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McCartney of WSJ gives a list of things to do and what to expect on a flight where bumping of passengers is happening. He points out that crew have the right to give instructions which can sometimes be arbitrary, so passengers have fewer rights than assumed.  How to protect oneself? Get an assigned seat, check in early, and put all passengers on the same record to avoid being bumped. One unknown fact is that you are entitled according to law to cash compensation, and for getting you to destination on another flight from 1-2 hours late domestically 200% of one way fare or upto $675, over 2 hours domestic flights 400% of one way fare or upto $1350. Important to avoid smaller jets or small planes 30-60 seats as weight issues arise and these planes have higher rate of bumping passengers- and passengers are not entitled to compensation in 30-60 seat flights where weight or ballast is the issue. Other tips are avoid last flight of night or flights later in the evening where passengers are less likely to give up seats. Also consider buying a premium seat to get seat assigned if all seats are taken. ...

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"Memories of a Nation," an exhibition on Germany and how it is viewed in Britain, first shown at the British Museum is now being shown in Germany at Martin-Gropius-Bau, from October 8 to Jan. 9, 2017. It gives Germans insights into their own history and how it is viewed in other countries such as Britain. The original exhibition was prepared from objects at the British Museum in 2014, to go with a BBC Radio 4 Series and a book by Neil MacGregor, who came up with the concept in the context of British-German relations. MacGregor, a former director of the British Museum, is now leading a cultural history museum in Berlin called the Humboldt Forum. About 200 objects were chosen to cover 600 years of German history. One of these objects fascinated the British- a hand wagon used by Germans expelled from former German territories to carry their belongings. About 14-16 million Germans were expelled. Other aspects that were shown are the cities of Konigsberg, Strasbourg, Prague and Basel, formerly having German history that has since faded. Also shown the fragmentation of Germany with many states, and the idea of decentralized government, compared to a more centralized Britain. ...

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The younger generation and women remain underrepresented in Japanese political life and government. Only about 10% being women and almost all leaders in local and federal government over 50 years old. Lee and Inuma say in the Washington Post that the change that was expected has not come- Shigeru Ishiba 68 years as new LDP leader and prime minister replacing Fumio Kishida is not the way Harris took over from Biden in the US for a younger leader with new energy and skills. Ishiba is a second generation LDP politician. Surely there are younger leaders outside second generation family with new ideas and solutions is the sentiment in Japan. The LDP has been in power for 65 of the last 69 years making some question whether it is truly representative of what Japan is today. LDP came into power with US support in 1955. Japan has changed a lot since yet a small fraction of LDP party members about 1% of the population have chosen leaders of the government, raising questions about how representative it is, and how Japan could bring a younger generation of leaders to the forefront without the backing of the family background as second generation politicians.    ...

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Jordan Bardella's grandparents came from Turin, Italy to Seine-Saint-Dennis, a department north of Paris in the 1960's that was one of the poorest and crime ridden. He saw the condition of immigrants and decided to join the RN at age 16. He had to fight his way through lacking a college degree and connections with a working class name. He speaks some Italian he says and some English, having made an effort to assimilate within France. Here he is interviewed by Adam Sage of The Times of London at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Bardella says he saw the condition of migrants, and the poverty and violence in neighborhoods of migrants. He says in the sixties there was an effort to assimilate as he had done. Today he say it is different with it not being required of generations who arrive now who have their hearts and souls elsewhere. Bardella says that the French model is "Become what we are" and he is sure that this is the right way. He says during his time in the sixties immigration was mostly southern European and assimilation happened which is not happening now.  ...

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This Journal editorial talks about the role GE Capital has played in generating profits for GE under CEO Welch, and then leading to a need for government money to help GE Capital survive. It describes as hollow the claims GE makes about leading a drive for US renewal through jobs growth and innovation when earnings were driven by a finance division for many years during the financial boom in mortgages. Capital was then massively misallocated from productive uses to speculative investments. The claims about investment in jobs in the US rings hollow says the Journal, because GE continues to cut jobs in the US- employment in the US for GE fell by 34,000 between 2000 and 2009. By inviting "government to be a industrial policy champion, a financier and a key partner," as stated in a 2008 letter to shareholders, GE CEO Immelt, says the Journal, is simply inviting the same kind of capital misallocation that led to the housing bubble.

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Had Bear Stearns gone under JP Morgan would have risked large losses as JP Morgan is a counterparty in trades with Bear Stearns and JP Morgan faces large losses in its credit card business and has exposure to the home equity business.

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A WSJ/NBC News poll taken in Dec. 2015 after the San Bernardino terrorist attack on Donald Trump's proposed total ban on Muslims entering the country, shows 57% of the people surveyed opposed to it, and 25% supporting it. Among Republican primary voters 39% oppose it and 38% support it showing the Republican voters almost evenly divided on the issue, and the proposed ban not affecting Trump's standing with his supporters. About 56% of Republican voters see Trump in a positive light compared to 26% negatively, showing that Trump has strong support in the Republican party. The divergence in views sharpens when considering that half of Republican primary voters have an unfavorable view of Muslims while 79% of Democratic primary voters having a favorable view. In the country as a whole the poll shows about 60% have a favorable view of Muslims.

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A New York hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. finally makes a settlement with the new Argentine government of president Mauricio Macri. It took 15 years and 5 different administrations in Argentina. Eliott gained $2.4 billion 10-15 times the original investment on Argentine bonds made in 2001, but requiring extraordinary persistence from hedge fund manager Mr. Newman at Elliott Management Corp and Mr. Singer. In 2001 the Argentine bonds traded at 20 cents to the dollar, and Mr. Newman who had made large gains on Peruvian bonds saw this as a good investment. By 2008 the bonds instead traded at pennies on the dollar, and the Argentine government later settled with 93% of bondholders at 30 cents to the dollar. The holdouts were three hedge funds, including Elliott. The Argentine government of Kirchner opposed any settlement with the holdouts. The situation changed with the election of Mauricio Macri in 2015, who made resolution of the issue a priority, so that Argentina could borrow in global financial markets and grow its economy. The U.S. Supreme Court had rejected Argentina's appeal of a U.S. District Court ruling prohibiting paying interest on exchanged bonds when payment had not been made to the holdout hedge funds- which led to the settlement with Elliott, and closing a long and difficult chapter for Argentina....