Spain is no little Ireland. Spain is big time, and it will take one heck of a lot of euros to bail Spain out. And the question, of course, is this -- could the euro and the euro-zone be falling apart? The Euro-zone has put up one trillion dollars to cover emergency bailouts. If Spain and Portugal unravel, there won't be enough money.
7.What's the biggest selling alcohol beverage on the planet? I ask friends this question, and nobody ever comes up with the right answer. Answer -- Saki. All Asia drinks saki; nuff said. Second biggest seller -- rum, a great mixer, and a Central and South American favorite.
Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weights you down - Toni Morrison
H
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