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Christopher Payne's new book "America at Work," shows photographs taken by Payne of factories and manufacturing across America in 2023. It celebrates America's new found conviction that it is a manufacturing nation, that it is manufacturing that brought America its greatest success in the 20th century, and it is in manufacturing lies its future and the future of the American people. 

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French charity Secours Catholique says it catered to one million people with food in 2022. It says single family households represented 75 percent of this one million. Fifty seven percent of these households were led by women living in poverty, of these 20 percent were single women and 27 percent were single mothers. Shown here is a woman in Toulouse, France.

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Millenials are moving away from political parties to look at individual candidates in 2014. Attitudes are changing moving away from gender politics. A Pew Research Center survey of March 2014 shows 50% of millenials consider themselves political independents. And 31% believe there is not much difference between Democrats and Republicans.

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U.S. auto sales increase to levels seen before the recession in 2006- with 16.5 million units sold in 2014. Sales increased by 5.9% over 2013, according to Autodata. Fiat Chrysler NV sales reached 2 million units in 2014, for an astounding recovery under Marchionne, close to the 2.4 milllion units sold by Toyota and the 2.5 million units sold by Ford Motor.

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The government of prime minister Manuel Valls collapses in August 2014 after differences between Valls and Economy minister Montebourg over austerity measures. Montebourg is openly critical of the austerity policies that lead to no growth in France and a prolonged period of stagnation. Montebourg tells Le Monde "The priority must be exiting the crisis, and the dogmatic reduction of deficits should come after. Germany is caught in a trap of austerity it is imposing across Europe." Germany's growth also slowed markedly in the 2nd quarter of 2014.

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This report in the WSJ points out inflammatory content posted in India by Facebook that creates divisiveness in India between communtiies and ethnic groups, revealed in a WSJ Investigation. This comes at a time when the Indian government is focusing all its efforts and energies on building infrastructure and development projects under "sab ka vikas, sab ke saath, sab ka prayas, sab ka viswas," which means development for all, by all, with everyone's efforts, and with everyone's confidence." Polaraized content has no place in the country and its mission for development for all.  This report says the Indian government has threatened to jail employees of Facebook, its WhatsApp messaging service, and Twitter Inc. if they did'nt comply with data or take down requests, as reported in WSJ in February. The Indian government is determined to take action to prevent such content or content harmful to children being put out. In 2020 India banned TikTok and other social media platforms. Twitter was asked to block hundreds of accounts in India for posting what was seen as inflammatory material by the Indian government, according to this report. ...

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The Indian Air Show Aero India 2021 began this week. It brings together the U.S. and Indian Air Force pilots and aerospace communities.

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Politico poll shows only 26% say they would definitely vote for Trump in 2020. Fifty two percent say they would definitely vote against.

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"Made in China 2025" has caused consternation and alarm in Washington about China's effort to dominate key industries of the future with state subsidies. This report in WSJ shows the European response to China's effort. A survey by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China shows 58% of companies have not been able to participate in Made In China initiatives. There is concern that global supply chains are not being utilized in robotics, aerospace, and electric vehicles, three areas under China's program.  62% of companies say they didn't know whether this was leading to increased discrimination against foreign companies.

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The Zero Energy Ready Home is now becoming a reality- what little energy they need can be derived from a roof full of soalr panels. Instead of conventional cooling and heating such homes use a heat pump, use enough insulation, and LED lighting. In 2020 California will require all new home to be Net Zero for energy use. The European Union also has set a goal of net zero for 2020 for all new home being built. In the U.S. only 8547 units of this type were built in 2017, with about 38,000 in construction.

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Brent crude drops below $60 by Dec. 15, 2014.

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A 16 year old girl, world junior climbing champion, who is one of the best climbers in France, with huge talent, slips unexpectedly on a path in the French Alps, falling 330 feet below. She was walking with family and friends on a path with a handrail in the Chartreuse mountains near her home in southeast France. It was such a banal incident. The French 2024 Paris Olympic Committee says with a lot of sadness that she had so many summits to climb. 

Climbers who went out with her say she had so much energy and joy and sent out so many positive waves. She did not consider the age and level of rivals but just went out with motivation and determination.

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This WSJ editorial sees president Biden's speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia as intended to give the Democrats the advantage in the midterm elections for Congress. It says Vice President Pence and other Republicans opposed Mr. Trump when he claimed he had won the election. Seen from outside the US in Europe, and Asia, other parts of the world there was a real sense that democracy was facing a critical time in the US. Mr. Biden's speech about the struggle for the soul of America is very real considering that the Republican party is today for the most part pro-Trump and lessons learned from the traumatic experience of 2020 are sometimes set aside. There were real issues with the future of democracy during the transfer of power to Mr. Biden in 2020, and the future of America's leadership in the world as the place where the Declaration of Independence inspires the whole world for 200 years, which cannot be ignored and will always be remembered, as much in America as in the world to which offers hope and acts as a beacon. ...

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Biden efforts to reduce the level of escalation in relations with China include a visit by Secretary of State Blinken to Beijing in June 2023. The US says it seeks "to responsibly manage relations with China." The visit of Blinken to China was planned for February 2023 but postponed after the shooting down of a Chinese balloon craft in US airspace. China's support of Russia in the war with Ukraine has further strained relations. A similar effort is under way to reduce tensions with Iran by approving 2.5 billion euros payment by Iraq for Iranian oil deliveries. China sees Biden's efforts for stronger competition with China as affecting its economic interests. It seeks economic ties in the face of a slowing economy preserving its advantages in manufacturing developed over 2 decades. The Biden administration seeks with the EU a new supply chain that corrects the errors of overconcentration of manufacturing in China. This is what China means when it refers to the Biden administration stoking "competition" with China, as affecting China's sovereignty and national interests.  ...

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Hospitals in New York City are coping better in the current wave of coronavirus variant in December 2021 as the symptoms of patients are milder and patients are going home quicker. This report covers NYU Langone, Northwell and Mt Sinai, Presbyterian  health systems. Only about 2% of healthcare workers were lost through dismissals because of the vaccine mandate at Northwell, which is the largest health system in New York City with about two dozen hospitals. About 400 covid patients turned up on Friday Dec. 17, a fraction of the 1350 last January and of the 3500 in early spring 2021. The head of integrated operations,, Dr. John D'Angelo says Northwell has enough staff to meet projected needs. Most covid patients had underlying health problems and a quarter are vaccinated up from 10-15% a month ago. Vaccinations and two years of experience make for a different picture now, though there will be challenges and I think we're going to have to think through a bit carefully, says Dr. D'Angelo. ...

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The U.S. Federal Reserve's role as backup lender increased with the pandemic. The U.S. central bank lent half a trillion dollars to counterparts overseas representing most of the emergency lending at the time in 2020. It eased a dollar shortage globally, helped stop a market selloff, and continues to support global markets in 2020. The Fed is now the global source of dollar funding, which builds the role of the U.S. currency a the dominant currency. Countries that benefit from the Fed are Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Britain, Japan and European Union countries. On March 31 the Fed launched a program that let 170 central banks around the world borrow dollars against their holdings of U.S. Treasurys adding confidence.  To understand the dollar's dominant role about 88% of 6.6 trillion dollars in currency trades taking place daily involve dollars according to BIS. By end of 2019 U.S. dollar denominated debt securities and cross border loans reached about $27 trillion up from about $17 trillion in 2010. All the talk of having another reserve currency by other central banks has not happened. ...

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The move is one DJT made on his trip to Saudi Arabia in May 2025. DJT signed agreements that let the Saudis (and UAE, Qatar) have access to US made AI chips in exchange for $1 trillion in investments in US AI infrastructure. This is the only way the Saudis can access AI technologies in the US. For the US and for Saudi this is a way to efficiently utilize funds that go from the rest of the world to the Saudis for oil, much of it being wasted on foreign wars not development and science in other oil producing regions. To do this DJT rescinded the Diffusion prevention rule made by the Biden administration to not let even allies have a way to invest in American AI and have AI chips exported to allies.

One result can be seen in the 73% growth in Nvidia's data center sales in 2025, which makes AI chips, even after a $4.5 billion charge for DJT administration rules blocking sales of AI chips to a competitor China.

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Said, Kent and Faucon describe the meetings and maneouvring between oil producers that led to the decision to not cut production at the November 2014 OPEC meetings in Vienna. This led to a drop in Brent crude down to below $70 by Dec. 2014, with Russia, Iran and Venezuela losing, countries such as India, and motorists benefitting from lower oil prices.

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As the Israeli election happens on March 24, 2021, prime minister Netanyahu's popularity has increased because of his handling of the vaccination drive and the pandemic. Defense minister Gantz who was the rival for prime minister has seen his popularity drop to new lows.

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This report in The Times shows that small polling errors can swing the election either way into large wins for Republicans or Democrats. A polling error of just 3 points is all it takes for a big win on either side in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

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Significant shortfall in rain during the June to September monsoon rain season in the northeast of India. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand are affected regions. This is described as the worst monsoon season in decades. Reservoirs in Uttar Pradesh are 28% filled compared to 53% in 2021.

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U.S. investor preference for value stocks over fast growing companies with high valuations and P/E ratios in April 2014.

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Saudis unilaterally cut prices of crude oil without consultation with other members of OPEC at the beginning of Oct. 2014. Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi says there is not much point in talking to other members of OPEC as everyone does as they please. The old cooperation between Gulf states Qatar, U.A.E., Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is breaking down with each country backing different rebel factions against the Assad regime in Syria-Iraq. Ali al-Naimi who normally comes in ahead of the OPEC meetings in Vienna, which meet twice a year, arrived this time at the last minute. He said meetings should be conducted only once a year and consulting can be done remotely. The old style when he guided discussion at OPEC meetings is gone. OPEC now produces about a third of the world's oil, has large spare capacity of 3.8 million barrels a day in 2014 or 4% of global oil supply in a crisis, according to IEA. Yet it faces pressures from the increasing shale production in North America and the decline in demand from Asia. Brent crude is at about $92 in October 2014. OPEC production in August 2014 was split as follows- Saudis 9.6, Iraq 3.0, Iran 3.0, U.A.E. 2.9. Kuwait 2.9, Venezuela 2.3, Qatar 0.7, Libya 0.5, Algeria 1.2, Nigeria 1.8, Angola 1.7 (millions of barrels a day, source: OPEC)...

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The warm and hugely enthusiastic welcome given to India's newly elected prime minister Modi in New York in September 2014

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Intel's business model depends on making large investments in the latest technologies in chipmaking facilities. It continues its strength by ending 2014 with $14.1 billion in cash, after paying out $4 billion in dividends and buying back about $10 billion in stock. Profit margins improved during 2014, with net income up 39% to $3.7 billion or 74 cents a share, from 2013 level. Revenue is up 6% to $14.7 billion. 2015 outlook is for "mid single digit" growth in revenue with continued growth in PC's and servers. PC business was up 3% in the 4th quarter 2015, and the server business up 25% reflecting business investment in cloud computing. However mobile business continues to struggle with losses of $4.2 billion. Intel still depends a lot on PC and server chips for growth, with $49 billion of $55.8 billion in 2014 sales coming from PC's and server chips.