Saturday, August 25, 2012

@20:25, 8/25/12

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24 August 2012 Last updated at 23:54 ET

Samsung told to pay Apple $1bnApple and Samsung phones

A US jury says Samsung should pay Apple $1.05bn in damages after a patent dispute, and rejects claims Apple breached its rival's technologies.
There is an appeal.  This will go on for years.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/08/25/business/25reuters-france-pm.html?_r=1&src=busln

PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced a major reform of the tax system to make it more progressive, place more value on work and stimulate investment and growth, he told Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper.
Reuters
The new Socialist government also plans to stick to a 75 percent rate of tax for earnings above 1 million euros (790 thousand pounds) a year, he said in an interview with the paper released on Saturday ahead of publication on Sunday.
Ayrault promised "a more progressive tax that mainly places the effort on those who until now have been favoured by the right," referring to the previous government under Nicolas Sarkozy.
The new tax regime, to be introduced from the autumn, aims to encourage investment and growth, especially for innovative companies and small and medium-sized businesses, he added.
Ayrault acknowledged that analysts considered the 1.2 percent growth forecast on which the government is basing its budget would be difficult to maintain.
But he added: "As I said, we will set a growth hypothesis for 2013 which is reasonable, realistic and credible."
The prime minister also said the government was planning to announce measures relating to the cost of fuel to help boost consumers' purchasing power."

I do not expect results without national currencies and direct employment by the national governments.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/philosopher-andre-glucksmann-a-dark-vision-of-the-future-of-europe-a-851266.html

Baffle them with bullshit. 


Merkel and Hollande sidestep Greece's plea for breathing space

A protester raises a Greek flag in front of the parliament building in Athens during an anti-austerity rally:Debt crisis: Greece to run out of money by August 20  
Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande pledged to keep Greece in the eurozone, but offered Greece no immediate relief from its current regime of painful austerity measures.
25 Aug 2012
| 363 Comments

Debt crisis: as it happened - August 24, 2012

French and Greek political earthquakes point to rise of the anti-austerity movement  
German Chancellor says Greece is doing all possible to solve problems but must meet its commitments as Greek PM Antonis Samaras says his country just needs an opportunity to grow.
24 Aug 2012
| 774 Comments

Merkel says Greece will stay in the eurozone

 
Angela Merkel pledged to keep Greece in the eurozone - but her comments failed to convince traders who bet on yet more dangerous procrastination in Berlin and Brussels.
24 Aug 2012
| 366 Comments

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_18498_25/08/2012_458267


"Cautious support from Paris

 PM back in fray after backing but no concessions from Hollande, Merkel
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is to plunge back into the fray of domestic politics this week following a charm offensive involving visits to Berlin and Paris where German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande reiterated their support for Greece’s membership of the eurozone as long as the country meets its commitments to international creditors.
Hollande stressed that Greece belongs within the 27-nation single currency bloc but urged Athens to do more to show its commitment to the terms of a multi-billion-euro bailout.
“For me, Greece’s position in the eurozone is not up for question,” Hollande told a joint press conference with Samaras. “But it still has to demonstrate the credibility of its program and the willingness of its leaders to go the whole way,” the French leader said. He also acknowledged the sacrifices made by Greek citizens. “In the face of ordeals, we must show more solidarity,” he said, adding that reforms should be implemented in a way “that is bearable for the population.”
Hollande emphasized that a crucial decision on further rescue aid to Greece would depend on a report to be compiled by officials of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, or the troika, in late September or early October.
Samaras, for his part, insisted that Greece would succeed in overhauling its economy, defying global markets. “Some are betting that Greece will not make it. I am here to assure the French President that Greece is determined to make it and will,” Samaras said, adding that the country would do “whatever is needed.”
In Athens this week Samaras is to brief his coalition partners -- socialist PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left chief Fotis Kouvelis. Talks will also focus on some 11.5 billion euros in measures for 2013 and 2014 that have been demanded by the troika and an extra 2 billion euros in cuts to cover a shortfall expected to result from reduced tax revenues and social security contributions.
Samaras and Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras reportedly want the new measures -- spending cuts and fresh reductions to pensions and benefits -- to be voted through Parliament by late September or early October. But Venizelos and Kouvelis, who object to some proposed measures, are said to prefer them being approved in chunks to lessen their social impact."

There probably will be yet another election in Greece soon.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/comebacks/#postComment
August 25, 2012, 4:40 pm4 Comments

Comebacks

New Jersey’s own Chris Christie will be the keynote speaker at the RNC, where he will be billed as a guy who gets things done. According to reports, however, one thing he won’t be talking about is the state of the New Jersey economy.
You could argue that this omission makes sense. After all, state governors don’t really have much impact on their local economies, at least in the short run. But here’s the thing: Christie has spent most of his time in Trenton boasting about how well things are going here; it’s the Jersey Comeback!
Or not:
I’ve included a real comeback story, because I think that it’s kind of impressive that NJ now has a higher unemployment rate than Michigan; still only the fourth highest in the nation, but give it time.
OK, I don’t really think this is Christie’s fault — but he was the one boasting about it."

Coupon deals are not worth the effort to my mind.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch."

Lasik is not a good idea for me.  It does not restore focal flexibility.
It merely adjusts a fixed focal length and perhaps corrects astigmatism.
Spectacles help keep particles out and can have multiple focal lengths.
I favor them.

Tortilla bowls just shift effort.  I would rather wash dishes.
Trenchers were abandoned for good reason. 
Have a sandwich or some pizza.  Fried corn meal has charms and dangers.
This is just another pocket fisherman.

I am usually opposed to house alarms.  There is always someone at home here.  The neighbors mostly have alarms  I get very tired of listening to the sirens.  The police charge for false alarms.   A robot watchman can be built that would be much more effective than any canned service.  We should talk
about alarms, nanny cams, temperature sensors and motion detectors.

There is always the possibility of genuine spam. 
Direct communication is very desirable. 
I hate the idea of talking to the walls. 












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