A look at when corruption makes perfect economic sense Zero tolerance for corruption
Eye on Politics & Law Lords: There Are Too Many Losers in Globalization
On globalization's losers: Politicians need to be braver when capitalism is the only game in town
It was pure Fawlty Towers. According to Helmut Kohl, Margaret Thatcher's comment after the Berlin Wall came down was: "We've beaten the Germans twice. Now they're back."
If true, this seems a rather perverse response, since Thatcher had spent the 1980s supporting Ronald Reagan in the last big battle of the Cold War, one that resulted in an economically weak Soviet Union being bankrupted by its attempts to keep up with the west in an arms race. Thatcher and Reagan hailed the demolition of the Berlin Wall as the release of millions of people from tyranny
• Deep irony [The Utility of Force: the art of war in the modern world ; Gene Sperling on how the time to think about helping displaced workers is before they lose their jobs. The Early-Warning Economy ]
• · The more extravagant promises of globalization theory have come to naught. Where do we go from here? The Collapse of Globalism ; In the untamed world of hedge funds, rigged deals and manipulated markets help the wealthy thrive while ordinary investors wither. Behind the Hedge
• · · And Sixties counter-culture had a point, it was an act of rebellion. Forty years on, the need is just as great Grandchildren of the revolution ; The fruits of freedom
• · · · Injured accused terrorist Omar Baladjam was moved from hospital to prison in Sydney's biggest ever anti-terror convoy Huge convoy for injured suspect ; Investors should be keeping some powder dry rather than taking extra risks to cope with the prospect of lower investment returns Tycoon says greed has rotted enterprise
• · · · · Bush lied ; The Australian Newsagency blog is one of my favourite Australian blogs and I've mentioned it before. For the past couple of weeks, blogger/newsagent Mark Fletcher has been running a series of posts complaining about the unfair competition newsagents are receiving at the hands of Australia Post. Today, he summarises his case in a letter to Crikey: The postman always rings twice
• · · · · · The public has become suspicious about public-private partnerships Tunnel trouble will lead to deeper difficulties ; WANT to buy the Sydney Harbour Bridge? The question, used to sort out gullible blow-ins, has been part of this city's larrikin streak for generations. Deal-making flaws must be addressed