Germany to leave the Euro, the consequences would include corporate default, recapitalisation of the banking system and collapse of international trade

t is also worth observing that almost no modern fiat currency monetary unions have broken up without some form of authoritarian or military government, or civil war

Fiscal confederation, not break-up

Our base case with an overwhelming probability is that the Euro moves slowly (and painfully) towards some kind of fiscal integration.

he CEO of Belgium's biggest bank has just resigned. As a reminder, Dexia is the one European bank that in the 2008-2009 period borrowed more money from the Fed than anyone else,

The U.S. and Europe have always suppressed the rising price of gold. They intend to weaken gold's function as an international reserve currency. They don't want to see other countries turning to gold reserves instead of the U.S. dollar or euro. 
Therefore, suppressing the price of gold is very beneficial for the U.S. in maintaining the U.S. dollar's role as the international reserve currency. China's increased gold reserves will thus act as a model and lead other countries toward reserving more gold. 
Large gold reserves are also beneficial in promoting the internationalization of the renminbi

China still has less than 2% of its currency reserves in gold

Chinese diversification into gold will continue but the Chinese will continue to do so under the radar and will not broadcast their intentions for fear of driving down the dollar and up gold prices and then having to chase the gold market

The idea is to create a central financial authority — with powers in areas like taxation, bond issuance and budget approval — that could eventually turn the euro zone into something resembling a United States of Europe

The idea of a European Treasury that would enforce fiscal discipline on wayward countries ... Those in prosperous nations like Germany do not want to see their taxes used to bail out countries that borrowed their way into trouble. And those in weaker nations are reluctant to allow outsiders to dictate how their governments spend their money and tax their citizens.

I think the EURUSD has finally shown willingness to break below its multi-month range; it's broken conclusively below the ascending triangle dating back to its lows on July 12 and looks to head lower. I'd like to sell a test of resistance at previous congestion of 1.4200 with first target at August lows of 1.4050. I like the position as long as we stay below previous spike-lows of 1.4320. If we break 1.4050, a fall towards 1.3800 seems likely.

One molecule engine

http://www.gizmag.com/worlds-smallest-electric-motor/19730/

he [next] 10 days are absolutely essential both for [Greece] and the (EU/IMF/ECB) troika in order to work on the data on a technical level and prepare the tables on which the draft budget will be based

a single intravenous infusion of a genetically engineered virus can home in on cancer, killing tumor cells in patients without harming healthy tissue.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/01/us-cancer-virus-idUSTRE77U4NC20110901?feedType=RSS&feedName=scienceNews&sp=true