Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
The idea for this article was never published. It was submitted to the top two English language news outlets in Lebanon and was politely turned down, with something to the effect, “Stick to Economics.” It was subsequently turned into a YouTube video titled “Hummos Economics Episode 1 on my YouTube channel, posted Thursday December 24, [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was originally published in An-Nahar on December 31, 2019] Let’s say a certain hugely successful Lebanese automotive executive ran into legal troubles in a country which has an usually convoluted judicial system, which tends towards “guilty until proven innocent.” Staying back to fight and salvage his international [...]
Dan Azzi
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities between actual people and events is purely coincidental. A version of this article was first published in Arabic in Akhbar newspaper October 14, 2019. ———————————————————————————————————— “If you want to understand a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” Riad Salameh sat in his plush [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was originally published in An-Nahar September 22, 2019] It’s pretty clear that we’re now in an urgent race, like being on a treadmill, whose speed keeps accelerating, but has no off-switch. No matter how tough and fit you are, eventually you’ll have to stop running … unlike the treadmill, which keeps going. You can [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was first published in An-Nahar in July 2019] I know what you’re thinking — my editor missed a typo and the title should be “Devaluation of the Lebanese Lira.” It’s pretty clear, with the balance of payment (BoP) deficit (binging on imports, i.e. US dollars leaking outside the country month after month); that we’re heading [...]
Dan Azzi
[First published in An-Nahar and Yerepouni News on July 14, 2019] BEIRUT: “… We have a new product for deposits with a minimum of $20 million, paying a 14% annual rate … but now we’re opening this great offer for the general population at much smaller amounts, but only for dollars coming from outside Lebanon …. We put your money with the [...]
Dan Azzi
(This article was originally published in An-Nahar on June 2, 2019) I heard that one of my favorite restaurants is closing. I love that place, not because you can glimpse the who’s who in the country, but the food and service are great, and the charming manager reminds me of a bygone era. I dress like I don’t belong there, so one waiter, [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was originally published in An-Nahar on March 24, 2019 and created a media frenzy such as this report attacking me] Adventures in Forensic Accounting: Last Monday I received an excel spreadsheet from MJ, a bright young man, a couple of years out of college, whom I met last year at a controversial lecture at AUB (LINK HERE). [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was published in An-Nahar 24 February, 2019] When I worked on Wall Street a few years ago, I could sense that something was wrong in our compensation mechanism. We got huge bonuses if things went well that year, but the downside was always limited. Take a trader who committed firm capital, a bet, if you will, on a certain [...]
Dan Azzi
[This article was originally published in An-Nahar on February 2, 2019] The United States buys a Japanese Toyota, German BMW, Korean Kia, or Chinese Dongfeng, made of steel, leather, glass, computer chips, engines, and significant workmanship and design. They pay using pieces of paper (water-proof cotton, to be precise); with “In God We [...]
Dan Azzi
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