A whack across the nose April 14, 2009
Posted by wonderingin in Politics, World affairs.add a comment
“North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il is said to be a film buff, so perhaps he’s familiar with the classic “Groundhog Day,” in which Bill Murray plays a TV reporter who is condemned to relive February 2 over and over again. Kim must figure the members of the U.N. Security Council have seen it too, since they insist on reliving the same hopeless diplomacy toward his nuclear provocations.”
Better yet, the diplomats are crazy. The definition – continuing to do the same thing over and over again and yet somehow expecting a different outcome.
The only two things Kim understands and which have any chance of changing his behavior are:
- tying a noose around his wallet and
- a stiff whack on the nose
Where are the 2 x 4’s?
A sign of things to come? March 26, 2009
Posted by wonderingin in Financial Markets, The Economy, World affairs.add a comment
Kevin Chau, a currency strategist for IDEAglobal, when ask whether the U.S. is declining as a political and financial power:
“Eventually, but that will take time. You will see the emergence of China and the emergence of India eventually. Those are primarily export-driven countries. Once they start to develop a more-domestic economy they’re going to pull more weight. But that will be 10 to 20 years from now. It’s clear to see that the Chinese yuan will be the world’s reserve currency in the future. Many currency experts believe that the U.S. will not be No. 1 in the world in the future; it will share the No. 1 spot with China.”
Economic dominance drives military dominance drives political dominance. The U.K.’s 19th century empire gave way to the U.S. in the 20th century, and we will eventually give way to someone else, most likely the Chinese.
Nothing lasts forever.
