CHAN AKYA

September 2, 2010

"Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing." - Chanakya (350-275 BC)

For more on the original Chanakya, the inventor of skullduggery, click here.

A gentleman and a scholar

Allen Quicke loved to debate and argue with "his" columnists on a regular basis. It was challenging, and always rewarding.

(Aug 20, '10)

Across Asia, from Japan to China to Indonesia, United States President Barack Obama has missed opportunities that are likely to haunt America for some time to come. It's not too late, though, and greater engagement would go a long way towards rectifying matters.

(Aug 13, '10)

Unintended consequences

Keynesian policies intended to get the world out of financial crisis have produced the opposite of the desired results for two years running, achieving a mere deceleration - not reversal - of unemployment at a cost of billions of dollars. To persist with these policies, as some governments appear determined to do, is worse than unfortunate: it is insane. It is time for tightening.

(Aug 09, '10)

Unholy trinity ensures bank failures

The combined bumbling and cowardly efforts of bank authorities in Europe and politicians in the United States this month ensures that a future banking system failure is inevitable. It didn't have to be like this - but bankers, at least, are happy.

(Jul 30, '10)

Burqas over the Bastille

The French move to ban women from wearing the all-covering burqa - with other European countries possibly following suit - has elicited widespread public and media reaction. Tellingly, it appears that Europe and America have polar opposite points of view. The "war on terror" could have something to do with this.

(Jul 23, '10)

The 'why' of Europe's banks

The dismal state of European banks, in stark contrast to the Agriculture Bank of China's world record US$22 billion IPO, offers Chinese authorities a window on what should - and should not - be done to prevent Chinese lenders heading in the same direction that European banks followed over the past 20 years.

(Jul 09, '10)

The short list

None of the numerous reasons being given for this week's steep stock market declines should come as a surprise, and the sensible response is simple - sell almost everything, and if you want to buy, go low-tech, small (Singapore), or African. Most obviously, go gold.

(Jul 02, '10)

BP, Bhopal and karma

The public mauling of BP chief executive Tony Hayward by US congressmen stands in stark contrast with the attitudes of the United States government, courts and industrialists towards industrial catastrophes visited by US businesses on communities overseas. If Union Carbide's reaction to the disaster in the Indian city of Bhopal, for example, were the template, Hayward would merely wash his hands of the whole business.

(Jun 18, '10)

The cup of joy

Emerging soccer nations such as China and India may not be participating and the South African hosts may be nervous over predictions of low revenues and soaring costs, but millions in Asia can't wait for Friday's start to the 2010 World Cup. Gamblers may fancy outsiders like North Korea - who will hopefully just be launching shots on goal - but a real wild card is the weather.

(Jun 09, '10)

G-20 almost makes sense

The latest Group of 20 confab concluded with little new emerging. That is good news, as it almost explicitly acknowledges the lack of ideas on how to handle the financial crisis and the doubtful benefits of issuing new government debt. That supports the argument for a reduced government role in the economy - and points to increased difficulty in engineering future bank bailouts.

(Jun 07, '10)

Top kills and junk shots

The so-far futile efforts to plug the Gulf of Mexico oil spill offers telling lessons to governments seeking to resolve the financial crisis spreading from Europe. The oil companies are, at least, addressing the source of the leak. The equivalent priority for central bankers is to stem excessive leverage.

(May 28, '10)

The new order is chaos

The past week's stock trading should tell academics and economists all they need to know as they struggle to define the "new normal". It isn't about relative economic growth or the dynamics of inflation. It is the return of gut-wrenching volatility that places investing in a permanent state of siege. Chaos is the new order; a constant state of crisis is the new normal.

(May 21, '10)

Yes, debtor

For all her posturing for tough austerity measures by countries asking for bailouts, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's eventual retreat underlined the power of European bureaucrats who engineered the eventual eurozone bailout package despite the absence of any democratic mandate to pull it off. The decisions being taken by Brussels appear to have nothing to do with the popular will of Europeans.

(May 14, '10)

Keynesian Waterloo

The numerous factors that contributed to Thursday's record intra-day decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average should not mask that we are witnessing the consequence of government overindulgence in spending as buyers of debt now fear an explosion of credit risk. Smart advocates of Keynesian profligacy should recognize the magnitude of this rout and consider quiet exile.

(May 07, '10)

South Park - the markets

Somewhere along the line a joke can suddenly seem not so funny, and the fun and games suddenly stop - sometimes when some loon pulls out a gun, real or otherwise. The markets are not immune to innocuous squibs masquerading as real explosives, or vice versa. Recently, they all seem to be hallmarked "G".

(May 05, '10)

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THREAD: Re: does Australia hate Muslims?
Chan Akya
(Aug 18, '10)
Thanks guys. CA
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re: does Australia hate Muslims?
Ian Purdie
(Aug 18, '10)
At the last one (2007) I seem to recall a scandal when the spouse of a Liberal (conservative) MP holding a seat in a region of western Sydney (a region traditionally domi...
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re: does Australia hate Muslims?
MonsoonWind
(Aug 17, '10)
Chan Akya wrote: Can someone enlighten as to their views of whether an undercurrent of resentment against Muslims has been evident or even mentioned in the debates aro...
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re: does Australia hate Muslims?
Chan Akya
(Aug 17, '10)
Can someone enlighten as to their views of whether an undercurrent of resentment against Muslims has been evident or even mentioned in the debates around the Australian el...
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Obama's battles in Asia
Chan Akya
(Aug 17, '10)
I have much respect for the work of Yves Smith. Her blog, naked capitalism has been a wonderful source of information and analysis for the past few years. CA
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Why Americans hate Muslims
MonsoonWind
(Aug 17, '10)
Ian Purdie wrote: What did you personally do toward helping you team? What team Ian? I am a non-partisan freelance!
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Why Americans hate Muslims
Ian Purdie
(Aug 17, '10)
So am I BC; and when it happens I won't be popping any champagne corks! I will, because I've worked my guts out for it and for those who don't like a Gillard win? Wh...
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Why Americans hate Muslims
MonsoonWind
(Aug 17, '10)
Basic Channel wrote: PS. Tipping Julia to win. So am I BC; and when it happens I won't be popping any champagne corks!
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Why Americans hate Muslims
Basic Channel
(Aug 17, '10)
Haha, I actually used to be very liberal in my views (used to always vote Greens at the few elections I could have) and used to dislike John Howard, which I still do. I...
Read full post/respond
THREAD: Re:Why Americans hate Muslims
Ian Purdie
(Aug 17, '10)
As for visa overstayers, I urge you to make a sharp distinction between these and the illegals. I have personally known several of them over the years - all good people. ...
Read full post/respond

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A gentleman and a scholar

Obama's battles in Asia

Unintended consequences

Unholy trinity ensures bank failures

Burqas over the Bastille

The 'why' of Europe's banks

The short list

BP, Bhopal and karma

The cup of joy

G-20 almost makes sense

Top kills and junk shots

The new order is chaos

Yes, debtor

Keynesian Waterloo

South Park - the markets

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