The news
is often very informative totally by accident. For example, today the Wall
Street Journal and a number of websites that I frequent had references to the
US placing tariffs on washing machines and certain solar devices. Those
references were juxtaposition next to references to the European Union fining
QUALCOMM in response to competitive practices the Europeans didn't like.
It's
very interesting and one should not lose sight of the fact that European antitrust
regulations are not designed to protect consumer. Rather, they are designed to
protect European competitors. So, the question of the day is: Is there any
difference between the European fines on QUALCOMM and the US tariffs on washing
machines and solar devices? The honest answer is: No. Yet, that is hardly how
the media would treat them. Is it bias or an inability to look beyond the
surface?