Saturday, May 23, 2020

Argentina dismisses $324 billion debt

The country currently owes $324 billion, or 90% of its GDP. It had been in the process of renegotiating its crippling debt when the coronavirus pandemic hit, slamming the country's economy even further. But life in Buenos Aires goes on, Army kitchens are distributing free food, there are no demonstrations on the street, no protests against the IMF and the vultures, people takes the crisis as a natural phase of Argentine's fifty years decadence.

Regarding the wiki's ranking of foreign debts, Argentina is only in the 33rd position and relative to the GNP it is almost solvent. 33 countries are more indebted then Argentina, in the first place, the United States, and in the second, Britain. Paradoxically, they feel none of the anxiety and misery of Argentina.

Could it be that default is a state of mind? 

Friday, May 22, 2020

Scholar's rocks

Chinese literati have a long history of appreciating small ornamental rocks and collecting them as accoutrements, but these objects, which are known as "scholars' rocks".

Is Trump following a Haredi Doctor's Advice?

Dr Zev Zelenko's COVI-19 Treatment

This Haredi Doctor recommends using the malaria remedy for COVID-19 but in the very early stage of the infection. It makes sense to me. He is being interviewed from a moving car. 

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Hard Truths


Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Congress of the Communist Party of China

Big Congress in Beijing  Xi defends China's actions during the epidemic.  He seems to me worried in the official video clip. He is not enjoying Trump's campaign blaming Commuist China for America's suffering. 

I am re-reading Terry Pratchett's Interesting Times. Suddenly realized that it is a satire of China ("The Agatean Empire") as it meets the "Barbarian Heroes" led by Ghengis Cohen from  the city-state of Ankh-Morpork (London, of course).

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

America Breaking Conventions

The Afro-American lady pictured is the elected Major of the City of Chicago.

I am anti-diluvian. Decent people used to dress and cross their legs according the conventions of their gender and social status. Those who violated the conventions were not allowed to enter the school, the restaurant or the theater. I despised the hypocricy of conventions, yet feel uneasy with the butch African governing Chicago. 

Monday, May 18, 2020

Russians Watching Europe

Timofey V. Bordachev, a Russian economist, says that Russia will not respect the rights of weaker states:
Now we are taken aback as we observe the European countries close their borders even to each other, displaying examples of national egoism on a scale that previously could not be imagined. The question arises: is the coronavirus pandemic the very "last game" after which a blow will be dealt to European integration that it can no longer withstand?
The strong states, which now include China and Russia, address problems that are so great in scale that their solution does not leave many opportunities for attendance to the rights and feelings of the weak states. Europe ... is living out its last days, months, and even years
Pic: The Suzdal Kremlin.