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Iran, N. Korea and President Obama's approach to nuclear weapons proliferation
07/05/2009
The views of Nunn, Perry, Shultz and Kissinger after meetings at the Hoover Institution on developing a new approach to nuclear proliferation after decades of relying on "mutually assured destruction", and the approach of President Obama. During the Cold War the U.S. and the Soviet Union faced each other, the situation in 2012 is very different with Iran, N. Korea, Pakistan, and the risks of terrorism.
Linked Articles
Youthful Ideals Shaped Obama Goal of Nuclear Disarmament
New York Times 07/05/2009
Deterrence in the Age of Nuclear ProliferationWall Street Journal 03/07/2011
The Economist cites IMF economist estimates that the public debt of the 10 largest industrialized countries will jump from 78% to 114% of GDP by 2014, leading to higher interest rates and inflation.
06/11/2009
The rising public debt and its unsustainability is what the future holds. For governments and decisionmakers there are very difficult choices, as fiscaly austerity and premature fiscal tightening or raising interest ratescan choke off a recovery. Raising taxes as happened earlier in Japan's lost decade also can choke off a recovery. Seriously tacklig health care costs and raising the retirement age, are much needed steps.
Linked Articles
Get Ready for Inflation and Higher Interest Rates
Wall Street Journal 06/11/2009
The biggest bill in historyEconomist 06/11/2009
Obama's Cairo speech on June 4, 2009 to the Muslim world coincides with Moussavi taking on Ahmadinejad for his extremism in Teheran in an election debate.
06/04/2009
Moussavi debated forcefully with Ahmadinejad on Iranian television calling for good sense in relations with the rest of the world and calling Ahmadinnejad an extremist. He called Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust as undermining Iran's dignity, while Obama called it baseless, ignorant and hateful. Something that could only occur in the climate created by Obama's opening of a dialogue with the Muslim world and helping melt old attitudes and perceptions.
Linked Articles
President Obama's Cairo Appeal
Washington Post 06/05/2009
Iran President and Challenger Clash in DebateNew York Times 06/04/2009
The huge downsizing in the auto industry creates the need for big government supported initatives in retraining.
05/21/2009
Vicotr Brown and the 60,000 former workers at GM's BUick City have worked at GM all their lives, and can't imagine anything else. How does one get them from joining the ranks of the permanently unemployed, is a challenge for the government. THe labor underutilization rate expected to reach 20% for 2010, could threaten the economic recovery, and put everything at risk.
Linked Articles
Stuck at Unemployed: When A Layoff Becomes a Lifestyle
Washington Post 06/06/2009
The Last Holdouts Cast Their Lot With G.M.New York Times 05/21/2009
The rapid structural shift in employment to new industries and fields may create high unemployment even as millions of vacancies go unfilled.
04/30/2009
The Labor Departments JOLT statistics for job openings shows over 3 million job vacancies. The reason for this is the mismatch in qualifications and the speed with which industries are downsizing, and the shift to new industries and fields away from banking, retail, construction and autos. This makes new initiatives in retraining and government cost sharing to enable companies to hire and retrain super critical. Germany has some initiatives lkke this.
Linked Articles
Stuck at Unemployed: When A Layoff Becomes a Lifestyle
Washington Post 06/06/2009
Help Wanted: Why That Sign's BadBusinessWeek 04/30/2009
How lobbying by the financial industry and the mindset of Sec. Geithner can dilute financial regulation.
04/27/2009
The effort for financial regulation of derivatives raises concerns.
Linked Articles
Geithner, as Member and Overseer, Forged Ties to Finance Club
New York Times 04/27/2009
Danger in Wall Street’s ShadowsNew York Times 05/15/2009
In the two areas that government can make aserious difference, foreclosure prevention and bank lending it is failing.
04/15/2009
The government has only indirect influence over the other important variables in the equation for economic recovery, consumption and employment. Through foreclosure prevention and bank lending it can influence consumption and employment. Obama's program while admirable may simply fall short of what is required. Through asimple takeover of insolvent banks the administrationcan implement its own programs for goreclosure prevention and aggressive bank lending at attractive rates, but this has to be done early before business go into permanent retrenchment mode and consumers simply revert to a frugal lifestyle of an earlier generation.
Linked Articles
Lending By Bailout Recipients Falls Again
Washington Post 04/16/2009
Banks Ramp Up ForeclosuresWall Street Journal 04/15/2009
Amgen founder Rathmann and venture startups in the biotech industry
03/16/2009
Rathmann's focus on EPO when Amgen was near bankruptcy in the mid-1980's saved the company. By 1989 Amgen had secured FDA approval for Epogen, a hormone based drug to stimulate the production of red blood cells. This is a rare success in a biotech industry with many failed startup ventures or ventures strugglig with only 6-12 months of cash remaining.
Linked Articles
Cash Dries Up for Biotech Drug Firms
Wall Street Journal 03/16/2009
Amgen's First CEOWall Street Journal 04/23/2012
"So am I", the President responds to special interests gearing up to thwart his plans to revamp the economy.
03/01/2009
My message to them, is this: "So am I", with that remark in his radio address Obama says he knows special interests are gearing up for a fight to prevent needed change in education oppportunities that otherwise would close the door on the middle class, on health care coverage that otherwise will leave in addition to the 46 million not covered an additional number of that magnitude uncovered as unemployment rises and insurance premiums become unaffordable, and on energy that leaves energy policy to oil and gas companies that have done little to promote conservation or new technologies to reduce demand amid mushrooming global demand.
Linked Articles
Obama Calls His Budget Needed Change
New York Times 03/01/2009
Liberal Groups Are Flexing New Muscle in Lobby WarsNew York Times 03/01/2009
Robert Khuzami and the S.E.C.'s ambivalent enforcement mindset 2010-2012
02/10/2009
The lack of corrective acton that changes the leadership and culture at financial companies in the U.S. following the 2008 financial crisis. Where the action by enforcement agencies has required admitting wrongdoing as part of the settlement, the changes in leadership and culture have put the companies on a new path to renewal. Barclays under one of the respected names in British finance, David Walker, is a recent example.
Linked Articles
Top Enforcer at the S.E.C. Steps Down
New York Times 02/10/2009
SEC's Top Cop Oversaw Deutsche CDOsWall Street Journal 04/24/2010
Are the old faces that got the USA and Europe into this financial crisis, now the new faces trying to fix it?
01/15/2009
Schapiro and Khuzami, the new faces at the SEC as chief and enforcement director, are the old faces at FINRA which took ahands off view of self regulation of the financial industry and the old faces at Deuteche BAnk as inhouse lawyer. Sir James Crosby, the head of HBOS bank in the UK which needed $17 billion f government money in 2008, was made Deputy chairman of the Financial Services Authority in 2006, Britain's main regulator. He reisgned hours before a stormy session in the House of Commons which embarrassed Prime Minister Brown after some revelations about Crosby,s role in the mess.
Linked Articles
Obama's Pick to Head SEC Has Record Of Being a Regulator With a Light Touch
Wall Street Journal 01/15/2009
British Regulator Quits as Accusations Mount in Banking CrisisNew York Times 02/12/2009
The untold story of civilians caught in the crossfire in the wars in places like Gaza and Afganistan that have lasted decades.
12/25/2008
A physiotherapist from Turin, Italy, who runs the Red Cross Rehabilitation Center in Afghanistan, and a wounded surgeon who loses his wife and child in the cross fire between militants and Israelis in Gaza City, both have an untold story of civilians in both places.
Linked Articles
A Foreign Face Beloved by Afghans of All Stripes
New York Times 12/25/2008
Despair and a Defiant Smile in a Gaza HospitalNew York Times 01/09/2009
New heights in fund raising - president Obama in 2008 and the Koch Brothers plans for 2016
12/06/2008
U.S. congresswoman Sheila Bair once said it was the task of fund raising that deterred her and others like her from pursuing careers of national service at higher levels. Obama outspent McCain and Romney by wide margins in 2008 and 2012, right wing groups such as the Koch brothers are organizing similiar efforts of their own for 2016 so as not to be outspent by their opponents.
Linked Articles
Final Fundraising Tally for Obama Exceeded $750 Million
Washington Post 12/06/2008
Koch Brothers’ Budget of $889 Million for 2016 Is on Par With Both Parties’ SpendingNew York Times 01/26/2015
BP, Shell and other foreign oil companies expand production in Iraq in 2012-2014
07/01/2009
Ambitious goals for oil production are set by the Iraqi government as oil companies from the, U.S., Europe, Russia and China, provide the expertise to increase production from older oil fields. Problems of infrastructure and national oil legislation hinder rapid development.
Linked Articles
Crude Oil Output Is Soaring in Iraq, Easing Markets
New York Times 06/02/2012
Oil Companies Reject Iraq's Contract TermsWall Street Journal 07/01/2009
Marchionne gets high marks for the transformation of Chrysler.
06/11/2009
After being run first by Daimler, then by Cerberus private equity, Chrysler has gone through a rough period. Fiat's Marchionne has helped transform Chrysler and given it a viable future.
Linked Articles
CEO Marchionne offers turnaround experience.
Detroit Free Press 06/11/2009
Marchionne is Steady Behind the WheelDetroit News 04/21/2011
With $5 trillion of new debt issue estimated in 2009-2010, the prospect of continued bailout of auto industry for years dims outlook for reversing this.
06/03/2009
Some experts point to the need for a 50% reduction in capacity in the auto industry from 2008. Demand may be lower than the 9.5 million vehicle year that the auto task force says is needed for GM to breakeven. This will mean continued government aid to the industry for a number of years.
Linked Articles
Rising Interest on Nations’ Debts May Sap World Growth
New York Times 06/04/2009
Kicking the Tires on the General Motors DealWashington Post 06/03/2009
S. Korea's second household debt binge in the 15 years since the 1997 financial crisis
05/18/2009
The first period of rising household debt ocurred with the credit card boom when the government promoted consumer spending as a way to stimulate the economy. By 2003 this became a serous problem and the government rescued a credit card issuer in 2003. Household debt is again a major problem in 2012 with the increasing number of companies in financial lending that are not regulated.
Linked Articles
Notes From Another Credit Card Crisis
New York Times 05/18/2009
S. Korea tries to curb mounting debt and avert a crisis - The Washington PostWashington Post 07/09/2012
The smaller stimulus and selective investments in 2012-2014 in China and how this affects construction and heavy equipment manufacturers
04/30/2009
The impact on Caterpillar, Volvo AB, Komatsu, John Deere, Cummins and domestic Chinese manufacturers of the smaller stimulus and selective investments in China in the years ahead. Manufacturers are exporting from China during this period of slowing sales in China.
Linked Articles
China Bets Sour for Heavy Equipment Firms
Wall Street Journal 08/16/2012
China's Stimulus Spurs U.S. BusinessWall Street Journal 04/30/2009
Grantham and Zweig express deep skepticism about the stock markets 2nd quarter 2009 recovery.
04/23/2009
Too many of the companies that looked like "garbage" to Zweig have gone up steeply, and Grantham expresses the same skepticism when he says 'the junky companies have been diluted like hell just to keep them alive."
Linked Articles
Economist 04/23/2009
Wall Street's Clearance Sale Leaves Few BargainsWall Street Journal 06/06/2009
Peter Eavis thinks the Geithner plan isn't based on sound logic.
03/23/2009
If only the confidence and liquidity were an issue then maybe the Geithner Public Private Investment Program plan might work. But says Eavis, the underlying price structure for these mortgage securities is gone with this crisis,so that the recovery in their price for banks to avoid huge losses is going to be elusive. He cites Credit Sights which estimates losses of US banks through 2010 of $250- $450 billion.
Linked Articles
Treasury’s Got Bill Gross on Speed Dial
New York Times 06/21/2009
Geithner's Gamble Needs SpeculatorsWall Street Journal 03/23/2009
Child hunger in India and India's Food Security legislation in August 2013
03/13/2009
Food expert Rieff cites figures showing child malnutrition at over 40% in India for children under the age of 5 in 2009. A World Food Program report says 230 million people in India are hungry each year. India's Food Security legilation has to be seen in this context. Rieff says India is in danger of losing its demographic dividend as a result of child malnutrition. All developing countries can learn from each other and their programs to reduce child malnutrition, improve health care and vaccinations, and introduce healthy food and sanitary practices. Programs are in place in Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, India, and China.
Linked Articles
As Indian Growth Soars, Child Hunger Persists
New York Times 03/13/2009
India's Lower House Passes Food Bill to Help PoorWall Street Journal 08/26/2013
Consumer spending surging in Indonesia in 2008-2012
02/24/2009
Consumer spending represents about 55-56% of GDP in Indonesia in 2011 and 2012. Honda Motor with motorbicycles, Phillips in healthcare equipment and the Lippo Group in retail stores are seeing amazing growth in Indonesia.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 04/26/2012
Motorcycles Drive Honda's ProfitWall Street Journal 02/24/2009
Microsoft's history with internet related search ads and the $6.2 billion loss for internet businesses in 2012
01/16/2009
Linked Articles
Microsoft's Web Woes to Wipe Out Profit
Wall Street Journal 07/02/2012
Microsoft Bid to Beat Google Builds on a History of MissesWall Street Journal 01/16/2009
How the automakers overcapacity by about a third of the 94 million capacity worldwide will play out similiarly over time in other industries.
12/31/2008
The automakers with their huge overcapacity face a rapidly developing crisis, as they will be forced to close plants quickly. A similiar situation is likely to develop gradually in other industries that have overcapacity from falling sales and a reluctant consumer, who is now focussed on saving.
Linked Articles
Automakers' Overcapacity Problem
BusinessWeek 12/31/2008
The Doomsayers Who Got It RightWall Street Journal 01/02/2009
Detroit Automakers and the UAW vs the nonunionized plants- what went wrong?
12/09/2008
With job security gone at Detroit automakers amidst a series of bad decisions by unions and management unwilling to make a total break with the status quo to the point of reinventing themselves, and lacking the courage and the vision to do so, what good are these higher medical benefits? Isn't an employee who has his job and lesser medical benefits at anonunionized plant better off than one who has either lost his job or about to lose it at aDetroit automaker plant?
Linked Articles
Detroit Bailout: How It Can Work
BusinessWeek 12/09/2008
Toyota delays new Prius plantDetroit News 12/16/2008
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