from the media line...
"No one knows the extent of the Egyptian military’s economic holdings because successive authoritarian regimes have made sure it was kept secret. But since the military came to power in Egypt as the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) almost a year ago after a popular uprising ousted President Husni Mubarak, the armed forces role in business has come under increased scrutiny.
In one of the most unusual intra-government transactions of the year, the military loaned the central bank $1 billion to help support the sagging Egyptian pound last month. The transaction not only pointed up the relative wealth of the two institutions but also the extent to which the army has access to money beyond the reach of the civilian authorities to whom it is supposed to be reporting."
Sunday, January 29, 2012
''Pentagon denies report on base plans in Turkey''
from hurriyet daily news...
"As the US declared its 2013 defense budget, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Obama administration was preparing to create special-operations bases in Turkey. The claim was denied by the Pentagon and not confirmed by Ankara."
''Iran Parliament delays bill to cut EU oil exports''
update
Tehran, Jan 29, IRNA -- Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi said on Sunday that Iran will stop oil exports to certain countries soon........read more here...
from hurreiyet daily news...
"Iranian lawmakers delayed taking action on a proposed bill to immediately cut oil exports toEurope in retaliation for an EU oil embargo, the parliament's energy commission said today.
"No bill has been designed nor has it come to the parliament," commission spokesman Emad Hosseini told Mehr news agency."
''The Life, Times & Morality of Henry A. Kissinger''
from anti fascist encyclopedia....
"Time has not been kind to Henry Kissinger. As he approaches his tenth decade, he appears healthy, is no doubt wealthy and retains his fierce intelligence. And yet, this high flying Nixon-era strategist today is a sombre character, alarmed about what people think of him after they’ve Googled his name and is concerned about his unravelling reputation."
"Time has not been kind to Henry Kissinger. As he approaches his tenth decade, he appears healthy, is no doubt wealthy and retains his fierce intelligence. And yet, this high flying Nixon-era strategist today is a sombre character, alarmed about what people think of him after they’ve Googled his name and is concerned about his unravelling reputation."
''Israeli and US hawks are more interested in regime change than the country's nuclear programme''
from the independent...
"The way in which the growing confrontation with Iran is being sold by the US, Israel and West European leaders is deeply dishonest. The manipulation of the media and public opinion through systematic threat exaggeration is similar to the drum beat of propaganda and disinformation about Iraq's non-existent weapons of mass destruction that preceded the invasion in 2003."
"The way in which the growing confrontation with Iran is being sold by the US, Israel and West European leaders is deeply dishonest. The manipulation of the media and public opinion through systematic threat exaggeration is similar to the drum beat of propaganda and disinformation about Iraq's non-existent weapons of mass destruction that preceded the invasion in 2003."
Saturday, January 28, 2012
''Smashing Greater Central Asia''
for you geopolitical junkies....this is the most definitive article regarding geopolitics that i have read.......this is scary..... this is from part 4 of a long but must read article...even if this is not true,which i doubt, it certainly sheds light on what uncle sam is up to......... parts 1-3 can be found at the bottom of the article...share this and retweet to everyone you know..NEmpire.......from news centralasia.net...
"The pipeline wars are real wars, in that two or more nations are ordering their civilian and military foot soldiers, on a daily basis, into life or death contests to the finish. For the United States, it is a contest which must be won, if we are to survive, according to most of our national leaders. But is that really true? According to both civilian and military authorities, if we lose this war, then we lose “our way of life.” That may be true, but it does not mean the end of us as a free Republic. America will go on, even after the impending military defeat. We cannot win…We cannot be allowed to win, if victory means world conquest.
"The pipeline wars are real wars, in that two or more nations are ordering their civilian and military foot soldiers, on a daily basis, into life or death contests to the finish. For the United States, it is a contest which must be won, if we are to survive, according to most of our national leaders. But is that really true? According to both civilian and military authorities, if we lose this war, then we lose “our way of life.” That may be true, but it does not mean the end of us as a free Republic. America will go on, even after the impending military defeat. We cannot win…We cannot be allowed to win, if victory means world conquest.
American leaders plan to avoid the effects of the economic collapse (which their greed has caused), by taking control over the global economy, where they will oversee the diminution of personal wealth for most of us.
Obama’s America operates under a different set of rules than those which have governed his predecessors. He doesn’t even bother hiding the two faces of American foreign policy—one of benevolence and one of menace."
There are several central disinformation operations, around which the global narrative revolves—
War between Iran and the US is inevitable.
American forces are at war against militant Islamists.
The United States is a protector of human rights.
The US/NATO will one day end its war and leave Afghanistan.
The American goal is to bring prosperity to the world.
None of these statements are true; in fact, they are all calculated to produce the exact opposite outcomes in the new manufactured reality. Iranian, American and British intelligence agencies all work together, to create the false impression of an inevitable global conflagration. Militant Islamists are manipulated by the CIA and by military controllers, to provide America with an excuse to unleash its military power upon a targeted country. The US is moving us all away from a state of worldwide freedom, where full human rights are the norm, instead of the exception, towards a global police state under American domination."(fema camps, ACTA etc etc)
the author's blog can be found here........HERE
"Into The Belly Of The Beast-How Goldman Sachs Became The Most Hated Bank On Earth"
part 1........a must read.....from economy watch....
"Goldman Sachs is the bank everyone loves to hate. In the first of our two-part investigation into the bank, we ask why they emerged as the biggest winners in the financial crisis. We also look at how they lobbied the US Government to reduce banking regulations, how they acquired massive fortunes by selling sub-prime mortgages, and how they deceived their clients by betting against the products they sold."
"Goldman Sachs is the bank everyone loves to hate. In the first of our two-part investigation into the bank, we ask why they emerged as the biggest winners in the financial crisis. We also look at how they lobbied the US Government to reduce banking regulations, how they acquired massive fortunes by selling sub-prime mortgages, and how they deceived their clients by betting against the products they sold."
Jim Rickards: "Gold May Super Spike as We See the End of the Dollar"
read more and here the audio interview.....from king world news....
"When asked about India buying oil from Iran with gold, Rickards responded, “To the extent I’ve been surprised by anything in the world lately, it’s that things I could see coming are happening faster than anticipated. Again, in the wargame in 2009, we contemplated these kind of scenarios. We thought they would play out in 2013, 2014, but here they are, early 2012, playing out in earnest."
"When asked about India buying oil from Iran with gold, Rickards responded, “To the extent I’ve been surprised by anything in the world lately, it’s that things I could see coming are happening faster than anticipated. Again, in the wargame in 2009, we contemplated these kind of scenarios. We thought they would play out in 2013, 2014, but here they are, early 2012, playing out in earnest."
''The Obama Defense Plan: Roadmap for Continuing Global Hegemony''
prepare for more wars........from cipamericas.......
"Perhaps the most threatening development from China’s perspective involves U.S. plans to ring China with a missile defense system that, in theory, could blunt China’s ability to respond to a U.S. nuclear attack. Whether or not such a system would work, it will raise anxieties in China, whose nuclear arsenal of a few hundred long-range missiles is dwarfed by the thousands of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States possesses.
"U.S. military and police aid to Latin America and the Caribbean will total nearly $1 billion for Fiscal Year 2012. Total military and police aid to the region since 2007 exceeds $7.5 billion. In 2010 alone, U.S. arms sales to the region totaled another $1.7 billion. Add to this the deployments of U.S. troops to the region under the umbrella of counter-drug and humanitarian activities, and the U.S. military presence in Latin America is substantial."
"Perhaps the most threatening development from China’s perspective involves U.S. plans to ring China with a missile defense system that, in theory, could blunt China’s ability to respond to a U.S. nuclear attack. Whether or not such a system would work, it will raise anxieties in China, whose nuclear arsenal of a few hundred long-range missiles is dwarfed by the thousands of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States possesses.
"U.S. military and police aid to Latin America and the Caribbean will total nearly $1 billion for Fiscal Year 2012. Total military and police aid to the region since 2007 exceeds $7.5 billion. In 2010 alone, U.S. arms sales to the region totaled another $1.7 billion. Add to this the deployments of U.S. troops to the region under the umbrella of counter-drug and humanitarian activities, and the U.S. military presence in Latin America is substantial."
Iceland: "Recovering Dubiously From the Crash"
from ipsnews....
"Three years ago, thousands of Icelanders were standing outside Iceland’s parliament building chanting "incompetent government" in an attempt to bring down the conservative government that had been seen as responsible for the collapse of the country’s banking system.
In 2008 all three major commercial banks collapsed because they could not refinance their short-term debt. It was the largest banking collapse ever in relation to the size of the economy.
The protestors won, the government resigned, and a left-wing government consisting of the Left-Green Movement and the Social Democratic Alliance took over. The new government pledged to look after the welfare of the average Icelander, but opinions differ whether it has managed to do that."
"Three years ago, thousands of Icelanders were standing outside Iceland’s parliament building chanting "incompetent government" in an attempt to bring down the conservative government that had been seen as responsible for the collapse of the country’s banking system.
In 2008 all three major commercial banks collapsed because they could not refinance their short-term debt. It was the largest banking collapse ever in relation to the size of the economy.
The protestors won, the government resigned, and a left-wing government consisting of the Left-Green Movement and the Social Democratic Alliance took over. The new government pledged to look after the welfare of the average Icelander, but opinions differ whether it has managed to do that."
''Foreign Direct Investment in Colombia: A Critical View''
corporate greed........from nacla........
"In recent years Colombia has become very attractive to multinational corporations, (MCs) particularly those in the mining and oil sectors. Last year alone foreign direct investments (FDI) amounted to about $13 billion, up from roughly 5 billion in 2008. Most of these FDI were in oil and coal and gold mining.
Vast lands, including natural reserves, were given as concessions to foreign companies exacerbating chronic land conflicts in various departments. With this rise in investments those conflicts are only expected to increase, violating ever more human, cultural,labor and environmental rights, particularly for indigenous tribes and Afro descendent groups."
"In recent years Colombia has become very attractive to multinational corporations, (MCs) particularly those in the mining and oil sectors. Last year alone foreign direct investments (FDI) amounted to about $13 billion, up from roughly 5 billion in 2008. Most of these FDI were in oil and coal and gold mining.
Vast lands, including natural reserves, were given as concessions to foreign companies exacerbating chronic land conflicts in various departments. With this rise in investments those conflicts are only expected to increase, violating ever more human, cultural,labor and environmental rights, particularly for indigenous tribes and Afro descendent groups."
''Iran announces details of bill immediately halting oil exports to EU''
from trend azerbaijan....
"According to one of the bill's items, Iran should immediately cease oil exports to the European Union, without waiting for the entry into force of the ban on imports of Iranian oil imposed by the EU, Sudani said.
EU foreign ministers reached an agreement in Brussels on January 23 to impose sanctions on oil imports from Iran as of July 1. New sanctions were imposed because of the fact that Iran, in the opinion of the European Union, still unwilling to cooperate with the international community on issues related to the development of its nuclear program."
"According to one of the bill's items, Iran should immediately cease oil exports to the European Union, without waiting for the entry into force of the ban on imports of Iranian oil imposed by the EU, Sudani said.
EU foreign ministers reached an agreement in Brussels on January 23 to impose sanctions on oil imports from Iran as of July 1. New sanctions were imposed because of the fact that Iran, in the opinion of the European Union, still unwilling to cooperate with the international community on issues related to the development of its nuclear program."
Nigeria: Boko Haram gets a Name and a Face
smoke and mirrors.......NATO wants in bad........from alarabiya....
"Abubakar Muhammad Shekau was once thought to have been killed, but has re-emerged to lead Islamist group Boko Haram from the shadows as it carries out a bloody onslaught in northern Nigeria.
Very little is known about Shekau, but this week he appeared on YouTube, threatening more attacks and saying Boko Haram was responsible for the January 20 violence which killed 185 people in Kano in reprisal for the arrest and torture of its members."
"Abubakar Muhammad Shekau was once thought to have been killed, but has re-emerged to lead Islamist group Boko Haram from the shadows as it carries out a bloody onslaught in northern Nigeria.
Very little is known about Shekau, but this week he appeared on YouTube, threatening more attacks and saying Boko Haram was responsible for the January 20 violence which killed 185 people in Kano in reprisal for the arrest and torture of its members."
''Singapore still pays US DOLLAR for Iranian oil''
from trend azerbaijan....
"Despite the fact that Iran's Central Bank has been hit with new wave of sanctions, some countries, with which Iran conducts oil trade operations, still use U.S. dollar to pay Iran. Singapore is one of these countries."
"Despite the fact that Iran's Central Bank has been hit with new wave of sanctions, some countries, with which Iran conducts oil trade operations, still use U.S. dollar to pay Iran. Singapore is one of these countries."
"Taliban and the Pashtun identity"
from friday times....
"The term 'Taliban' referred to students of madrassas. The current use of the term started when Mullah Umar led some of those students to rise against the atrocities of the Mujahideen groups who had fought against the Soviet Union. In the beginning, even Americans considered them a force to counter pan-Islamists as well as the neighbouring Shia Iran. But very soon, international terrorists, mainly Al Qaeda, established connections with the Taliban."
"The term 'Taliban' referred to students of madrassas. The current use of the term started when Mullah Umar led some of those students to rise against the atrocities of the Mujahideen groups who had fought against the Soviet Union. In the beginning, even Americans considered them a force to counter pan-Islamists as well as the neighbouring Shia Iran. But very soon, international terrorists, mainly Al Qaeda, established connections with the Taliban."
INDIA: ''Censorship is a myopic world vision''
from human rights asia...
"In what could be considered as one of the most controversial proceedings in the country's legal history, 21 companies including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and YouTube are to appear in a trial court in New Delhi on 13 March to show cause as to why their worldwide web content should not be banned in the country, for the companies not being able to prevent users from posting 'objectionable' contents."
"In what could be considered as one of the most controversial proceedings in the country's legal history, 21 companies including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and YouTube are to appear in a trial court in New Delhi on 13 March to show cause as to why their worldwide web content should not be banned in the country, for the companies not being able to prevent users from posting 'objectionable' contents."
''FBI to build social network spy app''
from mis-asia....
"The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is planning to develop an application that can track the public's postings to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, in order to aid how it predicts and reacts to criminal behaviour, including public disorder and terrorism."
"The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is planning to develop an application that can track the public's postings to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, in order to aid how it predicts and reacts to criminal behaviour, including public disorder and terrorism."
Human Slavery: "Most people would still be really disturbed if they saw where their iPhone comes from"
human slavery is alive and well in communist china........from the telegraph...
"In an email reportedly sent to Apple's 60,000 or so employees, Tim Cook, the company's chief executive said that Apple "cares about every worker in its supply chain".
The letter appears to be in response to a series of articles in the New York Times cataloguing the company's problems in China and divisions within Apple about how to handle the issues."
"Fighting Back Against Corporate Personhood"
from truthout....
"Rarely have so few imposed such damage on so many. When five conservative members of the Supreme Court handed for-profit corporations the right to secretly flood political campaigns with tidal waves of cash on the eve of an election, they moved America closer to outright plutocracy, where political power derived from wealth is devoted to the protection of wealth."
"Rarely have so few imposed such damage on so many. When five conservative members of the Supreme Court handed for-profit corporations the right to secretly flood political campaigns with tidal waves of cash on the eve of an election, they moved America closer to outright plutocracy, where political power derived from wealth is devoted to the protection of wealth."
Friday, January 27, 2012
'UKIP Nigel Farage on Michael Coren' - Jan 2012
from ukip media.....the always colorful nigel farage...
Op-Ed: "US-Israel hegemony over region does not serve Arab interests"
from gulf news...
"Israel has for years led the propaganda campaign against Iran. Its strategy has been to blackmail the US and Europe into imposing ‘crippling sanctions’ on Iran by threatening to attack Iran itself. Israel would dearly love the US to destroy the Iranian regime, in much the same way as pro-Israeli neo-cons in George W Bush’s administration managed to push the US into overthrowing Saddam Hussain. The consequences of that war were catastrophic for Iraq, for the Arab world as a whole, and for the US itself."
"Israel has for years led the propaganda campaign against Iran. Its strategy has been to blackmail the US and Europe into imposing ‘crippling sanctions’ on Iran by threatening to attack Iran itself. Israel would dearly love the US to destroy the Iranian regime, in much the same way as pro-Israeli neo-cons in George W Bush’s administration managed to push the US into overthrowing Saddam Hussain. The consequences of that war were catastrophic for Iraq, for the Arab world as a whole, and for the US itself."
''Foreign office briefing: Commitment to Iran gas pipeline could fire US fury''
from express tribune...
'On India’s bid to buy a new nuclear submarine from Russia and whether it would start a new arms race in South Asia, he said: “Pakistan-Russia relations are significantly improving. We are trying to expand the scope of relations.”
“I think it is important that all countries in the region should be mindful of the fact that an arms race is in no one’s interest. This region is suffering from poverty and disease. It is important we focus on economic development. Millions of people are still living below the proverbial poverty line.” Basit added."
''Anonymous claims Stratfor spied on OWS''
from rt.com...
"In some of the latest pieces of correspondence made public, however, information that many had already suspected about the role law enforcement played in infiltrating the Occupy Wall Street movement is brought to light. In an exchange of emails between Stratfor executives that has been published by hackers involved in the matter, employees of the firm go back-and-forth with one another in detail over information that Texas law enforcement supplied the firm after investigating an Austin Occupy meet-up."
"In some of the latest pieces of correspondence made public, however, information that many had already suspected about the role law enforcement played in infiltrating the Occupy Wall Street movement is brought to light. In an exchange of emails between Stratfor executives that has been published by hackers involved in the matter, employees of the firm go back-and-forth with one another in detail over information that Texas law enforcement supplied the firm after investigating an Austin Occupy meet-up."
''Tehran warns Arabs about replacing Iran’s oil exports''
from trend azerbaijan...
'A top Iranian diplomat has expressed Tehran's displeasure over an announcement by certain Persian Gulf Arab states to replace Iran's oil exports, saying Iran will consider such a move as "unfriendly", MNA reported.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, made the remarks during a meeting with the undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalid Al-Jarallah, in Kuwait City on Thursday."
''China to boost surveillance flights over disputed East China Sea areas''
from japan times...
"A Chinese maritime surveillance aircraft based in Shanghai will expand its coverage this year to include areas of the East China Sea disputed with Japan, according to recent reports by local media."
"A Chinese maritime surveillance aircraft based in Shanghai will expand its coverage this year to include areas of the East China Sea disputed with Japan, according to recent reports by local media."
IRAN: ‘We don’t need to sell oil to Europe’
mk bhadakumar
from indian punchline...
"By the way, if there is any reason to doubt Iran’s capacity to create havoc in Europe, you just have to tune into the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators — estimated to number 200000 — taking to the streets in Alicante, Castellon and Valencia in eastern Spain on Thursday to realise the nature of the volcano that is threatening to erupt in many european countries if the prevailing economic crisis deepens."
"Even a most compulsively optimistic western sketch had to end with the frank admission that Saudi Arabia’s own priority would ultimately be to “ring fence” supplies for its domestic use through internal pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz rather than to address the travails of energy security affecting the European economies that are passing through bad times."
from indian punchline...
"By the way, if there is any reason to doubt Iran’s capacity to create havoc in Europe, you just have to tune into the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators — estimated to number 200000 — taking to the streets in Alicante, Castellon and Valencia in eastern Spain on Thursday to realise the nature of the volcano that is threatening to erupt in many european countries if the prevailing economic crisis deepens."
"Even a most compulsively optimistic western sketch had to end with the frank admission that Saudi Arabia’s own priority would ultimately be to “ring fence” supplies for its domestic use through internal pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz rather than to address the travails of energy security affecting the European economies that are passing through bad times."
Scotland: "Police ‘will axe 2,000 backroom staff’ even before single force"
from the scotsman...
"POLICE are planning to shed 2,000 support staff to meet budget cuts and prepare for a single Scottish force, in a move which has sparked fears of a depleted front line, with officers carrying out civilian roles.
"POLICE are planning to shed 2,000 support staff to meet budget cuts and prepare for a single Scottish force, in a move which has sparked fears of a depleted front line, with officers carrying out civilian roles.
The proposals have angered Unison, the public sector union, which called them “criminally wasteful, poorly thought-out and highly provocative."
''China, India Keen to Access the Arctic Circle''
from 2.6billion.com...
"China’s focus on the Arctic Circle is increasing with the Chinese government actively allocating financial and human resources to investigate the area. Although the scientific research was supposed to be dedicated to the threat of global warming and the dramatic topographical changes taking place in the region, Chinese authorities started to contemplate the potential benefits of an ice-free Arctic."
"China’s focus on the Arctic Circle is increasing with the Chinese government actively allocating financial and human resources to investigate the area. Although the scientific research was supposed to be dedicated to the threat of global warming and the dramatic topographical changes taking place in the region, Chinese authorities started to contemplate the potential benefits of an ice-free Arctic."
Op-Ed: '‘Britain will never accept German leadership’'
from european geostrategy....
"Over the past five years, Germany has becomevery powerful. Since Britain’s (hopefully temporary) economic difficulties, the German economy has emerged not only as the largest – but by far the largest – in the European Union. Consequentially, some have asked whether we are now entering a period of German hegemony, a kind of German ‘unipolar moment’. Yesterday, however, the British strategist, Julian Lindley-French, explained that this is impossible – Germany will not become a European hegemon. Why? Because – as he puts it – ‘Britain will never accept German leadership.’ He argues that any attempt made by Berlin to ‘shackle’ London will fail, for three key reasons:...........from european geostrategy....
"Over the past five years, Germany has becomevery powerful. Since Britain’s (hopefully temporary) economic difficulties, the German economy has emerged not only as the largest – but by far the largest – in the European Union. Consequentially, some have asked whether we are now entering a period of German hegemony, a kind of German ‘unipolar moment’. Yesterday, however, the British strategist, Julian Lindley-French, explained that this is impossible – Germany will not become a European hegemon. Why? Because – as he puts it – ‘Britain will never accept German leadership.’ He argues that any attempt made by Berlin to ‘shackle’ London will fail, for three key reasons:...........from european geostrategy....
''Explaining the left-right paradigm to a co worker!''
every person in the country should be forced to watch this......
''The Petrodollar System''
Marin Katusa
a great read........from casey research....
a great read........from casey research....
"To explain this situation properly, we have to start in 1973. That's when President Nixon asked King Faisal of Saudi Arabia to accept only US dollars as payment for oil and to invest any excess profits in US Treasury bonds, notes, and bills. In exchange, Nixon pledged to protect Saudi Arabian oil fields from the Soviet Union and other interested nations, such as Iran and Iraq. It was the start of something great for the US, even if the outcome was as artificial as the US real-estate bubble and yet constitutes the foundation for the valuation of the US dollar."
''Bernanke's Currency Wars''
from daily reckoning australia...
"Everyone loses in war. In this unfolding currency war, no fiat currency can win. Currency devaluation is a crude method of stealing demand for goods and services off someone else. It doesn't create new demand or wealth. It's a zero sum game. But it does lead to increasing levels of distrust and economic animosity."
"Everyone loses in war. In this unfolding currency war, no fiat currency can win. Currency devaluation is a crude method of stealing demand for goods and services off someone else. It doesn't create new demand or wealth. It's a zero sum game. But it does lead to increasing levels of distrust and economic animosity."
"The Era of “Debt Capitalism” Has Come to an End"
from the isn blog...
"After 40 years of economic growth based on debt, the era of “debt capitalism” has come to an end, says Wolfgang Streeck. The Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne gave a remarkable interview (in German) last week that I would like to share with you, in advance of the World Economic Forum’s meeting in Davos starting today.
Economies must grow in order to increase welfare. This has been the basic requirement for capitalist societies since the industrial revolution. Yet the last time Western societies experienced real economic growth was in the decades following WWII, says Streeck, in his account of recent economic history. Since the 1970s, when this period ended and economic growth slowed, governments started to print money in order to create the illusion of increasing salaries and greater welfare. In reality, however, income stagnated."
Commission: "Store nuclear waste where it’s wanted"
from las vegas sun....
"Nuclear waste should be stored in places where there is consent, not opposition, the U.S. energy secretary was told today by a commission that was assigned by the president to review the nation’s approach to storing nuclear fuel."
"Nuclear waste should be stored in places where there is consent, not opposition, the U.S. energy secretary was told today by a commission that was assigned by the president to review the nation’s approach to storing nuclear fuel."
Pepe Escobar: "The Iranian oil embargo blowback"
from asia times...
"The Majlis (Iranian parliament) will discuss this Sunday, in an open section, whether to cancel right away all oil exports to any European country that approved the embargo - according to Emad Hosseini, the rapporteur of the Majlis Energy Committee. And that comes with the requisite apocalyptic warning, relayed via the Fars news agency, courtesy of member of Parliament Nasser Soudani: "Europe will burn in the fire of Iran's oil wells."
"The Majlis (Iranian parliament) will discuss this Sunday, in an open section, whether to cancel right away all oil exports to any European country that approved the embargo - according to Emad Hosseini, the rapporteur of the Majlis Energy Committee. And that comes with the requisite apocalyptic warning, relayed via the Fars news agency, courtesy of member of Parliament Nasser Soudani: "Europe will burn in the fire of Iran's oil wells."
''The government of Zimbabwe is considering using China's Yuan as their national currency''
a must read........from aljazeera....
"From city sidewalks to low-income suburbs, the Chinese have become part of the local population, and if some senior government bureaucrats have their way, the country could soon find itself adopting the Chinese Yuan as its official currency."
"From city sidewalks to low-income suburbs, the Chinese have become part of the local population, and if some senior government bureaucrats have their way, the country could soon find itself adopting the Chinese Yuan as its official currency."
''Maintaining Hegemony''
"on the Pentagon's new strategic guidance document".............from znet.....
"The U.S. now has hundreds of military bases and installations in Korea, Japan, Guam, and Australia, as well as “access agreements” with the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. It is working to expand and deepen these alliances, and is certainly reconfiguring its arsenals to “contain” China. All of this provides the artificial foundation for the U.S. economy and serves the delusional dream of U.S. “exceptionalism” and (White Christian) “manifest destiny.”
Bottom line: the new Pentagon Guidance actually undermines real security for the U.S. people. Instead of investing in building the 21st century infrastructure our children and grandchildren will need for economic security, and instead of using the nation’s resources to stanch the flood of housing foreclosures and to ensure access to higher education for the nation’s young people, the Guidance provides the rationale for endless wars and endless subsidies to the military-industrial complex. It is a tragedy beyond Shakespearian proportions."
"The U.S. now has hundreds of military bases and installations in Korea, Japan, Guam, and Australia, as well as “access agreements” with the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. It is working to expand and deepen these alliances, and is certainly reconfiguring its arsenals to “contain” China. All of this provides the artificial foundation for the U.S. economy and serves the delusional dream of U.S. “exceptionalism” and (White Christian) “manifest destiny.”
Bottom line: the new Pentagon Guidance actually undermines real security for the U.S. people. Instead of investing in building the 21st century infrastructure our children and grandchildren will need for economic security, and instead of using the nation’s resources to stanch the flood of housing foreclosures and to ensure access to higher education for the nation’s young people, the Guidance provides the rationale for endless wars and endless subsidies to the military-industrial complex. It is a tragedy beyond Shakespearian proportions."
''Japanese reactors await restart approvals''
from world nuclear news...
"While reviews of initial stress test results for Japanese reactors are progressing, it could still be several months before the first restart approval comes. The shutdown of unit 2 of the Ikata nuclear power plant for a periodic inspection means that only five of the country's 54 power reactors are now in operation."
"While reviews of initial stress test results for Japanese reactors are progressing, it could still be several months before the first restart approval comes. The shutdown of unit 2 of the Ikata nuclear power plant for a periodic inspection means that only five of the country's 54 power reactors are now in operation."
''Russia to start special military maneuvers''
from 01/18/2012.......from russia india report.......
"The exercise plans are now being developed, but military experts believe that preparations for the SCSE will include real combat training missions in light of threats by the United States and several other countries against Iran, as well as other potential conflicts in the Caspian and South Caucasus regions."
"The exercise plans are now being developed, but military experts believe that preparations for the SCSE will include real combat training missions in light of threats by the United States and several other countries against Iran, as well as other potential conflicts in the Caspian and South Caucasus regions."
''Federal employees, retirees owe $3.4 billion in taxes''
from latimes...
"A recent IRS report showing that current and retired federal employees owe more than $3.4 billion in income taxes is fueling a drive on Capitol Hill to fire -- and prohibit the hiring of -- tax delinquents on Uncle Sam's payroll.
The report shows that about 98,000 federal civilian workers and postal employees -- or roughly 3% of the federal civilian and Postal Service workforce -- owed about $1 billion to Uncle Sam in 2010, including 684 congressional staffers who owed more than $10 million."
Thursday, January 26, 2012
''The Great Mortgage Swindle: Most Lucrative Fraud of All Time?''
a great blog and a must read.........from wall street law blog........
"The reality of the housing bubble era is this: It was a short-term money grab by a cartel of powerful banks that generated enormous windfalls for senior management and executives in the mortgage securitization and trading businesses of those banks."
''Niger, El Salvador Beat United States in Press Freedom Last Year''
from wonkette...
"The United States placed a thrilling 47th on the newly-released index of worldwide press freedom compiled by Reporters Without Borders, go team! This is 27 places worse than the previous year, owing to all the great fun cops across the nation had arresting, brutalizing and obstructing the work of journalists during the Occupy Wall Street protests. "
"The United States placed a thrilling 47th on the newly-released index of worldwide press freedom compiled by Reporters Without Borders, go team! This is 27 places worse than the previous year, owing to all the great fun cops across the nation had arresting, brutalizing and obstructing the work of journalists during the Occupy Wall Street protests. "
''Oil 'tipping point' has passed with much higher prices to come''
from alaska dispatch...
"As Alaskans grapple with the issue of oil taxes and what state legislative moves, if any, will increase the flow of North Slope crude through the trans-Alaska pipeline, a new commentary in Nature warns that the world's oil market has permanently changed "phase" into an era of dwindling reserves accompanied by higher and evermore volatile price swings."
"As Alaskans grapple with the issue of oil taxes and what state legislative moves, if any, will increase the flow of North Slope crude through the trans-Alaska pipeline, a new commentary in Nature warns that the world's oil market has permanently changed "phase" into an era of dwindling reserves accompanied by higher and evermore volatile price swings."
''Larry Summers washes hands of all responsibility for crisis''
sickening........video and text.......from ian fraser blog...
"I watched Channel 4′s Krishnan Guru-Murthy interview the prominent US economist Larry Summers on Channel 4 News last night. The first half focuses on the stimulus vs. austerity debate and Monday’s release of secret memos detailing advice given by Summers to President Barack Obama. But what I found more interesting was the lively exchange that starts about seven minutes in. In this, Summers effectively washed his hands of any responsibility for precipitating or fuelling the global financial crisis."
"I watched Channel 4′s Krishnan Guru-Murthy interview the prominent US economist Larry Summers on Channel 4 News last night. The first half focuses on the stimulus vs. austerity debate and Monday’s release of secret memos detailing advice given by Summers to President Barack Obama. But what I found more interesting was the lively exchange that starts about seven minutes in. In this, Summers effectively washed his hands of any responsibility for precipitating or fuelling the global financial crisis."
''Once again, the banks reveal the great miracle of solvency''
from ian fraser blog...
"Deep inside every bank, dealers have been sitting, staring at their phones hoping that the bank’s risk manager won’t call them to ask what a certain trade they made this year was actually worth, what value should be booked for it and what risk-weighting should be applied to it? For as we approach the Day of Reconciliation the dealers must call up the details of the deals they did, the assets they bought and sold or lent or borrowed, and account for them."
"Deep inside every bank, dealers have been sitting, staring at their phones hoping that the bank’s risk manager won’t call them to ask what a certain trade they made this year was actually worth, what value should be booked for it and what risk-weighting should be applied to it? For as we approach the Day of Reconciliation the dealers must call up the details of the deals they did, the assets they bought and sold or lent or borrowed, and account for them."
''G-4 nations put joint bid for Security Council expansion''
from times of india...
"India, Japan, Brazil andGermany chose the Indian Republic Day to launch a fresh offensive in the UN for expansion of the Security Council. The G-4, as they are better known, for the first time, put a joint bid for the UN Security Council during a closed plenary session at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, which is headed by Zahir Tanin, the UN ambassador from Afghanistan."
"India, Japan, Brazil andGermany chose the Indian Republic Day to launch a fresh offensive in the UN for expansion of the Security Council. The G-4, as they are better known, for the first time, put a joint bid for the UN Security Council during a closed plenary session at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, which is headed by Zahir Tanin, the UN ambassador from Afghanistan."
''If required by law, Twitter says now ready to censor''
the feds are setting up the collapse nicely....from cbsnews....
"Twitter now says it has the technological ability to censor individual tweets or accounts in different countries.
It hasn't yet pulled the trigger but the company said in apost Thursday that it will be able to remove content under the laws of another country. Those posts would still be viewable to Twitter users outside of those countries."
''Forced to stand for 24 hours, suicide nets, toxin exposure and explosions': Inside the Chinese factories''
text and pics........from daily mail...
"Working excessive overtime without a single day off during the week, living together in crowded dormitories and standing so long that their legs swell and they can hardly walk after a 24-hour shift.
These are the lives some employees claim they live at Apple’s manufacturing centres in China, where the firm’s suppliers allegedly wrongly dispose of hazardous waste and produce improper records."
''U.N. warns arms from Libya could reach Boko Haram and al-Qaeda''
this is how they suck you into another war.........from alarabiya....
"The report on the impact of the Libyan civil war on countries of the Sahel region that straddle the Sahara -- including Nigeria, Niger and Chad -- also says some national authorities believe the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which killed more than 500 people last year and more than 250 this year in Nigeria, has increasing links to al-Qaeda’s North African wing."
"The report on the impact of the Libyan civil war on countries of the Sahel region that straddle the Sahara -- including Nigeria, Niger and Chad -- also says some national authorities believe the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which killed more than 500 people last year and more than 250 this year in Nigeria, has increasing links to al-Qaeda’s North African wing."
''US and Philippines eye stronger defense ties''
read more from khaleej times...
"U.S. and Philippine officials are in talks about expanding bilateral military cooperation as the Southeast Asian country grapples with the growing assertiveness of China, officials from the two countries said on Thursday.
"U.S. and Philippine officials are in talks about expanding bilateral military cooperation as the Southeast Asian country grapples with the growing assertiveness of China, officials from the two countries said on Thursday.
Talks with the Philippines, a U.S. ally which voted to remove huge American naval and air bases 20 years ago, follow Washington’s announcement of plans to set up a Marine base in northern Australia and possibly station warships in Singapore."
'US to cut almost 100,000 troops'
lets close all the bases...............from bbc........
"The US will cut almost 100,000 troops as part of its plans for a "smaller, leaner" military, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has announced.
Unveiling a restructure of the armed forces, Mr Panetta said the US would retain the ability to defeat "any enemy on land", and boost special forces.
The Pentagon is facing cuts of $487bn (£310bn) over the next 10 years.
Over five years, 92,000 active duty Army and Marine Corps soldiers would be cut, with some bases closed, he said.
The military's budget would rise, albeit at a slower rate, to $567bn by 2017."
''China’s very mysterious data''
read more from the telegraph...
"Residential investment has been contracting on a monthly basis, and of course property prices are now falling in all but two of China’s 70 largest cities.
So how did China pull off an economic growth rate of 8.9pc in the fourth quarter?"
''Rand Paul's Stand Against the TSA''
from the new american...
"The TSA didn’t just “detain” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Monday: it showed us another of the agency’s many uses to Our Rulers. Not only does it teach the serfs their place in the police-state — utter submission, even to sexual assault and irradiation — it’s also a ready weapon against political enemies."
"The TSA didn’t just “detain” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Monday: it showed us another of the agency’s many uses to Our Rulers. Not only does it teach the serfs their place in the police-state — utter submission, even to sexual assault and irradiation — it’s also a ready weapon against political enemies."
Libya: "Doctors Without Borders suspends activities in Misrata"
good job NATO........claims of torture.....from ansamed....
"Patients were brought to us in the middle of interrogation for medical care, in order to make them fit for further interrogation. This is unacceptable. Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions." Yesterday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay exposed before the Security Council "lack of control by central authorities, which generates an environment favouring torture and abuse'' and stressed it was urgent that all Libya's detention centres be brought under control of the NTC government."
"Patients were brought to us in the middle of interrogation for medical care, in order to make them fit for further interrogation. This is unacceptable. Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions." Yesterday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay exposed before the Security Council "lack of control by central authorities, which generates an environment favouring torture and abuse'' and stressed it was urgent that all Libya's detention centres be brought under control of the NTC government."
''Egyptian protesters plan sit-in until army leaves''
read more from arab news...
"Egyptian youths camped out on Thursday in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and vowed to stay put until the army hands power to civilians, a day after a mass demonstration marked a year since an uprising which brought down Hosni Mubarak.
Tens of thousands of Egyptians poured into the square and onto streets of other cities for the Jan. 25 anniversary of the day the revolt began. Although good-natured, the demonstration exposed rifts in the Arab world’s most populous nation."
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