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A Sandwich of Topics, Easy to DigestArchive for Politics
Will Brazilian President Lula Squash the Nuclear Beef Between Iran and the West?
According to Pepe Escobar, there’s a good chance:
“Iran has all but agreed that Brazil should be the mediator between Tehran and the United Nations – rather than the axis of the US, Britain and France inside the UN Security Council, plus Germany – to finally settle the Iranian nuclear dossier. According to the Fars news agency, after his visit early this week to New York, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, in a phone call with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, told him that Iran had agreed with the Brazilian proposal for a nuclear fuel swap deal for the Tehran research reactor, which produces medical isotopes for cancer treatment. The proposal will be discussed in detail when Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visits Tehran by the end of next week.”
Viva Los Suns de Phoenix!
via Sly Oyster
To show unity with the Arizona immigrant and Latino population who would be adversely affected by the new bill (SB 1070), Team owner Robert Sarver came up with the Los Suns Jerseys but left the final decision of wearing it on the court to the players. Which they wore yesterday.
I dunno, maybe its because I don’t live in a border state but I don’t see why people are making such a big deal about illegal immigrants. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not for illegal immigration but at least they get stuff done whether its construction, landscaping, or whatever. IMO illegal immigration is a net positive. I’m also not down with the racial profiling people either. Its screwed up if cops start to pull over random people just because of the way they look.
My whole thing is that if an overwhelming amount of illegal immigrants-or machines for that matter- can take your job, you might wanna find a new profession. Just sayin.
In Case You Missed: T-Pain and the Know Nothing Know-It-Alls
I get lulz imagining Sean Hannity back at FOX studios showing Bill O’reilly and Glenn Beck how he tricked T-Pain. I got even greater lulz at the 14 second mark.
Two observations: 1. To avoid an argument, you can just say someone’s “oblivious” instead of calling them “stupid” .
2. Jay smooth has a magic beard.
via Illdoctrine
Was I the Only One Dissapointed With How Not Cool Fabrice Tourre Was?
“More and more leverage in the system, The whole building is about to collapse anytime now! Only potential survivor, the fabulous Fab[rice Tourre] standing in the middle of all these complex, highly leveraged, exotic trades he created without necessarily understanding all of the implications of those monstrosities!!!”
-Email from Goldman Sachs VP Tourre to his homey in 2007
After hearing that quote on CNBC, I had a picture in my head of a suave, clever frenchman who could mastermind such a diabolich scheme. When I finally saw him testify before the Senate, it was pretty underwhelming. The guy at the end of this video is closer to what I expected.
Baby Tries to Silence Congressman Shadegg
Pay attention to :22 when Maddy seems to have had enough.
China Pledges $10 billion in Cheap Loans to African Countries
via Al Jazeera
China is steadily and rapidly becoming a key player in the Global marketplace, especially in Africa.
Key Facts:
- Africa’s combined GDP is worth approximately $1.2trn, equal to about one quarter of China’s $4.4trn economy.
- Trade between China and Africa has risen by more than 33 per cent annually this decade.
- Volume of two-way trade almost hit $107bn in 2008.
- Africa has a market potential of 800 million people.
- In the first nine months of 2009, Beijing invested more than $7.8bn in Africa.
- China’s imports from Africa are dominated by oil and minerals to fuel its booming economy. Most come from Angola, Sudan, Nigeria, Zambia, the DR Congo and the Republic of the Congo.
Many western companies and organizations have been criticizing the Chinese for doing business with some African countries but as one Chinese representative put it, “Just because [US and European] companies are doing business here, does that mean they are supporting the military government?…So why, when Chinese companies do business here, is China accused of supporting the government?”. Some see the criticism as fear that the West’s strong role in Africa is steadily diminishing.
The West has had a monopoly on the buying of African resources for the past 20 years and the next decade should be interesting in how the relationships and economic strength of all three regions change with this new trade relationship. I doubt it will be bad for the Chinese or Africans.
CNN Interviews Matthew Hoh Who Resigned In Protest Over Afghanistan
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria Interviews State Department Official Matthew Hoh Who Resigned In Protest Over Afghanistan War.
Hoh does a very good job describing the Afghan landscape and the logistical difficulties and pointlessness of the U.S. operations there when dealing with a unique region and culture.
PBS- The Market Maker: Eleni Gabre Madhin Creates First Commodity Market in Ethiopia [Full Episode]
Trailer:
While in college future economist Eleni Gabre-Madhin watched the famine in her home country Ethiopia, where about a million people died of starvation. The most messed up part about it was that in the northern part of the country there was a surplus of food which was thrown away.
In the video we get to watch her as she goes back to Ethiopia to set up a commodity exchange so that Ethiopian farmers get access to the market all across Ethiopia- and with enough time, the world. This is an amazing documentary (and the only one I know of) showing a person developing a national commodities exchange from scratch.
If you want to see the whole video in full screen, go here:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/the-market-maker/full-episode/5293/
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