Jinn of Quality and Risk

NYT: A surprise move by the European Commission to scrap its agricultural export subsidies to get global trade talks moving again was welcomed Monday by some of the union's trading partners, but criticized by its most important farming nation, France. The commission, which has the mandate to negotiate a global trade agreement on behalf of the European Union, has offered to eliminate the 2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in export subsidies the union pays to its farmers, so long as other countries like the United States make similar moves. Over all, the union provides its farmers 43 billion euros ($51 billion) a year in subsidies. 

NYT: Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the investment company controlled by Warren E. Buffett, increased its bet against the United States dollar by about 64 percent, to $18 billion in the first quarter. Five weeks into the second quarter, Mr. Buffett had lost $600 million on the investment, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Berkshire began 2004 with about $11 billion of forward contracts in foreign currencies and added another $7 billion through March 31, the company said. A widening United States trade deficit prompted Mr. Buffett to begin buying foreign currencies in 2002. Berkshire's $600 million of currency losses from March 31 to May 5 may result in a $390 million second-quarter expense after tax if the dollar's value remains unchanged from May 5 levels, Berkshire said in the filing. 

Abdullah sends a query by email, literally invoking God with the words Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim meaning In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful — a formula known as Basmalah, repeatedly used in the Koran, and attesting to the divine nature of what follows. (Hah.)

Abdullah's query? Very short and direct: what are you? The answer is very simple: I'm a jinn. According to critics, an eavesdropper, constantly striving to go behind the curtains of heaven in order to steal divine secrets. May grant wishes. I'm a featherless biped, do enjoy living in the woods, am sometimes seen in deserts (riding camels and elephants), and have a special craving for chocolate.

The curious may note that Abdullah means slave of god. According to Moslems, all human beings are (or ought to be) slaves (of god if you're one of them, of them if you're not). A jinn is free and recognizes neither god nor master (Ni Dieu Ni Maître as the saying goes).