G20 outcome, Cuba, Pirates, and 9-15

The G20 outcome was better than I expected, with something substantive and important emerging — namely, much bigger funding for international financial institutions (IFIs), plus expanded trade credit. This will help smaller, currency-crisis countries a lot.

A turning point? No. But realistically, most big-time international meetings produce nothing; this did something significant. I gree as well..

On Cuba, there is no reason to continue to embargo Cuba unless it is to undermine the utilization of an 'embargo.' I think that there really needs to be an opening of trade with Cuba. I see no downside to this and feel the policy will marginalize Chavez.

On pirates, I blogged on this previously. I hope that this does not become the Iranian Hostage crisis of Obama. There are many aspects of piracy I find troubling and this is not a new issue. Historically called privateers or pirates I think that UN resolutions and agreements to provide jurisdiction in an enlarged area off of Somalia is needed as well with ROE that the USN and other navies patrolling the area can use. Information Dissemination has covered the topic well there, some background material here and there.. I take small issue with Robert/Galhran on the severity of the issue, if it warrants top national security consideration or if it is an annoyance and the cost of doing business. I think the trend is that Galhran is right based on empirical data, and that I'll be right by matter of prediction and time.

I said 3-15 was the bottom, 9-15 is the recovery minus the jobs. It is the bond reclamation's stupid... Things will go smoothly and libor will ease. I applaud any media encouragement to refinance when the numbers makke that good sense. It is a daunting paper work act as many people have only closed once, and allowed the broker selling the home to steer the process. There is a remaining weakness to economic recovery, assisting people through the process of refi.

Happy Easter...