Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Art Project - A Welcome Diversion

The assignment: Create a pattern



As anyone who knows me knows, I am no artist. But this pattern works. Or as my art teacher said, "This is a very strong pattern"
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

On the Value of Currency, and the Policies of the European Central Bank


On the Trading of Currencies as Commodities

The value of international currency is defined as the faith or speculation that the value of currency will increase. When the Western European countries maintained their own currency, usually indexing them to either a solid material, such as gold or silver, or to other currencies, their central banking policy was focused on domestic growth, as well as protecting against inflation and deflation. The consolidation of the various European currencies has resulted in the fate of one nation, such as France, becoming associated with that of a much poorer nation, such as Bulgaria.
            The recent economic crisis, beginning in 2007 and continuing through 2010, has been at least partially attributed to the values of currency. Jörg Bibow, in the article Europe’s Quest for Economic Stability, discusses key decision points of the European Central Bank (ECB). Bibow, writing in 2006, explains both strengths and weaknesses of the Eurozone banking model. The primary objective of the ECB, according to its founding charter, is to maintain price stability across the Eurozone.[1] Price stability, Bibow states, is “essentially a piece of Bundesbank nostalgia,” referring to the former German bank charged with maintaining price parity, and coordinating the now defunct erratic European Monetary System, from which the ECB’s framework is largely derived.[2]
As a matter of general policy, the ECB does not attempt any other ends aside from their primary mandate, only fostering interest in economic development and employment when the ECB views that engaging these ends will not interfere with price stability.[3]