Category Archives: Uncategorized

Stratfor: Why the Boston Bombers Succeeded

by Scott Stewart, Vice President of Analysis, Stratfor When seeking to place an attack like the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing into context, it is helpful to classify the actors responsible, if possible. Such a classification can help us understand how an … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, aa syndication | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Bombings and Shootings: What Are the Facts?

Written by Elliott Morss, Morss Global Finance Guns and Bombs We are all at least temporarily stunned by the bombings at the Boston Marathon where tragically three people were killed and many injured. And before that, it was mass shootings. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Stratfor: Departure in North Korea’s Strategy?

By George Friedman, Founder and Chairman, Stratfor On Jan. 29, I wrote a piece that described North Korea’s strategy as a combination of ferocious, weak and crazy. In the weeks since then, three events have exemplified each facet of that … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Stratfor: The North Korean Strategy Is Ferocious, Weak and Crazy

By George Friedman, Stratfor Founder and Chief Executive Officer North Korea’s state-run media reported Sunday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the country’s top security officials to take “substantial and high-profile important state measures,” which has been … Continue reading

Posted in China, Japan, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

US Gun Policies: Facts You Should Know

Written by Elliott Morss Introduction With the numerous recent mass US shootings, much has been written by pro-gun and anti-gun advocates, with each selecting arguments to bolster their positions. Let me be clear from the outset: Given the proclivity of … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Declining Significance of Wine Tastings

by Elliott Morss, Morss Global Finance Introduction The Judgment of Paris in 1976, chronicled in George Taber’s book, was the first in a series of widely reported blind tastings. Below, I summarize the findings from those tastings (and my own … Continue reading

Posted in Business News and Analysis, Uncategorized, wine | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Stratfor: U.S. Presidential Elections in Perspective

By George Friedman The U.S. presidential election will be held a week from today, and if the polls are correct, the outcome will be extraordinarily close. Many say that the country has never been as deeply divided. In discussing the debates … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Imbalances, Disequilibria and Correlation Traps

by Michael Pettis, China Financial Markets Chiwoong Lee at Goldman Sachs has a new report out (“China vs. 1970s Japan”, September 25, 2012) in which he predicts that China’s long-term growth rate will drop to 7.5-8.5%.  I disagree very strongly … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: The Purpose of Presidential Debates

By George Friedman Monday night’s presidential foreign policy debate probably won’t change the opinion of many voters. Proponents of President Barack Obama are still convinced that Mitt Romney is a fool and a liar. Proponents of former Gov. Romney have … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: Turkey’s Challenge and the Syrian Negotiation

By Reva Bhalla, Vice President of Global Affairs Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zubi harshly criticized the Turkish government early last week over Ankara’s proposal that an interim government succeed the al Assad regime, saying that “Turkey isn’t the Ottoman Sultanate; the Turkish … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: The Emerging Doctrine of the United States

By George Friedman Over the past weekend, rumors began to emerge that the Syrian opposition would allow elements of the al Assad regime to remain in Syria and participate in the new government. Rumors have become Syria’s prime export, and … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Stratfor: Salafism and Arab Democratization

By Kamran Bokhari, Vice President of Middle Eastern & South Asian Affair The outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011 brought significant attention to groups — known as Islamists – seeking to establish Islamic states in countries once ruled by secular … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: Understanding the China-Japan Island Conflict

By Rodger Baker , Stratfor Vice President of East Asia Analysis Sept. 29 will mark 40 years of normalized diplomatic relations between China and Japan, two countries that spent much of the 20th century in mutual enmity if not at … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Experts: Changing Face of Gambling Industry

by Elliott Morss, Morss Global Finance Introduction I write about gambling because it ranks 6th behind drinking, drugs, sex, restaurants, and movies as a global entertainment industry. But I am hardly an expert on the subject. So having just visited … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: From Gadhafi to Benghazi

By George Friedman Last week, four American diplomats were killed when armed men attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The attackers’ apparent motivation was that someone, apparently American but with an uncertain identity, posted a video on YouTube several months ago … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

War and Bluff: Iran, Israel and the United States

By George Friedman For the past several months, the Israelis have been threatening to attack Iranian nuclear sites as the United States has pursued a complex policy of avoiding complete opposition to such strikes while making clear it doesn’t feel … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Afghanistan, One Village at a Time

Security and cooperation, ultimately, are our goals for all of Afghanistan. These can be induced not through giveaways, but through negotiated exchange. All parties to our program—the maleks, the village residents, our own company—had to contribute something in exchange for things they received. The efficacy of an Aid-for-Labor implementation strategy is evidenced by the peaceful, voluntary conversion of two villages from the Quetta Taliban to GIRoA. This conversion was achieved without a bribe paid, a shot fired, or a life lost. It should be possible to replicate such results throughout most of the country. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stratfor: Character, Policy and the Selection of Leaders

By George Friedman The end of Labor Day weekend in the United States traditionally has represented the beginning of U.S. presidential campaigns, though these days the campaign appears to be perpetual. In any case, Americans will be called on to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Top 5 Mistakes Business Make When Considering Bankruptcy

by Tom Eldridge Large amounts of deleveraging have taken place in the private sector. There is a lot more yet to be done, as implied by the following graph. Click on graph for larger image.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

GDP: Little Changed at 1.73%

by Rick Davis In their first revision to their estimate of the second quarter 2012 GDP, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) found that the annualized rate of U.S. domestic economic growth was 1.73%, up 0.19% from their initial estimate … Continue reading

Posted in Consumer Metrics Institute, GDP, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment