India wants to protect itself from Pakistan, and Mr Brown fears a terrorist attack in his own country

India and Pakistan are closely linked to England : one belongs to the Commonwealth and the other is the motherland of the main community of immigrated people. However, after the Mumbay terrorist attack the 26th of November, the relations became very tensed, as police services had found a Pakistani membership of the attack after Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, a Pakistani millitant who belongs to Lashkar-e-Taiba, had been captured. As Pakistan is neighbour to India, tensions arose rapidly. In fact, India refuses to acknowledge that the attack was only led by terrorist groups, and accuses directly its neighbour, which claims that it didn't have any link with this tragedy. But, it is good to precise that this quarrel already existed even before.

Thus, Prime Minister Gordon Brown flew to Pakistan and India to discuss about the situation with his homolgues. In fact, he gave £6 millions to Asif Ali Zardari (Pakistan's president) according to help the developpement of security in the country. Finally, we can say that the terror takes root there, and the need to secure is urgent, as it could end up with a war between Pakistan and India if the quarrel would reach an higher point...England is also worried about that, as the police service has under surveillance around 30 potential terrorist leaders and 2000 other suspects, all Pakistanies....

The terrorist attack of Mumbai could change England's immigration policy, as it could regulate exchanges and travels between Britain and Pakistan, according to have a better control of the situation and to guarantee security of both, and also India. It could be a translation of a real decrease of trust and thus, of economic exchanges. But, as India belongs to the Commonwealth, it cannot be a partner to left appart, on the contrary, England should secure Pakistan and seek for other terrorists in its own country to restablish relationships and calm down the tensions, and avoid a war, which could end up with nuclear bombs, as both India and Pakistan have it. The attack is an example of a growing terrorist network, as leaders now use different means to provide informations, and also, a better organization, as simple solidiers are trained in real camps, with recent weapons and new strategies (civil war strategy used in Irak and Afganisthan). It is a sign that this threat is ready to, maybe (but with a firm possibility), raise a veritable army and a very well developped network.

NB : It is also good to say that, few days after the attack, medias (especially in France) hid the fact that it was of Islamic nature...

Les tentions entre la Chine et la France sont toujours présentes

Les tentions entre la Chine et la France sont toujours palpables ... La Chine espère toujours avoir le "monopole" de la France, économiquement et politiquement parlant. Elle ne veut surtout pas que le chef de l'état français s'entretienne avec le Dalaï Lama, le "chef" du Tibet, leur meilleur ennemi.
Exprimant leur envie d'approfondir leurs relations avec la France, la Chine voit l'entretien entre les 2 chefs d'états, une sorte de trahison. Le porte parole du ministre des affaires étrangères chinois Liu Jianchao, espère que la France fera le bon choix quant aux décisions que la France prendra avec son homologue Tibétain. Il estime que la France a pris une position erronée. Je site : "En raison de la position erronée de la France, le peuple chinois est mécontent. Nous espérons que la France prendra une position correcte et fera le bon choix"
Le gouvernement appel au calme, cependant, des appels au boycott de produits français et des pétitions anti-Sarkozy ont commencé à circuler sur l'internet chinois.
Le relations entre la France et Pékin avaient déjà connues un bémol en Mars lors du boycott des produits de la chaine de distribution Carrefour très présente en Chine. Cette tension s'était apaisée cet été lorsque Nicolas Sarkozy était allé à la cérémonie des JO de Pekin.

La principale information que nous pouvons retenir de cet article, est le manque de tact de la Chine avec ses relations envers l'exterieur. Il nous montre aussi le manque d'envie de cette dernière de discuter avec le Tibet pour leur indépendance. La conséquence que cet entretien entre la France et le Tibet pourrait causer, serait de refroidir les relations entre la France et la Chine, déjà fragile. N'oublions pas que la France avait signé quelques contrats commerciaux avec la Chine pour la modique somme de 20 milliards d'euros. Certes il faut discuter avec le Tibet, et ce n'est pas parce-que la Chine nous menace que l'on devrait avoir peur, mais il faudra y aller avec le plus de diplomatie possible et ne pas rompre le dialogue avec la Chine ...

Le début d'une crise Mexicaine.

La crise financière qui a débuté aux Etats-Unis affecte désormais leur voisin, le Mexique. En effet, la hausse du chômage américain touche de nombreux immigrés mexicains, qui se voient alors contraints de retourner dans leur pays.

Selon "L'Institut des Mexicains à l'extérieur", plus de 600 000 émigrés mexicains aux Etats-Unis vont retourner au Mexique entre novembre et décembre, et peut-être plus de 900 000 à partir de janvier (chiffres contestés par L'institut national de migration). Sur les 12 millions d'émigrés mexicains aux Etats-unis, c'est donc pratiquement 10% d'entre eux qui retourneraient dans leur pays natal...

Mis à part le retour de nombreux émigrés, le Mexique va aussi faire face à un autre problème: en effet, les transferts d'argent des émigrés, qui sont la seconde source de devises du Mexique (environ 17.5 milliards de dollars de janvier à septembre 2008), vont aussi être affectés. Les Mexicains ayant perdu leurs emplois (plus d'un million) ne pourront plus faire parvenir de l'argent au pays, dont ces sommes font vivre un cinquième de sa population...

Suivant la tendance mondiale actuelle, le gouvernement Mexicain va mettre en place un plan d'environ 32 milliards de dollars pour soutenir l'emploi. De plus, pour faire face aux futures demandes d'emploi, le gourvenement compte sur le programme "Trois pour un", crée en 2002, où il fournit 3 dollars pour financer des entreprises à chaque dollar envoyé des Etats-Unis.

Nous pouvons retirer de cet article le fait que ,premièrement, le Mexique (14ème puissance mondiale) est toujours trop dépendant de son voisin Américain, et qu'une chute des USA entraîne systématiquement la chute du Mexique. Cet article nous montre aussi (une nouvelle fois) l'étendue mondiale et diversifiée de la crise financière qui a démarée en 2007. Il faut désormais espérer que le gouvernement Mexicain saura faire face à tous ses problèmes et que le Mexique ne tombera pas dans une grande crise financière tel qu'en 1995 car cette fois-ci, les USA ne seront pas là pour l'aider.

Liens:

   - Crise économique de 1995

UK, after banks' rescue, mortgage defaulters

Gordon Brown proposed a governmental plan to rescue mortgage defaulters : a mortgage insurance scheme.
People who are not able to pay their mortgage, because they've lost their jobs or because of a drop of income, could defer their interest payments for up to 2 years.
"The sum forgone by the banks would be added to the mortgage and have to be repaid when the holder's circumstances improved."
If people can't pay their interests after this time, the government would pay the interest deferred.
This plan will concern customers of HBOS, Abey, Natiowide,Lloyds TSB, Northern Rock, Barcklays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC.
Gordon Brown also said that Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley would delay the repossession, which is "a standard practice anyway".

This plan seems to be a response to people's critics about rescuing plans. People, through government help, were paying the institutions who were the causes of the crisis. Now, people who were " victims of the system" are helped too. This would take a weight away of some customers shoulders, although, if they have more time to pay, they will have more interest to pay too. Opinions seem to be split over this policy : some people don't want to pay, after the banks, for people that "put themselves into debts", and some other are quiet happy with that, such as the Liberal Democrat party, who's saying that he proposed this policy months ago.
But what called my attention is that, as for the nationalisation of a few banks in Great Britain, this policy is state interventionism. According to what I know, the UK wasn't very 'used' to such interventionism. I think that this event, amid other similar ones, shows that a new economic system is slowly coming, or at least that changes in policy are taken. However, I think that in order to manage this change, people's minds and views have to change too, and this is more difficult and long than an economic restructure.

Electric cars' future is not what we hoped

At the basis, it was meant to be the solution to stop consumming petrol and save the environnement. However, we can see that the sales are not what constutors were expecting. In fact, the sales fell to a half this year. Only 156 from January to October. Last year, the sales reached 374 in Britain. But how can we explain that consummers are not very tempted to buy electric or hybrid cars ?

Electric cars offer lots of avantages. It makes praticaly no noise, consumms no petrol and doesn't pollute the environnement. It is the best vehicule we ever found which respects the environnement and the people. It is thus very attractive, but it isn't destinated to every consummers. In fact, is has more or less the profile to the city. As it rejects no carbon, it doesn't let durty black fume in the air or on the walls and the air is more breathable. As it is silent, it doesn't disturb people in their appartement, who were fed up to hear the big car of their neighbour once started up. Thus, it is the perfect model which is adapetd to the city, and it is secure as well, as the speed doesn't reach a lot. And the small size is very useful : you can park almost everywhere, and avoid trafic jam. But, in our society where we tend to suppress all cars of any sorts, does the electirc car has a future ?

In fact, cities have increased their interests towards public transports, the car doesn't have its place. With the rebirth of the tramway, like in Marseille and Dublin, people can move everywhere they want. Now, with the velib' (Paris, Aix en Provence, Marseille), it is easier go from a place to another, as long as you find an other station where to put it. Cities try to remplace the car by other means, as the population increases, they found good solution. Thus, cars, even electric, are not very welcomed in this project. We can take the example of London, where car parks are built outside the town to avoid trafic jam, polution, noise etc...

But, in the countysides and around the cities, where we have to take the car often to go to work for example, is could be a solution of developpement of the market of electric cars. In fact, the new tendency is to have a little car which we often take to do our daile trajec (bringing children to schools...) and either a sport car, a monospace or 4X4 for special occasions... We have to take it into accounted, as MG and Chrysler are in bad position, because they continuied to believe that they could build big big cars for ever...

Disagreements over EU farm plan

The EU farm ministers' talks in Brussels about the future of the CAP (Common Agricultural POlicy) didn't reach unanimous agreement.The UK, Sweden and Latvia objected to the final French draft on EU farm policy after 2013. According to the article, the UK wanted to bolder reforms of the CAP whereas France wanted to keep the current levels of farm spending, as it gets the biggest portion of CAp funding. As any unanimous agreement was found, the final document of th e meeting was called "presidency conclusions". It was mainly the French EU president point of view rather the one of the whole EU.

EU countries also disgreed about the proposal of increasing EU food aid to the poor in the EU. Britain and others said that it was a social issue that staet members should overcome individually. This had no "sense" to come out of the farm budget.

This "failed talk" expreses the situation of the EU nowadays. There are disagreements not only about the Common Agriculyural Policy but also about the whole EU future. Does it have to become a sort of country, for example a federal one such as the USA, does the EU have to take care of other common policy such as the social ones ? Or does it have to rmain as it is because, countries could only afford common policies about economic and security issues ? How far do the reforms have to go ?
The EU could be a "nation" with different cultures and "ethnological groups" who keep their "historic legacy", so that the countries could get on a better foot of equality, or that the Eu could be more opened to the world because it would have opened itself from the inside towards all the countries that compose it. (the critic of a rich white countries club).
But it might also be impossible to become that because, to become a nation, people need to forget some of their origins (Renan's speech 1882) to have a common past legacy. Who would let some of their avantages or values in which they believe for the ones of another country. The compromise seems hard to reach. In other words, the European countries are so different that they can't go further without big clashes.
But the most important is that, in order to manage with the EU future (to make its decisions more important against state members decisions, or to make it remain as it is today), the entire population of Europe needs to be willing of any future. However, it seems that their opinion are veyr distinct and oppposed, or that they don't really have an opinion.
So, be free to let me know your opinion about the EU : are you pro-EU, against the EU or balancing between the two distinct opinions ?

The Middle-East's changes of objectives.

After having invest a lot of money in Occidentals companies (principally in banks), the Middle-east sovereign-wealth funds (which represent more than 2000 billions dollars) stop their investments in Occident, and go back to their countries (who start to face the financial crisis) to help them, but also realize that they can invest a lot in their economy (which are now well-developed).

The "Dubai holding" (who has invested in EADS, HSBC and Daimler) is helping the Dubai emirate to avoid a bankrupt. Indeed, the emirate now hasn't got any hydrocarbons, and facing some problems like the fall of asiatics demands in real estate, and the indifference of Occidentals to it. As results, Sheikh Mohammed (Dubai's sovereign) has ordered to stop some real-estate projects, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is also helping the real estate developers.

But the crisis is also affecting others Middle-east countries: for example, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) has given money to the Gulf Bank, the second of the country which is in difficulty. Qatar's companies are also facing financial problems.

However, even if the Middle-East suffers the crisis, the sovereign-wealth funds prefer invest here where the economy is growing, whereas the Occident is facing recession. The middle-east stock exchanges are modern, the islamic finance is protected of the speculation and the Occidental protectionism have influenced this temporary change of objectives.

This article shows us that finally, and on the contrary of some economists predictions at the beginning of it, the crisis is not only an Occidental one, but a global one. Indeed, after China's, the Middle-East countries' problems prove once again the dependance of the others financial powers of the world to Occident (specially to the USA), and maybe show the end of the actual globalization, and the beginning of a new one, more controlled and more nationalist.                                                                                                                                                    

Science fiction becomes a reality

Usually, science-fiction's technology used in movies are just out from our imagination, and we can hardly believe that it could be real. For example, in Monirity Report filmed by Steven Spielberg in 2002, they used screens in which we can intercact directly from fringers, by putting special gloves on the two hands. The police in the movie used this technology to see through future, come back in the past, pick up parts of images and translate them to another screen etc... only by the action of fingers. But now, it became a reality.

In fact, a compagy called Oblong industries situated in Los Angeles developped this technology. It can be controlled from a PC, and it makes it very versatile. Once we projected the image on a screen, we can get entire control of the actions. Basically, it is an interactive way of remplacing the good old mouse, firstly created by Apple in 1987 with the Macintosh II. The argument used is that anything is more performant and accurate than our hands. This from this statement that the developpers began to work on.

Imagine that, a child wants to draw on a computer with a mouse. Even for us, it difficult, even if interactive pencils have been invented. It is though hard to create something which sticks to our mind. And by this technology, the same child can draw on a screen, with his hands, the tree or the bird he imagined in his head. But it can be used in many others situation. For exemple in universities, to a give presentation. It can be used in the army, to show maps, lands, battle fields, and to indicate where planes could land, only with the fingers. The process is easy to grasp and it gets quicker than using a simple mouse. As it accurate, surgeons can use it to explore a part of the patient and identifie precisely where to operate.

But Oblong industries wants to go further. The company has the ambition to introduce this technology into everyday life. They are developping the system in a reduced format, so it can be used by everyone, in fonction of what we want to do on it. It might be available in two years...

To be impressed, please watch the videos on the article.

UK, racism problems in police services

UNITED KINGDOM

The number of recruits from ethnic minorities to British police forces is severely going down, despite concerted efforts to improve relations between police and minority communities (especially black ones).
This statement is held while concerns over racism in the service are renewed. It semed that serving officers were part of the BNP, whereas they are banned from joining it. It seems to be also the case of soldiers. BNP's leader said that if these people were sacked it could be held in justice because the Equality Act condemned discrimination based on political grounds.
The BNP becomes more and more important. Recently, a dozen members were arrested by the police. THey were accused of distribuying racist material. Scotland Yard also examinated a leaflet from BNP accusing young Muslim men of racist campaigns.
The government is recalling people that there is a threat of extremists. Especially from white working class communities hit by the credit crunch. These people feel ignored by the mainstream parties, and so turn themselves to the BNP.



BNP : The British National Party is a far-right racist political party in the UK.



This discrimination seems to be something growing up nowadays. It could be linked with an apparent growing up of antisemitism (more neo nazis on the internet fro example). After what we heard in the knews about the repercussion of Obama's election on black communities, this is a bit surprising.
What is frightening is the important grow of the BNP. The case explained in this article makes me think of the situation before Hitler's assenssion to power (in less important level). But it might be a bit exagerated, I hope so. But if it is really true it should taken into account. (We can see that the government is taking it into account. )
Tis made me think that we heard a lot about the economic consequences of the financial crisis (of course it's the main point), but I didn't hear very much about the social and ideological consequences from the crisis. I didn't think that it was so hard that people could turn themselves to extremist parties.

le sauvetage d'Opel

L'industrie automobile est en danger ...
Après la chute de l'industrie automobile aux États-Unis evoqué par Thibaud avec la possible fusion de General Motors et Chrysler, le groupe General motors continu de mal se porter. Sa filaire Opel , a dû bénéficier d'une garantie allant jusqu'à 500 millions d'euros. Son "groupe mère" Général Motors lui demande une garantie d'un milliard de dollars pour se sauver de la faillite.
Cette demande de garantie a été faite au niveau du Land de Hesse, ou la principale usine d'Opel est placée, mais, le gouvernement d'Angela Merkel prevoit de s'y attarder aussi. Mais le gouvernement allemand veut que l'aide apportée ne bénéficie qu'au groupe allemand et non aussi à sa société mère. Cette réaction du gouvernement allemand montre bien qu'aujourd'hui, a cause de la crise, les sociétés et les gouvernements ne se font plus confiance.

Cette article nous montre que la crise est loin d'être finie et que le secteur automobile est en train de s'essoufler. Et cela est dû au fait que les consommateurs n'ayant plus un grand pouvoir d'achat, ne se tentent pas à acheter de nouvelles voitures. De plus, la flambée des pris du pétrole, a quelques peu refroidis les consommateurs. Certes, en se moment le baril est en dessous de la barre des 50 dollars, mais les gens ont envie de changer de façon de vivre. Ils s'intéressent de plus en plus au énergies renouvelables. Mais se n'est pas le seul facteur, le fait que les consommateurs achètent moins, il y a aussi le fait que les banques n'autorisent plus de crédits au entreprises, qui eux sont vitales aux entreprises technologiques. Ils leur permettent de se renouveler et d'innover.

Les pirates, une menace à prendre au sérieux

Depuis le début de l'année, les pirates se sont emparés de 35 bateaux sur les 95 tentés, et tout ceci dans le golf d'Aden. Il se situe entre la Somalie et le Yémen, juste après le canal de suez. Cet endroit est stratégique pour les pirates car, etant situé au niveau d'une zone de fort trafique naval, ils peuvent attaqués les navires assez régulièrement...
La prise du week-end dernier du superpétrolier saoudien Sirius Star a été la goute qui a fait débordé le vase. Tout d'abords, ils ne s'étaient pas encore attaqué a un navire de cette taille, et ensuite il se sont emparés de 100 millions de dollars de petrole brut...
L'armée américaine tente d'enrayé le phénomène avec l'aide de l'OTAN et du gouvernement somalien, en plaçant des vaisseaux de guerres. Mais malheureusement ils ne peuvent pas être partout en surveillant tous les navires ...
Cependant, ils ont conseillé au sociétés, d'engager des agents de sécurités pour dissuader les pirates d'attaquer les bateaux. Mais les conducteurs sont plutôt rétissent, car, ils pensent, que cela rendra les pirates plus agressifs ...

Mais que font-ils de ces bateaux ?
Ils les stockent dans leurs fiefs en Somalie, en attendent d'obtenir une rançon. Malheureusement pour les sociétés qui ont perdu leurs marchandises, les autorités ne veulent pas tenter d'interventions de peur de donner un coup de pied dans la fourmilière ... Une intervention raté mettrait a bas l'autorité du gouvernement central déjà assez faible.
Les autorités somaliennes craignent aussi le rapprochement entre les pirates et Al-Quaïda, se qui serait catastrophique, étant donné l'importante population islamiste présente en Somalie.

HP and smartphones

As we know the company's products to be printers and computers, for professionals and large public, HP unveiled two smartphones named iPaq Voice Messenger, which  propels Hewlett-Packard into the mobile phones market.

These two PDAs feature a system of sending, receiving and accessing e-mails wherever in the world. This is due to a special alliance with Vodafone. HP insited on this feature, because the new tendency of professionals is to access easily to their mail. So, this is the ideal type of consummers, which are the target of this commercial strategy. In fact, it touchs business men for example, to a wider range of people, who see the usefulness of free e-mailing. To conquer more customers, HP worked carefully in regard to the design and games. These are the two main features of the phones, otherwise, it remains a smartphone.

But, the problem is that the smartphone market is crowed. In fact, Nokia is still the leader of smartphone sales with 47.5%, and it might be hard to reach a such number. Also, iPaq Voice Messenger runs with the last version of  Windows Mobile. 

Always in that objective to beat the arch enemy of all the companies : the mighty iPhone, HP works in the way of develloping communication for professionnals. As the world is getting busier, we have to get organised... 

The rebirth of EADS

Principally thanks to its subsidiary Airbus, the European group EADS become again beneficial. However, the problems concerning the realization of the A4000M will maybe waste these profits ...

The total benefits of EADS for the first nine months of 2008 nearly approach 2 billions of euros whereas the prevision was 1.8 billion for the whole year. The turnover will maybe approach 40 billions of euros.

The fall of the Euro compared with the Dollars help EADS to take up provisions. All the subsidiaries of the group have become beneficiary ( Eurocopter 164 millions, +45% / Astrium 140 millions, +97 %/ Security and Defense division 219 millions, +74%). The benefits of Airbus (more than 1.5 billion) represent 75% of the total benefits of the group (whereas this division had lost 677 millions last year).

However, the group faces problems concerning the A400M, a future military plane. Indeed, the project needs an other provision of 341 millions of euros (1.4 billion of provision in 2007...). The problem comes from the motors: Snecma and Rolls-Royce are helping now MTU to construct it... 

The EADS's order book has increased of 18% since the beginning of the year (more than 400 billions of euros) But the group will continue its attempts of economize money. Indeed, after the Power 8 and Power 8 + plans, EADS will establish the FUTURE EADS plan, which will help the group to save more than 200 millions euros.

            (An artist impression of the A400M)

These benefits (which are the best results of EADS since its creation) show us the efficiency of the new administration (established after the crisis of Airbus because of the A380) and of its plan (Power 8 and Power 8 +). I think it proves that a good administration is totally efficient in period of crisis and can "changer la donne". It also shows the European domination in air sector (here in plane construction, but also in air companies (see Air France and Lufthansa)) and the dependence of the european companies with the Dollars rate.

Mondial press reactions about G20

Mondial press is saying that the conclusions of the G20 are " a first step" but they are waiting for more concrete facts. Indeed, for them the conclusions seem a bit too vague.

The Observer : it's a good thing that big developed countries and emerging ones are discussing about a coordinate action about financial problems. If it's too vague it's mainly because they could not resolve in one day what has been done in one generation.

Spain: It's a first step but the principles are too generals about reforms and actions.

France/America : no editorial about it

Italy : they ask if the cordinate relaunch is sincere and they are seeing very well a "new oder" coming : the power of Europe, the old continent, would not be as strong as before on the international stage.

India : Everything's quite good. New Delhi influence on the international stage is growing and they're hoping to be protected from the protectionism od developed countries.

Brazil : they see the proposal made by their leader as a very good thing : G8 becomes G20

Japan : they are anxious that Tokio would be isolated because it wouldn't have enough margins to act in order to participate to the relaunch actions.


We can see that the conclusions of the G20 rise many different opinions which, however, agree on one point : they ar etoo vague, there is no concrete plans. Well, I think that it would come but it would be hard because, as we can see it from the international press, all the countries are trying to keep their own interests and to be "winner" of these new plans to restructure the economy. Everybody would need to make concessions. I think that te G20 is a good symbole as the election of Mr Obama was, of "open minding". some emerging countries are heard. The world changes. This could be linked with the "swap of power" from the West countries to the East countries, or from the rich countries to the porr ones, as it's thought by Italy, according to its press.
To come back to the G20 and its conclusions, before it I heard politics and economists on radio saying that there won't be some miracle from this meeting. The same kind of point of view expressed by The Observer. I'm wondering if this kind of no expactation set up before the meeting had an influence on the conclusions of it, or if on the contrary because people were not hoping so much about this meeting they are happy that a first step has been taken.

A Cold War II ?

The Russian president Dmitri Medvedev ordered the deployment of missiles in Europe, in the Baltic exclave of kaliningrad (see map) as a response to US plans for a missile defence shield (cf. below). He didn't say if they would carry nuclear warheads. Russia also said it was ready to deploy its navy and install electronic jamming devices to interfere US missiles. George Bush said that the missile shield was aimed at rogue states (especially Iran). However, Russia remained saying that it threatens Russia's security.


Critics from Russia to the United States :

1. US took egoistical, dangerous and mistaken decisions.
2. The West wants to encircle Russia
3. US encouraged the Georgian attack
4. US is blamed for it brought a mondial financial crisis
5. Russia wants cooperation between the USA and itself to fight common threat, but the US doesn't listen to them.

In his speech, Medvedev said that Russia would not back don in the Caucasus and that Russia proved they are strong enough to defend their citizens and their national interests. Russia has the impression that it's tested to the limit. He hopes that the new administration would repair and improve US/RUSSIA relationships.

Russia's president also claimed that the era of American domination after the collapse of the Soviet Union is now over.

Another point, which has no relation with the international policy of Russia, but which is important : Dimitri Medvedev told that he wanted to extend the presidential term from 4 to 6 years.

US missile shield, 2007
It is the set up of an antiballistic missile shield in Europe (Poland and Czech Republic) in order to protect the USA and Europe from an Iran's attack. It would be operational by 2011.
This plan had risen many criticisms. Amid them, one from German commentators : Washington is using Europe to protect the US and the plan would lead to a new arms race.
When the plan came out (2007), Russia has already reacted to it. And Mrs Merkel has told that this plan was provoking Russia. The US responded what George Bush told to Dimitri Medvedev this week.
For more information about this, see here.


This event brings us three "thinking pists" :
It shows another problem let by Bush to Obama. Relationships with Russia would be another issue that Obama would have to solve. How and when ? Where will it be put in his list of priorities to solve all the Americans' problems ?
From this article we can meet the German commentators fears about a new arms race. Will this lead to another "Cold War". How would it be about alliancesbetween countries, now that almost every estern countries are not under Russia's control anymore ? Will countries from the far east such as China be involved in it ? Or because other countries are bored to serve these "two powers" will they be alone, just both, "fighting" as they did before ?
I think that a new arms race is not the aim of the new administration and that it will try to positively solve the problem, but before the new administration comes to real power, things can happen.
The third issue the article can rise is the East expansion and domination. From a few years we can note that Eastern countries such as China are developing themselves in a very important way. With Medvedev's sentence about the US domination, we can wonder if Eastern countries such as China and Russia would not enter in a domination era while Western countries such as the USA enter in the opposite era. The domination power seems to be swaping from West hands to East hands. What is going to happen ?

Peer to peer downloading, a revolution or a constrait ?

Peer to peer downloading consists to share files on the internet with different downloaders. When you want to download an album for example, you'll have to put something to share, and which will be taken by an other one. This system is totally free. But for disc houses, it is a real problem...

At the basis, it is only an exchange that you do for example with your friend when you share your music with a bluetooth mobil phone. Or when you give him songs on your USB key. Peer to peer is exactly the same, but in a larger scale. PCs users who download with this system are a minority : only 7.2% and the "legal" downloaders represent 65.8%. In a first place, is isn't that alarming. But when you were exchanging a few songs with your friend, on the internet it is 14.9 millions songs downloaded illegaly by these 7.2%. The others only download 12.6 millions. But, what makes illegal downloading more efficient in terms of numbres ?

It is due to an easier system. When you use a traditional music store on internet, you have to creat an account, give your credit card numbre, all the informations about yourself etc... and you'll have to pay for each songs or albums downloaded. Sometimes, songs are protected . It means that you can't burn them on a CD or share them with an other PC. These are some disavantages of using a legal music store even if you are sure that all the music online is of good quality. With peer to peer, you don't need to give all of your informations, and you can get songs for free. That's why downloaders use this system more ofently. Even if it takes a long time to get a song, you'll have it for free.

For disc houses, it is translated by colosal losss. In fact, the music industry can't go well if people tend to not buy their music anymore. And all of the system will fall : artists won't get enough money to live with their talent, CD industries will fall just like the artists who work for the booklet, and finally, big music houses would have to close. All of these elements have to be taken into account, that's why music stores try to lower their prices. However, why an album costs around 20€ ? If the industry wants to relaunch the CD market, they have to lower tehir prices as well...

I would like to add something else. I talked about musicians. Free downloading has a possitive impact fot them : it promotes their albums and the bands. It means that music newspaper will be sold to learn more about the band, and that they hace the certainty to have a strong fan club in front of them during a concert.

New and first icon from Sony : Sackboy

It was quite a big suprise from Sony PlayStation 3 when the company presented this new platform game : LittleBIGPlanet. It is really far away from all these violent, war and horrors games which we are used to know since a while. As if a return back to childhood, LittleBIGPlanet brings a very interesting world where gamers can do almost whatever they want, in a childish environnement.

To begin with, let's present the hero of this fantastic interactive adventure : Sackboy. He represents a cute simply random puppet. But what is genius with this hero, is that every players can create it with different tools that the game offers. This idea is very original because it allows the gamers to share this puppets with others and to make the character constantly evolve. But it isn't restricted to Sackboy. Gamers can also create Sackgirl ! And to add a very personnal touch, we can tell to the character how to react in front of a situation, give him feelings, and interact with other players. Using internet included in the PS3, players can meet and make friends, and even fall in love with Sackboys and Sackgirls. It creates a little community. But it doesn't stop there. As we can customise the character, we can create our how levels and share it on internet, and download it to play on different gamers' one. The game gives all the tools used to create environnements, obstacles, goals and entertenainement to the players, which is very well seen because everyone have the possibility to invente their own level. Today, games are fixed in non-evolutive levels, which gives a short gaming life after finishing it. Just like the characters, the levels are constantly evolving, and it gives to the game an eternal durability. The graphics and the evironnement are taken out from a child imagination, which add this funny and friendly atmosphere to the game. From there, we can almost guess why the title is LittleBIGPlanet ^^. The concept is based, in fact, around the community.

Economicaly speaking, Sony's hopes are in the hand of this game. In fact, it is the first time the company decided to have a proper icon, like Mario or Sonic. Due to an old policy of not having a mascot, maybe in the goal of not being like the others, Sony thought twice about this project. They see in Sackboy, as he is customisable, a way of promoting the PS3, and show others faces, despite its very high price (around 360€...). But it a risky attempt, because as seen before, gamers are used to play Role Playing Games, violent games etc... and a return back to childhood with a platform game is a bit odd. But as it is out just before Christmas, maybe it is a marketing attempt, in which children are the target ? But beginings seemed to be a bit hard. In fact, only for a song where two lines of the Koran are said, the Muslim community asked Sony to review the game, or retire it from the market. Just before it was out, Sony had to recall it, remplace the song, which cost millions.... But now, the game seems to a good future in front of it :-).

For more informations, see also the official website

Charitable associations worried about donations

In France, charitable associations are worried about donations. The financial crisis might make donations less important. For the moment, the associations get as well money as before but they're worried about what is going to happen.
The financial crisis makes people less generous because they have to deal with their own problems. The charitable associations recognize that it is more difficult to find donators, now and that the donation's amount goes down.
Another problem to come is a rise of work because of the rise of unemployement. But solidarity can become stronger in difficult times.
Donation is a part of the purshasing power. With the stock market, it's an indicator of the economic wealth of a country.
Asssociations are a bit angry about the rescue plan, where a very important amount of money has been unfrosen for banks. As Mrs Bourgoin, France Générosité's responsible, says "We find billions to help banks more easily than to save little children".





The case evoked here seems to be without ending. More people would need help from charitable associations. These associations would need more donations. Because of the cris, people wouldn't have many purshasing power, so they wouldn't give much money for donations. Ect...
But, this situation might improve. Moreover, it' s just fears for the moment.
However, people needing charitable associations' help is a reality. Because, with the stock market, donation is an indicator of the economic wealth of a country, and that the government helped the stock market, it should help charitable associations too, or help citizens to find a better purshasing power.
Let me know what you think.

Which seems inredible is that even people who don't have a close link with the stock market suffer the consequences of its wealth. The "non marchand" services are dependent, in a certain way of the stock market weath. According to the analysis of K. Polanyi this is called "désencastrement de l'économie" (society is subordinate to the market). But, as nationalisations seem to become more and more used to face the financial crisis, we could come back, still according to the analysis of K. Polanyi, to "un encastrement de l'économie" like in the "Grande transformation" (after the crisis of 1929). State's intervention, which would lead social problems to a better situation. The charitable associations would be more helped and so able to help people in trouble...

EU and UN actions for a less polluted world

EU environment ministers met in Luxembourg to talk about the cut of greenhouse gas emissions. Their aim is to finalise an EU climate change package by December. There is a huge pressure, especially because of the UN climate summit in Poland, in December. The Eu is aimed to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020. But, many countries show doubts about it.
According to Italy's Environment minister "the package as it stands right now is not suitable". One of the main concerns is the proposal to introduce full auctioning of CO2 emission permits. With the economic crisis, countries in Eastern and Central Europe are unhappy at the burden of emission cuts they are expected to bear. Another problem is shown off by Germany. There is a fear that Euopean industries move to countries where they can pollute more, because of the inexistence or slight existence of restrictions over greenhouse gas emissions. As for Italy, it notices that big polluting powers such as China, USA or India, don't even respect the Kyoto Protocol that they backed out. It's unfair that the EU be the only one to take on the burden of pollution of the world.
UN is going to held an international conference in Copenhagen, next year to plan a post Kyoto course to tackle the impact of climate change. It had also urged the EU to continue to provide leadership for climate change.


This article shows a real commitment of the world (UN) and especially the EU for the greenhouse gas emissions and the climate state of the Earth. But there is still work to do. We can wonder if the other countries who didn't signthe Kyoto Protocol are going to make efforts about it. We can also wonder if the economic crisis is not going to curb the efforts because of the burden that the emission permits would put on countries.
States are creating laws and protocols to improve the impact of climate changes, but if they aren't applied by citizens, it won't really work. This need a commitment from the governments and from the citizens. We can notice that both become to be more responsible. There's a hope that together they will manage to improve even slightly, the state of the environment. But everybody has to make an effort individually, which will lead to a collective action, which could work.

The first "green" farm in Italy

To deal with the worsening global warming, a pioneering carbon-neutral farm is set up in Italy. Being carbon neutral, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset. It takes place at the Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio olive oil farm, north of Rome. What is so special about it is that there is a battery centre, for the first time, which can store solar-sourced electricity for up to three days. So the electricity generated by the sun no longer has to be used immediately. By doing so, the farm can continue to operate through foggy days. Farm workers can take golf carts and electric bikes which run from solar energy. "But we think that we will start getting our investment back after five years or so. From then on, our fossil fuel bills will disappear," says Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, Monte Vibiano's chief executive. What's more, a range of new technologies is being applied at the farm. For example, using miniature tractors that consume a new generation of bio fuels and renewable energy wood chips instead of methane gas.

It is relieving to know that this farm is doing something to cut the effects of climatic change. Thanks to this farm that discovered the unlimited solar energy, we no longer have to rely heavily on fossil fuels. The greenhouse effect is formed by gases include methane and carbon dioxide which is emitted by fossil fuel burning. Economically, the farm owners would gain profit from this ground-breaking technologies. It benefits all of us and protects the planet. It would be great to pass on this great, green enterprise for generations.

Carbon neutral:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_neutral

Apple hasn't taken its promise into account

Last week, there was the rumor that Apple will cut their prices when their new Macbooks and Macbooks Pro will be out. We didn't have other informations, except that their will be build with an other type of aluminum, which I will describe with others new technologies featured in this new generation of laptops. This rumor was seen as a really good news, as Apple's laptops are quite expensive... But, consumers' hopes were betrayed...

In fact, no lower prices were announced, except the old white or black plastic Macbook with a screen of 13 inches and a processor of 2.1 Ghz was reduced by 100€... And we fear that this "betrayal" will reduce Apple's turnovers... In fact, as their prices are still High, maybe consumers will tend to see others laptops manufactures. In term of concurrence, Apple will be badly placed. And a "revers de la medaille" may occur if the company doesn't put their prices lower. But, as consumers confidence in a bit lower now, it might force Apple to review their strategy for Christmas. In fact, it gives a good opportunity to relaunch sales, as customers would buy laptops as gifts. We will see if it will become a reality... 

In terms of new features, Apple did good one more time. At least, even if the prices haven't change, innovation is at rendez-vous. I was talking about a new aluminum. If fact, to build their laptops, Apple used different parts of this metal, and then put them together. It took more time to build, it was heavier and thicker. Now, designers use the "unibody" : a single piece a aluminum witch will be used to remplace the other parts. One part instead of many others. Then, the screen took an other dimension. 13 inches for Macbooks, and 15 inches for Macbooks Pro.  The new screen is entirely recovered by glass and lit by LED, which gives a real good quality in term of graphics. The new Macbooks include two graphic cards instead of one. Here is an other major innovation. In fact, when the "light" card can't afford to restitute very heavy graphics, the other one takes the relay, and they work both together. And a brad new invention, the trackpad used for the iPhone is available. We can now control every thing from the fingers, and it has no button : it is the button. It is recovered by resistant and smooth glass for more comfort and durability.

The new weapons unveiled seem tempting, but once again, the price gives a barrier. We don't know what Apple is playing with, and if the company is playing with consumers, it will be a bad news for it, because, and it is good to recall it, it hasn't the monopoly of computers. It touchs a narrow range of users, and if it comes that they don't trust Apple anymore, it will get dangerous for the company. Hopefully, Steve Jobs might think twice about his strategy, andwe will check at Christmas if he retained his promise.

For more informations, see the website of Apple        

China new reform

These days, in China, a rural reform is taking place. Part of this rural reform is a land reform which is centered around two major changes : allowing peasants to engage in th eunrestricted trade, purchase and sale of land-use contact, and extending those contratcs to 70 years from 30 years.
For the moment, it seems that the leaders are in disgreement on some aspects of this policy. In an official communiqué after the Communist Party's annual four day planning session, they just mentionned that the party was adopting a rural reform policy that would double the per capita disposable income of farmers by 2020. The details of this reform which could take into acount the land reform will be unveiled in two weeks, according to the head of the China research division for the Rural development Institute, or in March after the approval of the National People's Congress.

A village in Anhui Province, has already begun aplying this rural policy from 1978, for an experiment. The farmers of Xiaogang village began cultivating their own plots of land. Nowadays, some families have rented a total of 44 acres of land to a Shangai company. This is hoped to be a model for the accomplishments of the land reform policy.

This could be the biggest economic reform and mark a signifiant turn in Chinese economic policy. It would put an end to the collective ownership and state control that was instaured after the revoluition in 1949.

The causes could be the government worrying about the prospect of a deep recession in leading export market as well as the thousands of riots and protest in rural areas each year, which might be the biggest source of social unrest in China. If a market is developed for farmers, peasants could gain a new source of cash incom that could help to revitalize the economy by pushing peasants to product more. Some economists say that would lead to more efficient land use and allow much larger farms to establish. Moreover, this could help stabilize the inequalities between the cities and the rural zones. China is one of the starkest income gaps in the world.

But this is a delicate issue because private ownership of land is not allowed under the Constitution. Many parti traditionalists are strongly in favor of collective land ownership. They argue the China’s economy is still not robust enough to face this reform. Another point which is discussed is whether land contracts should be extended to 70 years wich would give farmers more security and presumably increase the value of their land-use rights.

We can notice that an big economic reform has already been done in the end of the 70°s, by Deng Xiaoping. The Communist party lost a part of his governmental control over citizens’ personal lives and many peasants received land leases. This led to the mixed economy and the « market socialism ». The actual government of China might want to continue an economic policy which has been beginning 30 years ago.

But the question could be : Is China going to become a capitalist country ? and if doesn’t how could it manage to be in th esame time socialist in politic and capitalist in economy ?

The breakdown of the Giants

Two of the American "Big Three" , General Motors and Chrysler, are looking for a fusion. Indeed, these two giants of the American industry have big problems concerning cash assets.

Cerberus, homeowner of Chrysler, and JPMorgan , the principal creditor of these two companies, press to find an accord. If this project reach, it will enable General Motor to conserve its leadership, whereas Toyota preempt it for the first mid-year.

A fusion between these two giants will allow GM to access to Chrysler's cash assets (more than 11 billiards) and to a big part of the 25 billiards of the governmental help for this sector. The problem of cash assets is, firstly, the consequence of the economic slowdown and the competition with asiatic constructors.

Then, these companies need a lot of money to change their production : indeed, they try to reduce the construction of 4x4, because the demand of it has completely fallen (because of oil's prices).

In the USA, these "Big Three" (General Motors, Chrysler and Ford) who were omnipresent have now "only" 50% of the market ...

This future fusion is a new example of the fall of the American industry of its first place in the world. After banks, it's now cars sector who has got problems and who needs an intervention of the government. These problems come from the fall of American demands: Indeed, these three companies made more than a half of their turnovers in North America, which is now in a period of crisis. However, even if they will never become again what they were, the fight is not finished. GM is still the first seller in emergents countries, and it doesn't want to lose this place, whereas Chrysler and Ford are looking for to progress in these countries (like the "BRIC" Brazil, Russia, India and China). However, after Banks, it's the end of an American dream...

Links :

GM, Ford and Chrysler in the "BRIC"

Risk of disparition of the red thunny fish

I will talk about a subject which is not enough discussed ... It is about the red thunny-fish which is an unknown species. The thunny-fish is a "super predator", like the shark or the tiger. Its disparition could have an irreparable effect on the marine ecosystem.

So, in order to prevent this catastrophe the French government and the governments around the Mediterranean Sea have been voted for protection laws. But, in spite of the reglementations that the governments apply, which are more and more strict, the fisher men continues to fishing it. They goes further than don't apply the decrees, they use none authorized technique, which is "filet de draguage". In fact this is a technique which consists in let a fishing-net goes down the deeper that they can, and they to keep everything and after trilling what they have.

That's where the UICN (union Internationale de conservation de la nature) intervene ... They have voted for a moratory of the fishing activities of the red thunny-fish. What's a moratory ? This is in fact, a kind of agreement which prohibit the fishing of the concerned animal. It was the case for the walles for example...
But this has to be voted by the Iccat (Commission internationale pour la conservation des thonidés) for a total prohibition of the fishing activities of the red thunny in all the oceans, but especially in the Mediterranean sea. And they have the support of an influence group which is "green peace".

In order to alert you about the falling of the red thunny-fish's stock, the maximum quota that the fisher men didn't have to clear was 29.500 tonnes, and they have deducted 61.000 tonnes !!
They did not have to clear this boundary for the perreniality of the species.
One last thing, the most eater of the red thunny-fish are the Japanese... Most of the half of fishing thunny goes to the Japanese market...

There is an other "super predator" which is threatened by the Asian market, this is the shark. But this is an other history...

I have talk about the environmental aspect of the possible disparition of the red thunny-fish, but I did not talk about the economic aspect.

I think it would be non effective, mostly in Asia and particularly in Japan, because they use it for their traditional sushi… The sushi is a symbol, but the Japan would probably suffering of a drop of their food. Because of their food is made with fishes and particularly thunny. Even other fishes would probably suffer the same thing as thunny, because in order to replace the red thunny-fish, they would fishing more one specific species, like sword-fish…

The Future

In spite of the actual financial crisis, Dubai continues its rise. (here, in meters =D )

Indeed, Nakheel, a giant company specialized in real estate, has announced last week (during the seventh edition of "CITYSCAPE", a real estate show in Dubai) the last (but not the least!) project of the emirate : a new district called "Nakheel Harbour and Tower", which contained, among others, a tower measuring more than a kilometer! This new project will be achieved in 2020 and cost nearly nothing : 38 billions dollars. This new district will be situated near the "Canal des Arabes", another grandiose project.

Sorry for the smallness of my "résumé paragraph", but my intention this week is not to describe a new project in Dubai , but more to describe the "new" Dubai (or the United Arabs Emirates) in general. Indeed, on my point of view, Europeans don't really care about it, but they have to. I'm not saying that Dubai is a threat for us, but it's now a serious contestant for european cities (especially Paris and London) and sometimes for countries.

Firstly, Dubai is now the new "El dorado" for architects (for attractions parcs, museums, hotels but especially skyscrapers) , and represents how cities will be in the future (In Paris for example, there are, since 20 years, a lot of debates to know if we have to construct buildings which measured more than 37 meters (Paris intra-muros), whereas Dubai hesitates between blue and red to paint the new 450 meter-tower which represent a giant I-pod ( I know it's a stupid example, but that's exactly what's happening!)) Ok, it's maybe exaggerated. Near Paris, there will be 3 towers of 300 meters! YOUHOU! Nearly the Eiffel Tower! No innovations after more than 120 years! (I'm sorry to be ironic, I know that these towers in Paris will be "green", and that Paris doesn't really need giants buildings, but, for me, France is in an abyss concerning new innovating projects.)

Secondly, in links with the first part, Dubai wants to be the first touristic destination of the world. For the moment, it's Paris. However, even if peoples are very interested in history and "beauty" of a city, there are also interested in new technologies and innovation -> Dubai. Furthermore, Dubai is taking this beauty and history of France and recreated it! (For example Dubai will created a new district which will resemble exactly to the "old" Lyon.)

Then , economically speaking. I'm not going to make an other giant part because I can write more than 5687 pages, but it's very important. Indeed, even if the United Arabs Emirates will not be a superpower, they are now heavily presents in Occidentals economies (especially because of the actual crisis, because they took big parts of occidentals companies in diffuculties). And, if they really want, they can buy all the occidentals companies with their "Petro-dollars". I think it's important, very important. They will also create a common currency with others Middle-East country!

I'm not saying that we have to fight again Dubai, but if Europeans want to continue to "lead the world" (technologically and economically speaking), they have to consider that the contestants are now in Asia (China, Middle-East countries) and to be united because today, France or Britain alone can't compete these countries.

Links:

Common Currency

Some incredibles projects

Lyon in Dubai

"Tour Pivotante" in Dubai

Driving games are used for advertisement

Since the video game advances technology in terms of realism, performances and behaviors of sportmen, cars, and other simulator (war, plane etc...) get us involved in the game. And now, this realism is used for advertisement. In fact, car manufacturers tend to be adepts of this realism.

They use it as a new way of promoting their cars, and for each car represented on the game, companies earn £1 per games sold. It is more profitable, because before, they had to pay movie makers to use their car. It is still the case, but by using video games, they get the opportunity to earn money and to interact with the customer, the player.

Indeed, games programmers take each models they want to introduce in their game, and use a special programme called Computer Aided Design to reproduce the vehicle as if it was real. Then, they use microphones for the sound of the motor, and enter in the programme every performances of the car like speed... This is interesting to say that the player can "try" in a way certain model of cars, which he cannot drive in real life. That's way game programmes ask marks like Lamborghini, Dogde, or other top level manufacturers to put their cars in a game, because the player/the customer is more likely to drive high-ranked vehicles rather than the every day car. This is an other intersting point. In fact, the player can try the car, as if he was in real life, and that makes a great advantage to the manufacturers. In fact, the player can make a feed back, and the manufacturers can take it into acount, and then add something more to their products. And even if the players can't buy the car, by word of mouth, the game will be sold, and the car makers will always get a turnover on the video game industry.

This article is interesting in the way of new technology used by advertisement. And we are wondering, how far will it go ?
Nowadays, a brad new technology has been invented by French, which consists to reproduce the product in 3D on a screen, but the customer can interact whit it, just as if it was in front of him. Maybe, in future times, we will be overwhelmed by advertisement, screens, and 3D effects...

A UK legal spy programme on call and e-mail

In order to fight terrorism and crime in the UK, the ministers are setting up a database plan to monitor and store internet browsing habits, e-mail and telephone records of every British citizen. Hundreds of clandestine probes will be installed on two of the biggest internet and mobile phone providers of the country : BT and Vodafone. Ministers are waiting for a blackslash as the one caused by their ID cards programme. Indeed, critics are wondering how such a vast system can be kept secure.



This MP's proposal could be linked with the French one Edvige.

What's happening now ? Why governments are so afraid of terrorism ? It doesn't seem to me that there are more terrorist actions now in France or Great Britain than before, but I might wrong.

What is the real purpose of the governments? Is it to fight terrorism or to control more closely their citizens'actions in order to have more power on them ?
But, we can wonder if their power is going to be accepted because legaly legitimated or if there is a power contestation, is the proposal going to be signed despite this desagreement ?

Are governments going to use soft power and persuade people that their proposal is good or even pass it behind them,maybe turned in a more reassuring form ; or are they going to use a "force" power ?



This proposal also sets a democratic question. Indeed, where are the limits of people's liberties and private lives and the ones of the "national interest" (ie, the nation's security) ? This kind of monitoring process looks more like a dictatorship behaviour of control over citizens. However, governments are warming and asking people's opinions, which seems a democratic behaviour. How can citizens be sure that police and intelligence agencies are not going to abuse these datas ?



Interesting article about another "spy programe" in the UK
The Interception Modernisation Programe http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4882622.ece




To know more about the ID programe http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4825353.ece

Apple threatens to close the most popular online music store

The iPods' creator has threaten to close its music store iTunes. This news was out on the 1st of October on The Times,when the CRB (Copyright Royalty Board) asked Apple to increase downloading prices. According to the National Music Publishers' Association, the increasing of the rates should represent 66%, so, between 9 to 15 cents more, in order to help the artists and music publisher to earn more money. In Euro, a song costs 0.99€. The new price would be of 1.64€. An increasing which isn't negligible.

However, Apple desagreed with this project. The company thought that their customers wouldn't buy on iTunes anymore, and that their turnover would decrease. To avoid this loss, Apple threatened to close the store.

But this solutions didn't seem to be credible. In fact if they let the store open with increased prices, the customers' number would decrease, but still, they would earn money. Whereas closing iTunes, the company would loose all of its customers, and wouldn't have money at all. Closing iTunes would meen that Apple's consummers wouldn't trust the company anymore. It means that they won't buy iPods or other Apples products, because the prices would have grown up as well.
Apple wouldn't be able to make the same turnover as before, and to try to make it the same, they would have been obliged to increase their prices, otherwise, the company would be in troubles.

Maybe this reasonning went a bit to far...
However, at my sense, I don't think this would be the case. In fact, Apple, in term of design, innovation, technology ,and durability and quality of its products, prooved very good results. For example, when the iPhone came out, despite its high price, Apple sold 1 million of these in one week-end. Which is enormous.


Now, we know that this maneuver had well worked. The prices haven't increase, which is a good news.

In relation to this second link, the author of this article gives elements which are interesting. In fact, increasing prices of music wouldn't help to struggle against illegal downloading. There would have been more of it. And, they say in this article, that a possible concurrence with Microsoft might be conceivable. We are really not sure about it, but it could be a possibility.

This case of threat in interesting to study, because we can see the weight a big company could have, in order to do what it wants (or almost...)

The eternal conflict israelo palestinian

Whereas the war is rifing between Israël and Palestine, the french diplomatie chief Bernard Kouchner went today in Jerusalem in order to support the effort of Israël to establish peace.

The conflict is not new and it began until the creation of the state of Palestine in 1948 ...
A little bit of history ...
At the beggining, the Palestine was a state create in the aim of receive the refugees of the Shoa.
But, just after its creation it was seperate in two blocks, the Jewish communitie and the Arabic communitie. The civil war explode ... From the begining of the war, Israël was always supported by France and England. In spite of many armistice signed along the following years, the war continu between Israelians and Palestinians ...

Unfortunately, the state of Israël can rely upon Iran to make its life difficult. In fact, Iran wants to have the civil nuclear and the atomic bomb ! But Israël estimate that if Iran has the nuclear weapon it can be a threat against democratie and peace. So the prime minister of Israël Ehud Olmert, has demanded the support of France. In order to convince the governement of Téhéran, Bernard Kouchner demand to dial with them before any sanction. For that, France profits of its position this semester at the head of the European union.

But, I think that this is a bit ambiguous because the last year, the french group Areva, was looking for any kind of nuclear aliances with Iran in order to install some nuclear centers...

EU observers difficulties in South Ossetia and Abkhazia

First EU observers entered the buffer zones of South Ossetia on Wednesday as they are monitoring a ceasefire according to the French brokered peace deal with Georgia and Russia.
However, some of them were turned back by Russia troops, whereas EUMM's head had political assurances by the Kremlin and that Eu monitors were meant to take up position inside the buffer zones by 1 october.
Moscow said it will complete its troops pull out by 10 october, but it plans to keep 8,000 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhaia. Russia also still has 9 check points near South Ossetia and 3 near Abkhazia. Saturday, Rusian troops left the checkpoint near the town of Gori in South Ossetia. It's the first dismantled check point.
A british member of the monitoring teams said that they were going softly because negociations were continuing at a higher level.

Next month, a donnor 's conference will be hold in Brussels. The US is going to give $ 1bn aid to Georgia and EU is expected to give the same amount. The European commission has already agreed for $700m over 3 years.


What is the monitoring mission ?
More than 200 unarmed observers from 22 EU nations, most of them are French. They are expert on human rights and legal issues.They're working in close co-ordination with the United Nations and the European security body (OSCE)
Mission duration : 12 months

Main actions :

-oversee Russian troops withdrawal

-ensuring stabilized situation : no violation of human rights and possibility to return home for displaced people

Links

NEWS : withdrawal of Russian troops from one checkpoint http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7653219.stm

A folio on the Georgian conflict http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/europe/2008/georgia_russia_conflict/default.stm
Part of the folio which I found very interesting, it answers questions that you can wonder about http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7549736.stm

This article is the continuity of those on the conflict in Georgia. But this one isn't talking about the conflict itself but about the decisions and actions taken by the EU (and the US) to help ensuring a stabilized situation. This article and the news we now have (the one in red) show us the policy of the EU, and peacekeeping forces in general. We can say that a longuer and less "dictating" policy might brings more benefits at the end that a stronger one. However we can wonder why the EU took care of this conflict instead of the UN. It might want to have a stronger position on the international stage... The reading of the article made me think about some understandable points about the conflict.

Why don't the western countries want South Ossetia to be independent ?

What really is the policy of Russia and why doesn't it want to let EU monitors come in (apart from taking care of their citizens) ?

Why, today, with all the progress made in ideologies, technologies and democracies, are men still fighting each other for territory and wealth ? Because of injustice or because of greed ?

The end of the Benelux Bank.

Belgium and Luxembourg are looking for an investor, who can buy the remaining activities of the Bank Fortis , after the decision of Netherlands to nationalize the dutch part of the financial group.

The plan programmed the last week-end planned the resale of the participation of Fortis in the dutch bank ABN Amro (bought in 2007 for 24.4 Billions Euro) to ING, which finally decided to stop negotiations. That's why the Dutch government has decided to nationalize all the activities of Fortis in Holland ( notably the essential of the activities of ABN Amro ) for 16.8 billions Euro. This nationalization leads to a disassembly of the group.

Belgium has said that the only solution of the group is to sell itself to a private investor , or to nationalize it to protect all savers and to avoid the layoff of some of the 45.000 employers.

This “second saving plan” (the first one was the participation of the Benelux in the bank, decided in the middle of September but useless because of the panic of all the clients of the bank who withdraw a lot of money) is organized during the meeting of the “G4” in Paris (France, Germany, Italy and England) where these four members states tried to find a common position towards the financial crisis.

The Belgium Minister of Economy, Jeannot Krecke, has indicated that the French bank BNP Paribas could be a potential buyer . “BNP Paribas is a possibility among others” said Krecke.

Fortis has been the first bank in Euro zone to fall because of the subprimes crisis. She bought ABN Amro last year for 24.4 billions Euro just before the beginning of the crisis, which leads to a crisis of credits, which make the possibility to borrow money more difficult to finance the operation.

The project of disassembly of this transborder group, just after the plan of the Benelux to save it, proves that the crisis is now completely present in Europe and can be very dramatic without the intervention of all the governments. After a period of privatizations, we can see a period of nationalizations (even in USA, the liberal state).

However, even if this crisis is bad for all financial sectors (less benefits, less power...) , some banks profit of the fall of others to take more power, to grow in Europe or in the world (like HSBC, BNP Paribas or Barclay's).