More fun and games

According to a recent news item, the government of Honduras is filing a case in the International Court of Justice against Brazil for interference in its domestic affairs. The Brazilian Embassy in Honduras is providing refuge for the ex-president - Manuel Zelaya - in the hope of getting him reinstated. He's been there for over a month. I would have guessed they are tired of him by now. He only has 12 supporters left within the compound. The other 298 went home. Conditions are rough inside. However, the court has to decide first whether it can take the case and the case can take years. Zelaya's term would be up in January, 2010. New elections are scheduled for next month. Where is the logic? This topless woman is not a candidate, by the way. Sorry.

Diplomacy is funny

From a Yahoo! News story: "PRAGUE – Despite deep Russian misgivings, the European Union and six former Soviet republics formally agreed on Thursday to pursue a new partnership meant to draw the eastern nations closer into the EU orbit. The agreement approved by presidents, premiers and their deputies from 33 nations is meant to extend the EU's political and economic ties in exchange for commitments to democracy from beneficiary nations. But already riled by NATO's eastward outreach, Moscow views the so-called "Eastern Partnership" plan with suspicion. Kremlin ally Mikhail Margelov, the chairman of the International Affairs committee in Russia's upper parliament house, said Thursday the Prague meeting was a geopolitically motivated effort by the West to increase its influence over former Soviet republics, Russian news agencies reported.
"This Eastern Partnership is directed against no one, including Russia," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among 17 heads of governments attending, along with four heads of state. Javier Solana, the EU's top diplomat, chided unidentified Russian leaders by saying their comments "have not been very constructive vis a vis the meeting of today." "This is not against Russia," he told reporters.

This, of course, is a bunch of nonsense. The deal is aimed at Russia, plain and simple. Politicians and diplomats can NEVER be honest. That would spell disaster for everybody, no?

Scary

The market is down - much further than I ever thought it would go. 8,000 would be the bottom - so I thought not too long ago. It's right now hovering around 7,300. It is really scary to see how scared investors are. What are they doing? Buying gold and pharmaceuticals and bonds and nothing else? What if this really turns into a depression? Then, to make matters worse, there is plenty of uncertainty in the global political sphere - wars and conflicts all over the place - Israel, Korea, Pakistan, Iran, and Africa in general, just to name five. What do you do with so many belligerent nations? There is definitely a scarcity of good government. Sooner or later, some one will tire of all this confusion and insecurity and urge a joining of strong forces - the reunification of church and state. That's the only thing that will keep unruly people in line. Europe will make a sharp turn to the right and probably catch everyone by surprise. The U.S. will simply keep playing games. Buy a house in Europe or Brazil or Argentina and good luck.