The Invisible Hand is not George's friend either.

Ah. What a coincidence. HE speaks. The invisible hand is no longer his friend either. Here.

Is feeling guilty about a position he has taken?

Global Financial Chess

Gyrating markets are dealing with a new bit of law from China regarding derivatives.  See this article in today's Wall Street Journal.  Over the weekend, there was much confusion over whether China had a new stance on derivative contracts.  Some on that may be read here.

So.  What on Earth?  All interpretations and points of view aside, this is the other reason the September markets are in for a ride...

A tidy maneuver and the first move in what might be a long game of global financial chess...

Potatoes...

There are two news stories that have been stuck in my head and I've just realized what they have in common.  Forever in my brain, a potato is a communist as well as an entertaining children's toy.

A few weeks ago, India announced that no further Chinese toys would be imported into the country.  Toy Wars.  Of course, there are always potatoes...Potatoes were a favorite toy of my first son - endless armies of potatoes have been arranged on my kitchen floor, rolled into battle, poked, decorated and transformed into various creatures. 

Potatoes were also recommended to me by my first political science professor, who was unabashedly Marxist.  He thought it would be more fruitful for me to devote more time to my studies, rather than work the small part-time job I had.  I explained I needed the income for food.  He said "You should just eat more potatoes".

Last night I saw photographs of 750 elderly communists staging an economic protest in Russia. The last photograph here is most fantastic.  Thanks to one of my old professors, looking at it made me think of potatoes.

Ah. Next I shall have to write on "Government Stake" and Potatoes.

G-20 Faith

There seems to be much positive anticipation of the G-20 summit meeting today which really began yesterday with a dinner last night.  I want to know is what the menu was.  Something powerful and rich, with a little emerging nation flavor thrown in. But nothing Swiss as no one from Hong Kong, Singapore or Switzerland is in attendance. I'm off to a quiz night for charity this evening with the posh bunch so I'll ask for some imaginary menu ideas from the we-love-Delia set.

Back on the state school front, I'm now sure after thinking about the makeup of powerful world committees I've pinpointed what is missing from the state school...world diversity. Those who can play violin at the age of two and do kumon maths every morning before school are simply not there. They are still at the posh school, miles ahead of the other children, approaching everything with disciplined diligence.  

No wonder the posh school is teaching everyone Mandarin.