Credit Crunching - Around the world.......

Just as we read about it and may be even feeling the crisis around the world, some one some where is always trying to make their people happy. In tough economic times, nations have set priorities: infrastructure, jobs, drugs, health, dairy products ?

So what do you think about this:

SWITZERLAND:
Swiss voters have approved the creation of permanent, legalized heroin centers aimed at helping hard-core addicts learn to function in society. Rather than getting them off the drug, these centres will avoid 'cold turkey' by providing then carefully measured doses twice a day.
Somewhat surprisingly though, the same voters rejected the decriminalisation of marijuana in the same referendum. Huh!

MEXICO:
In the name of "happiness and a better quality of life", the Mayor of Mexico City (Marcelo Ebrard) plans to give out free erectile dysfunction pills to men over 70. As many as 100k are eligible for the program, at a cost of $4 million. This being the latest of Ebard's happiness injections after spending millions on an ice-skating rink and artificial beaches. Critics say, this is all a distraction from the real issues of drug, crime,pollution and transportation.
Respect to the elders !!! He seems like a good man.

ITALY:
The Italian Govt is putting $65million to purchase 200,000 wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano cheese to donate to charity. With hundreds of small cheese makers in northern Italy losing money , "theres a need for market intervention, just as there was for bank", says the agriculture minister.

RUSSIA:
Vodka has been the staple drink for the Russians since the Czars, but the common Russian is cutting back amid the global financial crunch. Even though manufacturers slashed vodka producion 15% because of slumping demands, stores are saddled with some 22 million gallons of unsold spirits - six times their inventory a year ago. Alcohol poisoning fatalities are on the rise , reportedly as drinkers turn to cheap, homemade brews instead.

And....

SOUTH KOREA, in its latest bid to combat rising food costs and economic uncertainty, have signed a 99 year lease to farm oil palms and corn on more than 2.5 million acres of land in Madagascar!

The CHINESE are investing $4billion in the Philippines to grow crops.

SAUDI ARABIA has invested another $4billion in Indonesia to develop 1.25 million acres of farmland.

So what are the INDIANS doing?

Ofcourse waiting for the next Bollywood blockbuster after Ghajini the not-so-well-adapted version of Christopher Nolan's Memento, to fantasise about.

While the common ISRAELI and PALESTENIAN just wants it to get over ......
in the UK.....we are hoping the Pound (£) picks up value against the Euro, so that this summer we can once again flood the European coastline with our bare bodies and beer fuelled extremities.

And if the British wish comes true, hopefully we will see more people on this deserted beach in Portugal (picture above).