There are also some things in life that I know a little bit about and can fill in the rest with pretence, subterfuge and doublespeak- ask me about politics and I'll be happy to show you.
Finally there are things that I understand so little that I've gone way past the idea of pretending, I won't even nod and smile along to conversations about these topics I'll just shut up. On a personal note the first of these topics is women! Having spent about a decade trying I finally gave up a couple of years ago because it's impossible to actually work them out.Women have nothing to do with this blog post!
On the other hand a topic I've never attempted to get my head round is money. I realise that is a shocking statement for a Jew to make but you have to appreciate that I've just never cared. With the recent economic crisis hitting the world over the last few years I should have potentially cared, instead I turned my cheek...until now.
England, of course, have always been steadily near the top if unspectacular. Mixing it with the world power houses we'll always have a say but the man in charge is unlikely to ever have the cahunas to take on his opposite numbers in the bigger nations. We may not have invented it but we defined the rules and we should be better at using it.
The French on the other hand will come in talking of revolution. There will be a new leader at almost every turn waiting to show those who are known to be more powerful that they hold the trump cards. There will though be an attached arrogance that will often see them return home after heated discussion with their tail between their legs.
Portugal will be bit part players in this world, there for entertainment purposes and holidays. Having said that there's always the chance that they'll be the first people to collapse.
Greece have never built their reputation on being spectacular, in fact not even on being solid, they've never had that much of a reputation other than for smashing plates. Back in 2004 they shocked everyone with a short burst of excellence in the field, as we all know that never lasted and despite having the ability to make headlines it's likely to be for all the wrong reasons.
The Italians are well known for their corruption. One could never trust anything run by Silvio Berlusconi or indeed involving the man known for his 'Bunga Bunga parties' and yet the country shaped like a boot has surprised the world, never mind just the continent, from a position of disaster and corruption before. It is a sad state of affairs that history is repeating itself with new people in charge and new people involved and one can't help but think this time they may pay the penalty instead of ending up rewarded.
The Swiss of course don't figure. Neutrality is not the only thing they do well, there's money. With their own currency and efficient ways Switzerland haven't been invited to the party this time round, but then they're hardly the most exciting of guests.One definite party invite are the Spanish. So aesthetically pleasing with everything they do. They may not be well known for their business acumen but they've come far since the days of the Pesos held them back and whenever they looked like they could be world beaters they would fall quite early on. They would never be left to help look after the rest of the Euro zone though as they might destroy it all.
Finally the big boys, Germany. Never the underdogs, never ruled out and always strong. The Germans are led well, never like to be pushed around and can almost always be relied on to react well under pressure. They welcome all challengers and especially love a good fight with the Dutch, French and English. Only a handful of times since the 70's have the Germans not been one of the two top dogs in the European yard. Such is their power and strength they are often seen as big players on the world stage too.
I may not know much about money but I sure can speak with a lot of pretence, subterfuge and doublespeak!
