"Change Italy change"

The premier Matteo Renzi: change before the Italian European Semester. The conference released after the Council of the Ministers, began to explain the economic measures.

While electoral law “Italicum” passes, but the majority is divided. The Italicum, the proposed electoral reform based on understanding between Renzi and Silvio Berlusconi, after the agreement that divides the same majority supporting the government. 

The yeas are 365, those with contraries 156, 40 abstentions. 

The minor parties in the majority party vote yes, and partly no part in abstain in protest against the blocked lists. Yes vote for the Democratic Party (strong contrasts between interior) and “Forza Italia” party.
No “Movimento 5 Stars” of  Beppe Grillo, “Lega Nord”, Sel (Left party) and FDI. Now the word will pass the Senate.

“The key, he said, is change Italy before the European semester”. 

Renzi: change politics, unlock debts of the public administration. “It's a revolution impressive for Italy,” said the premier.” He added that “the policy gives good instance. From 26 March blue car will be auctioned.” Then he said, “We are unlocking the payment of Public Administration.”

And continuing “Let's see if we can introduce the job very seriously and carefully structured we have prepared and which will in evening the ministers to submit alternate the various measures adopted.

Renzi: tax wedge measures from 1 May "Five hundred million euro more to the Guarantee Fund for Small and medium-sized enterprises and for combat the credit crunch. Renzi said it after the Council of Ministers.

 “3.5 billion will be the ceiling on which to draw for municipalities and provinces for schools,” he added, while tax measures, tax wedge, will be in force by May 1.
“There will be” a thousand Euros net per year for those earning less than € 1,500 per month.
“The Council of Ministers has approved the house plan that will have an impact of 1.7 billion. The 10 billion for households are spending only savings.

For the work plan, announced Renzi, a draft law to contract term up to 3 years old and simplification apprenticeship. “From 1 June 500 million for social enterprises and the increase in the tax credit to the researchers. “There will be a lowering of the IRAP rate of 10%.” 

We will see it. 

Giacomo Palumbo
@palgiac

Oscar a "The Big Beauty" di Sorrentino!

Uno dei momento più divertenti degli Oscar 2014 è stato sicuramente il selfie proposto da Ellen DeGeneres e scattato da un divertito Bradley Cooper. Nella foto ci sono grandissime stelle di Hollywood come Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, Lupita Nyong’o e Angelina Jolie, e in brevissimo tempo, la foto è stata retwittata da milioni di persone in tutto il mondo, stabilendo un record.

Ai premi Oscar 2014  l'Italia torna finalmente sul podio: "La grande bellezza" di Paolo Sorrentino conquista la statuetta dorata nella categoria dei film stranieri. L'ultimo italiano fu Benigni nel 1999 con "La vita è bella". Accompagnato dal protagonista del film Toni Servillo, il regista ha ringraziato «l'Academy,  tutti gli attori, i produttori e alle mie fonti di ispirazione: Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, i Talking Heads e Maradona», oltre che Roma, città dov'è ambientato il racconto, e Napoli, sua città natale.

Poi grande merito agli Oscar va a Di Caprio con il suo "The wolf of the wall Street". 


"Naturalmente" come vedete su c'ero anch'io!

Tuttavia, come vedete giù, anche i Simpson rendono omaggio al tweet più condiviso, quel selfie delle star pensato dalla conduttrice dell'86esima edizione degli Oscar, Ellen DeGeneres, che vanta attualmente più di 3,2 milioni di retweet. Sulla pagina Twitter della serie creata da Matt Groening è stata pubblicata una divertente vignetta che offre uno sguardo "più ampio" rispetto al selfie originale. Insieme alle star, in versione cartoon, c'è un "intruso", Homer, che Bradley Cooper cerca di tenere alla larga come può. Quella dei Simpson non è l'unica rivisitazione dello scatto virale che ha superato di gran lunga, in appena due giorni, l'abbraccio tra Barack Obama e sua moglie Michelle, pubblicato su Twitter per festeggiare la rielezione del Presidente USA nel novembre 2012. Sul web spopolano le parodie del selfie da Oscar, con fotomontaggi che includono meme popolari, come Grumpy Cat, e ossessioni della rete, come l'attore Nicolas Cage, da tempo protagonista di un blog (Nicolas Cage as Everyone), nel quale centinaia di personaggi diversi impersonano l'attore

USA: Obama disappointed the Democrats and their elected blacks attack the Tea Party

Unemployment among African-Americans stands at 17%

The most trivial thing you can say about the 2012 U.S. presidential election, and on U.S. policy in general, is that everything is decided on the state of the economy. Ever since James Carville wrote a post it "his" Democratic candidate Bill Clinton, "it's the economy, stupid" (not to instruct but to reproach him), there is no way to say that the economy will dominate the presidential election not fall precisely into the cacophony of journalism. But there it is. However, the political adage 'Carville' is certainly true when, as in the case of Barack Obama - in addition to skin color - what brought you to the White House's rhetoric has been made by hand the most dramatic economic crisis since 1929.

Boomerang effect, 'who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword', and down on one China. Obama is seen to give Americans the right and obligation "to fix the economy", to fix the economy, and after three years of very few results: no recovery, risk of double-dip recession, unemployment at 9% (no president has FDR was re-elected on, with an unemployment rate above 7%), and the public debt increased by four trillion dollars in less than a presidential term. In other words other than "New Deal" of the third millennium, the Obama presidency is now increasingly "a great mess", a large slaughterhouse, complete with presidential seal of the first African-American U.S. president. If it is true that Democratic President has disappointed many, are in the list (and very surprising) even the elect of Congress African-Americans, those of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the group of Capitol Hill that since 1971 brings together the blacks of 'American elected to Congress.

Formally bipartisan group (today part of which only 41 elected a Republican, Allen West elected in Florida), some members of the CBC have large fire in recent days. In particular, two elected Democrats, Maxine Waters and Andre Carson, respectively, elected to the House of Representatives in California and Indiana, during two separate public rallies, they hit hard on the Tea Party movement, perhaps too much. To open the danse was Maxine Waters who has attacked the members of the Tea Party movement, hoping publicly that "go to hell", saying he was ready "to do everything to show them the way." More arsonist Andre Carson: "Some of these (Tea Party) in Congress would love to make us (blacks) as second class citizens, ... maybe hanging from a tree." Conviction? Real fear for the return of the Jim Crow system? Nonsense. In the dimension of mainstream propaganda Tea Party is totally lacking in the racial component. To give just one small example: Hernan Cain, candidate in the Republican primary, Black, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza is a favorite of the Tea Party movement. And he could do many other examples. But then why blame the Democrats blacks so much with the Tea Party?

We will say only that the blacks of America have voted in force the first black president in the history of the United States of America, and after three years, the picture of the state of the U.S. African-American community remains gray: the unemployment rate among blacks stands at 17%, 8% more than the national average and rates of incarceration of blacks are still very high. In other words, be elected as a Democrat these days is quite difficult, especially if the re-election presses. But even more so if you are part of the CBC. Soon to be bandied about your voters, few of which bear results. It remains then that high tones, black ogre research shake. What better time than the specter of the white American, the Patriot Tea Party, angry with the federal government, the same U.S. government that was so crucial in the '60s and '70s to disrupt the fetid waste segregation Jim Crow system?

The failed policies of the Obama administration on economic stimulus plan nearly a trillion dollars on his head, did not bring solutions, and then you just have to raise the tone. But the car does not seem to stop the mud at the CBC. The day before yesterday, James Hoffa, the Teamsters union leader and son of the famous trade unionist "Jimmy" Hoffa, as he prepared to warm up the crowd for a rally of Obama in Detroit gave the "son of bitches", literally the children of a bitch, members of the Tea Party. Another sign that the 2012 presidential elections are about to be massacred in the most political language.

Perhaps you're right Charles Krauthammer, a noted journalist and columnist for the Washington Post conseravatore, who has been saying for months that the next presidential campaign will be one of the more "nasty", distasteful, in recent decades.

A wall that has not yet dropped

After the end of World War II, at the dawn of the famous conflict between the two future super powers out victorious from the conflict in 1947, during an interview of then presidential adviser Bernard Baruch with the American journalist Walter Lippmann, we witnessed for the first After use as a definition of the term Cold War political and military tension between two opposing ideological camps.
The particular nature of this war is closely linked to substantial equality in the level of power and technology of the actors in the field, and is fundamentally tied to a mutual fear of mutual destruction. Textbook, a cold war is "a conflict based on ideological differences, conducted in ways that do not require a prolonged military action and usually occurs without the breaking of diplomatic relations."
By analyzing in a more analytical definition are at least two basic elements that can develop a conflict of such specificity that is: a clear opposition between two ideological blocks, and a prolonged military action or conduct by third parties. Starting from these assumptions and putting them in the context of the Middle East region can now advance the hypothesis that there is an ideological confrontation, political and military component within Islam between the Sunni majority and the conservative oligarchy, represented by Saudi Arabia more and Egypt, and the component represented by minority and revolutionary Shi'ite Iran, Qatar, Oman and groups Hezbollah and Hamas. It 'can also be said that this opposition has clearly taken a cold war.

The beginning of the history of this inter-Islamic war dates back to 680 AD in Karbala, in the current Iraq, where it consumed the great schism in the Muslim world between the family from which it derived ommayde the Sunni mainstream, and belonging to the family of the prophet Muhammad, whose martyrdom gave rise to the cult of the Shiite faith . After centuries of religious and cultural domination by the Sunnis, in 1979 in Tehran, Ayatollah Khomeini deposed the Shah of Persia and became the supreme guardian of the key Shiite Islamic revolution in winning a great nation in the Middle East region.
From that date until now, Iran has suffered a total embargo by the United States offsetting, however, with a dense network of diplomatic relations, especially military economichee with Russia, China and Venezuela. Since 1979 he has inspired and funded non-stop party-Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon, using it as a bridgehead in the area to try to export the Islamic revolution outside and to increase its influence in the Middle East region at the expense of the Gulf monarchies and Egypt. all'1988 From 1980 until he fought a war for survival against the secularism of Saddam Hussein near lraq advocated and supported economically by Saudi Arabia and the U.S. managing not to be defeated.
After Khomeini's death in 1989 followed by fluctuating periods of detente with the West, thanks to diplomatic mediation of presidents "reformist" Khatami as long as in 2005, was elected as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ahmadinejad Mahomud, c 'was a new closure of the international community towards the country because of the sudden radicalization of foreign policy by the new political estabilishment. The real escalation of bellicose statements and threats against Israel and the clear intention, declared at global level, to acquire nuclear technology have made the transition from one vision of the alleged export of reformist to a radical revolution. The major consequence has been an arms race between the two parties.

Among the most alarmed by this state of affairs and anxious to contain the growing Iranian influence in the region is the bloc of Sunni Arabs who feel that expansion of Tehran as a threat to its vital interests and their own survival. This alliance, which establishes a crucial counterweight to the balance in the region such as Saudi Arabia and more representatives' Egypt and Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon and part of almost all other Arab countries. Most of these countries, unlike Iran, has a long national history, and stress-free revolution that has shaped and identified over the years with American interests in the region in exchange for privileges and protection.
If the geo-political power of Iran is growing by expanding its military influence in Iraq and Qatar, and organized and versatile use of external means of deterrence and attack as well framed militia Hezbollah and the mine wandering of Hamas, the prolonged international isolation, the possible pre-emptive strike by Israel and the immense wealth that the Saudi monarchy used to counter the Iranian revolution, could reduce or at least slow down their expectations.
The Iranian support to Shia protesters took to the streets in Bahrain, as well as financial and logistical support of Saudi Arabia addressed to the Baluchi Sunni population of Iran are two sides of same coin in a game played for the conquest of the Near East.
However, the recent revolutions have shown clearly how the oligarchy or authoritarianism based on a confession can no longer cope with the social changes under way. The use by Iran and Saudi Arabia to be a part of these cleavages to influence other nations belonging to the block opposite, could create irreparable rifts in the wake of sectarian what happened in Iraq after the American invasion and But where would be the strongest field the Islamic republic because of its revolutionary cause and popular.
On the other hand, countries despite the support of the Sunni bloc and the West billions of petrodollars, from below are subject to ever increasing demands of social and economic oligarchies, and if those in power do not understand or accept the changes taking place making real progress towards substantial reforms, could fall apart much more easily than they hoped.
As the end of the Cold War was splendidly represented by the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the popular will to destroy everything we remembered it, including ideologies, the end of this inter-Islamic conflict may have only end up with a revolutionary apparatus of implosion 'Iran and / or Hezbollah or the end of political apathy of the people who still hold the oligarchs of the Sunni.
If the strength of Iran and Hezbollah is based on popular support and assistance to the population, because of socialism adelementi placed in the context of the tradition islamicache fail to produce consensus and unconditional support among the masses in the light of a national-Islamic socialism, the real bases of power of the Sunni bloc and the West are supported by immense wealth from oil revenues.
In the background, but sheltered participate as actors, observe events, the neo-Ottoman Turkey's Erdogan seeks constantly to expand its place in the sun in the troubled Middle East region, and the small state of Israel, who suffers from chronic syndrome encirclement simply tries to defend themselves.
Future scenarios are varied and many of them even indecipherable, however, if the situation were to remain in this status-quo and without the intervention of a superpower in decline now, the scenario of a nuclear Iran could blackmail Ryad el 'whole area, supported by auxiliary Hezbollah and Hamas increasingly confident of its military capacity to use against Israel, it could become reality and re-ignite the region and perhaps permanently.

Lobbyist activity in Italy as in England?

The recent case Bisignani (lobbyist) shows that in Italy is still widespread confusion among businessmen, lobbyists and fixers. The latter, unlike the first two belong to a professional group that performs an activity, especially in Anglo-Saxon countries, is regulated, made transparent and recognized as essential to the proper functioning of democracy.
Next to the name of Luigi Bisignani appear in these days a wide variety of adjectives: fixer, businessman, and head of pidduista P4, even "new Licio Gelli." None of these "qualifications", however, calls into question an entire profession - throwing mud on a legitimate business - as does the word "lobbyist". Nor is it a new practice, but a tradition established in journalistic jargon and public opinion, to connote the term "lobbyist" with a load of negative connotations. So the lobbyist becomes clear just who has relations with the parliamentary round, offering beautiful women and big cars in exchange for a leggina in favor of his client, who always goes to the limit of legal ethics and acceptable, and often goes beyond.
If you ask a U.S. citizen or a British opinion is accompanied by his country in lobbying activity, you will feel that answer is absolutely normal practice, planned and regulated by the legal system, even in the U.S. case, an integral part of the system American constitutional. Certainly, in these countries there have been scandals over lobbying policy makers on which the judiciary has taken action: one for all the scandal associated with the name of Jack Abramoff, lobbyist for the American millionaire who was convicted in 2006, along with other members of 'business, for a round of election gifts and donations that shook the leaders of the Republican Party. But this, in the United States, is considered a case of pathological deviation from the norm, among other things, promptly punished by the apparatus judiciary.
In Italy, however, it is commonly thought that the use of bribes, kickbacks and illegal financing of the handbook are part of the lobbyist, the head of external relations of a company or organization. Of course, the earthquake Tangentopoli historically has not helped to dispel this misconception. Now the case seems to reinforce this belief Bisignani. But if in our country began to be split up what a "fixer" of what a lobbyist, not only would help to clarify the ideas of the people, but also to accelerate the public debate on the need for a framework law to regulate and make transparent the lobbying activities, recognizing the role of professional lobbyists and providing penalties for those who break the norm.
As often happens in Italy, including civil society on this issue has moved well ahead in politics. In 2000, he founded Networks, "the first Italian company Lobbying and Public Affairs" - as we read in the pages of the site - founded by Massimo Micucci, Anthony Napoli and Claudio Velardi. Network's mission is to help "companies and associations to represent their interests among decision-makers in an explicit and transparent." That is, what is meant by lobbying. Just Claudio Velardi, who have a history of political office and is one of the most famous Italian political consultants, has addressed a letter to Corriere della Sera, published last Sunday, eloquently entitled "I confess, are lobbyist (and it's serious) ". In the letter, Velardi said that "we are overwhelmed by the intercepts have nothing to do with the reality of modern lobbying, which moves in the sea of ​​the Internet, social networking and the open date, and operates on two words Key words: transparency and participation. Concepts, needless to say, very far from the reality of Italian politics and public administration. "
Time on Friday, however, spoke Giuseppe Mazzei, president of The Cloister for the transparency of lobbying, an association that brings together those among public affairs professionals, share the goal of "promoting the culture, practice and regulation in representing the interests of transparency ". In an evocative article entitled "Lobbying and Prejudice," Mazzei said the lobbyists against bitterly that giving "has become a national sport, very popular, particularly in connection with investigations by the prosecution, which often have nothing to do with the activities representation of interests ". The consequence is that "many professionals who daily do their work with seriousness, morality and respect for the institutions are forced to suffer the humiliation of being painted as a bleak shady characters that move in the shadows, working at the limit of law at times in the gardens of the encroaching evil of corruption. I do not think - continues Mazzei - that we can no longer tolerate this kind of a hoax. It's time to shed light on this profession and to ask the Italian parliament a law to regulate this activity. "
Shared an appeal, which stresses that the question of the regulation of lobbying will never be the solution until they become aware of politics. To understand, particularly as a transparent relationship with lobbyists can only facilitate the work of the true politician, which is to incorporate all information and all requests coming from civil society, and then deciding in the general and independently. We think the trial of the lobbyists who gave President John F. Kennedy "I do understand a problem in ten minutes, while my team takes three days." The solution is not certain to entrust the fate of representative democracy groups, however, have as their ultimate goal the protection of particular interest. But if the activities of these groups were regulated and made transparent, the Italian Democratic gains in legitimacy and efficiency. It would fill a weak point of legislation, which is becoming increasingly urgent to resolve.

Campagna di marketing (elettorale) di Obama

L’elezione di Obama deve essere considerata un evento storico per il marketing.
La strategia di marketing di Obama, nominato “marketer dell’anno“, incentrata sul concetto di “change”, ha permesso ad un uomo abbastanza sconosciuto, più giovane del suo avversario, nero e con un nome che evoca associazioni mentali controverse, di trionfare prima contro la donna più conosciuta degli USA e legata ad uno dei politici di maggior successo e poi contro un senatore di lunga data ed eroe di guerra molto conosciuto.
I suoi avversari hanno cambiato più volte il messaggio trasmesso tanto da farli sembrare indecisi e vacillanti: la strategia di Hillary Clinton si era inizialmente basata sull’esperienza, poi si è spostata sul “Countdown to change”, infine si è trasformata in “Solutions for America.” John McCain ha usato molte definizioni diverse di sè stesso (Conservative. Maverick. Hero. Straight talker. Commander. Bipartisan conciliator. Experienced leader. Patriot), troppe secondo The New York Times Magazine, che già a fine ottobre 2008 si chiedeva se l’incapacità di centrare la campagna su nucleo narrativo potesse indebolire McCain.

In generale, entrambi gli avversari di Obama hanno puntato sul “riuscire a realizzare il cambiamento meglio di Obama”, ma “meglio”, non funziona mai in marketing: per avere successo bisogna essere “differenti”, bisogna legarsi univocamente ad un concetto nella mente degli interlocutori in modo che i concorrenti non possano insidiarlo ed evitare la “Pepsi pattern” ossia il cambiare slogan ogni volta che cambia il direttore marketing (che in Pepsi sembra accadere in media una volta ogni 2,5 anni)
La campagna elettorale di Obama è stata vincente in quanto semplice, consistente e rilevante.

1. Semplicità: circa il 70% della popolazione USA è convinto che il Paese stia andando nella direzione sbagliata, perciò la campagna di Obama si è opportunamente focalizzata su un concetto molto semplice qual è il “cambiamento”. Secondo Al Tries, infatti, uno slogan può essere intelligente, legato al prodotto, evocativo ecc, ma non sarà mai molto efficace se non è semplice.

2. Consistenza. Prima di poter comunicare, le aziende devono provare a posizionarsi: Obama non doveva trasmettere di essere un agente del cambiamento, ma ripetere il messaggio di cambiamento innumerevoli volte, affinchè fossero gli elettori ad identificarlo con il concetto di “cambiamento”. Per emergere tra tutta l’informazione attualmente disponibile, infatti, è necessario ripetere un concetto infinite volte, attraverso campagne di comunicazione coerenti per molti anni.

3. Rilevanza. Per poter vincere è necessario competere su un campo di battaglia favorevole: Obama ha costretto i suoi avversari a discutere delle proposte di cambiamento per il Paese, in modo da evidenziare come i loro cambiamenti risultano diversi dalla proposte di Obama. In questo modo Hillary Clinton e McCain non hanno potuto parlare molto degli argomenti in cui erano più forti, quali l’esperienza e le relazioni con gli altri leader internazionli.

Insomma, una campagna di marketing (elettorale) cosi memorabile da far vincere a Barack Obama il titolo di “uomo di marketing”.

What you need to do to prevent the crisis in Ireland.

The Irish, as in the joke, do not know if you prefer the shock or death. Mostly because I'm not sure what the shock and what is death, or if the shock is in fact a deadly shock. Two years ago, at the beginning of the crisis, they chose the shock: the State assumed the risk of banks not to let them fail, becoming the guarantor. But this meant to be dragged itself in the fall. Namely, the shock, they have not been released by a major shock, and has every chance of ending in death.
Because the problem, we must say it once again, is the source of the problem banks. The EU itself acknowledges that much of the bailout plan will be for them. Without this burden, the country would not be so bad. However, the help it has given its banks has left the country with a huge deficit, and above all chained to his fate, making the risk of bank risk in the country.
The bankruptcy of the country is not a good start, no doubt. But the proposed rescue Europe is not exactly painless, especially if the IMF is also participating, will mean more adjustments and reforms, citizens will suffer for a change. I know the Greeks, as well as provide for the Portuguese: "We are reducing salaries, freeze pensions, raising taxes," defended himself two days ago the Minister of Finance Luso, the assumption of "homework", and as repeated Once again our Minister of Economy.
In fact, these days on the occasion to remind us that perhaps we need more reforms and austerity, so do not get to the point where we will also have to decide between the shock or death.
The rescue package last week, Ireland was unable to stop the contagion on stock markets, which could thus be extended to stronger economies. What should I do to prevent the crisis extends further to determine the dramatic end of the entire euro area?
As was widely expected last week was launched rescue and support package for Ireland, with a 85 billion euro intervention aimed at stemming an internal situation of the country severely affected by a public debt continues to rise and a banking system for too long totally dependent on the liquidity of the European Central Bank. But it did not stop the contagion on stock markets, which has spread rapidly to other European countries such as Ireland, Portugal and Spain and has increased the differential (spread) of sovereign debt as never before during these first eleven years of the euro.
In a situation like the present there is no longer a clear dividing line between the economies in trouble and the others. Even countries like Italy and Belgium may be quickly and severely affected. The crisis is systemic and what effects become more concerned about the financial markets is the attempt confused euro area countries continue to intervene in each case, trying to transfer part of the governments of sovereign risk to investors.
The key question at this point is what can be done to prevent the spread of infection, and particularly to avoid the risk of an actual collapse of many European countries in difficulty, and with it a dramatic final crisis of the entire euro area .
On the one hand there is the strong response of some - and among these is the German Government - that blaming the current crisis to the excesses of economic policies implemented by individual member countries, particularly in the field of taxation, they want to pass on the burden adjustment on countries in need. Hence, the fiscal austerity imposed with particular intensity to the most indebted countries at risk, along with more inspections and sanctions - which are also largely focused on fiscal and budgetary policies of individual countries. But it is a wrong answer and largely unrealistic because the restoration of fiscal discipline and budget, as required, it will not be able to ensure adequate growth dynamics to ensure the very sustainability of sovereign debt in the euro area.
At the other extreme is the claim that it is necessary for the survival of the euro is a necessary step, which involves pooling the debt and fiscal policies of member countries, strengthening political union. This statement is correct, in this case, but that may represent only one target in the medium and long term, since that does not appear on the agenda for now of any major European country.
The way forward appears then another: a middle path between two extreme positions mentioned above, characterized by an adjustment process that is aimed at stopping the contagion in the short term and can be compatible - in the medium and long term - with the achievement fiscal union between the member countries, a key to the existence of European Monetary Union. In this perspective the crucial issues to be solved are mainly three.
You first need to address the crisis of sovereign debt restructuring with strict national plans but providing all the liquidity necessary for the rescheduling of the debt is not prevented from being stifled by processes and end deflation in the same countries. In this regard the intervention funds now available are considered insufficient by the markets and would therefore be important to increase it by one hand and the other that the European Central Bank continues to offer the necessary liquidity to the European economy, including through the purchase of securities State assumption - now almost taken for granted - that markets are not willing to provide the required liquid resources.
Second, it should be implemented the separation of banking crisis and crisis of public finances - now closely linked through the bank bail-operated with public money - set up mechanisms for consolidation of the banking systems of some countries, including front row Ireland, Portugal and Spain as well to isolate banks that failed - and closing - from the rest of the system may instead be renovated and restored.
Finally it proposed a permanent mechanism for crisis management sovereign - is intended to take the place of the EFSF - unlike that proposed by the German government is a sort of European Monetary Fund, able to balance financial assistance to countries difficulties with appropriate conditionality to stimulate the necessary reforms of individual countries. The resources could be found for it to work in part by the countries themselves with debts in excess, and partly from the issue of Eurobonds with different costs and participation of individual member countries. Interesting proposals in this direction there - see Junker and Tremonti recently proposed the creation of the European debt - and with the necessary mediations can be made operational.
The problem is that the proposals for reform of European economic governance being adopted in recent weeks only minimally respond to these needs. Provide important new in terms of prevention and correction of budgetary imbalances of the countries have strong but lack the level of coordination of macroeconomic policies and adjustment. More generally neglect the problem of growth in the EU as a whole. And there is no doubt that low growth will eventually make it much more cumbersome, if not impossible in some cases, fiscal consolidation to be implemented by individual countries in need. And between them is also on our country because of its high debt, its lack of competitiveness and its ability to modest growth.
To summarize, the euro area is at this stage before a crucial crossroads. Its financial and macroeconomic stability must be based of course on price stability and fiscal discipline, but also need a third pillar is that of integration and economic growth. Or the euro area finds ways to manage its integration and return to growth or the whole design of European integration in danger of bankruptcy.

Catalonia, the center of the Mediterranean Jihad

WikiLeaks casts the shadow of Jihad on Catalonia. Tre 'cables', all coming from the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, consider the autonomous region "principal place of Jihaidismo in the Mediterranean" and, due to uncontrolled immigration in the region, driven by a "large Muslim population sensitive to the phenomenon." Precisely for this reason, Washington would open a center of espionage at the headquarters of the U.S. Consulate in Barcelona.
The documents also provide a focus on links between Islamic terrorists and organized crime in Barcelona, which cablegrams define the "crossroads of business concern." In short, the scenario painted by the Wiki-documents does nothing but confirm the findings of many independent analysts about the challenges that Spain is facing in the face of the threatening expansion of militant Islam.
A 'cable' five-page, dated October 2, 2007, and classified as 'secret', describes the relationship between mass immigration in Spain over the last decade and the rise of radical Islamism in the country. In the words of Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre make a clear picture of the situation: "The heavy immigration - both legal and illegal - from North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria) and South-East Asia (Pakistan and Bangladesh) has made Catalonia a magnet for terrorist recruiters. " The Spanish National Police estimated that the number of Pakistanis living in Barcelona and could rise to around 60,000. The identikit is well defined: the vast majority are male, unmarried and without legal documentation. There are immigrants from North Africa living on the margins of Spanish society, they do not speaks the language, are often unemployed and have very few decent places to practice their religion. A mixture of ingredients that make the situation explosive.
Documents in the Catalan capital is defined in no uncertain terms "mafia" and the basis for a number of trafficking: people, money, drugs. Barcelona, and in particular its hinterland - Tarragona, Hospitalet, Badalona and Reus - particularly concerned about Americans who have thus brought under control the local Moroccan and Pakistani communities. In one document reads: "The U.S. must know all of those circulating in the area stretching from Algiers to Tunis and Rabat in the south of France. The consulate in Barcelona is the ideal base to establish an operations center to analyze the phenomenon".
What should have stirred up more activity by Islamic extremists in Spain, according to the cables, would be the uncontrolled influx of Moroccan fundamentalists, who for their poor economic conditions, tend to be more prone to involvement in criminal activities.
WikiLeaks reveals, in short, a frightening reality, which seems to be also confirmed by recent news reports. On December 1, during an international operation dubbed "Kampai", a cell of financial and logistical support to Al Qaeda has been smashes in the Raval district, one of the poorest and most degraded of historical Barcelona. Over the years, this popular area of Catalonia, no longer in the hands of the Catalans, but mainly people from Pakistan, from the center and north Africa and Thailand, has become the most important crossroads for degrading activities such as drug dealing and prostitution.
The situation is worrying. The documents show that there would be at least 300 suspected Islamic terrorists or logistics operators in Spain and it is estimated there may be up to 1,000 terrorist organizations in the area. Illegal activities of their origin or species WOULD BE multiply without control in this area: just a 'cable' reads: "The Spanish authorities are having difficulty following the flow of illegal drugs and laundered money that comes through the 'Catalan away' . The Spanish authorities do not have a complete understanding of the entire range of the mafia. " In short, despite some success - see the series of arrests in January 2008 and two weeks ago, before the management of these two major problems in Spain would be helpless and unprepared.

A new government serves to Spain to recover itself.

Spain is facing a critical economic situation. Together with Portugal, is at the center of the financial turmoil in Europe. Sovereign debt issue to investors in Madrid, the highest rate of default risk since the entry in the eurozone. In the social sphere, conditions are distressing. The rate of unemployment is now over 20% and youth unemployment is over 43%.
But not only the financial markets to have doubts on the Spanish economy. The European Commission has repeatedly stated his concerns openly against the current government's ability to react and take credible measures to address the economic situation.
What is the problem of Spain? How is it possible that in a few years, from the "economic miracle" Europe is my country has become the "economic problem" of Europe? What happened to that economy growing, year after year, at a rate of 3% even when Germany, France and Italy marked a growth rate close to zero? Today, however, is the only one of five major European economies still have a negative growth.
All these questions cause me great distress and causing me deep concern for the present and the future of my country. Just six years ago, Spain was created six new jobs in 10 eurozone, government accounts were in surplus, its public debt and its decreased rapidly expanding multinational in Europe, Latin America and the United States .
My answer to each question about Spain is clear: it is suffering the most serious political crisis of its recent history. Its economic woes and lack of confidence in Spain are nothing more than the result of the lack of credibility of the government. The high price you are paying today's Spanish is what happens when politicians refuse to admit their mistakes.
The roots of the crisis in Spain is based on political decisions taken in 2004 when it was decided to abandon the process of modernization that the Spanish company had started more than 30 years ago. At that time, the Spaniards decided by consensus to consolidate their democracy and their institutions after nearly 40 years of dictatorship. The next step was to join the European Union, and later the euro, and converge economically and socially with the most prosperous countries in Europe.
Then, in 2004 changed the direction of Madrid. The government rejected the agreement represented by the Constitution of 1978 and created a break in the composition of the Spanish State. The different areas of the country were pitted against each other made. The effect was to remove much of what unites us as Spanish and transform Spain into a country where it is very difficult to govern.
In the economic sphere, after which Spain adopted the euro and the devaluation of the currency ceased to be an option, the government abandoned its commitment to maintain a stable state budget and leave the ongoing process of reforms essential to be competitive in global markets. The errors can be identified in the economic arbitrary intervention of government in economic life of the country, with a blatant disregard for the rules of the game, even European ones. Spain has also experienced unprecedented growth in public spending and hikes in taxes, at all levels.
The current position of Spain in the international arena reflects the declining weight in the world. The government has neglected its responsibilities and in fact has failed to defend its national interests abroad. Only a new government can recover its credibility, and do so necessarily requires the general election.
A new government could appeal to the Spanish to carry out a major project of national recovery, reconstruction and reform of the nation. To this end, there are no miracles or shortcuts: none have ever been in the past and there will not be now either. With a new draft national policy and the implementation of appropriate policy measures, Spain will recover its credibility and international respect and the Spanishes will be able to regain confidence in themselves and in their country.
An essential part of Spanish political transformation, however, must be to immediately recognize that the state must limit its economic and social role, and open new areas of freedom and dynamism to society and the private entrepreneurs. Spain need to implement radical reforms in its administrative structure, including the eradication of bureaucratic structures and public and rationalization of public expenditure. Madrid still absolutely can not postpone the reform of its welfare state but, rather, must start now to rebuild the conditions for a vigorous society that is open to all.
Spain is in fact more than capable of becoming again a dynamic and resourceful country, a state that creates jobs and opportunities. But before all this has to take hard work to undo six years of political deceit. The Spanish can not wait any longer.

Former fellow Assange punish his narcissism

Julian Assange soaked in self-centeredness is a narcissist. The fact that he bounced from one side of the globe to give interviews to rain, putting to shame such a leader rather than another and throwing threats about publishing cablegrams "secret" or "confidential", shows that the initial declaration 'intent to remain anonymous WikiLeaks part of a collective effort was a resounding promise as a sailor. Typical of those who monopolize a project sponsor of person making it.
And it was this moth that has begun to nibble a few months in the organization, leading to secession in WikiLeaks. Since October, there was a veritable hemorrhage of several prominent members of the organization, angered by the methods of their autocratic leader and the decision not to cancel entirely, from recently published documents on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan , the names of informers and collaborators of the occupiers.
One of the fruits of this schism is OpenLeaks, a kind of mailbox to collect testimonies, reports and recommendations without disclosing the identity of the sender and that has the same goals but using different means than the more famous site of Assange. The website, available online since yesterday, will not publish documents directly to the network (thus avoiding a dangerous media exposure of the organization) but will make them available only to the newspapers "partners." A shrewd course of action, which capitalizes on the backlash against the Australian hacker organization of American politicians and the public to the latest leaks.
Leading the group of dissidents who have created the site is a former man WikiLeaks: Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Computer German hacker and former spokesman who received 250 thousand of the electronic documents sent by embassies and consulates in the United States. The reason why last September, has cut ties with Assange (of which, however, was one of his earliest supporters) you can imagine: the top-down management of the information received and the ways of disseminating news. Exposing one of the short-term goals of the newly formed organization, the same Domscheit-Berg stressed - by launching a scathing critique of the implicit 'pirate of the web' - which will complete "technical infrastructure and organization that is democratically governed by all its States and not only from a limited group or individually. " Any reference to events and people is purely coincidental.

We had seen long years ago, another of the "bigwig" of the 'Narcissus pimp of the Web': John Young. New York, 73, intelligence expert, famous for being one of the founders of Wikileaks, along with Assange. In conflict with one of the ideas behind the project soon took puppets and cabin and slammed the door on the Australian hacker. Usandone the recipe carefully, however, Cryptome founded in 1996, now considered the dean of the websites which spilled secret documents. What I could not stand the idea was to make the site WikiLeaks a commercial enterprise because, in that, "Collecting money for a site that deals with confidential documents, it is dangerous. Threatens to distort the absolute neutrality of revelation. " Forward-looking, he knew that eventually the only product sold would be the face of Julian Assange.
Other than collective effort, but team. The defections important that the organization has suffered over the years show how the whole system is strictly centralized in the hands of a single, only 'chief executive officer'. The covers of Time, respectively, which lists him as the man papabile year, and the Rolling Stones, who decreed it "rock star 2010" making it "an icon like Che Guevara and Mao on T-shirts for Andy Warhol," do not do that support this theory.

Whole truth about the American neo-conservatism.

As long as George W. Bush jr. firmly seated (despite everything) to the White House there was no day without a new contribution to the "stupidario" the neocons. The "nerve center", the "center of power," the plot "Judeo-demo-&-pluto-Goofy-Donald Duck" ... Barack Hussein Obama arrived, everything has vanished like snow in the sun. The cabal plotted to subjugate the world is no more, nobody talks about it, and yet the "infamous" Project for a New American Century has long since closed. The real truth, in fact, is that the neoconservatives are not and have never been what they have painted their critics (always fierce) both left and right. The moment is propitious time to look into their political and cultural realities with more coolness, that is not at odds on him ever to those who believe the seriousness not an option.
Newly available is a tool for that purpose, Neoconservatism: An Obituary for an Idea (Paradigm, Boulder [Colorado]). Aside from the ridiculous title (and cover the same), it is a great deal of interpretation. The lavish C. Bradley Thompson, of Clemson University in South Carolina, and Yaron Brook, the first is more or less a "leaked" by the neocons, the second is the chairman and chief executive dell'Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California. Their work is great because first of all do everything to condense, in what after all are not even very many pages, a galaxy of thought and huge figures, and (self-) definition elusive (as I said, almost too often the authors). Then as it tries to reel off pretty well for a very significant problem, with the claim of branded as pernicious, even anti-American. Aim the book succeeds, but gives the reader a huge harvest of ideas and materials useful to those who cultivate the whole issue from different perspectives, even opposite. Even a book stubbornly hostile, that is, you can make optimal use, provided it is written, as is that of Thompson and Brook, with extreme seriousness.
Moreover, their claim has already responded well, the smart book published in 2006 by Britain's Douglas Murray, Neoconservatism: Why We Need It, published in New York by Encounter, or one of the cornerstones of publishers neocon world, founded in 1997 by Peter Collier, who directed her until 2005, is now led by Roger Kimball, co-editor and co-director with Hilton Kramer, the Big Apple, the elegant neo-conservative journal The New Criterion. Even the good book of Douglas is not required to accept all the statements and conclusions. Moreover, his friend Douglas Murray Kear, since 2007 director of the Centre for Social Cohesion in London, is a man of many peculiarities. In addition to not being ashamed, good (say it with sincerity a non-neocon what the writer of these few notes), to be called neo-cons are not even ashamed to call themselves Zionist. He loves the open debate, particularly because the can handle it with great elegance, and has ideas about jihad being clear. Finally, it is one of those who believes the religious element is not essential to a conservative philosophy.

Now, the question that our parts are mostly experienced at best a footnote, is, in the Anglophone world, especially in the U.S., of great moment, and not now. Passionate comments from a half-century rich, soul debates, fills the pages. As a rule, the United States, the conclusion is the opposite of that which is received by Murray, that the opposite is true, that religion is a fundamental (ie foundation) of the conservative world view, that Christianity is indeed part structure of Western thought and not progressive "anti-progressista". With exceptions, of course, but that still does not appartinee Murray. Indeed, he is not American (even though I work in-hand with the Americans), but British. In Albion, in fact, is more common to find positions like his, at that latitude there is more room for a different conservatism, not religious, sometimes even rational. What the United States is unacceptable on average, is rather more fertile ground in Britain. That is understood that Christopher Hitchens has to share, despite his positions on the subject of religion with conservatism, such as in defense of the West and the fight against international terrorism. For this reason it happens that one of the pillars of conservatism is a British philosopher Antony Flew (1923-2010), however in the end of life gained by the idea of God (see his God exists. As the world's most famous atheist has changed idea, published by my Protestant friends of Alpha & Omega, publisher of Caltanissetta).
Former Anglican practitioner, Murray was shocked, she says, reading from the Koran, which drew general conclusions - unduly - the religion as such. Conclusions short distance, so to speak, those generalizations do not honor, but so much money in the said Hitchens or Richard Dawkins. From its own, however, Murray has a savoir-faire that people like the last mentioned do not even know where he is at home, and a refined intellect, as well as a deep culture. Difficult, in fact, be insensitive to its intellectual appeal. I was not, moreover, never abandoned the idea to get all this from a book-length interview with him, disclosing how, where and when it is, for him, can a genuine and deep conservatism without religion. A book, that is, that will enable him to explain, that is also to explain to himself if he really takes the construct.
Waiting for better times for that project, Murray remains the best person to review a brand new book, Podhoretz Normand: A Biography (Cambridge University Press, New York 2010) by Thomas L. Jeffers. And that Murray has done, with the title's Norman Conquest, on the issue of 22 November peak of neoconservatism weekly, The Weekly Standard, to Washington by William Kristol, son of art as scion of Irving Kristol (1920 to 2009 ), one of the recognized godfather of the neocon movement. The other, of course, is the biographer Podhoretz, a former left-repentant, director for 40 years in the monthly Commentary, published by the American Jewish Committee, responsible for the conversion to the right of much of American Jewish intellectuals, author of essential books.
Murray reviewed the sublimely biography because it defines one of Jeffers's work a great admirer of Podhortez and, in fact no other than the pages of The Weekly Standard, stigmatizes it. For Murray, Podhortez is a model and an American hero, but says that it does not serve the glory shine all the lackeys to do stuff and a phrase book or surreal scenes pyrotechnics on the edge of ridiculous. Douglas Bravo, a great lesson.
Now retrace this article, put together all the names and qualifications and the issues mentioned, and put your heart at rest. The neocon conspiracy exists and here is this: the passion for truth. Coming from a non-existing arch enemy neocon neocon but then he too was "assaulted by reality" is not just, sincerely speaking.

PS: So, on balance, there really is neoconservatism? Exists today as a phenomenon distinct from the conservative culture tout court of the United States? We are confident that the American people the right to be there to make piddling issues between schools of thought often known only to specialist taxonomists, and yet not be nourished, with good appetite, all that is good common sense reflected in its western often regardless of who wrote it, or badandoci later, after reading what was written to make sense? A turn to sites, magazines and American foundations, to look in the pews of the common good press from them and bought by a huge audience, veering to the "Tea Party" and its surroundings, it seems so ...