Europe Tries Its Own "Day Without Immigrants"

To demonstrate their importance in generating economic activity, immigrants in France, Italy, and Greece are planning a single-day strike. LeMonde reports that organizers are taking their inspiration from a similar strike in the US in 2006, which resulted in pending immigration legislation being withdrawn. I vaguely remember this occurring, and it is true that no legislation passed, but it was likely more due to the fact that the 2006 elections brought in Democrats to Congress. Given the regularity of strikes in these countries, it is difficult to know how much this one will stand out relative to the one that occurred stateside.

Speculating on Greece, and Its Aftershocks

Two articles on the situation in Greece this morning, one on how it has affected Italian retirees, and the other chronicling Big Banking's role in fueling the crisis through speculation. EU ministers should thank their lucky stars that the Lisbon Treaty codifying the EU's constitution has already entered into force; otherwise, Eurosceptics would already have buried it halfway into the ground. But now that it's here to stay, the EU can look forward to muddling--peacefully--through the recession like the US.