The phantom giant of Luxembourg | Oliver Marc Hartwich | Commentary | Business Spectator

That's happenning when someone let's the djinn escape the tiny bottle.

The phantom giant of Luxembourg Oliver Marc Hartwich Commentary Business Spectator

Foreign fill-ups keep Luxembourg's economic motor running

I'm sure some Luxembourg zealous political players fall for this. Deutsche Welle surfing on Luxembourg's gas tsunami:

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15153409,00.html

The mayor of Wasserbillig Gust Stefanetti is complaining about his 11 gas stations and the traffic it generates, it says here. I'm sure he doesn't want to finance his Centre Culturel, Sports Center and other must haves.

Luxembourg should only raise the taxes it has to raise to balance a budget. Not to abide by foolish wishes of European bureaucrats or neighbors. The total amount of gas tanked in the world will not change by a drop, because Luxembourg raises taxes on it. The same cars still will drive the same mileage.

If Luxembourg had no tax on gas, I would say "tax haven". As there is one, just tell the neighbors to lower theirs if they want to compete!

As for the claim in the title, there is indeed a real tax haven that keeps the economic motor running, including the one of the border towns in Germany, France and Belgium, where 150,000 find employment in Luxembourg. But that's not at some gas station. Those only help the 150,000 people to commute internationally at a fair price, if they have the brains to shop for gas where they make a living.

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, first donor to the FEMIP Trust Fund (1,2 M€)

We are the first, the fastest, the most generous, the mostest.

http://www.iewy.com/29016-grand-duchy-of-luxembourg-first-donor-to-the-femip-trust-fund-12-me.html

For sure a good program. But did we have to borrow to make this donation?

Luxembourg has modified continental weather.

I told you so. Luxembourg controls climate. I got witnesses. Please see here:

http://www.newsi.es/luxembourg-world%E2%80%99s-richest-safest-cultural-hotspot/887153/

And it is amazing that with all that power to control the climate, it usually rains so often. Hence the name of Grand Douchy which comes from the Luxembourgish "ee Grand" or "Angry man" and the French "douche" which means shower as in Toilette and Douche.

One of these two persons will be in the news on May 1st!

Those were the times. I guess only Pope John Paul II will make the news though on Sunday. Nevertheless here are a couple of souvenirs, Anno 1982: This was a gift.

Why have we got 10 envoys in 5 countries?

This is a question brought up by our Irish friends. Why do we have a resident ambassador in Luxembourg and Luxembourg doesn't have one in Dublin?

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/why-have-we-got-10-envoys-in-5-countries-2626120.html

Oh no! Our bad! You brought it up! Be prepared to have a Luxembourg Embassy in Dublin illico. This can't wait.

We pride ourselves to have the highest percentage of nationals with the rank of ambassador in the world, after the Vatican that is.

Luxembourg champion in office chair race

Picked up by DailyIndia.com, and rightfully so: http://www.dailyindia.com/show/435488.php

We don't even build office chairs in Luxembourg: they are all made in China. But Luxembourgers have developed unique skills in handling those 4 to 8 wheelers. One of them is the innovative technique of lying on the chair. So you are sure that when you leave your office, you are completely rested.

It also gives Luxembourg competitors in the office chair championship an unfair advantage. Largely comfortable as they are with the lying-down technique, they naturally get an aerodynamic advantage over those conventionally seated and open eyed competitors. Such was also the expert opinion of the organizer.

Pierre Feller, the winner of this prestigious championship is widely expected to become the first Chairman of something.