Saturday, September 1, 2012

Guest Post: The End Of The Euro: When Will It Happen?

This time, it's Italy.  Zero Hedge:

In Rome, the main post office is in a majestic old building with imposing architecture. It was a procession just to buy a few stamps. Stand here, stand there. Take this ticket, fill out this form, print that form. What should have taken 10 seconds took 10 minutes; the process it took to get there was a real eye opener. They have all these fancy IT systems, but we get the sense that this ‘technology’ just gives the post office a veneer of modernity and sophistication without actually being necessary or adding any value. This is typical of bureaucracy: take a simple task, make it unnecessarily complicated, then spend a bunch of money on technology that makes it even more complicated. Given this experience, Italy has clearly mastered the art of unnecessarily complicating the simple. It’s no wonder they have serious problems paying the bills. Moreover, the country’s demographic challenges indicate the country’s fiscal situation cannot improve. Robust economies are productive… and productivity is typically not associated with the elderly. Italy has one of the world’s oldest populations concurrent with one of the lowest birth rates. This trend drives an unsustainable fiscal quandary: bloated public sector bills with lots of old people to pay pensions to, coupled with a rapidly shrinking population devoid of young workers to pay taxes.

At this point, there can be little doubt that Italy will exit the eurozone... most likely voluntarily. A return to the lira means the Italian government (probably to be headed by Berlusconi once again)(ugh) would be free to print currency at will. This is the only reasonable solution remaining. When will it happen? Probably sooner than we think.

Friday, August 31, 2012

They're Doing It Again..

Some people never tire of talking out of or leading with their asses.. 

Leader of Army Plot to Assassinate Obama Apparently Attended the 2008 Republican Convention as a Page  Sigh..  Gawker.  Excerpts:

Isaac Aguigui, the Army private and alleged ringleader of a plot to assassinate Barack Obama and "take over" Ft. Stewart in Georgia, apparently served as a page at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minnesota. That's his mug shot after he was arrested for the alleged murder of Pvt. Michael Roark on the left. At right is a 2008 Reuters photo with the caption: "Republican National Convention page Isaac Aguigui watches from the edge of the floor at the start of the first session of the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 1, 2008."

Republican Senate Candidate Says Daughter’s Out-of-Wedlock Pregnancy is ‘Similar’ to Rape  Also from Gawker:


Meet Tom Smith, the Republican candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania. Smith has never had to deal with a situation as difficult as his daughter being impregnated by a rapist. But he's had to deal with, in his words, "something similar": his daughter becoming pregnant after consensual sex with a man to whom she wasn't married.


Coulter: I ‘laugh and laugh and laugh’ at unemployed youths  And you thought the GOP wasn't inclusive as a party:  Hell, they even give Drag Kings like Arthur Coltrane a microphone and air time!

Top 5 Fibs In Paul Ryan’s Convention Speech   Oh Sexy Dumbass, You do understand that people can also use the Internets to fact check don't you?

Boehner Says Out Loud He Hopes Blacks and Latinos 'Won't Show Up' This Election  Oh Boner, shouldn't you be obstructing some legislation or crying about MTV cancelling Jersey Shore?

New AZ Law ‘Pregnancy Begins Two Weeks Before Conception’ Not Onion Article   Are they all trying to out-crazy each other?  Seems to be..  Stepping up to the plate, Arizona Representative Kimberly Yee..  And she knocks it out of the park!  Amazing for pregnant womyn, yeah?  Or maybe she's only half pregnant..

  2012:  The Year of Batshit Crazy.  It's gonna get a whole lot worse before it even gets a little better..

Back From Vacation.

Needed it.