From Google Books
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that
unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a
result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of
corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the
country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the
prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands,
and the Republic is destroyed."
read more
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
''Orwell Rolls in his Grave''
Jim Willie: ''Central Bank Gold Rehypothecation Scandal to Take Gold to $5,000/oz''
the latest from Jim Willie...............From Silver Doctors
''This is a global monetary war as last hurrah for the longest running fiat paper currency regime in modern history, which has run from 1971. The current dying regime has been held up by pressure to maintain USDollar support and not diversify away from it. It has been held up by amplified usage of derivative support in the form of Interest Rate Swap contracts, thereby keeping USTBond yields ultra-low in the face of chronic $1.3 trillion USGovt deficits, and creating an illusion of a flight to safe haven. It has been held up diverse comical USFed support in the form of a cornucopia of liquidity programs, to supply the big US banks with never ending bond redemption and carry trade aid. The current dying USDollar regime has culminated in an admitted permanent monetary policy identified by a toxic 0% official rate and the emerging reality of limitless bond monetization. It has been held up profound distortion of economic statistics, which have become almost laughable in the abuse.''
continue reading
''This is a global monetary war as last hurrah for the longest running fiat paper currency regime in modern history, which has run from 1971. The current dying regime has been held up by pressure to maintain USDollar support and not diversify away from it. It has been held up by amplified usage of derivative support in the form of Interest Rate Swap contracts, thereby keeping USTBond yields ultra-low in the face of chronic $1.3 trillion USGovt deficits, and creating an illusion of a flight to safe haven. It has been held up diverse comical USFed support in the form of a cornucopia of liquidity programs, to supply the big US banks with never ending bond redemption and carry trade aid. The current dying USDollar regime has culminated in an admitted permanent monetary policy identified by a toxic 0% official rate and the emerging reality of limitless bond monetization. It has been held up profound distortion of economic statistics, which have become almost laughable in the abuse.''
continue reading
More Hurricane Photo's
stunning pics............From Daily Mail.................VIEW PICS
''The devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy began to emerge this morning as the death toll hit 50 and damage was expected to reach $50billion.
As the superstorm passed over the region, startling before-and-after pictures revealed what was left of the East Coast.
At first glance, New Jersey's Mantoloking Bridge appeared to be completely different highways - until it becomes clear that just one solitary house was left standing.''
''The devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy began to emerge this morning as the death toll hit 50 and damage was expected to reach $50billion.
As the superstorm passed over the region, startling before-and-after pictures revealed what was left of the East Coast.
At first glance, New Jersey's Mantoloking Bridge appeared to be completely different highways - until it becomes clear that just one solitary house was left standing.''
James Turk - ''15,000 Tons Of Western Central Bank Gold Is Gone''
From King World News
But
first, here is what Turk had to say about his last interview titled,
“The Entire German Gold Hoard Is Gone,” which has received an incredible
amount of attention around the world: “Yes,
it’s getting increasing attention, Eric, and rightly so. There has
been a lot of deception about how much gold is really in central bank
vaults.''
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''Turk
added this stunning estimate, “At the time I had concluded that it was
about 15,000 tons of gold which had actually been put into the market
out of central bank vaults. This is approximately half of what central
banks reported to own at the time.”
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''AFRICOM and the Recolonisation of Africa''
From Modern Ghana via Phantom Report............read more
''AFRICOM, literally known as ”The United States Africa Command”(USAFRICOM) is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces headquartered at Kelley barracks, Stuttgart in Germany.
AFRICOM was created by George W Bush by Presidential Order in 2007 to cordinate US military activities throughout Africa and is directly responsible for U:S military operations and military relations with 53 african nations – an area of responsibility covering the whole of Africa except Egypt.''
http://www.phantomreport.com/
''AFRICOM, literally known as ”The United States Africa Command”(USAFRICOM) is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces headquartered at Kelley barracks, Stuttgart in Germany.
AFRICOM was created by George W Bush by Presidential Order in 2007 to cordinate US military activities throughout Africa and is directly responsible for U:S military operations and military relations with 53 african nations – an area of responsibility covering the whole of Africa except Egypt.''
http://www.phantomreport.com/
''UBS bankers in London head for the pub after being turned away at office door''
poor bastards.................From The Telegraph
''UBS bankers in London were turned away from their offices on Tuesday and handed a letter putting them on "special leave", just hours after the Swiss bank unveiled a radical restructuring to axe 10,000 jobs''
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Paul Craig Roberts: ''The Virtual Economic Recovery''
From Global Research
''Since mid-2009 the US has been enjoying a virtual recovery courtesy of a rigged inflation measure that understates inflation. The financial Presstitutes spoon out the government’s propaganda that prices are rising less than 2%. But anyone who purchases food, fuel, medical care or anything else knows that low inflation is no more real that Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction or Gadhafi’s alleged attacks on Libyan protesters or Iran’s nuclear weapons. Everything is a lie to serve the power-brokers.''
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''Since mid-2009 the US has been enjoying a virtual recovery courtesy of a rigged inflation measure that understates inflation. The financial Presstitutes spoon out the government’s propaganda that prices are rising less than 2%. But anyone who purchases food, fuel, medical care or anything else knows that low inflation is no more real that Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction or Gadhafi’s alleged attacks on Libyan protesters or Iran’s nuclear weapons. Everything is a lie to serve the power-brokers.''
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''EU wary of new Soviet empire in disguise''
From Public Service Europe
''Brussels officials besieged by the Eurosceptic press may be relieved to discover that for the first time they have a natural ally: Russian 'Eurocrats'. While currently more of a club than an aspiring federal government, there are already not far from a thousand Moscow-based 'Eurocrats' beavering away at what some suggest could be the next regional powerhouse: the Eurasian Economic Commission.''
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''Brussels officials besieged by the Eurosceptic press may be relieved to discover that for the first time they have a natural ally: Russian 'Eurocrats'. While currently more of a club than an aspiring federal government, there are already not far from a thousand Moscow-based 'Eurocrats' beavering away at what some suggest could be the next regional powerhouse: the Eurasian Economic Commission.''
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''Why They Fight the Tar Sands''
From Pacific Free Press
''Melina Laboucan Massimo, a long-time Indigenous and environmental activist. Since 2009 Melina has been working as a tar sands campaigner for Greenpeace Canada.
''Melina Laboucan Massimo, a long-time Indigenous and environmental activist. Since 2009 Melina has been working as a tar sands campaigner for Greenpeace Canada.
Melina is a Lubicon Cree
from Northern Alberta who knows the reality of the oil sands too well.
Having grown up in the oil sands region, she witnessed first-hand the
impacts of oil sands development on her Nation’s people, culture, and
land.
She now spends most of her days traveling inside Canada and around
the world to share her their stories and realities with a larger
audience''. (http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/meet-melina-laboucan-massimo-indigenous-environmental-activist/)
''World Petro War II''
From Pacific Free Press
By David Chibo
''The US’s grand strategy then became to maintain its economic supremacy which depends entirely on a strong dollar and relies on its ability to force nations to make their energy acquisitions in US dollars and invest their petrodollars in US Treasuries and ultimately US banks. The US banks then use fractional reserve banking to earns around half a trillion dollars yearly while allowing the US to run up trillions in debt. If the dollar were not backed by black-gold, then central banks throughout the world would dump it overnight.''
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By David Chibo
''The US’s grand strategy then became to maintain its economic supremacy which depends entirely on a strong dollar and relies on its ability to force nations to make their energy acquisitions in US dollars and invest their petrodollars in US Treasuries and ultimately US banks. The US banks then use fractional reserve banking to earns around half a trillion dollars yearly while allowing the US to run up trillions in debt. If the dollar were not backed by black-gold, then central banks throughout the world would dump it overnight.''
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''$2.8 Trillion in Unfunded State Pension Debts: Congressional Republicans Look to Block Federal Bailout''
From Reason.com
''Despite the fact that 49 states have balanced budget requirements the report calculates $4.2 trillion of state debt, $2.8 trillion of which is unfunded pension benefits. It’s by far the dominant source of debt for state governments across the country.''
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''Despite the fact that 49 states have balanced budget requirements the report calculates $4.2 trillion of state debt, $2.8 trillion of which is unfunded pension benefits. It’s by far the dominant source of debt for state governments across the country.''
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''10 states where the public pension fight is fierce''
From Boston.com
''Many are dealing with big pension bills by reducing retirement benefits. Here’s a look at 10 states that have taken steps to address unfunded pension liabilities — or the amount of money the state has to pay out but for which it has no funding in the pension pool.''
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''Many are dealing with big pension bills by reducing retirement benefits. Here’s a look at 10 states that have taken steps to address unfunded pension liabilities — or the amount of money the state has to pay out but for which it has no funding in the pension pool.''
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''Is The Federal Reserve Destroying Us Or Saving Us?''
From Problem Bank List
''Most Americans have only a very limited understanding of how the Federal Reserve affects every aspect of our lives. Neither the Chairman of the Federal Reserve nor the twelve members of the Board of Governors are elected by the American public. The Federal Reserve operates independently in secret and has the power to make financial decisions that impact the financial well being of every American citizen.''
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''Most Americans have only a very limited understanding of how the Federal Reserve affects every aspect of our lives. Neither the Chairman of the Federal Reserve nor the twelve members of the Board of Governors are elected by the American public. The Federal Reserve operates independently in secret and has the power to make financial decisions that impact the financial well being of every American citizen.''
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''U.S. Dollar vs. the Euro: Another Reason for the Invasion of Iraq''
From Project Censored
''The Euro has begun to emerge as a serious threat to dollar hegemony and U.S. economic dominance. The dollar may prevail throughout the Western Hemisphere, but the Euro and dollar are clashing in the former Soviet Union, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
In November 2000, Iraq became the first OPEC nation to begin selling its oil for Euros. Since then, the value of the Euro has increased 17%, and the dollar has begun to decline. One important reason for the invasion and installation of a U.S. dominated government in Iraq was to force the country back to the dollar. Another reason for the invasion is to dissuade further OPEC momentum toward the Euro, especially from Iran- the second largest OPEC producer, who was actively discussing a switch to Euros for its oil exports.''
read more
''The Euro has begun to emerge as a serious threat to dollar hegemony and U.S. economic dominance. The dollar may prevail throughout the Western Hemisphere, but the Euro and dollar are clashing in the former Soviet Union, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
In November 2000, Iraq became the first OPEC nation to begin selling its oil for Euros. Since then, the value of the Euro has increased 17%, and the dollar has begun to decline. One important reason for the invasion and installation of a U.S. dominated government in Iraq was to force the country back to the dollar. Another reason for the invasion is to dissuade further OPEC momentum toward the Euro, especially from Iran- the second largest OPEC producer, who was actively discussing a switch to Euros for its oil exports.''
read more
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
UK: ''Parliament's power is being passed to the banks''
From Public Service Europe
''Whenever major decisions are taken about the future of the United Kingdom, news cameras will be aimed at reporters standing in front of parliament. But is parliament really where the key decisions are being made today or has power shifted down the river to London's financial sector - the City? What we find now is a banking system that has more spending power than the democratically elected government, no accountability to the people and a massive concentration of power in the hands of a few individuals.''
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''Whenever major decisions are taken about the future of the United Kingdom, news cameras will be aimed at reporters standing in front of parliament. But is parliament really where the key decisions are being made today or has power shifted down the river to London's financial sector - the City? What we find now is a banking system that has more spending power than the democratically elected government, no accountability to the people and a massive concentration of power in the hands of a few individuals.''
read more
''Real Estate Recovery Challenged by Hurricane Sandy''
From Bloomberg
''Almost $88 billion of homes in seven states are at risk of damage, according to a report by CoreLogic Inc., a mortgage software and data firm in Irvine, California. New York has $35.1 billion of property in harm’s way, New Jersey has $22.6 billion, Virginia has $11.3 billion, and Massachusetts has $7.8 billion. Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania have a combined $11 billion of property at risk, CoreLogic said.''
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''Almost $88 billion of homes in seven states are at risk of damage, according to a report by CoreLogic Inc., a mortgage software and data firm in Irvine, California. New York has $35.1 billion of property in harm’s way, New Jersey has $22.6 billion, Virginia has $11.3 billion, and Massachusetts has $7.8 billion. Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania have a combined $11 billion of property at risk, CoreLogic said.''
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''737 U.S. Military Bases = Global Empire''
From Alternet
''With more than 2,500,000 U.S. personnel serving across the planet and military bases spread across each continent, it's time to face up to the fact that our American democracy has spawned a global empire.''
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''With more than 2,500,000 U.S. personnel serving across the planet and military bases spread across each continent, it's time to face up to the fact that our American democracy has spawned a global empire.''
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''The United States currently spends an estimated $250 billion annually maintaining bases and troops overseas''
remember this as the fiscal cliff is coming up........From TomDispatch via Mother Jones
''Washington still easily maintains the largest collection of foreign bases in world history: more than 1,000 military installations outside the 50 states and Washington, DC. They include everything from decades-old bases in Germany and Japan to brand-new drone bases in Ethiopia and the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean and even resorts for military vacationers in Italy and South Korea.
In Afghanistan, the US-led international force still occupies more than 450 bases. In total, the US military has some form of troop presence in approximately 150 foreign countries, not to mention 11 aircraft carrier task forces—essentially floating bases—and a significant, and growing, military presence in space. The United States currently spends an estimated $250 billion annually maintaining bases and troops overseas.''
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''Washington still easily maintains the largest collection of foreign bases in world history: more than 1,000 military installations outside the 50 states and Washington, DC. They include everything from decades-old bases in Germany and Japan to brand-new drone bases in Ethiopia and the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean and even resorts for military vacationers in Italy and South Korea.
In Afghanistan, the US-led international force still occupies more than 450 bases. In total, the US military has some form of troop presence in approximately 150 foreign countries, not to mention 11 aircraft carrier task forces—essentially floating bases—and a significant, and growing, military presence in space. The United States currently spends an estimated $250 billion annually maintaining bases and troops overseas.''
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''A Medical Industrial Complex?''
banking cartel, health care cartel, energy cartel and military cartel.....get the picture????.................From MedPageToday
By Tim Johnson MD
........... ''experts say that if we don't "bend the cost curve" for healthcare, we are headed for national bankruptcy.
But changing that cost curve is obviously easier said than done. There are so many forces who want to preserve the status quo – ranging from us patients who don't want to lose any options to the vast "medical industrial complex" constantly providing new products. (That phrase, by the way, was first used by then editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, Arnold Relman, who was obviously playing off the famous warning by President Eisenhower about the "military industrial complex.") No wonder there were six lobbyists from the medical industry for every member of Congress during the debate about the Affordable Care Act!''
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By Tim Johnson MD
........... ''experts say that if we don't "bend the cost curve" for healthcare, we are headed for national bankruptcy.
But changing that cost curve is obviously easier said than done. There are so many forces who want to preserve the status quo – ranging from us patients who don't want to lose any options to the vast "medical industrial complex" constantly providing new products. (That phrase, by the way, was first used by then editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, Arnold Relman, who was obviously playing off the famous warning by President Eisenhower about the "military industrial complex.") No wonder there were six lobbyists from the medical industry for every member of Congress during the debate about the Affordable Care Act!''
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Photo Essay: Hurricane Sandy
From Daily Mail
''President Obama has declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island after a night of being battered by Superstorm Sandy, left the areas looking like the set of a disaster movie.
It hit the mainland at 6.30pm local time yesterday having laid waste to large parts of the coast during the day. The US city shut its mass transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway, and ordered hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to leave home to get out of the way as Sandy zeroed in.
A 13ft wall of water caused by the storm surge and high tides resulted in severe flooding to subways and road tunnels. Torrents of water poured into building works at Ground Zero, cars were swept down streets and power was cut across lower Manhattan in a bid to minimise damage to infrastructure.''
view photo's
more pics from the atlantic..................view photo's
''President Obama has declared a 'major disaster' in New York and Long Island after a night of being battered by Superstorm Sandy, left the areas looking like the set of a disaster movie.
It hit the mainland at 6.30pm local time yesterday having laid waste to large parts of the coast during the day. The US city shut its mass transit system, schools, the stock exchange and Broadway, and ordered hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to leave home to get out of the way as Sandy zeroed in.
A 13ft wall of water caused by the storm surge and high tides resulted in severe flooding to subways and road tunnels. Torrents of water poured into building works at Ground Zero, cars were swept down streets and power was cut across lower Manhattan in a bid to minimise damage to infrastructure.''
view photo's
more pics from the atlantic..................view photo's
''Superstorm Sandy: Disaster Zone as Nearly 5 Million Are Without Power''
From ABC News
''Superstorm Sandy unleashed its lethal wrath, leaving nearly five million without power, downing trees and flooding the streets, spurring President Obama to issue disaster declarations for New York and New Jersey.
Federal aid will be offered to the affected areas to help supplement state and local clean-up efforts.''
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''Superstorm Sandy unleashed its lethal wrath, leaving nearly five million without power, downing trees and flooding the streets, spurring President Obama to issue disaster declarations for New York and New Jersey.
Federal aid will be offered to the affected areas to help supplement state and local clean-up efforts.''
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''Pentagon is World’s Leading Landlord''
and the neo-cons claim we dont have an EMPIRE.............From Information Clearing House
''Move over, Donald Trump and Ted Turner. The Department of Defense is the world’s top property owner with holdings around the world – a fact relevant amid election-year debate about the size and role of our military.
In the United States alone, DOD occupies 1.9 billion square feet of office space – about three times the floor space of all the nation’s Walmart stores, or 10 times the office space in all of Los Angeles. Worldwide, DOD has more than 2 million people working on 5,000 sites in 41 countries.''
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''Move over, Donald Trump and Ted Turner. The Department of Defense is the world’s top property owner with holdings around the world – a fact relevant amid election-year debate about the size and role of our military.
In the United States alone, DOD occupies 1.9 billion square feet of office space – about three times the floor space of all the nation’s Walmart stores, or 10 times the office space in all of Los Angeles. Worldwide, DOD has more than 2 million people working on 5,000 sites in 41 countries.''
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''Beijing report says Chinese Muslims are fighting in Syria''
From The China Post
''Chinese Muslim separatists from the northwest region of Xinjiang are battling Syrian government forces alongside al-Qaida and other extremist groups, an official Chinese newspaper reported Monday.
Radicals among China's ethnic Turkic Uighur minority have been traveling to Syria since May to join the fighting on trips organized by groups opposed to Beijing's rule over Xinjiang, the Global Times reported Monday.''
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''Chinese Muslim separatists from the northwest region of Xinjiang are battling Syrian government forces alongside al-Qaida and other extremist groups, an official Chinese newspaper reported Monday.
Radicals among China's ethnic Turkic Uighur minority have been traveling to Syria since May to join the fighting on trips organized by groups opposed to Beijing's rule over Xinjiang, the Global Times reported Monday.''
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''Oil, Dollars, Euros And Dead Iraqi's''
From 2003 and ..........................Information Clearing House
By Nick Beams
''A shift by OPEC to the euro would rapidly confront the US with an economic “nightmare scenario.” Major oil importers would need to transfer some of their funds from US dollars reserves—stocks, bonds and other assets—into euro reserves. This would see a sharp fall in the value of the dollar, possibly setting in motion a further withdrawal of funds as investors became nervous over the value of their dollar assets. Suddenly the burgeoning US debt, which at present plays little or no role in day-to-day financial calculations, would become a factor of considerable importance.
In other words, a switch in the financial basis of the oil export market, or a significant part of it, would have major consequences for the global financial position of the US, quite irrespective of whether oil was freely available or the price charged for it. However, if the US were in control of Iraqi supplies, either directly or through a puppet, it would be in a much better position to block any currency shift by the OPEC countries.''
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By Nick Beams
''A shift by OPEC to the euro would rapidly confront the US with an economic “nightmare scenario.” Major oil importers would need to transfer some of their funds from US dollars reserves—stocks, bonds and other assets—into euro reserves. This would see a sharp fall in the value of the dollar, possibly setting in motion a further withdrawal of funds as investors became nervous over the value of their dollar assets. Suddenly the burgeoning US debt, which at present plays little or no role in day-to-day financial calculations, would become a factor of considerable importance.
In other words, a switch in the financial basis of the oil export market, or a significant part of it, would have major consequences for the global financial position of the US, quite irrespective of whether oil was freely available or the price charged for it. However, if the US were in control of Iraqi supplies, either directly or through a puppet, it would be in a much better position to block any currency shift by the OPEC countries.''
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''Petrodollar or Petroeuro? A new source of global conflict''
this article is at least 5 yrs old, but a must read......................From Feasta
By CóilÃn Nunan
''This US trade deficit has now reached extraordinary levels, with the US importing 50% more goods and services than it exports. So long as the dollar remains the dominant international currency the US can continue consuming more than it produces and, for example, build up its military strength while simultaneously affording tax cuts.
Getting a share of this economic free lunch has been one of the motivations, and perhaps the main motivation, behind setting up the euro2 . Were the euro to become a reserve currency equal to, or perhaps even instead of, the dollar, countries would reduce their dollar holdings while building up their euro savings. Another way of putting this would be to say that Eurozone countries would be able to reduce their subsidy to American consumption and would find that other countries were now subsidising Eurozone consumption instead.''
read more
By CóilÃn Nunan
''This US trade deficit has now reached extraordinary levels, with the US importing 50% more goods and services than it exports. So long as the dollar remains the dominant international currency the US can continue consuming more than it produces and, for example, build up its military strength while simultaneously affording tax cuts.
Getting a share of this economic free lunch has been one of the motivations, and perhaps the main motivation, behind setting up the euro2 . Were the euro to become a reserve currency equal to, or perhaps even instead of, the dollar, countries would reduce their dollar holdings while building up their euro savings. Another way of putting this would be to say that Eurozone countries would be able to reduce their subsidy to American consumption and would find that other countries were now subsidising Eurozone consumption instead.''
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''Saudi Arabia's Foreign and Security Policy''
From Qantara.de
''For seven decades, the USA and Saudi Arabia have been strategic partners. The Saudis control a third of global oil reserves, and they ensure supply to the USA and other countries. In return, Washington guarantees military security. In Saudi eyes, however, US engagement in Iraq was a failure, not least because the influence of the Shia population and its clerics, many of whom have studied in Iran, has increased considerably there. The Saudis were also concerned by the overthrow of US-ally Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. As a result, they are now doing what they can in cooperation with their Sunni allies to stem the influence of Iran's Shia theocracy.
''If there is one categorical imperative in Saudi Arabia's foreign and security policy it is that priority must be given to whatever serves the monarchy's domestic stability – both at home and abroad. This regime is driven by fear of its own swift collapse.''
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''For seven decades, the USA and Saudi Arabia have been strategic partners. The Saudis control a third of global oil reserves, and they ensure supply to the USA and other countries. In return, Washington guarantees military security. In Saudi eyes, however, US engagement in Iraq was a failure, not least because the influence of the Shia population and its clerics, many of whom have studied in Iran, has increased considerably there. The Saudis were also concerned by the overthrow of US-ally Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. As a result, they are now doing what they can in cooperation with their Sunni allies to stem the influence of Iran's Shia theocracy.
''If there is one categorical imperative in Saudi Arabia's foreign and security policy it is that priority must be given to whatever serves the monarchy's domestic stability – both at home and abroad. This regime is driven by fear of its own swift collapse.''
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''How Does the Weak Dollar Affect Oil Prices?''
From Project Syndicate
''Around the world, there is anguished hand-wringing about the high price of oil. But if political leaders and policymakers want lower oil prices, they should be promoting policies that strengthen the dollar.
''Around the world, there is anguished hand-wringing about the high price of oil. But if political leaders and policymakers want lower oil prices, they should be promoting policies that strengthen the dollar.
The
implications of pricing oil in any single-currency are more
far-reaching than most people think. For example, some oil-producing
countries ask their customers to pay in euros, but that does not mean
that their oil is priced in euros. And even if dollar prices were to be
replaced by euro prices, the impact of single-currency pricing on the
oil market would be the same.''
''World Weighed Down by Debt Won’t Grow''
From Gold Standard Now
''In the film A Few Good Men, Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson) famously tells the military court: “You can’t handle the truth!” Today, politicians and policy makers seem unable to handle the truth – the prospect of little or no economic growth for a prolonged period. They refuse to acknowledge that expansionary fiscal and monetary policies may only provide temporary palliative relief, but cannot restore the health of the real economy.
Recent economic growth was driven by financialisation of the economy, primarily the use of debt to create demand. It also relied on allowing degradation of the environment and mispriced non-renewable natural resources, such as oil and water.''
read more
''In the film A Few Good Men, Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson) famously tells the military court: “You can’t handle the truth!” Today, politicians and policy makers seem unable to handle the truth – the prospect of little or no economic growth for a prolonged period. They refuse to acknowledge that expansionary fiscal and monetary policies may only provide temporary palliative relief, but cannot restore the health of the real economy.
Recent economic growth was driven by financialisation of the economy, primarily the use of debt to create demand. It also relied on allowing degradation of the environment and mispriced non-renewable natural resources, such as oil and water.''
read more
''The World After November''
From Project Syndicate
By Javier Solana
''On November 6, either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney will emerge victorious after an exhausting electoral race, setting the wheels in motion for the coming four years. An ocean away, on November 8, more than 2,000 members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will gather in Beijing. Approximately a week later, the members of the Politburo Standing Committee will walk out in hierarchical order, preparing to take charge of a growing country of 1.3 billion people.''
continue reading
By Javier Solana
''On November 6, either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney will emerge victorious after an exhausting electoral race, setting the wheels in motion for the coming four years. An ocean away, on November 8, more than 2,000 members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will gather in Beijing. Approximately a week later, the members of the Politburo Standing Committee will walk out in hierarchical order, preparing to take charge of a growing country of 1.3 billion people.''
continue reading
''A Brilliant Pentagon Plan for Spreading Perpetual “Persistent War” Looks Just Like A “Failed” Terror War''
From 'There are no Sunglasses'
Intro By Peter Chamberlain
''This is an excellent explanation of the mess that we find ourselves in today, due to the miserable, evil policies of the past two American Administrations, but the author from TomDispatch misses the most important point, as always. That singular, vital to understand point is this--the American war on terror HAS NOT FAILED, it has succeeded brilliantly in its primary mission--to spread conflict over the entire planet. The war on terror was NEVER intended to be won, it was just a means to an end, prepositioning military forces in every nation, before unleashing global nuclear war.''
continue reading
Intro By Peter Chamberlain
''This is an excellent explanation of the mess that we find ourselves in today, due to the miserable, evil policies of the past two American Administrations, but the author from TomDispatch misses the most important point, as always. That singular, vital to understand point is this--the American war on terror HAS NOT FAILED, it has succeeded brilliantly in its primary mission--to spread conflict over the entire planet. The war on terror was NEVER intended to be won, it was just a means to an end, prepositioning military forces in every nation, before unleashing global nuclear war.''
continue reading
''Top secret nuclear sub used to prove North Pole claim''
From Barents Observer
''The submarine took part in the “Arctic-2012” expedition this autumn aimed at proving Russian ownership of the Mendeleyev ridge stretching across the East Siberia Sea towards the North Pole. Russia will use the data collected in its application to the UN Law of the Sea, that within the next few years will divide the continental shelf among the Arctic costal states, including the North Pole itself.''
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''The submarine took part in the “Arctic-2012” expedition this autumn aimed at proving Russian ownership of the Mendeleyev ridge stretching across the East Siberia Sea towards the North Pole. Russia will use the data collected in its application to the UN Law of the Sea, that within the next few years will divide the continental shelf among the Arctic costal states, including the North Pole itself.''
read more
Pepe Escobar: ''China takes over Bryce Canyon
From Asia Times
''ON THE ROAD IN NEVADA AND UTAH - In the search for the (remixed, imploded?) American dream the road goes on forever. I left San Francisco in an Otis Redding's Pain in my Heart mood - past the playground of Silicon Valley Google/Facebook whiz kids, lanky blondes talking into their McBook Pros on the sidewalk, desperate flotsam and jetsam of the 47% defying the shadows in downtown at night, Italy alive at Coppola's Caf้ Zoetrope, the resurgence of Occupy Oakland, the Hudson 49 that crisscrossed the West in Walter Salles' ode to Kerouac's On the Road now parked at the Beat Museum - and I went east, past an already snow-stormed Sierra Nevada and an eerily quiet Lake Tahoe that seemed to have emerged from a noir opus like Out of the Past, the ghost of Robert Mitchum included.''
read more
''ON THE ROAD IN NEVADA AND UTAH - In the search for the (remixed, imploded?) American dream the road goes on forever. I left San Francisco in an Otis Redding's Pain in my Heart mood - past the playground of Silicon Valley Google/Facebook whiz kids, lanky blondes talking into their McBook Pros on the sidewalk, desperate flotsam and jetsam of the 47% defying the shadows in downtown at night, Italy alive at Coppola's Caf้ Zoetrope, the resurgence of Occupy Oakland, the Hudson 49 that crisscrossed the West in Walter Salles' ode to Kerouac's On the Road now parked at the Beat Museum - and I went east, past an already snow-stormed Sierra Nevada and an eerily quiet Lake Tahoe that seemed to have emerged from a noir opus like Out of the Past, the ghost of Robert Mitchum included.''
read more
''I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier - the first anti-war hit record''
The song was revived in the 1960s in opposition to the US war in Vietnam.
FOLLOW STOP THE WAR COALITION:
WEBSITE: http://www.stopwar.org.uk
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/stopthewarcoalition
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/stwuk
Monday, October 29, 2012
''Currency Warfare: What are the Real Targets of the E.U. Oil Embargo against Iran?''
From Global Research
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
''The end of Iranian oil exports to the European Union and the decline of the euro will directly benefit the United States and the U.S. dollar. What the European Union is doing is merely weakening itself and giving the U.S. dollar the upper hand in its currency rivalry against the euro. Moreover, should the euro collapse, the American dollar will quickly fill much of the void. Despite the fact that Russia will benefit from higher oil prices and greater leverage over E.U. energy security as a supplier, the Kremlin has also warned the European Union that it is working against its own interests and subordinating itself to Washington.''
read more
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
''The end of Iranian oil exports to the European Union and the decline of the euro will directly benefit the United States and the U.S. dollar. What the European Union is doing is merely weakening itself and giving the U.S. dollar the upper hand in its currency rivalry against the euro. Moreover, should the euro collapse, the American dollar will quickly fill much of the void. Despite the fact that Russia will benefit from higher oil prices and greater leverage over E.U. energy security as a supplier, the Kremlin has also warned the European Union that it is working against its own interests and subordinating itself to Washington.''
read more
''Take These Dollars, or Else!''
From Lew Rockwell
''Simply
put, the dollar has for several decades been positioned as the only
way for an industrialized country to pay OPEC for oil. No matter
who you were, you had to buy American dollars and then send those
dollars to OPEC, who would then use the money to buy American debt,
or American weapons.
It
was the perfect set-up. Greenspan printed worthless dollars, and
gave them to people who gave us free gasoline, and free TV sets,
and free wicker furniture. The game changed, however, when the Euro
was introduced. Now, many oil-producing nations are accepting the
Euro instead of the dollar. Saddam loves the Euro.
This
new competition from the Euro makes Uncle Sam very angry. So Uncle
Sam came up with a plan; he sent a secret message to all the Arabs:
You
will only accept American Dollars, or we will kill you.''
''When will we buy oil in euros?''
From 2003 and The Guardian
''The oil-dollar nexus is one of the foundations of the world economy that inevitably filters through to geopolitics. Recycling so-called petrodollars, the proceeds of these high oil prices, has helped the United States run its colossal trade deficits. But the past year has seen the quiet emergence of the 'petroeuro'.
Effectively, the normal standards of economics have not applied to the US, because of the international role of the dollar. Some $3 trillion (£1,880 billion) are in circulation around the world helping the US to run virtually permanent trade deficits. Two-thirds of world trade is dollar-denominated. Two-thirds of central banks' official foreign exchange reserves are also dollar-denominated.''
read more
''The oil-dollar nexus is one of the foundations of the world economy that inevitably filters through to geopolitics. Recycling so-called petrodollars, the proceeds of these high oil prices, has helped the United States run its colossal trade deficits. But the past year has seen the quiet emergence of the 'petroeuro'.
Effectively, the normal standards of economics have not applied to the US, because of the international role of the dollar. Some $3 trillion (£1,880 billion) are in circulation around the world helping the US to run virtually permanent trade deficits. Two-thirds of world trade is dollar-denominated. Two-thirds of central banks' official foreign exchange reserves are also dollar-denominated.''
read more
F William Engdahl: ''Iraq and the hidden euro-dollar wars''
a must read from 2003...........From Global Research
By F William Engdahl
By F William Engdahl
''Rather than work out areas of
agreement with European partners, Washington increasingly sees Euroland
as the major strategic threat to American hegemony,
especially 'Old Europe' of Germany and France. Just as Britain in
decline after 1870 resorted to increasingly desperate imperial wars in
South Africa and elsewhere, so the United States is
using its military might to try to advance what it no longer can by
economic means. Here the dollar is the Achilles heel.
With creation of the Euro over
the past five years, an entirely new element has been added to the
global system, one which defines what we can call a
third phase of the American Century. This phase, in which the latest
Iraq war plays a major role, threatens to bring a new, malignant or
imperial phase to replace the earlier phases of American
hegemony. The neo-conservatives are open about their imperial agenda,
while more traditional U.S. policy voices try to deny it. The economic
reality faced by the dollar at the start of the new
Century, defines this new phase in an ominous way.''
''Supreme Court Will Decide If You Actually Own What You've Bought''
From TechDirt
''Copyright holders keep trying to downplay the "horror story" scenarios that many of us worried about a ruling in favor of Wiley could lead to. However, if the Supreme Court says that it's copyright infringement to sell a copyright-covered work made outside the US, but legally imported in, you can bet that all sorts of companies will seek to take advantage of this fact.''
read more
''Copyright holders keep trying to downplay the "horror story" scenarios that many of us worried about a ruling in favor of Wiley could lead to. However, if the Supreme Court says that it's copyright infringement to sell a copyright-covered work made outside the US, but legally imported in, you can bet that all sorts of companies will seek to take advantage of this fact.''
read more
''Hurricane Sandy in Photos''
From The Atlantic
''Hurricane Sandy, which has already claimed over 50 lives in the Caribbean, has traveled north. It will soon bring heavy winds and floodwaters to the mid-Atlantic region, combining with other weather systems to possibly become what some are calling a historic "superstorm." Gathered here are images from Sandy's story so far, from the Caribbean to preparations along the East Coast of the United States. In the next hours, as Sandy makes landfall, I will continue to update this post with new images from the newswires and elsewhere. [30 photos so far]''
view photo's
''Hurricane Sandy, which has already claimed over 50 lives in the Caribbean, has traveled north. It will soon bring heavy winds and floodwaters to the mid-Atlantic region, combining with other weather systems to possibly become what some are calling a historic "superstorm." Gathered here are images from Sandy's story so far, from the Caribbean to preparations along the East Coast of the United States. In the next hours, as Sandy makes landfall, I will continue to update this post with new images from the newswires and elsewhere. [30 photos so far]''
view photo's
''California Pension Fund Challenges San Bernadino's Right to Bankruptcy''
From Governing.com
''Facing a direct challenge from a city that won't pay its bills, CalPERS is firing back.
CalPERS formally challenged the city of San Bernardino's right to file for bankruptcy protection after the city fell behind on $5.2 million in payments.
The powerful pension fund, in a lengthy court filing, suggested that San Bernardino is trying to use the bankruptcy laws to get out of paying its bills.''
read more
''Facing a direct challenge from a city that won't pay its bills, CalPERS is firing back.
CalPERS formally challenged the city of San Bernardino's right to file for bankruptcy protection after the city fell behind on $5.2 million in payments.
The powerful pension fund, in a lengthy court filing, suggested that San Bernardino is trying to use the bankruptcy laws to get out of paying its bills.''
read more
''Foxconn builds products for many vendors, but its mud sticks to Apple''
From Mis-Asia
By Michael Kan
''Foxconn, which employs some 1.2 million workers in China, is secretive about who it does business with, and the company declined to name its customers for this article. But analysts who follow the company offered examples of the products assembled, and the list is long.
Sony's PlayStation 3, the Nintendo Wii and Amazon's Kindle Fire are just a few of the products Foxconn makes. It also produces TVs for Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba; handsets for Nokia, Motorola and Huawei, and networking equipment for Cisco, according to Arthur Liao, an analyst with Fubon Securities Investment Services Co.
Foxconn is also a major assembler of PCs for Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Acer, and manufactures all three of the big game consoles, from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, other analysts said.''
read more
By Michael Kan
''Foxconn, which employs some 1.2 million workers in China, is secretive about who it does business with, and the company declined to name its customers for this article. But analysts who follow the company offered examples of the products assembled, and the list is long.
Sony's PlayStation 3, the Nintendo Wii and Amazon's Kindle Fire are just a few of the products Foxconn makes. It also produces TVs for Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba; handsets for Nokia, Motorola and Huawei, and networking equipment for Cisco, according to Arthur Liao, an analyst with Fubon Securities Investment Services Co.
Foxconn is also a major assembler of PCs for Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Acer, and manufactures all three of the big game consoles, from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, other analysts said.''
read more
Max Keiser 'On the Edge' with Nicole Foss
''Iraq's Weapons Deals with Russia Weaken American Role''
From Al Monitor
''Iraq's recent string of arms deals with Russia and the Czech Republic represent a low point in relations between Iraq and the US, writes Hassan Daoud. Iraqi officials privately criticze the US for imposing too many conditions on its arms deals, and for delays in delivering weapons.''
read more
''Iraq's recent string of arms deals with Russia and the Czech Republic represent a low point in relations between Iraq and the US, writes Hassan Daoud. Iraqi officials privately criticze the US for imposing too many conditions on its arms deals, and for delays in delivering weapons.''
read more
''Burma attacks leave earth scorched''
From the Independent
''Human rights campaigners have called on the authorities in Burma to step in and protect civilians after satellite imagery showed the extent of destruction as a wave of fresh ethnic violence has swept the west of the country. More than 100 people have been killed in “vicious” attacks that started a week ago and activists believe the true death toll is likely considerably higher.''
read more
''Human rights campaigners have called on the authorities in Burma to step in and protect civilians after satellite imagery showed the extent of destruction as a wave of fresh ethnic violence has swept the west of the country. More than 100 people have been killed in “vicious” attacks that started a week ago and activists believe the true death toll is likely considerably higher.''
read more
''What was Tony Blair doing in Burma?''
From Asian Correspondent
''It’ll be interesting to learn what exactly his intentions are in Burma. Since leaving office, he has set up a business consultancy firm, Tony Blair Consulting, and has reportedly earned some $100 million in various roles as consultant and business adviser to, among others, JP Morgan. What his motives are for courting Burma’s leaders are unclear, for as Farmaner notes, “Prime Minister Tony Blair showed little interest in Burma”. He had promised to introduce tougher sanctions when campaigning for office, but backtracked once in government. “The most we got was a bland three line statement on Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday,” says Farmaner.''
read more
''It’ll be interesting to learn what exactly his intentions are in Burma. Since leaving office, he has set up a business consultancy firm, Tony Blair Consulting, and has reportedly earned some $100 million in various roles as consultant and business adviser to, among others, JP Morgan. What his motives are for courting Burma’s leaders are unclear, for as Farmaner notes, “Prime Minister Tony Blair showed little interest in Burma”. He had promised to introduce tougher sanctions when campaigning for office, but backtracked once in government. “The most we got was a bland three line statement on Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday,” says Farmaner.''
read more
''New Afghan war phase, with no decisive end seen''
trillions wasted.....................From Dawn.com
''A decisive end seems nowhere in sight. The allied offensive that just ended, spearheaded by an influx of 30,000 US troops, hammered the Afghan Taliban in its southern strongholds.
Yet the insurgency persists as the American-led international military coalition hands off security responsibilities to the Afghans before exiting in two years.
”We are probably headed for stalemate in 2014,” says Stephen Biddle, a George Washington University political science professor who has advised US commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq.''
read more
''A decisive end seems nowhere in sight. The allied offensive that just ended, spearheaded by an influx of 30,000 US troops, hammered the Afghan Taliban in its southern strongholds.
Yet the insurgency persists as the American-led international military coalition hands off security responsibilities to the Afghans before exiting in two years.
”We are probably headed for stalemate in 2014,” says Stephen Biddle, a George Washington University political science professor who has advised US commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq.''
read more
''The US 'rape of Okinawa' continues''
From Digital Journal
By Brett Watkins
''The alleged rape of an Okinawan woman by two American sailors is but the latest in a string of literally thousands of crimes committed by US troops on the small Japanese islands over the past seven decades.
By Brett Watkins
''The alleged rape of an Okinawan woman by two American sailors is but the latest in a string of literally thousands of crimes committed by US troops on the small Japanese islands over the past seven decades.
Okinawans have been trying in vain to get the
Americans to leave their little corner of Japan for generations.
In 1945
a farmer armed only with a bamboo pole was shot dead as he attempted to
protect his land from US forces. Okinawan property was seized at
gunpoint; homes and farms were bulldozed or burned. The Americans
promised Okinawans good farm land and financial assistance if they would
only move halfway around the world to Bolivia. Thousands took them up
on their offer only to find themselves shipped off to an inhospitable
wilderness where many died from disease. They never saw a penny of the
promised money.''
''The Bitter Seeds of Monsanto's Legacy: Debt, Death, and Global Destruction''
From Mercola.com
''Bitter Seeds is the last film in the Trilogy produced by Teddy Bear Films. The first two, Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town, and China Blue were released in 2001 and 2005 respectively. So far, the films have won 20 international awards, aired on over 30 television channels and screened in more than 100 film festivals.
The aim of the trilogy is to generate debate about public policy and consumer choices in the face of overpowering global economic forces.''
read more
''Bitter Seeds is the last film in the Trilogy produced by Teddy Bear Films. The first two, Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town, and China Blue were released in 2001 and 2005 respectively. So far, the films have won 20 international awards, aired on over 30 television channels and screened in more than 100 film festivals.
The aim of the trilogy is to generate debate about public policy and consumer choices in the face of overpowering global economic forces.''
read more
''Are the Saudis Bankrolling Israel’s Mossad?''
From CounterPunch
By Barry Lando
''A friend, with good sources in the Israeli government, claims that the head of Israel’s Mossad has made several trips to deal with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia—one of the results: an agreement that the Saudis would bankroll the series of assassinations of several of Iran’s top nuclear experts that have occurred over the past couple of years. The amount involved, my friend claims, was $1 billion dollars. A sum, he says, the Saudis considered cheap for the damage done to Iran’s nuclear program.
At first blush, the tale sounds preposterous. On the other hand. it makes eminent sense. The murky swamp of Middle East politics has nothing to do with the easy slogans and 30 second sound bites of presidential debates.
After all, nowhere more than in the Middle East does the maxim hold true: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And both Israel and the Saudis have always detested Iran’s Shiite fundamentalist leaders. The feeling is mutual. Tehran has long been accused of stirring up trouble among Saudi’s restless Shiites.''
read more
By Barry Lando
''A friend, with good sources in the Israeli government, claims that the head of Israel’s Mossad has made several trips to deal with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia—one of the results: an agreement that the Saudis would bankroll the series of assassinations of several of Iran’s top nuclear experts that have occurred over the past couple of years. The amount involved, my friend claims, was $1 billion dollars. A sum, he says, the Saudis considered cheap for the damage done to Iran’s nuclear program.
At first blush, the tale sounds preposterous. On the other hand. it makes eminent sense. The murky swamp of Middle East politics has nothing to do with the easy slogans and 30 second sound bites of presidential debates.
After all, nowhere more than in the Middle East does the maxim hold true: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And both Israel and the Saudis have always detested Iran’s Shiite fundamentalist leaders. The feeling is mutual. Tehran has long been accused of stirring up trouble among Saudi’s restless Shiites.''
read more
''Commodities represent a real alternative store of value''
THE MATTERHORN INTERVIEW – October 2012: John Butler
From GoldSwitzerland''In this second October Matterhorn interview I am very pleased that Lars Schall had the opportunity to meet up with macro economist John Butler.
John Butler, who is founder and Chief Investment officer of the Amphora Commodities Alpha Fund, explains in this exclusive interview, inter alia: what he sees as the consequences of the global financial booms and busts; why the fraudulent environment of finance does not surprise him; what enhanced the “Great Depression 2.0;” and why both gold and silver experience a renaissance in the monetary system.''
continue reading
Pepe Escobar Podcast
From Boilings Frogs Post
''Our favorite globetrotting investigative reporter, Pepe Escobar, joins us in-studio for the first time, and shares his encyclopedic knowledge on many issues. We largely focus on Iran, which was mentioned 45 times by the candidates, and Romney’s “me-too” message as Obama dominated the exchange and reeled off many zingers.
We also touch on the new film, Argo, and Escobar peppers his comments with literary and pop culture references. Pepe Escobar provides powerful insight and his unique voice based on his world travels, and delivers important perspectives on America by an outsider.''
listen to podcast
''Our favorite globetrotting investigative reporter, Pepe Escobar, joins us in-studio for the first time, and shares his encyclopedic knowledge on many issues. We largely focus on Iran, which was mentioned 45 times by the candidates, and Romney’s “me-too” message as Obama dominated the exchange and reeled off many zingers.
We also touch on the new film, Argo, and Escobar peppers his comments with literary and pop culture references. Pepe Escobar provides powerful insight and his unique voice based on his world travels, and delivers important perspectives on America by an outsider.''
listen to podcast
''Neil Barofsky on the Need to Tackle Banking Reform''
From Bill Moyers
http://billmoyers.com/segment/neil-barofsky-on-the-need-to-tackle-banking-reform/
Poll: ''Israelis Support Ethnic Cleansing, Annexation and Apartheid State''
From Global Research
''Gideon Levy writes in Haaretz that Israelis (Jews) have largely shed their previous veneer of democratic values and now hold views that can only be described as authoritarian-racist, if not fascist.''
''The majority of the Jewish public, 59 percent, wants preference[s] for Jews over Arabs in…job [appointments] in government ministries. Almost half the Jews, 49 percent, want the state to treat Jewish citizens better than Arab ones; 42 percent don’t want to live in the same building with Arabs and 42 percent don’t want their children in the same class with Arab children.''
read more
''Gideon Levy writes in Haaretz that Israelis (Jews) have largely shed their previous veneer of democratic values and now hold views that can only be described as authoritarian-racist, if not fascist.''
''The majority of the Jewish public, 59 percent, wants preference[s] for Jews over Arabs in…job [appointments] in government ministries. Almost half the Jews, 49 percent, want the state to treat Jewish citizens better than Arab ones; 42 percent don’t want to live in the same building with Arabs and 42 percent don’t want their children in the same class with Arab children.''
read more
Sunday, October 28, 2012
''Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness Of Markets''
''Illinois Teacher Retirement System earned less than 1 percent on its investments last year''
coming to a city near you................From Illinois Policy Institute
''On Thursday, the Teachers' Retirement System announced its annual investment returns for fiscal year 2012. You may recall that it was predicting 8.5 percent returns.
So what kind of returns did it actually get? A meager 0.76 percent. For comparison, the S&P 500 grew 7.39 percent during fiscal year 2012, while the Dow Jones Industrial average grew 7.92 percent.
''Ultimately, there are only two numbers that matter: the amount of money the pension fund will pay out for earned benefits, and the amount of money it has on hand. Between now and 2045, TRS will pay $376.5 billion to retired teachers. It has just $36.3 billion on hand. In order for these assets to cover future payouts, TRS would need to see average investment returns of more than 18.5 percent per year.''
''The simple fact is that TRS is broke. Under new accounting rules, TRS has less than 23 percent of the money it should have in the bank today in order to make its pension payments. The system doesn't even have enough money on hand to pay out benefits to the people who have already retired. Pension experts and TRS's own actuaries agree: the fund could soon be insolvent.''
read more
''On Thursday, the Teachers' Retirement System announced its annual investment returns for fiscal year 2012. You may recall that it was predicting 8.5 percent returns.
So what kind of returns did it actually get? A meager 0.76 percent. For comparison, the S&P 500 grew 7.39 percent during fiscal year 2012, while the Dow Jones Industrial average grew 7.92 percent.
''Ultimately, there are only two numbers that matter: the amount of money the pension fund will pay out for earned benefits, and the amount of money it has on hand. Between now and 2045, TRS will pay $376.5 billion to retired teachers. It has just $36.3 billion on hand. In order for these assets to cover future payouts, TRS would need to see average investment returns of more than 18.5 percent per year.''
''The simple fact is that TRS is broke. Under new accounting rules, TRS has less than 23 percent of the money it should have in the bank today in order to make its pension payments. The system doesn't even have enough money on hand to pay out benefits to the people who have already retired. Pension experts and TRS's own actuaries agree: the fund could soon be insolvent.''
read more
''Pedro Schwartz on the creation of money out of thin air''
They discuss how banks have expanded despite of government regulation which Schwartz in large attributes to the granted privilege of fractional reserve lending. Using this procedure a bank can create loans above the actual amount of deposits at hand and therefore create new money. This also leads to fragility in the banking system and to boom and bust cycles. Schwartz argues for a leaner and more effective regulation of financial markets as the current regulation has not worked in regards to the financial crisis.''
''GoldSeek Radio's Chris Waltzek talks to JAMES TURK'' - Oct 25, 2012
.......................''James Turk is founder and Chairman of GoldMoney. ''
http://www.goldmoney.com/
Nomi Prins: ''Before the Election was Over, Wall Street won''
another must read from...................From Nomi Prins.com
continue reading
Nomi is working on a new book!!...........check it out at.......... http://www.nomiprins.com/
''According to a comprehensive analysis of
data compiled from regulatory documents by Bill Moreland and his team
at my new favorite website, www.bankregdata.com, some really scary numbers pop out. Here’s the kicker: ZIRP costs citizens and disproportionately helps the biggest banks, by about $120 billion a year.
Between 2005 and 2007, US commercial
banks held approximately $6.97 trillion of interest bearing customer
deposits. During the past two quarters, they held an average of $7.31
trillion. During that first period, when fed funds rates averaged 4.5%,
banks paid their customers an average of $39.6 billion of interest per
quarter. More recently, with ZIRP, they paid an average of $8.9 billion
in interest per quarter, or nearly 77% LESS. In dollar terms - that’s
about $30.7 billion less per quarter, or $123 billion less per year.''
continue reading
Nomi is working on a new book!!...........check it out at.......... http://www.nomiprins.com/
''A Leninist critique of Western humanitarian imperialism''
From 'There are no Sunglasses'
''We are living dangerous yet moral times, for a few hundreds of arrogant and powerful men (call them Bilderbergs, Illuminati, Trilateralists) have decided to rule the World together in the name of “the commerce and the imaginative”, as put Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the first version of the NWO which opened first modern concentration camps for the Boers’ families 111 years ago.''
read more
''We are living dangerous yet moral times, for a few hundreds of arrogant and powerful men (call them Bilderbergs, Illuminati, Trilateralists) have decided to rule the World together in the name of “the commerce and the imaginative”, as put Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the first version of the NWO which opened first modern concentration camps for the Boers’ families 111 years ago.''
read more
''Why Won't the Foreclosure Crisis End?''
From Nasdaq
''Instead, we've seen foreclosures rise dramatically in certain parts of the country, with New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut seeing particularly big jumps in foreclosures. The New York metropolitan area led the nation with a 69% increase in filings related to the foreclosure and repossession process, even as much of the rest of the country saw declines. All this raises an important question: Will the foreclosure crisis ever end?''
read more
''Instead, we've seen foreclosures rise dramatically in certain parts of the country, with New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut seeing particularly big jumps in foreclosures. The New York metropolitan area led the nation with a 69% increase in filings related to the foreclosure and repossession process, even as much of the rest of the country saw declines. All this raises an important question: Will the foreclosure crisis ever end?''
read more
Saturday, October 27, 2012
''How The Petrodollar Trade Works For The U.S. Explained''
''Tremors reported at giant Louisiana sinkhole''
From KSLA
''The giant sinkhole appeared in August near the Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou areas.
The Assumption Parish Police Jury says the tremor was large enough that the body wave phases could easily be identified. A body wave travels through the interior of the earth.
The preliminary location of the tremor was just SE of Oxy #3 cavern at a depth of 500m. There is no additional information specific to this seismic activity at this time.
The sinkhole is now about four acres in size.''
read more
From sincedutch...............''Please .. Get this out to the people of Louisiana ~~ The thermal power
of 1.5 Million barrels of liquid butane is = approx 100 Hiroshima's
(computations on my blog linked below)
Bayou Corne Louisiana has experienced a series of events which 'professionals' are having a hard time explaining --- or at least the pros are finding it to be an inconvenient time to offer an explanation as to what is going on.
Its a long story, but crucial for everyone to understand !''
full blog post here: http://sincedutch.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/8112012-louisiana-sink-hole-explai...
''The giant sinkhole appeared in August near the Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou areas.
The Assumption Parish Police Jury says the tremor was large enough that the body wave phases could easily be identified. A body wave travels through the interior of the earth.
The preliminary location of the tremor was just SE of Oxy #3 cavern at a depth of 500m. There is no additional information specific to this seismic activity at this time.
The sinkhole is now about four acres in size.''
read more
Bayou Corne Louisiana has experienced a series of events which 'professionals' are having a hard time explaining --- or at least the pros are finding it to be an inconvenient time to offer an explanation as to what is going on.
Its a long story, but crucial for everyone to understand !''
full blog post here: http://sincedutch.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/8112012-louisiana-sink-hole-explai...
''Jim Rogers goes Short US Treasuries, talks JP Morgan Silver and a Boom in North Korea!''
Noam Chomsky in Egypt | ''Emerging World Order and the Arab Spring''
Chomsky is widely regarded as the founder of modern linguistics and is the author of more than 100 books on topics ranging from linguistics to political science and journalism. In 2005, he was voted as the leading public intellectual by the British Prospect magazine, and the Chicago Tribune described him as the most quoted author alive today.''
''Chomsky and the Lord of the Rings''
From Ahram Online
By Ahmed Mahmoud
''Honoured to attend the talk by Noam Chomsky at the American University in Cairo, I couldn't help but take his theories of American domination on an epic, scary scale, like the Lord of the Rings''
read more
By Ahmed Mahmoud
''Honoured to attend the talk by Noam Chomsky at the American University in Cairo, I couldn't help but take his theories of American domination on an epic, scary scale, like the Lord of the Rings''
read more
''Who Owns the World? Noam Chomsky on U.S.-Fueled Dangers, from Climate Change to Nuclear Weapons''
From Havana Times
''In a recent speech, Chomsky examined topics largely ignored or glossed over during the campaign: China, the Arab Spring, global warming, nuclear proliferation, and the military threat posed by Israel and the U.S. versus Iran.
He reflects on the Cuban missile crisis, which took place 50 years ago this week and is still referred to as “the most dangerous moment in human history.” He delivered this talk last month at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst at an event sponsored by the Center for Popular Economics. Chomsky’s talk was entitled “Who Owns the World?''
read more
''In a recent speech, Chomsky examined topics largely ignored or glossed over during the campaign: China, the Arab Spring, global warming, nuclear proliferation, and the military threat posed by Israel and the U.S. versus Iran.
He reflects on the Cuban missile crisis, which took place 50 years ago this week and is still referred to as “the most dangerous moment in human history.” He delivered this talk last month at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst at an event sponsored by the Center for Popular Economics. Chomsky’s talk was entitled “Who Owns the World?''
read more
''Oil, Uranium, Apocalypse''
From Strategic Culture
By Konstantine Gordeev
''Col. Ralph Peters (Ret.) who formerly served as the US military intelligence officer published in the Armed Forces Journal an opinion piece titled “Blood Borders. How a Better Middle East Would Look” which included a hypothetic map of the region with the existing states scissored according to the populations' religion and ethnicity. The paper ignited major controversy which was premised in an assumption that it reflected the US Administration's vision for the region (Fig. 2). Roughly at the same time US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice floated in the discussion of the war between Israel and Lebanon the term “the New Middle East” to designate an alternative to the Greater Middle East [4]. Shortly thereafter, Peters published “Never Quit the Fight”, a treatise which featured the same map accompanied by a number of bold arguments. The book is currently in use in the US Army for for instruction purposes.''
''It is an open secret that neither exporting democracy nor sustaining peace in the Middle East play any roles in Washington's real agenda. The number one unreported aim must be to place the markets in the affected area under the control of international financial groups, number two being to secure the routes for feeding to the West the energy and other resources found massively in the Middle East. The same routes will surely serve as avenues for illicit transit such as drug and human trafficking, with an eye to tilting the demographic balances and undermining the living standards in the countries enjoying a decent socioeconomic climate.''
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By Konstantine Gordeev
''Col. Ralph Peters (Ret.) who formerly served as the US military intelligence officer published in the Armed Forces Journal an opinion piece titled “Blood Borders. How a Better Middle East Would Look” which included a hypothetic map of the region with the existing states scissored according to the populations' religion and ethnicity. The paper ignited major controversy which was premised in an assumption that it reflected the US Administration's vision for the region (Fig. 2). Roughly at the same time US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice floated in the discussion of the war between Israel and Lebanon the term “the New Middle East” to designate an alternative to the Greater Middle East [4]. Shortly thereafter, Peters published “Never Quit the Fight”, a treatise which featured the same map accompanied by a number of bold arguments. The book is currently in use in the US Army for for instruction purposes.''
''It is an open secret that neither exporting democracy nor sustaining peace in the Middle East play any roles in Washington's real agenda. The number one unreported aim must be to place the markets in the affected area under the control of international financial groups, number two being to secure the routes for feeding to the West the energy and other resources found massively in the Middle East. The same routes will surely serve as avenues for illicit transit such as drug and human trafficking, with an eye to tilting the demographic balances and undermining the living standards in the countries enjoying a decent socioeconomic climate.''
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''Experts cautious as oil giant BP cracks the Arctic''
From Deutsche Welle
Drilling for oil offshore is risky anywhere, but conditions in the Arctic make this kind of work particularly complicated. John Farrell is a marine geologist and the director of the US Arctic Research Commission. In an interview with DW, he explained that drilling or spill cleanup in the Arctic is complicated by extreme cold, strong winds, breakaway ice blocks and, in the winter, limited daylight.''
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''Arctic experts are calling for more research as British energy giant BP
and Russian oil company Rosneft eye new offshore drilling opportunities
in the fragile north.
Drilling for oil offshore is risky anywhere, but conditions in the Arctic make this kind of work particularly complicated. John Farrell is a marine geologist and the director of the US Arctic Research Commission. In an interview with DW, he explained that drilling or spill cleanup in the Arctic is complicated by extreme cold, strong winds, breakaway ice blocks and, in the winter, limited daylight.''
read more
"What’s killing our economy? Money''
From The Independent
By Dominic Frisby
''I subscribe to George Orwell’s view that “On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.” But if man is “mostly good”, I ask myself, why is it so easy to look around at the world and find so much to be troubled by? Wars, waste, famine in one part of the world, obesity in another, excess consumption, a financial system that’s out of control – and so on. My particular bête noire is the unequal distribution of wealth.''
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By Dominic Frisby
''I subscribe to George Orwell’s view that “On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.” But if man is “mostly good”, I ask myself, why is it so easy to look around at the world and find so much to be troubled by? Wars, waste, famine in one part of the world, obesity in another, excess consumption, a financial system that’s out of control – and so on. My particular bête noire is the unequal distribution of wealth.''
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William Engdahl: 'Germany enforces same austerity that paved way to Third Reich'
That's as another epicentre of the EU crisis - Greece - looks likely to miss its promised deficit deadline. The forecast from the International Monetary Fund's debt inspectors comes a year after EU leaders applauded what they considered a key deal to save Athens.
Author and publicist William Engdahl, says all the measures the EU leaders are imposing are failing to address the core problems on the continent.''
''The Great Game, Burma Edition''
From WSJ via Phantom Report
''The Obama administration sent defense officials to Burma last week and may soon also allow Burmese officials to observe America’s biggest military drills in Asia. It’s the latest signal that Burma’s gradual reform process is providing new opportunities for Washington to pursue President Obama’s Asia pivot strategy. China, which until recently had enjoyed a privileged position in the hierarchy of Burma’s foreign relations, will probably view this nascent relationship with great suspicion.''
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''The Obama administration sent defense officials to Burma last week and may soon also allow Burmese officials to observe America’s biggest military drills in Asia. It’s the latest signal that Burma’s gradual reform process is providing new opportunities for Washington to pursue President Obama’s Asia pivot strategy. China, which until recently had enjoyed a privileged position in the hierarchy of Burma’s foreign relations, will probably view this nascent relationship with great suspicion.''
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''The Unending War: Full Documentary''
''Neo-Con War criminals from the Foreign Policy Initiative implore House Republicans to ignore the people & the Constitution for continued war with Libya''
the story is from June 2011.........................From Land Destroyer
''For those that want a list of who is responsible for what ails America and the world, one could get a good start by examining the signatories of the Foreign Policy Initiative's latest signed confession. Titled, "An Open Letter to the House Republicans" they implore House Republicans to not only support the un-Constitutional war being waged in America's name on the Fortune 500's behalf, but to "achieve the goal of removing Qaddafi from power." Apparently we were all lied to when we were told the goal of our intervention in Libya was to "protect civilians." As reported in May, Libya will be won at any cost, and the initial lies used to tip-toe us into the conflict were but a temporary pretense for a war of total domination.''
''Recycled PNAC sleaze: Now calling themselves the Foreign Policy Initiative, they constitute a full-time corporate and government subsidized war lobbying organization. Many of the signatories of FPI's latest letter include members of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.''
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''For those that want a list of who is responsible for what ails America and the world, one could get a good start by examining the signatories of the Foreign Policy Initiative's latest signed confession. Titled, "An Open Letter to the House Republicans" they implore House Republicans to not only support the un-Constitutional war being waged in America's name on the Fortune 500's behalf, but to "achieve the goal of removing Qaddafi from power." Apparently we were all lied to when we were told the goal of our intervention in Libya was to "protect civilians." As reported in May, Libya will be won at any cost, and the initial lies used to tip-toe us into the conflict were but a temporary pretense for a war of total domination.''
''Recycled PNAC sleaze: Now calling themselves the Foreign Policy Initiative, they constitute a full-time corporate and government subsidized war lobbying organization. Many of the signatories of FPI's latest letter include members of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.''
read more
''Paradise or Oblivion''
Friday, October 26, 2012
''Americans would also gain from scaling back the empire''
From The Guardian
''Whoever runs Washington heads a global empire. American politics affects people's lives in every part of the world, often as a matter of life or death. So it's scarcely surprising that more than 40% of those polled around the world say they want the right to vote in US presidential elections.
After all, the American revolution was fought on the slogan of "no taxation without representation". So long as the US government arrogates to itself the right to impose its "leadership" by force across the world, a contemporary version of the colonists' demand might be: "no global power without accountability.''
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''Whoever runs Washington heads a global empire. American politics affects people's lives in every part of the world, often as a matter of life or death. So it's scarcely surprising that more than 40% of those polled around the world say they want the right to vote in US presidential elections.
After all, the American revolution was fought on the slogan of "no taxation without representation". So long as the US government arrogates to itself the right to impose its "leadership" by force across the world, a contemporary version of the colonists' demand might be: "no global power without accountability.''
read more
''Panama wants the euro as legal tender''
From EuroNews
''Panama is a country where the currency in free circulation is the American dollar and I told the chancellor we are looking for mechanisms for the euro to become another currency of legal tender and for the euro to be accepted in the Panamanian market. We would be possibly the only country in the world to have two currencies- the euro and the dollar,” he said.''
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''Panama is a country where the currency in free circulation is the American dollar and I told the chancellor we are looking for mechanisms for the euro to become another currency of legal tender and for the euro to be accepted in the Panamanian market. We would be possibly the only country in the world to have two currencies- the euro and the dollar,” he said.''
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James Turk - ''The Entire German Gold Hoard Is Gone''
long article but well worth the read........................From Kind World News
James Turk 2001 - This
past December in "The Smoking Gun" I provided substantive proof that
the Exchange Stabilization Fund was intervening in the gold market. From
publicly available reports prepared by the Federal Reserve, I
established that the weight of gold held as a component of the US
Reserve Assets has been changing, and that these changes – some of which
are of significant size – result from activity by the ESF. These
Federal Reserve reports conclusively demonstrate that the ESF has been
intervening in the gold market since at least 1996.''
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''Incredibly, 11 years
ago James Turk had diagnosed the problems of the missing German gold
hoard. Here is the 2001 piece titled, “Behind Closed Doors” in which he
exposed the German gold was in fact missing:
read more
''The Dark Age Of Money''
From CounterPunch via Zerohedge
By James C Kennedy
''Beginning sometime around 1970 the U.S. and most of the ‘free world’ have diverged from traditional “free market capitalism” to something different. Today the U.S. and much of the world’s economies are operating under what I call Monetary Fascism: a system where financial interests control the State for the advancement of the financial class. This is markedly different from traditional Fascism: a system where State and industry work together for the advancement of the State.
Monetary Fascism was created and propagated through the Chicago School of Economics. Milton Friedman’s collective works constitute the foundation of Monetary Fascism. Knowing that the term ’Fascism’ was universally unpopular; Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics masquerade these works as ‘Capitalism’ and ’Free Market’ economics.''
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By James C Kennedy
''Beginning sometime around 1970 the U.S. and most of the ‘free world’ have diverged from traditional “free market capitalism” to something different. Today the U.S. and much of the world’s economies are operating under what I call Monetary Fascism: a system where financial interests control the State for the advancement of the financial class. This is markedly different from traditional Fascism: a system where State and industry work together for the advancement of the State.
Monetary Fascism was created and propagated through the Chicago School of Economics. Milton Friedman’s collective works constitute the foundation of Monetary Fascism. Knowing that the term ’Fascism’ was universally unpopular; Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics masquerade these works as ‘Capitalism’ and ’Free Market’ economics.''
read more
''Americans Should Reject Obama-Romney Foreign Policy''
From The New American
By Sheldon Richman
''What does Romney really believe? Who can say? What we do know is that he’s taking his foreign-policy advice from a team of neoconservatives, formerly of the George W. Bush administration, who helped dig the hole the country is in.
Obama, for his part, defended his record, which someone other than Romney could have torn to shreds. Obama brags about ending the occupation of Iraq, yet he forgets that Bush had already signed an agreement, insisted on by the Iran-friendly Iraqi government, to get out by the end of 2011. What Obama won’t tell you is that he begged Prime Minister Maliki to ask U.S. troops to remain. Thankfully, Maliki said no.''
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By Sheldon Richman
''What does Romney really believe? Who can say? What we do know is that he’s taking his foreign-policy advice from a team of neoconservatives, formerly of the George W. Bush administration, who helped dig the hole the country is in.
Obama, for his part, defended his record, which someone other than Romney could have torn to shreds. Obama brags about ending the occupation of Iraq, yet he forgets that Bush had already signed an agreement, insisted on by the Iran-friendly Iraqi government, to get out by the end of 2011. What Obama won’t tell you is that he begged Prime Minister Maliki to ask U.S. troops to remain. Thankfully, Maliki said no.''
read more
'US learns hard lessons of Asia 'pivot'
From Asia Times Online
By Peter Lee
''The PRC is in no mood to support US pretensions to being the only, indispensable honest broker in the region. Beijing wants to punish the United States for the pivot, which it sees as nothing more or less than a tilt away from China.
These are tense times for "the pivot". The PRC is testing the US strategy in what appears to be an unexpected way: leaving the US alone and selectively beating up on US ally Japan on the issue of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. This is an eventuality the United States does not seem to have planned for.''
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By Peter Lee
''The PRC is in no mood to support US pretensions to being the only, indispensable honest broker in the region. Beijing wants to punish the United States for the pivot, which it sees as nothing more or less than a tilt away from China.
These are tense times for "the pivot". The PRC is testing the US strategy in what appears to be an unexpected way: leaving the US alone and selectively beating up on US ally Japan on the issue of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. This is an eventuality the United States does not seem to have planned for.''
read more
''PhillyDeals: Interest-rate swap strategy backfires, costs city $186M''
and wall st wonders why we hate them...............From Philly.com
''A complex financial strategy that was supposed to save Philadelphia money on bonds it sold investors in the mid-2000s could end up costing the city up to $186 million, compared with what issuing simple fixed-rate bonds would have cost, city treasurer Nancy Winkler told City Council members at a hearing Tuesday organized by Jim Kenney (D., at-large).
According to testimony from Winkler and other experts, the city arranged interest-rate swaps with Wall Street banks in exchange for up-front cash and to protect taxpayers from the risk of rising interest rates.
Instead, the city found itself owing millions to the banks and its clients when interest rates fell, bond insurers failed, and financial markets froze in the crisis of 2008. Some swaps contracts lacked cancellation clauses, boosting the city's costs.''
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''A complex financial strategy that was supposed to save Philadelphia money on bonds it sold investors in the mid-2000s could end up costing the city up to $186 million, compared with what issuing simple fixed-rate bonds would have cost, city treasurer Nancy Winkler told City Council members at a hearing Tuesday organized by Jim Kenney (D., at-large).
According to testimony from Winkler and other experts, the city arranged interest-rate swaps with Wall Street banks in exchange for up-front cash and to protect taxpayers from the risk of rising interest rates.
Instead, the city found itself owing millions to the banks and its clients when interest rates fell, bond insurers failed, and financial markets froze in the crisis of 2008. Some swaps contracts lacked cancellation clauses, boosting the city's costs.''
read more
''The victims of Fallujah's health crisis are stifled by western silence''
From The Guardian
''Four new studies on the health crisis in Fallujah have been published in the last three months. Yet, one of the most severe public health crises in history, for which the US military may be to blame, receives no attention in the United States.
Ever since two major US-led assaults destroyed the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004, Fallujans have witnessed dramatic increases in rates of cancers, birth defects and infant mortality in their city. Dr Chris Busby, the author and co-author of two studies on the Fallujah heath crisis, has called this "the highest rate of genetic damage in any population ever studied.''
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''Four new studies on the health crisis in Fallujah have been published in the last three months. Yet, one of the most severe public health crises in history, for which the US military may be to blame, receives no attention in the United States.
Ever since two major US-led assaults destroyed the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004, Fallujans have witnessed dramatic increases in rates of cancers, birth defects and infant mortality in their city. Dr Chris Busby, the author and co-author of two studies on the Fallujah heath crisis, has called this "the highest rate of genetic damage in any population ever studied.''
read more
''An End to Exponential Easing at the Altar of Bernanke's Faith-Based Inflation!''
''Iran Says It Can Live Without Oil Money''
From Eurasia Review
''Iran says it may stop exporting oil if international sanctions against it are intensified, adding that it has a contingency plan for running the country without oil revenues.
According to Reuters, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghassemi told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday October 23: “If sanctions intensify, we will stop exporting oil.''
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''Iran says it may stop exporting oil if international sanctions against it are intensified, adding that it has a contingency plan for running the country without oil revenues.
According to Reuters, Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghassemi told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday October 23: “If sanctions intensify, we will stop exporting oil.''
read more
''The Death Certificate Of The Paper Dollar: Where To Next?''
From Forbes
By Ralph J Benko
''That’s why we should welcome a debate about the role of the Fed and what our monetary policy should be. But we have to ask the right questions. … Should we fix the dollar price of gold? … ‘If the defect is inflation and an unstable dollar,’ asks Lewis Lehrman of the Lehrman Institute, ‘what is the remedy?’ We can’t answer that without a robust and full discussion. Let’s hope the hard questions being asked now about the Fed touch off a much-needed debate.''
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By Ralph J Benko
''That’s why we should welcome a debate about the role of the Fed and what our monetary policy should be. But we have to ask the right questions. … Should we fix the dollar price of gold? … ‘If the defect is inflation and an unstable dollar,’ asks Lewis Lehrman of the Lehrman Institute, ‘what is the remedy?’ We can’t answer that without a robust and full discussion. Let’s hope the hard questions being asked now about the Fed touch off a much-needed debate.''
read more
''American Imperialism''
From 'There are no Sunglasses'
By Aaron Kroeber
''For a country based on republicanism and certain democratic principles, it is odd that we seem to ignore the fact that no one elected us as the world’s policeman. We carry out many of our operations under the auspices of NATO, or (though increasingly rarely) with the permission of the UN Security Council, but neither is a globally representative organization, neither is elected democratically. We have endowed ourselves with universal jurisdiction in ‘liberation’ where we see fit and the right to decide how other nations should be ruled. Democracy is important in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Egypt, in Libya, and in Syria, but only if they elect people we approve of, and it certainly isn’t important in Saudi Arabia. It isn’t our job to dictate democracy to other countries, and it certainly shouldn’t be our job to bomb.''
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By Aaron Kroeber
''For a country based on republicanism and certain democratic principles, it is odd that we seem to ignore the fact that no one elected us as the world’s policeman. We carry out many of our operations under the auspices of NATO, or (though increasingly rarely) with the permission of the UN Security Council, but neither is a globally representative organization, neither is elected democratically. We have endowed ourselves with universal jurisdiction in ‘liberation’ where we see fit and the right to decide how other nations should be ruled. Democracy is important in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Egypt, in Libya, and in Syria, but only if they elect people we approve of, and it certainly isn’t important in Saudi Arabia. It isn’t our job to dictate democracy to other countries, and it certainly shouldn’t be our job to bomb.''
read more
''Imperialists prepare for war in Mali''
From 'There are no Sunglasses'
''Western imperialist states, with the support of the United Nations Security Council, are preparing for a full-scale military intervention in the West African state of Mali. Since March, the country has been in a severe political crisis after a military coup and its effective partitioning into north and south.''
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''Western imperialist states, with the support of the United Nations Security Council, are preparing for a full-scale military intervention in the West African state of Mali. Since March, the country has been in a severe political crisis after a military coup and its effective partitioning into north and south.''
read more
Thursday, October 25, 2012
''Genetic Roulette - The Gamble of our Lives''
When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant technology.
After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.
This seminal documentary provides compelling evidence to help explain the deteriorating health of Americans, especially among children, and offers a recipe for protecting ourselves and our future.''
More information can be found at: http://geneticroulettemovie.com
and http://responsibletechnology.org
Keiser Report: ''Goodbye, German Gold?'' (E358)
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