Governments of the world’s leading economies have more than $7.6 trillion of debt maturing this year, with most facing a rise in borrowing costs. (h/t Dan)
Daniel Hannan
Had Greece kept the drachma, it would never have got into its present mess: the markets would have stepped in and imposed a corrective years ago. It was the ludicrous idea that Greek and German debt were interchangeable that fuelled the artificial boom, and so made inevitable the ensuing slump. Yet, even now, Lucas Papademos, the Eurocrat who heads the Brussels-imposed junta national government in Athens, tells his subjects: ‘We must continue our efforts with decisiveness, to stay in the euro, to make sure we do not waste the sacrifices and do not turn the crisis into an uncontrolled and disastrous bankruptcy.’ Disastrous bankruptcy, eh, Lucas? As opposed to what you have now, you mean?
Pharma Shrugs
The dirty little secret of government interference in health care – nobody needs to be a drug manufacturer.
As the drug shortages worsen, so does their impact on patient care, particularly in hospitals. The inability to get crucial medicines has disrupted chemotherapy, surgery and care for patients with infections and pain. At least 15 deaths since 2010 have been blamed on the shortages, which have set a record high in each of the last five years.
[…]
Most of the drugs in short supply are sterile injected drugs that are the workhorses of hospitals and are normally inexpensive because they’ve long been available as generics.
The FDA says the main reason for the shortages is manufacturing deficiencies leading to production shutdowns. Other reasons include companies ending production of some drugs with tiny profit margins, consolidation in the generic drug industry and limited supplies of some ingredients.
Related slow learners.
Please Give Generously
Tomorrow, we launch a new charity.
The Latest from Iowa
Here’s a summary of what happened in Iowa Tuesday night. The big question is, does this give Rick Santorum enough propulsion to dramatically change the Republican presidential candidate race?
Here’s the voting schedule. What are your predictions for New Hampshire on January 10th?
Featured Comment
h/t Black Mamba
Reader Tips
In tonight’s Tippity amusement, an otherwise harmless-looking Swede named Olle Hemmingson destroys the environment for future generations by playing a medley of songs featuring himself on fiddle and guitar, and 230 Viktor on percussion.
The comments are open, as always, for your Reader Tips.
Hashtag Of The Entitlement Generation
Despite the rhetoric employed, the current dominant idea in the United States seems to be not so much that the “rich” (and, in practice, the middle class) have to pay “their fair share” to those who are starving to death in rat-infested squatter camps (of whom there aren’t many), but that they must subsidize upper middle class people who are non-productive yet living very nice lives, often better lives than those who are hard-working and subsidizing them. Those to be subsidized include those who want to work in cushy, unproductive, useless but prestigious jobs but cannot find them, or those who want to work in cushy, unproductive, useless but prestigious jobs and do find them working directly or indirectly for the government, supposedly doing good things.
h/t Revnant Dream
Oh, Frack!
“… please feel free to add your own comments.”
A Council Of Canadians Petition is about to go horribly wrong….
UPDATE: What have they to fear but SDA itself? The page can no longer be edited! Here’s where you can ask Maude Barlow why she’s afraid to forward the opinions of real Canadians.
National office
700-170 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5V5 Canada
Tel: (613) 233-2773 or 1-800-387-7177
Fax: (613) 233-6776
General information: inquiries@canadians.org
Regional contacts here.
Those Moderate Muslims!
In Dushanbe, a young man, dressed as Santa Claus, was killed by a mob of young people, shouting accusations of “infidel,” as a senior source in the Tajik Interior Ministry disclosed.
“The young man had decided to congratulate his relatives dressed up in a Santa Claus outfit. When he approached the door of his house, he was attacked by a mob of about 30 young people, shouting, “Tu kofiri” (“Infidel”), who inflicted on Parviz numerous stab wounds from which he died in the hospital,” – said the source.
The authorities have admitted the fact that 24-year old Parviz Davlatbekov had been murdered, but deny that it was entirely motivated by religious hatred. “We acknowledge the fact of a murder having been committed, but we regard it as a domestic crime,” – Tajik Interior Ministry Chief of Staff, Gen. Tohir Normatov told journalists.
h/t Bemused
5 Of the Most Badass Soldiers Ever
Happened to be Dogs
h/t martywd
It’s Probably Nothing
Eurozone manufacturing activity falls again. (h/t Kevin)
Can a Ph.D. Course in Basket Weaving Be Far Off?
Just to illustrate how dreadful “higher” education in America has become, watch this:
Is anyone surprised that socialist/communist indoctrination of young minds has been well under way for some time?
The Decline And Fall Of The American Empire
Among Judicial Watch’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2011 – Attorney General Eric Holder.
Reader Tips
Via Kate, here’s some great footage of some dedicated and intensely eager dogs in action.
The comments are open, as always, for your Reader Tips.
We Don’t Need No Stinking Giant Fans
Via Rigzone;
…there are more trucks rolling through Williston, N.D., now than in downtown Chicago.
Skeptics Testify Before Canuck Senate Committee
The other 3 testimonies can be found at Cjunk. These take a lot of time to view, so choose your viewing time accordingly.
Ethical Oil
EthicalOil.org;
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What We Really Need Is Democracy
With a Jew hating, totalitarian party to vote for;
Mindful of its lopsided electoral triumph in Egypt, which has been so enthusiastically welcomed by the Obama administration and top Democratic emissary John Kerry, the Muslim Brotherhood has announced plans to submit the Camp David Accords — the treaty that has kept the peace between Egypt and Israel for over 30 years — to a popular vote.
Is There Nothing That Obama Can’t Do?
Heh.
