THE.CAT LOVES ANGELA MERKEL

Today and tomorrow Angela Merkel meets other European politicians. As we all know she is almost alone. Most of the eurozone and the whole world wants Germany to pay the bill and Angela Merkel does not want to.

I live in one of those states that wants Germany to pay the bill but as I know a bit this state and also Germany I agree with Angela Merkel not paying the bill!

There is much talk about solidarity but I find the Germany paying the bill is not solidarity but blackmailing the German tax payer.

If we in Spain or other countries were dying of hunger I would be the first to ask solidarity to my friends in Germany.

But how can we ask solidarity  to Germany when:

- Spain will give 300000 euros to each football player if Spain wins.

- Spain does not cut civil servants wages even if IMFand Europe ask for that for months and even Catalonia has done that!

- One of the banks needing bailout in Spain is offering to pay 1 euro for receipt while other banks do not offer that.

- Spain has a high speed system that is much longer that the German one! Why should Germany show solidarity to such a wealthy state? Because if it has spent so much in high speed must be a wealthy country. And if this is not the case then this means that this country wastes the money so whythe German tax payer should show solidarity?

It is obvious that some kind of solidarity must exist between different parts of a  continent, state, city, etc.

But I wonder why should Catalonia show a lot of solidarity to the rest of Spain or Germany to the rest of the eurozone while people around the world are dying of hunger and do not receive solidarity?

So today eurozone members will try to convince Germany to pay the bill. In other words that German tax payer is responsible too of the expenses that may come from the rest of the eurozone. WHY SHOULD GERMANY ACCEPT THAT?

BECAUSE OF SOLIDARITY?

I do not know but in my case, I prefer that Germany puts a lot of euros in helping the third word than my country!

The problem in Europe is that a lot of people have seen Europe as a way of living like the Germans but only for the good things. So, we are enchanted to behave like Germans and go on holidays, eat well, have good hospitals, etc but we are not able to behave like Germans to be able to generate revenue like them. So we want to live like Germans but as this is not possible we want Germans to pay the bill.

I understand perfectly well that Germany is fed up of paying and paying because the same is happening in Catalonia with respect to Spain.

Catalonia gives a lot of money to Spain and what we get from Spain is less that what we give. But now with the crisis, in Catalonia we even have to cut wages to our civil servants while Spain still has not done so!

What kind of Europe do we want? A Europe where the south is subsidised by the north? I DO NOT WANT THAT!

I prefer to live in a poorer country, with less wealth, but with the dignity that comes from knowing that I can look at the eyes of my German friends and say: I DON’T OWE YOU NOTHING!

So I support Angela Merkel because I want to walk on my own feet! Angela Merkel is making a favour to Europe by rejecting to pay the bill! Angela Merkel wants that each state in the eurozone is able to pay its own bill! And for that she is insulted and portryed as the evil.

If Spain has problems in selling its debts what must do is to cut and to cut expenses so that it can live on its own. In this way it will have credibility. Unfortunately the solution that Spanish politicians have found for Spain to run is to ROB the Catalan and German tax payer. And they call that SOLIDARITY …

 

 

 

EUROZONE WINS EURO 2012

The euro is a disaster, the eurozone is a disaster, they say,  but, what a strange thing …, the best four teams that will play the semifinals and the final all, I repeat all, all share the same currency, THE EURO. So one could say that the eurozone has won the EURO 2012. If Germany wins a eurozone member will have won the Euro 2012. If Itally wins a eurozone member will have won the Euro 2012. If Portugal wins a eurozone member will have won the Euro 2012. If Spain wins a eurozone member will have won the Euro 2012.

So, when some media attack always the eurozone I am extremely happy that in football, at least, the eurozone can be very proud of its success.

 

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SPAIN COULD BECOME LITTLE EUROPE

IBERIA

Imagine people from around Europe coming to Spain with its own factories, school teachers, etc.

Spain now has a lot of very cheap flats and houses. I think about 800000 houses or flats.

So, people from around Europe could live in Spain and feeling like at home. You only need to create the conditions to create communities.

So imagine people coming form Germany. They would come with their own jobs from Germany. And even from their own teachers. By doing that they would create a kind of German community. The same could be done with people from France, Italy, UK, etc.

As Spain is full of jobless people these people would come with their own jobs. Instead of working in cloudy and cold Europe they would be working in the sunny side of Europe. I am thinking about communities of about 100 people each, for example.

So, Spain could become quite an interesting place, not just for its current weather, beaches and art, but because it could become a Little Europe! A kind of Little Eurozone.

This would help selling the houses in Spain, people from Germany, etc would be able to live in Spain having their own cheap house and at the same time feeling like at home because they would come to a German community in Spain. And once in Spain, the German who wants to be with Germans all the time would be with Germans but the one who would like to know other people maybe would find a flat in a city with other people from Spain or other new communities!

If Europe is going to bailout Spain then maybe it would be a good idea that Europe feels that is helping not just Spanish people but any European living in Spain. This would help to make transfers of money between European countries more acceptable!

The German paying taxes to a bailout of Spain would be also bailing out a country with German communities!

The Mediterranean coast could be full of French, Italian, German, British etc citizens living here! The houses are so cheap! I am sure that some jobs that are made in Germany, etc, could be transferred to Spain.

THE EUROZONE IS CURRENTLY THE MOST INTERESTING EXPERIMENT ON PLANET EARTH

When you mention the euro some people may just think about crisis and headaches. Well, it is true that the euro crisis can bring one to the brink of madness but at the same time it is of an enormous and compelling interest.

Some people outside the eurozone, mostly the British, seemed now to be very happy to have opted out to be out of the euro but I can assure that being inside the euro sometimes is like being inside a euro orgasm.

Look around the world. Look around the planet. Tell me any part of the world where you can find 17 countries (with more than 17 languages!) that share the same currency. Can you tell me even 10 countries who share the same currency?

The answer is clear. The only place of the world with 17 different countries who speak more 17 different languages (for example the Catalan) is the eurozone.

Why countries in South America do not share a common currency? Why countries in Africa do not share a common currency? Why countries in Asia do not share the same currency? Do you know why?

The answer is very easy: Because we in Europe were the most stupid people in the world in th e1940`s so that we have a terrible war where nazi Germany was the main atrocity character. So, Europe suffered so much that at last the Europeans realised that instead of palying killing each other as they had done during centuries they would choose a more peaceful game. So back in 1957 they decided to play to buy and to sell, to buy and to sell. So in 2001 they finally completed the game by using  a new common currency called the euro.

So, now, this game is now in trouble because people from outside want the game to end so they have began attacking the weaker players.

But the game is so successful that even the players with the worse seat, the Greek ones, chose to remain in the seat.

So, currently the eurozone is the only place in the world where 17 countries are sharing the same currency.

When some people say that the euro is a collapse I just answer: well, it is true that the euro is now in a difficult situation but at least IT IS. The Asio, the Africo or the Americo is obvious that are not in the sam etrouble of the euro because they have not even be born.

So, I accept that th eeuro is in trouble. But it is the only flower of that kind. it is a unique flower.

What it may seem a failure from outside in fact it is such a big success. Take, for example, the friction between Greece and Germany! Some may see this friction as a failure of the single currency when in fact it is just the opposite. Thanks to one of the greatest inventions of Europe, the euro, there is a steady contrast of visions between north and south of Europe. Thanks to the euro the value of austerity has reached the south while the value of solidarity can be listened to in the north. Without the euro we won’t be having this dialog. Thanks to the euro each citizen of the eurozone can see himself or herself through the eyes of other Europeans. Because in the eurozone we are looking each day at each other.

We have had two very terrible years of eurocrisis. I am very tired of this, is true. But it is true that thanks to the eurocrisis I feel Germany and France and Italy and Greece are not just countries to go on holidays but just our neighbours! Thanks to the eurocrisis we get up and we go to sleep with Franóis Hollande and Angela Merkel.

And we speak between each other! Now, when the Greek voted the rest of Europe talked to the Greek people. We know perfectly well how the Parliament of Greece looks like!

And all this is done in peace! We are not having any war in Europe. We are just a bunch of maybe a bit eccentric democracies.

In summary, I feel quite happy to be part of the eurozone. It reminds me very much a play  inside of an old European Opera House …

I am even very happy to have the British nearby … I love to listen to their criticism of the euro. It is nice to have somebody always talking about you even if it is to criticise you. It makes you feel very important.  Besides, I am in love with the language of the barn. That’s the reason why I always write in British English.

THE EURO WILL ONLY SURVIVE WHEN PEOPLE ARE READY TO DIE FOR ITS SURVIVAL

The title of this post is not exactly what I want to mean but it can let you see what I mean. What I mean is that the euro can only survive if the citizens of the euro see it as the symbol of something that means a lot to them.

Some decades ago people died in Europe in the name of freedom

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THE EUROZONE HAS A RESPONSABILITY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD

Countries using the Euro de jure Countries and territories using the Euro de facto Countries in the EU not using the Euro (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a citizen of the eurozone I am very worried about the future of the euro. So I try to say that a vote for Syriza could mean the end not just of th euro but of the ideals behind the European Union. I also try to say that the president of Spain should try to bring credibility to Spain by just cutting wages to civil servants and by increasing VAT. As Europe and the IMF tell Spain. It is obvious it is not something to welcome much but if Spain does not do that then we are against the futue of the country and of Europe!

I feel obviously powerless as I cannot do anything but to writy these posts. But if I feel powerless being inside the eurozone how should the people outside the eurozne feel?

I imagine that people outside of th eurozone must be very angry with the eurozone.

People from countries without the level of wealth that some enjoy in Europe must see the eurozone as a bunch of wealthy stupid people who cannot agree between them!

It is a shame. If I was not European or a citizen of th eeurozone I would be writing awful words about some European politicians.

For one moment I tried to imagine myself living outside the eurozone and in fact outside Europe. In order not to go very far let me imagine that I just go to the beautiful country of Morocco. Let’s imagine I am living in, for example, Marrakesh. Well! I see it has something positive the eurocrisis!

If I was in Marrakesh I would think: “Well, you see, Europe is not such a wonderful place as some believe. They seem crazy people. They have a lot of wealth but they are to eager to share it so that they prefer to break their currency that to balance their wealth.”

So imagining myselg outside the eurozne I have realised that the eurocrisis can be good for people outside as it is a way to realise that each country must try to improve on its own and that Europe is not such a wonderful place as some believed.

It is incredible! I have been so worried about the euro and Spain and the eurozone that I have not realised that each day to be a European sounds worse if you leave Europe! At least a European from the eurozone!

As I am so fed up with European politicians not solving th eeurocrisis sometimes I feel that if I was not from the eurozne I would even celebrate the collapse of the euro! But as I am inside th euero and its collapse brings chaos worldwide I don’t want its collapse.

Who knows, maybe the US, Russia, China and the UK should give an ultimatum to the eurozone! Or you solve the eurocrisis once for all or we boycott eurozone products.

I think it is time that the rest of the world intervenes the eurozone! All the eurozone! The rest of countries should not allow that the eurozne puts in danger the global economy.

Until recently I just thought it was a problem of peripheral countries but now I think that Germany is also to blame! We all went t the same restaurant and we all sat on the same table. We cannot be for ages quarrelling who pays what! We should pay and that’s all!

This situation of today with Greece shows that we have done something in a wrong way! We cannot share a currency if one part can decide not to pay back and then we have a drama! This is not serious!

 

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THE WORLD BANK SYSTEM COULD FALL IN A FEW DAYS

[Just a little private notice for Angela: this is currently my most visited post. Considering that, are you still sure that eurobonds are not good for Germany?]

Imagine that all of a sudden people in Spain go to Bankia …

Imagine that there is the news that people are putting their money out of Bankia. If this happens then quite soon this happens in other Spanish banks … Then this happens also outside Spain … Once this happens in all the eurozone banks then it happens almost at the same time in the UK. This follows suit in the US and all the countries of the world, rich or poor, from New Zealand to Iran.

I am afraid this may happen. With Internet this may happen. It already happen in 1929 without Internet or Twitter or Facebook.

I do not see reasons why it could not happen again.

The only advantage we have now it is that we knew what happened but now we also have Internet so that whatever it can happen it can happen just in a three days, no more!

If this is not happening is because people behind some important jobs know what happened in 1929 and they are trying to avoid it.

One of the ways to avoid it is by the media. If you read the media it seems as if the situation was not so bad as it is. But it is obvious that if people wanted the money back from BANKIA I wonder what may happened. Would Bankia be able to give back money in a way that no bells began to ring?

“Today” the G7 has had an emergency meeting through a video conference. I am afraid that we are heading for disaster.  A whole country has their bank system like in a limbo.

If all the people in the streets of Spain were aware of what is really happening I wonder what they would do. But what is really happening in fact? It is as if we have now two worlds. A world of what is happening that is obscure and another of what the media tell us.

I hope to be wrong but as this crisis does not end soon I have the feeling this is going to end as a disaster. If we do not end with empty pockets I am afraid that we are going to end nuts.

The only thing that makes me be quiet is that I always have on my minds those thousands of little fish on the ocean that all swim together so that it seems to its predators that they are just a very big fish. If the 17 fish of the eurozone worked all together to just look as one big fish I am sure than not only the sharks would not attack them. They would even have fear of it. Unfortunately the 17 fish are yet too stupid to swim as one. So the wise sharks  are having their free meal.

A Grey Nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) silhouetted against the mouth of Fish Rock Cave, South West Rocks, NSW, Australia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GERMANY SHOULD ASK FOR THE MUSEO DEL PRADO AS A WARRANTY FROM SPAIN

English: Various Euro bills. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In this blog I have criticises a lot that Germany does not accept eurobonds. In this post I will try to put myself in German shoes and who knows what my conclusions may be!

Well, if I was German I would remember that during years and years money from Germany has been used to help other countries with funds. If I was from Germany I would think that now it is again the same: the rest of Europe wants Germany to pay again and again. If we accept Eurobonds it means that Germany pays more rates than now so that other pay less.

If I was German I would realise that eurobonds are obviously a way for Germany to pay more. On the other hand I would realise too that the currency of Germany, the euro, is at risk because of other countries who acted as the new rich! So, if I was German I would feel like blackmailed from some countries of Europe: They spent too much and now they want GERMANY TO PAY AGAIN THEIR FIESTA!

So, if I was from Germany I would be quite unhappy with Greece and Spain: so much years pouring money and to no avail! On the other hand I would also be a bit critical of myself because been so good for my things I was not able to forsee all this chaos coming.

So, as pouring money to Europe has been a waste of money I would be weary of putting more money. But at the same time I would know that Europe needs a solution in order to save the euro that I shared with these countries where the fiesta and la siesta has lasted for too long.

So I would ask for control of its economies from Brussels understanding that at the same time, being Germany so powerful, Brussels would do what Germany says. That is th eleast to ask I I have to put the money I would think!

Then, if I have to help Spain what could I ask? Well, I know they have a marvelous museum called EL MUSEO DEL PRADO with wonderful paintings. I also know that SPAIN is one of the countries with more kilometers for high speed trains. Well, I would ask Spain to lend me the museum and the train services if they cannot return back the money that Europe should put to help Spanish banks.

——

As I was writing that imagining I was writing from a german view I have realised that a lot of people in Spain would be very angry to give up El Prado just to save private banks! So, my idea of the MUSEO DEL PRADO I think is not good! But the high speed train may be not such a controversial idea maybe.

ANYWAY, what I want to say is that GERMANY MUST NOT GIVE A GERMAN CENT TO THE REST OF THE EUROZONE IF THE REST DOES NOT ACT  WITH GERMAN CARE ABOUT EXPENSES.

Germans do not be fooled! It is not just a question between Germany and the rest of the world that opposes German views! I think that the Germans are QUITE RIGHT in general. IT IS VERY COMMON SENSE NOT TO WANT EUROBONDS IF IT IS JUST TO HELP COUNTRIES WHOSE ECONOMIES ARE NOT RULED IN A WAY THAT GERMANY CAN BE SURE IS RIGHT?

Germany has been pouring money to the rest of Europe and now we know that some countries have just acted like a fool. So I am with Germany in asking the rest of Europe strick control of the economies.

But at the same time, GERMANY must realise that if the eurozone want s to left behind the EUROCRISIS, it must leave the eurocrisis ALL TOGETHER: AND THAT MEANS A LITTLE POORER ALL TOGETHER!

The fact that Germany is almost alone and that there is a majorityoutside who wants Germany changing its mind does not mean that Germany is wrong!

I congratulate Germany because it is an example to Europe. If other countries want eurobonds they should do the homework first! THE.CAT only would say that Germany must realise that although it is right in the general idea, the implementation should have some FLEXIBILITY! A kind of eurobonds are needed right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY NOT HAVE NOW SOME LIMITED EUROBONDS SO THAT THE MARKETS CAN CALM DOWN, GERMANY DOES NOT PAY ALL THE BILL, AND THE REST OF EUROPE REALISES THAT IF THE HOMOWORK IS NOT DONE THERE WON’T BE MORE EUROBONDS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE?

Germany is right in asking austerity and not wanting eurobonds until there is fiscal union but it must realise that if something is not done NOW hte patient WILL DIE.

It is as if we have a very very fat patient. Then a German doctor tells him that the solution is not to eat too much and that he won’t be allowed to eat as usual until he loses weight. The German doctor is right that the pacient should eat less but if you don’t give something to eat the patient will die!

so to end, let’s forget the museum but let’s hope Germany finds warraties from the rest of Europe so that eurobonds could run for a limited time in the financial markets and in this way peripheral countries could not put in danger the eurozone.

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“ARE GERMAN BONDS SAFE?”

One of the reasons why I recommend anyone having a blog is that it gives you a hint of the worries of other people. Some people may see a blog just as a place to put posts and comments but there is one part that sometimes it is even more interesting.

If you go to the statistic part of your blog in wordpress.com you can see the searches that bring visitors to your website. These searches are related to your content but the exact search is made by somebody else. So, for some months I have been receiving searches like “WHEN WILL THE EURO COLLAPSE”, “WHAT HAPPENS IF THE EURO COLLAPSES?” and so. These searches do not mean that I am saying the same that the search says but that I write about the same although maybe to say the opposite.

So today, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I have received a search that says “ARE GERMAN BONDS SAFE?”.

This search speaks volumes about where Germany is heading if Angela Merkel does not accept eurobonds. The collapse of Greece, Spain, etc is just the prelude of the whole Europe. And the fall of Germany will be the worst because in Greece and Spain we came from a past that we were rich. Germany is still rich.

Anyway, I leave this for Angela Merkel: I am receiving searches saying “ARE GERMAN BONDS SAFE?”

I understand perfectly well the search. How can you trust Germany when you see that Germany does not defend its currency? People are feeling safe under the German roof because it is one of the few in the European house that still has not fall down. But the whole house is on fire. And Germany, as if blind, when sees that so many people go under its roof feels very comfortable because it makes them feel better than the other countries without roof. But it does not realise that once the fire has burnt the other roofs then the German roof will be the next. Angela Merkel seems to me a nice person and I like her but I am afraid she is bringing Germany to disaster. She does not realise that by not paying for a common roof (eurobonds) the German roof will fall too.

If I had to buy bonds I would no buy German bonds in any case. Who wants to have bonds in euros anyway? (anyone reading this outside the eurozone must be laughing. A blog from a part of the eurozone saying that German bonds should not be trusted. And this person will be right. This is crazy. But what do you want? If the main country behind the euro does not want eurobonds why should I feel part of the same ship as Germany? I only know that if Spain has to leave the euro I would put all my savings, if any, in pounds or dollars.

I am fed up with the way that Germany is acting in the eurocrisis. The whole world is laughing at us. And Germany is acting in such a destructive way. HOW CAN THE WORLD TRUST THE EUROZONE WHEN GERMANY IS AGAINST EUROBONDS. With Angela Merkel as chancellor of Germany it is obvious that the euro will collapse.  Congratulations to the UK. You have been the only wise people.

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GREECE NEEDS EUROPEAN INVESTMENT

Ok, let’s agree in some way that Greece keeps its promises to the EU and IMF. This is hard to the Greek people but it may keep them inside th eeuro.

But can Europe only asked enormous austerity to the Greek people and not give them any hope?

The fact that we are not sending the Greek population to the gas chambers does not mean that we are acting in the right way?

The eurozone accepted Greece inside so if Greece has cheated the rest maybe some of the blame should be shared. But we cannot do is to leave Greece during decades to be a place in Europe where people have not hope.

It is urgent that a HUGE INVESTMENT IS MADE IN GREECE!

I think there are two options: let Greece to its own devices or to make GREECE the mirror of the Europe we want.

Imagine that thanks to Europe Greece became again one of the greatest nations of Europe. Not just for its history or beauty but because it becomes a nice place to live.

I think that Germany and other countries should not treat Greece as a disgrace. The Greek crisis could be an opportunity to create in Greece a lighthouse to the world.

It would be wonderful if thanks to Europe we could create a king of renaissance in Greece.

Greece, for its historical significance, is situation and its beauty should be considered a special place so that huge investment should be made there.

Europe must make of Greece the mirror of its deisres.

Europe should avoid at all costs Greece leaving th euro. In fact Europe should do whatever to improve the image of the euro.

Germany made two big mistakes in the last century. I hope that this century Germany acts more wisely.

Germany has paid no interest whatsover for its last bonds while Spain has paid 6 per cent. This is not logical. This is not fair. Which is the use of having a common currency if we do not have a common project?

 

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