I just wanted to see what's doing in Luxembourg. And, hop! Tony Blair pops up on my screen as the non candidate leading a pack of four non candidates for the European Presidency. According to London bookmakers, Luxembourg's Juncker is number four in that race, as I learn from the popup. He, himself only an outsider!?
Actually I only wanted to double check on what friends in New York, by all means, told me to do urgently: Luxembourg's Minister of Finance Luc Frieden it appeared had found his way out of denial and of the frenzied defense of the Luxembourg bank secrecy. The very official website says, (or said):
Afin de garantir la position de la place financière du Luxembourg après la crise, "il ne suffit plus de défendre la situation actuelle, mais il y a lieu de définir une nouvelle orientation pour notre place. Une position constamment défensive peut en effet susciter des réactions à l’instar de celles de l’avant-dernier sommet du G20 !".
I went to the google engine which translates automatically, not without a popup that says that London bookmakers have Tony Blair leading the pack of non candidates 4-1. Though he denies being a candidate, as there isn't yet a job opening. Thanks for your patience, here is the translation, and I won't change a word, in order to make sure my personal bias doesn't infiltrate the text:
To ensure the position of the Luxembourg financial market after the crisis, "it is no longer enough to defend the current situation, but it is necessary to define a new direction for us. A constant defensive position may indeed provoke reactions like those of the penultimate G20 summit! "
Are we finally turning to reality? Question the indefensible? Let's see online what Prime Minister Juncker has to say on that same subject.
First Tony Blair pops up. He is leading the pack of non candidates but Mr. Juncker and his Benelux colleagues do believe he shouldn't lead the pack of non candidates as the favorite non candidate. Some say if there should be a leading candidate among non candidates, it should definitely be JCJ. Blair doesn't speak a word of Luxembourgish, which should disqualify him! Though Blair was not my question. Those popups are so distracting! The question was Juncker's stand on bank secrecy, because Luc Frieden seems to give in to reality, brutal reality.
Not so fast. Only over my dead Presidency says Juncker, who anyway is not a candidate unless someone would ask him, which would be premature, as there is no job opening yet. The Luxembourg bank secrecy may well be like a sand castle on the beach. Juncker is going to defend it to the last grain of sand! And let's say it again: too bad if the European Presidency, where he isn't a candidate, is lost.
This isn't Luxembourg anymore. This is ancient Greece! Choking Drama! Or maybe Shakespearean tragedy, because of the undeletable popup. It is all but the same development, a slow but inescapable climax. We know our heroes are lined up to meet Destiny. Dark clouds gather over the frightfully calm ocean. As mighty Stratocumulus sarkozyus and Cumulus merkelensius are swelling with anger, everyone knows, the sand castle and its defender are doomed.
Only Tony Blair thinks it is a good idea for Juncker to try hold out. Perfidy! He wants you eliminated from the lot of non candidates, or even worse: he wants that no one even asks you to be a candidate. How treacherous!
Let me get you someone in the real world to guide your strategies, all of you. Go to www.letour.fr to see information about the Tour de France 2010. I bet you 4-1, that first Tony Blair will pop up. Delete, and watch Andy Schleck at the presentation. He knows that being second doesn't win the Tour. He says he is going to race and he is in it to win.
That's honest talk. He says he is a candidate. He is not saying that he isn't yet a candidate because someone has to ask him to be a candidate. And he is in it to win. He also knows that the one, Tony or someone else, who leads a sprint too early, is not going to win. As is the one who plays sand castle and lingers in fourth position. That's too far behind.
Though Andy Schleck knows how this all works, he cannot be a candidate for President. He says openly, honestly, he wants to win the Tour 2010. Now don't do this to me. As no one seems to be a candidate, I dread the day when they call me out of retirement! But let me tell you right away: I'll only accept if my place of work remains Naples Florida.
Egide Thein
Ech schwëtzen Lëtzebuergesch, Je parle français, Ich spreche Deutsch, Hablo español, Falo Português, Io parlo italiano, Ik spreek Nederlands, Jeg taler dansk, Jag talar svenska, Μιλώ ελληνικά, Mówię Polski, Eu nu vorbesc limba română, Аз говоря български, I speak magyar,
Or at least I'm going to learn. But I do understand Tony Blair's language.
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