Talk About Tennis 2.0

I have been wondering how to start a "petition" or "sign up" requesting, or rather, demanding that Angela Merkel becomes Prime Minister of all of Latin America, from the Rio Grande to the Patagonia. I just don't know how to do those things.
Germany may veer a bit more to the left, with the Green Party/ies gaining more power. It would be an interesting experiment as they would make a huge push for CO2 emissions reduction but without the nuclear option available. Could a country such as Germany, which is a major industrial power, really power itself solely with wind, solar and geothermal?
Also. With Merkel out, there will be not one single scientific-trained leader of any of the G7 countries. The sole non-lawyer in a position of power for the most important countries in the world would Xi-Jinping, who is an engineer. Precisely at the time in which two of the most pressing problems in the world, CC and Automation, will require technical solutions.

Togtdyalttai wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:46 pm

the Moz wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:10 pm After 16 years, Angela Merkel is standing down as German Chancellor tomorrow. Her style of leadership and governance is sorely lacking across many Western democracies these days. Yet she was an effective national leader, a measured de facto leader of Europe and a principled defender of the liberal democratic order. She will be missed.

She's not actually standing down tomorrow. She'll still be the caretaker chancellor because it will be months in all likelihood before a coalition is formed.

Yes! Standing down in the sense that there is a General Election tomorrow to elect a new Chancellor, but her term doesn't end tomorrow.

The best educated one in a major European country is now probably Mario Draghi who has PhD in economics from MIT. That is if we still count Italy as import

I think he's doing quite well in his country with the cards he's been dealt.

I did not know that about the Italian PM. So, I have to change my position. You don't get a PhD in economics without a considerable understanding of math. At least, not one from MIT.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 3:46 pm I did not know that about the Italian PM. So, I have to change my position. You don't get a PhD in economics without a considerable understanding of math. At least, not one from MIT.

He had an illustrious academic career before going into public service. For example, was a professor of mathematical economics at university of Venice. Later a governor of bank of Italy (2006-2011) and President of the European central bank (2011-2019). Actually probably the smartest guy in that group even with Merkel around. Of course one should note that for most of her tenure she had to deal with Silvio Berlusconi not this guy...

Silvio, the worst of Italian politics and that's saying something

Since ponchi started to talk about it I looked up the education of G7 leaders + half a dozen others of at least some regional importance (omitted kingdoms).

USA: JD Syracuse University
Canada: BSc literature, McGill university
France: MSc philosophy, university of Paris-Ouest
Germany: PhD quantum chemistry, Academy of Sciences, Berlin
Italy: PhD economics, MIT
Spain: BSc economics, Complutense University of Madrid
Australia: BSc economic geography, university of new South Wales
UK: BSc classics and philosophy, Oxford
Japan: BSc Law, Hosei University
Brazil: Military academy
Mexico: BSc political science, national university of Mexico
Russia: BSc Law, St Petersburg State university
India: BSc political science, university of Delhi
China: BSc chemical engineering, Tsinghua university
Indonesia: BSc forestry, Gadjah Mada University

Matt Gaetz campaign hires Jeffrey Epstein lawyer in connection to Justice Department investigation, report claims
The probe has reportedly expanded from sexual misconduct to include campaign finance issues

Justin Vallejo
New York

The campaign for Matt Gaetz has reportedly hired the defence attorney of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, drug lord ‘El Chapo’, and Nxivm sex cult leader Keith Raniere in connection to a Department of Justice investigation.

Quoting a "person familiar with the matter", The Daily Beast reports that Marc Fernich is representing the campaign in connection with the investigation into the Republican Congressman, which reportedly includes sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, and campaign finance issues.

The Friends of Matt Gaetz paid $25,000 to the Law Office of Marc Fernich in June, according to FEC filings.

Mr Gaetz has repeatedly and strenuously denied any allegations of wrongdoing since The New York Times first reported on 31 March that the US Department of Justice was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct.

No charges have been brought against Mr Gaetz, who says the allegations are part of a $25m plot to extort his family.

In August, Florida developer Stephen Alford was indicted on charges over an alleged $25m plot to extort Mr Gaetz’s father in exchange for a presidential pardon that would make the DOJ investigation into the Congressman go away.

While the hiring of Mr Fernich for “legal consulting” was first revealed by The Washington Post in July, The Daily Beast is the first to report that the $25,000 in legal fees are in "connection" to the DOJ’s investigation.

Mr Fernich specialises in "subtle, novel and creative arguments that other attorneys may miss", according to his website.

"These arguments can make potential winners out of seemingly hopeless cases, spelling the difference between victory and defeat," it says.

Among those seemingly hopeless cases, Mr Fernich lists former mafia boss John A "Junior" Gotti as his most notable, followed by “El Chapo” Joaquin Guzman Loero, and Epstein.

"Friends of Matt Gaetz" is listed just after Epstein and before Raniere, who was sentenced to 160 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes.

Gotti, son of the so-called “Teflon Don” gangster John J Gotti, was was investigated in several racketeering cases before prosecutors said they would no longer pursue them. El Chapo was sentenced to life, plus 30 years, and Epstein died in prison while awaiting trial.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Mr Gaetz is looking into whether the Congressman paid women, including a 17-year-old, in exchange for sex, according to The New York Times.

An attorney familiar with the investigation told The Daily Beast that Mr Gaetz’s defence team illustrates the seriousness and scope of the investigation, which reportedly includes the DOJ’s Public Integrity Unit.

Neither the offices of Mr Fernich nor Mr Gatez responded to The Independent’s request for comment by the time of publication.

A spokesman for Mr Gaetz told the Post in July that their FEC filings "speak for themselves".

“Despite an endless stream of lies from the media, Congressman Gaetz continues to be among the most prodigious fundraisers in Congress and is the only Republican who doesn’t accept donations from federal lobbyists or PACs. He thanks his tens of thousands of donors and promises to always fight for them,” the spokesman said.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 27922.html

My god, when they make the movie it will start with a monologue of a Cuban man saying "I believed in America..."

I think this is an interesting graph which shows vote distribution for major parties in Germany.



Legend:

SPD - center left social democrats
Union - CDU/CSU conglomerate (Merkel's party). Center right
Grüne - green party. On other issues generally center left
FDP - liberal party. Generally pro business, in favor of free markets etc.
AfD - far right party (anti immigrants etc)
Linke - far left party (nationalize everything etc).

Numbers below show municipalities where the party received the most and the least votes. As you see no party got the absolute majority anywhere. For the hard right and hard left one can also nicely see borders of the former East Germany.

It will all be on Democrats this time if there is a shutdown. They have votes to prevent it.

Indeed, but McConnell's disregard for the well being of his country is truly off the scale.
And he got re-elected. But, of course, it is the Dems that are bent in destroying the country. I forgot which political analyst said it: 1/3 of the people in the USA are insane.

The markets have expressed an opinion. Add this to the Evergrande situation in China and you have to wonder just who the Republicans are fighting for.

ti-amie wrote: ↑Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:34 pm The markets have expressed an opinion. Add this to the Evergrande situation in China and you have to wonder just who the Republicans are fighting for.

Short sellers.