The happiness of others is felt as an insult when you yourself are in trouble. The relatively strong expansion of the German economy (2% annual rate in the first quarter) in contrast to the recessions of most other major countries (by population), plus Portugal and Greece. As for the zero growth of the Hexagon, it confirms his usual center position, if not congenital ambiguity.

It is no longer "Deutschland über alles", but "alles ohne Deutschland" (Germany without the other), thinks it by reading the 2012 first quarter results released Tuesday by Eurostat. And this singularity is disturbing: it appears that healthy Germanic fail to get out of the rut Euroland.

This justifies the environmental diagnosis of Francois Hollande, advocating a form of stimulus. And already, as the Bundesbank that Wolfgang Schäuble, the finance minister, admitted that Germany should agree to have more inflation than southern Europe, and higher wage increases.

Will this be enough to call it the euro area growth on orbit? The consumer of Munich can give work back to the outskirts of Lisbon? The question is what he could buy them. And this is where things get complicated.

Historical-cultural syndrome

When we look more closely at the 2012 first quarter GDP in Europe, it is clear that Slovakia (0.8%), Finland (1.3%) and Belgium (0.2%) fared rather well. Only the Netherlands in recession, are missing. We know they are victims of the bursting of their bubble and household debt Batavian. Otherwise, all the satellites of Germany, what some call its subcontractors, this meet. And the map taking shape before our eyes is practically that of the Holy Roman Empire, which brought together the Mitteleuropa of northern Italy to the Baltic, from 962 to 1806. Napoleon until the final unraveling, which earned us the title since then, ironically, the "Grande Nation" across the Rhine.

This geography is often invoked today by eurosceptics in France. They believe that the euro should be limited to the former Holy Roman Empire, which certainly included northern Italy, but which will never France or the Iberian Peninsula. This historical-cultural syndrome keeps his weight when we see, for example, how Mario Monti, a native of Lombardy, is working to convert all Italy to Germanic culture.

Clearly, to benefit the motor industry across the Rhine and its market, the first in Europe, it should share its values ​​management and be competitive. Again, the performance of German foreign trade – the largest surplus in the world, all nations combined – are instructive.

That China has become the main supplier (to the Netherlands, then France) demonstrates the wonderful integration of Germany into globalization and its thirst for the open sea. However, we remain French their first customer, and the Franco-German balance, € 35 billion, accounted for half of our overall deficit in 2011. It is a sacred chasm in the Franco-German couple, so-called engine of Europe. The bad boy can he blame the top of the class for being too good?

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It is a blow to Angela Merkel. German Chancellor has lost Sunday night for its closest ally to win against its European partners in managing the crisis of the euro. The defeat of Nicolas Sarkozy, she has supported all the way, is also a bit his. However, his political career attests: Merkel is good at adapting to new realities. It's been several weeks since his team is preparing for a possible victory of Francois Hollande. The Socialist no longer afraid to Berlin. His first phone call on Sunday night was to be for the Chancellor.

Francois Hollande was pretty irritated the Germans during his campaign by promising not to ratify the treaty in the state of budgetary discipline. The Socialist candidate would include a component of measures to support growth, including on the funding at European level of environmental or industrial projects. Merkel replied curtly that there would be no renegotiation of the text, regarded in Berlin as the culmination of his vision of a Europe steeped in the "stability culture" Germanic. Before making a small step towards Holland stating that the EU was preparing a "growth agenda" for the top end of June

Holland, who said he wanted to be part of the Franco-German tradition by making his first trip across the Rhine, is expected in Berlin this weekend or early next week, following his inauguration. It is expected to meet informally with the Chancellor of how to amend the treaty. Merkel wants to prevent the initiatives to support growth would delay its ratification. To circumvent the risk of isolation, she has already joined the Italian Mario Monti. And it seeks to gather around their tandem a significant number of twenty-five countries signed the treaty to ratify the text without waiting for France.

Berlin wants to believe qu'Hollande will find a "pragmatic solution", according to a memorandum of discussions between the team of the socialist candidate and German diplomats, quoted by the media across the Rhine. "Holland and his team want to be part of the continuity of the Franco-German working for Europe," said the note. For several weeks, Michel Sapin, author of the economic project of Holland, and Jean-Louis Bianco try to reassure the Chancellor through contacts with his closest advisers. On both sides of the Rhine, we want defuse "hiccups" that perfect storm of the euro, would be immediately punished by the markets.

Of "painful truths"

Merkel's entourage insisted on the red lines of the Chancellor. The introduction of Eurobonds is still a taboo in Berlin. As a stimulus to growth by an extensive program of public spending. Germany believes that its model of structural reforms is the role model for Europe. And she hopes qu'Hollande be satisfied with a symbolic boost to growth. For Berlin, the Socialist candidate's campaign promises are not set in stone. And he would realize that he will announce "painful truths" to the French early in his term. Germany feared above all that the arrival in power of Holland bury any desire for reform in France. And having to wear one at arm's Europe and the single currency. Holland "judge superfluous needed economic reforms, pension and labor market, laments the Bild newspaper in an editorial. The French economy unscrews. If Holland looks away, she will continue to fall. While Germany is alone without strong partner with a big question mark next to the euro. "

Somewhat reassured by his contacts with the Dutch team, led by Berlin is one hope: that economic realities and uncompromising market pressure will convince the French Socialist turning into a Social Democratic German inspired.

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The Lakers star ball changes. After the pumpkin orange basketball, he moved to the little white ball in baseball. Playmaker of the "Dream Team" of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, but the Los Angeles Lakers is the large-figurehead of a consortium that will spend the equivalent of 1.6 billion euro to regain bankrupt club of Los Angeles Dodgers. This colossal sum excludes the famous "Dodger Stadium" for which the new team of "Magic" Johnson will pay 150 million dollars more. A misery.

The fate of the Dodgers was sealed last summer, when the league baseball has refused to accept the increase in TV rights which would have reached three billion dollars between the Fox and the California Club in Los Angeles. In fact, one of the leaders League Baseball feared that this small fortune to go replenish the accounts of the controversial businessman, Frank McCourt, owner of the Dodgers so far faxless cash advance. The amount proposed by the band Jordan is the highest ever paid for the acquisition of a "franchise".

Specificity of the North American professional sports, a franchise is a team that can be sold and "moved" from one city to another. However Magic Johnson will not be President. This position will be assigned to Stan Kasten, who led the franchise of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. The Californian giant known for his business acumen comes again at the right time: the Dodgers show a good record with 16 wins sport for seven defeats. This is not the first time a basketball player is interested in baseball. The great Michael Jordan had tried-sporting – this discipline in a minor league. The star of the Chicago Bulls was also a teammate of Magic Johnson in the "Dream Team" Olympic. The fine line between the two sports.

Terrestrial digital radio (DAB) will she set up in 2012? The Higher Audiovisual Council (CSA) and wants just updated the call for tenders launched in March 2008 to Paris, Nice and Marseille. A call to cover twenty new cities to follow. The regulator does and apply the law of 5 March 2007 on the modernization of audiovisual broadcasting, said Rachid Arhab, advisor to the CSA in charge of the RNT.

But his initiative has provoked outrage from the Bureau of Radio, bringing together networks RTL, NRJ Group, Lagardère Active and NextRadioTV. "The CSA seeks the forced passage and launches an unfunded project between the two rounds of the presidential election!" Railed this association. Candidates in 2008 and for certain selected by the CSA at the time, these four private groups say they are now "reserved" on the launch of the RNT. "We are not against digital radio. But we want to know how many radios there will be local, how many there will be national and what is the vision of CSA in the long run? "Explains Michel Cacouault, President of the Office of the radio. Information that would be necessary to establish private radios for a business plan over the long term. In practice, they are afraid of having to finance, long, double analogue and digital, of many issuers, while the French are not yet equipped with suitable receivers.

"We try to corner us on the question of the economic model. But it is to find the radios, not the CSA, "retorts Rashid Arhab. Economic needs will also depend on the speed at which digital radio is launched. For this, the new call for applications imposes minimum thresholds of coverage to be achieved in five years. According to Rachid Arhab, they are "significant, without strangling operators." Another variable that escapes the CSA: consumer expectations. "Let the listener and the market decide how TNR works," says the counselor, who works at the revival of the issue since the fall.

Support independent

His efforts have joined efforts for six months by the Union Interprofessional Independent Radio and Television (Sirti). The latter went so far as to claim before the State Council the allocation of broadcasting licenses to selected candidates in 2008. For its members, as for-profit radio stations, the TNR is a promise of development. The Sirti and SNRL, associations representing the stations, therefore support the decision of the CSA.

The latter was given until May 31 for candidates to file for new records or update their records to a digital radio frequency. "Otherwise, the candidate is now considered a candidate as part of its original case," defined in Article 2 of the new call for applications. At least to withdraw their cases filed in 2008, the Bureau of Radio and remain candidates for RNT.

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Ease the cost of a property purchase by cutting transfer taxes – that is to say, much of the Notary fees – the idea has appeal to future home buyers. All the charges amount to about 7% of the asset price, a substantial sum when money is tight. The proposal of Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate to succeed him in the presidential election, while interesting for buyers, however, could be very costly to local governments.

Almost 10 billion euros per year

Tax collectors, the Notaries pay back because the majority of the charges they levy for counties and municipalities. "Whenever there is change of ownership of a property, solicitors receive 5.09% of the price in respect of registration fees. Beneficiaries are 3.80% for the department and the municipality where the property is located to 1.20%, "says Benoit Renaud, president of the Council of Notaries (CSN). The remainder is not covered by the proposal of Nicolas Sarkozy, returned to the notary.

The latest figures available from the Department of the Interior, these taxes generated 7.1 billion euros in 2010 to the departments. That of Paris, for example, received more than 668.5 million euros thanks to these taxes, the Alpes-Maritimes nearly 290 million euros, the Rhone € 227.5 million. As a department of Lozere, where the pace of transactions is much lower still reached 3.6 million of these transfer taxes. Municipalities have their side earned 2.2 billion euros. For 2011, revenues for the departments is estimated at 8.6 billion euros and 2.5 billion euros to the communes. "These amounts are far from harmless, some budgets of departments and municipalities depend on it. In 2008, with the crisis and the sharp slowdown in sales, there were large budget cuts, "says the president of the CSN.

Differential rates

In February 2011, solicitors had participated in a discussion on this subject at the time of manufacture of the supplementary budget. "We said that at present, taxes and holding back the acquisition we had proposed to make the transfer tax deductible from income taxes for 5 years. There would be no impact to the local community, "said Benoit Renaud. Alternatively, notaries also offer differentiated sales to private commercial sales professionals who can deduct them transfer taxes. "There are twenty years we had different rates: 13 to 18% for commercial property and 7% for homes. Today everyone is 5% that is not necessarily a good idea. It would for example reduce the cost of 5 to 3% for individuals and grow to 8% for commercial buildings, "says the president of the CSN. Options, for now, not selected.

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The clothing giant Hennes & Mauritz (H & M) has, once again, makes investors wince and smile fashionistas. The chain has indeed saw its stock fall by 4% in session Thursday after yet displayed, for the first quarter, sales growth (+13%), to 3.14 billion euros and net income up ( 4.6%), 310 million, but below analysts' expectations. Its gross margin was down 2% year on year, to 55.8%.

H & M defends itself by arguing that its margins were impacted by higher production costs, including cotton and the wages in Asia, the group chose the least possible impact on prices offered to customers. Profitability has also been undermined by "long-term investments to expand our total supply," said the boss, Karl-Johan Persson, including "a completely new chain of stores" for 2013.

H & M intends to repeat the international success and very "profitable" for its first upscale brand, called COS (Collection of Style as) and launched 5 years ago. His second string, which will be launched to conquer major cities worldwide, will be even more upscale, but will remain open: "This brand will be positioned on a separate segment higher price than COS while offering the best price for each item" , said a spokesman.

A team dedicated to new concepts

If Spanish Zara (Inditex Group) dominates H & M and Gap others in terms of responsiveness to trends, however, Swedish wants to keep one step ahead in the "masstige", this complex cocktail of "mass- market "and" prestige ". Number of creators and signed lines for H & M, including Versace Marni recently.

Last stunt of the Swedish chain: at the London BAFTA ceremony, the "Caesars" British, Michelle Williams seemed dressed in haute couture. The actress, who plays Marilyn Monroe in the film, was actually a golden corset and organic cotton skirt and satin back crepe designer H & M. A similar holding will be sold soon to clients of the Swedish chain. Similarly, parades American stars on the red carpet in the middle of Oscar season, H & M has convinced celebrities to wear dresses of his online "Exclusive Conscious", which models will, in April, sold in a selection of 100 stores, in its new and larger collection "H & M Conscious."

In the world of fashion, the new concept of future H & M has not totally surprised: not long ago, a famous fashion designer Scandinavian Behnaz Aram, was hired by H & M to strengthen its teams dedicated to " new concepts. " A discreet but strategic cell that has already developed three brands: Cos, and Monki Day Weekend, and H & M Home.

Like SOC, which will open its first store outside Europe, Hong Kong, the new chain H & M will be a strong argument to fight against Zara and its upscale brand Massimo Dutti, especially on emerging market savvy luxury.

No turnaround but no collapse either. Dissemination of the mainstream press has eroded again in 2011, an average of 2.26%, a decrease of similar magnitude in 2010, according to figures presented Thursday by the OJD, the body diffusion control of the press. According to the Observatory, the French have bought a total of just over 4 billion copies last year.

All families press record a slowdown in sales. If the decline is marked for magazines (-3.11%), it remains contained to the regional daily press (-2.28%) and the national daily press (-1.36%). Among the dailies, Francedemeure West title with the highest circulation (748,213 copies in France paid broadcast). Le Figaro (321,101 copies) and The World (292,062 copies) dominate nationally. Erosion is strongest for Sunday newspapers (-4%) and regional weeklies (-4.4%).

Among the major categories of magazines, newspapers television (TV Magazine, TV Z, Tele 7 Jours …), which represents 40.6% of volumes of magazines, fell by 3.3% between 2010 and 2011. This withdrawal explains to a large extent the magnitude of the decline of all magazines. The women, who had risen in 2010, this time displayed a drop of 2%. Hardest hit the tabloids, which had peaked between 2006 and 2008, accelerating its reflux of 4.6%. Only general news headlines (Paris Match, Le Figaro Magazine …) and news (Le Nouvel Observateur, L'Express …) take their game well, limiting their respective decreases of 0.55% and 0.76%.

Accessibility problem

In smaller classes, lower often exceeds 3%. The sporting press (Team Mag, France Football …) fell by 7.6%, the business press (Capital Challenges …) and the press room (Maxi Cuisine, Regal …) of 4.6% and children's press ( Scrooge Super Giant, Le Journal de Mickey …) 5%. Down sharply, the press photo-film-video-music (First, … Studio Ciné Live) fell by almost 8%. Among the most affected families, the computer press (14%) male and the press (27%) due to the shutdown of securities. However, the press auto-moto and one dedicated to science exhibit good resistance.

For Bartement Patrick, CEO of OJD, it is relative sector crisis. "The spread has declined 20% in five years, 500 million copies in less, he says. But this decline is entirely due to lower sales copy, that is to say, in kiosks and newsagents electronic check payday advance. For subscription sales remained stable, thanks to the portage. "The evidence, he said that the problem facing the press is the first of its distribution network. "When the press is available, the press is selling," says Patrick Bartement. The ongoing restructuring of NMPP, the first distributor of the press in France, is in this sense crucial if the sector is the trend.

More than 35 million readers a day

The French are big consumers of news. This is the main teaching of the first One study, presented Thursday at the 22nd Observatory of the press of OJD. One meets for the first time all the families of press in a single audience measurement, using the same methodology. Every day in France, more than 35 million people read at least one press title, 69% aged 15 and older. Better: they are 97% to pick up a newspaper in hand each month.

On average, 7.1 French read different titles: 1.4 and 5.7 daily magazines. Very fond of magazines, they skim regularly as TV news, but especially securities interests in the world of women, health, cooking, celebrities and family, not to mention the news, the titles "pictures" and economic or home-decor and garden.

Daily newspapers, logically, shorter life spans. At 8 am, 20% of readers of this press have already covered their favorite track. They are 70% at midday. In the family of magazines, weekly newspapers are read for 2.6 days, three days monthly and bimonthly (every two months) 3.4 days. The handling of securities, that is to say the number of times the reader reads the newspaper, reaching 6 to 7 times for magazines, against just over 2.5 for both national and regional newspapers, and 1.6 times for free daily.

All these reading habits are enriched by the rise of digital. The new study incorporates these new forms of reading, which increase the power of writing. One particular reveals that Internet users are also strong supporters of the press, with an average of 7.3 titles read.

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Swiss citizens have said "no" referendum, the establishment of "six weeks of vacation for all", or fifteen days of paid vacation and more. The initiative launched by the unions was rejected by 67% of voters. The text called for the passage of six weeks compulsory leave to a minimum, while the Federal Constitution allows four since 1984.

The result was not surprising: the economic and the Parliament had voted against. The initiators of the argument was based on the deterioration of working conditions. "But the economic calendar was not favorable and the opponents have played on fear," responded Josiane Aubert, Vice President of Swiss Labour, the group behind the referendum.  

"More than the French? Unthinkable! "

In the opposing camp, the president of the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bernard Rüeger, said he was "proud that the Swiss citizen is aware that work causes less poverty and deindustrialization."

"We would have been world champions holiday, more than the French, is to say …" jokes at Swiss Television Cristina Gaggini, Director of Economics Swiss Romande, an employers' association. The Helvetians refuse more vacation "because deep down, deep in their memory, are still the idea that the holidays are the invention of a lazy fortunate few," says the newspaper Le Temps.

The Little Shop Becquerel Center is nestled in the popular district of Tokyo Ueno, in the shadow of one of the countless train lines overhead. Since December, people in Tokyo may be measuring the radioactivity of their products, self-service.

Two tables out of sight of prying neighbors are reserved for customers who place their sample into a kind of pressure cooker. In twenty minutes, the gamma spectrometer German brand Berthold gives the result in becquerels per kilogram. Then simply compare the standards posted on the wall.

The thirty daily customers sometimes bring unusual objects, such a degree rescued from a house in the region of Fukushima to see if it can be kept safe, Kazuki tells Kibuchi, the young employee in a blue apron. Most often, customers are farmers who measure the radioactivity of their rice. Kibuchi Kazuki assures its primary goal is not to make profit but to serve the public. Given the investment in the spectrometers, to 3990 yen (37 euros) the measurement session, he just said beneficiary make quick cash.

Geiger counter as a gift

In the bustling Akihabara, famous among others for his little flea market of electronic components, Yasuyo Shibata has turned to his advantage the bad wind came from Fukushima. At the entrance to his electronics store sits a display with more than a dozen models of Geiger counters. Customers prefer the entry-level to 7000 yen (about 65 euros), but can opt for the Belarusian model to 48,000 yen (Belarus was the country most affected by Chernobyl fallout) to 600,000 yen a spectrometer which is a measure of food in five minutes.  

This growing market has stimulated competition and driven prices down. "The clientele is mostly women, notes Yasuyo Shibata, mothers worried. Often customers buy a device to give to parents living near Fukushima. "A present trend.

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