Friday 10 April 2009

The world after financial meltdown

Months following banking industry's nuclear catastrophy around the world's stock exhanges, the first rays of hope come to light. Wells Fargo announced significant profit, others smaller loss than predicted and although euphoria has not hit wall street yet, there is some elation.
Wells Fargo registered record profits in the midst of the worst economic crisis in banking - probably ever. Stock price went up by 32%. Others followed.
Citi was up 13%
USB 23%
Bank of America 35%
JP Morgan 19%
PNC Financial 20%

There is still speculation if they forecasted accurately bad debt or revenue

Wells Fargo mortgage loans went up. And the cheaper interbanking borrowing after government regulation helped. So it helped the financial aid.

The reasons for this recovery are definitely more complicated than I present here and not the same for all. Whether the sun will shine away the storm and this recovery will be sustainable not sure.

What is clear in my mind is that extreme positions can lead to chaos. So was extreme deregulation I think. Some balance is needed. Even in economics - it is called equilibrium and is usually forgotten - or so it seems.

Christian the Lion


When I am discust with humans (that happens several times during every day) I turn to the animal world to find consolation and hope. Every day there are remarkable stories that our friends star and remind us all the things that must not be forgotten.
There is one story however, that no matter how many years go by is unique as it talks about what is best both in animals and humans. This is the story of Christian the Lion. I am sure most of you have seen it on you tube or tv news about the story of two friends that back in the late 70s adopted a lion cub and when the lion turned adult and was too dangerous to live with them - or so they thought - they brought their adopted lion pet and freed him in the wild. A year later, they went to visit him, in his new wild habitat, and they had very low expectations of Christian recognizing them and actually would risk him attacking them.
Christian not only recognized them of course, but run to them, held them in his arms, started licking them and introduced to his parents his new girl - a female lion!!!
His 'parents' have not seen him again since, they don't know if Christian is still alive, but they have decided to dedicate their lives in the protection of wild animals.
It is a fantastic story to turn to for inspiration, motivation, hope, courage and all other positive words that exist in any vocabulary.

You can also be inspired here:
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/christian-the-lion/

On diets..


Bolivia's president Evo Morales is on a hunger strike so that congress will no longer delay the passing of a law allowing elections to be held in December. Of course it is important to note that Bolivian hunger strikers are allowed to drink water and chew on coke leaves. Fact: you don't want food while on cocaine. Of course the damage to the system is probably even bigger but I am sure he is having a better time than other hunger strikers. Actually he kind of jumped to the opportunity. Long live Bolivia with its customs!! LOL

Pugs are the superior creatures in any planet

Don't you wish you were hot like Frankie (the Pug)???