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Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 12:08:34 PM

variation30

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http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,24739678-462,00.html

TALKING about the global financial crisis can land you two years in jail in Latvia, under a new law that has seen a muscian and economist arrested for wondering if their bank deposits are safe. The Baltic state's new law against spreading false financial information has outraged human rights campaigners. In one of a string of high-profile cases, musician Valters Fridenbergs faced a police investigation after he urged the audience to withdraw their money from two major banks. He later claimed it was a joke, but the police launched a probe nonetheless. Security police also arrested an economics lecturer, for "distributing untrue data or news about the conditions of the finance system of the Republic of Latvia''. The lecturer, Dmitrijs Smirnovs, spent two days behind bars before he was granted bail after agreeing not to flee the country. Mr Smirnovs' crime was to write a newspaper article urging Latvians not to leave their money in the bank. He also wrote that keeping savings in the local currency, which is called lats and pegged to the euro, was "very dangerous". Latvian authorities passed the law last year after a mysterious flurry of mobile phone text messages warned the lat was to be devalued in March 2007. "This has, undoubtedly, been a highly disproportionate response by the security police, and freedom of expression has been dealt a blow in Latvia because it stifles free expression of opinions in what is a legitimate public debate,'' said Anhelina Kamenska of Latvia's Human Rights Centre. "It could be likened to cracking a nut with a sledgehammer,'' she said. Latvia, which broke free from the crumbling Soviet bloc in 1991, had boom years after joining the European Union in 2004. However, the country of 2.3 million people now faces the deepest recession in the EU. A string of events have fuelled the local rumour mill. Earlier this month the government took over the nation's second-largest bank, Parex, after an exodus of deposits. Last month, it turned to the IMF for a rescue package. The arrests have made economists nervous, with many now extra cautious when commenting on the stability of the lat. A leading economist told AFP on condition of anonymity that he refuses to discuss currency-related issues publicly. Political scientist Nils Muiznieks of the University of Latvia said the authorities were "ridiculous''. "Going after currency speculators and traders is one thing, but when it's an economist and a musician making jokes, it's completely different,'' said Mr Muiznieks."

What I find funny is how the policital...scientist thinks it's not ok to go after economists but is ok to go after speculators and traders...

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 1:30:54 PM

LadyEllen

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ah that's nothing; here we arrest elected representatives and seize their computers and correspondence if they so much as appear to be in a position to speak out of turn. "National security" now incorporates anything that might be awkward for the peasantry to hear about.

luckily though, we have The X Factor, Swap My Heirlooms For A House In Spain and similar distractions for the peasantry, such that they dont think its a matter of any gravity whatsoever, even if they've heard about it at all.

See guile?

E

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 2:33:43 PM

RealityLicks

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

luckily though, we have The X Factor, Swap My Heirlooms For A House In Spain and similar distractions for the peasantry, such that they dont think its a matter of any gravity whatsoever, even if they've heard about it at all.

But the "peasantry" were equipped to elect said representative, yes? Are they not therefore likewise equipped to ignore an affair that they clearly do not believe threatens their freedoms?

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 2:55:21 PM

LadyEllen

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luckily for those running the show, the peasantry are largely ignorant and stupid; the chosen forms of distraction evolved for them say it all

you can tell who the intelligentsia are - they have bags under their eyes from staying up till 2am to watch the few worthwhile TV broadcasts there are. come the day it will be a simple matter of 1am raids rather than the traditional 6am.

E

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 4:50:16 PM

pahunkboy

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Hmm. so much for "game theory".

If I told my entire village that there was free laptops in the meadow- completely for the taking, working and easy to grab; well then people go to the meadow, take one, wait, no better take a few. and so on. so then when I return to the meadow- there are no laptops there. Someone beat me to my catch.

Im not sure exactly what a bank actually DOES. it isnt like they make stuff, a chicken is more useful then a bank.

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 5:26:11 PM

popeye1250

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Latvia?
Hey, isn't that where the mechanic, Latga Gravis on that show "TAXI" came from?

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 8:39:26 PM

TheUtopian

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quote:

TALKING about the global financial crisis can land you two years in jail in Latvia, under a new law that has seen a muscian and economist arrested for wondering if their bank deposits are safe.

That's alright....I think it oughta be considered both a lawful and ethical act for the public stoning of anyone/any persons delivering-up pro-Milton Friedman sermons at any time during the future in soup line formations any where in the United States

- R

< Message edited by TheUtopian -- 12/3/2008 8:40:55 PM >

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RE: Latvia solves their economis woes. - 12/3/2008 9:10:37 PM

TheHeretic

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheUtopian

That's alright....I think it oughta be considered both a lawful and ethical act for the public stoning of anyone/any persons delivering-up pro-Milton Friedman sermons at any time during the future in soup line formations any where in the United States

- R

The guy with the ladle can say whatever he wants. If the Marxists stone him, they starve the next day.

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