Friday 29 April 2016

CGT: LES PERMANENTS DE LA GREVE

Selon la presse un accord est intervenu entre les intermittents du spectacle et les employeurs.
 
Marin 


Syndicats et employeurs du secteur du spectacle sont parvenus à un projet visant à réformer le régime spécifique d'assurance chômage des intermittents du spectacle.

Une négociation qui a inspiré notre caricaturiste "Marin"


 

FRANCE:DEUX BONNES NOUVELLES


Deux bonnes nouvelles à la une cette semaine:
le chômage a régressé et la croissance revient.

Pour que le bonheur des français soit  ( presque ) complet, on attend une troisième bonne nouvelle: l'annonce de la candidature de François Hollande à sa propre succession en 2017. Ainsi, il n'y aurait pas de primaires chez les socialistes et ce serait l'assurance que le candidat socialiste soit exclu du second tour des élections présidentielles...

DML

Wednesday 27 April 2016

DOES HILLARY CLINTON TERRIFY DONALD TRUMP ?


Donald Trump says that Hillary Clinton would only get 5% of the votes if she was a man !  Is this not a reaction from a bygone era ? 

If Hillary does become the first woman President of the USA, would she become the disaster that Trump seems to fear ?   Did she not get some close-up experience for the job when her husband was President !      

There have been many Women who have become successful Leaders in this world !   And there are many Men who have totally failed as Leaders !

If Trump is to be the Party Candidate, should  he not quickly explain to ALL Women why they should vote for him ?

                                                                    .

Friday 22 April 2016

L'AFFICHE DE LA CGT FAIT POLEMIQUE


L’affiche de la CGT est condamnée par toute la classe politique.
 
Marin


 

WHO WANTS A HINKLEY POINT CRISIS ?


Discussions are on-going and no contract has been signed between France and Britain for the replacement of two reactors which are to be retired at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

On the French side there are panic stations at the consequences which could arise if EDF and AREVA fail to deliver on time !   Their history on previous contracts is no comfort.  They have not delivered on time and costs have been vastly over budget. 

Both companies must be restructured financially.  Until yesterday President Hollande was hesitant but now has promised that France will subscribe its share of 85% of a 4 billion Euro increase in the Capital of EDF to be proposed at the General Meeting on May 12, 2016. This  permits EDF to continue trading on a sounder financial basis.

There are however, more problems which means that a final decision on the Hinkley Point contract cannot be taken for several months !   Trade Unions, for example, have raised questions which need to be answered.  There are certainly also technical problems.

One must also add that the Presidential Election must take place in May 2017 and if François Hollande decides to stand for a second 5 year mandate, according to the Opinion Polls, he would probably not be re-elected !

Should France undertake the Hinkley Point contract ?  Macron, the Minister of the Economy clearly wants  France to do this.  Other Ministers and Experts are more hesitant !  While France dithers, costs rise !

The British Government patiently waits, but for how long ?  It should perhaps insist that France should  provide cheap electricity if the agreed delivery date is not respected.  The longer Britain is obliged to wait, the bigger her crisis could ultimately become !

                                                                       . 















 

Thursday 21 April 2016

TO SAVE THE EU, A REAL LEADER IS REQUIRED !


Hesitant Leaders and MEPs, who have already prevented all attempts to change outdated dogma in the EU, have failed and are now obstacles to needed reforms and decisions ! 

Articles in the National Press of almost every EU Country, lament the lack of EU unity, even when urgent Policy Decisions are required to defend the EU and its citizens, in the "War" against Islamic Terrorists ! 

Politicians find the time to protect mice from suffering in laboratory research but only "regret" the death of civilians after Terrorist attacks !  This is just one "ridiculous" example !

What is required is a persuasive Leader, with common sense solutions, to solve major modern problems.  If this means that "Principles" or Treaties must be revised or "temporarily abandoned", this should be quickly accepted officially, to ensure that practical solutions can be adopted rapidly ! 

The EU is at present throttled by the Leaders and MEPs who refuse any change !  Yet every country wants to profit from being in the EU and from the protection which the EU should be able to provide.  

However, every EU member country ALSO wants to ensure that its National Parliament retains the right to solve local problems !   Is that not a real separate problem which MUST also be addressed ?

                                                 .  

" NUIT DEBOUT "

 
En mai 68, des dizaines de slogans ont orné les murs de Paris.
Sur le mur de la Sorbonne on pouvait lire :« prenez vos désirs pour des réalités ». Certains y ont cru pour leur malheur.  Certains y croient encore !
    
       Marin
 
 

Wednesday 20 April 2016

ARE EU COUNCIL LEADERS AT WAR AGAINST ISIS ?


Whether all the Leaders in the EU Council are at war against ISIS (the Islamic State) in the Middle East and against IS Terrorists in all the 28 Countries of the EU, is not at all clear ! 

The UK and France are actively fighting the IS in the Middle East.  Some EU countries like Germany are accepting Refugees from Syria !  

Chancellor Merkel of Germany, with the subventions from the EU, wants Turkey to provide temporary shelter to fleeing Syrian refugees.  How serious is this solution and how much could it ultimtely cost ? 

What has been decided, on an EU wide basis, for any country, to punish Extreme Muslim Terrorists who are arrested after having planned or committed atrocities  and survived ?  Anything ? 

At present guilty terrorists are not "executed" even when their atrocities are aimed at peaceful civilians, who then lose their Human Right to live !   This is because the Death Penalty has been abolished in the EU.  

ISIS destroys everything in its path just to conquer ! It destroys Buildings and it kills Civilians just to occupy new territories ! 

Guilty Terrorists are then housed in normal prisons and indoctrinate gullible civilian prisoners around them to cause more mayhem !  Is this acceptable ?

When there is a War, Leaders are expected to protect their civilian population and legislate accordingly !  Should Terrorists not be housed in solitary confinement ?   Should the EU Council not order the construction of purpose built prisons to house only such terrorists caught in the EU ? 

Should the EU Council of Leaders not put these problems on their Agenda for the next Meeting and issue a Policy Statement afterwards ?
                                         
                                                              .         

Tuesday 19 April 2016

UK : AT LAST, CELEBRITY PRIVACY INJUNCTIONS TO BE ENDED !


Judges in the UK have announced that "Injunctions for Celebrity Privacy" were available but are now to be ended.  Is this not an admission that there was one law for "Celebs" and another law for others ?  That is  scandalous !

It also begs the question as to who had these powers to order "impartial Judges" to issue injunctions ?  One can imagine that the political classes had powers, but that there were also other people as well !

Imposing injunctions to cover-up "errors of judgement by Celebrities" is tantamount to "assisting or permitting further abuse  afterwards" !  Is this not a guarantee of impunity ?     

In future, if such injunctions are scrapped, some husbands or wives and their families will be shocked !

However, to merit and maintain public "admiration"  should one not be obliged to have private standards of conduct that are always exemplary ?   The time has perhaps now come ! 

                                             .      

Friday 15 April 2016

FRANCE ; HOLLANDE GRILLED ON TV LAST NIGHT


Last night, President Hollande was questioned by a cross section of young people on TV for two hours, on the problems he has faced during his first four years as President and on the solutions he and his socialist government had proposed and introduced.

This TV programme obviously came in the context of the next Presidential Elections in May 2017 and electors in the studio and at home were eager for the chance to judge him.

His performance was mundane, but he seemed satisfied with all the measures he took during these last four years.  It was no surprise when afterwards the Journalists present in the studio, were really scathing with their comments !

There is one thing which typifies Hollande and the impression he made.  He wants to help the less fortunate and the unemployed, the young and the unqualified workers, to get work, which is genuine and very admirable.  But, he has also proposed laws which make it hard and costly to dismiss anyone or to offer short term jobs. 

This, in fact, stifles Employers !  Some young Entrepreneurs clearly told him this to his face last night, because they feel they do not have the flexibility in France to decide how to grow their businesses.   

Was Hollande essentially trying to seduce the left wing Electors which he will need if he decides to stand for a second term next year ?   

                                                        .

Wednesday 13 April 2016

FRANCE : TURMOIL BEFORE 2017 PRESIDENTIALS !


Despite all the anger and nervousness of all the potential Candidates for the next Presidential Election in 2017, President Hollande appears very calm and confident about his chances !  

He probably assumes that he could stand as THE sole Socialist Candidate because the Economic and Financial and Social conditions in France will swing in his favour, before the end of 2016 !  This remains to be seen !

At present nothing can be taken for granted !  The Socialists are already planning their Primary Election to adopt their Official Presidential Candidate !  In Opinion Polls, the popularity of Hollande has sunk to between 15 and 20%, which are all-time lows !   But who in the Government will dare to be a candidate ?   There are several Ministers who "might dare", but not yet ! 

The support he and Socialists have lost has gone to the Right, partly to the Republicans, but mainly to the Extreme Right "National Front", for whom Marine Le Pen is expected to be one of the two candidates in the 2nd Decisive Round to elect the President !  She is expected to poll more than 30% of the Votes in the 1st Round !

Hollande has had a disasterous first term as President and no one believes that he could ever win a second term.  What trick could he still pull out of the Hat ? 

                                                                     .

    

Tuesday 12 April 2016

EU = UNEMPLOYMENT + SOCIAL UNREST + TERRORISM ! WHY ?


Every country in the EU now has its share of the same general turmoil which sporadically erupts everywhere !  What has gone wrong ? 

After the 2nd World War, Europe swore that there should never be another such War !  In 1956 the first principles of what is now the "EU" were announced !  Armies were disbanded, Military Service was reduced or abolished, when Europe  started reparing the destruction caused by the War !  There were then no unemployment  problems !

The EU of today is starkly different.  There is massive Unemployment, Drug Abuse, Social Unrest and a War in the Middle East with cells of militant Extreme Muslim Terrorists in all countries of the EU !

The EU is not "united enough" to be able to  impose practical solutions to defend its total civilian population of 500 000 000 people !  Its Leaders in the EU Council are split !  As a result, each country is now seeking the best solution it has, to safeguard only its own Citizens !  That is clearly not "Unity" but a lack of "EU Leadership" !

The problem is where and how to start rebuilding EU Leadership confidence, with a step by step approach !

Curiously, could the first step not be the re-introduction of Military Service in the EU ? 

In the EU unemployment generates footloose  young hooligans who cannot find work and who then become repetitive criminals !   Courts of Law cannot punish them because jails are already overcrowded.  Could "corrective training" in Military Camps not become a new option of  punishment for Judges !

Military Service could also lead to the formation of an EU army, or a supplementary source to help Police Forces calm disturbances ! 

If young people, who are not qualified to follow higher education but are instead supervised and properly trained, would they afterwards still fall into the hands of Drug Dealers ?  This seems less likely ! 

EU and National politicians must be more positive to attack and solve these Social Crises !  Doing nothing will change nothing !

                                                                .     
      

Monday 11 April 2016

FRANCE : MACRON CREATES A NEW POLITICAL MOVEMENT ! WHY ?


Emmanuel Macron, now aged 38, was appointed Minister of the Economy in the second Valls Government in August 2014, replacing Arnaud de Montebourg, a left wing Socialist. 

Macron  surprised everyone in France with his announcement that he was creating a new Political Movement - "En Marche" which he described as being "neither on the left, nor on the right" !  For the E M Party, Emmanuel Macron seeks members to sound out Public Opinion so that the objectives of the Party are based on new ideas (New Ideas are exactly what France needs at present !).

Macron quite clearly said that "at present" his intention is not to be a Candidate in the 2017 Presidential Elections !  He also said that President Hollande was aware of what he wanted to do.
                                      *     *     *

Political and Industrial Leaders in France were not expecting such an announcement fom Macron ! He is not the member of a Political Party and he has never been elected !  And he is "young" !   However, many fear he could be a valid Presidential Candidate, sooner or later !

Speculation is rife, but by occupying naturally the centre ground of the Political Arena, he is perfectly placed to harvest the dissatisfied voters which at present are fleeing from the Socialists and from the Republicans to the National Front ! 

                                           .              
 
         

U E : 28 PAYS TRES UNIS !





LUTTER CONTRE LE RACISME ANTI FRANCAIS


Les courtes vidéos diffusées actuellement sur France Télévision pour lutter contre le racisme, l'antisémitisme et les actes antimusulmans, mettent en scène des agressions :

  -   un jeune noir roué de coups,
  -   un tag antisémite sur la porte d'une synagogue,
  -   une tête de porc sur la grille d'une mosquée ...

A quand un spot publicitaire pour dénoncer également le racisme anti-français et les préjugés anti-blanc ?

DML

                                                            .

Sunday 10 April 2016

PANAMA LEAKS : WHAT COULD HAPPEN ?


There have been "leaks" before but not really on the same scale as that in Panama last week !  They also caused embarrassement but finally there were few prosecutions.

This time the Panama "leaks" however were quick and  caught some leading politicians off guard.  Others could  also soon be squirming.  Infighting in political circles on isues like this one is, a well known sport and sometimes can be very profitable !

Some investors, who have hidden wealth to avoid paying taxes, may well want to transfer their treasures to new safer havens or simply withdraw the balance of their  accounts.  Could this not provoke problems for small banks ?  All are not normally sufficiently "liquid" to do this !  Such banks need time and impose extra charges for unplanned repayment requests ? 

If there are too many such requests, this could provoke a banking crisis, which is the last thing investors would want !

Just a few such requests would not make a ripple in the Banking system, but a small stampede could provoke a crisis !

The potential is there for a lot of humiliation, but for the glee of taxpayers !

                                                      .

   

    

       

 

Friday 8 April 2016

PANAMA PAPERS LEAK CAUSES WORLD CRISIS


The enormous volume of leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca Law Firm in Panama, will be scrutinised by Tax Inspectors from all over the World to verify any evasion of undeclared income and wealth to avoid the payment of tax ! 

From the information available it appears,

   -  there are 11 500 000 Documents,
   -  for the period stretching from 1977 to 2015,
   -  concerning 214 000 Companies and 14 000 clients,
   -  in 200 countries and territories !

It will be interesting to learn the original sources of these riches and the reasons why this wealth was hidden !  That some fortunes have a criminal past, is a certainty !   "Money laundering"  by Drug Dealers is well known ! 

Avoiding Tax illegally, is always a temptation !  Riches acquired abroad from an inheritance, or from payments for after-dinner speeches, are simple examples.  Accepting Bribes and hiding them, is criminal and is already the subject of on-going prosecutions !    

The usual defence for such sudden fortunes is that they came from gambling in casinos, or from winning in a Lottery !   Whether this is true must also be justified !

There is already news that leading politicians, not only in Europe and the West, are being attacked for undeclared wealth or income !   The initial reaction is to deny any wrongdoing but later the truth surfaces and forces them to admit their guilt. 

The Icelandic Prime Minister, Sigmunder David Gunnlaugson has resigned after his explanations were proved to be misleading. 

 David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the UK has, after being asked five times, finally admitted that his earlier explanations were untruthful !  The Opposition is beying for his blood !  

All this is also the proof and the guarantee that the Panama Leaks will have repercussions World -Wide for a long time to come ! 

                                                      .  



   

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE : GOUVERNER C'EST PREVOIR !

Savoir anticiper, c’est la clé de la réussite.
 
MARIN


 

Wednesday 6 April 2016

IAAF AND FIFA MUST WORK FOR THE FUTURE !


The Athletic and Football Federations (IAAF and FIFA), which both have World-wide responsibilities, are each facing the same problems after serious acts of fraud by trusted Executives in their Organisations were revealed.  It is also quite clear that guilty Executives must be prosecuted, because only this will serve as a deterrant in the future !

This implies that both Organisations must continue to work for the future, as well as helping Prosecutors in their duties. 

In the case of the IAAF this particularly means that it must ensure that foolproof anti-drug tests are introduced at the RIO Olympics in August this year !   Only on this condition could  undisputed new World and National Records be re-established !

Old Records are doubtful and it would be impossible now to verify every one of them for drug abuse ! 

In the case of FIFA, more prosecution problems could yet arise in connection with the attribution of the coming World Cups !   To put it simply if necessary, there are several countries which could stage the Finals of the next World Cups, at short notice and without even blinking ! 

FIFA however, must continue to plan for the future, even modify the Rules of the Game, if this is judged to be necessary !  Only cleaning up the dirty past will not ensure clean and brilliant future !

                                              .

FIFA : IS NEW PRESIDENT INFANTINO "CLEAN ?"


Elected as the new President of FIFA on February 26, 2016, the reputation of Gianni Infantino has been questioned after his name was found during the ongoing scrutiny of the "leaked" Panama Papers.  He denies any wrongdoing !

As in the case of thousands of other people who have been identified, it will take a long time before reputations can and be  restored. 

In the murkey history of FIFA, Sepp Blatter and his predecessor, Joao Havelange, first elected in 1974, have both been accused of lax administration to say the very least !

To ensure that FIFA finally becomes "clean", should it not adopt an independent "Management Committee" of professionals, previously totally unconnected with FIFA, to supervise the reorganisation of the Head Office ?

If old "cronies" in FIFA are allowed to interfere, the seeds of the rot in FIFA will never disappear !  

                                                                   .      

       





  

Tuesday 5 April 2016

PARIS MARATHON : WERE WINNERS DRUG TESTED ?


There were 43 317 starters in the 40th Paris Marathon on  Sunday April 3, 2016 and 41 708 crossed the finishing line !  The Winners completed the race in very competitive times.

The winner of the Men's race was Cybrian Kotut of Kenya in 2h7m11s !   All the 12 fastest men completed the course in less than 2 hours and 15 Minutes !   10 of these men were Kenyans and two were Ethiopians.

In the Women's race, the winner was Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya in a time of 2h25m53s !  The first 5 women completed the course in less than 2hours 32 minutes and 7 seconds !  Two of these five women were from Kenya and three were Ethiopians.

These statistics come from the "L'EQUIPE" newspaper which organised the Race.

The fast times recorded by the leading finishers in this race, begs the obvious question whether, directly or indirectly, the IAAF (1) or WADA (2), performed any "surprise" Drug Control Tests on the first 10 Men and Women to pass the winning post ?

This could have been the perfect occasion for these two organisations, to announce to the World and prove to all sportsmen and women, that a new era has started in Sport .... and that Drug Cheats would no longer be "Winners" nor tolerated ! 

                                                                                .

1)  IAAF = International Association of Athletics Federations. 

2)  WADA = World Anti Drug Agency.



  

         

 

" PANAMA PAPERS "


« Panama Papers » C’est le plus grand scandale d’évasion fiscale jamais révélé.
 
Votre nom ne figure pas dans ces milliers de listes…alors  bonne journée.
 
MARIN
 
 
 

Monday 4 April 2016

RIO OLYMPICS : WILL THERE BE ANY DRUG TESTING ?


Neither Lord Coe nor the IAAF of which he is the President,  have published plans for the detection of Drug Cheats among competitors at the next Olympic Games, which start in RIO in August 2016. 

However, the news which has filtered into the public domain reveals that the IAAF executives in recent years have been as corrupt as those in the FIFA organisation !  This is not a compliment !

Backed by the WADA Report, Russia and other countries have been temporarily suspended from IAAF membership.   Some previously admired "star" athletes have been stripped of Medals and some of their Record Performances have been cancelled.  

If these preoccupations are the reason why nothing has been  made public about how the drug testing of all competitors in RIO will be ensured, one can only hope that the IAAF plans will be ready in time !

The past frauds in the IAAF, by its Executives and Others, like those of past Competitors, can and must be prosecuted, even in years to come !

However, what is now URGENT is the immediate future !  A new start must be quickly made !   New National and World Records can be recorded in RIO, BUT... only if the record breaking athlete has been properly drug-tested ... immediately after the event ! 

Can Lord Coe and the IAAF reassure all competitors in RIO that such plans for a new start will be ready in time ?

                                                                           .               

      

Sunday 3 April 2016

ARE CHINESE INVESTMENTS IN THE EU MONITORED ?


China has invested heavily in Europe in recent years and is obviously closely watching for new opportunities to consolidate and increase its presence ! 

It also welcomes European Companies which want to operate in China.  In this way it obtains technological know-how cheaply which it can then exploit !

In Europe, China has invested in almost all EU countries ! Brief examples are, 

-  Airports, (Toulouse for example), 
-  Commercial and Residential Real Estate
-  A share in the Hinkley Point Nuclear plant project
-  Interests in Transportation buisinesses.

China has become a major supplyer of steel to Europe and very recently warned that there would be a steep price increase !  The cheap Chinese Steel Production costs has already destroyed the EU steel industry !    

How many Chinese executives and their families will be required to monitor Chinese interests in the EU ? 

The population of China is almost three times the population of the EU !  This means that the EU should be monitoring and formally authorising any new investment activities of China in the EU.   One must avoid "dumping" of cheap goods or cheap manpower services.   Likewise one must also ensure that EU companies are fairly treated in China ! 

Are statistics and Reports on these activities available on an EU wide basis ?    If not, this could become the next Scandal to hit the EU Headlines !

                                                                 .

IMMIGRANT INVASION : EU FUTURE NOW IN DANGER !


The EU Council of Leaders has dithered for far too long and has not halted the current invasion of the EU by migrants from all the "hot spots" of the world, like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Africa and, of course, the Middle East.   EU citizens  are now worrying about what could happen next ! 

When Chancellor Merkel in August 2015, out of compassion for Refugees fleeing the oppression in Syria, invited 800 000 to come to work in Germany, the invasion of the EU by Refugees and other Migrants started and quickly got out of hand.  A major EU Crisis had begun !    

The question is no longer "Can the EU survive ?", it has now become "How long can it last" !   In the absence of any Council Directive, some desperate EU countries  have now erected razor-wire fencing to prevent  Migrants entering their country.  They do not want  Migrants to settle : they want to preserve the  National identity of their country !  This however, is in defiance of the sacred EU principle of the freedom of movement of people in the EU !

Even when Extremist Muslims started destroying everything in  the Middle East to create the Islamic State (IS), EU Leaders  failed to act or decide what should be done.  Had they taken action, would this not have reduced the number of refugees ? 

Do EU Leaders not realise that when exceptional circumstances arise, exceptional measures must be quickly adopted ?   Acts of Terrorism or a War like the one IS is waging in the Middle East, means sacred peacetime EU principles must be suspended ! 

One exceptional measure is being tried : paying billions of Euros to Turkey to house immigrants !  This plan may well prove to be a costly failure in the very near future ! 

Have all the lessons of the first and second World Wars already been forgotten ?  To stop the murderous aggression of the IS should all out War not be declared by ALL Western Powers ?  Is this not the only realistic way to stop the flow of Syrian Refugees ?
                                                          .

   

Friday 1 April 2016

CONTROL OF TERRORISM : WHAT IS THE EU POLICY ?


The EU claims to be at war against Extremist Muslim Terrorists in the Middle East (otherwise known as the Islamic State or IS), but what has the EU done ln EUROPE, to protect its civilian population from Terrorist attacks, or to deter Terrorists ? 

IS Terrorist cells in Europe (but also in other parts of the World) meticulously plan attacks in any EU Country they choose.  They then simply slaughter defenceless, unsuspecting civilians.  During these attacks some terrorists are quite happy to die as "Muslim Heroes" !  Others simply disappear to plan more  attacks ! 

If or when, they are caught, surviving terrorists immediately demand that their "Human Rights" are respected even after they have killed off the Human Rights of their victims who only wanted to live peacefully !  

Many such terrorists now languish for long terms in prisons, and EU taxpayers pay the cost !   Is this "Justice" ?   Prisons everywhere are overcrowded.   Terrorists are obliged to mix with other prisoners and indoctrinate other gullible inmates who then become converts to the IS cause !   Is that acceptable ?

Should the EU not build purpose built prisons in isolated places like remote islands, with cells for solitary confinement, to house only dangerous terrorists ?  Or should the Penalty of Death be reintroduced for "indiscriminate mass killings" ? 

EU Taxpayers and Citizens want to know the reasons why EU Council Leaders have never clearly defined their Policy  concerning their control of IS Terrorist activities !   Could the President of the EU Council, Donald Tusk, or perhaps Angela Merkel, the  Leader of the Eurozone, issue a Policy Statement  on these matters ?  
                                                               .

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: VERS UNE SPECTACULAIRE REMONTEE

La presse internationale salue la remontée spectaculaire du président français dans les sondages…*
 
*** Poisson d’avril (évidemment)
 
MARIN