At Davos this weekend, in a “special conversation” between Fareed Zakaria and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister articulated his strategy for defeating extremist ideologies: “I think the key is despair, is to rob them of hope—the hope that their wild fantasies will actually win out the day.”
If you couldn’t make it out to the Swiss resort town of Davos to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering of rich people and the politicians that serve them—or if you were there but decided instead to hit the slopes—there is still some good news: The WEF made a series of image macros that allow you to experience Davos’ unique brand of terrifying futuristic delusion from a hemisphere away.
What makes this year more special than any other? This is the year that the very worst class war rhetoric becomes the reality.
Prince Andrew took a break from mingling with billionaires at Davos to issue his first public denial of allegations that he repeatedly had sex with an underage girl. "I just wish to reiterate and reaffirm the statements already made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace," he said. "My focus is on my work."
We all accept that the rich and powerful people who gather in Davos each year are probably the world's worst group, in an abstract sense. Now, though, there is statistical proof.
You can only join the exclusive new social network TopCom if you're among the 200 richest people in the world. Then again, if you're on hand in Davos Switzerland when TopCom is unveiled by scary software compant Tibco, there's a pretty good chance you're in that group.
The Way We Live Now: scrimping and saving. To get into Davos! Davos ain't cheap, you know. They don't let just anyone into Davos. Only the big shots make it to Davos. Do I know you from Davos? Oh, sorry.
[Billionaires are gathered in Davos, Switzerland to pat each other on the back for being rich and give long winded speeches about saving poor people. Image via AP]
Oswald Gruebel (villainous name), Josef Ackermann (also scary) and... Brian Moynihan (Queens cop), the heads of UBS, Deutsche Bank and Bank of America had a shadowy meeting at the world economic forum. They discussed how to "reassert their influence with regulators and governments." Also known as taking over the world. [Bloomberg]
What's going on at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland? The answer below!
If you're going to set up a website pretending to be the official site of the World Economic Forum in Davos, and you're going to issue an apology in the name of the CEO of Goldman Sachs for creating "massive unemployment and misery," you probably want to make sure you spell the guy's name correctly. Also: Get a native English speaker to draft the press release. The small details make all the difference! [via BusinessInsider]
This is usually the time of year when politicians, big-shot bankers, and top diplomats converge on Davos, Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum. But like last year, the event is expected to be far more downbeat than in years past when Angelina Jolie turned up to discuss global poverty and Naomi Campbell strutted around the Alpine village in very fashionable après-ski attire. This year the best attendees can look forward to is catching a glimpse of Chinese pianist Lang Lang or self-important director James Cameron. Depressing!
