How Does Norway As a Football Powerhouse Sound?

Thanks to being one of the four countries to have won the women FIFA World Cup the oil-rich country is just behind Uruguay on a World Cup per capita basis because of its small population. Germany is third and the only nation to have lifted the trophy in both the men and women versions of the tournament. Argentina and France with their two trophies are next in the ranking after Italy but ahead of Brazil because five trophies are not enough to compensate for the 209 million souls of the South American country with a land mass larger than continental USA. Japan is last among the eleven countries but this could change with its shrinking population especially if its women team in four years is as good as this year’s and doesn’t exit the tournament because of a very controversial penalty. Uruguay can sleep tight for roughly another eight years – or until the first general election on planet earth with one billion eligible voters – and that too if Norway wins the next three tournaments as Germany is not a threat for the next 90 years. 

31% of Host Countries Won The World Cup

But Brazil didn't when it was organized there in 1950. It won 5 since then and there have been manifestations of the seleçao that looked out of this world but still didn't lift the trophy. That is to say it's kind of difficult to predict how a match will go. At least for mere mortals.

But not for Felipe Scolari who for example was hoping that Chile would not qualify for the World Cup because they have always been tough opponents. It appears to be a surprising statement until you watch the two sides play. So there are teams which seem to be naturally predisposed to give you a lot of trouble because of the size of the players, the game they play, the quality of passes, the discipline level and what not.

So when the auriverde meet the mannschaft Wednesday 00h00 to try to clinch their ticket to play the finals at the Maracana in Rio we're best to look forward for an exciting match. Given that the Germans have finished third or better 11 times. As long as Brazil wins that is.

And then on Thursday we'll have a rematch of the 1978 final.

Iron Lady Dead At 87

Margaret Thatcher was the longest serving British PM. She was for deregulation, weak trade unions and privatisation of state-owned enterprises. The former PM also waged war against Argentina to recapture Islas Malvinas. Here she is talking about socialism at the end of her 11-year Prime Ministership. 

And here is Meryl Streep winning another Oscar for her extraordinary portrayal of the Iron Lady.

The Bumper Crop That Wasn't

You already know what Shaitanomics did to our savings rate. Here's something else to confirm that you've been taken for a bean-counting ride for too long.

On December 13th 2005 given that the economy was looking good in Brazil the Lula government announced that it would be paying back its USD15.5 billion IMF loan in advance. Argentina followed suit a couple of days later with a similar announcement. That's also what Lutchmeenaraidoo did in the 80s after he bewitched cyclones into avoiding Dodoland.

Compare this to Mauritius contracting billions of rupees of Bretton-Woods debt during the so-called bumper crop. That too after receiving tens of billions of FDI.