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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 21-Apr-2011
21-Apr-11 World View -- Greek bond yields to 22%

Web Log - April, 2011

21-Apr-11 World View -- Greek bond yields to 22%

Israel intellectuals and artists back Palestinian state

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

Greece's bond yields surge to over 22%, Portugal's to 10.6%

Bond yields (interest rates) continue to surge to MasterCard levels in a number of euroland countries, furthering the euro currency crisis, and putting the euro project into danger. Greek 2-year bond yields surged to 22.02%, and 10-year bond yields to 14.8%, both of them the highest yields since the birth of the euro. Portugal's rose to 10.58% and 9.28%, respectively. By comparison, German bonds are at 1.83% and 3.3%, respectively. Bloomberg

As Greece's bond yield surge, more and more analysts are predicting a Greek debt restructuring, a form of default that would force investors to take a 30-50% "haircut," losing that much of the principal they invested. European banks could handle the 100 billion or so euros that they would lose from the haircut, but the bigger danger is that the process would set a precedent, and would force them to mark to market all their other toxic assets. In 2008, regulators told American and European banks to keep toxic assets on their books at nominal values, essentially continuing to defraud investors. Reuters

Israel intellectuals and artists back Palestinian state

Dozens of Israeli intellectuals and artists have signed a petition calling for a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders and an end to the occupation. They plan to sign the petition on Thursday in front of the building where the state of Israel was proclaimed in May 1948. BBC

De facto settlement freeze in Jerusalem

Israel's Housing Minister Ariel Attias is accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "surrendering" to U.S. President Barack Obama, and implementing a de facto settlement freeze in Jerusalem. Netanyahu's office denies the charges. Israel National News

U.S. Treasury designates Bank of East Land as facilitating North Korean arms trafficking

The US Dept. of Treasury has designated the Bank of East Land as a major conduit for facilitating North Korea’s illegal arms trafficking." Activities include money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking. This kind of designation has infuriated the North Koreans in the past. U.S. Treasury

GCC, US and UK are close to brokering a deal on Yemen crisis

A deal on the Yemen crisis brokered by the six member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and backed by the U.S. and U.K. is close to being agreed on. The deal would have president Ali Abdullah Saleh step down, the principle demand of the protesters. Al-Jazeera

Protests continue in Syria, despite demands that they end

In Homs, Syria, large numbers of protesters took to the streets and chanted demands for "the downfall of the regime," defying security forces again on Wednesday. In Syria's second city, Aleppo, security forces beat several university students and arrested 37. Reuters

U.S. multinationals shift hiring to overseas

U.S. multinational corporation have cut their work forces in the U.S. by 2.9 million during the 200s, while increasing employment overseas by 2.4 million, according to the Commerce Department. The multinationals say that the reason is that their customers are increasingly overseas. Wall Street Journal (Access)

UN's feared climate change migration hasn't occurred

In 2005, the United Nations issued a dramatic warning that climate change would create 50 million climate refugees by 2010, fleeing the effects of climate change. The refugees never materialized, embarrassing the UN. When this story was reported last week, the UN removed from from its web site the map showing the places that were most at risk. Gavin Atkins

Saudi Commodore: US and British think talks don't know what they're talking about

In 2007, articles in the Congressional Quarterly and the London Times showed that Washington and London analysts and "experts" on Iraq were ignorant of even the simplest facts about Iraq. (See "Guess what? British politicians and journalists are just as ignorant as Americans.") What most analysts (left or right, Republican or Democrat) was ideological and completely nonsense. Now a Saudi Arabian Navy commodore is saying the same thing about analysts commenting on the Arab uprisings. He says that American analysts in Bahrain have had no idea what's going on, don't speak Arabic, and sometimes don't even know that there's a country called Oman. Some analyses of Saudi Arabia are so ridiculous they're laughable. Arab News.

Armenia strives to become a 'chess superpower'

Chess is being added as a compulsory subject in primary schools in Armenia to strengthen children's intellectual development, and to "create a solid basis for the country to become a chess superpower." Australian

Swearing can help relieve pain

A new study shows swearing triggers not only an emotional response, but also a physical, relieving pain. Telegraph

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 21-Apr-11 News -- Admiral Mullen accuses Pakistan of aiding militants who kill Americans thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (21-Apr-2011) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 21-Apr-2011 21-Apr-11 World View -- Greek bond yields to 22%

Greece's bond yields surge to over 22%, Portugal's to 10.6%

Israel intellectuals and artists back Palestinian state

De facto settlement freeze in Jerusalem

U.S. Treasury designates Bank of East Land as facilitating North Korean arms trafficking

GCC, US and UK are close to brokering a deal on Yemen crisis

Protests continue in Syria, despite demands that they end

U.S. multinationals shift hiring to overseas

UN's feared climate change migration hasn't occurred

Saudi Commodore: US and British think talks don't know what they're talking about

Armenia strives to become a 'chess superpower'

Swearing can help relieve pain

Web Log Pages

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 21-Apr-2011
21-Apr-11 World View -- Greek bond yields to 22%