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Sunday Open Thread

by afew
Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:04:53 AM EST

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Sunday Open Thread | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 0)

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ snore ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:10:19 AM EST

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 0)

Rain. It started last night, and it's not supposed to stop until tomorrow.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:13:44 AM EST

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 1)

Does anyone know: are there any German, French or U.S. banks that stayed away from subprime mortgages or credit default swaps?

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:49:38 AM EST

Re: Sunday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

In the US there are numerous local and regional banks that stuck to their original business and are currently doing fine. Bank of the Ozarks had record profits last quarter and I have heard radio advertisements to the effect that local banks have money to lend and are not affected by the current financial crisis. There are also those that have gotten into trouble and have failed.

I read that Bank of the Ozarks is considering applying for some of the bail-out money. I would hope that they are planning to use it to expand their services to take up slack due to the freeze up of the larger banks. Time will tell.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer at eurotrib.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:59:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

In France, la Banque Postale and possibly regional branches of Crédit Mutuel.

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:49:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 1)

Crédit Mutuel: nonetheless, the regional banks are being consolidated into one national bank, and Crédit Mutuel asked for €1.2bn recapitalisation from the State a few weeks ago (4th largest handout to a French bank). No doubt the regions are getting a bad deal in all this: probably some smart "asset management" was going on at national level.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 02:35:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

The German "Sparkassen" (community-level thrifts) and the cooperative banks seem to steered clear of them.

The Postbank surprisingly admits to losing > €350m in connection with Lehman, but I can't find the details of that transaction offhand.

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine - Patti Smith

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:56:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Just back from a week-end away (none / 1)

with no internet access. Trying to catch up with stuff, both in real life and online. Still a lot of work ahead this week, hopefully with sompe important decisions taken.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:56:18 AM EST

Torture is the new black (none / 1)

In case this hasn't been mentioned, the WaPo published this abject, self-serving argument that torture enablers in Washington officialdom should not be punished a few days ago.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 11:58:00 AM EST

Re: Torture is the new black (none / 0)

I remember Kos had a few waspish things to say about that at the time.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:16:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Torture is the new black (none / 0)

Waspish? Link?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:08:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Torture is the new black (none / 1)

Damn, it was Glenn Greenwald via Meteor blades, but I should have known somebody would ask for the link

heh

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:37:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Torture is the new black (4.00 / 7)

Okay, New Rule: If you work at a place with the name Hoover in its title, you're clearly too stupid to make policy.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:36:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Back to civilisation after a couple of days in Cardiff to attend InWales' birthday party {snigger}

It was good fun.

Now all I have to do is catch up with the world.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:21:56 PM EST

Surprise of the week (none / 1)

InWales doens't read dKos {g a s p !!}

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:36:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Surprise of the week (4.00 / 2)

She is not alone ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 03:16:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Surprise of the week (none / 0)

I keep forgetting that I'm pretty much a US political obsessive. Which might seem odd for someone who's so scathing about a lot of it, but it's so influential; US foreign policy is UK foreign policy and it's worth reading what they're telling our lot so's we can see the strings on the lies our lot tell..

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 04:26:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Surprise of the week (4.00 / 2)

I wouldn't call myself obsessive, but I have been closely following US politics for a few years - since Bush 43, really. Or rather since sitting in my studio in an industrial building idly watching CNN on 9/11.

I simply find DKos too hysterical and chaotic. I do go over when J or someone points to a diary, but never log in. The Finnish online news sites are usually the first things I look at in the morning, especially a business site called 'Kauppalehti' and the main daily 'Helsingin Sanomat'. Then I'll have a quick scan of the Salon. If I'm working in my home office I'll maybe explore more US stories during the day. 'The Raw Story' every day.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 05:24:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Surprise of the week (none / 0)

I was never really able to get into Raw Story. I know I should read it to give them hits, as it's supposed to be our side's answer to Drudge, but both websites' designs give me a headache.

HuffPo is an alright source, but it's got too much of the Los Angeles tabloid nonsense.

DKos is usually pretty reliable for catching the big stories of the day in the US, and for finding a few bits of what's going on under the radar. Mostly it's good for American liberals looking to find out what races we should be watching. And I think Kos has a pretty sharp eye for good candidates.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 09:35:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Happy Birthday, In Wales` (4.00 / 2)

Is it belated?

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 04:02:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Happy Birthday, In Wales` (4.00 / 5)

Thanks, it is my birthday today.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 04:45:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Happy Birthday, In Wales` (4.00 / 2)

All the best, to some of the best eyes I know.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 05:52:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Happy Birthday, In Wales` (4.00 / 2)

Happy Birthday!

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 09:35:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 1)

George Will is Powerful Stupid. It takes talent to get so much wrong in so short a piece. Doesn't understand the Great Depression, doesn't understand Keynes, doesn't understand what Obama and Goolsbee (rightly) said -- just hopelessly ignorant, and after Krugman already set him straight on this last week on Snuffalufagus's moronic show. The Culture of Emboldened Stupidity lives on.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 12:46:29 PM EST

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 1)

Is it stupid for these people to attempt to continue to promote their failed ideas or is it stupid for people to still listen/believe in what they say?

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:37:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 0)

It's above all stupid for major countries to have "opinion-makers" like this one.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 02:39:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The concept of "Opinion Makers" (none / 1)

Now I've got to think about that one.

Damn it!

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 03:20:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sunday Open Thread (none / 1)

We have company until the coming week-end, and are planning to visit Branson, Missouri, a local entertainment hub, at their request. We are expecting 2" of snow in Branson tonight, and have had some local flurries this AM, but it hasn't stuck, as the temperatures remain in the high 30s, so have postponed our trip until tomorrow. This is fortunate, as I will be pulling a tilt trailer carrying my sister-in-law's mobility cart. I don't expect the snow to long remain on the roads, but we are playing it by ear. I check ET and comment as events allow.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer at eurotrib.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 01:07:35 PM EST

Is he in pain? (4.00 / 2)

by Loefing on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 03:05:42 PM EST

Re: Is he in pain? (4.00 / 3)

I think they're both "passing wind" :-)

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 03:10:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is he in pain? (4.00 / 3)

By the look of the guy with the sword, Sarko has just made one of those high-pitched squeaks that result from his knuckles being crushed together.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 at 03:15:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sunday Open Thread | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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