Archive for January 26th, 2010

The Rising Sun Deflates

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

S&P downgrades the Japanese economic outlook to negative…

The Finance Minister isn’t pleased, he thinks the central bank could do a lot more:

“Mr Kan did say that the bank and the government agreed at least on the direction of policy and added, “I think we’ll be able to see an end in sight for deflation within two or three years.”

This from the country that spent a lost decade in deflation, mainly because its policymakers and central bank were too worried about inflation and unwilling to take strong measures to get the country growing again.

Gorilla asks: “Sound familiar? America seems to have the same yen!”

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Why Vote When You Can Run?

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

In which two countries are candidates for important public offices also people who have either never registered to vote or haven’t bothered to vote in years?

Why the United States and Sri Lanka, of course!

In the US, it’s former eBay exec Meg Whitman, currently running for Governor of California.

In Sri Lanka, it’s retired General Sarath Fonseka, currently running for President.

Gorilla thinks: “I’m a fictional character who hasn’t registered to vote or voted in years, therefore as qualified for high office as any CEO or General, so I’m throwing my hat in the ring!”

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On Payroll, Off Message

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

The US Ambassador to Afghanistan!

He doesn’t think the strategy of surging, Afghanization and propping up the government will work because: 1) the government’s basically corrupt, 2) the Afghan Army and police are hopeless and untrainable, and 3) there’s no real political class to govern the country.

Gorilla thinks: “He could also be describing America, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt!”

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Off Payroll, Off Message

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

It’s bombs away again in Iraq!

Elections are scheduled for March, and there’s little doubt that some coalition of Shiites will win.

Whether the Sunnis accept this is of course another story.

As they’re weaned off the US payroll, and the ethnic cleansing continues, Sunni leaders may decide to give civil war another go.

The numbers are against them, but suicidal nationalism has never been a deal breaker in Iraq.

The Administration naturally wants out by 2011. Iraq has been a disaster from the beginning and has zero strategic signficance.

Whether they also get a civil war in the midst of Obama’s reelection campaign is a bit less predictable.

Gorilla says: “It won’t be Sunni delight!”

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