Tag: "Europe"
A Parable for Europe: The Tower of Babel1st April 2013
And behold, a united humanity of the generations of six nations, following two terrible wars, resolved to build a continent of trade and common market that they named the European Coal & Steel Community. And men were elected by their nations to the High Authority. And the High Authority did command that the Community should prosper as the wrongs of the past were put right, and they raised a tax that was proclaimed to be for the common benefit of the multitude. But through the frailty
Surprised by Cyprus? You shouldn’t be25th March 2013
If we are ever to understand opportunity and risk, we need to think for ourselves, and think well outside of the box. Or perhaps in Cyprus' case the holiday suitcase. The mainstream does none of this, stuck in silo thinking all of its own making, so no wonder they get surprised by events. If one can ever take satisfaction from a disaster, I was quietly pleased to have blogged on 20th February "the next default ... Cyprus ... a bail-in of bank depositors ... queues forming outside the doors
The Europe of Broken Dreams, Part 5: Default20th February 2013
I’ve taken an extra couple of days to prepare this blog, for the issues it raises and the potential threats it portends should not be taken lightly. You have been warned. We finished our previous blog, part 4, on Europe by suggesting that the struggling Eurozone states, who are in a mess as currency users rather than issuers, may have just three choices: 1) To meet the austerity criteria required by the ECB, which can’t work because even in the unlikely event that they eventually sort
The Europe of Broken Dreams, Part 4: Depressing Repression9th February 2013
Our series on Europe continues, and the news continues to heat up. Ignore the apparently great news on the politically negotiated reduction in the EU budget. Even if it happens it is a tiny pinprick in the scheme of things, and is utterly irrelevant when compared to the scale of the Eurozone’s debt challenges. Don’t get me wrong, we may ultimately need politics to solve the challenges, but politics is what created this mess, and there seems to be no understanding or desire to get a grip.
The Europe of Broken Dreams, Part 3: Baffling Borrowings4th February 2013
The news from Europe continues to escalate. Funny how things were so quiet just a few weeks ago, but such is the calm before the storm. Over the last week we have more news from Spain. Their parliament is seeking to peel back regional business rules, under which the country’s 17 autonomous regions all have their own business regulations and permits. Want to start a business? You have to wait for all the permits! Want to become an interior designer? That’s a regulated