Comment du Jour

Despite Socio/economic gloom--Japan Sparkles in Michelin Stars


Despite the decade of recession, crushing financial debt, and the near-Biblical tragedy of the 2011 Tsunami/earthquake and nuclear disaster, Japanese resturants continue to excell. The culinary scene sparkles and nearly 250 resturants in Tokyo have earned the coveted Michelin stars--more than London, New York and Paris combined!

The revered French Michelin Guides have sprinked the coveted stars round the Japanese islands--and mostly to resturants serving Japanese cuisine.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal Magazine, "Made Better in Japan," Tokyo the capital excells in fine fare. Tokyo has sixteen three star resturants, an honor awarded to only fifteen resturants in the main cites of Europe combined.

Some of the Michelin grade establishments are tiny sushi bars while others are extravagant kaiseki resturants. Many are small and inconspicuous places, quite a difference from many tony French establishments.

Chefs are often trained in France and excell in both European and Japanese cuisine. The article adds many of the chefs, "Even those cooking non-Japanese cuisines, are the most highly trained and technically adept in the world."

The article offers an interesting after thought; "High-end consumer culture in Japan survived twenty years of economic decline and has actually become much better, in critical terms, though also less profitable than it was when Japan, INC ruled the world."

Comment du Jour

BMW Expands Investment in South Carolina

German automaker BMW has announced that it will invest nearly $900 million in its Spartanburg, South Carolina auto plant. The new investment will add 300 new jobs in 2012 to its high tech facility. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley welcomed the new investment and hailed the "enduring cooperation between BMW and South Carolina" as a success story.

The Spartanburg plant, which employs over 7,000 people, produces BMW’s sport utility-crossover models, the X3, X5, and the X6. With the new investment, the plant will start producing the X4. Currently the facility produces about 1,000 vehicles daily.

The BMW plant began production in 1994. The recent announcement was made during a ceremony to commemorate the 2 millionth vehicle rolling off the assembly line.
The luxury automaker has nearly $5 billion invested in its South Carolina plant.

Comment du Jour

When Irish Eyes are Crying

The start of the New Year has seen some startling jolts for the hard pressed Irish.
The economically strapped country faces the undertow of massive debt and 14.4% unemployment.

Now the already high Value Added Tax (VAT) has jumped from 21% to 23%!!

While some goods and services are staying at 13.5% VAT, the bottom line remains that the burden of debt has become a millstone for the people. Somebody has to pay the piper! The lessons of profligate government spending are not confined to the Emerald Isle either--just look round Europe and the United States.

Comment du Jour

Looking at 2012—Turbulence Ahead?


It’s once again time to peer into the foggy crystal ball and try to decipher the future political trends and events. Indeed, after the roller-coaster year of 2011, it’s hard to imagine that 2012 could hold some equally disquieting social, political and economic turmoil. But few predicted the sweeping Arab Spring, the wide-ranging economic and financial tremors rocking Western Europe, or the devastating natural disaster tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis affecting Japan.

So let’s look thematically at a number of key issues affecting the world.

Transitions--After the death of North Korea’s dictator “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il, the dynastic mantle passed to his son Kim Jong-un, aka “The Great Successor.” Instability in North Korea’s bizarre Marxist Monarchy poses a clear and present danger to prosperous and democratic South Korea. Will Jong-un keep his restive military under a tight leash, shall he loosen the socialist economic system and copy Mainland China’s reforms, or can North Korea remain in its totalitarian time-warp?

As for the Arab Spring, the political season has now turned to Winter. Egypt’s fate hangs in the balance as hard-line fundamentalist forces are certain to gain from elections. Libya, though well-rid of the tyrant Colonel Gaddafi, is yet to solve the regional and tribal divides which have long plagued this North African land. Syria spirals towards civil war.

Significantly, American forces are now out of Iraq, yet the results of the conflict, so costly in U.S. blood and treasure, remain inconclusive given the political tensions and infighting among Iraqi political factions. The imbroglio in Afghanistan continues with military success against the Taliban insurgents, but remains hampered by a weak and corrupt central government in Kabul.


Flashpoints--Probably the biggest challenge remains Pakistan, once a close U.S. ally which has morphed over the past few years into a seething and embittered partner. Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, its web of support to Islamic radicals in Afghanistan and Kashmir, its domestic inter-Islamic strife, and dysfunctional government presents a combustible recipe for continued chaos.

The Islamic Republic of Iran tirelessly pursues the nuclear genie and threatens to close Straits of Hormuz petroleum jugular vein. The Obama Administration’s political naiveté and strategic myopia has allowed Tehran’s rulers more time to pursue nuclear proliferation, but time to stop it is running out. The stars may be in alignment for a military strike on Iranian regime.


Personalities--Turkey’s Islamic-lite Prime Minister Recep Erdogan is set to play (and probably overplay) his role in the Middle East. Once a stalwart NATO ally and reliable partner, Turkey under Erdogan has become a free agent, some would argue loose-cannon, in regional affairs. Despite being democratically elected, Erdogan exhibits an authoritarian aura in many of his speeches and relishes challenging Israel and now France. This is not your father’s secular and staunch Turkish Republic ally.


In what may be a political charade, Russia’s Vladimir Putin is running for President again but under a cloud of blatant electoral fraud. Will this career KGB crony ride the wave of Russia’s petroleum-and-gas bling-bling prosperity and return to power?

Elections--Crucial contests are slated this year in France (April), Russia (March) and the USA (November). In the United States the choice will be between the incumbent Obama Administration offering status quo Statism and a challenger who promises to return America to its traditional individualistic and entrepreneurial values.

In China, the 18th Communist Party Congress, gathers in Beijing to select the once in a decade political transition from Hu Jintao as the paramount leader of the People’s Republic. Conversely on January 14th , the people of Taiwan will elect their president from among fiercely competing democratic political parties

Economics--the recession continues in the USA despite the occasional sugar rush of good economic news. Massive government spending has failed to stimulate a moribund economy or significantly cut unacceptably high levels of unemployment. High energy prices and regulatory red-tape equally serve as a political deadweight to faster economic growth. Energy independence is unquestionably held hostage to hyper-regulation.

In Europe the EURO currency has stayed afloat after innumerable breathless crisis meetings and last minute bailouts of a number of the debtor countries. Sustaining the cost and the benefits provided by The State, has exhausted many European nations. Finger-pointing aside, most European countries are guilty of massive unsustainable government spending and are now paying the piper on a path to insolvency.

Despite the global turbulence, may my readers have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012!

Comment du Jour

Happy New Year!!!!

Health, Happiness and Prosperity in 2012!!