Sunday, December 14, 2008

U.S. President Bush - Last Pictures


On his final visit to Iraq, a journalist threw his shoes
at the president, simultaneously naming him a "dog".
(December 14, 2008)



Some days ago, Bush introduced his portrait, painted
in oil, with the words: "Welcome to my hanging." Not
quite like national "progenitor" Abraham.


Finally, George Bush exposed himself as a popstar,
seemingly trying to sing the DOW index further down.

Monday, December 08, 2008

GUANTANAMO - September 11 Tribunal
"Celebrities" Pleading Guilty

Five long-term detainees at Guantanamo Bay, among them Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, have pleaded guilty before the September 11 tribunal. None of them is showing any regrets at what had happened in 2001. They insist on being sentenced as soon as possible in order to die as martyrs.

غوانتاناموـ استئناف محاكمة 5 معتقلين بينهم خالد شيخ محمد في قضية هجمات 11 أيلول 2001

What happened on the same day:

Pakistan - Militant islamists torched armoured NATO vehicles.
Pakistan - Arrest by Pakistani forces of 15 alleged Mumbai terrorists.
Afghanistan - The Taliban claim control of 72% of Afghanistan while a study of the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) confirms an increasing presence of the Taliban in most regions of the country, including Kabul where new military checkpoints have been recently installed.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Mumbai Attack - 印度的恐怖分子是谁?

孟买的恐怖分子是谁?

目前在印度积极活动的恐怖组织达176个,比较激进和具有恐怖色彩的有以下4类:第一类是“锡克宗教委员会”、“卡利斯坦突击队”、“全印锡克学生联合会”和“锡克宗教委员会”等;第二类是印度教徒和伊斯兰教徒围绕克什米尔争端而成立的如“查谟和克什米尔解放阵线”等;第三是以少数民族为主体的极端组织,如“阿萨姆联合解放阵线”、“博多保安军”、“特里普拉民族解放阵线”和“全特里普拉猛虎军”等;第四类是反政府的极左组织,如“人民游击军”和“人民战争集团”等。

但是印度的外交部长说:孟买恐怖袭击事件与巴基斯坦恐怖分子有关。巴基斯坦的政府从来回答:全地区的恐怖分子是从阿富汗来得。


2008年9月28日:巴基斯坦


2008年7月6日:巴基斯坦




This morning, further hostages have been freed by special forces from occupied Trident Hotel in Mumbai. [NHK TV, Tokyo, November 28]

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

CUBA - China Breaking the Blockade
古巴—中国突破封锁


胡锦涛主席探望古共中央第一书记菲德尔·卡斯特罗。胡锦涛出席了金融市场和世界经济峰会、亚太经会组织会议并访问古巴。

November 18: Chinese leaders sign a trade deal with Cuba.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on a two-day official visit to Cuba. In the same aircraft that brought the Chinese president and China's trade minister Chen Deming, humanitarian cargo for the victims of recent hurricanes was delivered. [Radio Habana / People's Daily online]

There are two aspects making the visit of high-ranking Chinese leaders to Cuba a profitable enterprise for China :

1) The sentimental value of Hu Jintao and Fidel Castro deliberating on the good old days of a Cuban-Chinese friendship that is dating back to Mao Tsedong and Deng Xiaoping, and that is coming together with badly needed humanitarian aid. A sentimental value that pays in terms of an increasing prestige for China.

2) The economic value of a trade deal that enables China to exploit Cuban sugarcane and nickel, both commodities belonging to the few material values Cuba has to offer. An economic value that has to be seen before the background of an outdated U.S. embargo and at a time of "interregnum" when a new and more liberal U.S. president elect is forced to wait for his official inauguration and for the very first opportunity to do his job.

Nevertheless, this is a win-win situation for both, Cuba and China. One partner is gaining political and economic influence, while the other is being helped to survive the hardships of recent natural disasters and a (steadily crumbling) political discrimination. Its the U.S. that is losing this match !


Further information on an international community opposing the economic blockade of Cuba can be found in my blog post: Obama and Change that is Needed

UPDATE November 21: Report by U.S. intelligence agencies projecting U.S. decline and global unrest [Al-Jazeera]

Sunday, November 16, 2008

NORTH KOREA - A Zombie's Life 死人的活动

On October 11, 2008, North Korean TV published a set of ten images that should prove Kim Jong Il being alive. All images show the North Korean leader while visiting troops. It should be his first public appearance after August 14,2008. [Source 环球日报]


朝鲜中央电视台播放金正日视察朝鲜女子炮兵部队的照片
Kim Jong Il visiting a unit of female artillery soldiers on October 11, 2008. Could it be that the North Korean leader has received a severe burn ?


Since October 3, 2007, when the South Korean president met with his counterpart, we didn't receive any reliable image of Kim Jong Il at all.


Finally, on November 6, 2008, the North Korean "Worker's News" / 劳动新闻 published a report on Kim Jong Il visiting the military units 534 (above) and 2200 (below). [Source人民网/新华网]


We can therefore suppose that "Zombie" Kim Jong Il is still alive and might have recovered from a kind of "disease" that goes without any further comment.

When it comes to analyze North Korea's desolate situation with all its aspects, two points should be considered:
1. The days of the North Korean leadership are obviously counted, and whatever might happen to that country, it will happen very soon.
2. As it is difficult to imagine any essential change coming from the inside, Chinese and South Korean support will be needed to ensure the country's transformation into a modern state, fully accepted by the international community.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

GERMANY - On Chasing the Jews

Anniversary "Reichsprogromnacht" November 9/10, 1938
When in 1938 most German synagogues were torched and jews were chasen from their houses, separated from their families, their property being robbed or destroyed, this was nothing else but a first test for the organized liquidation of the jewish race under Nazi rule. Looking back to those days, it should be mentioned that ordinary German citizens did not really react upon the proceedings of that night. Daily life continued as if nothing had happened. New jobs were created for the common people as jews disappeared, and some seemed to get rich overnight.

In the days of my youth, we often heard from the elder generation that "only few" actually knew about the cruelties that happened to the jews. Of course, there were only a few people who got an insight of the concentration camps and were able to tell about it afterwards. Nevertheless, many others must have remarked the new laws that discriminated the jews, laws that had already been created in the years before. They must have seen burning synagogues and prayer rooms and must have heard the shoutings of hatred in their neighbourhood in the night of the progrome. They must have seen lots of people being driven through the streets of Berlin or Munich to the great railway stations from where they were sent to the concentration camps. It wasn't fear alone that held ordinary citizens back from protest but rather mere indifference towards the cruelties they didn't like to see, an indifference most Germans had to pay for during the following years of war.

Therefore, I dare predict that any discrimination within a modern society could lead to the same results again. As people are forgetful when it comes to learn from history, and because it is easy to stir up the animosity of ordinary people against any social group that has been elected as the "jew of the year", even the consequences of a social crisis could easily lead to that devastating mechanism. Unfortunately, there is a global economic crisis comprising Germany as well. Let's therefore remember a social law, called Hartz IV and that is depriving the long-term unemployed from exercising some of their constitutional rights, such making them potential victims of blackmail attempts by potential employers or by their spiteful middle-class neighbours who are trying to disguise a right-wing attitude yet being sensitive about their own reputation. That law alone, feared by the unemployed as well as by those who might loose their jobs, could be a nice pretext to trigger off a nasty hunt for the scapegoat, the so-called "lazy unemployed", while the real problem is situated somewhere else in the structure of society.

Of course, the victimization and annihilation of a social or ethnic group is not a German invention at all, but nowhere else had it been organized better on behalf of its national leadership. Additional laws, created to enforce a tighter grip on each citizen and based on the false pretext of a "fight against terrorism", are already available or being prepared. And we have become used to similar laws on other fields of daily life. Who then would find anything unusual in the private hunt of some self-righteous middle-class type for "terrorists" or other "suspicious elements" in his neighbourhood, in that time where snoopers and informers are easily to be found. A steadily decreasing level of education, already effecting German economy, and the undemocratic attitude of blockheaded remnants from the former East-German state party or state security (*) will then enhance a climate where everything might become possible.

As already indicated above, the middle-class of our society seems to be the decisive source of fascistic thinking, - that part of society, deeming itself superior to the working class and simultaneously knowing that its access to influence and public power is only restricted, due to its medium level of education. Scared by any economic or political change, this group of citizens is tending to counteract such changes and resort to extreme positions. As the left-wing orientated politicians are traditionally related to the despised working class, they prefer to rely on right-wing orientated groups and their leaders. Such, it is easy to understand that about 60% of the fascistic National Democratic Party's voters belong to that middle class.


The first concentration camp, established by Nazi leader Himmler, a typical middle-class type without any special abilities and who had been estimated by his father as a "useless weakling in a bad company". Throughout the years of Nazi rule, Himmler's father, a well-reputed highschool teacher, refused to speak in favour of his son (source: documentation on Himmler's father on a German national TV channel, some years ago).

(*) Annotation:
The activitiy of former East-German security types after the reunification is a specific German aspect when it comes to evaluate fascistic resources in the Federal Republic of Germany. Once the most important extension of a fascistic state and its true base of power, some former state security men and women, together with their uniformed counterparts of the former People's Police, have found ways to resume their used activity under the roof of powerful Western companies like Siemens, Telecom and parts of the armaments branch. Companies that suddenly longed for "professional advice" on works security, at the same time when thousands of employees were going to be dismissed because of a degrading economy. Thus, it became a question of survival again to guard one's words and to watch out who was listening. This new wave of "security enhancement" finally led to cases like that of Munich Airport where former state security men already were on the brink of taking over control. Now, the authorities became alarmed, and it was the former Bavarian prime minister Stoiber who ordered to replace all of the security companies involved. The German media had the facts.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

U.S.A. - Obama New President

5:00 CET
3:00 CET
3:00 Central European Time / 8:00 Eastern Standard Time:

I. The vote ratio in favor of Obama is now 174:49 after the Democrate's candidate winning over Pennsylvania and Ohio.

II. Democrates have just reached a majority in the Senate.

5:00 Central European Time:

Obama elected president of the United States. Vote ratio 297:139 (270 needed to become president).

=> Click to the images for a better resolution !

Monday, November 03, 2008

U.S. Election Countdown


The above image has been composed by Ulysses / Wolfgang Wiesner, the editor of BLUEPRINT magazine. It is intended to express the personal opinion of its author and may be distributed in the frame of the actual presidential election campaign. Click to this image for a higher resolution !

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Obama and Change that is Needed

Only six days before the presidential election, Senator Obama is still leading the race to the White House. If a beginning stabilization of the financial markets is making further progress, the urgent need for economic measures might not overshadow the public evaluation of both candidates any longer, such giving way to a less emotional debate. This could benefit Obama rather than McCain. As the Republican candidate McCain is expected to pursue the failed politics of the actual president Bush while his running mate Sarah Palin doesn't seem to be the best possible choice, his chances to win are not really going to increase. Nevertheless, Barak Obama, the magician of change, should be warned as there's a saying from Confucius: "Someone who is decided to make great changes happen, he should speak low and carry a big stick with him."


Change that is Badly Needed


Today: Cuban Foreign Minister (usually referred to as "canciller" or chancellor) Felipe Perez Roque addressed the United Nations' General Assembly. In his speech, Roque attacked the economic blockade that has been imposed and maintained for tenths of years by the United States. He described the results of such behaviour in a time of climate changes that caused devastating hurricanes and made Cuba's people suffer without sufficient help to be provided from the outside. Therefore, Roque compared U.S. politics towards Cuba with a genocide. He added that a rising number of states became in favour of Cuba's claim to be freed from an unjustified U.S. embargo, states that are, like Cuba itself, now subject to U.S. pressure.
The following pictures show the results of all annual votes against the maintenance of a U.S. blockade in the General Assembly of the United Nations from 1992 until 2008. The votes in favour ("a favor") of Cuba's initiative speak for themselves. [Cubavision TV]



UPDATE (October 30):
For more information refer to Periódico 26 / Cuba. According to RADIO HAVANA, the votes against the Cuban initiative are from the U.S., Israel and the Pacific island state of Palau. The original speech of F.P. Roque has been recorded by BLUEPRINT magazine.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Indian Moonraker Joining the Space Race


الهند تطلق مركبة فضائية نحو القمر


India joins the space race with its first moon mission. There will be further launches to prepare a moon landing in 2011.

An Indian scientist from Delhi University stresses the importance of that project in the frame of its economic aspects, namely when it comes to the subject of future energy resources. Thus, the 80 million U.S.$ spent for the actual mission could turn out to be a profitable investment. [Al-Jazeera, English programme]. The Arabic programme of Al-Jazeera is also dedicated to that subject:
"Behind the News"

ماوراء الخبر



Destination Moon - 登上月球
According to Beijing's People's Daily online, the Indian space project is putting pressure on China's own project of a moon landing within the next years. Here's a shortcut of the Chinese article:
After a journey of ten days the Indian spaceship "Chandrayaan-I" is expected to launch an experimental module to the moon's surface. As that module is containing an Indian flag, India would become the fourth nation to plant its flag on the moon, following the United States, Russia and Japan. Kapil Sibal, India's minister for science and technology, called this "a moment of national pride" while the chairman of India's space research organisation, K. Kasturirangan, defended the cost of 80 million U.S.$ involved by that mission.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Change of U.S. Politics vs. Cuba ?




Today, U.S. president Bush presented a document allowing aid to be given to Cuba in the aftermath of damaging hurricanes. This is for the first time in decades of an economic boycott on Cuba that U.S. politics is showing any sign of a change. [Cubavision TV]

Saturday, October 04, 2008

DEUTSCHLAND:
Stasi-Eltern - Nazi-Kinder ?

Anmerkungen zum deutschen Nationalfeiertag am 3.10.200:

"Deutschland wird volljährig" - so berichtet dieser Tage ein notorisches Massenblatt. Dann ist das "Kind" also inzwischen alt genug, um einige Wahrheiten über seine "Eltern" zu verkraften:

Stasi-Eltern - Nazi-Kinder ?


Was haben wir uns erschrocken und gewundert, als schon kurz nach der Wiedervereinigung Sammelpunkte militanter Rechtsradikaler entstanden, und das ausgerechnet in den Kleinstädten jener DDR, die sich zu ihren Lebzeiten als ein "Hort des Antifaschismus" dargestellt hatte. Ein glaubhafter Augenzeuge aus Wittenberg erzählte mir gar davon, dass sich bewaffnete Jugendliche im Stadtzentrum aufhielten, weshalb dann die Polizei, ohne dagegen einzuschreiten, erst einmal die betroffenen Straßenzüge absperrte. Vermutlich benötigte man das Personal anderswo, um z.B. Falschparker zu notieren. Dieser Augenzeuge vertrat im übrigen die Einstellung: "Diejenigen, die uns früher mit Partei und Stasi gequält haben, die quälen uns auch heute noch, - nur eben anders."

Man sollte bei dieser Gelegenheit einmal daran denken, dass die DDR in ihrer gesamten Struktur ein faschistischer Staat war, der vieles von seinem Vorgänger, dem Dritten Reich, übernommen hatte. Auch die politischen Schauprozesse und die Verschleppung von Regimegegnern nach Ostberlin in den ersten Jahrzehnten der DDR waren nicht "von Stalin befohlen", sondern in erster Linie von den Schergen der Stasi "handgemacht" und von ihrer Führung selbst zu verantworten. Wie wir heute wissen, war der rücksichtslose Kurs des SED-Chefs Walter Ulbricht selbst den Genossen in Moskau zu gefährlich. Ulbrichts politisches Überleben am Ende der Stalin-Ära sicherte dann ausgerechnet der Volksaufstand vom 17. Juni 1953, zu einem Zeitpunkt als seine Absetzung in Moskau bereits als beschlossene Sache galt (*). Das ist ein Treppenwitz der Geschichte, wenn man bedenkt, dass Walter Ulbricht sich später mit seinem Plan zum Bau der Berliner Mauer beim großen Brudervolk durchsetzen konnte.

(*) Übereinstimmende Aussagen des ehemaligen sowjetischen Botschafters in der BRD, Falin, und eines ehemaligen KGB-Mitarbeiters.


Betrachtet man einmal aufmerksam alte Bilder und Filme, die Ulbricht und seinen Nachfolger Honegger bei verschiedenen Gelegenheiten zeigen, so kommt man nicht umhin, beide für verklemmte kleinbürgerliche Spießer zu halten. Und was bitte sollte man dann von ihrem Staat erwarten?

Unwillkürlich fragt man sich, was diese Leute von jenen Spießern unterscheiden soll, die, - einmal von der Leine gelassen -, ohne Bedenken zu Mördern des Dritten Reiches wurden. Denken wir einmal an den langjährigen Minister für Staatssicherheit, Erich Mielke, der nach seiner Inhaftierung nur noch wegen eines, in der Weimarer Zeit begangenen, zweifachen Polizistenmordes verurteilt werden konnte. Die Überwachung und gezielte Zersetzung von missliebigen Personen in Ost und West, die z.T. gruselige Züge annahm, wurde dabei nicht nur von Mitarbeitern der Stasi selbst bzw. von angeworbenen Familienmitgliedern ausgeführt. Sie war auch ohne das Zutun der "Volkspolizei" in bestimmten Fällen nicht denkbar. Die völkerrechtswidrige Verschleppung eines Diplomaten wurde z.B. mit dem Vopo-Wachposten vor der Botschaft im Detail abgesprochen. Auch dafür gibt es einen Augenzeugen.

Der Bundesrepublik hatte man immer vorgeworfen, den Faschismus neu zu beleben, indem alte Nazis wie der berüchtigte Staatssekretär Globke auch einen Zugang zu Führungspositionen der Regierung erhielten. Dabei wird aber leicht übersehen, dass es immer das Bestreben Konrad Adenauers war, weniger belastete Parteigänger der NSDAP in den westdeutschen Staat zu integrieren, um diesem eine breitere Basis zu geben und so einen größeren Konsens für die neu entstehende Demokratie zu erreichen. Obwohl Adenauer als langjähriger Bundeskanzler eine konservative Politik vertrat, die von vielen Bürgern nicht geteilt wurde, kann man ihm persönlich keine faschistische Grundhaltung unterstellen. War er nicht selbst Opfer der Nazis geworden, als die ihn aus seiner Position als Oberbürgermeister von Köln absetzten, nachdem er beinahe noch Reichskanzler der Weimarer Republik geworden wäre, mit einer von der SPD getragenen Mehrheit? Dies scheiterte seinerzeit nur an internen Streitigkeiten der Sozialdemokraten. Seine Kandidatur zum Bundeskanzler im Nachkriegsdeutschland, diesmal im Auftrag der CDU, war dann so gesehen auch nicht gerade ein Wunder.


Abgesehen von Randerscheinungen, wie den regelmäßigen Treffen ehemaliger SS-Angehöriger und notorisch revanchistischer Vertreter von Landsmannschaften, kann man der Bundesrepublik wirklich nicht vorwerfen, ein Nachfolger des Dritten Reiches zu sein.

Was den Aufbau der Geheimdienste nach dem Krieg betrifft, so haben sich beide Seiten nicht gerade mit Ruhm bekleckert, denn sowohl BRD als auch DDR arbeiteten in ihrer Frühzeit mit den "bewährten Experten" der ehemaligen Gestapo zusammen. Der entscheidende Unterschied aber ist der, dass die Nachrichtendienste der Bundesrepublik nie diese uneingeschränkte Machtfülle erhielten wie sie das Ministerium für Staatssicherheit in der DDR als "Schutzstaffel" einer paranoiden Staatsführung beanspruchte. Diese Durchdringung der Gesellschaft mit einem Netz aus Spitzeln und Denunzianten, das auch vor der Familie nicht halt machte und das jedem Bürger seinen Lebensweg vorschreiben wollte, das gab es im Westen einfach nicht.

Wen wundert es dann noch, wenn nach dem Untergang der alten Ordnung ein neuer Faschismus aufflammt und manche Jugendliche die von den Eltern vorgelebten "Ideale" auf ihre Weise umsetzen. Im übrigen gilt für die Kinder der "Generation Stasi", genau wie für die Kinder der "Generation Fettlebe" dasselbe, was auch schon für die Kinder des Dritten Reiches gegolten hat: Anständige Eltern erziehen
auch ihre Kinder im allgemeinen zu anständigen Menschen. Oder anders gesagt: Taugen die Eltern nix, dann taugen die Kinder meist auch nicht viel.

Wolfgang Wiesner alias Ulysses

Thursday, September 25, 2008

China Launched Manned Spaceship

“神七”飞船发射圆满成功
……胡锦涛发表讲话祝贺

China's spaceship Shenzhou 7 has been successfully launched at 21:10 local time. President Hu Jin Tao expressed his congratulations.

The spaceship is manned with a crew of three astronauts whose journey to space should last 100 hours. Its actual altitude at 18:51 CET is 262,5 km.

The day before, Al-Jazeera already reported about the preparations of that mission that is intended to be the first step on China's way to the moon.


It is reported that Chinese astronauts used to be treated with Chinese herbal medicine before and after their mission with Shenzhou 5 and Shenzhou 6. Such, it can be predicted that Shenzhou 7 astronauts have been treated equally to avoid one of them falling ill.
By the way, when it comes to name Chinese astronauts in the Western media, they are often called "taikonauts", an expression related to the word "tai kong yuan 太空员" that is used in the Chinese language for "astronaut".


The vice-director of China's institute for rocket research, Lu Yu, in an interview with People's Daily online.




UPDATE (September 27, 2008): First Chinese Spacewalk





Tuesday, September 23, 2008

La France Et L'Asie Centrale

Le Premier Ministre François Fillon a annoncé l'envoi de moyens supplémentaires (hélicoptères, drones, moyens d'écoute) à l'Afghanistan. Lors d'assentiment parlementaire sur le maintien des forces armées françaises il a aussi dénoncé "le mensonge et la désinformation", à propos du compte-rendu de l'OTAN. Les soldats ont toujours eu des munitions et ont pu communiquer, a affirmé F. Fillon. Selon J.L. Georgelin, le "compte-rendu" provient du "chef du détachement" des forces spéciales américaines. Le maintien des troupes a été opposé par la minorité de la Gauche.

D'autres nouvelles de la région:

Afghanistan:
Des militants talibans présumés ont enlevé plus de 150 ouvriers afghans dans l'ouest de l'Afghanistan.

Pakistan:
Le consul général d'Afghanistan à Peshawar, dans le nord-ouest du Pakistan, a été enlevé par des inconnus. Ça c'est passé au même jour où l'hôtel Marriott à Islamabad, estimé comme un lieu de haute sécurité, a été détruit par une bombe camion. Entre les morts et blessés il y a eu beaucoup d'étrangers.


Toute l'information dans BFM TV / France,
23 septembre 2008.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

U.S.A. - Political veterans advising the future President

The Next President - A World of Challenges -
CNN's Christiane Armanpour discussing foreign politics with former secretaries of state Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Warren Christopher. How would they advise the next U.S. president to decide. Life transmission from George Washington University / New York.

Here what the former secretaries of state said. Unable to deliver all of the comments, I could not refrain from presenting you at least some important stances. Maybe you'll find more on the internet:

Madeleine Albright:
- U.S. efforts to establish NATO membership with Ukraine and Geogia should be carried forward as it is up to Russia's neighbours to decide themselves. Russia should not have anything against it.
- As to Iran's nuclear ambitions there's no need to vilify Ahmadi Nejad by getting too tough on Iran. Such kind of U.S. response could only lead to a strenghening of Ahmadi Nejad's position who is not the only person of importance in a very complicated Iranian society that is not yet fully understood by the West.
- "I'm supporting Senator Obama."

James Baker:
U.S. should take the lead in finding a global response to climate change.

Henry Kissinger:
U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq but not in a situation of political pressure.

Colin Powell:
Says he is a close friend of John McCain. Nevertheless, he would not hesitate to advise McCain's opponent Obama to the best of his abilities as he, C. Powell, feels as an American in the first place which should count more than party politics; - citation: "We have to overcome this."

Monday, September 15, 2008

Global Shaking of Financial Markets

Update for March 20, 2009, further down !
- The World Slipping into Recession -


Financial turmoil rises as one of the greatest U.S. investment banks, Lehman Bros., finally collapses. As related companies are also filing for bankruptcy, a hitherto unknown drop of the Dow Jones Industrial index for more than 500 points (closing quotation at 10:00 PM CET) is the result. It is seen as the heaviest drop since September 9/11.
The financial meltdown even affects European institutes like the British Barclays Bank and the German Commmerzbank (both lost more than 9% today), thus forcing the EU to intervene.
This happens only shortly after the U.S. government's unique decision to override and buy out Merrill Lynch by providing a sum of 50 billion $ and the government's earlier support for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when both institutes stumbled over the recently reported home-made mortgage crisis. Its only natural that U.S. federal authorities are neither willing nor able to grant a similar support to Lehman, even though this will result in thousands of bankers loosing their jobs. All of the development seems to indicate the dramatic build-up of a global financial crisis. [Source: CNN]

Next bad news: U.S. insurance giant AIG also struggling.


Update for September 17, 2008:

morning news:
Insurance giant AIG is expected to be relieved by U.S. federal authorities in order to avoid diastrous ripple effects [CNN / Al-Jazeera].


evening news:

* Parts of Lehman Bros. are now going to be taken over by the British institute Barclays Bank.

* AIG shares continue to nosedive on Wednesday while an AIG bailout by U.S. federal authorities, who are now granting them an 85 billion $ loan for rescue, renews fears about the stability of financial markets. The word goes that AIG had already been teetering on the brink of bankruptcy for a certain time.

* Russian trading halted as stocks plunge. Russian government orders 44 billion $ cash injection to the market. The Moscow market already suffered a loss of 57% since May 2008, mostly due to the Georgian military crisis.

* CNN poses the question if we are witnessing the demise of capitalism. Experts reject that proposition and state that capitalism is working smoothly on a day-to-day basis, only hampered by certain "bubbles" created by political activities like those now emerging from the presidential election campaign.


End of Update


Update for September 19, 2008:

Global markets still feeling the effects of a worldwide
financial crisis.

Number two U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley saw its
profits drop 40%. Such, investors pushed M.S. stock down
to a ten-year low. M.S. is now seeking capital even from
Chinese investors.

U.S. expert's opinion:
"Consumer's over-confidence in the financial markets
turned into under-confidence. Thus the wallstreet-crisis
is helping to put consumer's confidence onto a realistic
level."

End of Update


Update for September 25, 2008:

Washington:
U.S. president directly addressed nation on wednesday. George Bush admits United States in the midst of a serious financial crisis. Bush warns of "long and painful" U.S. recession unless Congress backs 700 billion bailout. Bush invites Obama and McCain to the White House to discuss bailout bill. Obama and McCain issue joint statement promising to avoid economic catastrophe. Financial crisis now top concern for U.S. voters. A financial expert from Washington and who has a Republican background stated, the president's public action could turn out to be the worst action to be taken in that delicate situation.


Hong Kong:
Nervous customers in Hong Kong have lined up outside banks for protest. Investors angry about failed investment linked to Lehman Bros. and call for better government control of financial markets. Experts point out that East-Asian markets already stabilized.


End of Update


Update for September 28/29, 2008:

September 28 (evening news):

Washington:
Key issues of the congressional debate on a 700 billion $ request by president Bush. The government's bailout bill that has been modified by the legislators on Capitol Hill, including both Democrats and Republicans, will be decided tomorrow morning on Capitol Hill:

Nancy Pelosi (Democrat), speaker of the House of Representatives, recognizes the need to insulate taxpayers and main street from the current economic crisis. Furthermore she states that U.S. taxpayers will no longer bail out the wrecklessness of Wall Street. "The party is over", she added.

Barney Frank (chairman of the banking committee) says wreckless deregulation led us to the current financial crisis. First time in U.S. history we are curtailing the pay of company CEO's.

Senator Dodd (Democrat) says we are having to grapple with an entirely avoidable problem.



Germany:
State owned regional bank institutes (Landesbanken) are suffering heavy losses from the crisis of U.S. financial markets. Three most prominent state owned institutes (BayernLB, LBBW and HSH Nordbank) are reported to have lost altogether 1,54 billion Euro including 1,4 billion Euro related to the bankruptcy of Lehman Bros.

September 29 (morning news):

Hypo Real Estate (HRE), Germany's No. 1 in the real estate business, received massive support from other institutes. An estimated sum of 10 billion Euro should have been provided. According to the Federal Bank of Germany, HRE can now be considered as saved from bankruptcy.

September 29 (evening news):

Washington:
Unexpectedly and despite its support by house leaders, the modified bailout bill has been rejected on Capitol Hill. As a reaction, the Dow index lost further 600 points.

Germany:
Only some hours after the first evaluation, stabilization of Hypo Real Estate seems to be related to a much higher sum than previously reported. Now, 35 billion Euro are being needed, probably including 26,6 billion Euro to be provided by German taxpayers. In the frame of latest news from Washington, the German Dax index lost another four percent.


End of Update


Update for October 1, 2008:

Washington:
U.S. Senate approves bailout plan 74-25 at 3:30 a.m. CET. Plan will now be put to vote in the House of Representatives where some Democratic congressmen are still opposing it, even though Democratic majority leader Harry Reid and further high-ranking Democrats are trying to convince their colleagues.

Presidential candidates McCain and Obama both support the bailout plan. Obama: "Bailout needed to avert catastrophe."

Meanwhile the word "bailout plan" is often replaced by the expression "rescue plan for taxpayers" as homeowners' security is being brought into the foreground of the official debate.



Asian markets that just opened are now in the focus, but EU markets' development will be even more interesting:


End of Update


Update for October 3, 2008:


Washington soothed the markets when the House of Representatives finally passed the government's modified rescue bill but domestic unemployment is still high.



Germany (October 4):
The rescue plan for Hypo Real Estate, comprising 35 billion Euro, has failed. Further negotiations are needed [German National TV, Channel 1].



Germany (October 5):
Yesterday's news forgotten. CNN telling that Hypo Real Estate has been finally saved by a 50 billion rescue bundle. Will such good news effect today's opening quotations in the EU ?


End of Update


Update for October 6, 2008:


World markets sent into freefall.
Fears of a global recession.


European shares see worst one-day percentage fall. Eurozone states vow to ensure financial stability. Joint national measures expected in Germany and other European states after the crisis summit in Paris.

Final market quotations:
Frankfurt -7,07%
Milan -8,24%
Paris -9,04%
Copenhagen -11,06%
The French president Sarkozy stated that 27 European countries are decided to act in solidarity when it comes to avoid bankruptcy of any major financial group in Europe (source: BFM TV, Paris).

The Dow Index closed below 10.000 for the first time in nearly four years, temporarily falling about 800 points within half an hour (Al-Jazeera / CNN).




Even Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is now feeling the pinch of the global crisis as oil prices are falling, such leaving less revenue for his social programs. Nevertheless, he is still ridiculizing president Bush while describing U.S. economy as suffering from final stage cancer that could not be cured by a 700 billion $ rescue plan. [source: interview granted to Al-Jazeera]

Chavez on campaign (1)

Further news: Local elections in Brazil while Brazilian stock quotes dropped an incredible 15%. The country's Worker's Party is expected to win (Al-Jazeera).

Chavez on campaign (2)

End of Update


Update for October 13, 2008:

International Markets Recovering



Dow Index shows biggest gains since 1933 while Asian stocks are rising as well.
The European Union is preparing a mega package for the stabilization of their institutes.
U.S. economist Paul Krugman wins Nobel Prize. He is reported to be a critic of how the U.S. administration handled the actual crisis.


End of Update


Update for October 22, 2008:

Global Recession on its Way

What seemed to be a recovery of financial markets only ten days ago, now turns out to be the beginning of a steady loss of values on all international markets. Decreasing quotations in the percentage range and on a daily basis could even raise the question when "ground zero" will be reached. Now, a long-lasting damage to global economy can be predicted with only one single aspect to enjoy the indutrialized nations: Crude oil gets cheaper and cheaper (prices 30% down since beginning of 2008).


End of Update


Update for October 28/29, 2008:

Settling of Financial Markets

For the first time since the beginning of that crisis: Smiling brokers at the end of the day. The crisis not yet being over, first signs of a stabilization are showing. The below pictures have been taken from CNN on October 29:


October 29: Even though the DOW index is showing a moderate loss, in comparison with the day before, it is still closing on a high level. All U.S., European and East Asian markets had already been on the rise on October 28 while the oil price remains tied down.


End of Update


Update for November 14/15, 2008 :

Europe Slipping into Recession

On November 13 it was officially announced that German economy has reached the state of recession. Meanwhile, fears are spread that Britain might follow Germany soon. Economists are warning that British economy is going to face its worst fate in 30 years.

While Europe is said to be slipping into recession, G 20 members are gathering in Washington. The 20 states presented at that meeting are representing 85% of world economy and 75% of world population. The current voting power of the U.S., the European Union and China is shown below. Changes to the current voting power ratio are requested by China, India and Brazil, three nations with a flourishing economy.


First results of the G-20 summit include a detailed 47 point program that has been fully accepted by the delegates.

End of Update


Update for January 8, 2009 :

Germany Coping with the Crisis

One of Germany's biggest institutes, the Commerzbank, has been partly nationalized. As the minister of economy, Mr. Glos, put it, the government's blocking minority should ensure the provision of industrial credits, intended to support sound middle-class companies in a period of stagnating economy.


Further economic stagnation has been predicted for 2009 and should be comprising a decrease in exportation, first signs of which have already been noticed. In the frame of dropping share prices on all stock markets, after only a short period of recovery, the Commerzbank nationalization makes part of a bundle of measures, discussed within the ruling coalition and expected to increase domestic consumption. While U.S. car producers are hoping for financial support from their government, German carmakers are hoping for a reduction of the national car-taxes for buyers of their latest generation of cars.

End of Update


Update for January 14, 2009 :

Japan - The Recession is On

A survey made by the Bank of Japan proves growing fear about future employment and working conditions as well as drastic income changes within one year:



Latest fiscal forecast by the Japanese Ministry of the Treasury:

End of Update



Update for January 28-30, 2009 :

Davos Economic Summit

At the beginning of the Davos economic summit, a report, launched by the International Monetary Fund IMF, predicts that U.S. economy will shrink by 1.6% in 2009. Swift action will be needed to counter damaging deflation as "risks to financial stability have intensified since October". As a
consequence, global economy is in "dire straits" and should grind to a halt in 2009 with a worldwide economy growth of only 0.5%, slowest rate since world war II. It should be mentioned that IMF's January predictions are less optimistic that its November 2008 evaluation.


(Robert Scott, Economic Policy Institute, Washington)

Most of the 2.000 delegates of the Davos meeting are
inclined to put it that way: "global economy is now getting
the U.S. cold". Prominent guests at the summit are the
Chinese and Russian prime ministers who, both, blamed
U.S. economy for the global development. It seems that
Washington's Federal Reserve Bank has taken wrong
measures at a wrong moment.

Most prominent victim of the global recession that week
is Japan whose markets are melting down. Industrial output
in December falls by record 9.6% while unemployment has
risen to 4.4%. Even sane companies like Toyota are now
tumbling. A similar development can be observed in other
parts of Asia and Australia and, of course, in the U.S.A.
where unemployment hits a new record of 4.78 million.


For the first time in its history, IMF considers issuing
bonds to boost lending ability.

(Sources: Al-Jazeera and CNBC)

End of Update


Update for February 25-28, 2009 :

A Résumé on Economic Performance

After Obama`s 900 billion $ bill passing both houses on Capitol hill, immediate relief for U.S. economy is not yet in sight. General Motors and its German daughter Opel, now pledging for German government`s financial support, seem to be in an especially difficult position. Of course, German authorities, inclined to support Opel, are not willing to spend any money that could possibly flow back to General Motors, a company "known for decades for its bad management" as former financial secretary of state Blumenfeld put it, a respected expert with an own personal background in the car manufacturing industry.

Instead, international stock markets are steadily going down. Especially the highly developed economic systems of Korea and Japan are affected. Korean national TV reported that Korea's economy is now the worst performer in Asia with an expected negative growth of 5% for 2009, and it will be very difficult for president Lee to stop further deterioration.


As the recent economic crisis is a global and not a home-made one, it should not be ignored that South Korea's industrial potential is still on a high level: For instance, the production of thin film solar cells has got a boost in this country. Recent results of the Korean Institute of Energy Research have made it possible to participate a good deal on the market of solar cells, a market that is expected to reach a volume of about five billion $ by 2015.



Statement of Japan's finance minister on February 26:
"Japan's export in January declined to less than half the volume of a year ago. We cannot predict how the economy is going to go in the next few months." This statement fits to the news reported in my blog earlier on January 14.



At the same time, China is facing a tremendous drought that will doubless effect agricultural production, even though China's government is resorting to unusual means like inciting rain by shooting chemical-loaded rockets into the clouds.

As to the British banking system, "historical losses" have been reported by RBS, the Royal Bank of Scotland (January 26).

Troop Reduction and Disarmament
as a Stimulant for U.S. Economy ?

On January 27, president Obama made it clear that the bulk of 142.000 U.S. troops in Iraq would leave the country by August 2010. Only 30.000-50.000 troops should remain as a transitional force till the end of 2011. This would actually mean the end of U.S. military involvement in Iraq, even though defense secretary Robert Gates could not fully exclude that a small task force might stay in Iraq even after 2011. Only two days before, Obama had already declared that "certain useless weapons related to the era of Cold War" would not be financed any longer.
According to a Wallstreet broker, consulted by Al-Jazeera some days before, such declaration of their president could be useful to stimulate the markets in a situation of mistrust and confusion about the economic development to come.


Above: "A mild climate announced by Barack Obama" (BFM-TV on January 25):

End of Update


Update for March 2, 2009 :

Dow Down

At the beginning of March 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial Index finally passed another gloomy mark on its constant way down. CNBC reported that Dow had not closed below 7.000 since April 21, 1997. Even though, this is regarded as "breaking news", it isn't any news at all because you could have waited for it. Let's remember that Dow once surpassed the 10.000 mark, only shortly before the beginning of the financial crisis.


As to the U.S. based AIG and the German Hypo Real Estate, both companies being early icons of the global financial crisis, tax-payers' money really didn't help to save them. Further need of money has already been announced. [Al-Jazeera, CNBC and German sources]

At the same time we hear of East Asian economies melting down, France is announcing its worst recession since 1945, marked by a negative growth of its gross industrial product (1% - 1,5%) and an increasing number of unemployed (+ 300.000). [source: BFM-TV]


End of Update


Update for March 20, 2009 :

These days are marked by four economic topics that should be dealt with in my newsblog:


- Disgraced money manager Madoff pleads guilty to all charges. He is cited by Al-Jazeera with the following words, "As the years went by I knew my arrest and this day would come." Madoff's system has broken down only some months ago and right in the middle of the global crisis. [March 12, 2009]

- The financial crisis finally took its toll among the richest people on earth: About 55 Russian billionaires recently dropped out of Forbes' list while Bill Gates (Microsoft) remains the richest man of our time.

- U.S. President Obama held what the Americans call a "Presidential Town Hall" on economics. In the small town of Costa Mesa (California) and which is far from being a Democratic stronghold, he answered to the questions of normal citizens on different aspects of economics. Once again, he stressed the need for regulations that should enable a more effective control of the financial markets. As to a widespread opinion he might be "doing too much" and following a question on his intentions to remain in office for a second period of government, Obama answered that he would prefer to be a great president for four years rather than a mediocre president for eight years. [CNN, March 18, 2009]


- At the very beginning of the global crisis, two companies made themselves known for their desolate situation. One was AIG that should be soon torn apart. As its CEO reported, this company will be broken up within the next four years. The other company mentioned was the German Hypo Real Estate, an enterprise that already consumed much of German taxpayer's money. Now, it becomes clear that HRE badly needs further cash. [CNN and German media
reports]


End of Update