Saturday, February 25, 2012

Fighting money laundering a constant battle for banks - Business - MiamiHerald.com

Fighting money laundering a constant battle for banks - Business - MiamiHerald.com

It is no longer the story of the drug dealer only, laundering cash through a laundry business. Proceeds from any crime fit the description, and any criminal activity involving money transfers count as money laundering. The Financial Action Task Force od OECD ( FATF) has promoted an international standard through 40 rules for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The Miami FIBA conference acts like a weather forecast for an ever broader interpretation of and fight against illicit funds. 1200 specialists attended the conference.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

This Bailout Isn’t for Greece




This article describes the surrealistic outcome of the latest Greek summit.  The whole European leadership acting in a slow motion movie where we all see Greece falling like Icarus, and knowing that we are only a few frames  away from gruesome impact.

The effort is pretty wasted. This is wonderfully expressed in the accompanying picture of Luxembourg Prime Minister Juncker, "Mister Euro", who makes the "bringing owls to Athens" face.



Monday, February 20, 2012

Now The Rest Of Europe Has Made Sure It's Protected, Greece Can Go To Hell



http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-18/europe/31062299_1_eurozone-bailout-funds-greece

After years of stubborn denial, incompetent European leadership is slowly getting it. I have always thought that the rush to a common currency was a cognitive distortion, a perfect blunder and a betrayal of  the founders of the European ideal. I was wrong about how the misguided Euro policy was going to implode: I was convinced it would arise in the German-French tandem, based on about half a century of continued French devaluations. What would happen if by following that historic pattern that put France repeatedly in a situation where best policy dictated a devaluation of the French Franc? With the Euro, that important adjustment was lost, whereas there was very little common economic policy. That being said, oh surprise, it is one of the smaller economies that brings havoc.  I still argue the same way as a couple of years ago, when the crisis unfolded:


"There are only two choices for Greece: either return to the drachma and devalue, or cut salaries, pensions and social benefits. Others will have to do the same. Promoting a common currency, a common defense, a common foreign policy without a common government is stupidity and incompetence by the "leaders" in Europe. It is also a betrayal of the ideas of the founding fathers." (May 31, 2010) at: http://feierwon.blogspot.com/2010/05/greece-urged-to-give-up-euro-times.html

The Luxembourg Finance Minister Luc Frieden is quoted in this article which shows that he is drifting away from the political correctness and from official Europe's fallacious policies and group think. He seems to join the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. How could anyone think that uninterested and unlimited help would come from better-off countries, and how could anyone think that people would understand the need for endless hardship?!




Saturday, February 11, 2012

Anonymous Visitors to Luxembourg Porn Site Exxxposed by Anonymous


Yep, 350,000 users. What a business!

The hacker is a 17 year old living in Morocco. My guess is that if he is caught he'll pay dearly. Indeed he must have lied about his age when he entered an "adult entertainment" site, don't you think?

Please see here for yourself. Sorry, no names released yet.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-11/hackers-anonymous-brazzers-porn/53048096/1

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Luxembourg Grants UNRWA €15 million‏

A release from the Palestine News & Info Agency:







http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18932


First, a useful glossary: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)


Excerpts:


"Luxembourg announced a multi-year financial commitment of €15 million to UNRWA, increasing its annual contribution to the Agency’s core work through the general fund to € 3.75 million until 2015, which represents an annual progression of some 36%, Wednesday said a press release by UNRWA."


.....  ....



"As one of the Agency’s most consistent donors, Luxembourg supports UNRWA's core human development activities, especially in the field of health. In 2011, Luxembourg contributed € 2.75 million to the General Fund. In addition, Luxembourg donated € 1.25 million for the Agency’s “Long and Healthy Lives” health program.
In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly invited Luxembourg to become a member of the UNRWA Advisory Commission."

Comments:
We can borrow that money at a really good rate, as we are a AAA country still.
Minister Jacobs is a big donor across the world. Very popular also in Vietnam and Africa. Did I forget Cape Verde? Maybe Laos?
With that much skin in the game, there is a quid pro quo: we are awarded the distinguished honor to become a member of the UNRWA Advisory Commission.
Luxembourg's efforts and policies are and stay consistent: we are the biggest donor, the best Europeans, the mightiest super-saviors of the Euro, the highest earners and the winners of the Tour de France.