contributions

Brian Ulrich: Stores That Are No More
Photographer Brian Ulrich’s images explore the haunted shells of America’s devastated retail landscape. You can almost see America’s imminent financial collapse through Brian’s Copia, Trift, and now these empty store photos.
http://notifbutwhen.com/projects/copia/dark-stores/

China’s Marshall Plan in the Making?
By Zhang Bin, Liu Dan and Xiao Dan 2009-08-26
Translated by Zhou Yuning Original Article: [Chinese]
A major shakeup of China’s export strategy is taking place. The country is considering altering its focus and may attempt to "create" more external demand by extending loans to trading partners.
The Economic Observer learned that the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) had held numerous meetings recently to mull over new means and markets to spur (…)

By David Glenn Cox
I recently came across an interview where Ben Stiller interviewed the eighty-eight-year-old actor Mickey Rooney. Stiller was trying to teach Rooney about Twitter and how to tweet. He explained to Rooney how with Twitter he had immediate access to the Internet and messaging. Rooney smiled and listened attentively as Stiller showed him a message on his twitter. “Oldest daughter shaved her legs for the first time today.”
Rooney, still smiling, asked, “That’s entertaining (…)

AMDH Notification, Following Aïcha Mokhtari’s death, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights appeals for the denunciation of the unjust system conditions of issuing visas to Moroccans.
Notification Following Aïcha Mokhtari’s death, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights appeals for the denunciation of the unjust system conditions of issuing visas to Moroccans On Saturday, August 15, 2009 in Oujda, the Moroccan citizen Aïcha Mokhtari has died after suffering terribly from bone (…)

The case against Bernanke
By Stephen Roach
August 25 2009 16:02 | Last updated: August 25 2009 16:02
Barack Obama has rendered one of his most important post-crisis verdicts: Ben Bernanke will be nominated for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve. This is a very shortsighted decision. While America’s head central banker deserves credit for being creative and courageous in orchestrating an unusually aggressive monetary easing programme, it is important to remember that his (…)

By David Glenn Cox
The Native Americans warned of a time when all good men are gone, and with the death of Edward Kennedy this prophecy seems to be coming closer to fulfillment. Who now will stand with Kennedy’s principles? Who will stand and vote no to war as Kennedy did in 2003, when popular opinion cries out that we must?
Kennedy was fortunate to have lived in a safe state, a state that he loved and a state that loved him back. He had the burden and good fortune to be born into a (…)

It is with shock and dread, albeit much anticipated, that I awoke to hear of Ted Kennedy’s passing. My muse has been somewhat groggy since my mom’s passing this Spring, and I am juggling a range of emotions and a series of body blows from 2009. It seems that whoever is in charge of these things wanted to make certain that everyone who was anyone should be taken away from us this year. My wife tells me it’s my mom’s doing: A lady who loved a party, she could not bear the hereafter without (…)

Swiss private banker predicts decline of the U.S.
Markus Diem Meier, 26.8.09
The top private banker in Switzerland has had enough of the United States. In a text he says the country ahead of the economic decline and criticized the aggressiveness of the world.
Steer clear of U.S. assets: Konrad Hummler private banker to advise Totalrückzug from the U.S..
Konrad Hummler is a powerful man: He sits on the board of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, is managing partner of the St. Gallen Bank (…)

The most potent weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Stephen Biko
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life.” So the saying goes.
But is it necessarily true?
What if all the streams, lakes and rivers where this man sought to fish were on private (…)

Prestigious Swiss Private Bank Wegelin withdraws from U.S. market
25.08.2009
The St. Gallen financial institution is planning to withdraw from the American capital market. Partner Konrad Hummler criticized U.S. President Barack Obama sharply.
The planned tightening of the QI regime (U.S. withholding tax) by the U.S. government and the extent of the estate tax obligation meant a considerable legal uncertainty, the bank said on Tuesday.
The condition is untenable, is Konrad Hummler, (…)