THE WEARIN' OF THE GREEN AND THINGS LESS PRISTINE

I met with Pat Mc'Carrity an' he took me by the hand.
He seys, "How is ol' Ireland and how does she stand?"
'Tis the most distressful country the world has ever seen.
For they're shootin' people even now for wearing of the Green.

The true meaning of that song we hum every March 17 and its verses are not really understood by all who have done so. It is a true song of "the troubles," finishing with,

"...and if the color I must wear is England's bloody red
I'll wear it for the color of the Irish blood's been shed..."

HM Queen Elizabeth II visited the Republic today, the first British Monarch do do so in hundreds of years. She was dressed entirely in Green. It will not erase the memory of terror and hatred that has lasted so long but it was a welcome start that hopefully marks the true end of a horrible period in history. Good on ya, Mame, and kudos to the two governments that made it happen.


And now of course, DSK. One could say that what occurred in that $3000 a night broom closet in New York was the first original thought that ever came out of the IMF but if one believes the accuations out there our boy has followed this thought process before. In my experience, the NYPD doesn't get many high profile cases wrong (unlike show-trials brought on by politically ambitious prosecutors--read Eliot Spitzer) so I am sure the truth will out. Whatever the result, DSK has created more than one awkward situation for a whole bunch of people who are more that a touch out-of-sorts as we speak.

To begin, we just threw the guy who probably would have been M. Le President in the can thereby turning all of French politics on its head and convincing those Frenchmen who weren't already convinced that the Yanks have it in for France to join the chorus. Bad timing as issues of debt, currencies, trade and overall global leadership are not exactly in sync between the two countries.
Of course, He With the Hottest Wife Around is turning handsprings. Reeeelection time! Come On! And just when rumors abound that Mme. Sarkozy is preggers. It just don't get better than that. What timing. What a coincidence...?

Secondly, despite what kind of a human being DSK might prove to be, the guy had clout and a following which is sorely needed in Europe today in light of the financial condition of some of the members of Euroland about whom we have been speaking for a number of months now.

Thirdly--and I'm not at all sure this is a bad thing--it puts the entire question of the future role (assuming a future) of the IMF in the great scheme of things, and clearly opens the door to broader participation of a number of the emerging member states who for years have been complaining that the IMF operates for the sole members of the founding nations...i.e. the western states...not without some justification I might add. If the fall of DSK does lead to a changing of the guard the result could easily turn into a campaign issue in the U.S. of A as there is a large body of opinion on both the right and left that has constantly questioned the use of taxpayer's dollars for reasons that do not directly benefit this country and the new order would undoubtably result in a clamor to "spread the wealth" globally highlighting what seems to be one of The Leader's core beliefs and not at the best of time for him.

Fourthly, it's going to be important to watch who gets the nod for the new head boy. Of all things, Joe Ackermann of DeutscheBank is being pushed by persons or person unknown. Given the first thing on the agenda has to be the sovereign debt crisis and the exposure of European banks--especially, but not exclusively--Germany banks, we could be looking at a major league taxpayer rip-off that will have consequences far greater than any Hellenic implication imaginable. We shall keep watch.

Finally, do you think anybody is going to ask the question on our behalf Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer what in the hell this scuzbucket was doing in a $3000 a night room whilst on private business in New York and booked on Premirer Classe on L'Air Chance because you know he wasn't paying for it? Somebody damn well better.