Remarks on Egypt.

The Telegraph. Peter Osborne
"What is happening in Egypt is not our business."

Brendan O.Neil.. Democracy cannot be given to people.

"Democracy can never be given to a people. Because democracy is something that people themselves create through the very process of fighting for it. It is in the very struggle for democracy that people win their democratic rights; it is in the very struggle for freedom that people become free.*

President Obamaa's remarks on Egypt.

President Obama's Second State of the Union (Text)

In case you missed it. Here is the text.

Keith Olbermann signs off,

I will miss you Keith and good luck.
"Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him? Was it humility, to feel so honored? I felt so honored." DH Lawrence-The Snake.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Forger's Story

If you love art and wondering about what motivates people, you will love this article by John Gapper from the Financial Times. Registration is required though.

One morning last September, a visitor arrived at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette, Louisiana. He had been expected at 9am but he called from outside at 7.45am, and when Lee Gray, the museum’s curator, went down to greet him, she found his red Cadillac parked across two spaces in the handicapped spot. His name was Father Arthur Scott, he was dressed in the outfit of a Jesuit priest with a Society of Jesus lapel pin, and he bore a gift

Click here to read the rest.

A classic case of utility maximization??

Here is a wondeful video.

A long way to go to 9.0%

The latest Economic Situation new release from BLS suggest the economic might take a while before getting to 9.0%.

Government statisticians say the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 9.4 percent in December, and nonfarm payroll employment increased by 103,000. Employment rose in leisure and hospitality and in health care but was little changed in other major industries.

Here is an interesting an interesting website about government statistics. The siteis maintained by John Williams.

Mystery bird deaths

I don't know much about why birds fall from the sky and will be interested in knowing if anyone has any idea why birds fall from the sky in massive numbers. Here is an interesting article about dead birds and dead fish. Apocalypse now? Is this the start of massive bird deaths? Or is this a rare event that should not concern the public?

James Taylor's Painting

In reading about 2011 prediction from FT columists I saw this interesting painting. I wonder if this is the same James Taylor from the muisc world. He wont be the first musician to paint? Both Miles Davis and Tony Bennett are excellent painters.

Happy New Year 2011

This is to wish every one a Happy New Year. I will be brief. This year I will be paying close attention to a number of things. This will include figuring out if Quantitative Easing 2 has worked or is working. Finding out if Meridith Whitney's prediction on massive bond defaults by local governments is close to the mark. Commodity markets will also be an interesting one to follow, gold being the primary example. Also a big interest will be the fate of the global economy, currency wars and the outlook for inflation in the United States. Martin Wolf from the Financial Times has a nice outlook here.