Good morning

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The headlines:

1. The US ambassador to Libya killed in protest against an Anti-Islam film on Youtube.

   Link: excessive?

   So the maker of the film is still a mystery. And this incident has suddenly sparked a voting crisis that could upset the voting in the presidential election, so the potential ramifications are quite real. Mr Romney has lost no time in criticising Obama’s “handling of the situation”. Given that the incident only happened yesterday, I think we can all agree that’s premature. But inflammatory, all the same.

   So this guy that made the movie clip that caused the crisis. He’s apparently a Christian or a Jew who may have been Israeli-American and his name was Sam Bacil except that’s now apparently a pseudonym. Given that he may have just sparked another Afghanistan, it’s no surprise that he’s laying low. Also, you know, fatwahs.

   The film was called “the Innocence of Bin Laden”, and was apparently meant to “attract an audience of radical Islamists who would become disillusioned about their faith after watching it”. And it was going to expose “all the stuff that Muhammed really did, like murder and paedophilia and stuff like that”.

   This guy’s name should be published just so that they can issue a fatwah against him. Because, sarcasm: I’m sure a 15 minute youtube clip, with arabic subtitles, showing the Prophet as a paedophile, would naturally cause men who are willing to die for their faith to just, you know, not.

   Honestly, if anyone should be put on trial for causing a crisis, it’s this guy. Freedom of speech is always permitted. From freedom from consequence for that freedom?

   But on the flip-side – why go and attack the embassies? I mean – I know why. Rage needs a target – nothing worse than when it’s impotent. But still, like, innocent people. This was one man being an idiot, not America as a whole…

2. Germany can ratify the ESM.

   Link: with conditions.

   

   I’m just so impressed with their red outfits.

   But the news part: the German constitutional court has ruled that Chancellor Merkel has the right to ratify the Euro Stability Mechanism (ESM) without returning to seek legislative approval. Provided that the ESM contains clauses that won’t raise Germany’s liability without its consent.

   Now – I would hope that Chancellor Merkel is savvy enough to have insisted on those limits – because she wouldn’t be a very good leader/business-person/home-owner if she had just handed the ESM a blank check of German backing.

   But this does step closer to Germany, and not the ECB, being the lender of last resort in the Eurozone. And once Germany starts to carry the stigma of the rest of Europe, I’m sure it won’t be long before their own borrowing costs start to creep a little higher.

3. The new iPhone is here.

   Link: long live the Apple.

   Here it is:

   

   And again:

   

   And I’m most excited about this:

   

   And a share price look-see:

   

   All so awesomely exciting.

   Mostly, I like the new camera. And the panoramic software. And the extra line for apps (the iPhone 4 had 4, the iPhone 5 has 5).

4. Anglo-Platinum closes its Rustenberg platinum mine.

   Link: labour turmoil continues.

   And the price of platinum:

   

   From the 1690 region to 1894.5 in two weeks. That’s a gain of 12%. In effective annual terms, that would be 1,948.97%.

   Luckily, Julius Malema is around to spread his message of peace to the miners, and the unemployed, and the South African National Defence Force (all of whom he addressed yesterday).

   Please, ANC. I’m sure that asking the SANDF to be prepared to “mobilise” amounts to treason?

That’s all for now.

Have a good day.