OT? I don't think so. John, I'm mostly interested in this debacle from an investor's point of view. If your country wants to stage some sort of internet-age Salem 1999 Revival Revue it's your prerogative. But when it starts influencing Nokia it becomes my concern. (Though I swear I have to steel myself to wade through the X-rated bits - as a responsible investor it is my duty.) The fact that Clinton's approval rating hasn't dipped much below 60% after half a year mudslide tells us that the kid is golden. The most important issue to me here is how Wall Street reacts and apparently there *is* a relief rally going on. This thing may trigger a massive backlash against GOP if they overplay their hand like Starr did. We've been hearing about this "massive public revulsion" for months now and it has not materialized. At least against Clinton it hasn't. Out of pure greed I hope it won't.
The nightmare scenario here is Clinton's ratings stabilizing at 48% - low enough to lure republicans to demand impeachment, high enough to make his core supporters stick around. That would mean 6-8 months of impeachment procedures, nightly coverage all over the world, floor debates on oral sex and whether the president manually stimulated Ms. Lewinsky or not, etc, etc. Amidst all this the chances of getting more US funding for IMF could be very low considering the current GOP reluctance. Which would mean that in a newly destabilized atmosphere a simultaneous collapses in, let's say, Brazil and Argentina could suddenly result in IMF with empty coffers. I cannot believe any investor could wish that, whether American or Finnish.
Quincy, how many American businessmen want a phone that weighs more, costs more - but functions in the Australian outback? And how many want a phone that weighs little, costs little - and functions in New York, London, Capetown, Melbourne, Beijing and Jerusalem? Those are the crucial questions. And the GSM's coverage problems in USA matter little if the worldphone incorporates TDMA as well, as Ericsson's does.
Tero
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