The BillyB, Aster & JR8 roundtable!

[Strong Eagle]

And George Soros doesn't seem to think much of what is going on, either.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/0 ... 29210.html

I have to laugh. With statements like 'sources say Merkel is prepared to buy more debt' tend to support other writers who say that the EU governments are completely blind to the situation.

What WOULD prevent a world recession... with or without retaining the Euro?

[JR8]

And George Soros doesn't seem to think much of what is going on, either.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/0 ... 29210.html

I have to laugh. With statements like 'sources say Merkel is prepared to buy more debt' tend to support other writers who say that the EU governments are completely blind to the situation.

What WOULD prevent a world recession... with or without retaining the Euro?

Hmmm.

I think the issue is the EUrocrats are trying to solve the crisis for today, this week, until their hoped for re-elections... There does not seem to be any plan for how to get growth and cut deficit spending enough to compete in the new global economic order. That's the problem though, the EU is a socialist utopia dreamt up post WW2, that is completely unsuited to the realities of the modern world.

So I don't think there is a solution for avoiding a world recession. And even if there was, the politicians are not looking for it. They are all looking out solely for #1.

[JR8]

‘‘We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be detested in France.”

[JR8]

---------------------
'It is understood that Armed Forces planners are looking at the possibility that a new global financial crash could undermine the defence forces of key British allies.

The head of the Armed Forces warned that economic issues pose a “strategic risk”

[JR8]

Janet Daley on sparkling form in the Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... blems.html


-------------------------
On Liberal politics:[i]
'The repudiation of Blairism is now complete, but what has taken its place does not have the integrity of the Old Faith: it is not a straightforwardly class-based, working man’s ideology whose values and priorities are instinctively in tune with a mass following. Its main constituent parts – militant unionism and BBC/Guardian salon Leftism – may be incompatible on many fronts, but what they have in common is an inexhaustible contempt for the opinions of ordinary people , or more specifically, that cohort of people which determines the outcome of elections. The voters that Labour must re-convert to its cause are precisely those whose “prejudices”

[JR8]

Oh gawd, the Germans are on a charm offensive with the UK (after the French hysterics of last week).

Look, hard to see through the obfuscating smiles and cloud cover, but here it comes ...

[BillyB]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16282206

Dead cat bounce.......

[BillyB]

Speaking of pussy, where is Aster?!

My guess is he was holding an FX account at MF Global and told his broker to pile him into anything EU related!

[JR8]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16282206
Dead cat bounce.......

Isn't this what they call a carry-trade (a la Japanese, the turning off of which just pre the initial crash started ALL of this)? Printing free money for the banks, (at the taxpayers expense of course). The ultimate in 'kin make-believe.

The article could be re-titled 'Sarkozy throws e500bn of tax-payers money at banks to boost his chances of being re-elected'. What a complete self-obsessed cock that dwarf is. Mind you, look at the wife...

p.s. Aster? He's probably wandering around in Greece still scrabbling for evidence to blame them for all of this.... hehe...

[JR8]

Where's the money to be made in all of this?

Thought this might be of interest. It suggests that the US is a safe-haven compared to Europe.


Tom Stevenson: America still the best place to find safe-haven stocks
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comm ... tocks.html

[JR8]

'The Eurofanatics should join the Marxists in the dustbin of history
The end of the euro may prove chaotic, but recovery will come – sooner rather than later.'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... story.html


Yes, I think coupling Europhiles together with Marxists is entirely appropriate, after all they are of the same mindset.

Aster, as a europhile marxist what is your view?

[JR8]

'Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti: 'The euro is not in crisis'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/fina ... risis.html


Reader comments:
-----------------------

'It's a truism that the harder politicians deny something is happening the more like[ly] it is to occur. There are so many "voices" singing from this "hymn sheet" and it's all about what is not happening. Nothing about a solution.

That's the key nothing about a solution'
------------------------

"Never believe anything until it has been officially denied" - Sir Humphrey Appleby - 1984.
------------------------

And so on for 200+ more comments.

How long do these politicians think they can continue parading about like the emperor with no clothes? Surely there must me a tipping-point of popular opinion?

[JR8]

And so it came to pass: France has been downgraded by S&P.

Such a shame for such a charming national government

Meanwhile Sarkozy lays an egg as he sees his fading hopes of being re-elected exit window left.


p.s. Even if the world were stupid enough to finance another euro500BN 'Sarko trade' I think this is him finished, and good riddance to the arrogant dwarf!

What price one man's vanity.

[aster]

I don't think anyone cares any more what the jokers that call themselves "rating agencies" have to say. The markets are completely unaffected by Friday's announcement, taking it as a good joke to kick-start the weekend.

Time to let the banks take a hit, like wiping off 50-60% of Greek's debt. As for the Euro and EU, there is no danger. It's all been blown out of proportion. And unlike the US, they haven't resorted to printing money.

Gotta side with France and Germany about giving the Shylocks a kick up the rear end. Too bad Cameron is trying to create a safe-haven for global thievery, but then nobody takes him seriously any more either... not even Scotland who wants out.

[Barnsley]

I don't think anyone cares any more what the jokers that call themselves "rating agencies" have to say. The markets are completely unaffected by Friday's announcement, taking it as a good joke to kick-start the weekend.

Time to let the banks take a hit, like wiping off 50-60% of Greek's debt. As for the Euro and EU, there is no danger. It's all been blown out of proportion. And unlike the US, they haven't resorted to printing money.

Gotta side with France and Germany about giving the Shylocks a kick up the rear end. Too bad Cameron is trying to create a safe-haven for global thievery, but then nobody takes him seriously any more either... not even Scotland who wants out.

I thought the Scottish Independence view had altered slightly after some financial analysis was done and it was realised that they would be on the the hook for RBS and a large portion of the HBOS bailout money?