Brazil Future Economic Super Power?

Nov 19, 2009 - After decades of political instability, poverty and uncertanty has Brazil finally hit her stride?  We all know that Brazilians know how to party and play (football) but can they roll with the G8 and give them a run for their money?  In 2001 Goldmen Sachs placed Brazil with Russia, India and China as the economies that would come to dominate the world.   Some may find it queer to place a country with a growth rate as skimpy as its swim suits, an economic fragility that consistantly suffered with any financial crisis, chronic political instability and a history of squandering economic potential could have so effectively put those wose behind them to pave the way for such a prosperous future.  China is said to lead the world out of our currant economic down turn with Brazil hot on their heals.  Brazil did not avoid the down turn but was among the last in and the first out.  Their economy is growing at a rate of 5% annualy and will pick up in the short term as new deep sea oil fields come online.  Brazil also enjoys a food and mineral trade with many Asian countries. Sometime after 2014 Brazil is scheduled to become the worlds 5th largest economy saying to Great Britan and France uhm excuse me I beleive that's my seat.  In many ways Brazil is said to outclass the other up and comers (Chine, India and Russia).  Unlike China and Russia it is a democracy.  Unlike India it has no insurgent, ethnic, religious hostility or unfriendly neighbors.  Unlike Russia it exports more than oil and arms and treats it's investors with respect.  Is that code for arss kissing? - 4 Comments

China Holds Firm on Major Issues in Obama’s Visit

Nov 18, 2009 - President Obama toured the historic Forbidden City in Beijing on Tuesday during a break from meetings with Chinese leaders. Source BEIJING — In six hours of meetings, at two dinners and during a stilted 30-minute news conference in which President Hu Jintao did not allow questions, President Obama was confronted, on his first visit, with a fast-rising China more willing to say no to the United States. On topics like Iran (Mr. - 1 Comment

Is China headed toward collapse?

Nov 11, 2009 - Is China headed toward collapse? By EAMON JAVERS The conventional wisdom in Washington and in most of the rest of the world is that the roaring Chinese economy is going to pull the global economy out of recession and back into growth. It’s China’s turn, the theory goes, as American consumers — who propelled the last global boom with their borrowing and spending ways — have begun to tighten their belts and increase savings rates. - 9 Comments

Obama Green jobs, our stimulus money at work.

Oct 31, 2009 - Huge Texas Wind Farm's Turbines Will Be Made in China A Chinese wind-turbine company strikes a deal to become the exclusive supplier for one of the largest U.S. wind farms Clean tech has seen a boost as the U.S. pours government funding into renewable energy, and China looks set to reap much of the benefits. - 2 Comments

From The UK - The demise of the dollar

Oct 06, 2009 - The demise of the dollar In a graphic illustration of the new world order, Arab states have launched secret moves with China, Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading By Robert Fisk In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar. Secret meetings have already been held by finance ministers and central bank governors in Russia, China, Japan and Brazil to work on the scheme, which will mean that oil will no longer be priced in dollars. The plans, confirmed to The Independent by both Gulf Arab and Chinese banking sources in Hong Kong, may help to explain the sudden rise in gold prices, but it also augurs an extraordinary transition from dollar markets within nine years. - 7 Comments

Arabs tackle free speech taboo

Sep 17, 2009 - Across the Middle East, what would never happen in polite company now appears on broadcasts of The Doha Debates – discussion of controversy. Doha, Qatar; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia As soon as the cameramen called it a wrap, the audience swarmed onto the TV studio set. Almost giddy with delight, several university students from Saudi Arabia went straight for chairs vacated by the performers and pretended to be stars of the show. - 9 Comments