Thursday, April 17, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 10:41 AM
Tribute To A Great
Jordan’s final retirement
As a keen basketball and sport fan, I want to pay a tribute to one of the greatest sportsmen of all times. Michael Jordan retired for his third and last time yesterday evening.
The best definition of his greatness was that phrase by Larry Bird (after Jordan scored 63 points in a playoff game against Boston): ‘That was God in basketball shoes’. Most impressively is how Jordan’s impact went beyond the game: how many kids in a 23 Chicago Bulls t-shirt have we seen around the world? One of the most curious images that I remember is the CNN showing a Middle-Eastern American-flag-burning party where at least three participants where proudly sporting their MJ’s shirt. Maybe the Bush’s Administration should employ him as a PR consultant and send him around the world. Five days of MJ would build more goodwill towards America than fifty years of Donald Rumsfeld..
Sadly I currently don’t see any young player able to fill MJ’s shoes. On the other hand, who could?
posted by Mooraq at 10:14 AM
Euraq
A new currency for Iraq
One of the most urgent tasks for rebuilding a functioning economic system in Iraq is the creation of a currency. A comment on the FT by Steve Hanke puts forward the intriguing proposal of using the Euro as Iraq’s new currency. After all, he notes, it is not unknown for countries to adopt a foreign currency, swapping control of their own monetary policy in exchange for low inflation and stability. The other currencies available on the “international market” are the US Dollar and the British Pound, and both have problematic political implications (leaving alone the fact that the GBP itself could eventually converge to the Euro).
The Euro has the added advantage that 12 different countries already use it; therefore its monetary policy is less dictated by a single country economic cycle. In addition to this, the ECB had an invaluable experience in rolling out a new currency when the Euro was originally introduced across Europe.
The main problem I see is that I am not so sure the US, currently controlling Iraq’s destiny, will be so positive about spreading the Euro - increasingly seen as a credible threat to the USD foreign currency monopoly – gospel to a new country. It’s a shame since it would be a quick and effective way to help Iraq’s transition to a better future.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 2:33 PM
History In The Making
Old Europe greets New Europe
Historical is such an inflated adjective, but it is appropriate to use it today to describe the formal ceremony of EU Enlargement to 25 States.
It is possible to watch history live here.
posted by Mooraq at 1:41 PM
A True Hero
Annalena Tonelli is awarded the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award
There are heroic people out there doing something to make this world a better place.
posted by Mooraq at 1:24 PM
It’s The Tax Cut, Stupid
After Iraq, Bush is pointing his guns on America
Mindful of what happen to daddy, George W. is unleashing his weapons of mass destruction on Capitol Hill to push through his tax cuts. As the FT notes, it is a typical case of political ideology getting in the way of reality. Bush’s tax cuts will not provide a stimulus to the economy in the short term AND will cause huge fiscal problems in the long term. Of course they pamper to the conservative (and rather un-compassionate) right that has supported George w. so effectively, the same group that felt betrayed when daddy showed people how lips-reading can go wrong.
Probably George W hopes to bag his core constituency in this way, before reaching for the middle ground next year. But the middle ground may not be so easy to reach if the economy is stalling and unemployment is on the rise. After four years it will be difficult to keep on blaming Clinton for the recession.
I wonder, if the economy is in such a bad shape next year during the re-election campaign, will George W. pay the price? Or an American public oblivious to its economic dire straits will keep on its support for the frat-boy-turned-commander-in-chief? Only time will tell.
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 2:04 PM
Looting After The War
Is the US trying to prove its critics right?
I was never one of those who believed the war on Iraq was about oil and big business’ interests. Unfortunately the first post-war steps of the Bush’s administration seems to demonstrate just that. On the quiet, a lot of contracts are being handed out to US companies to rebuild Iraq, obviously with Iraqi oil footing the bill. While Mr. Wolfowitz and company are busy asking for a debt moratorium to help Iraq, they are apparently preparing to hand out fat contracts to their friends and cronies. Why, I wonder, should France forsake its credits for building, among other things, Baghdad sewers and selling agricultural machines under the oil-for-food UN program, while the US start squeezing Iraqi oil for its own companies’ benefits?
I wonder how US soldiers who fought in Iraq thinking to protect the US and liberate the Iraqi people, would like to discover that they did so for Haliburtons or Bechtel’s interests (and while their Government was cutting benefits for war veterans).
Monday, April 14, 2003
posted by Mooraq at 1:25 PM
A Star Is Born?
The improbable success of the Iraqi Information Minister
Sites devoted to the celebration of the Iraqi Information Minister are popping up all over the web. T-Shirts and mugs sporting some of his most memorable quotes are selling like crazy. I personally find quite tasteful this barbeque apron with the phrase “God will roast their stomachs in hell”
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