Monday, July 25, 2011

The Peanut Gallery

Statements, comments and forecasts that have no substance, but just might turn out to be relevant.

1.In preparation for next year's presidential election, young women across Russia are showing their support for Vladimir Putin by literally ripping their clothes off, reports The Independent. The video campaign has been launched by a group called “Putin Army,” which is reportedly offering an iPad to whomever submits the best video. The group posted the first video clip this weekend and asked other “young, smart and beautiful” girls to “tear something off for Putin.”

2.Syria on Monday officially announced that it recognizes a Palestinian state on 1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital, according to the semi-official SANA news agency. Now the only question that remains: Who will recognise the Syrian regime?



3.Should Iran succeed in filling a major power void in Iraq a country that touches six Middle Eastern powers and demographically favors the Shia, Iran would theoretically have its western flank secured as well as an oil-rich outlet with which to further project its influence. When or if the US withdraws its military as planned at the end of 2011, Iran will then replace the US as the most powerful military presence in the Persian Gulf, with the ability to threaten The Straits Of Hormuz and the supply of oil to the west.

4.As the world deals with attempts to deliver aid, Gaza's residents are preparing for the inauguration of a new luxury hotel. The hotel, called Moby Dick, will be inaugurated in the coming days, and Gazans hope it attracts not just Hamas men but also Western tourists. If they do arrive, they'll be able to enjoy luxurious banquet halls made of marble and stone, first-class restaurants and a shining swimming pool. A resort village with swimming pools and restaurants opened in Rafah several weeks ago, and another restaurant is planned off the city's coast. PG: Read more about these hypocrites... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4096055,00.html

5.Believe it or not! Saudi Arabia has an anti-witchcraft unit. When the severed head of a wolf wrapped in women's lingerie turned up near the city of Tabouk in northern Saudi Arabia this week, authorities knew they had another case of witchcraft on their hands, a capital offence in the ultra-conservative desert kingdom. Agents of the country’s Anti-Witchcraft Unit were quickly dispatched and set about trying to break the spell that used the beast’s head. Dont believe it? Then believe this...They have banned the Harry Potter series by British writer J.K. Rowling, rife with tales of sorcery and magic. These people wear suits and and are honoured guests at the White House.

6.The military establishment running Egypt’s interim regime is discreetly moving to ensure that the army retains its influence over Cairo’s post-revolutionary government. PG: Told you so! The Associated Press quoted Maj.-Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, a member of the council that is leading the constitution-drafting process, as saying this week that the country’s next constitution should safeguard the army against the “whims” of a future president – in effect asking for the armed forces to be given virtually complete independence.

7.Apple may have opened only four stores in two cities in China so far, but unbeknownst to the company, they are already expanding elsewhere in country. A local store in Kunming featured a glass exterior, pale wood display tables, a winding staircase and giant posters displaying the iPad 2 and other Apple products, plus a neatly organized accessories wall. “This was a total Apple store ripoff—a brilliant one,” the blogger wrote. She called it “the best ripoff store we had ever seen.” Photos show employees in blue shirts and Apple-emblazoned name tags similar to those worn by Apple Store employees in Beijing and Shanghai. PG: Integrity, Chinese style.

8.In April, India delivered the bad news to U.S. defense contractors that they weren’t going to get an estimated $11 billion contract to deliver 126 multi-role fighter jets to New Delhi in coming years. Boeing and Lockheed Martin were in the running to provide India with the fighter jets, as the country boosted its defense budget to $32 billion. The rejection will come as a blow to the US after President Obama's visit to India in November 2010 in which he hoped to boost trade between the two countries. The PG notes that nobody is buying the big smile any longer.

9.Teheran - An Iranian physicist was shot dead by a motorcyclist in Tehran on Saturday and Iran's student news agency ISNA quoted an unnamed police official as saying the man was a nuclear scientist. Being a nuclear physicist is a dangerous business in Iran today. We wonder if they are being compensated danger pay.

10.One thing I know about Americans, they are great adapters. Americans can adapt to vicious ground fighting, Americans can compete in deadly "dog fights" at 15000 feet in the sky. American farm-boys can out-soldier the most hardened, veteran Nazi fighters. Americans can sweep the skies of the German Luftwaffe. Americans can adapt to anything if it means survival. And to bring it to the present, I believe that Americans will adapt to the coming years of the great deleveraging and the ongoing financial crisis. 

The future? The things that got us here will not get us there - Peter Drucker

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