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The United States produces about 75% of its steel and aluminum needs. Canada sells us about 12% and Mexico some 8% while the rest we get from Japan, S. Korea and the European Community. China corners a full 2% of our needs for these metals. What is Mr. Trump after? A victory in the rust belt! Europe is answering back but it really is not too worried just because Mr. Trump has taken a stand outside of the world of his tuits. Mr. Trump has an ace up the sleeve. By 2020 the US will be a major oil exporter. China´s needs for gas and oil will sky-rocket while ours will tend to decline. China´s capacity to retaliate are really few since she can risk to sacrifice a 2% steel and aluminum export to protect  commercial relations with a future oil and gas supplier. Spaniards and other Europeans know this. That´s why their warning of retaliation ends up with threats to counterattack with heavy duties on Levis´ jeans  a la second-hand,  cheddar cheese and Burger King´s American soul food.  Mr. Ryan can relax and keep smiling.

Today, the Spanish press is all excited about a meeting between presidents Trump and Kim Jung-un.  For reasons known to whom?, it is being supposed that the road is now clear for a denuclearized Korea. Such a state is very unlikely.  First, Mr. Trump will surely demand major concessions on Mr. Kim’s part before getting into his jet plane. Secondly, Mr. Kim´s offer to discuss major pending issues is an old ploy with him. His attitude has always been one of neither yes nor no but totally to the contrary. China, of course, would be most pleased were an agreement between the USA and the two Koreas were to come about as it would lead to a reduction in the American military presence in the area. That would not be in our international interests as it would cement China´s hegonomy in the region.  So let´s be realistic here. Mr. Kim could not survive within his own house were he to pull back from confrontation with the US. Mr Trump will not meet with him if the Korean dictator is unwilling to sacrifice factors that provoke confrontation.  Again we find ourselves where we were which is neither yes, nor no but totally to the contrary.

Today, the Spanish press is all excited about a meeting between presidents Trump and Kim Jung-un.  For reasons known to whom?, it is being supposed that the road is now clear for a denuclearized Korea. Such a state is very unlikely.  First, Mr. Trump will surely demand major concessions on Mr. Kim’s part before getting into his jet plane. Secondly, Mr. Kim´s offer to discuss major pending issues is an old ploy with him. His attitude has always been one of neither yes nor no but totally to the contrary. China, of course, would be most pleased were an agreement between the USA and the two Koreas since it would lead to an eventual withdrawal of American forces from the regional. This would give China greater hegemony in that area.

So let´s be realistic here. Mr. Kim could not survive within his own house were he to pull back from confrontation with the US. Mr Trump will not meet with him if the Korean dictator is unwilling to sacrifice factors that provoke confrontation.  Again we find ourselves where we were which is neither yes, nor no but totally to the contrary.

Hay en la prensa leemos que, milagro de milagros, la Mrs. del Puigdemont ha firmado un contrat con la XARX, presedita por la alcaldesa Mercé Conesa. Ya podemos despreocuparnos por el prófugo. Trabajando, entrevistando a algún que otro local de la cuerda, la XARX TV le pagará 6000 euros  por dos horas en pantalla a la semana. Ya vemos cómo  los chicos del éste sí que tienen future en España si tienen talentos, conocimientos, charm  … y pareja prófigo a la generalitata.  Si no me equivoco, antes doña Marcela Topor de Puigdemont era editora jefe de la revista  Catalonia Today muy glamorosa y costosa publicación defensora del process. ¡Vaya cómo les chiques leals al proces caen de pie! Sin comparaciones pretendidas, ya hay una Ana Rosa catalana pero claro en Cataluya las pagan major,  y sin el 3%.

Reading solemn  statements like the one above show us just how close our political leaders are to understanding the grief and horror so many of us feel after the last mass murder of young people in Florida. Unlike members of organizations that support the rights of anybody to acquire assault weapons like the ones used in Syria to kill children we support the heroic steps taken by Dick´s and Wal-Mart to keep weapons of mass murder out of the hands to teenagers who don´t need them to kill bunny rabbits anyway. Our elected leaders should support the shop owners who are under attack by the  patriotic nut fringe who call for a boycott of those stores that infringe upon our rights to have weapons to be able to terrorize your community or mine. Yes, of course, congressional servants of the NRA of both parties, as well as our glorious leader, must bow to the power of money, …, and cynical, political interests. Our hearts   and prayers go out to all of you living there in the alabaster cities so dimmed by human tears.

Today the leaders and fellow travelers in the Catalonian independence movement again made it evident that confrontation with the Spanish government whenever, whatever and however is a constant objective of their cause. The majority of Catalans according to the Generalitat´s  bureau of statistics is against independence and they prefer to remain a part of Spain with the generous autonomy they now enjoy. As is they are in full control of education, culture, language use, the police, the justice system, etc. When they forced the issue of independence by open violation of the Spanish constitution which 95% of the people of Catalonia voted for, the did exactly what forced Abraham Limcoln´s hand vis-à-vis South Carolina. Having sworn to uphold the Constitution, the Spanish Prime MInister had no option but to charge and prosecute the secessionists for treason.

The open manifestations of the  mayor of Barcelona and the president of the regional parliament to the presence of Felipe VI at the Mobile World Congress is evidence of their urge to always place politics above the real interests of Barcelona where over 3000 companies have left since the dreams of nationalists seriously threatened to place them outside of Spain and the European Union where over  85% of their products and services are protected. In such an environment the Mobile World Congress would do well in looking for a host city where populist conflicts and antagonisms are not  sought out. Outside the European Union Catalonia is just another small country looking for a destiny in the contemporary world where it would be just a third shoe that interests nobody.