U.S.,
Europe step up efforts to aid Libya rebels (Washington Post) U.S. and its
allies enter a new stage of involvement, sending assistance and advisers
directly to opposition forces, who are still fighting to break Gaddafi’s grip.
[ Ah! Riiiiight!…’new stage of involvement’ … so that’s what they’re calling it
… I wonder what they called such … in Vietnam, etc.. Wow! And defacto bankrupt
america / nato friends can really afford it! Total
US Debt Now Officially Above The Ceiling Zero Hedge
Libya
Proxy Cold War Between China & West? Many share the opinion that
Washington is pursuing a larger goal than just regime change across the Arab
world. RT crosses live to Brazil to speak to Asia Times correspondent – Pepe
Escobar – about the role some countries are playing in the uprisings.
Libyan
Rebels Fighting the Globalists’ War As the global corporate-financier
oligarchs prepare the way rhetorically and logistically to send in the ground
troops we were told would never set foot on Libyan soil, in a war that was only
to last days, then weeks, but now over a month, the discernment, ambition, and
true intentions of the Libyan rebels must be called into question. U.S.
Credit Downgrade: A Game-Changer in Progress Alexandre 'We heard about the threat of a credit downgrade for an
extremely long time, but it never occurred, and we became somewhat complacent
about the issue. Now it’s here, although in its mildest form, and markets
reacted in unexpected ways…’ The frauds on wall street et als should be criminally
prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed. Dave's
Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its
inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up.
Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy
back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money-- … an especially great
opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse
to come! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER:
We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Drudgereport: Dollar Continues Slide...
$6 GAS BY SUMMER?
Federal Borrowing on Pace to Hit
Debt Limit in Less Than Week...
BOOK TO REVEAL OBAMA'S TRUE IDENTITY?
HITS #2 AMAZON...
After years of research and digging by the nation's top private investigators,
here it comes:
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH
CERTIFICATE? The Case that Barack Obama is not Eligible to be President."
Missing
Records in Hawaii, Missing Records in Kenya, Missing Records in Indonesia
"It's utterly devastating," reveals a source close to the publisher.
"Obama may learn things he didn't even know about himself!"
Renewed
Recession, Housing Bottom, and the Faux Chinese Luxury Bubble Adler, Winter,
Krowne ]
Japan
declares evacuation zone near nuclear plant (Washington Post) [ Wow! Sounds like a plan! … From the
beginning, as I’ve written on my website, I’ve thought the catastrophic nature
and impact of this disaster to have been underreported at the least … the
Japanese uncharacteristically have adopted somewhat of a ‘if wishing could make
it so’ tact in this sad crisis. Cesium
137 Threat Grows While Corporate Media Remains Mute The hereditary
communist dictatorship in North Korea reports on the spread of radiation from
the Fukushima nuclear plant, but it has all but fallen off the corporate media
radar screen here. Monitoring stations across North Korea from April 11 to 17
detected iodine-131 and cesium-137 in the air above Wonsan in the southeast and
Chongjin in the southeast, according to the country’s state-run media. According
to the Los Angeles Times, seawater near the Fukushima nuclear complex was
recently found to contain “iodine-131 at 7.5 million times the legal limit”.
Authorities in Japan recently upgraded the crisis at Fukushima to a
“level 7″ nuclear disaster, and almost everyone is finally acknowledging
that this crisis is as bad or worse than Chernobyl…’
Japan
Forces Top Official To Retract Prime Minister’s Comments That Fukushima
Permanently Uninhabitable Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has
apologized to the public over media reports about the long-term inhabitability
of areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
Tech
firms’ optimism fuels markets
Companies not only reported strong profits but also raised their
expectations for the future. (Washington Post) [ They’re dreamin’. Sounds like
the dot com b*** s*** bubble, along with america’s now defacto bankruptcy. The
earnings are totally manipulated; a combination of ever more worthless,
overprinted fiat currency to prop the ever more worthless paper stocks for the
churn-and-earn fraud; FASB rule change fraud-prone manipulation; illusory
currency translation profits; etc.. High oil / worthless dollar (currency
translation) / manipulated earnings rally … sounds like a real pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt american plan! ‘…natural resource plays provided an
afternoon lift…’ …Riiiiight! You can’t make this stuff up, you really can’t.
How totally pathetic! ]
America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding
/ April
Is a Good Time to Sell Adler ( I quite agree … overvalued to the
hilt in this new manipulated bubble …
at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill,
sell in April!' ) Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... potential ramifications of this are astounding . Shiller,
the market is now 41% overvalued according to this valuation metric. The only
time the markets have been more overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and
the tech bubble markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble
today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
... the market is
stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and 2007!
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
a valuation bubble,
earnings on which the projections are based are non-sustaining... same
overvaluation situation as a few years ago … nothing fixed ...']
‘THE OBAMA
DECEPTION’ http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
]
High oil / worthless dollar (currency translation) / manipulated
earnings rally … sounds like a real pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
american plan! ‘…natural resource plays provided an afternoon lift…’
…Riiiiight! You can’t make this stuff up, you really can’t. How totally
pathetic! ]
America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime Washington’s
Blog | It’s now mainstream news that none of the big financial
criminals have been prosecuted. This
is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding
/ April
Is a Good Time to Sell Adler ( I quite agree … overvalued to the
hilt in this new manipulated bubble …
at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill,
sell in April!' ) Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding. . According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble. [chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble …
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention of
investors in the 1990s ...
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average
... the market is stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and
2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially suppressed
interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
Davis ‘… This is how we
pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get
anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but
probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded
liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see
Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth
of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend
$1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is
no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all
of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING
FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘
.
Lawyer
charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [ Come on! Just enough for a
few headlines so people think they're actually doing something. They could (but
don't) bring a case as this or other wall street crime against a different wall
street liar (sic lawyer) / fraud in that corrupt sinkhole new york (metro, ie.,
jersey, conn., etc.) every single day and bearly touch the tip of the iceberg.
Is anybody foolish enough to think what goes on there is legitimate? Remember,
still no pros for the huge debacle / fraud precipitatin the last and continuing
economic / financial crisis. Chemist
charged with insider trading (WP) [ This
remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! The
frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined,
and disgorgement imposed. Dave's
Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its
inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up.
Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy
back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money-- … an especially great
opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse
to come! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER:
We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Davis ‘… This
is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to
get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but
probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded
liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see
Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth
of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend
$1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). SEC:
Wachovia cheated investors (WP)
[ I truly can see decreasing the
apple weighting, and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google
(ubiquitous) weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't
think so … something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt
to circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz.,
over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to
pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story, and manipulate when that
1-stock story falls to earth! April
Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … at the least a 'sell in May and go
away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' Adler ]
U.S.
Credit Downgrade: A Game-Changer in Progress Alexandre 'We heard about the threat of a credit downgrade for an
extremely long time, but it never occurred, and we became somewhat complacent
about the issue. Now it’s here, although in its mildest form, and markets
reacted in unexpected ways.
With the exception for the Japanese yen, every major currency dropped on
the news that the S&P had downgraded the U.S.'s credit outlook from
positive to negative while maintaining the AAA rating. Certainly a downgrade
from the much-coveted high rating wouldn’t take place without a generous
warning, and the U.S. government deserved the “shot across the bow.” If nothing
else, the negative outlook is a wake-up call to get our fiscal house in order.
But one thing is certain: Market dynamics have changed.
[Click to enlarge]
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/19/765325-130325009045926-Carlos-X--Alexandre.png
U.S. Treasuries and the dollar rallied as if a celebration was taking
place, and at least two factors were in play. First, as a “carry trade”
currency, the dollar benefited from a knee-jerk reaction from short positions
in view of potential higher rates. But the second reason was less apparent:
Whether one likes it or not, the broad thinking goes that if the U.S. triple A
rating is in jeopardy, there’s no safety anywhere.
U.S. Credit Default Swaps jumped to 49.42 (priced in euros), a level
that is still lower than it was in late January, around the time when the
S&P downgraded Japan to AA- from AA. However, government debt continues to
escalate despite some well-touted yet meaningless spending reductions, which
are the equivalent of reducing an individual’s annual bread consumption by one
slice a year.
On the historical day when the U.S. received its first negative outlook
ever, what other countries in this global village joined the Credit Default
Swap sinking party? Just about everyone, as the table below demonstrates,
showing the eight highest increases on April 18, courtesy of CMA. Even China’s CDS cost went up 2.25% to
73.16. To varying degrees, this is a global disease.
Entity Name |
5 Yr Mid |
Change (%) |
Change (bps) |
CPD (%) |
United States of America |
49.42 |
+19.21 |
+7.96 |
4.30 |
Italy |
159.20 |
+10.97 |
+15.74 |
13.16 |
France |
78.60 |
+10.14 |
+7.23 |
6.80 |
Sweden |
27.19 |
+9.88 |
+2.44 |
2.40 |
Greece |
1332.06 |
+9.04 |
+110.43 |
65.76 |
Spain |
253.31 |
+8.70 |
+20.28 |
20.18 |
Austria |
67.13 |
+8.29 |
+5.14 |
5.82 |
Poland |
154.01 |
+8.20 |
+11.67 |
10.45 |
|
|
|
|
|
But before we jump up and down and start saying “I told you so” about
the upcoming American meltdown, please be mindful that if such an event was to
occur, the reverberations would be felt around the globe. The so called
“American Empire” would be the first climber on the side of a steep cliff to
fall, dragging every other climber attached to the same rope. And that is what
the markets told us.
The quantity of debt by itself does not establish risk. It’s the ability
to service the debt that raises eyebrows, and the U.S. has a trump card that is
mostly absent in other countries, especially at this juncture. As economically
hurtful and as unwelcome as it will be, the U.S. has the ability and the room
to raise taxes. Although we wish that our government was an efficient
enterprise, it is still less of a burden on society than in the majority of
other countries.
The influence of the dollar goes well beyond the reserve status, and in
addition to the perceived and largely accepted safety status, global economies
have developed with the dollar as its foundation.
Could it change? Certainly, but the currency cannot be abandoned without
repercussions, and simplistic views that America is doomed and everyone else
will rise are just that: Simplistic.
A Reuters
article gathered a few opinions:
"One of the reasons why the U.S. dollar is still the reserve
currency is the lack of other options, and in two years there may still be no
other options," said Tom Simons, a money market economist at Jefferies
& Co. in New York. If the dollar did weaken, it could boosts export sales
of U.S. manufacturers, but also put upward pressure on inflation by making
imports more expensive.
"While still a remote risk, the possibility of the U.S. losing its
AAA rating could result in a wholesale abandonment of dollar assets and would
potentially destabilize the entire global economy," said Omer Esiner,
chief market analyst at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange in Washington.
Raising taxes and reducing spending to resolve our government’s debt
issues does not happen in a vacuum. Real people with real lives are directly
affected by both tactics, and that is the reason why the solution to our
financial ills will trigger unpopular side effects – no “ifs” or “buts” about
it.
It’s a no-brainer: Lower government spending and higher taxes cut
directly into consumption that will affect private companies and real people.
And the global community is not immune, either. Politicians are now under the
gun to implement both approaches, and "headline-pleasing" moves are
no longer an option. All the S&P did was to get the race going by starting
the stopwatch.
Mark Hulbert wrote an article for MarketWatch
which started by saying, “Here’s another entry for 'Ripley’s Believe It Or
Not',” referring to the fall in treasury yields after the S&P downgrade.
This comes as such a surprise because, other things being equal, a
ratings downgrade should lead investors into demanding higher yields to
compensate them for the greater risk of default.
But “other things” are not equal, and simplistic linear analysis hardly
holds the answer. The markets are still digesting the current situation, and
players are formulating strategies without the benefit of a historical point of
reference -- although some will yank some parallels that will prove of little
help in this framework. The dollar resumed its fall the day after and
treasuries still rose, providing lower yields while US CDS dropped a bit to
47.43. Lastly, there is no other security as big and as liquid as U.S.
Treasuries.
Time to rethink investment strategies, especially for long-term
investors.'
[$$]
Watch for the Next Moment of Weakness
Greenback
Reverses Gains Boosting Commodities and TIPs
Drudgereport:
Dollar Continues Slide...
$6 GAS BY SUMMER?
Federal Borrowing on Pace to Hit
Debt Limit in Less Than Week...
Renewed
Recession, Housing Bottom, and the Faux Chinese Luxury Bubble Adler,
Winter, Krowne ' The Wall Street
Examiner’s Lee Adler, Russ Winter of Winter Watch, and
Aaron Krowne of the Mortgage Lender
Implode-o-meter focus their discussion this week on whether the data
pointing to continued recovery are real or illusory, whether a housing bottom
is in, signs of collapse in the luxury bubble, and the Fed being caught between
a rock and a hard place.
Here’s what we covered
in Part 1:
· Corporate
income taxes are weak but better than our last look
·
Consumer Metrics
show renewed recession, weak retail
·
Uptick in house
listing prices points to interest rate and housing price bubble … technical outlook says final top approaching
...'
Here’s
Why Existing Home Sales Were Up in March wallstcheatsheet '... Noteworthy
Stats: Distressed homes – typically sold at discounts in the vicinity of 20
percent – accounted for a 40 percent market share in March, up from 39 percent
in February and 35 percent in March 2010
...'
Short-Term,
High-Probability Mean-Reversion Indicator: TBT Moves Into an Extreme State
Crowder 'It has been a strange few weeks in the market.
We had several trading days of strong resistance in the S&P 500 (SPY) and have basically sold off
since the beginning of earnings season. Is it me, or does the market almost
seems too predictable at the moment.
Will the market truly be this simple to predict over the coming months?
I am certainly not claiming to have the magic crystal ball, but at the
moment, the market just feels heavy and tired.
With the old Wall Street adage about to grace us with its seasonal
presence, I feel like we have seen the highs for a while. I expect to see a
decent decline during the summer doldrums, which I think will offer a very good
buying opportunity over the long-term. We could see a few gaps close that were
created months ago. I to plan to discuss the gaps in an upcoming weekly
newsletter edition stay tuned. There just isn’t enough room here.
However, I am not overly concerned with the long-term, at least in my
strategy. I only want to take advantage of short-term high-probability set-ups
created by a variety of extremes in the market.
This is one of the reasons that led me to options. Options, when used in
the proper way, allow you to profit from bullish, bearish or sideways price action.
It truly doesn’t matter.
Over the coming months, in my free weekly newsletter, I plan to speak
more about various options strategies and how to apply them to current market
conditions.
Believe me, I have a few favorites, including credit spreads, iron
condors and other premium selling strategies that I often use with my favorite
strategy – the HP-MR strategy.
Short-Term High-Probability, Mean-Reversion Indicator – as of close
4/19/11
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/20/saupload_4_19_20_hpmr.png '
Standard &
Poor’s Outlook for U.S. Karen De Coster | Three largest
rating companies failed to downgrade the obvious: failing insurance companies.
Max
Keiser Documentary On Irish Eco Hell Max Keiser, in his typical engaging
and florid style, has released the first part of a documentary focusing on
economic collapse hotspots offshore.
The
Fed Is Not There To Solve Your Problem Many banks are insolvent, yet are
allowed to stay in business. Being allowed to keep two sets of books is
obscuring their real estate loan problems.
Jim
Rogers Comments On Triple Digit Silver And Issues Warning: “Parabolic Moves
Always Collapse” Jim Rogers commented on the recent move by the University
of Texas to take delivery of $1 billion in gold, saying the decision is long
overdue, and has only occurred because everyone else is now buying thereby
taking metal out of circulation.
(4-20-11) Dow 12,453 +186 Nasdaq
2,803 +57 S&P 500
1,330 +17 [CLOSE- OIL $111.92 (-54% for year 2008) (RECORD TRADING HIGH $147.27) GAS
$3.82 (reg. gas in LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS $4.20 REG./ $4.30
MID-GRADE/$4.40 PREM./ $4.54 DIESELL)
/ GOLD $1,505 (+24% for year 2009) / SILVER $45.68 (+47% for year
2009) PLATINUM $1,802 (+56% for year 2009) Metal News for the Day / DOLLAR= .69 EURO, 82 YEN, .60 POUND
STERLING, ETC. (How low can you go - LOWER)/ Interest Rates: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield 10 YR NOTE YIELD
3.43% …..…
AP Business Highlights ...Yahoo
Market Update...
T. Rowe Price Weekly Recap – Stocks / Bonds / Currencies - Domestic /
International This Is a Secular Bear
Market and The End of Buy and Hold … and Hope The bull market that never was/were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold
‘WORST ECONOMIC COLLAPSE EVER’ Must Read
Economic / Financial
Data
This Depression is
just beginning The coming
depression… thecomingdepression.net
The
Next Wave of Collapse is Coming Sooner than you think Sliding
Back Into the Great Depression ABSOLUTELY,
ABSURDLY, RIDICULOUS! SELL / TAKE PROFITS WHILE YOU CAN SINCE MUCH, MUCH WORSE
TO COME!
National / World
Missing
Records in Hawaii, Missing Records in Kenya, Missing Records in Indonesia Drudge
Report | Book to reveal Obama’s true identity?
Study Reveals
Eco Bulbs Cause Cancer Paul Joseph Watson | Americans will
be forced to use CFLs that contain poisonous carcinogens after government ban
on traditional light bulb begins to take effect in January.
Government
Orders Expedited Printing of Detainee Handbook Kurt Nimmo
| Considering the history of FEMA and the government, it does not take a lot of
imagination to speculate on the contents of the handbook.
Censored
Video: Alex Jones Joins the New World Order The Alex Jones Channel
| The pressure has finally got to Alex.
Damning
New Study: Eco Bulbs Cause Cancer A damning new study conducted by German
scientists has found that so-called energy saving light bulbs contain poisonous
carcinogens that could cause cancer and should be “kept as far away as possible
from the human environment,” but Americans will be forced to replace their
traditional light bulbs with toxic CFLs ahead of a government ban set to take
effect at the start of next year.
Cesium
137 Threat Grows While Corporate Media Remains Mute The hereditary
communist dictatorship in North Korea reports on the spread of radiation from
the Fukushima nuclear plant, but it has all but fallen off the corporate media
radar screen here. Monitoring stations across North Korea from April 11 to 17
detected iodine-131 and cesium-137 in the air above Wonsan in the southeast and
Chongjin in the southeast, according to the country’s state-run media.
Book
To Reveal Obama’s True Identity? The street date is a LONG month away, and
author Jerome Corsi, the man who torpedoed John Kerry’s presidential dreams
with SWIFT BOAT, has gone underground and is holding his new findings
thisclose. “It’s utterly devastating,” reveals a source close to the publisher.
“Obama may learn things he didn’t even know about himself!”
iPhone
Keeps Record of Everywhere You Go Security researchers have discovered that
Apple’s iPhone keeps track of where you go – and saves every detail of it to a
secret file on the device which is then copied to the owner’s computer when the
two are synchronised.
Libya
Proxy Cold War Between China & West? Many share the opinion that
Washington is pursuing a larger goal than just regime change across the Arab
world. RT crosses live to Brazil to speak to Asia Times correspondent – Pepe
Escobar – about the role some countries are playing in the uprisings.
Libyan
Rebels Fighting the Globalists’ War As the global corporate-financier
oligarchs prepare the way rhetorically and logistically to send in the ground
troops we were told would never set foot on Libyan soil, in a war that was only
to last days, then weeks, but now over a month, the discernment, ambition, and
true intentions of the Libyan rebels must be called into question.
Censored
Video: Alex Jones Joins the New World Order The pressure has finally got to
Alex. He has decided to implement a new “Employee Meal Plan”. Watch as he and
crew use absurdity to point out the absurd with the current federal nanny
state.
Drudgereport:
Dollar Continues Slide...
$6 GAS BY SUMMER?
Federal Borrowing on Pace to Hit Debt
Limit in Less Than Week...
CANTOR: No more borrowing without
major cuts, reforms...
OBAMA'S DEFICIT REDUCTION PLAN
'FALLS SHORT'
Agency/NASA loses (stolen) large
amounts of high-tech equipment; Vanished...
Calls GOP proposal 'radical'...
BOOK TO REVEAL OBAMA'S TRUE IDENTITY?
HITS #2 AMAZON... ' BOOK TO REVEAL OBAMA'S 'TRUE' IDENTITY?
Wed Apr 20 2011 10:35:52 ET
**Exclusive**
This year's high stakes publishing project quietly went to press this week, the
DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
After years of research and digging by the nation's top private investigators,
here it comes:
"WHERE'S THE BIRTH
CERTIFICATE? The Case that Barack Obama is not Eligible to be President."
MORE
The street date is a LONG month away, and author Jerome Corsi, the man who
torpedoed John Kerry's presidential dreams with SWIFT BOAT, has gone
underground and is holding his new findings thisclose.
"It's utterly devastating," reveals a source close to the publisher.
"Obama may learn things he didn't even know about himself!"
MORE
Does Corsi definitively declare the location of Obama's birth?
Will the president's attorneys attempt to interfere with the book's
distribution? [The publisher vows to vigorously fight any legal action that may
be taken.]
Will the book finally -- once and for all -- put an end to the growing
controversy?
Or will it just ignite new ones!?
"When Donald Trump said he sent PIs to Hawaii to get to the bottom of all
this, he meant this book," declares an insider.
[THE CASE ranked #1,341 on AMAZON's
hitparade late Wednesday morning.]
Developing... '
Obama
faces fundraising test in California
(Washington Post) [ Test? You mean intelligence test for those Californians?
A cliché, aphorism is apposite: ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice,
shame on me’. Now frauds on wall street got value for their bribes; viz., no
prosecution of their continuing nation-destroying frauds, yet cleaning up the
frauds with prosecutions was the presumption
upon which their support was predicated , at least in part. Certainly
Hollywood spoke with their academy award for ‘Inside Job’ . Roche 'The
worst part of it ...Obama, who vowed
change, has done almost nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues most of
the policies that helped get us here in the first place’ ‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for
Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by
the frauds on wall street ( and declares with oscar in hand that not one high
level wall street exec has been prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from
the fraud ), the commentator / experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt
eric holder ( what do holder and wobama have in common … wall street money? … a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ?...all/some of the above … or is it something else
... . UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an
ex-Justice official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case
against the New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing
attorneys in the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black
defendants and white victims ' Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud WP
| Obama has promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. I mean, what can he do for the siliconeheads? … act like some communist country and buy
their sh**ty, unreliable, dysfunctional technology? ] The president will woo big-money donors this
week in California in the first test of whether he can renew support from the
entertainment and high-tech industries that helped him win in 2008. There have
been some signs that fervor for Obama in Hollywood and Silicon Valley has
ebbed.
S&P
unmoved by U.S. entreaties
(Washington Post) [ You really have to shake your head and wonder … The
audacity, given the blatantly precarious (I'm being euphemistically kind) state
of u.s. finances; viz., defacto bankruptcy. You have to give Standard &
Poor’s credit here for not succumbing to the schmooze among fairly presumed
other pressures; particularly from the ultimate, stereotypically fitting
jive-talker, 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***). If anything, they should be
faulted for being remiss in not so doing much earlier. Indeed, most financially
attuned individuals, including yours truly have as Atlas, shrugged and with a
yawn say, tell us something we don't know. Well, I will tell people now what
they don't want to know; namely, they're just not going to get it done! It's
all too little, too late. Moreover, absent prosecution, fines, jail and
disgorgement first from the (continuing, complicit) frauds on wall street, it
should not be done. It should be noted that very smart money, PIMCO, already
sold off there once very large stake in u.s. treasuries. ] Obama
looks to reassure on debt [ Come on! Who'd be foolish enough to believe
anything 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) says? ] So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on
which the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation
situation as a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
High oil / IBM worthless dollar (currency translation) rally … sounds
like a real pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american plan! [ YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM
] :‘…natural resource plays
provided an afternoon lift…’ …Riiiiight!
America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime Washington’s
Blog | It’s now mainstream news that none of the big financial
criminals have been prosecuted. http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding
/ April
Is a Good Time to Sell Adler ( I quite agree … overvalued to the
hilt in this new manipulated bubble …
at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill,
sell in April!' ) Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding. . According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
The only time the markets have been more overvalued was a few brief months in
1929 and the tech bubble. [chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble
...
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
Afghan
veteran is called elsewhere
(Washington Post) [ Is Mr. Jaffe
dreaming here? Indeed, in looking away from the headline momentarily the image
persisted and the latter part of the sentence became ‘he leaves with depth of
experience few can DREAM OF’. Yes, dream, as in nightmare; as in death,
destruction, pillaging and plundering for no good reason at all. I’ve
previously said that beginning with clinton and on, all honorable, capable
military brass either resigned or retired. Make no mistake, if large scale
heroin production / distribution is the experience alluded to, then that
otherwise preposterous statement would ring true. The Afghanistan campaign is
unequivocally a disastrous self-destructive, nation bankrupting conflict for
Afghanistan and the respective defacto bankrupt nato members. ! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER:
We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Davis ‘…
This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply
happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global
GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of
unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is
to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn
worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to
spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). In sum, who’d want to match or
emulate that ‘depth of experience’. After all, how low can you go? Over the past decade, the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan have cost U.S. taxpayerswell
over a trillion dollars.
So what have we gotten in return for a trillion dollars?
In Afghanistan, we haven’t even found the one man we supposedly went
there to look for – Osama Bin Laden… set up a good form of government, right?
Oh yeah, we set up a really wonderful
government. For example, they recently arrested a one-legged Afghan Red
Cross worker and sentenced him to death for
converting to Christianity…
The same thing is true in Iraq. Yeah, we may have gotten rid of
Saddam, but the nation is now in far worse shape than before we went in…’ The
End Of An Empire And The Beginning Of A Depression
Since the end ofWorld War 2, the United States
has been the leading military power and the leading economic power on the
entire globe. Those days are done! By The
American Dream These are a far cry
from the brightest bulbs on the planet. ]
As Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez departs theater, he leaves with depth of
experience few can match.
Loan
Sharks Rejoice - Greece 2-Year Notes at 20% !
[video]Trader:
S&P Downgrade A Game Changer NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Ben Willis of
Sunrise Securities is rethinking his portfolio after the downgrade from
S&P.
Infographic:
Easiest Way to Fix a Windows, Mac, or Linux Computer [ Yeah! ‘american
technology’ (not really american anymore and that’s the positive, value-part of
the equation) is really all that bad / overrated / overvalued. I believe most
are afraid to admit that owing to an insecure fear that they’ll be pegged as
among the ranks of the ubiquitous ‘computer illiterate’ (beyond the bells and
whistles interface). But such is foolishness because ‘american technology’ is
all that … BAD. …Really … bad news … kind of in the realm of that brilliant GM
strategy of ‘planned obsolescence’ so they’d sell more cars as you’d need new
cars to replace the shoddy old cars … sounds like … a defacto bankrupt american plan! Yet, fraud’s become
pervasively corrupt america’s strongest suit. Day in, day out on wall street,
that’s really what it is in the final analysis; viz., a huge,
government-protected (through bribes, one way or another, and that ‘insecurity
thing’ concerning their finance / economics illiteracy) foisted scam / fraud. I
surprised these ‘american companies’ are still in business … including intel (they’re all wintel machines now, and they
should know better). ]
Interest
on National Debt is Biggest Projected Problem, Not Healthcare
Standard &
Poor’s Outlook for U.S. Karen De Coster | Three largest rating companies failed to downgrade
the obvious: failing insurance companies.
Total
US Debt Now Officially Above The Ceiling Zero Hedge
Rand
Paul: Spending cuts must include Pentagon Washington
Times | Military spending
will have to be cut if the country is going to get its debt problems under
control.
(4-19-11) Dow 12,266 +65 Nasdaq
2,745 +9 S&P 500
1,313 +7 [CLOSE- OIL $108.67 (-54% for year 2008) (RECORD TRADING HIGH
$147.27) GAS
$3.82 (reg. gas in LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS $4.20 REG./ $4.30
MID-GRADE/$4.40 PREM./ $4.54 DIESELL)
/ GOLD $1,497 (+24% for year 2009) / SILVER $44.26 (+47% for year
2009) PLATINUM $1,779 (+56% for year 2009) Metal News for the Day / DOLLAR= .69 EURO, 82 YEN, .60 POUND
STERLING, ETC. (How low can you go - LOWER)/ Interest Rates: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield 10 YR NOTE YIELD
3.39% …..…
AP Business Highlights ...Yahoo
Market Update...
T. Rowe Price Weekly Recap – Stocks / Bonds / Currencies - Domestic /
International This Is a Secular Bear
Market and The End of Buy and Hold … and Hope The bull market that never was/were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold
‘WORST
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE EVER’ Must Read
Economic / Financial
Data
This Depression is
just beginning The coming
depression… thecomingdepression.net
The
Next Wave of Collapse is Coming Sooner than you think Sliding
Back Into the Great Depression ABSOLUTELY,
ABSURDLY, RIDICULOUS! SELL / TAKE PROFITS WHILE YOU CAN SINCE MUCH, MUCH WORSE
TO COME!
National / World
Drudgereport: Debt
Hits New High: $14.3 Trillion...
GOLD:
$1,500 FOR 1ST TIME...
China warns
US to protect creditors...
US
hurries to sell GM stake...
More
than $11B loss for taxpayers...
Brits
join ground fight in Libya...
Military
advisers to aid rebels...
Iran
Considering Crackdown on Dog Ownership...[ I once had the unfortunate
occasion to have witnessed an adult, pedigree german shepard take a dump on the
floor and lap it up like it was the greatest, most delicious treat in all the
world … how totally disgusting … a cat would never, never do that! ]
The
American Dream 4-16-11 'Since the end of
World War 2, the United States has been the leading military power and the
leading economic power on the entire globe. The U.S. has had the largest
economy in the history of the world, the U.S. dollar has been used by nearly
all of the nations on earth as a reserve currency and the U.S. military has had
a physical presence in most of the countries on the planet. Today, the
U.S. military is in approximately 130 different nations and it has a total of
about 700 military bases around the world. But just like the Roman
Empire, the U.S. empire has become overextended and it is starting to
decline. Most of our politicians believe that we can continue to “police
the world” and project our power to every corner of the globe, but the more we
meddle the more the rest of the world hates us and the worse our financial
problems get. America is now swamped with debts and our influence is
fading. The truth is that what we are witnessing is the end of an empire
and the beginning of a depression.
Over the past decade,
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost U.S. taxpayerswell over a trillion dollars.
So what have we gotten
in return for a trillion dollars?
In Afghanistan, we
haven’t even found the one man we supposedly went there to look for – Osama Bin
Laden. ..
But at least we got rid
of the Taliban and set up a good form of government, right?
Oh yeah, we set up
a really wonderful government. For example, they
recently arrested a one-legged Afghan Red Cross worker and sentenced him to
death for
converting to Christianity.
Fortunately there was
enough of an international outcry that Said Musa was not hung, but the fact
that the Afghan government wanted to string him up is enough to show that we
have completely failed over there.
The same thing is true
in Iraq. Yeah, we may have gotten rid of Saddam, but the nation is now in
far worse shape than before we went in.
Before the war
Christians felt safe in Iraq. Now large numbers of them are fleeing Iraq
as fast as they can. More than 80 Iraqi Christians were recently
beheaded on
a single day. All the Christians were trying to do was attend a
church service...
Robinson:
Take Donald Trump seriously (Washington Post) [
Riiiiight! For Mr. Robinson an oft times wobama apologist whom I have
invariably found to be but a disingenuous shill for what could be described in
the absence of a better term, the black lobby, a trump candidacy would be a
dream come true. Drudgereport: RASMUSSEN:
Obama 49% Trump 34%... Yet, where is the objective analysis of
wobama's betrayal of that very block among others, yet, you know, based on skin
color alone, they will vote for wobama.
Indeed, it is an inconvenient truth that I have found blacks to be as
racially prejudiced based on skin color alone as any other race. UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an
ex-Justice official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case
against the New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing
attorneys in the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black
defendants and white victims ' Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud WP
| Obama has promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. Cohen:
Donald Trump, the comeback huckster (WP) [On the other hand is the zionist shill
Mr. Cohen who in his startling revelation states 'back in 1990, Ivana Trump
told her divorce lawyer Michael Kennedy that “from time to time, her husband
[Donald Trump] reads a book of Hitler’s collected speeches, ‘My New Order,’
which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed.” This information, which comes from a
startling 1990 Vanity Fair profile of Trump …' . I must say that beyond his
corrupt, mob related / type activities detailed on my web site, trump was
'naziish' in his dog-pack, bully mentality (sinkholes jersey/new
yorkster). Certainly Steve Wynn who now
successfully does business in Macau / Vegas can attest to same. To be sure,
trump is a mental case … but, so is wobama … but, then again, mental illness is
rife in pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt
america.
Roche
'The worst part of it ...Obama, who
vowed change, has done almost nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues
most of the policies that helped get us here in the first place’ ‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for
Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by
the frauds on wall street ( and declares with oscar in hand that not one high
level wall street exec has been prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from
the fraud ), the commentator / experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt
eric holder ( what do holder and wobama have in common … wall street money? … a proclivity for jive-talking
/ b*** s*** ?...all/some of the above … or is it something else ... ]
[Suckers'
rally into the close off lows for no reason at all but to keep the suckers
suckered. But this tact, and the not good news is not news which though true
for quite some time, has been conveniently ignored by the frauds on wall
street: YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM] '...sell-off came as a culmination of concerns
stemming from speculation about debt restructuring for less fiscally
responsible eurozone nations like Greece, Ireland, and Portugal and news that
analysts at S&P lowered their outlook on U.S. debt to Negative...']
Lawmakers
seize on S&P outlook (Washington Post) [ Ah! So reassuring! I
mean, come on! There's no mystery here. I'd even say at this point the u.s.
debt has become an insurmountable problem having come in the form of too
little, too late. Budget
passes, but conservatives let down (Washington Post) The compromise touted as
cutting $38.5 billion would actually only cut $352 million this fiscal year, an
analysis says. While that didn’t prevent the budget from passing, it could sour
some Republicans. [ Come on! This 'budget deal' was a
showboating scam ab initio … Davis gets this right: Davis ‘… This is how
we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get
anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but
probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded
liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see
Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth
of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend
$1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is
no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all
of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE
CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ .
Obama
seeks spending cuts, taxes on wealthy (WP) [
Too little, too late for 'wobama the b'
(for b*** s***) ! After all, though contraindicated, he previously extended the
war criminal, moron bush tax cuts to what is now realistically perceived as
'their base' (that top 1 percent). Wobama has no credibility whatsoever, wars
and all. He's just plain done! Liberals
worry Obama has given up ground (WP) [ Worried? Given up ground? Are they kidding?
Is this some parallel universe they're operating in? Come on! Wake up! Wobama's
done! Finito! He's been and is an abject failure as president; both by what
he's done as not promised and not done as promised, viz., perpetual wars and
overspending, etc., and no prosecutions of the frauds on wall street, etc.,
respectively. He is a total failure and an embarrassment to the presidency as
was his predecessor. He's totally incompetent with an innate predilection to
'zig when he should zag' … 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) is pathetic! Quite
simply, for wobama, it's too late! …
Drudgereport: RASMUSSEN:
President hits new low Taxpayers
foot $850M bill for Wall St.’s pension fees NY
Post | New
York City taxpayers are helping to pay $850 million in Wall Street investment
fees. ]
Suckers'
rally into the close off lows for no reason at all but to keep the suckers
suckered. But this tact, and the not good news is not news which though true
for quite some time, has been conveniently ignored by the frauds on wall
street: YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]
'...sell-off came as a culmination of concerns
stemming from speculation about debt restructuring for less fiscally
responsible eurozone nations like Greece, Ireland, and Portugal and news that
analysts at S&P lowered their outlook on U.S. debt to Negative...'
Reality
Bites: Dave's Daily 'First, why
do we depend on these fee-conflicted rating agencies who have dropped the ball
repeatedly? Answer: because there are no other non-fee conflicted rating
(ratting?) agencies that have also made serious mistakes. Is there something
from S&P today regarding U.S. debt we didn't already know? Hardly, so no
Black Swan here. We've just been on an "extend and pretend" path to
see how much money we can make before "the you know what" hits the
fan. And, for all we know denial will continue and we could close this week
higher as we shrug this off as something "down the road". As we enter
a short week, and with markets already weak from the get-go, the S&P
outlook for U.S. debt as "negative" blind-sided investors. Markets
sold-off sharply but then recovered much of the damage late which should
surprise given the pervasive dip buying mentality. Bonds initially sold-off
then rallied (the down the road mentality) while commodities were mixed with
energy falling despite a cut in crude oil output by the Saudis while precious
metals and grains higher. The dollar rallied off its critical support as
investor's repatriated money, not necessarily to safe parking, but maybe to
cover some margin calls. Some believe, and I have no credible information on
this other than chatter, the Fed is selling puts on U.S. debt to pin interest
rates lower. That's an interesting strategy and could consume an entire posting
and then some. Earnings were posted for Citigroup(C_)
and given all the adjustments, accounting games and what not, reported lower
than expected revenues but beat earnings expectations by penny. The stock was
flat and the reverse split will be coming shortly along with the symbolic penny
dividend. The market remains extraordinarily manipulated. Note the headline
DJIA ("the window dressing for the tourists") reclaimed the 50-day
moving average. Volume was much higher on the sell-off as stops routinely get
hit on these event-type days. As you would expect, breadth per the WSJ, was
clearly as negative as you would expect. '
Gannett's
newspaper ad woes drag down 1Q earnings (AP) [ My experience with them
is such that they should be out of business! ]
S&P
threatens to cut U.S. credit rating on deficit (Reuters)
Super
rich see federal taxes drop dramatically (AP)
Wall
Street falls on sovereign fears (Reuters)
- S&P
threatens to cut U.S. credit rating on deficit (Reuters) - Citi
profit sags as revenue shrinks, expenses grow (Reuters) - Texas
Instruments misses forecasts, blames Japan (Reuters) - Eliot Spitzer
Wants Attorney General Eric Holder To Prosecute Goldman Sachs Right This Second - America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime Washington’s
Blog | It’s now mainstream news that none of the big financial
criminals have been prosecuted.
The
End Of An Empire And The Beginning Of A Depression
Since the end ofWorld War 2, the United States
has been the leading military power and the leading economic power on the
entire globe. Those days are done!
The
American Dream April 16, 2011 'Since the
end of World War 2, the United States has been the leading military power and
the leading economic power on the entire globe. The U.S. has had the
largest economy in the history of the world, the U.S. dollar has been used by
nearly all of the nations on earth as a reserve currency and the U.S. military
has had a physical presence in most of the countries on the planet. Today,
the U.S. military is in approximately 130 different nations and it has a total
of about 700 military bases around the world. But just like the Roman
Empire, the U.S. empire has become overextended and it is starting to
decline. Most of our politicians believe that we can continue to “police
the world” and project our power to every corner of the globe, but the more we
meddle the more the rest of the world hates us and the worse our financial
problems get. America is now swamped with debts and our influence is
fading. The truth is that what we are witnessing is the end of an empire
and the beginning of a depression.
Over the past decade, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost U.S.
taxpayerswell over a trillion dollars.
So what have we gotten in return for a trillion dollars?
In Afghanistan, we haven’t even found the one man we supposedly went
there to look for – Osama Bin Laden. It defies comprehension how a man
with a really bad kidney disease can hide in caves and evade the most powerful
military on earth for nearly a decade.
But at least we got rid of the Taliban and set up a good form of
government, right?
Oh yeah, we set up a really wonderful
government. For example, they recently arrested a one-legged Afghan Red
Cross worker and sentenced him to death for
converting to Christianity.
Fortunately there was enough of an international outcry that Said Musa
was not hung, but the fact that the Afghan government wanted to string him up
is enough to show that we have completely failed over there.
The same thing is true in Iraq. Yeah, we may have gotten rid of
Saddam, but the nation is now in far worse shape than before we went in.
Before the war Christians felt safe in Iraq. Now large numbers of
them are fleeing Iraq as fast as they can. More than 80 Iraqi Christians
were recently beheaded on
a single day. All the Christians were trying to do was attend a
church service.
Now we are involved in a third war in the Middle East. Even though
Libya was no threat to the United States, Obama felt compelled to stick our
nose into a chaotic civil war.
Now it looks like our involvement in Libya could last for a very, very
long time.
In a joint op-ed piece in
the New York Times, Barack Obama, David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy
declared that NATO military operations in Libya will not end until there is a
regime change….
However, so long as Qaddafi is in power, NATO must maintain its
operations so that civilians remain protected and the pressure on the regime
builds. Then a genuine transition from dictatorship to an inclusive
constitutional process can really begin, led by a new generation of leaders. In
order for that transition to succeed, Qaddafi must go and go for good.
So exactly who are we “helping” in Libya?
It turns out that we are providing “air cover” for many of the same
people who were shooting at our troops in Iraq.
Yes, you read the correctly.
According to The
Telegraph, the leader of the Libyan rebels is even admitting that his
“troops” include jihadists that were firing bullets at U.S. troops in Iraq….
Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said jihadists who
fought against allied troops in Iraq are on the front lines of the battle
against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
What type of government do you think they are going to set up once this
is over?
And all of this meddling is turning the rest of the world against us in
a big way.
Most Americans don’t realize just how much hatred there is for America
in the rest of the world. There are millions upon millions of people out
there that now hate us with every fiber of their beings, and every time we bomb
someone else world opinion turns against us even more.
Sadly, our meddling goes well beyond the three wars we are currently
fighting. The truth is that the U.S. military is actively “conducting
operations” in dozens of different countries.
For example, most Americans don’t even realize what the U.S. is doing in
Pakistan.
How would you like it if a foreign power was conducting missile attacks
inside the United States over the objections of our national leaders?
Well, that is what we are doing in Pakistan and we are going to continue
even though Pakistani officials are adamantly objecting.
According
to AFP, the CIA intends to continue conducting operations in Pakistan no
matter what the Pakistani government says….
The Central Intelligence Agency has no plans to suspend “operations” in
Pakistan against terror suspects despite objections from leaders in Islamabad,
a US official said Thursday.
This approach to foreign policy is absolutely foolish. Attempting
to have an “iron grip” on the rest of the world is only going to cause the rest
of the world to deeply hate us and deeply resent us. We like to think of
ourselves as “do gooders” but most of the rest of the world considers us to be
tyrannical. Eventually the rest of the world will lash out at us.
In addition, maintaining our vast empire is bankrupting us.
As I have written about previously, U.S.
military spending is wildly out of control. The truth is that U.S.
military spending is
greater than the military spending of China, Russia, Japan, India, and the
rest of NATO combined.
The United States already accounts for 46.5%
of all military spending in the world. China is next with only 6.6%.
Just one day of the war in Afghanistan costs
more money than it took to build the entire Pentagon.
So will reducing military spending solve all of our financial problems?
Of course not.
In fact, if you eliminated every penny of military spending we would
still have a gigantic budget deficit.
And that is another reason why our empire is dying.
The United States has the biggest debt
problem in the history of the world.
Right now the U.S. government is over 14 trillion dollars in debt.
Our debt is increasing by over 2 million dollars every single minute.
Our politicians are running up the national credit card as if there will
never be any consequences.
But a very serious day of reckoning is coming, and when it arrives the
rest of the world is not going to be in the mood to help us.
It is being projected that by 2021, the U.S. will be paying $1.1
trillion a year just in interest on the national debt.
So how big is a trillion dollars?
Well, if you were alive when Jesus was born and you spent a million
dollars every single day since then, you still would not have spent a trillion
dollars by now.
Our national debt is now at a tipping point. A recently revised
IMF policy paper entitled “An Analysis of
U.S. Fiscal and Generational Imbalances: Who Will Pay and How?” projects
that U.S. government debt will rise to about 400 percent of GDP by the year
2050.
So what are our politicians doing about it?
Nothing.
During the last election, the Republicans made a “pledge” to the
American people to cut $100 billion from the 2011 budget if they were elected.
Then once they got in they told us that $61 billion would be enough.
Then John Boehner gave in and agreed to cut the 2011 budget by only
$38.5 billion.
Well, now it turns out that even the $38.5 billion figure was not even
real.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the “budget deal” will
only slash $352 million (with an “m”) from the 2011 budget.
That is less than one percent of the $38.5 billion figure that was announced.
No wonder so many Tea Party activists are now declaring that John
Boehner must go.
In the end, our politicians do not intend to do anything about our
runaway debt.
The Democrats will shut down the government rather than allow serious
cuts to social programs or entitlements.
The Republicans will never allow serious cuts to the military and they
are pushing for even more tax cuts.
So how in the world is U.S. government debt ever going to be brought
under control?
The sad news is that it is not going to be. It is just a matter of
time before a great U.S. debt crisis strikes.
But the U.S. is not the only one with a debt crisis.
The European
debt crisis just seems to get worse with each passing month. The
bonds of several European nations have been significantly downgraded in recent
weeks.
According to the
Wall Street Journal, Moody’s actually downgraded Irish debt by two levels
on Friday….
Moody’s Investors Service Inc. downgraded Ireland’s government debt by
two notches Friday, taking the country to the brink of junk status, and kept
its outlook negative.
Things are getting scary.
Bond yields all over Europe are going through the roof.
A year ago, the yield on 10-year Portuguese bonds was hovering around
5%. On Friday it reached 9.0%.
A year ago, the yield on 10-year Irish bonds was also generally in the
neighborhood of 5%. On Friday it closed at 9.7%.
But that is nothing compared to what is happening to Greek debt.
On Friday, the yield on 10-year Greek bonds skyrocketed to an astounding 13.83%.
Yes, a depression is getting a little bit closer every single day.
Things don’t look good in Asia either. Prior to the recent
tsunami, the Japanese
economy was the third largest economy on the entire globe.
But there are now very serious questions about whether or not Japan will
ever fully recover from what has just happened.
The mainstream media has been really downplaying the economic damage
that has been done to Japan, but eventually the truth will become clear.
In a previous article, I contended that this was essentially a “death blow”
for the
Japanese economy….
The tsunami that struck Japan on March 11th swept up to 6 miles inland,
destroying virtually everything in the way. Thousands upon thousands of
Japanese were killed and entire cities were wiped off the map. Yes, Japan is a
resilient nation, but exactly how does a nation that is already drowning in
debt replace dozens of cities and towns that are suddenly gone? The truth is
that thousands of square miles have been more completely destroyed than if they
had been bombed by a foreign military force. The loss of homes, cars,
businesses and personal wealth is almost unimaginable. It is going to take many
years to rebuild the roads, bridges, rail systems, ports, power lines and water
systems that were lost. Nobody is quite sure when the rolling blackouts are
going to end, and nobody is quite sure when all of the damaged manufacturing
facilities are going to be fully brought back online.
If all that wasn’t bad enough, the nuclear crisis at Fukushima just
seems to get worse by the day.
According
to the Los Angeles Times, seawater near the Fukushima nuclear complex was
recently found to contain “iodine-131 at 7.5 million times the legal limit”.
Authorities in Japan recently upgraded the crisis at Fukushima to a
“level 7″ nuclear disaster, and almost everyone is finally acknowledging
that this crisis is as bad or worse than Chernobyl.
Many now fear that vast portions of northern Japan may end up beinguninhabitable
after all this is over. The health effects and the economic effects from
this nightmare are going to be felt for the rest of our lives.
But even if all of the things above were not happening, the rapidly
rising price of oil could potentially be enough to push the world into a
depression. The entire global economy is predicated on the ability to
consume gigantic amounts of very cheap oil. Nobody has ever been able to
prove that the global economy can continue to function normally if the price of
oil stays above $100 a barrel for an extended period of time.
When oil goes up, people start staying home. Certain types of
economic activity become unprofitable. The cost of transporting all goods
increases. The amount of money being transferred out of the U.S. economy
and into the hands of oil barons soars.
The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States is
now $3.81. It is about a dollar higher than it was at this time last
year.
If the price of oil stays where it is right now, the global economy can
probably handle it, at least for a while. However, if it explodes up to
$150 or $200 a barrel it is going to unleash hell on world financial markets.
The world is becoming a very unstable place. The U.S. empire is
crumbling and the global financial system is on the verge of a nightmare.
Hopefully the rest of 2011 will not be as eventful as the first part
has. We could use some global peace and stability for a while.
Unfortunately, that is probably not going to be the case.'
[video]
Trader: S&P Downgrade A Game Changer
Easy
Money (2): U.S. Inflation Now at 4% - How Fed Dismisses the Signs Tobey 'In "Easy
Money (1): Fed Touts Flawed/Risky Rationale," we discussed the Federal
Reserve Open Market Committee's (FOMC's) weak rationale for easy money.
Today, we'll cover how the FOMC dismisses clear signs of 4% inflation.
As FOMC members speak out, trying to deflate growing inflation worries,
they are revealing weaknesses in their analysis. Judging by their comments,
they are using selected data to support their arguments and dismissing other,
better signs of inflation.
There are two important problem areas:
First, the FOMC's preferred price index adjustment (i.e., excluding food
and energy) is misleading. It is resulting in significantly reduced price
inflation readings in this economy.
Second, the official money supply numbers are too low. The FOMC's
policies are creating the problem.
Today's write-up addresses the Fed's
choice of an inflation measure. Money supply will be discussed in the following
write-up.
CPI vs. PCEPI
To measure inflation, the FOMC prefers the Personal Consumption
Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The PCEPI has a unique construction that makes it less effective than
the CPI in measuring price inflation caused by money supply expansion. The
problem is that it expands the parties involved beyond consumers and it allows
the spending basket to continually change. These moving parts can disguise what
we're looking for: fiat money inflation
Even at that, the two indexes are highly correlated, with the PCEPI
being a bit less volatile. (And the FOMC likes less volatility, as will be
discussed next.)
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306461217606-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
In addition, here is the comparison of CPI and PCEPI excluding food and
energy (to be discussed next).
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306467435166-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Note: For the rest of this write-up, I
will be using CPI data because of the high correlation between CPI and PCEPI,
CPI's better measurement of inflation and the availability of CPI component
data.
Excluding food and energy is improper
The Fed and others defend taking food and energy out of a price index
because they are so "volatile." Supporting this proposition is
usually a graph like the following, showing 12-month price changes comparing
with and without.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306471039341-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
That graph may look like the only effect is volatility, but it's not.
Food and energy have their own price trends beyond those movements.
Importantly, food and energy, as key commodities, are at the heart of
all long-term inflation studies. When inflation shows up, food and energy
prices are among the first to react. They are even better measures today
because these worldwide commodities can be both traded and transported among
countries with relative ease. (Contrast food and energy price moves to other
CPI categories such as housing, medical and education. These other items react
slowly to inflation caused by money supply changes.)
Looking at the cumulative price movements, not a simple 12-month moving
one, we can see a significant rise in inflation by including food and energy.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-13030647528933-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Clearly, there has been more inflation in the U.S. than the Fed's
measure is showing. The 11+ year 2.5% inflation rate is well above the Fed's
"limit" of 2%.
Housing, the FOMC's inflation friend, should be excluded
Housing costs are slow moving and significantly affected by factors
beyond money supply inflation. These characteristics are visible in the
CPI-housing index.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306479786696-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Note especially how the housing price index changed its shape in the
past three years, during which housing costs were down or flat. As we know,
this pattern reflects housing's supply/demand conditions – not the effect of
the FOMC's easy money policy. Therefore, including housing in the price index
hides what's actually happening.
All countries face the same problem. Therefore, a common CPI adjustment
made outside the U.S. is to report CPI excluding housing. Such an adjusted
index is thought to be a better measure of price inflation.
The preferred inflation measure: CPI excluding housing
So, let's adopt the international convention and examine CPI without
housing. Although it is not a publicly released CPI number, we can approximate
it.
Housing represents about 40% of the CPI basket (much higher if food and
energy are excluded). By presuming a 40% weighting throughout the period (this
isn't precise, but it is an acceptable approximation), we can use the CPI
measures available to calculate:
CPI excluding housing = [(CPI * 100%) –
(CPI for housing * 40%)] / 60%
Here is the result:
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-13030648510201-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306555644225-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Comparing the price index numbers
Now let's compare all those different measures. Here are the different
price index results for the entire period and sub periods.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/17/524222-130306512628397-John-Tobey.jpg
(Click to enlarge)
Note how many readings show inflation above the Fed's "limit"
of 2%. The latest ones are the what's bothering investors - especially as the
FOMC takes comfort in its single, low measure.
Final thought: Why only one index?
Looking at these different index results raises the question of why the
FOMC publicly uses only one number to defend its easy money policy. Is it
playing the old marketing game of cherry picking the statistic that best
supports its position? Or is it myopic, focusing on its one choice, believing
all other measures to be flawed and, therefore, not requiring presentation or
explanation? Or is it simply trying to keep our confidence up and not adversely
affect "inflation expectations?"
Good analysis is fulsome (looking at an issue from all sides), objective
(not being influenced by other considerations) and unique (incorporating
underlying conditions, not simply relying on a number). The FOMC's comments
have not shown good analysis – and that is worrisome.
So … price index measures are showing
inflation running well above the FOMC's 2% "limit." These measures
lend support to the rising inflation concerns we read about, along with rising
long-term interest rates (in spite of the FOMC's bond buying program). Only the
FOMC seems relaxed - and that's causing even more concern.
Next … reported money supply numbers
are too low.'
Top
3 Reasons Markets were as Negative as US Credit Outlook Wall St. Cheat Sheet Markets closed down on Wall
Street: DJI -1.14% SP500 -1.1% Nasdaq -1.06% Gold +0.47% Oil -2.05 .
Markets got slammed today when the S&P (NYSE:MHP)
came out of the blue and
downgraded the US Credit Rating outlook to “Negative”. On the commodities
front, Oil (NYSE:USO)
got hit hard and slid $2 although OPEC
said they won’t be increasing supply any time soon. Gold (NYSE:GLD)
and Silver (NYSE:SLV)
resumed their climb to the moon as investors are now fretting whether the US
will receive a full downgrade.
Don’t Miss: Wall
St. Cheat Sheet’s newest Feature Trades of the Month>>
Today’s markets were down because:
1) Yes, the US really just took a bullet in the armor. Many investors
and analysts have been warning of a downgrade to the US credit rating, but it’s
another phenomenon to actually see one in the wild. (Check Out: The
Shocking S&P Note) Plain and simple: a lot of investors are reducing
risk in case the next credit rating headline pierces the armor. But isn’t the
US “Too Big to Fail”?
2) Earnings continue to come in mixed. Strangely, solid earnings from Citibank
(NYSE:C)
and Halliburton
(NYSE:HAL)
couldn’t drag indexes higher. The biggest
miss of the day goes to drug company Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY)
which fought all day to make up ground on the earnings blunder. Get ready for
the rest of the week as earnings just keep pouring in like Passover and Easter
guests.
3) Everybody hates tax day. Too bad the Federal government didn’t shutdown.
Taxes were due today and 55% of the nation should’ve been sending a check to
Uncle Sam. On such a special day, Wall St. Cheat Sheet’s expert contributor Ed
Dolan takes a look at whether Tax Reform is Real, or just more political B.S.'
Russian
Finance Minister Kudrin Says US Won't Meet Budget Goals '...Russia, thanks
to windfalls from oil revenues from its three state owned oil giants — Gazprom,
Lukoil and Rosneft — coupled with a declining population will help the
government meet its goal of eradicating its deficit by 2015. The government
agreed to cut federal spending three fold by then. Kudrin also noted in his
keynote speech at the Peterson Institute that his government is not treating
the budget issue politically. “We have an economics department that handles
this, and not a political party,” he said, in short.Russia’s federal
budget deficit is expected to end the year around 1.5% of GDP. The US federal
deficit as percentage of GDP is around 7% to 8%.'
Rand
Paul: Spending cuts must include Pentagon Washington Times
| Military spending will have to be cut if the country is going to get its debt
problems under control.
IRS,
CPA bureaucracy cost tax payers $431 billion a year WSJ |
There is a lot more to taxes than simply paying the bill.
S&P
Moves US Outlook To Negative, Gold Hits New Record CNBC |
Standard & Poor’s on Monday downgraded the outlook for the United States to
negative.
(4-18-11) Dow 12,202 -140 Nasdaq
2,735 -29 S&P 500
1,305 -15 [CLOSE- OIL $107.78 (-54% for year 2008) (RECORD TRADING
HIGH $147.27) GAS
$3.82 (reg. gas in LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS $4.20 REG./ $4.30
MID-GRADE/$4.40 PREM./ $4.54 DIESELL)
/ GOLD $1,493 (+24% for year 2009) / SILVER $43.20 (+47% for year
2009) PLATINUM $1,768 (+56% for year 2009) Metal News for the Day / DOLLAR= .69 EURO, 83 YEN, .60 POUND
STERLING, ETC. (How low can you go - LOWER)/ Interest Rates: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield 10 YR NOTE YIELD
3.38% …..…
AP Business Highlights ...Yahoo
Market Update...
T. Rowe Price Weekly Recap – Stocks / Bonds / Currencies - Domestic /
International This Is a Secular Bear
Market and The End of Buy and Hold … and Hope The bull market that never was/were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold
‘WORST
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE EVER’ Must Read
Economic / Financial
Data
This Depression is
just beginning The coming
depression… thecomingdepression.net
The
Next Wave of Collapse is Coming Sooner than you think Sliding
Back Into the Great Depression ABSOLUTELY,
ABSURDLY, RIDICULOUS! SELL / TAKE PROFITS WHILE YOU CAN SINCE MUCH, MUCH WORSE
TO COME!
National / World
The
West is to blame for regional unrest, Ahmadinejad says CNN
| Ahmadinejad blamed the West for unrest throughout the Middle East and North
Africa in a speech.
Afghan
soldier kills 5 NATO troops and 4 Afghan comrades Washington Post
| The bombing took place at the headquarters of the Afghan army’s 201st Corps.
Parker:
The GOP plays a crazy Trump card (Washington Post) [ I don't know what polls
Ms. Parker's referring to; but unless she's referring to mobster trump apprentice
news (trump was fired from his own casino company), that certainly doesn't
comport with polls I've read. Moreover, like palin, trump's the joke that keeps
on giving (for SNL, late-night talk hosts, etc.). Indeed, such a move by the GOP would almost guarantee a 3rd
Party shoe-in. After all, trump has as little credibility as wobama. My other
t_rump posts won't fit here, but the latest from Drudge is noteworthy (note the
date, inside parentheses my words) (4-15-11) Drudgereport: Flashback: Updated 11/11/2008 09:19 PM NY1 Exclusive: Donald Trump Slams "Evil"
Bush, Praises Obama By: Dominic Carter 'If there's one thing certain about
real estate mogul Donald Trump, it's that he (like Charlie Sheen) likes to win
(duh … winning) ... even though he endorsed John McCain for president.
"McCain, really, that was almost an impossible situation," said
Trump. Bush has been so bad, maybe the worst president in the history of this
country. He has been so incompetent, so bad, so evil that I don't think any
Republican could have won
During an exclusive interview with NY1 in his Midtown office on Fifth
Avenue, Trump slammed President George Bush's foreign policies.
"You know, you can be enemies with people, whether it's Iran, Iraq,
or anyplace else and you can still have dialogue. These people wouldn't even
talk with him. It's terrible," said Trump.
While he had harsh words for the outgoing president, he had a much
different opinion of President-elect Barack Obama.
"I think he has a chance to go down as a great president. Now, if
he's not a great president, this country is in serious trouble," said
Trump.
"I think [Obama's] going to lead through consensus," continued
Trump. "It's not going to be just a bull run like Bush did. He just did
whatever the hell he wanted. He'd go into a country, attack Iraq, which had
nothing to do with the World Trade Center and just do it because he wanted to
do it."
Trump was then asked if he ever thought he would see an African-American
president in his lifetime.
"They always said 100 years before a black man or woman could be
elected president. And the 100 years turned out to be, like, one year. He's
done an amazing job," said Trump.
An Associated Press GFK poll released Tuesday shows that a
majority of people share Trump's approval of Obama...' trump:
'CARTER
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY'...
'BUSH
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY'...
'OBAMA
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY...
[ Clearly, like wobama, mobster trump is full
of his own s***! ] ]
'… Anything can look great in a demo. For many years, my
signature bore the saying — a tweak on a quote from sci-fi author Arthur
C. Clarke seen online — that “Any sufficiently
advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo.” While it’s
not possible to make every botched product look good in a demonstration, a huge
number of flops have looked fantastic and compelling in a precisely rehearsed
demo. (I admit it: The Power Mac Cube looked magical and revolutionary at
first.) And enough people will buy after that introduction to make the gadget
look like a hit. As tech analyst Michael Gartenberg observes,
“You can sell 50,000 of anything.” …'
I have sampled the apple products and have invariably
concluded that they are overpriced, overvalued, and are but means of getting
consumers to part with their cash (ie., exclusive, proprietary itunes
prerequisites, etc.) owing to what I
infer to be particularly influenced by Jobs' LSD induced empathetic feel for
the 'pizzaz' that has invariably worked most applephiles into a frenzy with
each 'new introduction' (the touch screen / ipad was an exception which though
easily produced for far less gets an 'a' for pioneering). I further believe
that apple's success is a testament to how dumb americans particularly have
become. This is no shill for the pc which both as I write here and for other
mundane tasks I've been constrained to use linux ubuntu (dual boot) for
stability otherwise absent with xp (microsoft is a dinosaur). Given the state
of the world, it is not so surprising that such obsessions with devices as
those alluded to, the next new thing, etc., have a psychological component that
does not bespeak mental well being / balance. This is not to say that I deplore
technology in which to the contrary I have found great utility. What it is,
since you mentioned Arthur C. Clarke, is what I perceive to be a new innate
longing for HAL (and not IBM particularly), in one form or another. Ah! The
wisdom of cats! Good Luck!
Grants
for housing counseling slashed /
Job
training feels budget ax (Washington Post)
[ For what jobs? The 'new green
jobs'? How is such an investent going
to pass muster in rigorous financial analysis for profit? Where's the capital
coming from? People must come to grips with the reality that the nation's
defacto bankrupt and all that that entails.The news is bad, the reality
daunting, yet stocks rallied … A mystery? … Yes, until you look up and see that
blazing full moon. I was somewhat nonplussed by the suckers’ market bounce;
and then, ‘Eureka!’ … there it was, staring down for all to see … a blazing
full moon. Yes, they have such effects on lunatics as in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america et als; but particularly on wall street, and it certainly
doesn’t take much to push the frauds on wall street over the edge and into
their predisposed fraudulent madness. In fact, you could say, ‘it’s in their
genes’ America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime Washington’s
Blog | It’s now mainstream news that none of the big financial
criminals have been prosecuted. This
is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding
/ April
Is a Good Time to Sell Adler ( I quite agree … overvalued to the
hilt in this new manipulated bubble …
at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill,
sell in April!' ) Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding. . According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble. [chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble …
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention of
investors in the 1990s ...
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average
... the market is stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and
2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has artificially
subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
What
was left out of this article is the point that the movie studio led an Oscar
campaign for Natalie Portman based in large part emphasizing her development
into a professional ballerina for the role and the majority of scenes in the
movie they stated she danced herself. Sarah Lane has contested that she danced
the majority and even the editor of the movie is on the record stating more of
Sarah's dance scenes were included in the movie than the studio stated were.
Sounds like the studio boondoggled the Oscar voters to get a win for Natalie. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1377550/Caroline-Davis-paid-250-act-Natalie-Portmans-body-double-Your-Highness.html#ixzz1Jli7GtVQ
Drudgereport:
S&P
SOUNDS ALARM ON USA
Worst
since Pearl Harbor: Debt blow for economy...
Trump's
Political 'Pit Bull'; Dem Op Has The Donald's Back...
Rove:
'Joke Candidate'...
TRUMP:
SEIZE OIL FIELDS IN LIBYA...
RASMUSSEN:
Obama 49% Trump 34%...
Anti-spending
group blasts The Donald as 'tax-hiking liberal'...
Gas at $4
in nation's capital, 5 states...
The news is bad, the reality daunting, yet stocks rallied … A mystery? …
Yes, until you look up and see that blazing full moon. I was somewhat
nonplussed by the suckers’ market bounce; and then, ‘Eureka!’ … there it was,
staring down for all to see … a blazing full moon. Yes, they have such affects
on lunatics as in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america et als; but
particularly on wall street, and it certainly doesn’t take much to push the
frauds on wall street over the edge and into their predisposed fraudulent
madness. In fact, you could say, ‘it’s in their genes’ America
Is a Failed State Because It Won’t Prosecute Financial Crime Washington’s
Blog | It’s now mainstream news that none of the big financial
criminals have been prosecuted. This
is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding
/ April
Is a Good Time to Sell Adler ( I quite agree … overvalued to the
hilt in this new manipulated bubble …
at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill,
sell in April!' ) Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding. Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings
ratio, or CAPE. This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back
to 1871, offering 140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean
price-to-earnings ratio is 16. According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble. [chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble …
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention of
investors in the 1990s ...
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average
... the market is stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and
2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
10
Scary Charts: A 'Post-Recession' Economy Wake Up Call Kavadas 'I find the
following 10 charts to be disturbing. These charts would be disturbing at any
point in the economic cycle; that they depict such a tenuous situation now – 21
months after the official (as per the 9-20-10 NBER announcement) June 2009 end
of the recession – is especially notable.
These charts raise a lot of questions. As well, they highlight the
"atypical" nature of our economic situation from a long-term
historical perspective. I regularly discuss many troubling characteristics of
our economy in this EconomicGreenfield.com blog.
All of these charts (except one, as noted) are from the Federal Reserve,
and represent the most recently updated data.
These following charts are from the St. Louis Federal Reserve:
Housing starts (last updated 3-16-11):
(Click to enlarge)
The Federal Deficit (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Federal Net Outlays (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
State & Local Personal Income Tax Receipts (% Change from Year
Ago)(last updated 3-25-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Total Loans and Leases of Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last
updated 4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Bank Credit – All Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last updated
4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
M1 Money Multiplier (last updated 4-7-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Median Duration of Unemployment (last updated 4-1-11):
(Click to enlarge)
This next chart is from the CalculatedRisk.com
blog post of 4-1-11, and it shows (in red) the relative length and depth of
this downturn and subsequent recovery from an employment perspective:
(Click to enlarge)
This last chart is of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index and it
depicts broad-based economic activity (last updated 3-21-11):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/14/saupload_cfnai_monthly_ma3_3_21_11.png
(Click to enlarge)
I will update these charts on an intermittent basis as they deserve
close monitoring ...'
Don't
Be A Lemming, Keep Cash In Your Portfolio Dohmen 'My work shows that the
rally going into early April brought bullish sentiment in the stock market to
levels seen at extreme tops in 2000 and 2007. That doesn’t necessarily mean
that we will have a crash, because the Fed would fight any strong market
decline with everything they have. But it does say that a great amount of cash
in your portfolio right now would be a good idea.
The low volume on the bounce since the mid-March low has been
pathetic. Until the last two years, that was always a very important
warning signal. Yet, most money managers don’t even analyze charts. The late
March rally, which created so much enthusiasm, didn’t even bring the major
indices such as the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite above their February
highs.
Mutual fund cash is now lower than at the top in 2007. Low fund cash
positions correlate very well with market tops. Our astute colleague Alan
Newman (www.cross-currents.net)
points out that even with the rise in fund assets in January, the total
outflow since February 2007 has been $213 billion. It appears that the
average investor is gone, although in January there was an inflow of over $25
billion. Are they getting back in at just the wrong time?
Corporate insiders are selling at the heaviest pace since other major
market tops. Obviously, they don’t agree with Wall Street about the euphoric
outlook. Have you noticed that so many top company officials being interviewed
make cautious remarks about “things are improving,” or “we see some positive
signs, etc.” When there is genuine improvement, these people will shout
it from the rooftops on national TV.
But in spite of this, investment professionals are super-bullish. Rydex
is closing down 12 of its leveraged, inverse ETF’s, the ones that sell short,
because of the low amount of assets. Could that mean that traders are not
interested in being short? That’s often a very good contrarian signal.
Investors Intelligence, which surveys the sentiment of investment
advisors, in their latest survey had the percent of bulls increase to
57.3% from 51%. That’s a huge jump and now is at levels seen at
important market tops. The bears have plunged to 15.7%
compared to 23.1%. The difference between bulls and bears is now at 41.6, which
is in the “danger” zone (over 40).
Because so far the stock market has almost ignored some of the greatest
global turmoil in many decades, including one of the worst natural disasters in
Japan, money managers believe that the market cannot go down. So, they buy,
which triggers buying by other managers, which then creates more buying. That
continues, until they look and suddenly see that they are looking at themselves
in the mirror and that there is no one to sell to.
The Fed’s QE2 is ending in June. That’s no secret. There is a big 86%
correlation between the size of the Fed’s balance sheet–read security
purchases–and the S&P 500. Therefore, if the balance sheet stops
growing in June, so should the stock market rise. The bulls say that’s already
in the market. That’s totally unrealistic. When suddenly $50 billion per month
of liquidity injection is missing, there are consequences.
The large trading operations have to attract sufficient buyers from the
sidelines to enable the “distribution” of their stock holdings. This is done by
having produced that last gasp rally when the reluctant bulls can no longer
stand being out of the market. At a top, these lemmings finally plunge in,
allowing the smart money to make the turn.
Don’t be a lemming!'
Earnings
stumbles to awaken bears (Reuters)
Sustaining
Disbelief in the Face of Obvious Impossibilities / The
Problem With Inflation Targets '... there are plenty of other elements
of core inflation that are rising, and the uptrend is well-established...'
Stocks are Cheap,
Buy Now! - Really? Maierhofer,
April 15, 2011
'This is no time to sell stocks.'
'Evidence is building that we have a self-sustaining recovery.'
'We see accelerating growth around the globe.'
'This market looks cheap to us.'
'Dividends may increase to a record $31.07 a share in 2013.'
All the above quotes were taken from a recent Bloomberg article
regarding the most explosive profit growth in the past century. This profit
explosion is happening right here, right now.
'The gap between projected 12-month profits and average earnings over
the last 10 years is set to widen the most since 1951,' continues the article.
Projected earnings are expected to clock in at a record $91 for S&P 500
companies.
The Best 'Buying' Opportunity since 1951?
Before you trigger the 'buy everything now' button, think about the
above statement for a second. If the gap between projected profits and average
earnings is the biggest since 1951, it means that it's bigger than in 2000 and
2007. Could that be a contrarian indicator?
I purposely picked the years 2000 and 2007 because they marked major
market tops and were followed by sizeable declines. The gap between projected
and average profits today is, in fact, larger than it was in 2000 and 2007,
although not by much.
If you graph this out, you would see three spikes; one pop in 2000, one
in 2007 and one now. Every time the spread spiked to new highs, stocks fell
hard.
In 2000, it was the post-tech boom (NYSEArca: XLK - News) crash. In 2007, it was the
overleveraged financial sector (NYSEArca: XLF - News) that caused a nasty recession.
Both times, the spread was the highest since 1951.
Keep in mind that the spread is based on projected earnings. Projected
earnings are about as certain as a politician's promise.
Accuracy of Earnings Projections
Nevertheless, let's examine the accuracy of analysts and earnings
projections.
'As earnings estimates are ratcheted down and hope for a quick economic
fix fades, the once-inconceivable notion of returning to Dow 5000 or S&P
5000 looks a little less far-fetched.'
This quote was taken from a Wall Street Journal front-page article
featured on March 9, 2009. If history isn't your forte, March 9 was the date
the Dow Jones (DJI: ^DJI) bottomed at 6,470, the S&P (SNP: ^GSPC) at 666,
and the Nasdaq (Nasdaq: ^IXIC) at 1,265.
Days before the March 2009 low, Goldman lowered its earnings outlook for
the S&P from $113 incrementally to $40. Bank of America Merrill Lynch
lowered their estimate to $46 and Citigroup lowered to $51.
At the same time - on March 2, 2009 - the ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter
sent out a special buy alert and recommended loading up on broad market
indexes, economically sensitive sectors, dividend ETFs like the iShares Dow
Jones Dividend ETF (NYSEArca: DVY
- News), SPDR S&P Dividend
(NYSEArca: SDY - News) and leveraged ETFs like the
Ultra S&P ProShares (NYSEArca: SSO - News), and Ultra Financial
ProShares (NYSEArca: UYG
- News).
The moral of the story is that analysts tend to be overly bullish at
market tops just as they are overly bearish at market bottoms. Based on
Standard & Poor's data, earnings actually peaked at $87 in 2006 and never
reached Goldman's projected upside target of $113. Earnings also bottomed
before they reached Goldman's projected down side target of $40.
Of course, even analysts have an accuracy sweet spot. This sweet spot is
during extended trends. Analysts are correct as long as the trend persists, but
as a group they never see a trend change coming.
Ready for a Curveball?
It seems like analysts have selective memories. Here is what Merrill
Lynch's 2007 Global Market Forecast predicted: 'First, the global economy will
continue to grow in 2007 - with no sign of a cyclical slowdown.'
Keep in mind that in 2007, there was no European debt crisis,
unemployment in the U.S. was around 5% not 9%, housing prices were stable,
there was no financial crisis, there was no Middle East unrest, there was no BP
oil spill, there was no Japanese earthquake, Tsunami, and nuclear disaster,
etc.
Rather than counting un-hatched chickens (projected earnings), let's
take a look at P/E ratios with substance. The chart below shows a 110-year
history of the Robert J. Shiller's cyclically-adjusted P/E ratio.
Chart http://www.etfguide.com//contributor/UserFiles/8/Image/CAPE%20PE%204%2011.gif
The red line marks the average since 1900. Professor Shiller considers
the S&P to be 41% over valued.
Valuations are always mean reverting. As such, owning stocks at current
prices is risky even though - or rather because - analysts expect earnings to
rise.
Safety Locks
Whenever rich valuations rendezvous with optimism and complacency,
investors should become extra cautious. The ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter
identified three such occasions over the past 15 months - January 2010, April
2010, and February 2011.
Each time, stocks (NYSEArca: VTI - News) declined between 7 - 20%.
However, all three declines turned out to be head fakes and optimistic
analysts' projections haven't been as reliable as contrarian indicators as they
were in March 2009 and late 2007. I suppose this is due to the Federal
Reserve's QE2 liquidity.
Just as QE2 is a plus for equities (and commodities) right now, it is
likely to eventually turn into a double or triple minus as individual and institutional
investors start unloading some of their positions. Eventually, the 'too good to
be true' syndrome will multiply like a malignant cell and overwhelm the
exchanges with sell orders.
This doesn't mean stocks can't go higher in the short-term. In fact, it
would be great to see the S&P rally to its ideal target range. The ideal
target range is comprised of a multi-decade trend line and important Fibonacci
resistance. If the S&P is able to rally into that range, it would have
exhausted its up side potential and has no obvious reason to come back anytime
soon...'
Why
Options Traders See a 10% Market Correction Rama 'The Teflon market
began chipping on April 7 after another earthquake hit Japan, threatening to
bring a second tsunami.
The tsunami alert was a false alarm, but the S&P held a 4-day losing
streak till Wednesday. Try as investors may, however, they haven't been able
stay away from stocks. With all that easy money flying around and few other
options for high returns, equities have held their year-to-date gains despite
mounting geopolitical troubles that threaten to derail the recovery.
But a big trade Thursday in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF [SPY Loading...
() ] shows stock investors' nerves of steel
are faltering. The trade, called a put fly, positioned for a gain if the
S&P 500 breaks through the key 1304 technical level and plunges 10% from
there to 1180 (a 118 level on the SPY).
"To me it seems interesting that people are
concerned with downside more than they were," said Jim Iuorio, Director at TJM
Institutional Services. "There are a lot of dark clouds gathering,
oil, labor numbers, there are more nerves," he added.
The put fly turned out to to be a bad trade for
Thursday because the S&P broke through the 1304 level and rejected it,
ending higher. That was a moderately positive signal for the index, Iuorio
noted, but the trade belies the persistently low volatility index, which is
holding below 17 despite investors' growing skittishness.
Iuorio expects volatility to shoot higher once Fed
liquidity dries up, so he says it's prudent to buy it now that it's cheap.
"If you keep preventing a correction through
government liquidity, when that correction finally comes it, it could be more
dramatic than normal," the Options Action contributor said. '
Gold
Celebrates Complete Lack Of Inflation By Surging To New Record Zero
Hedge | Gold takes a new all time high of $1,481.46.
Rand
Paul: ‘Pentagon thinks it’s too big to audit’; no serious budget cuts proposed
in Washington Infowars | Senator Rand Paul said the
Washington shutdown was threatened over nothing, because no serious cuts were
proposed.“We threatened to shut down Washington over nothing, because we’re not
cutting spending in any serious way…” that was just one part of Senator Rand
Paul’s fiery floor speech blasting both sides of the isle for failing to make a
sober effort to operate from a balanced budget.
Oil
Hits 32-Month High As Unrest Persists in the Middle East Marin
Katusa | For at least the rest of the year, uncertainty is the most
reliable aspect of oil.
35
Statistics That Show The Average American Family Has Been Broke Down, Tore
Down, Beat Down, Busted And Disgusted By This Economy The economic
statistics that you are about to read are incredibly shocking, but they are
also very, very real. Tonight there are going to be millions of men and women
all across America that cannot sleep because they are consumed with anxiety
about their financial problems.
National / World
“Outraged and Disgusted” Congressman Introduces
Legislation To Bar TSA From Groping Children Steve Watson
| “I am so furious with them I can’t even see straight,” Chaffetz said.
It’s
Official: “Arab Spring” Subversion U.S. Funded Tony Cartalucci
| We must see the global corporate-financier empire as the source of the
problem and its removal and replacement as the solution.
Obama
Budget Plan: Higher Taxes on Small Businesses American Small
Business League | Fortune 500 firms and other corporate giants are the
actual recipients of most federal small business contracts.
Why
an Income Tax is Not Necessary to Fund the U.S. Government Devvy
Kidd | Where do your “income” tax dollars go?
Our
Income taxes go to the private group called the Federal Reserve Steve
Balich | Do you want to know where your tax dollars really go?
20
Signs That A Horrific Global Food Crisis Is Coming The Economic
Collapse | The world is on the verge of a horrific global food crisis.
Obama
says ‘birther’ talk will be a liability for GOP (The Ticket) [ Listen to 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) …
having b*** s***ed everybody else, he’s
now resorted to b*** s***ing himself … the story of his life! ]
CIA
will not halt operations in Pakistan: official AFP
| CIA has no plans to suspend “operations” in Pakistan despite objections from
Islamabad leaders.
Russia:
NATO gone too far in Libya Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says
NATO’s military intervention in oil-rich Libya has gone far beyond the mandate
authorized by the United Nations.
Libya:
The Hard-Sell is Coming When presidents are writing editorials in
newspapers a hard-sell is just around the corner. Judging by the recent
tripartite op-ed in the New York Times by Obama, Sarkozy, and Cameron regarding
Libya, the hard-sell is most likely a protracted air campaign above Libya with
an ever increasing ground presence below possibly leading to an all out
invasion. Clearly the operation in Libya will exceed the “days or weeks, but
not months” we were told it would take.
Now
it IS regime change: Cameron, Obama and Sarkozy promise to keep bombing Libya
until Gaddafi is gone David Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy upped
the stakes in the Libya conflict last night as they vowed to fight on until
Colonel Gaddafi is ousted.
Japan
Forces Top Official To Retract Prime Minister’s Comments That Fukushima
Permanently Uninhabitable Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has
apologized to the public over media reports about the long-term inhabitability
of areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
Drudgereport: OBAMA
BACK TO GALLUP LOW...
'YOU THINK
WE'RE STUPID?'
Disappointed
With Lack of 'Cool' Phone in Oval Office...
HOT MIC: GOP
tried to 'sneak' agenda into budget...
CARNEY:
'Miscommunication'...
HOUSE
PASSES $6 TRILLION SPENDING CUT PLAN...
U.S.
gas prices pass $4 in some states...'...The national average has increased for 24
straight days, hitting $3.82 per gallon on Friday. Motorists in Connecticut,
Illinois, California, Hawaii and Alaska now pay more than $4 per gallon. A
gallon of regular cost an average of $3.979 in New York and $3.999 in
Washington...'
PUSH
CONSUMER PRICES HIGHER...
Feds
Shut 6 Banks...
It's
2016: Dow's at 4000, gas prices sky-high: 'ATLAS SHRUGGED' hits the screen...
Will
Conservatives Make Film A Hit?
STUDY:
Nearly half of US meat tainted with drug-resistant bacteria...
Flashback: Updated 11/11/2008 09:19 PM NY1 Exclusive: Donald Trump Slams "Evil" Bush, Praises
Obama By: Dominic Carter 'If there's one thing certain about real estate
mogul Donald Trump, it's that he (like Charlie Sheen) likes to win (duh … winning)
... even though he endorsed John McCain for president. "McCain, really,
that was almost an impossible situation," said Trump. Bush has been so
bad, maybe the worst president in the history of this country. He has been so
incompetent, so bad, so evil that I don't think any Republican could have won.
During an exclusive interview with NY1 in his Midtown office on Fifth
Avenue, Trump slammed President George Bush's foreign policies.
"You know, you can be enemies with people, whether it's Iran, Iraq,
or anyplace else and you can still have dialogue. These people wouldn't even
talk with him. It's terrible," said Trump.
While he had harsh words for the outgoing president, he had a much
different opinion of President-elect Barack Obama.
"I think he has a chance to go down as a great president. Now, if
he's not a great president, this country is in serious trouble," said
Trump.
"I think [Obama's] going to lead through consensus," continued
Trump. "It's not going to be just a bull run like Bush did. He just did
whatever the hell he wanted. He'd go into a country, attack Iraq, which had
nothing to do with the World Trade Center and just do it because he wanted to
do it."
Trump was then asked if he ever thought he would see an African-American
president in his lifetime.
"They always said 100 years before a black man or woman could be
elected president. And the 100 years turned out to be, like, one year. He's
done an amazing job," said Trump.
An Associated Press GFK poll released Tuesday shows that a majority of
people share Trump's approval of Obama...'
trump:
'CARTER
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY'...
'BUSH
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY'...
'OBAMA
WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY...
[ Clearly, like wobama, mobster trump is full
of his own s***! ]
'Black
Swan Dance Double: Filmmakers Are "Completely Lying" - In a new 20/20 interview
airing tonight (4/15/11), Natalie Portman's dance double from Black Swan...
Lane’s claim follows a March 23 L.A.
Times article in which Portman’s fiancé and Black
Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied said Lane’s work in the film was far
less significant. “There are articles now talking about her dance double
[American Ballet Theatre dancer Sarah Lane] that are making it sound like
[Lane] did a lot of the work, but really, she just did the footwork, and the
fouettés, and one diagonal [phrase] in the studio,” he said. “Honestly, 85
percent of that movie is Natalie.”
Lane disagrees. “The shots that are just her face with
arms, those shots are definitely Natalie,” she says. “But that doesn’t show the
actual dancing.” Lane admits that she was never promised a particular title for
her six weeks of work on the film, though she was disappointed to see that she
is credited only as as “Hand Model,” “Stunt Double,” and “Lady in the Lane” (a
brief walk-on role).
[ Give Lane a break! This in no way disparages nor diminishes Portman's
acting performance or the film which I found to be superb (which I attribute to
my own personal fascination with viewing female ballet dancing) though my pick
for Oscar was 'Inception' by Nolan. ]
[ Drudgereport: FADE:
OSCAR RATINGS DOWN 10% ...
Injury
Added to Insult... [ In terms of production value (rich in content in every
way), I believe this to be as good and in my view better than ever as award
ceremonies can be without the inimitable Bob Hope. I believe any falloff can be
directly attributable to last year the academy’s egregious misstep in
overlooking ‘Avatar’ / Cameron presaging a similar fate concerning my clear
choice of ‘Inception’ / Nolan ( Truth be told, I’ve yet to see ‘The King’s
Speech’ failing to muster any enthusiasm for seeing a film centered around a
‘so-called royal’ trying to over-come a speech impediment, albeit a minor one,
regardless of circumstances; viz., stuttering, though I would concede that it
was probably well done. We all know of the problems attendant to english royal
inbreeding…ho hum…) I did find ‘The Black Swan’ superb but attribute same to my
own bias and fascination with viewing female ballet dancing). Bob Hope: Academy Awards, ‘passover’ … very
funny! ]
2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA USA
March 17-19, 2011
Outstanding Wrestler - Anthony Robles, Arizona State, 125 lbs.
Team Standings - 3/20/2011
1 - 107.5 - Penn State
2 - 93.5 - Cornell
3 - 86.5 - Iowa
4 - 70.5 - Oklahoma State
5 - 65.0 - American
6 - 62.5 - Arizona State
7 - 61.0 - Minnesota
8 - 58.5 - Lehigh
9 - 57.5 - Boise State
10 - 54.5 - Wisconsin
11 - 44.0 - Stanford
12 - 43.5 - Nebraska
13 - 39.0 - Central Michigan
13 - 39.0 - Northwestern
15 - 38.5 - Michigan
16 - 38.0 - Oklahoma
17 - 37.0 - Kent State
18 - 35.5 - Maryland
19 - 35.0 - Missouri
20 - 31.5 - Iowa State
21 - 26.0 - Oregon
22 - 25.0 - Illinois
23 - 24.0 - Edinboro
23 - 24.0 - Virginia
25 - 23.5 - Indiana
26 - 22.0 - Hofstra
27 - 21.5 - Rutgers
28 - 21.0 - Wyoming
29 - 20.5 - Ohio State
30 - 18.5 - Utah Valley University
31 - 17.5 - Pennsylvania
32 - 17.0 - Cal Poly
33 - 16.0 - Virginia Tech
34 - 15.5 - Pittsburgh
35 - 12.5 - Harvard
36 - 11.5 - Bucknell
37 - 11.0 - Navy
37 - 11.0 - Old Dominion
39 - 9.0 - Buffalo
39 - 9.0 - Columbia
39 - 9.0 - Purdue
42 - 8.0 - Boston U
43 - 7.0 - Michigan State
43 - 7.0 - North Carolina
45 - 6.0 - Lock Haven
46 - 5.5 - Air Force
46 - 5.5 - Northern Iowa
48 - 5.0 - Clarion
48 - 5.0 - Duke
48 - 5.0 - Rider
51 - 4.5 - West Virginia
52 - 4.0 - North Carolina-Greensboro
52 - 4.0 - North Dakota State University
54 - 3.5 - Bloomsburg
54 - 3.5 - Northern Illinois
56 - 3.0 - Appalachian State
56 - 3.0 - Binghamton
56 - 3.0 - North Carolina State
56 - 3.0 - Ohio
60 - 2.0 - Drexel
60 - 2.0 - Northern Colorado
62 - 1.0 - Army
62 - 1.0 - Cal State Bakersfield
62 - 1.0 - Gardner-Webb
65 - 0.0 - Campbell
65 - 0.0 - Chattanooga
65 - 0.0 - Eastern Michigan
65 - 0.0 - Franklin & Marshall
65 - 0.0 - Liberty
65 - 0.0 - Millersville
65 - 0.0 - Princeton
65 - 0.0 - The Citadel
65 - 0.0 - VMI
MEDALISTS
Wt. 125
125 1st: Anthony Robles (Arizona State)
125 2nd: Matt McDonough (Iowa)
125 3rd: Brandon Precin (Northwestern)
125 4th: Ben Kjar (Utah Valley University)
125 5th: Zachary Sanders (Minnesota)
125 6th: Ryan Mango (Stanford)
125 7th: Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma)
125 8th: James Nicholson (Old Dominion)
Wt. 133
133 1st: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)
133 2nd: Andrew Hochstrasser (Boise State)
133 3rd: Andrew Long (Penn State)
133 4th: Scotti Sentes (Central Michigan)
133 5th: Tyler Graff (Wisconsin)
133 6th: Mike Grey (Cornell)
133 7th: Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra)
133 8th: Bernard Futrell (Illinois)
Wt. 141
141 1st: Kellen Russell (Michigan)
141 2nd: Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly)
141 3rd: Michael Thorn (Minnesota)
141 4th: Montell Marion (Iowa)
141 5th: James Kennedy (Illinois)
141 6th: Todd Schavrien (Missouri)
141 7th: Zack Bailey (Oklahoma)
141 8th: Zack Kemmerer (Pennsylvania)
Wt. 149
149 1st: Kyle Dake (Cornell)
149 2nd: Frank Molinaro (Penn State)
149 3rd: Jason Chamberlain (Boise State)
149 4th: Ganbayar Sanjaa (American)
149 5th: Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State)
149 6th: Andrew Nadhir (Northwestern)
149 7th: Kevin LeValley (Bucknell)
149 8th: Derek Valenti (Virginia)
Wt. 157
157 1st: Bubba Jenkins (Arizona State)
157 2nd: David Taylor (Penn State)
157 3rd: Steve Fittery (American)
157 4th: Derek St. John (Iowa)
157 5th: Adam Hall (Boise State)
157 6th: Jason Welch (Northwestern)
157 7th: Bryce Saddoris (Navy)
157 8th: Walter Peppelman (Harvard)
Wt. 165
165 1st: Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska)
165 2nd: Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma)
165 3rd: Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)
165 4th: Colt Sponseller (Ohio State)
165 5th: Shane Onufer (Wyoming)
165 6th: Josh Asper (Maryland)
165 7th: Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh)
165 8th: Paul Gillespie (Hofstra)
Wt. 174
174 1st: Jonathan Reader (Iowa State)
174 2nd: Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford)
174 3rd: Edward Ruth (Penn State)
174 4th: Mack Lewnes (Cornell)
174 5th: Colby Covington (Oregon State)
174 6th: Christopher Henrich (Virginia)
174 7th: Mike Letts (Maryland)
174 8th: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan)
Wt. 184
184 1st: Quentin Wright (Penn State)
184 2nd: Robert Hamlin (Lehigh)
184 3rd: Grant Gambrall (Iowa)
184 4th: Steve Bosak (Cornell)
184 5th: Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro)
184 6th: Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming)
184 7th: Travis Rutt (Wisconsin)
184 8th: Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota)
Wt. 197
197 1st: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)
197 2nd: Clayton Foster (Oklahoma State)
197 3rd: Cam Simaz (Cornell)
197 4th: Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)
197 5th: Luke Lofthouse (Iowa)
197 6th: Zack Giesen (Stanford)
197 7th: Sonny Yohn (Minnesota)
197 8th: Matt Powless (Indiana)
Wt. 285
285 1st: Zachery Rey (Lehigh)
285 2nd: Ryan Flores (American)
285 3rd: Dominque Bradley (Missouri)
285 4th: Jarod Trice (Central Michigan)
285 5th: Ricardo Alcala (Indiana)
285 6th: Spencer Myers (Maryland)
285 7th: Anthony Nelson (Minnesota)
285 8th: Levi Cooper (Arizona State)
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Penn State University math majors
were working during Saturday’s first session.
With the program’s first championship since 1953 within
reach, it wasn’t a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when.’
When Wisconsin’s Tyler Graff beat Cornell’s Mike Grey for
fifth place at 133 and PSU’s Andrew Long rallied to beat Central Michigan’s
Scotti Sentes for third at the same weight, the Nittany Lion lead was 102.5 to
88.5, a 14-point advantage ahead of Cornell.
Fittingly, when Penn State’s Ed Ruth and Cornell’s Mack
Lewnes didn’t end with a pin – in Lewnes’ favor – the team title was
mathematically clinched.
“This is a real tough tournament. Things go your way
sometimes and sometimes they don’t,” said second-year Nittany Lion coach Cael
Sanderson after Ruth’s victory against Lewnes. “You just have to want it and
you can see it the kids’ eyes before they wrestle. I really liked the way guys
wrestled this week.
“Our guys today did a great job. They made it really easy
for our guys in the finals. Now they can just focus on going out there and
chasing their dream.”
Ruth had to injury default his quarterfinal match to
Stanford’s Nick Amuchastegui on Friday morning. There was questions as to
whether he could come back.
Ruth, the No. 2 seed at 174, came back with a 7-6 win and
a 42-second pin on Friday night. After beating Virginia’s Chris Henrich, he
finished off Lewnes and Cornell.
“It’s a big honor [to clinch the team title],” Ruth said.
“I was thinking of my knee and all the things that could go wrong and all the
things that could go right.”
Added Sanderson, “To do that as freshman, to have that
kind of frustration and then come back to beat some tough kids, it really shows
a lot of who Ed Ruth is. Just really proud of him.”
The battle of attrition was all-but-decided on Friday
night when the Nittany Lions pushed three into the finals and the Big Red saw
Lewnes, third-seed Steve Bozak and No. 1 seed Cam Simaz lose back-to-back
semifinal matches.
PSU, Cornell, Iowa and Minnesota all finish with five
All-Americans with Oklahoma State and American leading a pack of 10 with three
apiece.
“This tournament is going to take five or six All-Americans
[to win],” said Oklahoma State coach John Smith before the tournament. “And you
have to have high All-Americans, a couple of guys in the finals and two or
three high finishers. If you have less than five you aren’t going to have a
chance.”
The Cowboys put two in the finals but only managed one
other All-American – 149-pounder Jamal Parks.
Penn State’s Frank Molinaro, David Taylor and Quentin
Wright still have a match to wrestle in the finals Saturday night. Sophomore
133-pounder Andrew Long bounced back from a semifinal loss to win two matches,
including a pin of Cornell’s Mike Grey Saturday morning. Long, a transfer from
Iowa State, lost in the 125-pound final in 2010 and finished third in 2011.
“(Long) has been a big part of this team,” Sanderson said.
“He brings intensity everyday, a good attitude to practice. He was a big
addition to our program.”
Iowa, winners of three consecutive team titles from 2008
to 2010, pushed just one to a final and saw Montell Marion, Derek St. John and
Grant Gambrall take fourth place.
The first
Utah Valley’s Ben Kjar finished fourth at 125 pounds. The senior dropped a 4-2
decision to top-seeded Anthony Robles of Arizona State in Friday’s semifinals.
After winning a bout Saturday morning, Kjar lost to Northwestern’s Brandon
Precin in the third-place match.
Kjar (30-8) is the first Division I All-American in
program history.
“I’m happy for the program,” said Penn State assistant
coach Cody Sanderson, who was the school’s first coach in 2003 when wrestling
was added. “It’s important for a young program like (Utah Valley) to have
All-Americans. It’s not easy at a place like that, it takes a lot of work.
“I’m very happy for (Kjar).”
Four-timer
American’s Steve Fittery finished his career as a four-time All-American, twice
in Division II for Shippensburg (Pa.) State and twice in DI for the Eagles. The
Pennsylvania native, who finished this season 33-1, took third at 157 after
beating Boise State’s Adam Hall and Iowa’s Dan St. John on Saturday.
Three-timers
Minnesota’s Zach Sanders, Northwestern’s Brandon Precin, Illinois’ James
Kennedy, Wisconsin’s Andrew Howe, Virginia’s Chris Henrich each picked up their
third All-America medal this week. Sanders, fifth at 125 pounds, and Howe,
third at 165 after winning the title in 2010, will be back for one more season.
The next one?
University of Oklahoma head coach Jack Spates announced his retirement earlier
this season. The Division II champion for Slippery Rock as a student-athlete in
1973 and Division I finalist in 1974 saw Jarrod Patterson, seventh at 125, and
Zack Bailey, seventh at 141, finish as All-Americans in his final season.
Spates will coach one last time on the big stage Saturday
night when Tyler Caldwell faces Nebraska’s Jordan Burroughs in the 165-pound
final.
Word around Philadelphia is that former world champion and
current assistant coach Sam Henson will take over the program which has won
seven NCAA championships, the last in 1974 under Stan Abel.
Iron Man Award(s)
Maryland heavyweight Spencer Myers lost a 9-7 overtime match to Indiana’s Ricky
Alcala in the first round on Thursday morning. The freshman from Selinsgrove,
Pa., came back to win five matches before falling to Missouri’s Dom Bradley in
the wrestleback semifinals.
Myers (30-11) wrestled seven matches in three days and
took home a sixth-place medal after falling to Alcala again in the fifth-place
match.
Northwestern 149-pounder Andrew Nadhir, the 11th seed, was
pinned by Lehigh’s Joey Napoli in the first round. Nadhir, a senior from
Michigan, had to go overtime to beat Pitt’s Dane Johnson in his first
wrestleback, and again against Wyoming’s Cole Dallaserra two rounds later, on
his march to a sixth-place showing.
Like Myers, Nadhir (34-7) wrestled seven matches in the
tournament, losing to Oklahoma State’s Jamal Parks in the fifth-place
contest. '
Inflation,
fueled by gas and food prices, adds to worry
Drudgereport: Obama
to Call for Higher Taxes...
DEFICIT
ROCKETS 16% IN FIRST HALF OF YEAR...
Inflation Actually 'Near 10%'...
IMF:
US 'lacks credibility' on debt...
Paper:
Obama’s Speech Most ‘Dishonest in Decades’ WSJ | Obama’s
toxic speech and even worse plan for deficits and debt.
Libya:
All About Oil, or All About Banking? I have never before heard of a central
bank being created in just a matter of weeks out of a popular uprising. This
suggests we have a bit more than a rag tag bunch of rebels running around and
that there are some pretty sophisticated influences.
Dow,
S&P inch up as growth questioned, Google off late (Reuters) Stocks that
outperform in a weak economy helped the Dow and S&P 500 eke out gains on
Thursday as concerns about faltering growth and inflation prompted investors to
seek out less volatile na...
Earnings
Help DJIA Turn a Bad Day Good [ Earnings? Are people dreaming …
blocking … repressing reality? Kaspar '… ... growth in earnings
have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
accounting profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...' ]
...
These following charts are from the St. Louis Federal Reserve:
Housing starts (last updated 3-16-11):
(Click to enlarge)
The Federal Deficit (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Federal Net Outlays (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
State & Local Personal Income Tax Receipts (% Change from Year
Ago)(last updated 3-25-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Total Loans and Leases of Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last
updated 4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Bank Credit – All Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last updated
4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
M1 Money Multiplier (last updated 4-7-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Median Duration of Unemployment (last updated 4-1-11):
(Click to enlarge)
This next chart is from the CalculatedRisk.com
blog post of 4-1-11, and it shows (in red) the relative length and depth of
this downturn and subsequent recovery from an employment perspective:
(Click to enlarge)
This last chart is of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index and it
depicts broad-based economic activity (last updated 3-21-11):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/14/saupload_cfnai_monthly_ma3_3_21_11.png
(Click to enlarge)
…' ]
Weekly
Unemployment Claims Suddenly Jump Higher Wall St.
Cheat Sheet 'The Department of Labor’s Unemployment
Insurance Weekly Claims Report was released this
morning for last week. The 27,000 increase in claims is on top of a 3,000
upward revision to the previous week’s claims. Here is the official statement
from the Department of Labor: …' [ Spare yourself their mindless b***
s***/statement. Do you know how many points on the dow, etc., that b.s. story
was good for... then there's the 'stopped looking fudge factor'. ] [ Worthless dollar, high
metals, high oil price rally on wall street … riiiiight! ] Trade
Data is Bleak: Exports Down, Imports Down, Growth Estimates Down
Dow,
S&P inch up as growth questioned, Google off late (Reuters) Stocks that
outperform in a weak economy helped the Dow and S&P 500 eke out gains on
Thursday as concerns about faltering growth and inflation prompted investors to
seek out less volatile na...
Earnings
Help DJIA Turn a Bad Day Good [ Earnings? Are people dreaming …
blocking … repressing reality? Kaspar '… ... growth in earnings
have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
accounting profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...' ]
Congress
OKs big budget cuts, bigger fights await (AP) [ Record? Come on! Wake up! In todays
evermore worthless dollars, and compared to the record, insurmountable debt?
They're dreamin'! Barely covers annual interest! ]AP - Congress sent President Barack Obama hard-fought
legislation cutting a record $38 billion from domestic spending on Thursday,
bestowing bipartisan support on the first major compromise between th...
'Perfect
Storm' Has Markets in Its Path
LIARS!
Goldman Sachs is the Next Barry BondsWall Street Cheat Sheet 'If you hate
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS),
you’ll love today’s news. A Senate subcommittee released a new report
showing how Goldman recommended four Collateralized Debt Obligations — Hudson,
Anderson, Timberwolf, and Abacus — to its clients without “fully disclosing key
information about those products,” or Goldman’s opinions of the securities.
To make matters worse for the firm some people describe as a “Vampire
Squid“, Sen. Carl Levin said the Senators also found new evidence
proving Goldman Sachs’ (NYSE:GS)
executives including CEO Lloyd Blankfein may have perjured themselves
during Congressional testimony given last year. Move over Barry Bonds. Steroid
use didn’t abet the collapse of the US economy.
Goldman isn’t the only high profile bank (NYSE:XLF)
on the coals. Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB)
committed the same scams and Washington
Mutual (NYSE:JPM)
“knowingly underwrote mortgages of questionable value despite warnings from
their chief credit officer.”
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS)
already agreed to pay $550 million to settle civil fraud charges over similar
accusations. So, they can’t be squeaky clean. And we all know
Congress is looking for more blood, so I think Blankfein and friends
better be taking notes on how everything plays out with Barry Bonds.
Goldman may also consider spending
less time issuing bearish analyst notes on Oil and more on the operation in
their own building.'
Barry
Bonds Faces Jail Time While Wall Street Execs Sit Pretty Touryalai ' …
Yesterday, the Senate’s
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released the findings of a 2-year
investigation around Wall Street’s bad behavior leading up the financial
crisis. The report concluded that Wall Street firms contaminated the U.S.
financial system with toxic mortgages and engaged in conflicts of
interest.Goldman Sachs’ behavior was especially egregious according to the report,
and Senator Carl Levin wants everyone to know it.In fact, he hopes to see the
“great vampire squid” face criminal charges for allegedly lying in its
2010 testimony before Congress.“In my judgment, Goldman clearly misled
their clients and they misled the Congress,” he said.So now, Levin plans to
refer that testimony to the Department of Justice (which has the power to bring
criminal charges) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (which has
authority to bring civil charges and fines and already did against Goldman when it settled
for $550 million.)But will Levin’s threats amount to any criminal action
against Goldman? Probably not.First, it seems like Levin isn’t even going after
Goldman for any of its actual business activity rather he’s accusing the firm’s
executives like CEO Lloyd
Blankfein of lying before Congress. Here’s the problem with that: the
question and answer session between Senators and executives during the
testimony was so incredibly rife with unclarity and so confusing that it would
be hard to accuse the executives of willingly giving false answers.Bill Singer, a veteran Wall
Street securities lawyer and Forbes contributor says the senators’ questions
were so tactless and fuzzy that they allowed for extremely indirect answers by
executives. Singers says the testimony made him “wince” when he heard the
“incompetent” Congress members deliver speeches and follow them up with inept
questions...' Former
fund manager charged (Washington Post) [ Joseph F. Skowron III accused of insider trading. Drudgereport: Senate
panel slams Goldman in scathing crisis report... (Goldman clearly misled
their clients and they misled Congress … referring this matter to the Justice
Department and to the SEC)
Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding.
Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, or CAPE.
This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back to 1871, offering
140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean price-to-earnings ratio is
16.
According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble …
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention of
investors in the 1990s ...
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average
... the market is stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and
2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and then
further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher demand
for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has artificially
subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
U.S.
Consumer Credit Puts Markets and Economy on Notice Alexandre 'I often see
money supply as the headline when pointing to inflationary pressures building
up in the system, but the supply of anything is not very meaningful unless it
is being consumed. If I attend a party and the host drops 12 bottles of the
finest wine on my lap, I will not get drunk unless I consume the mind-altering
juice.
Apparently the effects of the Fed’s Quantitative Easing – or "money
printing," if one wishes – are muted at best, and the so-called runaway
inflation is not taking shape, although the recent oil spike is only now
impacting retail food prices – mostly vegetables, fruit, and dairy -- and has
added a few percentage points to daily staples. I am aware of this because I do
most of the household food shopping and can recite the current prices of a
number of items, and what they were last December, although aggressive sales on
a variety of items continue to take place to attract a shrinking consumer’s
wallet. However, more pronounced deflationary pressures continue to erode the
savings tied to real estate – the largest asset for most Americans – and will
not end anytime soon.
U.S. trade balance figures were best summarized by Reuters,
and came on the heels of the first Chinese trade balance negative quarter since
2004:
U.S. imports and exports fell in February, prompting analysts to cut
again their forecasts for U.S. economic growth in early 2011 and showing signs
of a slowing in the global recovery. The trade gap totaled $45.8 billion and
was down 2.6 percent from January as imports fell faster than exports, even as
oil prices hit their highest level since October 2008, the Commerce Department
said on Tuesday.
U.S. retail sales delivered a mixed and weak picture, due to the high
price of gasoline with 0.4% growth and 0.8% core, while previous numbers were
revised up — February from 0.3% to 0.7%, and March’s sales increased to 1.1%
from 1.0%. However, auto sales shrunk 1.7%, which brings us to consumer credit
and how the data series is building an uneasy picture of divergence between
reality and expectations. Even if one is to assume that the Fed’s quantitative
easing had a hand in credit expansion, the impact was negligible and is already
fading before the program ends.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/14/765325-130278941172719-Carlos-X--Alexandre.png
Revolving credit includes credit cards, or the daily financial bread and
butter for most consumers. Non-revolving is defined by the Federal Reserve
Board in its release
as including “automobile loans and all other loans not included in revolving
credit, such as loans for mobile homes, education, boats, trailers, or
vacations. These loans may be secured or unsecured.”
For the record, consumer credit expanded virtually non-stop between 1943
and 2008, then dropped precipitously into last year. Now we are observing an
expansion of non-revolving, a resumption of a contraction in the revolving
category, and total consumer credit displaying a little bounce and starting to
descend again. Residential mortgages and home equity lines of credit are not
tracked by the Fed in this report, but we know that tale from other sources.
But let’s stop a second and take a look at the non-revolving story. Of
the seven types — and you can see them in the release — only “Federal
Government” increased, while the other six decreased. Why? Student loans. That
type of credit, although helpful to those seeking an education, is not contributing
to the traditional economic engine, and without student loans, consumer credit
would have been short by $9 billion – and an overall contraction.
One very interesting piece of data in the report is the “Loan-to-Value
Ratio” for new car loans at auto finance companies; I see it as a little window
into consumers’ demeanor. Where in 2006 the consumer was financing 94% of
value, the latest reading shows a huge decline to 80% – larger cash down
payments – and that is a screaming reflection of consumers’ attitudes toward
debt. The table below shows that, with the exception of the “Loan-to-Value
Ratio,” not much has changed between 2006 and today.
New Car Loans by Auto Finance Companies |
2006 |
2011 |
Interest Rate |
4.99% |
4.73% |
Loan Maturity |
63 months |
62.3 months |
Loan-to-Value Ratio |
94% |
80% |
Amount Financed |
$26,620 |
$26,673 |
Joe and Mary Consumer are extremely conservative about their money, and
no longer splurge without a second thought. Going forward, consumer attitudes
have changed considerably, are here to stay, and are not priced in the markets.
The fallout will be felt for a very long time, and for those who state that the
American consumer is not that important in a global sense, time will tell – and
the cracks are already showing...'
10
Scary Charts: A 'Post-Recession' Economy Wake Up Call Kavadas 'I find the
following 10 charts to be disturbing. These charts would be disturbing at any
point in the economic cycle; that they depict such a tenuous situation now – 21
months after the official (as per the 9-20-10 NBER announcement) June 2009 end
of the recession – is especially notable.
These charts raise a lot of questions. As well, they highlight the
"atypical" nature of our economic situation from a long-term
historical perspective. I regularly discuss many troubling characteristics of
our economy in this EconomicGreenfield.com blog.
All of these charts (except one, as noted) are from the Federal Reserve,
and represent the most recently updated data.
These following charts are from the St. Louis Federal Reserve:
Housing starts (last updated 3-16-11):
(Click to enlarge)
The Federal Deficit (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Federal Net Outlays (last updated 2-17-11):
(Click to enlarge)
State & Local Personal Income Tax Receipts (% Change from Year
Ago)(last updated 3-25-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Total Loans and Leases of Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last
updated 4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Bank Credit – All Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last updated
4-11-11):
(Click to enlarge)
M1 Money Multiplier (last updated 4-7-11):
(Click to enlarge)
Median Duration of Unemployment (last updated 4-1-11):
(Click to enlarge)
This next chart is from the CalculatedRisk.com
blog post of 4-1-11, and it shows (in red) the relative length and depth of
this downturn and subsequent recovery from an employment perspective:
(Click to enlarge)
This last chart is of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index and it
depicts broad-based economic activity (last updated 3-21-11):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/14/saupload_cfnai_monthly_ma3_3_21_11.png
(Click to enlarge)
I will update these charts on an intermittent basis as they deserve
close monitoring ...'
Bretton
Woods II-attendee Joseph Stiglitz advocates global reserve currency RT
| Fmr. World Bank Chief Economist says the US dollar as the reserve currency is
hurting the entire world.
More Americans
leaving workforce USA Today | Only 45.4% of Americans had
jobs in 2010, the lowest rate since 1983.
Jobless
Claims Unexpectedly Rise; Inflation Pressure Grows CNBC |
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 27,000 to a seasonally adjusted
412,000, the Labor Department said.
Goldman
Sachs misled Congress after duping clients, Senate panel chairman says
Bloomberg | Goldman Sachs misled clients and Congress about
the firm’s bets on securities tied to the housing market.
Change:
Percent Of Americans Working Lowest Since Reagan The share of the
population that is working fell to its lowest level last year since women
started entering the workforce in large numbers three decades ago, a USA TODAY
analysis finds.
(4-14-11) Dow 12,285 +14 Nasdaq
2,760 -1 S&P 500
1,314 -0- [CLOSE- OIL $109.19 (-54% for year 2008) (RECORD TRADING
HIGH $147.27) GAS
$3.69 (reg. gas in LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS $4.07 REG./ $4.14 MID-GRADE/
$4.22 PREM./ $4.27 DIESEL) / GOLD $1,476 (+24% for year 2009) /
SILVER $42.22 (+47% for year 2009) PLATINUM $1,790 (+56% for year
2009) Metal News for
the Day / DOLLAR= .69 EURO, 83 YEN, .60
POUND STERLING, ETC. (How low can you go - LOWER)/ Interest Rates: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield 10 YR NOTE YIELD
3.51% …..…
AP Business Highlights ...Yahoo
Market Update... T. Rowe Price
Weekly Recap – Stocks / Bonds / Currencies - Domestic /
International
This
Is a Secular Bear Market and The End of Buy and Hold … and Hope The bull market that never was/were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold
‘WORST
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE EVER’ Must Read Economic
/ Financial
Data
This Depression is
just beginning The coming
depression… thecomingdepression.net
The
Next Wave of Collapse is Coming Sooner than you think Sliding
Back Into the Great Depression ABSOLUTELY,
ABSURDLY, RIDICULOUS! SELL / TAKE PROFITS WHILE YOU CAN SINCE MUCH, MUCH WORSE
TO COME!
National / World
Alex Jones:
We’re Not Your Slaves! Infowars | Alex takes a call from a
chicago women who says the school system there has been corrupt for many years.
SWAT
Attacks Home School Mom for Refusing to Force Med Child Kurt Nimmo
| CPS works with SWAT team to grab home schooled child for refusing to take
dangerous drug Risperdal.
TSA
Gropes 8-Year Old Boy, In Front Of Outraged Mother Steve Watson
| Ms Shehan quickly grabbed her camera and took photos to document the
incident.
Red
Pill Review: Police State 4 – The Rise of FEMA William Walbut
| This review from our Red Pill Documentaries page covers Police State 4-The
Rise of FEMA.
Banks
Face $3.6 Trillion ‘Wall’ of Debt: IMF Reuters | The
world’s banks face a $3.6 trillion “wall of maturing debt” in the next two
years.
Globalists
Positioned to Exploit Japan’s Tragedy Tony Cartalucci |
America couldn’t offer Japan much help even if they wanted to.
New
World Powers Push for End of Dollar Dominance Reuters |
The BRICS group of emerging-market powers kept up the pressure on Thursday for
a revamped global monetary system that relies less on the dollar
Paper:
Obama’s Speech Most ‘Dishonest in Decades’ WSJ | Obama’s
toxic speech and even worse plan for deficits and debt.
Libya:
All About Oil, or All About Banking? I have never before heard of a central
bank being created in just a matter of weeks out of a popular uprising. This
suggests we have a bit more than a rag tag bunch of rebels running around and
that there are some pretty sophisticated influences.
Busby:
400,000 to develop cancer in 200 km radius of Fukushima Engineers at
Japan’s Fukushima plant continue work on emptying highly radioactive water from
one of the nuclear reactors. The latest tests show that radiation levels in the
sea near the damaged facility have spiked.
Drudgereport: BUCHANAN:
Obama blows up the bridge...
Tiny Tim (geithner): YOU
WILL GIVE ME MORE MONEY
OBAMA
CALLS NEW TAXES 'SPENDING REDUCTIONS IN TAX CODE'...
RYAN:
'Dramatically inaccurate,' 'hopelessly inadequate'...
CANTOR: Raising
taxes 'is not the answer'...
Obama's
Support Among Poor Drops to All-time Low...
Left's
angst grows over president's 'shift to center'...
Pentagon
Warns Obama Against Deeper Defense Cuts ... (And where is it going to come from
... I've said before, and it's still true today, that we've already had in
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt, war crimes nation america a defacto coup
d'etat) ...
GOOGLE: IT'S A MISS
BANKS FACE $3,600,000,000,000 IN DEBT
(and then there's the trillions in worthless, paper, toxic assets / securities
that are being carried 'new FASB rule change defacto bankrupt american
style)...
RISE
OF NEW WORLD POWER[WITHOUT USA]...
SHOCK:
CBO Says Budget Deal Will Cut Spending by Only $352 Million...
Libya
Rebels in 'hopeless disarray'...
Seek
$2 Billion Loan...
NATO short of planes...
Senate
panel slams Goldman in scathing crisis report... (...Goldman clearly
misled their clients and they misled Congress … referring this matter to the
Justice Department and to the SEC … )
NBC:
Rev. Jesse Jackson Subject of Gay Harassment Complaint...
Duke lacrosse rape accuser
faces more charges...
Man
Mangum accused of stabbing dies...
JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE; INFLATION PRESSURE
GROWS...
Suicide
Rates Rise...
Consumers Hardest Hit by Oil Shock...
NEW
WORLD POWERS PUSH FOR END OF DOLLAR DOMINANCE...
New
York, San Diego no longer have white majorities...
BUCHANAN:
Obama blows up the bridge... "Rather than building bridges, he's poisoning
wells," said Rep. Paul Ryan, after listening to Barack Obama's scathing
attack on his deficit-reduction plan as a shredding of America's social
contract with the elderly and poor.
Ryan is right. Yet, with Obama's partisan savagery, virtually calling
the GOP plan immoral, we have clarity.
There will be no grand bipartisan bargain on taxes and spending.
The two parties on Capitol Hill and the president will not be coming
together to solve the gravest financial and fiscal crisis America has faced
since the Great Depression. Between them today is a high wall and a deep ditch.
The heart of the Ryan plan is to turn Medicaid into block grants to the states, so each can decide for itself how best
to use the funds, and to convert Medicare into a program
where the U.S. government would provide citizens with the funds and freedom to
chose whatever health insurance they wished to buy.
Obama denounced both.
But if the Republican Medicare and Medicaid proposals are dead on arrival
in Harry Reid's Senate and Obama's White House, Obama's plan to raise taxes is
equally lifeless.
On MSNBC's "Morning Joe," this writer asked Grover Norquist of
Americans for Tax Reform exactly how many GOP members of the House had taken
his pledge not to raise taxes.
His response: "The commitment that 235 Republican members of the
House and 40 Republicans in the Senate have signed is the Taxpayer Protection
Pledge – it says no raising taxes. So, taxes are off the table."
Seems clear. But if virtually every GOP member of the House and 40 GOP
senators have signed a pledge not to raise taxes, how can they dishonor that
pledge?
How could they agree to raise the top U.S. income tax rate back up to
the 40 percent of the Bill Clinton era, as Obama demands, then go home and tell
voters they had no choice, that to get a deal with Reid and Obama they had to
let the government take a larger share of the income of American citizens?
They cannot.
Put bluntly, a vote by a Republican House to raise taxes as part of a
big budget deal would be an act of collective suicide by the party of Speaker
John Boehner.
And the Democrats?
With the exception of the civil rights acts of the 1960s, no programs
are more hallowed in party mythology than Medicare, Medicaid and Social
Security.
Are Democrats, after the "shellacking" of 2010, going to go
home and tell their constituents they voted to cut Medicaid benefits?
Are they going to tell the old folks of the Greatest Generation and the
Silent Generation and the retiring baby boomers that Medicare in the future
will not be as generous as it has been in the past, that we are going to have
to start rationing their health care?
The new Republican governors – Scott Walker in Wisconsin,
John Kasich in Ohio, Chris Christie in New Jersey, Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania
– all have resisted raising taxes, as has Andrew Cuomo, Democrat of New York,
who enjoys remarkably high poll numbers for the times we live in.
The praise these governors are receiving, even when embattled, has also
steeled the spine of congressional Republicans against any tax increase.
But if Democrats are not going to do even minor surgery on Medicare and
Medicaid and Republicans are not going to raise taxes, there is no hope of big
budget deal to cut a deficit now running at 11 percent of gross domestic
product.
And that raises another question.
How long can the Federal Reserve continue financing
these deficits?
China, choking on U.S. debt, is reportedly beginning to divest itself of
U.S. bonds. Japan will need to sell U.S. bonds to get hard currency to repair
the damage from the earthquake and tsunami. And the Fed is about to end its QE2
monthly purchases of $100 billion in U.S. bonds.
Where is the Fed going to borrow the $125 billion a month to finance this year's deficit of $1.65 trillion, and another of
comparable size in 2012?
Bill Gross' Pimco, the world's largest bond fund, has sold all his U.S.
bonds and begun to short U.S. debt. Pimco is betting that the value of U.S.
Treasury bonds will begin to fall.
We may be about to enter a maelstrom.
No big budget deal is brokered. The deficit endures, and another looms
in 2012. To finance them, the Fed borrows at the rate of $30 billion a week
wherever it can.
But as countries begin to choke on U.S. debt, the market
starts to dry up. To attract investors, the Fed must raise interest rates,
which sends bond prices sinking and forces interest rates up across the
economy.
With interest rates rising, gas prices rising and inflation rising, the
squeeze is on, and there is talk of a double-dip recession.
And if that happens, Obama is toast. But, then, so are we.'
Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years, equity valuations are the 2nd largest bubble
in U.S. history... the cause and the potential ramifications of this are astounding.
Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, or CAPE.
This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back to 1871, offering
140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean price-to-earnings ratio is
16.
According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
… bubbles turn a believable story/trend into an overvaluation. In the 1700s
during the South Sea Bubble...Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the
late 1800s ... In the 1920s, a bubble …
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention of
investors in the 1990s ...
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average
... the market is stretching this reversion greater than 2000 and
2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
... growth in earnings have been artificially manufactured...
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining... same overvaluation situation as
a few years ago … nothing fixed ...'
Inflation,
fueled by gas and food prices, adds to worry
GE
Not Repaying Tax Refund; AP Duped by Phony Press Release
AT&T,
T-Mobile file merger application (Washington Post) [ I believe the simplest
test to be best here; viz., 'if att wants it, it's got to be anti-competitive'.
Why? Because even the simplest tasks, ie., land / long lines, etc., are beyond the capability and competence of
this 'can't do' , mob-infested jersey / bushland texas regressive company;
hence, their need, their hankering for monopoly power. Of course, monopoly is
ingrained in the history of att and telecommunications thrived and advanced on
their breakup. Quite simply, att can't compete on a level playing field … it's
their story! Merger
a disconnect for consumers (Washington Post) [ Yeah!
True enough! I had to drop my land line (att/sbc – jersey/bushland) which I
kept for the public listing and which became disfunctional / unusable to the
point where it was impacting my DSL line; both of which I dropped in favor of
MagicJack (I recommend it) and Time Warner Cable / Internet (also better). Deal
to combine AT&T, T-Mobile raises questions (AP)
[Questions? Is that all? att / sbc is a horribly managed company that can't
even do the simplest things well; ie., land lines and dsl thereby, my direct
experience. We've seen this all before. When they can't do, they go monopoly
bigger with disasterous results. This is an old story with a familiar ending. AP
- AT&T's surprise announcement that it plans to acquire T-Mobile USA will
force federal regulators to confront a difficult antitrust question: Can
American consumers get good wireless service at a ... ] OPINION | Your
choice for wireless service would get smaller should AT&T carry out its
plan to buy T-Mobile USA. ] Firm confident it will win over regulators to its bid
to buy T-Mobile USA, even as critics continue to bash the deal. Here's that other story of what's
'unsaid' being very costly to the nation :
On
NBC, the missing story about GE
(Washington Post) [ Ya think! … Seriously though, this is as important a
story as can be since these scenarios have been a significant problem for the
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt u.s. for quite some time... (0 taxes
paid)'
] A call by lawmakers for a careful review
of AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile is really more code language for
something else, analysts say. ]
Libya:
Increased Airstrikes, Ground Troops, Contractors, Civilians Killed, Deadly DU
Munitions – Can We Call This A War Yet? The globalist
coalition refers to it as ‘kinetic military action’, yet as more civilians are
killed in NATO bombings, and with experts adamant that deadly Depleted Uranium
weapons are being used by Western forces, the conflict in Libya looks a hell of
a lot like the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq all over again.
63
percent of people killed in Iraq war were civilians: report Xinhua | U.S.-led wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan have been causing huge civilian casualties.
Retail
Sales Miss ExpectationsWall St. Cheat Sheet On
Wednesday April 13, 2011, 9:40 am EDT 'The U.S.
Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and
food services sales for March, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday
and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $389.3 billion, an
increase of 0.4 percent from the previous month, and 7.1 percent above March
2010. Analysts were expecting a rise of 0.5 percent.
Total sales for the January through March 2011 period were up 8.1
percent from the same period a year ago. The January to February 2011
percent change was revised from +1.0 percent to +1.1 percent.
Retail trade sales were up 0.3 percent from February 2011, and 7.3
percent above last year. Gasoline stations sales were up 16.7 percent from
March 2010 and nonstore retailers sales were up 12.4 percent from last year.
Obviously, inflating Oil (NYSE:USO)
prices are adding to gross revenues for gasoline sales. So, although retail
sales are up for the ninth month in a row, drilling down to the details shows a
weakening trend. If we strip out gas station sales, retail sales were up a
very small 0.1%.
Motor vehicles sales dropped 1.7%. Nevertheless, Toyota Motor
Corporation (NYSE:TM)
is up 1.3%, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)
is up 0.4%, General Motors (NYSE:GM)
is up 0.3%, and Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC)
is up over 3%.'
chart http://wallstcheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/March-Retail-Sales.png
Inflation,
fueled by gas and food prices, adds to worry
GE
Not Repaying Tax Refund; AP Duped by Phony Press Release
Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar [ Give
this man a cigar ... he gets it right! ] Originally Posted on GoldShark.com 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years (both in terms of the markets and the general
economy), equity valuations are now approaching the second largest bubble in
United States history, surpassed only by the technology bubble.
Both the cause and the potential ramifications of this development are
astounding.
Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, or CAPE.
This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back to 1871, offering
140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean price-to-earnings ratio is
16.
According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%. In
United States History, only the tech bubble was bigger than what we are
experiencing today.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
Historically, bubbles turn a believable story and a trend into an
overvaluation. In the 1700s during the South Sea Bubble, the mania driving the
bubble was the seemingly endless wealth and prosperity of the New World.
Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the late 1800s as America became
connected from the east coast to the west coast. In the 1920s, a bubble formed on
belief in the newly formed League of Nations (world peace), and more
importantly, the society-changing impact of the automobile.
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention
of investors in the 1990s as the prospect of a virtual marketplace would
forever globalize commerce. Every bubble has a story, whether it be tulips or
inventions or some other craze.
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average. (Two
notes: a. the chart from Bloomberg fails to insert the word ‘projected’; Robert
Shiller references this chart in this Bloomberg
article. b. the 10-year average is the cyclically adjusted price to
earnings ratio).
Considering the power of mean reversion, the market is stretching this
reversion greater than 2000 and 2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
Another question. Could the growth in earnings have been artificially
manufactured?
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “Let me count the ways.”
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining, and non-market driven. Brilliant.
Again, I am left wondering how it is possible to find ourselves in the same
overvaluation situation as a few years ago especially considering
nothing has been resolved to actually fix the world’s economic system.
A parting thought: according to research
conducted by the Duke University Medical Center, it would seem that even
monkeys are capable of learning from their mistakes. Why can’t we?'
Normalcy Bias and Crisis: A quirk of the human condition is for the mind to desire normalcy so
intensely as to consciously or subconsciously disregard knowledge that is
disruptive to a pre-conditioned reality. This phenomenon is an important part
of crisis management and market psychology. The consequence of a normalcy bias
is that warning signs of a potential crisis go unnoticed or are interpreted
optimistically...'
When a crisis occurs people are so overwhelmed by events inconsistent
with a desired reality they lose their ability to make decisions. Researchers
believe when the mind encounters an entirely new experience or event it
attempts to match that reality to relevant experiences from the past. If there
are no matching experiences the mind enters into a kind of feedback loop
resulting in passivity. This lack of action as a response to risk is called
negative panic1 and it culminates in a dangerous inability to act assertively
in crisis. In essence, the psyche struggles to come to terms with what is
really happening. Paralysis follows. ( Interestingly, I believe this to be a
more apt description of the Japanese reaction in this earthquake / tsunami
induced nuclear crisis. )
He then goes on to discuss how the normalcy bias can lead investors to
ignore looming threats, which in turn can lead to "a cancellation of
short-term volatility risk premium that should otherwise exist." This new Negative
Volatility Regime is defined by:
1. Large declines in spot volatility: The past nine
months have shown an unusually high number of large declines in spot volatility
(realized and implied) that are of a much higher magnitude and length than what
has been observed historically. As a result of these large declines, the VIX
index and short-term realized volatility are below historic averages;
2. Abnormally steep volatility curve: The manifestation
of an abnormally steep volatility curve (as a % of spot volatility) with a
linear shape that more closely resembles a glacial cliff as opposed to the more
traditional desert plateau (see chart);
3. Underperformance of Variance Hedges: Low
volatility-of-volatility on the back of the variance term-structure results in
the underperformance of out-of-the-money options and variance as a hedge
against market declines;
4. High Volatility Skew: High levels of volatility skew
for far out-of-the-money options showing increased likelihood of large declines
in equity prices.
The article has a detailed discussion and great graphs representing the
shape of the volatility structure. The full report can be accessed at: Artemis
Q1 2011_Is Volatility Broken. (It is posted with permission.)'
[ If only gas prices
were the only reasons for concern
regarding the so-called recovery:
Weisenthal On Tuesday April 12, 2011, 1:02 pm EDT
‘Dear investors.You’ve had an amazing run since March 2009.
Maybe it’s time to get a little nervous. In addition to all kinds of
dicey headlines — Japan (NYSE:EWJ),
the Mideast, etc. –the economic data is starting to add up, and look like a
slowdown.
You can see it in business confidence, headline GDP, and certain aspects
of employment. Some previously hot industries are clearly starting to fade.
Case Shiller Is Showing The Housing Double Dip Getting Worse
Small Business Confidence Is Suddenly Turning Lower
Image: NFIB
Q1 GDP estimates have been getting slashed
Image: Wikimedia Commons
After starting off at 4%, estimates
for GDP are now in some cases below 4%.
Durable goods have been weak Las
Vegas gaming revenue has suddenly turned south again.
Image: WilWheaton on flickr
Oil prices have pushed the economy to the breaking point
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4da466804bd7c84422020000-547/markets-are-stalling-out.jpg
Markets are stalling out The age of cheap money is going away
With inflation on the rise, basically everything things QE2 is toast.
Austerity warnings from the UK
Image: Twitpic
In London, where fiscal tightening is further along than here, it’s
having a clear effect on consumer spending. That’s coming to the US, too.’
Yield
Curve Appears to Be Flattening. Is Recession on the Way? The Hard
Trade 'Slowly and quietly, spreads
of the 2-10 year Treasuries decided not to blow out and instead have started
coming back. What does it mean that in a world of increasing rates, we’re
getting a flattening yield curve?
Here’s the 10 year yield (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_10yryld.png
Edging up slightly recently, and certainly not contracting. On the flip
side, look at the 2-10 spread (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_2_10_yr.png
A few short months ago, hyper-inflationists were warning that this
spread, which hit high after high, would blow out as inflation took hold,
became rampant, and we’d be back to the middle ages. I was never in that camp,
and while we see some inflationary pressures building, I think the main risk
remains deflation as real estate, unemployment, etc. will drag down the
consumer.
Regardless, the 2-10 spread has come back from the brink and the curve
is now flattening. I don’t know which way we go from here, but my analysis is
still that rates are headed higher on an absolute level and the flattening
yield curve supports my view that a recession or worse could be on the way.
It’s a bad combination to have higher rates, deflation of stores of wealth, and
a government with no ability to provide future fiscal and monetary stimulus.'
Taxpayers
foot $850M bill for Wall St.’s pension fees NY
Post
Sideways
Action Boots S&P 500 Below 50 Day Moving Average
Survey:
Big Money Managers Preparing For Inflation, Rise In Oil
March
Retail Sales Show a Slight Decline in Real Terms
Why
is the Federal Reserve giving $220 million in bailout money to two wives of
Morgan Stanley bigwigs? Matt Taibbi | America has two
national budgets, one official, one unofficial.
Big
banks are government-backed: Fed’s Hoenig Reuters | Big
banks like BoA and Citigroup should be reclassified as government-sponsored
entities and have their activities restricted.
Ken
Salazar: GOP has ‘amnesia’ about oil spill Politico |
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday that Republicans have a “sense of
amnesia” about last year’s Gulf of Mexico spill.
National / World
63
percent of people killed in Iraq war were civilians: report Xinhua | U.S.-led wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan have been causing huge civilian casualties.
Busted:
TSA lied about promise to not pat-down children Aaron Dykes
| TSA has defended the groping of 6 year-old girl, saying it followed policy.
Yet in Nov. 2010, TSA vowed no ‘enhanced’ pat-downs for children.
Congress
once again trying to push unconstitutional internet sales taxes Republican
Sen. Michael Enzi of Wyoming first tried it and failed in 2007, and now he and
Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin from Illinois are together trying it again.
Drudgereport: Tiny Tim (geithner): YOU
WILL GIVE ME MORE MONEY
OBAMA
CALLS NEW TAXES 'SPENDING REDUCTIONS IN TAX CODE'...
RYAN:
'Dramatically inaccurate,' 'hopelessly inadequate'...
CANTOR: Raising
taxes 'is not the answer'...
Obama's
Support Among Poor Drops to All-time Low...
Left's
angst grows over president's 'shift to center'...
Pentagon
Warns Obama Against Deeper Defense Cuts ... (And where is it going to come from
... I've said before, and it's still true today, that we've already had in
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt, war crimes nation america a defacto coup
d'etat) ...
RISE
OF NEW WORLD POWER[WITHOUT USA]...
SHOCK:
CBO Says Budget Deal Will Cut Spending by Only $352 Million...
Senate
panel slams Goldman in scathing crisis report... (...Goldman clearly misled their clients and they
misled Congress … referring this matter to the Justice
Department and to the SEC … )
CHICAGOLAND:
Blago Calls Out Rahm... ..."If the government has their way, my
lawyers cannot ask questions about the last conversation I had less than
10 hours before I was arrested, with my deputy governor, when I told him my chief
of staff told me, that Rahm Emanuel said that pending Barack Obama's approval,
he agreed to be the go-between between me and [Illinois House Speaker] Mike
Madigan [and] I would appoint Madigan's daughter the senator in exchange for
passing a public works bill that would put thousands of people to work,
healthcare expansion for working families so they can afford the high cost of
seeing a doctor, and a written promise -- a guarantee in writing -- not to
raise income taxes on the people of Illinois."He held a similar press event about a year ago, just prior
to the start of his first trial."I'm here today to
issue a challenge," a
visibly upset Blagojevich said last April 20. "I challenge Mr.
Fitzgerald. Why don't you show up in court tomorrow and explain to everybody.
Explain to the whole world. Why you don't want those tapes that you made played
in court. I'll be in court tomorrow. I hope you're man enough to be in court
too."Blagojevich has kept a low profile in recent
months, making the timing of his statement curious. Recall
that a little more than a year ago, he went on Bill O'Reilly's Fox program and danced
around a question as to whether Obama or Rahm Emanuel had any involvement in
the case to sell a U.S. Senate seat. Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/blagojevich-press-conference-119785689.html?12#ixzz1JSctCUNQ'
Stiglitz,
Soros, Summers try to remake global economy RT | George
Soros brought together the economic elite to take apart and remake world
finance.
Iceland
rejects hostile takeover attempt in national referendum John
Stratton | Iceland is the only country where the people have been
allowed to have a say in the matter.
Inflation,
fueled by gas and food prices, adds to worry
War
crime? U.S. Troops Fire on Iraqi Detainees (Video)
Aaron
Dykes | Shocking video has
surfaced from 2005 of U.S. troops firing on captive Iraqi detainees after a
riot.
IRS to
increase “pre-crime” enforcement Sovereign Man | Did you ever see Minority Report?
Libya:
Increased Airstrikes, Ground Troops, Contractors, Civilians Killed, Deadly DU
Munitions – Can We Call This A War Yet? The globalist coalition refers to
it as ‘kinetic military action’, yet as more civilians are killed in NATO
bombings, and with experts adamant that deadly Depleted Uranium weapons are
being used by Western forces, the conflict in Libya looks a hell of a lot like the
occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq all over again. ] Private firms have
hired scores of top officers, partly to gain access to intelligence
contracting.
Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar [ Give
this man a cigar ... he gets it right! ] Originally Posted on GoldShark.com 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years (both in terms of the markets and the general
economy), equity valuations are now approaching the second largest bubble in
United States history, surpassed only by the technology bubble.
Both the cause and the potential ramifications of this development are
astounding.
Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, or CAPE.
This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back to 1871, offering
140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean price-to-earnings ratio is
16.
According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to
its replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%. In
United States History, only the tech bubble was bigger than what we are
experiencing today.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
Historically, bubbles turn a believable story and a trend into an
overvaluation. In the 1700s during the South Sea Bubble, the mania driving the
bubble was the seemingly endless wealth and prosperity of the New World.
Railroading prospects induced a bubble in the late 1800s as America became
connected from the east coast to the west coast. In the 1920s, a bubble formed
on belief in the newly formed League of Nations (world peace), and more
importantly, the society-changing impact of the automobile.
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention
of investors in the 1990s as the prospect of a virtual marketplace would
forever globalize commerce. Every bubble has a story, whether it be tulips or
inventions or some other craze.
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average. (Two
notes: a. the chart from Bloomberg fails to insert the word ‘projected’; Robert
Shiller references this chart in this Bloomberg
article. b. the 10-year average is the cyclically adjusted price to
earnings ratio).
Considering the power of mean reversion, the market is stretching this
reversion greater than 2000 and 2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
Another question. Could the growth in earnings have been artificially
manufactured?
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “Let me count the ways.”
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining, and non-market driven. Brilliant.
Again, I am left wondering how it is possible to find ourselves in the same
overvaluation situation as a few years ago especially considering
nothing has been resolved to actually fix the world’s economic system.
A parting thought: according to research
conducted by the Duke University Medical Center, it would seem that even
monkeys are capable of learning from their mistakes. Why can’t we?'
Normalcy Bias and Crisis: A quirk of the human condition is for the mind to
desire normalcy so intensely as to consciously or subconsciously disregard
knowledge that is disruptive to a pre-conditioned reality. This phenomenon is
an important part of crisis management and market psychology. The consequence
of a normalcy bias is that warning signs of a potential crisis go unnoticed or
are interpreted optimistically...'
When a crisis occurs people are so overwhelmed by
events inconsistent with a desired reality they lose their ability to make
decisions. Researchers believe when the mind encounters an entirely new
experience or event it attempts to match that reality to relevant experiences
from the past. If there are no matching experiences the mind enters into a kind
of feedback loop resulting in passivity. This lack of action as a response to
risk is called negative panic1 and it culminates in a dangerous inability to
act assertively in crisis. In essence, the psyche struggles to come to terms
with what is really happening. Paralysis follows. ( Interestingly, I believe
this to be a more apt description of the Japanese reaction in this earthquake /
tsunami induced nuclear crisis. )
He then goes on to discuss how the normalcy bias can
lead investors to ignore looming threats, which in turn can lead to "a
cancellation of short-term volatility risk premium that should otherwise
exist." This new Negative Volatility Regime is defined
by:
1. Large declines in spot volatility:
The past nine months have shown an unusually high number of large declines in
spot volatility (realized and implied) that are of a much higher magnitude and
length than what has been observed historically. As a result of these large declines,
the VIX index and short-term realized volatility are below historic averages;
2. Abnormally steep volatility curve:
The manifestation of an abnormally steep volatility curve (as a % of spot
volatility) with a linear shape that more closely resembles a glacial cliff as
opposed to the more traditional desert plateau (see chart);
3. Underperformance of Variance Hedges:
Low volatility-of-volatility on the back of the variance term-structure results
in the underperformance of out-of-the-money options and variance as a hedge
against market declines;
4. High Volatility Skew: High levels
of volatility skew for far out-of-the-money options showing increased
likelihood of large declines in equity prices.
The article has a detailed discussion and great
graphs representing the shape of the volatility structure. The full report can
be accessed at: Artemis
Q1 2011_Is Volatility Broken. (It is posted with permission.)'
[ If only gas prices were the only reasons for concern regarding the so-called recovery:
Weisenthal On Tuesday April 12, 2011, 1:02 pm EDT
‘Dear investors.You’ve had an amazing run since March
2009.
Maybe it’s time to get a little nervous. In addition
to all kinds of dicey headlines — Japan (NYSE:EWJ),
the Mideast, etc. –the economic data is starting to add up, and look like a
slowdown.
You can see it in business confidence, headline GDP,
and certain aspects of employment. Some previously hot industries are clearly
starting to fade.
Case Shiller Is Showing The Housing Double Dip
Getting Worse
Small Business Confidence Is Suddenly Turning
Lower
Image: NFIB
Q1 GDP estimates have been getting slashed
Image: Wikimedia Commons
After starting off at 4%, estimates
for GDP are now in some cases below 4%.
Durable goods have been weak Las Vegas gaming revenue has suddenly turned
south again.
Image: WilWheaton on flickr
Oil prices have pushed the economy to the breaking
point
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4da466804bd7c84422020000-547/markets-are-stalling-out.jpg
Markets are stalling out The age of cheap money is going away
With inflation on the rise, basically everything
things QE2 is toast.
Austerity warnings from the UK
Image: Twitpic
In London, where fiscal tightening is further along
than here, it’s having a clear effect on consumer spending. That’s coming to
the US, too.’
Yield
Curve Appears to Be Flattening. Is Recession on the Way? The Hard
Trade 'Slowly and quietly, spreads of the 2-10 year Treasuries decided
not to blow out and instead have started coming back. What does it mean that in
a world of increasing rates, we’re getting a flattening yield curve?
Here’s the 10 year yield (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_10yryld.png
Edging up slightly recently, and certainly not
contracting. On the flip side, look at the 2-10 spread (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_2_10_yr.png
A few short months ago, hyper-inflationists were
warning that this spread, which hit high after high, would blow out as
inflation took hold, became rampant, and we’d be back to the middle ages. I was
never in that camp, and while we see some inflationary pressures building, I
think the main risk remains deflation as real estate, unemployment, etc. will
drag down the consumer.
Regardless, the 2-10 spread has come back from the
brink and the curve is now flattening. I don’t know which way we go from here,
but my analysis is still that rates are headed higher on an absolute level and
the flattening yield curve supports my view that a recession or worse could be
on the way. It’s a bad combination to have higher rates, deflation of stores of
wealth, and a government with no ability to provide future fiscal and monetary
stimulus.'
Taxpayers
foot $850M bill for Wall St.’s pension fees NY
Post | New York City taxpayers are helping to pay $850 million in Wall
Street investment fees.
Equity
Valuations Are Forming the Second Biggest Bubble in U.S. History Kaspar [ Give
this man a cigar ... he gets it right! ] Originally Posted on GoldShark.com 'Despite the terrible economic
performance of the past ten years (both in terms of the markets and the general
economy), equity valuations are now approaching the second largest bubble in
United States history, surpassed only by the technology bubble.
Both the cause and the potential ramifications of this development are
astounding.
Exhibit one: The cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, or CAPE.
This is not a “fad” valuation metric. CAPE dates back to 1871, offering
140 years worth of data, during which time, the mean price-to-earnings ratio is
16.
According
to Yale University’s Dr. Robert Shiller, the market is now 41% overvalued
according to this valuation metric. The only time the markets have been more
overvalued was a few brief months in 1929 and the tech bubble.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_cape_thumb1.png ]
Exhibit 2: The Q ratio, which measures total market value compared to its
replacement cost.
The Q-ratio data in the chart below dates back to 1900. According to the
data, the markets have now surpassed the 1929 peak valuation by over 8%. In
United States History, only the tech bubble was bigger than what we are
experiencing today.
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_q_ratio_thumb1.png ]
Historically, bubbles turn a believable story and a trend into an overvaluation.
In the 1700s during the South Sea Bubble, the mania driving the bubble was the
seemingly endless wealth and prosperity of the New World. Railroading prospects
induced a bubble in the late 1800s as America became connected from the east
coast to the west coast. In the 1920s, a bubble formed on belief in the newly
formed League of Nations (world peace), and more importantly, the
society-changing impact of the automobile.
A similar life-changing invention – the Internet – swept the attention
of investors in the 1990s as the prospect of a virtual marketplace would
forever globalize commerce. Every bubble has a story, whether it be tulips or
inventions or some other craze.
What is the story today? The prospect of inflation? High unemployment?
Exhibit 3: The gap between projected 12-month earnings against the
10-year average. (Two
notes: a. the chart from Bloomberg fails to insert the word ‘projected’; Robert
Shiller references this chart in this Bloomberg
article. b. the 10-year average is the cyclically adjusted price to
earnings ratio).
Considering the power of mean reversion, the market is stretching this
reversion greater than 2000 and 2007!
[chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/12/saupload_gap_between_12_month_average_thumb1.png ]
Another question. Could the growth in earnings have been artificially
manufactured?
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “Let me count the ways.”
·
The change in
accounting rules for the financial sector by FASB has generated massive “false”
account profits beginning in 2009.
·
The extended (and
then further extended) unemployment benefits have kept an artificially higher
demand for consumer consumption. As a result, the US government has
artificially subsidized corporate profits.
·
The billions saved
through “free loading” by homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages yet
maintained their residence, thus living without a mortgage payment.
·
The artificially
suppressed interest rates.
So, not only do we have a valuation bubble, but the earnings on which
the projections are based are non-sustaining, and non-market driven. Brilliant.
Again, I am left wondering how it is possible to find ourselves in the same
overvaluation situation as a few years ago especially considering
nothing has been resolved to actually fix the world’s economic system.
A parting thought: according to research
conducted by the Duke University Medical Center, it would seem that even
monkeys are capable of learning from their mistakes. Why can’t we?'
The
Negative Volatility Regime: The Market's Disconnect From Global Turmoil The Hard
Trade [ A very interesting and important read / perspective; but I
believe he is far too kind, gentle, empathetic, and overly eager to
euphemistically explain the criminal fraud that continues even as I write.
Indeed, his explanation may fit for the more 'passive' market participants as
they watch these frauds unfold in the face of dire, contraindicated facts and circumstances. Yet he ignores the
reality in that we are talking about literally the criminally insane on wall street.
Forget not that huge amounts of money, in the trillions, have been scammed
through fraudulent means, ignoring
reality, and with wink and nod embracing the convenient, glaringly inaposite
non-truth. His explanation is analogous to trying posit some rationale to the
serial killer as such confronts a new victim. Moreover, I also believe he
ignores the role of modern-day technology, viz., complex computer programming
in facilitating these frauds, high-frequency churn-and-earn trading (of no
economic benefit in net real terms), the ease of which accomplished is too tempting for these predisposed
criminals to resist. I truly believe
that with the 'profit' / fraudulent gains taken out of the 'equation' through,
ie., prosecution, fines, jail, disgorgement, etc., you'd be less likely (though
not completely, given the nature of criminal insanity) to see such disconnect
from those 'inconvenient truths' others of us know as reality. That said, as
elsewhere set forth on this website, the psychological factor is among the
factors considered when analyzing securities, others of which include the
economy, growth of earnings, quality of earnings, etc.. But, make no mistake,
they are greedy, criminally insane, and do it for the money ( in contravention
of the rights of others as in, ie., anti-social personality disorder, among
other psychological afflictions ). ] '
For months I have been frustrated and surprised by the action of the markets in
the face of continued turmoil. In different contexts, I’ve used terms such as
"disconnected" or "bifurcated" where there seems to be a
total discontinuity between the facts and the market actions. I now have a new
term: The Negative Volatility Regime. In a new report from Artemis Capital,
Christopher Cole outlines the current environment by focusing on volatility.
After my own heart, he starts with behavioral finance and defines the normalcy
bias:
Normalcy Bias and Crisis: A quirk of the human condition is for the mind to desire normalcy so
intensely as to consciously or subconsciously disregard knowledge that is
disruptive to a pre-conditioned reality. This phenomenon is an important part
of crisis management and market psychology. The consequence of a normalcy bias
is that warning signs of a potential crisis go unnoticed or are interpreted
optimistically. When a crisis occurs people are so overwhelmed by events
inconsistent with a desired reality they lose their ability to make decisions.
Researchers believe when the mind encounters an entirely new experience or
event it attempts to match that reality to relevant experiences from the past.
If there are no matching experiences the mind enters into a kind of feedback
loop resulting in passivity. This lack of action as a response to risk is
called negative panic1 and it culminates in a dangerous inability to act
assertively in crisis. In essence, the psyche struggles to come to terms with
what is really happening. Paralysis follows. ( Interestingly, I believe this to
be a more apt description of the Japanese reaction in this earthquake / tsunami
induced nuclear crisis. )
He then goes on to discuss how the normalcy bias can lead investors to
ignore looming threats, which in turn can lead to "a cancellation of
short-term volatility risk premium that should otherwise exist." This new Negative
Volatility Regime is defined by:
1. Large declines in spot volatility: The past nine
months have shown an unusually high number of large declines in spot volatility
(realized and implied) that are of a much higher magnitude and length than what
has been observed historically. As a result of these large declines, the VIX
index and short-term realized volatility are below historic averages;
2. Abnormally steep volatility curve: The manifestation
of an abnormally steep volatility curve (as a % of spot volatility) with a
linear shape that more closely resembles a glacial cliff as opposed to the more
traditional desert plateau (see chart);
3. Underperformance of Variance Hedges: Low
volatility-of-volatility on the back of the variance term-structure results in
the underperformance of out-of-the-money options and variance as a hedge
against market declines;
4. High Volatility Skew: High levels of volatility skew
for far out-of-the-money options showing increased likelihood of large declines
in equity prices.
The article has a detailed discussion and great graphs representing the
shape of the volatility structure. The full report can be accessed at: Artemis
Q1 2011_Is Volatility Broken. (It is posted with permission.)'
Weisenthal On Tuesday April 12, 2011, 1:02 pm EDT
‘Dear investors.You’ve had an amazing run since March 2009.
Maybe it’s time to get a little nervous. In addition to all kinds of
dicey headlines — Japan (NYSE:EWJ),
the Mideast, etc. –the economic data is starting to add up, and look like a
slowdown.
You can see it in business confidence, headline GDP, and certain aspects
of employment. Some previously hot industries are clearly starting to fade.
Case Shiller Is Showing The Housing Double Dip Getting Worse
Small Business Confidence Is Suddenly Turning Lower
Image: NFIB
Q1 GDP estimates have been getting slashed
Image: Wikimedia Commons
After starting off at 4%, estimates
for GDP are now in some cases below 4%.
Durable goods have been weak Las
Vegas gaming revenue has suddenly turned south again.
Image: WilWheaton on flickr
Oil prices have pushed the economy to the breaking point
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4da466804bd7c84422020000-547/markets-are-stalling-out.jpg
Markets are stalling out The age of cheap money is going away
With inflation on the rise, basically everything things QE2 is toast.
Austerity warnings from the UK
Image: Twitpic
In London, where fiscal tightening is further along than here, it’s
having a clear effect on consumer spending. That’s coming to the US, too.’
Yield
Curve Appears to Be Flattening. Is Recession on the Way? The Hard
Trade 'Slowly
and quietly, spreads of the 2-10 year Treasuries decided not to blow out and
instead have started coming back. What does it mean that in a world of
increasing rates, we’re getting a flattening yield curve?
Here’s the 10 year yield (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_10yryld.png
Edging up slightly recently, and certainly not contracting. On the flip
side, look at the 2-10 spread (click to enlarge):
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/3/30/saupload_2_10_yr.png
A few short months ago, hyper-inflationists were warning that this
spread, which hit high after high, would blow out as inflation took hold,
became rampant, and we’d be back to the middle ages. I was never in that camp,
and while we see some inflationary pressures building, I think the main risk
remains deflation as real estate, unemployment, etc. will drag down the
consumer.
Regardless, the 2-10 spread has come back from the brink and the curve
is now flattening. I don’t know which way we go from here, but my analysis is
still that rates are headed higher on an absolute level and the flattening
yield curve supports my view that a recession or worse could be on the way.
It’s a bad combination to have higher rates, deflation of stores of wealth, and
a government with no ability to provide future fiscal and monetary stimulus.'
Taxpayers
foot $850M bill for Wall St.’s pension fees NY
Post | New York City taxpayers are helping to pay $850 million in Wall
Street investment fees.
Stiglitz,
Soros, Summers try to remake global economy RT | George
Soros brought together the economic elite to take apart and remake world
finance.
Iceland
rejects hostile takeover attempt in national referendum John
Stratton | Iceland is the only country where the people have been
allowed to have a say in the matter.
Inflation,
fueled by gas and food prices, adds to worry
National / World
Top
Scientist: Fukushima Meltdown Could Trigger Atomic Explosion Kurt
Nimmo | Missing isotope readings will reveal if explosions were
hydrogen or nuclear.
War
crime? U.S. Troops Fire on Iraqi Detainees (Video)
Aaron Dykes | Shocking video has surfaced from 2005
of U.S. troops firing on captive Iraqi detainees after a riot.
IRS to
increase “pre-crime” enforcement Sovereign Man | Did you
ever see Minority Report?
Libya:
Increased Airstrikes, Ground Troops, Contractors, Civilians Killed, Deadly DU
Munitions – Can We Call This A War Yet? The globalist coalition refers to
it as ‘kinetic military action’, yet as more civilians are killed in NATO
bombings, and with experts adamant that deadly Depleted Uranium weapons are
being used by Western forces, the conflict in Libya looks a hell of a lot like
the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq all over again.
Top
Scientist: Fukushima Meltdown Could Trigger Atomic Explosion A British
professor and expert on the health effects of ionizing radiation told Alex
Jones today evidence points toward a nuclear explosion occurring at the
Fukushima Daiichi complex. Two explosions at the plant in March were described
as hydrogen gas explosions by Japanese officials and the corporate media.
Stiglitz,
Soros, Summers try to remake global economy The original Bretton Woods
conference of world leaders created the global economic framework still in
place today.The one that took place over the weekend put on by the Institute
for New Economic Thinking — a think tank bankrolled by billionaire investor
George Soros – brought together some of the economic elite to take it apart and
talk about how to make a new one. So where is the global economy, and
specifically the United States headed now?
Drudgereport:
JAPAN NOW
ADMITS: IT'S CHERNOBYL...
Tries to
Explain Delays in Reporting Radiation...
Obama
to Call for Higher Taxes...
DEFICIT
ROCKETS 16% IN FIRST HALF OF YEAR...
Inflation Actually 'Near 10%'...
IMF:
US 'lacks credibility' on debt...
'Stringent
Austerity Measures' Needed...
BUDGET
TRICKS, SLEIGHTS OF HAND IN BUDGET DEAL...
Conservatives'
criticism growing...
Budget deal axes
'czars' -- who are already gone...
Proposal
$773B Higher Than 2008 Budget...
$5
GAS BY MEMORIAL DAY
Thermal
Cameras On Boston Streets Can Show Activity Inside Homes...
Pump
prices less than 10% below record high...
San
Fran highest at $4.13...
OBAMA
MAN: TRUMP HAS 'ZERO CHANCE' [ Hard to believe, or maybe because this particular
factual reality is so easy to believe because it's so obviously true, but
wobama finally got something right, not that it changes anything for him! ]
Despite
Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [
Pelosi finally gets something right! ]
[ wobama, pelosi finally uncharacteristically correct, albeit once each
in their lifetime ... must be the japanese radiation ... ]
9th
Body Found In NY Serial Killer Probe, Possibly A 10th...
Obama
regrets HIS vote against raising debt limit...
RASMUSSEN:
President hits new low 'strongly approve' – 19%...
UPDATE:
Egyptians turn anger on army in Cairo protest...
New
Clashes in Tahrir Square...
Gaza-Israel
violence rages...
'West wants
war'...
'Mideast
Without Israel and America Now Possible'...
Despite
Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [
Pelosi finally gets something right! ]
US
Debt Jumped $54 Billion in Week Preceding Deal to Cut $38 Billion...
11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A
DEAL
Obama:
'Americans of different beliefs came together'...
Takes credit for
'biggest annual spending cut in history'...
'LIVE
WITHIN OUR MEANS'...
FLASHBACK:
Deficit Forecast Nears $1.5 Trillion...
SURPRISE:
Government shutdown averted...
Spending
cuts total nearly $40 billion...
$78
billion below Obama request...
Deal
bans DC from spending funds for abortion, continues school voucher program...
BOEHNER:
'As good a deal as we could get'...
REPORT:
Oprah won't endorse Obama for re-election...
Poll:
Obama Struggling With Whites...
Even
black voters slip...
OIL
JUMPS 2% -- IN A DAY...
Fever
for Gold, Silver Grips Investors...
Biden daughter
trashes Trump...
Bill Cosby slams: 'He's
full of it!'...
Trump
Takes On NYT, Gail Collins...
Admires
her for surviving 'so long with so little talent'...
NBCWSJ
POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC
where t_rump has his Jerry Springer
derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll?
… Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company
NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily
Caller ... Milbank: Donald
trumps CPAC | Gibbs
gone (Washington
Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and
propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt
regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has
such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in
many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single
time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s
never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged
bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ]
He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve
Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people
and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve
in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie.,
bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss …
trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade,
quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of
american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said
america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the
biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles
Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now
caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years:
buy real estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank
sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump
casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump
Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends
With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino
in mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct
appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to
recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO
Case)] earned many
billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard
and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the
time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE... PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world …
true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt
legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt
nation. ] “I would announce, without
equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
The
Economic Collapse April 12, 2011
'Everything that you own is slowly being taken away from you. It is being
done purposely and it is being done by design. Many Americans like to
think of themselves as “well off”, but as will be demonstrated below, we don’t
“own” nearly as much as we think that we do. The truth is that most of us
have to frantically run around accumulating wealth as rapidly as we can so that
we can somehow stay ahead of the rate that wealth is being taken away from
us. The entire system is designed to take what you have away from
you. There are many ways that this is accomplished – taxation, inflation,
debt, interest, fines, fees, tickets, government seizures and good
old-fashioned corporate greed. If you tried to just sit back and do
nothing but hold on to the wealth that you already have you would find out that
it would disappear rather quickly. When you take the time to really
analyze our system the conclusion is undeniable – everything that you think
that you own is being systematically taken away from you.
There is a reason why the wealthiest one percent of all Americans control
40 percent of all the wealth in the United States. The system is
designed to funnel all of the wealth to them and to the government.
Average Americans are experiencing a declining standard of living and it is not
by accident.
Just check out some of the ways that our wealth is being taken from us….
#1 Do you think that
you own your house? You might want to think again. Most Americans
that “own a home” are paying a mortgage. If you stop paying that mortgage
you will lose that home. Over a million American families were kicked out
of their homes last year. This year a million more American families will
get the boot.
But when those families get booted out onto the street they don’t get
their down payments back. They don’t get all the mortgage payments that
they have made back. The banks get to keep all of the money and all of
the houses.
Perhaps you don’t have a mortgage. Does that mean that you “own
your home”?
No, not really. Just refuse to pay your property taxes and watch
what happens. At best you can say that you have the right to rent your
home from the government.
In any event, the reality is that the banks now own more of “our homes”
than we do. During
the most recent recession, the total amount of U.S. home equity owned by
the banks surpassed the total amount of U.S. home equity owned by the rest of
us for the first time ever.
Things used to be far different in this country. Once upon a time
American families owned most of the houses and most of the land in this nation.
But now the banks own most of it. Sadly, most American families
that believe that they “own homes” are actually enslaved to 20 or 30 year debt
contracts.
#2 Do you think that
you own your car? You don’t own it if you are still making payments on
it. If you stop making payments you will rapidly lose that car.
But even if your car is paid off, you can only operate that car if you
do the following….
*You must pay the license fee
*You must pay the car registration fee
*You must pay the emissions inspection fee
*You must pay the property taxes on that car (if that applies in your
area)
*You must pay the tire taxes
*You must pay the gas taxes
If you have paid all of those taxes, then you are permitted to drive
only where the government allows you to drive and only under the rules that the
government sets for you.
But at least you “own” your car, right?
#3 What about your
possessions? Do you own them?
Well, yes, you probably own some possessions.
But that doesn’t mean that they are not enslaving you.
After all, did you use a credit card to pay for any of them?
If so, you could end up paying much more for your possessions than you
originally thought that they cost.
For example, if you only make the minimum payment on your credit card
each month, a $6,000 credit card bill could end up costing you over $30,000
(depending on the interest rate).
#4 Do you own your
education? Well, it is undeniable that nobody can ever take it away from
you. But if you took out student loans that debt may end up enslaving you
for decades.
The borrower is the servant of the lender and student loan debt is more
of a financial drain on Americans than ever before. Americans now owe
more on student loans than they do on credit cards. As hard as that is to
believe, that is actually true. Americans now owe more than $903
billion on student loans, which is a new all-time record.
#5 Will you protect
your wealth if you put your money in the bank?
No, in fact your wealth will be systematically destroyed in the bank.
Inflation is a hidden tax on every single dollar that you own. It
destroys the value of all dollars in existence. There are some Americans
that have been saving money for decades, but those savings are being taxed into
oblivion by inflation. Many experts are now projecting that the average
price of a gallon of gasoline will
hit $5 by the end of the year. So the next time you go to the gas
pump just take a moment to think about how your wealth is being drained away by
inflation.
#6 Insurance costs
continue to soar. After insuring everything in our lives many of us
barely have any money left over to actually live our lives with. In
particular, health insurance premiums have become completely and totally
ridiculous. According
to the Los Angeles Times, Blue Shield of California plans to raise rates an
average of 30% to 35%, and some individual policy holders could see their
health insurance premiums rise by a whopping 59 percent this year alone.
So how are American families supposed to survive if they keep on handing over
bigger and bigger chunks of their income to thehealth
care industry?
#7 State and local
governments all over the nation have turned to ticket writing as a primary
revenue source. In fact, in some areas of the country traffic citations
are soaring at a crazy rate. For example, 110,000 more traffic
citations were written in Los Angeles County last fiscal year than were
written in the fiscal year immediately prior to the last recession.
The truth is that the police even realize what is going on. Just
consider the following quote from from
Police Chief Michael Reaves of Utica, Michigan….
“When I first started in this job 30 years ago, police work was never about
revenue enhancement, but if you’re a chief now, you have to look at whether
your department produces revenues.”
#8 Some states have
decided to simply confiscate wealth even if nothing has been done wrong.
For example, the state of California is aggressively seizing
“unclaimed” safe deposit boxes. If you have a safe deposit box that you
have not checked on in a while you might want to make sure that it is still
there.
#9 You might end up
losing your valuables when you cross the border. It is being reported
that U.S. border agents are
now regularly seizing laptops and other electronic devices as people cross
the border. In many cases those items are never returned.
#10 If you don’t pay
your property taxes, you will lose your house and it will likely be a big Wall
Street bank that will be taking it from you. As
I have written about previously, the big Wall Street banks are buying up
thousands upon thousands of tax liens and are making a killing by socking
distressed homeowners with predatory interest, outrageous penalties and
almost unbelievable legal fees.
#11 Of course the
biggest way that our wealth is being drained is through federal income
taxes. The reason that the
Federal Reserve and the IRS were established back in 1913 was to
redistribute wealth. Wealth is transferred from the American people to
the U.S. government and then ultimately to the elite and to the causes that the
elite favor.
But federal taxes are only one of the taxes that we pay. The truth
is that the average American pays dozens of different taxes each year.
Just check out a few
examples of the different taxes that drain our wealth….
#12 Accounts
Receivable Taxes
#13 Building Permit
Taxes
#14 Capital Gains
Taxes
#15 CDL License Taxes
#16 Cigarette Taxes
#17 Corporate Income
Taxes
#18 Court Fines
(indirect taxes)
#19 Dog License Taxes
#20 Federal
Unemployment Taxes (FUTA)
#21 Fishing License
Taxes
#22 Food License
Taxes
#23 Gasoline Taxes
#24 Gift Taxes
#25 Hunting License Taxes
#26 Inheritance Taxes
#27 Inventory Taxes
#28 IRS Interest
Charges (tax on top of tax)
#29 IRS Penalties
(tax on top of tax)
#30 Liquor Taxes
#31 Local Income
Taxes
#32 Luxury Taxes
#33 Marriage License
Taxes
#34 Medicare Taxes
#35 Payroll Taxes
#36 Property Taxes
#37 Real Estate Taxes
#38 Recreational
Vehicle Taxes
#39 Road Toll Booth
Taxes
#40 Road Usage Taxes
(Truckers)
#41 Sales Taxes
#42 Self-Employment
Taxes
#43 School Taxes
#44 Septic Permit
Taxes
#45 Service Charge
Taxes
#46 Social Security
Taxes
#47 State Income
Taxes
#48 State
Unemployment Taxes (SUTA)
#49 Telephone federal
excise taxes
#50 Telephone federal
universal service fee taxes
#51 Telephone
federal, state and local surcharge taxes
#52 Telephone minimum
usage surcharge taxes
#53 Telephone
recurring and non-recurring taxes
#54 Telephone state
and local taxes
#55 Telephone usage
charge taxes
#56 Toll Bridge Taxes
#57 Toll Tunnel Taxes
#58 Traffic Fines
(indirect taxation)
#59 Trailer
Registration Taxes
#60 Utility Taxes
#61 Vehicle License
Registration Taxes
#62 Vehicle Sales
Taxes
#63 Watercraft
Registration Taxes
#64 Well Permit Taxes
#65 Workers
Compensation Taxes
Even the future is being taken away from us. The future is
literally being stolen from our children and our grandchildren. They will
be inheriting the 14 trillion dollar (and still rising) national debt that we
have accumulated. What we have done to future generations is unthinkable,
and yet we continue to
endlessly borrow more money. The Congressional Research Service
estimates that the U.S. government will need to borrow $738
billion between April 1st and September 30th. Faith in U.S.
Treasuries is falling so rapidly that now the biggest bond fund in the world,
PIMCO, is
actually shorting U.S. Treasuries.
When you base an entire economy on debt, eventually you end up withmoney
problems that never seem to end. As a nation we are now enslaved to a
vicious spiral of debt that is going to destroy everything that our forefathers
worked so hard to build.
As the debt loads of our federal, state and local governments become
even more burdensome, they are going to want even more money from us. For
decades we gave in to new tax after new tax thinking that it would finally
satisfy them. But it never seems to be enough. They always want more.
It is the same thing with the banksters. They are never satisfied
either. They always want more assets and they always want more Americans
to be enslaved to debt.
Unfortunately, most Americans are so caught up in the “rat race” that
they never take much time to think about who designed the race or why they are
running it.
Hopefully more Americans will wake up and will realize that our entire
economy and our entire financial system need to be reformed. Our current
system is inherently flawed and it will eventually impoverish the vast majority
of us if we allow it to.'
Cuts
will affect vast spectrum of priorities (Washington Post) [ Drudge was
reporting that the new focus will be trillions, not as just passed, the
billions in cuts, which I did not include / highlight because that's not
news! Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply
happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global
GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of
unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is
to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn
worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to
spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year).
There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the
people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS
TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . ] More than half of the $38 billion in
spending cuts that lawmakers agreed to last week in the 2011 budget compromise that
averted a government shutdown would hit education, labor and health
programs. [The
Return of the Carry Trade? [
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org 'What Does Currency
Carry Trade Mean? A strategy in which an investor sells a
certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to
purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using
this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates, which can
often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage used. - The carry of an asset is the return obtained
from holding it (if positive), or the cost of holding it (if negative)
(see also Cost of carry).For
instance, commodities
are usually negative carry assets, as they incur storage costs or may suffer
from depreciation, but in some circumstances, appropriately hedged commodities
can be positive carry assets if the forward/futures market is willing to pay
sufficient premium for future delivery. This can also refer to a trade with
more than one leg, where you earn the spread between borrowing a low
carry asset and lending a high carry one; such as gold during financial crisis,
due to its safe haven
quality. Carry trades are not arbitrages:
pure arbitrages make money no matter what; carry trades make money only if nothing changes against the
carry's favor. ]
ETF
News Update: Theater of the Absurd
Nyaradi 'This week’s soap
opera in Washington, D.C. was truly the “theater of the absurd” as Congress and
the President wrangled over an “historic” $39 billion budget cut that pales
sadly in comparison to the $189 billion deficit that the Federal Government ran
up in March alone.We’ll discuss this in greater detail in a moment, but for
today, we are content with our positions in gold, oil and inverse exchange
traded funds and we remain in the defensive mode, anticipating stronger
headwinds ahead. On My Radar
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/11/saupload_spxpf040911.png …’ ]
Gerson:
Obama’s tap dance on a tightrope (Washington Post) [ What an understatement
… wobama the b (for b*** s***)Yeah! An appropriate word picture straight out
one of the old Roach ' Our Gang' comedies … and I'm not going say which
characters are which, according to wobama we must share the sacrifice, which
means you because we all know how the wobamas sacrifice, ie., $500 sneakers,
lavishly expensive vacations, etc., which means we have a buck, we eat! Obama
turns to deficit panel (WP) The president plans this week to call for
“balance” and shared sacrifice in tackling the rocketing national debt. { Obama
vs. Trump: A Circus Sideshow on the Road to Feudalism [ Even if you don't
buy the 'feudalism' characterization
of pervasively corrupt, meaningfully
lawless, defacto bankrupt america, there is no question but that america is in
an intractable and regressive state of decline. Nimmo |
Roche 'The worst part of it ...Obama, who vowed change, has done almost nothing to fix any of
it and in fact continues most of the policies that helped get us here in the
first place’ ‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson
wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant fraud in the
(many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and declares with oscar in hand
that not one high level wall street exec has been prosecuted … despite ‘earning’
billiions from the fraud ), the commentator / experts recommend getting rid of
the corrupt eric holder ( what do holder and wobama have in common … wall street money? … a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ?...all/some of the above … or is it something else
... a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... ‘In emotional and
personal testimony, an ex-Justice official who quit over the handling of a
voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party accused his former
employer of instructing attorneys in the civil rights division to ignore cases
that involve black defendants and white victims ' Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud WP | Obama has promised to
hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown.
Obama’s Dismal
Approval Numbers
Drudgereport:
OBAMA
MAN: TRUMP HAS 'ZERO CHANCE' [ Hard to believe, or maybe because this particular
factual reality is so easy to believe because it's so obviously true, but
wobama finally got something right, not that it changes anything for him! http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]
Despite
Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [ Pelosi finally gets something right! ] [ wobama, pelosi finally
uncharacteristically correct, albeit once each in their lifetime ...
]
RASMUSSEN:
President hits new low 'strongly approve' – 19%... } ]
IMF
Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg
| Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
A
Militarized Economy Cannot Balance the Budget John Perkins
| We can’t afford our bloated military budget and still have democracy.
US to delay
China currency report AFP
Peter
Schiff: Government Counterfeiting and Economic Terrorism
A
Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China
Oil
prices hit highest level since 2008
Economists
Shocked, Shocked: We Really Are Losing Jobs to China! Fletcher
Soros
and friends reorder global finance at new Bretton Woods
Markets fall
on earnings caution, energy selloff (Reuters) - Reuters
- Stocks mostly fell on Monday as energy shares sold off on lower oil prices
and the onset of earnings season was clouded by concern company outlooks may
fall short of expectations.
China
Goes American, Registers First Trade Deficit Since '04 Rapoza 'The Chinese economy registered a trade deficit in the
first quarter of 2011, it’s first negative trade balance since 2004. A growing
middle class and a stronger local currency has more Chinese businesses buying
abroad. Higher priced commodities — especially soy from the Americas and
iron ore from Brazil — didn’t help the trade figures either.
The General Administration of Accounting (GAC) said in their
report this weekend that, a “strong and rapidly growing domestic economy, plus
international markets and the sharp rise in commodity prices and the Spring
Festival holiday this year all led to a cumulative deficit of $1.02 billion in
the first quarter.” According to the GAC,
China imports in the first three months of the year reached $400.66 billion, up
32.6%, while exports totaled $399.64 billion, an increase of 29.5%.
China’s economy is in fifth gear, with the Asian
Development Bank in Manila forecasting growth of at least 8.2% in 2011,
higher than the official growth estimate of 7%.
Last year, China trade registered the kind of surplus the US only dreams
about, a modest $13.9 billion, according to the GAC. By comparison, the U.S.
trade deficit in January was around $46 billion.
For March, China’s total trade value rose 31.4% to $304.3
billion compared with March 2010. Export values for the month totaled
$152.2 billion, while import values were $152.06 billion. March’s monthly
import data was yet another record, beating January 2011’s historical import
record of $144.3 billion, the GAC said.
In bilateral trade, China and the European Union trade rose 22% to
$123.7 billion. China-US trade totaled around $97 billion, up 25%. In
third place, Chinese-Japanese trade hit $80.78 billion in the first, up 27.1%.
Multinationals accounted for nearly half of China’s import and export
value in the first quarter with a total of $415.4 out of around $800.3 billion
in trade. The multinationals saw an increase of 24.9% in trade out of China so
far this year. Of the total, the MNCs exported $217.5 from China, 24.6%
more than the first quarter of 2010, and imported $197.8 billion worth of goods
and services, an increase of 25.2%, according to the GAC.
China’s state owned enterprises, or SEOs, exported $172.95 billion in
the first quarter, an increase of 27.8%. Of the total, exports were around
$57.58 billion, up 16.4%, and imports were $115.38 billion, up 34.5%.
What Was Exported
China’s leading exports were electromechanical products,
accounting for $232.03 billion, up 22.8% from the same period in 2010 and
accounting forr 58.1% of first quarter exports. Exports of electrical
and electronic products was $6.9 billion, an increase of 27.8%. Machinery
and equipment exports rose 15.5% to $74.6 billion. Traditional Chinese
exports like apparel exports rose 18.4% to $28.5 billion; textiles
jumped 32.7% to $20.2 billion; footwear up 22% to $8.8 billion
and furniture sales rose 19.3% to $8.4 billion.
What Was Imported
China imported 180 million tons of iron ore in the first
quarter, an increase of 14.4%. Average iron ore prices were $156.5 per ton, up
59.5%; soybean imports declined marginally by 0.7% to 10.96
million tons, but the cost of importing soy from the US and South America rose
by an average of 25.7% to $573.90 per ton. In addition, imports of machinery
and electronic products rose 25.6% to $172.92 billion.
Guangdong continues to lead China as the nation’s trade hub, accounting
for $201.2 billion in foreign trade (export + import value). Jiangsu, Shanghai
and Beijing came in third with $121 billion, $98 billion and $91 billion in
trade values, respectively.
Martin Schulz, Managing Director of International Equity at PNC Capital
Advisors was in China last month and said one of the things that surprised him
most was that Chinese clothing manufacturing was starting to move to countries
like Vietnam. “Chinese clothes are starting to be made in southeast Asia
because the wage rates are growing so fast that a lot of manufacturers are
simply moving into the rural areas in the interior of China, or across borders,”
he says.
China’s growing domestic demand could make the country an inflationary
force in the global economy, Shulz said. “The growth there has been a
deflationary force in the world for some time, but now it is going to be an
inflationary one.”
Want to make money trading with China? Honestly, become a soy farmer or
work in agribusiness, at Boeing, or in the organic chemicals space. Because
pretty much everything we sell to China, they sell to us. And apparently at
cheaper prices. Whether its electrical machinery, power generation equipment,
medical devices, or iron and steel, the US registered a trade deficit on them
all with the big C.
US-China Trade Statistics
2009 Top US Exports to China
1. Electrical machinery & equipment: $9.5 billion
2. Oil seeds & other oleaginous fruits: $9.3 billion
3. Power generation equipment: $8.4 billion
4. Air and spacecraft: $5.3 billion
5. Plastics: $4.4 billion
6. Optics and medical devices: $4 billion
7. Iron and steel: $3.5 billion
8. Pulp and cardboard: $2.5 billion
9. Organic chemicals: $2.4 billion
10. Vehicles, excl. railway: $1.9 billion
2009 Top US Imports From China
1. Electrical machinery and equipment: $72.9 billion
2. Power generation equipment: $62.4 billion
3. Apparel: $24.3 billion
4. Toys: $23.2 billion
5. Furniture: $16 billion
6. Iron and steel: $8 billion
7. Footwear: $13.3 billion
8. Plastics: $8 billion
9. Leather and travel bags: $6 billion
10: Optics and medical devices: $5.6 billion
Source: US International Trade Commission. '
The
Return of the Carry Trade? [
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org 'What Does Currency
Carry Trade Mean? A strategy in which an investor sells a
certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to
purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using
this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates, which can
often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage used. - The carry of an asset is the return obtained
from holding it (if positive), or the cost of holding it (if negative)
(see also Cost of carry).For
instance, commodities
are usually negative carry assets, as they incur storage costs or may suffer
from depreciation, but in some circumstances, appropriately hedged commodities
can be positive carry assets if the forward/futures market is willing to pay
sufficient premium for future delivery. This can also refer to a trade with
more than one leg, where you earn the spread between borrowing a low
carry asset and lending a high carry one; such as gold during financial crisis,
due to its safe haven
quality. Carry trades are not arbitrages:
pure arbitrages make money no matter what; carry trades make money only if nothing changes against the
carry's favor. ]
ETF
News Update: Theater of the Absurd
Nyaradi 'This week’s soap
opera in Washington, D.C. was truly the “theater of the absurd” as Congress and
the President wrangled over an “historic” $39 billion budget cut that pales
sadly in comparison to the $189 billion deficit that the Federal Government ran
up in March alone.We’ll discuss this in greater detail in a moment, but for
today, we are content with our positions in gold, oil and inverse exchange
traded funds and we remain in the defensive mode, anticipating stronger
headwinds ahead.
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/11/saupload_spxpf040911.png
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com,
click to enlarge.
In the chart above we can see that the S&P500 remains in a bearish
signal mode with a price objective of 1160. Strong overhead resistance is at
1330 which held this week and support lies at the 1250 level.We have been in
this range for the last 25 trading days but, as always, this sideways action
will be broken one way or the other. Based on current fundamental and
technical elements, we expect this break to be on the downwards side of the
range.
The big news this week was the 11th hour “resolution” of the bill to
keep the government open which resulted in an “historic” cut of $39 Billion. As
mentioned at the outset, this is truly the theater of the absurd because the
deficit in March alone was $189 Billion, and so far for this fiscal year, we
have racked up a budget deficit of $830 Billion according to the Congressional
Budget Office, up $113 Billion compared to the same period last year. Of course
what went largely unsaid is that this fiscal year is already half way over and
the discussion of the 2012 budget is about to get underway along with the horse
trading that is about to ensue over raising the Federal debt ceiling of $14.3
Trillion that is set to be exceeded in mid May. So it should be good
entertainment as the second and third installments of the “theater of the
absurd” get underway...
In geopolitical news, Palestinians and Israelis continued their
hostilities in the Gaza Strip, protesters in Syria and Egypt persisted with
their demonstrations, and the war in Libya has reached what everyone is now
recognizing to be a stalemate with a fire doing unknown damage to that
country’s Sarir oil field.
All of this unrest resulted in West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil hitting
a 2 1/2 year high of $113/bbl and Brent Crude hitting $126/bbl, its highest
level since July, 2008.
In Europe, the ECB raised interest rates, an action that is sure to put
more pressure on the already struggling peripheral nations and Portugal is
being squeezed for more cuts as they are now a ward of the European Central
Bank. Greece is in recession and everyone wonders if Spain, often thought of as
too big to save and too big to fail, is next on the chopping block.
U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. Dollar continued their slide while gold set
a new nominal record of $1476/oz and silver hit a 30 year high of $40/0z.
Finally another earthquake hit Japan on Thursday and the Japanese
government said that Japan’s economy was in “severe condition.”
We continue to live in historic times fraught with challenges, danger
and uncertainty. Rising oil prices are never good for Western economies and the
looming fight over raising the debt ceiling and the 2012 budget proposal put
forth by U.S. Representative Paul Ryan will set the economic tone for the rest
of this year and next. Dr. Bernanke and his colleagues at the Federal Reserve
say that inflation is “transitory,” however, the precious metals and oil
markets seem to be literally screaming otherwise.
1.
Major
Issues/Themes: This week
brings significant economic reports and the kickoff on Monday of earnings
season with Alcoa (AA)
reporting after the bell.
Important reports to watch are Alcoa on Monday, JP Morgan (JPM) and March Retail Sales on
Wednesday, Google (GOOG)
earnings on Thursday and manufacturing and industrial production reports on
Friday.
·
Monday: Alcoa Earnings Report
·
Wednesday: JP Morgan earnings, MBA Mortgage Index, March
Retail Sales, February Business Inventories, April Fed Beige Book
·
Thursday: Initial Unemployment Claims, Continuing Claims, March
Consumer Price Index, Fairchild Semiconductor and Google earnings reports
·
Friday: March Consumer Price Index, April Empire
Manufacturing, March Industrial Production, April Michigan Consumer Sentiment
1.
Leaders: (NYSEArca: SLV) iShares Silver (NYSEArca: EPOL) iShares Poland
2.
Laggards: (NYSEArca: EWJ) iShares Japan Index
(NYSEArca: IYT) iShares
Transportation
This week I was in Germany where it was unseasonably warm in Frankfurt with
lovely spring days and warm evenings by the Main River. The restaurants and
bars were full as soccer played on the televisions and I couldn’t help but
wonder how much longer the Germans will be willing to carry their weaker
neighbors in the European Community...'
IMF
Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg
| Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
A
Militarized Economy Cannot Balance the Budget John Perkins
| We can’t afford our bloated military budget and still have democracy.
US to delay
China currency report AFP
| The US Treasury said it would delay a report labeling China a currency
manipulator until at least May.
Economists
Shocked, Shocked: We Really Are Losing Jobs to China! Ian Fletcher
| There’s a nice new academic paper with hard data to back up everyone’s suspicion
that the U.S. is losing jobs to China.
Soros
and friends reorder global finance at new Bretton Woods Washington
Examiner | It’s no accident they’re meeting on the very same site as
Bretton Woods– formally UN Monetary and Financial Conference.
IMF
Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg
| Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
[chart http://www.prisonplanet.com/goldman-sachs-the-margins-are-not-what-they-seem.html ]
…'
Iceland
rejects hostile takeover attempt in national referendum John
Stratton | Iceland is the only country where the people have been
allowed to have a say in the matter.
Five
Things You Didn't Know About Ben Bernanke
Breslin 'You know Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, but
how much do you really know about the guy? The
"most powerful nerd on the planet” became a household name during the
Great Recession, and yet the real man behind that bearded, calm exterior
remains something of a mystery.
Born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Dillon, South Carolina, Bernanke was
the son of a pharmacy owner and a schoolteacher. He went on to become an
economics professor and chaired the Department of Economics at Princeton. In
2002, he landed at the Federal Reserve as a governor, and in 2006, President
Bush appointed him chairman. He’s been criticized for failing to foresee the
nation’s financial crisis and for bailing out Wall Street. What you might not
know: The 57-year-old used to be a theme-park waiter.
May I Take Your Order, Please?
If you’ve ever crossed the border between North Carolina and South Carolina
along Interstate 95 and seen a giant Sombrero Tower, you’ve spotted where Young
Bernanke worked as a waiter. During the summers between semesters at Harvard,
the Fed-in-Chief returned to his hometown and slaved at “tourist mecca” South
of the Border to pay his way through college. At the Mexican-themed
roadside attraction, which features an amusement park and a mascot named Pedro,
Bernanke served diners at the Sombrero Restaurant and wore a poncho. In a 60
Minutes interview, Bernanke revealed that his summer jobs taught him that “work
is hard.”
A Man of Many Nicknames
“Helicopter Ben” is Bernanke’s most popular nickname. He earned the title after
a 2002 speech, “Deflation:
Making Sure ‘It’ Doesn’t Happen Here,” in which he referenced Nobel
Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman’s “helicopter drop” theory that says
deflation is best combated by a direct infusion of cash to the people. For
this, Bernanke was rewarded with artistic
renderings of himself dropping money over the country from a helicopter.
Subsequently, he was crowned “Bearnanke” by the Wall
Street Journal : “By harping on his worries about inflation and tight labor
markets, Bernanke has implied there will be no cut in interest rates any time
soon, and bond
investors […] risk losing money as they come to grips with that.” Most
recently, he has been rechristened “Bernie
Mac," “Banana
Ben,” "the
Ben Bernank," and “He
Who Sees No Bubbles.”
Foreclosure Crisis Hits Home
In 2009, Bernanke’s ranch-style childhood home in economically hard-hit Dillon
was sold at a
foreclosure sale to Travis Jackson, a 27-year-old loan officer. Bernanke
declined to comment on the record specifically about his foreclosed-upon
boyhood residence (the Bernanke family had sold the property over a decade prior),
but he stated, “We believe that getting the credit markets going, getting banks
lending again, increasing the demand for all products—including those made in
Dillon—are part of economic recovery. […] That's what the Fed's trying to
do."
Richard Schafer, who owns South of the Border, says post-recession revenue at
the park is down 10% and he wishes he’d kept a photo of Bernanke as a
serape-wearing server: “I'd probably get some economic-bailout money if I did.”
A Private Faith
Bernanke, almost didn’t go to Harvard because his family was concerned that he
would “lose his Jewish identity.” At the time, Harvard grad student and former
fellow Dillon resident Kenneth Manning, who is African-American and now an
M.I.T. professor, reassured the Bernanke family “there were Jews in
Boston.” When it comes to religion, says a friend, Bernanke “keeps
his feelings and beliefs private … but it’s really embedded in who he is.”
Bernanke learned Hebrew from his maternal grandfather, Harold Friedman, a
professional hazzan and Hebrew teacher.
Upon his arrival in Washington, Bernanke’s leadership experience as chair of
the economics department at Princeton was so limited that “he
liked to joke that his major decisions involved what type of bagels to order
for faculty meetings.”
Nice Beard
“Has Ben Bernanke's beard gotten significantly whiter since he started as Fed
Chairman or is it just me?” tweeted @The Analyst
of Bailout Ben. In terms of facial hair, Bernanke’s now-snowy iconic beard is
the yang to Giants’ pitcher Brian Wilson’s yin. In fact, Mr. Chairman’s beard
even has its own Facebook
page. “I hate everything Ben Bernanke stands for,” the Info page reads,
“but his beard is an epic win.”...'
National / World
Leahy:
Obama Needs Congressional Approval to Put Troops in Libya
CNS News | Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy said
President Obama needs congressional approval to send U.S. troops into Libya.
$5 Gas by
Memorial Day CBS | At one time, $5 per gallon gas seemed
like a farfetched idea.
Obama
vs. Trump: A Circus Sideshow on the Road to Feudalism [ Even if you don't
buy the 'feudalism' characterization
of pervasively corrupt, meaningfully
lawless, defacto bankrupt america, there is no question but that america is in an
intractable and regressive state of decline.
] Kurt Nimmo | Obama’s wranglers know the American
spectator does not elect presidents.
Obama’s Dismal
Approval Numbers Rasmussen Reports | There has been a
sharp decline in enthusiasm among liberal voters.
Drudgereport:
$5
GAS BY MEMORIAL DAY
Thermal
Cameras On Boston Streets Can Show Activity Inside Homes...
Pump
prices less than 10% below record high...
San
Fran highest at $4.13...
OBAMA
MAN: TRUMP HAS 'ZERO CHANCE' [ Hard to believe, or maybe because this particular
factual reality is so easy to believe because it's so obviously true, but
wobama finally got something right, not that it changes anything for him! ]
Despite
Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [
Pelosi finally gets something right! ]
[ wobama, pelosi finally uncharacteristically correct, albeit once each
in their lifetime ... must be the japanese radiation ... ]
9th
Body Found In NY Serial Killer Probe, Possibly A 10th...
Obama
regrets HIS vote against raising debt limit...
RASMUSSEN:
President hits new low 'strongly approve' – 19%...
UPDATE:
Egyptians turn anger on army in Cairo protest...
New
Clashes in Tahrir Square...
Gaza-Israel
violence rages...
'West wants
war'...
'Mideast
Without Israel and America Now Possible'...
Despite
Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [
Pelosi finally gets something right! ]
US
Debt Jumped $54 Billion in Week Preceding Deal to Cut $38 Billion...
11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A
DEAL
Obama:
'Americans of different beliefs came together'...
Takes credit for 'biggest
annual spending cut in history'...
'LIVE
WITHIN OUR MEANS'...
FLASHBACK:
Deficit Forecast Nears $1.5 Trillion...
SURPRISE:
Government shutdown averted...
Spending
cuts total nearly $40 billion...
$78
billion below Obama request...
Deal
bans DC from spending funds for abortion, continues school voucher program...
BOEHNER:
'As good a deal as we could get'...
REPORT:
Oprah won't endorse Obama for re-election...
Poll:
Obama Struggling With Whites...
Even
black voters slip...
OIL
JUMPS 2% -- IN A DAY...
Fever
for Gold, Silver Grips Investors...
Biden daughter
trashes Trump...
Bill Cosby slams: 'He's
full of it!'...
Trump
Takes On NYT, Gail Collins...
Admires
her for surviving 'so long with so little talent'...
NBCWSJ
POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC
where t_rump has his Jerry Springer
derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll?
… Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company
NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily
Caller ... Milbank: Donald
trumps CPAC | Gibbs
gone (Washington
Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and
propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt
regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has
such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in
many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single
time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s
never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged
bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ]
He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve
Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people
and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve
in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie.,
bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss …
trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade,
quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of
american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said
america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the
biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles
Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now
caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years:
buy real estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank
sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump
casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump
Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends
With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino
in mob-infested jersey!
Trump
luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for
sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in
n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud
and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in
jail ... (see RICO Case)] earned many billions of
dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and
acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ]
." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE... PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world …
true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto
bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a
misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world
combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I
unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3
branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american
trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american
illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush
appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in
productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on
society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules
of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam
alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and
obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit ( also maryanne trump
barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a
civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the
money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great
for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt
nation. ] “I would announce, without
equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
I get a kick out of
people who dismiss it as an interesting theory that doesn’t always work. It’s
not theory. It’s proven fact. In spite of the few years when it has not worked,
investing over the long-term based on the market’s seasonality significantly
outperforms the market, and with much less risk.
Selling
In May Is Very Good Advice This Year
Harding [ { April
Is a Good Time to Sell ( I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new
manipulated bubble … at the least a
'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ) Adler , see infra, immediately after
Harding } 'It’s that time of year again
when I always remind you of the market’s seasonality, its proven tendency to make
most of its gains between November and May, and experience most of its losses
in the opposite period.
I get a kick out of people who dismiss it as an interesting theory that
doesn’t always work. It’s not theory. It’s proven fact. In spite of the few
years when it has not worked, investing over the long-term based on the
market’s seasonality significantly outperforms the market, and with much less
risk.
Don’t take my word for it. Academic studies provide clear evidence.
For instance, a 27-page study published in the prestigious American
Economic Review in 2002 concludes, “We found that this inherited wisdom of
Sell in May to be true in 36 of 37 developed and emerging markets” It went
on to say that, “A trading strategy based on this anomaly would be highly
profitable in many countries. The annual risk-adjusted outperformance ranges between
1.5% and 8.9% annually depending on the country being considered. The effect is
robust over time, economically significant, unlikely to be caused by
data-mining, and not related to taking excess risk.”
Another study in 2008 at the New Zealand Institute of Advanced Study,
which focused solely on the U.S. stock market, concluded that “All U.S.
stock market sectors, and 48 out of 49 U.S. industry sectors performed better
during the winter months than summer months in our sampling from 1926-2006.”
Let’s put the fact that it doesn’t work every year in context.
To begin with, no strategy, particularly buy and hold, works every year.
And that is also true of seasonality. For instance, it underperformed in 2003
and 2009. In those years the market made gains in the winter months, and then,
fueled by massive government stimulus programs, continued still higher during
the summer months when a seasonal investor would have been invested in
something other than stocks.
But the seasonal investor did not lose money by being out of
the market in the unfavorable season in those years. He or she merely missed
further gains. But when an investor is in the market in unfavorable seasons in
which the market experiences the serious declines that most often take place in
unfavorable seasons, that investor actually loses money. Those losses
can be substantial, with investors giving back much, if not all of the gains
made in the previous favorable season. For instance, from May 1st to
its low during the summer months, the S&P 500 lost 22% of its value in
2001, 24% in 2002, 38% in 2008, and even 16% in the early summer correction in
the positive year last year. Those are the experiences that created the ‘lost
decade’ that buy and hold investors experienced but which seasonal investors
avoided.
Why might seasonality be even more important this year than in other
years?
Negatives are piled up against the economy and market to a degree not
seen in a number of years. They include rising inflation; global central banks
raising interest rates to ward off inflation, which is also likely to slow
their economic growth; signs of the U.S. economy slowing again (sharp declines
in home sales, durable goods orders, and consumer confidence); the coming end
of the Federal Reserve’s QE2 stimulus efforts in June; and the austerity
measures Congress will be forcing on the country in efforts to bring the record
budget deficit under control.
Then there is the high level of investor bullishness usually seen near
market tops. For instance, the Investors Intelligence Sentiment survey shows
bullishness has jumped up to 57%, while bearishness has fallen to just 15.7%.
That spread of 41.6% is considered to be in a danger zone. The last time it
reached 40% was in October, 2007, as the market topped out into the 2007-2009
bear market.
So, fair warning. Seasonality is liable to be even more important this
year than in most years.
The traditional seasonality maxim, ‘Sell in May and Go Away’, calls for
buying November 1 and selling on May 1 of the following year. Those dates were
the basis for the academic studies mentioned earlier.
But obviously a positive market move does not begin and end on the same
day each year. So in my 1999 book Riding the Bear – How to Prosper in the
Coming Bear Market, I introduced my Seasonal Timing Strategy. It
uses a technical indicator that tracks market momentum reversals to better
identify the entries and exits. Over the last 40 years, its exit signals have
been as early as April 20, and as late as June 20.
The modification significantly improved the already impressive
performance of the basic ‘Sell in May and Go Away’ seasonal strategy. In a
recent article on MarketWatch, Mark Hulbert wrote that the Hulbert Financial
Digest has only been tracking the performance since mid-2002, and since then
“Harding’s modification of the Sell In May and Go Away indicator produced an
8.2% annualized return . . . with 37% less risk.” That significantly beat the
performance of the S&P 500.' April
Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new
manipulated bubble … at the least a
'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ] Adler 'Both banks and foreign central
banks [FCB] have normal buying cycles, and last
week’s evidence suggests that both are just past the peak of those cycles.
In addition, because of Japan’s predicament, FCB buying is for the foreseeable
future, likely to be well below the necessary levels to keep levitating stocks.
Add to that, the loss of the 2 month long, $25 billion weekly stipend from the
Treasury on March 24, and we have the conditions for a rough patch.
With less help from the Treasury, the banks, and FCBs, the Fed would have its
hands full keeping all its balls in the air. Some would be likely to hit the
ground, but not this month. That’s because of the light Treasury supply that I
covered in
the Treasury update. That makes the job much easier this month, even without
the banks and the FCBs.This week is one of those easy weeks, with lots of Fed
pumping and no new Treasury supply ...
The evidence shows that banks are again out of the Treasury buying game. It
also shows that they lost money in the first quarter, which is insane
considering that their cost of funds is zero. It’s an indication of just how
dire the circumstances are. Banks continue to accumulate cash at a frantic rate
in their accounts at the Fed. The last time reserves rose this fast was in the
midst of the crisis in 2008.
...These elements essentially neutralize the Fed’s pumping. ..
In the meantime I would not wait to "sell in May and go away." April
looks like a good time to scale out of all equity longs, including in
particular broad based ETFs, like SPY (SPY), DIA (DIA), QQQ (QQQ), and IWM (IWM). Aggressive traders and
hedgers can use strength to establish short positions probably around mid-month
and after ...' ]
Apr 8, 2011 ... NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- 'With the price of oil
breaching the $110 a ... time oil surged this high, and
they're likely to hit the brakes yet again. ... NEW YORK (TheStreet)
-- With the price of oil breaching the $110 a barrel level, Jim Cramer told the
viewers of his "Mad
Money" TV show Friday that we've officially "entered the danger
zone" where the price of oil will matter more than corporate earnings.
Cramer said he simply cannot be as bullish on the markets as he once was, and
advised investors to begin using strength to raise cash. "Take a lesson
from 2008," Cramer told viewers as he outlined his game plan for next
week's trading. He said the markets faltered the last time oil surged this
high, and they're likely to hit the brakes yet again. "I'm going to become
more bearish as oil continues to climb," Cramer told viewers frankly. ...'
Keep
it Simple - Here's What's Really Driving Stock Prices
Toshiba
proposes to scrap 4 nuke reactors at Fukushima plant [ Am I missing
something here … some failed attempt at (Japanese) humor … Wow! … remind me not to buy a Toshiba
computer (I’ve also just eliminated dell and apple’s just not worth it). The
only explanation is that the radiation must be eating at their brains. Was this
proposal ever in doubt … even necessary? I’m at a loss for words! I really am!
] TOKYO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Toshiba
Corp. submitted a proposal to Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to decommission four troubled reactors at
the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, ...
Stocks
End Lower Friday, Mixed for Week
Midnight Trader 4:24 PM, Apr 8, 2011 --
2.
NYSE down 5.39
(-0.1%) to 8,483.94
3.
DJIA down 29.44
(-0.2%) to 12,380
4.
S&P 500 down
5.34 (-0.4%) to 1,328
5.
Nasdaq down
15.73 (-0.6%) to 2,780
GLOBAL SENTIMENT
·
Hang Seng up 0.47%
·
Nikkei up 1.85%
·
FTSE down 0.81%
These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans,
torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free
trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies accelerated under
Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.
After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential
approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under
Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda,
his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of
these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...
There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and
outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not
worse than Bush:
1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...
2) Betrayal of the Poor...
3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade”
agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free
trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations
who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. … the government moves forward
with many new similar
agreements.
4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...
5)Internet Rights Eroding...
6) Finally, the DHS
has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly
unconstitutional … Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the
corporate information cartel...
7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...
9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ]
From Egypt to Libya and now the budget, the questions on leadership
style have followed a consistent pattern.
A
Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China Jason
Kaspar | If inflation is to hit home in the heartland of America, it
will certainly begin at Wal-Mart.
Portugal
defaults, America on the waiting list? RT | Prime Minister
of Portugal asked the European Union for a bailout.
Two
George Soros Events Aim to Remake Financial Order and Media Dan
Gainor | His flunkies want to “Change the world. Change the media.”
National / World
Drudgereport: 11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A
DEAL
Obama:
'Americans of different beliefs came together'...
Takes credit for
'biggest annual spending cut in history'...
'LIVE
WITHIN OUR MEANS'...
FLASHBACK:
Deficit Forecast Nears $1.5 Trillion...
SURPRISE:
Government shutdown averted...
Spending
cuts total nearly $40 billion...
$78
billion below Obama request...
Deal
bans DC from spending funds for abortion, continues school voucher program...
BOEHNER:
'As good a deal as we could get'...
REPORT:
Oprah won't endorse Obama for re-election...
Poll:
Obama Struggling With Whites...
Even
black voters slip...
OIL
JUMPS 2% -- IN A DAY...
Fever
for Gold, Silver Grips Investors...
Biden daughter
trashes Trump...
Bill Cosby slams: 'He's
full of it!'...
Trump
Takes On NYT, Gail Collins...
Admires
her for surviving 'so long with so little talent'...
NBCWSJ
POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC
where t_rump has his Jerry Springer
derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll?
… Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company
NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily
Caller ... Milbank: Donald
trumps CPAC | Gibbs
gone (Washington
Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and
propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt
regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has
such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in
many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single
time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s
never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged
bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ]
He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve
Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people
and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve
in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie.,
bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss …
trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade,
quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of
american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said
america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the
biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning
Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia
mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real
estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank
sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump
casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)
Gunfire
Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year
At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect
from a mobster’s casino in mob-infested jersey!
Trump
luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for
sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in
n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud
and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in
jail ... (see RICO Case)
] earned many billions of
dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and
acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ]
." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world …
true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt
legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt
nation. ] “I would announce, without
equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of
Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges,
unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies
accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.
After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a
record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of
hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under
Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda,
his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of
these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...
There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and
outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not
worse than Bush:
1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...
2) Betrayal of the Poor...
3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade”
agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free
trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations
who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. … the government moves forward
with many new similar
agreements.
4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...
5)Internet Rights Eroding...
6) Finally, the DHS
has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly
unconstitutional … Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the
corporate information cartel...
7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...
9) Rule of Law is
Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ]
From Egypt to Libya and
now the budget, the questions on leadership style have followed a consistent
pattern.
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump
Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year
Whistling
Past the Expanding Graveyard as Spain Goes 'On the Clock 'Inflation Trader 'For some time now, the
markets have been ‘whistling past the graveyard,’ impressively ignoring and/or
shrugging off a fair pile of news that ought definitely to be negative for
equities and probably somewhat negative for bonds as well. I’ve detailed these
things previously and they don’t really need much repeating.
But it’s one thing to go whistling past the local church graveyard,
something else entirely to keep whistling when the graveyard stretches on for
miles. Yesterday, Portugal
formally asked the EU for a bailout. “I tried everything but we came to a
moment that not taking this decision would bring risks we can’t afford,” said
Prime Minister Jose Socrates. A day or two ago, there had been talk that
Portugal wanted a short-term loan to float it past a big slug of bond
redemptions that is approaching; the EU said ‘it doesn’t work that way,’ so
Portugal was forced to throw itself on the mercy of the Union.
Well, this is something less than a total surprise, and indeed
Portuguese bond yields rallied 17bps, along with Ireland’s 32bp rally
and Spain’s 6bp rally. I don’t know how Portugal seeking aid improves the lot
of Ireland, but there it is. Now, I don’t really care about a one-day rally but
the significance of Portugal succumbing is that the market’s crosshairs will
now be trained on Spain, Italy, or Belgium. Judging from market yields, it
would appear Spain is likely to be the next one ‘on the clock.’ And that’s
really the main event, because Spain’s economy is much larger than Portugal’s,
Greece’s, or Ireland’s.
The graveyard stretches onward. How long can markets keep whistling?
A
Trading System That Challenges the Efficient Market Hypothesis [ I haven't included the body of this
article because it's not worth your time. What parallel universe is McCurdy
operating in? Even in the heyday of that so-called hypothesis, close
examination of the data indicated that if you weren't timing the market you
were, in a somewhat 'Charlie Sheenish' manner of speaking, duh! … losing!
(my MBA Thesis, 1977, NYU GBA, Finance – which required study / mastery
of such math intensive theory which wasn't for the faint of heart.) Said
'hypothesis' wasn't true then and certainly isn't true today where complex
computer-programming can and does artificially produce the various criteria /
buy / sell / signals alluded to in the article (they're widely known /
followed) creating the rigged / fraudulent trading game geared to maximized the
'churn-and-earn' commission profits (net negative in economic terms) and
enabling the passing of 'those hot potatoes'/paper shares in a manner that
resembles a game of musical chairs with those not in the loop winding up
holding the bag (including pension funds, etc.); all the while funding those
lavish lifesyles / over-compensation of the frauds on wall street along with
the direct / indirect bribes inuring them from stigma and as well, insulating
them from proper scrutiny and prosecution.
Fundamentals, fundamental rational analysis has become virtually
irrelevant to these now fraud-prone markets like never before in history
facilitating frauds of magnitudes that have made the rationalization 'too big
to fail' a byword of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american failed
finance; which frauds continue unabated, unprosecuted even as you read these
words. In retrospect, one might say of such theory, in reality, that famed
snoopy(ish - the dog) aphorism,
'baffling them with b*** s*** '. (Which
as it stands today particularly, remains an american financial / economic
strategy, albeit a now widely known failed strategy.) - Lawyer
charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [ Come on! Just enough for a
few headlines so people think they're actually doing something. They could (but
don't) bring a case as this or other wall street crime against a different wall
street liar (sic lawyer) / fraud in that corrupt sinkhole new york (metro, ie.,
jersey, conn., etc.) every single day and bearly touch the tip of the iceberg.
Is anybody foolish enough to think what goes on there is legitimate? Remember,
still no pros for the huge debacle / fraud precipitating the last and continuing
economic / financial crisis. Chemist
charged with insider trading (WP) [ This
remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! The
frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined,
and disgorgement imposed. Dave's
Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its
inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up.
Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy
back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money-- … an especially great
opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse
to come! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER:
We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Davis ‘… This
is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to
get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but
probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded
liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see
Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth
of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend
$1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). SEC:
Wachovia cheated investors
(WP) I truly can see decreasing
the apple weighting (formerly 20%), and increasing the oracle (open office,
etc.), google (ubiquitous) weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft
weighting … I don't think so … something's gone awry here that smacks of
desperation and an attempt to circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a
post-jobs apple, viz., over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds
on wall street … to pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story (apple), and
manipulate when that 1-stock story falls to earth! April
Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … at the least a 'sell in May and go
away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' Adler ]
Whistling
Past the Expanding Graveyard as Spain Goes 'On the Clock 'Inflation Trader 'For some time now, the
markets have been ‘whistling past the graveyard,’ impressively ignoring and/or
shrugging off a fair pile of news that ought definitely to be negative for
equities and probably somewhat negative for bonds as well. I’ve detailed these
things previously and they don’t really need much repeating.
But it’s one thing to go whistling past the local church graveyard,
something else entirely to keep whistling when the graveyard stretches on for
miles. Yesterday, Portugal
formally asked the EU for a bailout. “I tried everything but we came to a
moment that not taking this decision would bring risks we can’t afford,” said
Prime Minister Jose Socrates. A day or two ago, there had been talk that
Portugal wanted a short-term loan to float it past a big slug of bond
redemptions that is approaching; the EU said ‘it doesn’t work that way,’ so
Portugal was forced to throw itself on the mercy of the Union.
Well, this is something less than a total surprise, and indeed
Portuguese bond yields rallied 17bps, along with Ireland’s 32bp rally
and Spain’s 6bp rally. I don’t know how Portugal seeking aid improves the lot
of Ireland, but there it is. Now, I don’t really care about a one-day rally but
the significance of Portugal succumbing is that the market’s crosshairs will
now be trained on Spain, Italy, or Belgium. Judging from market yields, it
would appear Spain is likely to be the next one ‘on the clock.’ And that’s
really the main event, because Spain’s economy is much larger than Portugal’s,
Greece’s, or Ireland’s.
The graveyard stretches onward. How long can markets keep whistling?
U.S. 10y note yields reached 1-month highs at 3.55%, and I will not be
at all surprised to see them keep going higher. I believe the economic data is
going to be flattening out a bit here, but not quickly enough to get investors
champing at the bit to take up the slack once the Fed stops buying in a couple
of months. Real yields are back to 0.96% on the 10y – still too expensive for
my tastes but it is easy to say that; harder it is to find good alternatives.
Even OSM, which
I wrote about a year ago when it was trading at 16, only sports a yield of
CPI+4.8% or so. After accounting for the credit risk of the issuer, that’s not
particularly cheap (although probably better than many alternatives – I am not
selling mine yet).
Energy markets continue to ooze slowly higher. The impacts of the
Japanese disaster are continuing to spread and be felt. The financial impacts
won’t be measured by Geiger counter readings, but by guidance from companies
whose supply chains have been disrupted by the crisis. That guidance and those
calls will start to happen when earnings announcement season gets kicked off on
Monday (although the companies affected probably aren’t those that report next
week but in the week or two thereafter).
And the money spigot the Fed has turned on will be turning off in only a
few months.
Some people would say that this is all part of the “market climbing a
wall of worry.” But that’s not right. A “wall of worry” is when investors are
timid because of the possibility that things might go wrong, and they’re
worrying about what might go wrong. That’s not the situation here. These things
are not possibilities; they are things that are actually going wrong, right
now. It’s whistling past the graveyard (frankly I picture it more like Michael Jackson’s Thriller,
with lots of ghouls and ghastly things reaching out to clutch at the
passersby).
Today, there are two main events on schedule. The first is the
announcement by the ECB of the results of the monetary policy meeting. There is
total unanimity among economists (at least, the 57 polled by Bloomberg) that
the ECB will hike rates by 25bps even as Portugal, Greece, and Ireland are
foundering on high rates. I think that will be a colossal error, although if
they stop after one tightening or indicate that there will be a pause of some
length to let the policymakers evaluate the effect of the move then it may not
be as big of an error. But tightening policy now, given what is happening in
MENA, given what is happening in Japan, and given what is happening with oil
(which price rise is already contractionary), is a mind-boggling decision. And,
as I have said before, it clearly points out that the EU doesn’t care much
about the periphery countries and that policy is being run for the core. That’s
fine, unless you’re a periphery country! We will see, I suppose, how willing
the consumers of Europe are to take slower growth or a return to recession in
order to restrain inflation.
This was always going to be the battle. Inflation, given the scale of
central bank response to crisis, was always doomed to turn higher long before
the “economic slack” (which is to say, jobs for the people) had evaporated. In
the U.S., I have long assumed that the Fed would be very slow
to hike rates for this reason and because the institution – despite its
apparent independence – isn’t insulated from public rancor or from the
brickbats of Congressional blowhards.
The other report is the weekly Initial Claims data (Consensus: 385k from
388k), which is unlikely to have a major impact unless it spikes well above
400k. A 410k print would get people wondering whether Claims are turning higher
again, but a better-than-expected number has a high hurdle because the
presumption is that Claims are in a downtrend.
For my money, I’m watching the ECB, listening to the press conference
afterwards, and wearing a garlic necklace.'
These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of
Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges,
unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies
accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.
After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential
approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under
Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda,
his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of
these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...
There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and
outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not
worse than Bush:
1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...
2) Betrayal of the Poor...
3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade”
agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free
trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations
who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. In contrast to being
“opposed” to such agreements, the government moves forward with many new similar
agreements.
4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...
5)Internet Rights Eroding...
6) Finally, the DHS
has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly
unconstitutional. Given that Obama is completely in bed with Google and
others in the corporate information cartel, you can
bet he will show his support for these endeavors even if only by remaining
silent as they are debated then implemented.
7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...
9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ]
After an evening meeting with congressional leaders at the White House, the
president said the two sides are divided over “relatively narrow numbers.”
A
Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China Jason
Kaspar | If inflation is to hit home in the heartland of America, it
will certainly begin at Wal-Mart.
Portugal
defaults, America on the waiting list? RT | Prime Minister
of Portugal asked the European Union for a bailout.
Two
George Soros Events Aim to Remake Financial Order and Media Dan
Gainor | His flunkies want to “Change the world. Change the media.”
Markets
Fall On Second Major Earthquake Near Fukushima Following a 7.4 magnitude
earthquake off the coast of northeastern Japan today, the major stock market
indexes fell after rising all morning.
“We
Don’t Need A Bailout… We Don’t Need A Bailout…Uh, We Need A Bailout”: Portugal
Admits To Needing EU Rescue In the biggest shocker to come out just hours
before the ECB’s announcement tomorrow, which many see is a guaranteed rate
hike, Journal de Negocios has just announced that according to the Portuguese
Finance Minister, the country needs a bailout, after weeks and weeks of
Greece-style denials. And yes, nobody could have foreseen this, and all that
jazz.
National / World
Obama
Remembers Pumping Gas During an appearance before Al Sharpton’s shake down
organization, the National Action Network, the comedian Obama said he was a gas
station attendant before he decided to serve his country as a teleprompter
reader. Barry Obama was a regular Joe with student loans to pay off and other
hardships suffered daily by the boobeoisie.
Drudgereport: Obama:
'I Remember What It Was Like To Pump Gas'...
Get
used to high prices...
GOP
lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...
FAA
sets 'no-fly zone' over Williamsburg...
'Long-planned
family trip'...
'Rest
and relaxation'...
Malls
hit highest vacancy in 11 years...
General:
U.S. may consider ground troops in Libya...
DEM:
WH 'dramatically underestimating' cost of war...
NATO
Fears War without End...
NATO Airstrike Kills
Libyan Rebels -- again...
OIL SPIKES PAST $110...
Traders
prepare for oil at $175...
Ryan:
Debt On Track To Hit 800% Of GDP...
Oklahoma
sees driest 4 months since Dust Bowl...
'CBO Can't Conceive of Any Way' Economy Can Continue Past 2037...[that's
awfully optimistically close to if not beyond the 'decades at best
scenario']...
REPORT:
Saudis 'So Unhappy' With White House They Sent Emissaries to China, Russia
Seeking Enhanced Ties...
Cash-Strapped
NYC To Close 20 Fire Companies...
NBCWSJ
POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where
t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole
new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Lawrence
O'Donnell insists parent company NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily Caller ... Milbank: Donald
trumps CPAC | Gibbs
gone (Washington Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up
by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions
(ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of
that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many
battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single
time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s
never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged
bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ]
He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve
Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people
and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve
in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie.,
bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss …
trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade,
quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of
american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said
america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the
biggest joke … NEWS FLASH:
Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new
yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for
the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go
down…..riiiiight!).
Bank
sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump
casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)
Gunfire
Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year
At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect
from a mobster’s casino in mob-infested jersey!
Trump
luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for
sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in
n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud
and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in
jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said
america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the
biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he
should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become!
[ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself
in populist american flag and offers up an (too little too late – typical
lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d
already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws.
All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their ever more and
declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper /
bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been
america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift,
hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with
them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest
thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and
warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be
bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never
have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great,
other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police,
politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a
wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american
folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and
certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The
reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win
election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible;
and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but
unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as
I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false
perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake
it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes,
etc., Defacto
bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a
misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world
combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I
unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3
branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american
trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american
illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush
appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in
productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on
society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules
of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam
alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and
obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit ( also maryanne trump
barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a
civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the
money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great
for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent
and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ]
“I would announce, without equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything
purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?'
]
These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of
Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges,
unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies
accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.
After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a
record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of
hope and change ...Although policies
being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s
tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional
principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...
There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and
outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not
worse than Bush:
1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...
2) Betrayal of the Poor...
3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade”
agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free
trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations
who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. In contrast to being
“opposed” to such agreements, the government moves forward with many new similar
agreements.
4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...
5)Internet Rights Eroding...
6) Finally, the DHS
has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly
unconstitutional. Given that Obama is completely in bed with Google and
others in the corporate information cartel, you can
bet he will show his support for these endeavors even if only by remaining
silent as they are debated then implemented.
7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...
9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism...
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump
Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends
With Employee Killed
Trump
luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for
sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in
n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud
and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in
jail ... (see RICO Case)
Bad
News for Cisco is Good: Dave's Daily 'This is the Alice in Wonderland world we live in. Cisco CEO John
Chambers admits that all is not well ("we suck!") and investors bid
the stock up 5%. Maybe the thinking is his confession will force his ouster. Maybe
investors will think a government shutdown is a good thing since that's one way
to cut spending. Across the pond, Portugal is bust (another bad news item) but
the euro and stocks rally. Elsewhere Fed Governor Lockhart stated he didn't see
any reason to abandon "QE2" early or raise interest
rates before the end of the year. Was that bad or good news? The best news
item of the day came from part one of a David Stockman op-ed calling out "Crony
Capitalism" as our major problem. It's a great read and the
conclusions within will ring true for many people...'
Slowing
Global Economy With Downside Risk
Roche 'Danske Bank, which has
been very bullish in recent years, is joining the chorus of banks becoming
increasingly concerned about a global slowdown. In a recent note they discussed
their macro outlook and where they see the risks to the downside:
Summary and outlook
Global leading indicators are showing signs of weakening, but they are
still at comfortable levels. US ISM declined modestly from a very high level in
March. Likewise, European PMIs still look good, but survey expectations point
towards a slowdown in growth. In China the slowdown seems to have taken hold.
We expect the majority of the leading indicators to decline to less
expansive levels in the coming months, but to remain at decent levels. However,
several factors could temporarily speed up the decline. Rising oil prices,
caused by the Middle East turmoil, lead to rising production costs and reduced
purchasing power. The disaster in Japan hampers Japanese production and could
also disrupt global supply chains. Finally, the recent slowdown in China
reduces demand growth from Asia.
Details
Global PMI new orders have dropped to 55 from the peak last month at 60.
This is the first drop since September 2010, confirming the expected slowdown
in growth.
In the US, ISM declined moderately from 61.4 to 61.2, but the new orders
index took a dive indicating further corrections in the coming months. Hence we
expect ISM to continue to decline.
In Euroland PMIs generally sent a positive signal, with Germany being
the driving force. However, here as well, we expect to see adjustments in the
coming months. Scandi leading indicators are somewhat less positive, but
generally point to decent growth rates, yet Denmark is still trailing the rest
of the region.
Asia has been sending less upbeat signals lately. Chinese manufacturing
PMI dropped also in March, indicating slowing growth. Other Asian PMIs are
starting to point in the same direction. CEE PMIs have started to show some
signs of moderation as well, but we continue to believe in healthy growth rates
over the coming months. Similarly in Brazil PMI has lost its recent momentum.
click to enlarge
http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/6/saupload_danske.png '
U.S.
Equities Stall: Short Exposure Is Best Karnik [ I have a few difficulties
with 'Karnak' here since he correctly sets forth reasons for lower equities;
yet he's long SPY (though in his article he seems to distinguish already ultra
short S & P plays which might bounce to cover). ]
Short-Term,
High-Probability Mean-Reversion Strategy: ETFs Hit a Short-Term Extreme
Crowder 'After marching higher for most of the day, the major market indices
came back near the closing bell to close Tuesday basically flat.
We have seen several days of range bound trading, and I expect to see a
violent move outside of the range when it inevitably occurs.
Given the extreme short-term overbought state in most of the ETFs I
follow for my ETF/Options strategy, I expect to see a short-term reprieve over
the coming days.
Because of the extreme overbought nature of the ETFs, I still have both
of my positions on. I will take them both off once we get back to neutral
territory.
Until then, I will sit back and patiently wait for the trade. This type
of price action has happened before and it will happen again. However, if we
look at the history of the strategy each time this has occurred we have seen
profitable days ahead. I expect that history will repeat itself once again. Of
course, as we all know, there are no guarantees in trading so always consider
risk management mostly through position-sizing with each and every trade. This
is a must for every trader and one that will make you a successful trader over
the long-term. Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint.
Short-Term High-Probability, Mean-Reversion Indicator – as of close
4/04/11
click to enlarge http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/6/saupload_4_5_11_hpmr.png
Disclosure: I am
short IWM, SPY.'
Ryan:
Debt on Track to Hit 800 Percent of GDP CNSNews.com | Ryan
said House Republicans’ FY2012 budget would save Medicare and help the United
States avoid a debt crisis.
National / World
Flood
of phishing may follow breach (Washington Post) [ Well, I don't know about
the breach, but going fishing in May sounds like a good idea … even April ...
April
Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new
manipulated bubble … at the least a
'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ] Adler 'Both banks and foreign central
banks [FCB] have normal buying cycles, and last
week’s evidence suggests that both are just past the peak of those cycles.
In addition, because of Japan’s predicament, FCB buying is for the foreseeable
future, likely to be well below the necessary levels to keep levitating stocks.
Add to that, the loss of the 2 month long, $25 billion weekly stipend from the
Treasury on March 24, and we have the conditions for a rough patch.
With less help from the Treasury, the banks, and FCBs, the Fed would have its
hands full keeping all its balls in the air. Some would be likely to hit the
ground, but not this month. That’s because of the light Treasury supply that I
covered in
the Treasury update. That makes the job much easier this month, even
without the banks and the FCBs.
This week is one of those easy weeks, with lots of Fed pumping and no new
Treasury supply. That should be relentlessly bullish, but you sure wouldn’t
know that from Monday’s action. There’s tremendous drag behind the scenes that
is preventing the Fed’s pumping from having as much effect is it would
otherwise.
The evidence shows that banks are again out of the Treasury buying game. It
also shows that they lost money in the first quarter, which is insane
considering that their cost of funds is zero. It’s an indication of just how
dire the circumstances are. Banks continue to accumulate cash at a frantic rate
in their accounts at the Fed. The last time reserves rose this fast was in the
midst of the crisis in 2008.
Although the banks did buy some Treasuries in mid-March, they have again
stopped buying, and have reduced their holdings, opting to hold cash at the Fed
instead. The banks are pulling cash out of the system and depositing it in
their reserve accounts even faster than the Fed is printing it, lately 60%
faster. We have to wonder what has them so spooked.
At the same time, FCB purchases of Treasuries are also backsliding, and are
well below the threshold where they need to be to keep the markets stable.
These elements essentially neutralize the Fed’s pumping ...
In the meantime I would not wait to "sell in May and go away." April
looks like a good time to scale out of all equity longs, including in
particular broad based ETFs, like SPY (SPY), DIA (DIA), QQQ (QQQ), and IWM (IWM). Aggressive traders and
hedgers can use strength to establish short positions probably around mid-month
and after ...'
Top
3 Reasons were Flat While Gold Set Another Record [ I truly can see decreasing the apple
weighting, and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google (ubiquitous)
weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't think so …
something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt to
circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz.,
over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to
pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story, and manipulate when that
1-stock story falls to earth! ] Wall Street Cheat Sheet 'On Tuesday April 5,
2011, Markets closed flat on Wall Street: DJI -0.05% SP500 -0.02% Nasdaq +0.07%
Gold +1.37% Oil -0.45% . Markets went nowhere today … again. Today’s story was
Gold (NYSE:GLD)
setting new record highs. (See “Gold
Bugs, Unite!“)
Today’s markets were flat because:
1) The US Services sector continues to expand. Although the ISM
Non-Manufacturing Index came in below Wall Street expectation, 16 out of 17
sectors expanded. Check Out: Chart
of the Day: US Services Sector Breathes, But Still Expanding.
2) The Nasdaq 100 (NASDAQ:QQQ)
is rebalancing. It was bad news for Nasdaq OMX Group’s (NASDAQ:NDAQ)
former love Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).
Apple
currently comprises 20.49% of the index, but will drop to 12.33%.
However, other tech heavy-weights are cheering the move. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)
is increases its weighting to 8.3% from 3.41%, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)
increases to 4.2% from 1.75%, Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL)
increases to 6.68% from 3.38%, and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)
increases to 5.8%. That’s some nice wind on the back of new
CEO Larry Page.
3) Bonus: Chipotle (NYSE:CMG)
sets a new 52-week high. We recommended Chipotle to our Wall
St. Cheat Sheet Investment Newsletter subscribers when it was trading at
$140. Today it hit $280....'
April
Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new
manipulated bubble … at the least a
'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ] Adler 'Both banks and foreign central
banks [FCB] have normal buying cycles, and last
week’s evidence suggests that both are just past the peak of those cycles.
In addition, because of Japan’s predicament, FCB buying is for the foreseeable
future, likely to be well below the necessary levels to keep levitating stocks.
Add to that, the loss of the 2 month long, $25 billion weekly stipend from the
Treasury on March 24, and we have the conditions for a rough patch.
With less help from the Treasury, the banks, and FCBs, the Fed would have its
hands full keeping all its balls in the air. Some would be likely to hit the
ground, but not this month. That’s because of the light Treasury supply that I
covered in
the Treasury update. That makes the job much easier this month, even
without the banks and the FCBs.
This week is one of those easy weeks, with lots of Fed pumping and no new
Treasury supply. That should be relentlessly bullish, but you sure wouldn’t
know that from Monday’s action. There’s tremendous drag behind the scenes that
is preventing the Fed’s pumping from having as much effect is it would
otherwise.
The evidence shows that banks are again out of the Treasury buying game. It
also shows that they lost money in the first quarter, which is insane
considering that their cost of funds is zero. It’s an indication of just how
dire the circumstances are. Banks continue to accumulate cash at a frantic rate
in their accounts at the Fed. The last time reserves rose this fast was in the
midst of the crisis in 2008.
Although the banks did buy some Treasuries in mid-March, they have again
stopped buying, and have reduced their holdings, opting to hold cash at the Fed
instead. The banks are pulling cash out of the system and depositing it in
their reserve accounts even faster than the Fed is printing it, lately 60%
faster. We have to wonder what has them so spooked.
At the same time, FCB purchases of Treasuries are also backsliding, and are
well below the threshold where they need to be to keep the markets stable.
These elements essentially neutralize the Fed’s pumping. It may not be enough
to send the markets lower, and in the absence of new Treasury supply, Fed
buying should be enough to keep the field tilted in favor of higher prices.
April’s bias should be to the upside, but the background drag will be there.
Things will get tougher in May when Treasury supply increases, and really tough
this summer when the Fed presumably will stop pumping. The question at that
point is to what extent the banks and FCBs will be on the upside of their buying
cycle, and will that alone be enough to prevent a selloff.
In the meantime I would not wait to "sell in May and go away." April
looks like a good time to scale out of all equity longs, including in
particular broad based ETFs, like SPY (SPY), DIA (DIA), QQQ (QQQ), and IWM (IWM). Aggressive traders and hedgers
can use strength to establish short positions probably around mid-month and
after ...'
Top
3 Reasons were Flat While Gold Set Another Record [ I truly can see decreasing the apple
weighting, and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google (ubiquitous)
weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't think so …
something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt to
circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz.,
over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to
pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story, and manipulate when that
1-stock story falls to earth! ] Wall Street Cheat Sheet 'On Tuesday April 5,
2011, Markets closed flat on Wall Street: DJI -0.05% SP500 -0.02% Nasdaq +0.07%
Gold +1.37% Oil -0.45% . Markets went nowhere today … again. Today’s story was
Gold (NYSE:GLD)
setting new record highs. (See “Gold
Bugs, Unite!“)
Today’s markets were flat because:
1) The US Services sector continues to expand. Although the ISM Non-Manufacturing
Index came in below Wall Street expectation, 16 out of 17 sectors expanded.
Check Out: Chart
of the Day: US Services Sector Breathes, But Still Expanding.
2) The Nasdaq 100 (NASDAQ:QQQ)
is rebalancing. It was bad news for Nasdaq OMX Group’s (NASDAQ:NDAQ)
former love Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).
Apple
currently comprises 20.49% of the index, but will drop to 12.33%.
However, other tech heavy-weights are cheering the move. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)
is increases its weighting to 8.3% from 3.41%, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)
increases to 4.2% from 1.75%, Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL)
increases to 6.68% from 3.38%, and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)
increases to 5.8%. That’s some nice wind on the back of new
CEO Larry Page.
3) Bonus: Chipotle (NYSE:CMG)
sets a new 52-week high. We recommended Chipotle to our Wall
St. Cheat Sheet Investment Newsletter subscribers when it was trading at
$140. Today it hit $280....'
[video]
Weisberg: Market Priced for Earnings Perfection [ I'd say far more than
perfection as in contrived, fraudulent overbought bubble! ]
Monetary
and Fiscal Policy Uncertainty: Dave's Daily ' Fed minutes revealed what
most thought despite recent signs of improvement in the US economy; it didn't
need to change its plan to boost the economy by buying $600 billion worth of
bonds. In fact some thought QE2 should continue past the scheduled June
expiration. Therefore POMO
continues and Wednesday the Fed bought another $7.5 billion from their pals on
Wall Street.
Separately, a government shutdown looms, which troubles some but not me
particularly. There's more politics and posturing than leadership in
Washington, that's for sure.
There was more fun when Michael Steinhardt of trading
fame and now chairman of Wisdom Tree went off the reservation blasting Buffett
and phony inflation data. The CNBC panel was flummoxed.
Stocks
did little overall despite the long delayed reweighting of the NASDAQ affecting
Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Cisco (CSCO). Given the Fed's unwillingness
to deal with obvious inflation in commodity markets, precious metals once again
were higher being the featured sector Wednesday.
Volume remains anemic while breadth per the WSJ was flat...'
Retail,
ISM, Fed Reports Lead Tuesday's Economic Calendar [ Watch for the fake data
/ reports as their desperation grows! ]
A
Weak SOX Can Trump a Dow Theory Buy Signal
Suttmeier 'We are now operating under a Dow
Theory Buy Signal as the Dow
Industrial Average closed at 12,400.03 on Monday above its February 18 high at
12,391.29. Be aware that the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) is a drag
in the opposite direction being down 9.5% from its February high. The Dow Industrials
is up 0.1%, Dow Transports is up 1.4%, as is the Russell 2000 versus February
highs. The SOX thus questions the sustainability of the Dow Theory Buy.
Stocks Remain Overvalued Fundamentally – We are operating under a ValuEngine
Valuation Watch with more than 60% of all stocks
overvalued. At Friday’s close 61.1% of all stocks were overvalued. In addition
all 16 sectors are overvalued with eight by double-digit percentages. A
ValuEngine Valuation Warning occurs when more than 65% of all stocks
are overvalued. This last occurred at the mid-February highs.
10-Year Note – (3.431) The 10-Year yield is back below its 50-day simple moving
average at 3.466, which favors
the flight to quality scenario. Daily, annual and quarterly value levels are
3.537, 3.796 and 4.016 with weekly and monthly risky levels at 3.275 and
3.181...'
Wages
not keeping pace with prices (Washington Post) [ Yes , there is a substantial cost to
'no-recession, helicopter ben' b. s. bernanke's attempt at new age alchemy in trying to spin worthless currency /
paper securities / toxic assets into gold for the sake of fraudulent wall street
only; which of course, not only does not work, but invariably ends quite badly.
The more recent your trip to the grocery store, gas station, etc., the more
pronounced the evidence. There is no
modern day alchemy that 'spins more paper into gold'. That value has to come
from some place; viz., you! Chemist
charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [
This remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! Not just
corruption, but bad time /resource management. The
frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined,
and disgorgement imposed (this would also help significantly the hapless,
hopeless budget scenario). Drop
in home prices raises fear of double dip (Washington Post) [ Fear of double dip?
We're in a continuing dip that never
really ended with obfuscations of
reality including more insurmountable debt and fed-based manipulations (Dave
explains infra) Case-Shiller
Chairman: Here’s Why the Housing Market Recession is Not Over Wall St Cheat Sheet 'Welcome to 2003! The
S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index 10-City
Composite was down 2% and the 20-City Composite fell 3.1% in January on a
year-over-year basis. On a monthly basis, the 10-City Composite was down 0.9%
and the 20-City Composite fell 1.0% in January versus December 2010.San
Diego and Washington D.C. were the only two markets to record
positive year-over-year changes. However, San Diego was up a scant 0.1%,
while Washington DC posted a healthier +3.6% annual growth rate. The same
11 cities that had posted recent index level lows in December 2010, posted
new lows in January.
David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard &
Poor’s commented:
“Keeping with the
trends set in late 2010, January brings us weakening home prices with no real
hope in sight for the near future. With this month’s data, we find
the same 11 MSAs posting new recent index lows. The 10-City and 20-City
Composites continue to decline month-over-month and have posted monthly
declines for six consecutive months now.These data confirm what we have
seen with recent housing starts and sales reports. The housing
market recession is not yet over, and none of the statistics are
indicating any form of sustained recovery . At most, we have seen all
statistics bounce along their troughs; at worst, the feared double-dip
recession may be materializing. ..., but both series have moved closer to
a confirmed double-dip for six consecutive months. At this point we are
not too far off, and that is what many analysts are seeing with sales,
starts and inventory data too...' M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this
low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start
cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell
bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events
going on little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial
institutions to see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay
dividends. Making the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order
on the entire process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you… (see infra)’
] False / fake data / reports galore … High oil price rally! Come on! What total b*** s***! Previous
rally sparked by upward revision of GDP by the scandal-scarred commerce
department? You can’t believe anything these desperate self-servers say! This
manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on b*** s*** alone and
today’s suckers’ rally on more bad/worse than expected news (consumer
confidence down) provides an especially great opportunity to sell / take
profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! Fed
to hold regular news conferences (Washington
Post) [ Wow! Just what everyone needed … more spoon-fed b*** s*** / jawboning
by the flawed, flatulent, faultful fed … for the sake of fraudulent wall street
… you do remember those 'no-recession' jawbone sessions that sent the prior
bubble expanding faster than 'the big bang' itself … until every got and
continues to get banged from the last bubble-fraud crash. Chairman Bernanke’s move is part of
efforts by the central bank to make the institution appear less secretive. States
target jobless benefits (Washington
Post) Durable goods (leading indicator)
200% worse than expected, stocks rally. ‘ February
Durable Goods Orders Disappoint
NEW YORK (TheStreet)
Bharatwaj …’ This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
]
Gold
Settles at Record High Above $1,452 Reuters | Gold prices
rose to settle at a record high above $1,452 ounce Tuesday.
The
foreclosure mess isn’t going away Zachary Roth | Compelling
video of a grandmother being evicted from her home by a SWAT team.
Oil
prices hit all-time high in Britain Mail Online |
Increases the mounting pressure on Bank of England interest rate-setters.
National / World
Typical jersey – I
recall back when, essex county sheriff d'allessio got indicted for innumerable
bribes mob-infested jersey style … Christie
says Essex County executive is wrong to collect pension, full salary
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie said today that Essex County Executive Joseph N.
DiVincenzo Jr. is wrong to collect a pension and a salary for the same position
simultaneously. Christie, in his strongest words yet on the issue, said he
called DiVincenzo to express his displeasure. "I made this really …
California's got their Bell's rizzo, etc., et als
Libyan
rebels gain backing (Washington Post) [ Well there you go … it's all over
but the shoutin'! … Riiiiight!Libya
is a Continuation of Neocon War to Remake Middle East [ Come on! They're muddling along, debt
ridden, incompetent, declining, failing, almost to a nation, individually and
collectively. Trying to still appear relevant, more important are the nations
absent from their war crimes folly (excepting israel for which these treasury depleting
fiascos in the name of zionism continue down this path of self-defeat /
self-destruction) ] Secret
Illegal War Of Aggression Has Been Raging In Libya For Weeks Watson
| US and British spies have been coordinating war for oil for some time. Rebels
in ‘tactical’ retreat as leaders meet
(WP) [ Tactical … riiiiight!
Well, that sounds like a plan … right out of the manuals on trench
warfare from WWI … works every time … you know, those manual tactics …
meanwhile, back at the other american induced wartime disasters ... ] Italy became the third country to recognize
the opposition as the legitimate government...
Wages
not keeping pace with prices
(Washington Post) [ Yes , there
is a substantial cost to 'no-recession, helicopter ben' b. s. bernanke's attempt at new age alchemy in trying to spin
worthless currency / paper securities / toxic assets into gold for the sake of
fraudulent wall street only; which of course, not only does not work, but
invariably ends quite badly. The more recent your trip to the grocery store,
gas station, etc., the more pronounced the evidence. There is no modern day alchemy that 'spins more paper into gold'.
That value has to come from some place; viz., you! M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this
low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start
cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell
bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events
going on little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial
institutions to see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay
dividends. Making the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order
on the entire process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you / ' ...The Fed has injected $500 billion
(another $7B in POMO Wednesday) to the financial system
since January 2011 and that wave of liquidity is overwhelming most thoughtful
analysis... Sure it's the end of the quarter and a jam-job to close things out
puts a smile on investors' faces and bonuses in portfolio managers' pockets.
Painting the tape and window dressing is against the law … ’
19
Reasons Why The Federal Reserve Is At The Heart Of Our Economic Problems Most Americans don't understand what the Fed
Reserve is or why it is at the heart of our economic problems...most of them
still blame either the Democrats or Republicans for inflation, for the housing
crash, for our rampant unemployment and for the national debt. ] ]
Inflation is back, with higher prices for food and fuel, and what hurts
is paychecks are falling behind.
Paul
B. Farrell: Super-Rich CEOs are killing your retirement SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — 'Headlines race across the web: “Jamie Dimon Worries That
Financial Regulation Will Doom Banks, Forever.” Doom? Forever? Settle down
Dimon, this sounds like an over-the-top B-movie promo for “Vampire Chronicles.”
...
Yes, the end will be swift. Why? Few can take the warnings of geniuses
like evolutionary anthropologist Jared Diamond. In “Collapse: How Societies
Choose to Fail or Succeed,” Diamond warns that societies fail because they’re
unprepared, in denial till it’s too late: “Civilizations share a sharp curve of
decline. Indeed, a society’s demise may begin only a decade or two after it
reaches its peak population, wealth and power.” Just two decades. America hit
its peak in 2000, with Bush’s election. Our two-decade reprieve will soon be
up.
...
And again, the warnings are everywhere. Again ignored. Tragic figures
like Dimon, Bernanke, Geithner as well as Bachus, Bachman, Palin, Trump, Koch
Brothers and even Obama have that blind spot. They simply cannot hear any
warnings … won’t till it’s too late. '
Milbank:
Robots in Congress? Yes, we replicant! (Washington Post) [ Wow!
Mr. Milbank was apparently in quite an artsy mood when writing this article, so
replete with latent meaning. Yet, when
I think of replicants, I tend to think of the greater brilliance and beauty,
viz., ie., Rutger Hauer and Sean Young / Darryl Hannah respectively in the
spectacular classic, 'Blade Runner' by Ridley Scott; and hence, Mr. Milbank
slights their memory unfairly. Moreover, when I think of henry waxman, I can't help but picture some
hapless creature of the woodlands, ie., hedgehog, groundhog, etc., who gets
plenty of face-time (big mistake ... doesn't he look like such a creature,
personified?) but few results ($360 tons of hundreds flown into Iraq, etc.). He
could have said biden's short-circuited (that previous lobotomy), harry's
(milk-)toast, boxer (the california disaster), schumer a mob-friendly zionist
(that FBI Agent Taus Affidavit), and pelosi correctly described as obsolete,
disfunctional, incompetent, but beloved? … I don't think so, and I'm
constrained to take issue with that. McConnel? I really seldom watch/listen to
them but I guess he's good for Barney Fife or one of the original Hatfields /
McCoys. Yes, they are all that … bad, and worse. It's good to see Mr. Milbank
giving them a well-deserved shot across their bow … but he should keep in mind
that robots with human flesh would be considered cyborgs … please don't insult
the robots, they would say. The robots indeed take umbrage! ]
Drudgereport: PAPER:
NEW THREATS AT NUKE PLANT
Libyan
Rebels: 'NATO Is Now Our Problem'...
...asset
freeze on Gaddafi regime 'hurting opposition'
Europe
feels strain as US alters Libya policy...
Air
Force spending $4 million a day on war...
NATO
running short on of jets...
NUCLEAR
SUSHI...
India
bans Japan food imports...
Radiation monitor says
levels 'immeasurable'...
FACEBOOK
FRIENDS OBAMA RE-ELECTION!
ZUCKERBERG LIKES...
FLASHBACK:
Gibbs seeks million-dollar job at company...
LIBYA:
GADDAFI MUST STAY BUT COUNTRY READY TO DISCUSS 'REFORM'...
READY
TO HOLD ELECTIONS... MORE...
DEFIANT:
Gaddafi salutes supporters at compound...
US
pulls out warplanes...
GOP
BUDGET: CUT $5.8 TRILLION
FEDS
SPEND 8X REVENUE...
White
House moving forward with govt shutdown plans...
858
SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHAN WAR UNDER OBAMA...
NATO FORCES
ACCIDENTALLY KILL 13 REBELS
CRACK FOUND IN
NUKE REACTOR PIT...
Leaking
directly into Pacific Ocean...
Struggle
is on to seal it...
Japanese nuke
crew faces '100-year battle'...
Petraeus
Warns Quran Burning Endangers War Effort...
Protests
Rage In Afghanistan...
JAPAN
TRIES 'SHREDDED NEWSPAPER' TO STOP NUKE LEAK (Well, there you go … a nostalgic throwback to yesteryear … paper maché
… who woulda' thunk it … or remembered it … riiiiight … sounds like a plan!)
HORROR:
Remains From 3 More Victims In NY Serial Killer Case...
Duke
lacrosse accuser arrested in boyfriend's stabbing...
Ahmadinejad
Predicts Embarrassing End for Obama...
These
policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans, torture of
detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free trade”
agreements, and bank bailouts rightfully enraged many progressives during the
Bush years. Yet, not only have these policies accelerated under Obama,
even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.
After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a
record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of
hope and change inspired many beyond mainline progressives. His campaign
speeches were so powerful that they landed him the Nobel Peace Prize without
having done anything for world peace except to offer the idea in order to get
elected. As a Constitutional law professor and attorney, Obama appeared
to have a greater understanding of rights and the balance of power than did
flunky Bush.
Although
policies being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the
continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and
Constitutional principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate
hypocrite. Additionally, because Obama is a much more influential orator
than Bush, his service to the puppet masters is far more dangerous to the
American people he’s supposed to serve.
There
have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and outright
lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not worse than
Bush:
1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts: Although the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), otherwise known as
the bankster bailout, occurred on Bush’s watch, Obama fully supported it as
necessary. Obama then followed up this massive wealth grab with a
gargantuan stimulus bill which has basically been absorbed by the financial
crisis as well. All said, Bloomberg
and others reported the taxpayer guarantees for Wall Street are
upwards of $23 trillion. Additionally, the best part of Obama’s cabinet and
appointed czars are directly connected
to big banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Furthermore, Obama and
Democratic leaders gave the Federal Reserve even more
regulatory power over the economy. The Administration hails the Financial
Reform bill as a big political accomplishment, but the bill never addressed the
three major problems: doesn’t break
up or reduce the size of too-big-to-fail banks, doesn’t remove
the massive government guarantees to the giant banks, and it won’t
even increase
liquidity requirements to prevent future meltdowns. The inmates are
too clearly running Obama’s asylum.
2) Betrayal of the Poor:
Bush never pretended to give a damn about the poor and the systematic
mechanisms that keep them poor; openly calling the “haves and have mores” his
“base.” But Obama has been portrayed as different, mainly because the
Democratic party is viewed as more empathetic to the poor. Obama promised
affordable healthcare, to create new jobs, and to increase access to a college
education. However, the mandated healthcare bill has proven to actually hurt
the poor, the “jobs”
bill HIRE was nothing but a smokescreen to pass capital controls, and
college loans are increasingly worse than useless since record numbers of
students can’t find work to pay them off. So far he only seems to be
helping the poor by extending food stamps to a record
number of needy Americans — which is currently on the spending cut chopping
block by the way. Obama also extended Bush’s tax
cuts to the wealthiest Americans while the poor suffer the dramatic effects
of inflation and the approaching austerity cuts demanded to prevent a
government shutdown.
3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade”
agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA). One of
Obama’s campaign
mailers to Ohioans read “one million jobs have been lost because of NAFTA,
including nearly 50,000 jobs here in Ohio.” And Obama told unions that
“he has always opposed NAFTA, and said the trade deal should be amended and
renegotiated.” It is abundantly clear that free trade agreements have not
done well for American manufacturing and its workers (just like Obama told us
during his campaign). These free
trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations
who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. In contrast to being
“opposed” to such agreements, the government moves forward with many new similar
agreements.
4) Escalating Wars of Aggression: Whoever thought it couldn’t get worse than Bush in regards to wars of
aggression — especially by a Nobel Peace Prize recipient — have been proven
dead wrong. Obama has now unilaterally attacked
more countries than Bush, notably bombing inside Pakistan, Yemen and now
Libya without Congressional approval. Obama is worse than war-mongering Neocons
because he moved the war bar from requiring a real or manufactured threat to
justify American military intervention, to vague humanitarian justifications.
In other words, if a secular dictator is stamping out a handful of jihadists
that threaten his regime, we will now bomb the dictator and support
the jihadists when it serves corporate interests. By all counts Obama
is serving the same military/oil masters no matter what labels or excuses
are given. It is truly a hideous display to watch progressives support
Obama’s wars as if they’re more righteous than Bush’s.
5)Internet Rights Eroding: The open and free Internet
is under full assault under Obama’s leadership. It has become
obvious that there has never been much in the way of Internet privacy,
especially since the Patriot Act went into full effect. But now, free access to
information via the Internet is the target of legislation such as The Protecting
Cybersecurity as a National Asset Act, aka the “Internet Kill
Switch” bill, and the Combating Online
Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA), aka the domain
“Blacklist” bill. The free Internet is also being threatened by
market-based “net neutrality” agreements, civil lawsuits, technical censorship
via search engines, and yes, blogging taxes too.
6) Finally, the DHS
has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly
unconstitutional. Given that Obama is completely in bed with Google and
others in the corporate information cartel, you can
bet he will show his support for these endeavors even if only by remaining
silent as they are debated then implemented.
7) Free Speech Restrictions: Bush mainly used fear, intimidation, access
and fake
reporters to control the establishment message. He and the
media cartel acted in concert to sell gigantic lies to the public. Now,
as more people replace their television service with the Internet, “news” has
been more difficult for the establishment to control. As the global
awakening takes place, the crackdown on free speech intensifies under Obama.
The crackdown has been most obvious on the Internet (see next section)
and on peaceful
protesters. In a comically hypocritical moment that exemplifies
how tyrannical this administration has become, Hillary Clinton was giving a
speech about supporting the right of peaceful protesters while her security
thugs violently removed a “veteran for peace” from the audience for
standing in silent protest. Additionally, there was an absolute police
state put in place during the 2009 G20 meeting in Pittsburgh to shut down
peaceful protests. Finally, we know what direction the
current Administration is headed in terms of free speech, given the recent
White Papers revealing their desire to “outlaw” or
“tax” conspiracy theories, and to make it a felony offense to
share copyrighted information even when no money is involved.
Torture and Sport Killing: Bush
accepted some blame for the Abu Ghraib torture debacle. Rightly so, as it
was his Administration that set forth more enhanced interrogation
permissions down the chain of command that ultimately resulted in such
disgusting behavior. Obama used the notion of closing Guantanamo prison
to score political points and to appear as “anti-torture.” Not only does
Guantanamo remain open two years into his presidency, the detainees have less
rights than they did under Bush. Additionally, Obama has allowed the
torture of American
soldier Bradley Manning simply for being a suspected whistleblower. If
he allows this type of treatment to an American citizen, we can only imagine
the tactics that are still being used against enemy detainees. If it’s
fair to blame Bush for Abu Ghraib, then it seems fair to blame Obama for
allowing an environment where the U.S. military
is engaged in sport killing of innocent civilians — which also seems to
negate his calls for humanitarian purity in other nations.
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance: It seems the monster
surveillance-industrial complex that was kicked off under Bush remains in full
swing under Obama. Obama voted for the Bush/Cheney FISA-telecom immunity
after vowing to support a filibuster of it while he was a Senator. Glenn
Greenwald reported:
“So candidate Obama unambiguously vowed to his supporters that he would work to
ensure ‘full accountability’ for ‘past offenses’ in surveillance lawbreaking.
President Obama, however, has now become the prime impediment to
precisely that accountability, repeatedly engaging in extraordinary legal
maneuvers to ensure that ‘past offenses’ — both in the surveillance and torture/rendition
realm — remain secret and forever immunized from judicial review.” And Carol
Rose added, “The link between secrecy and surveillance is critical: in
effect, our government is increasing its power to watch its citizens, while
diminishing the power of citizens to watch their government – the very
antithesis of democracy.” It’s telling how out of control illegal
surveillance has become when private
foreign companies are hired to spy on American environmental activists.
This is in addition to the TSA’s roll-out of naked body scanners and
intrusive pat-downs selectively enforced at airports and fiercely defended by
Obama’s DHS.
9) Rule of Law is Dead: The
Rule of Law is an
ancient concept that means a society is governed by rational, objective written
laws, as opposed to the personal whim or arbitrariness of some king. Under this
pretext, no one is above the law, not even kings. Yet, we have seen this
concept steadily erode from reality over many decades, but not so blatant as
under George W. Bush whose team permanently subverted the rules in favor of the
elite. Under Bush and now Obama, the corporate elite clearly get away with
massive crimes against humanity and overwhelming fraud, while the little people
are still routinely punished for all minor offenses. With not even a hint
of punishment, banks can openly
loot and defraud the public, the government can spy on Americans, the TSA
can grope our private parts, while large corporations continue to poison us and
the environment with impunity. The Feds, under Obama, have even raided legal
medical marijuana dispensaries and private
organic cooperatives. In addition, Obama signed an Executive
Order to indefinitely detain “terror” suspects even after acquittal —
while other lawmakers
seek to remove Miranda Rights. Who is prosecuting these crimes and
injustices? When the criminal corporations with their government partners
continue to run the system, there will be no rule of law, or justice.
10) Obamacare Fascism: Even many progressives
view Obamacare as a purely fascist policy. When a progressive tries to
defend Obamacare these days, the best argument they can give is “at least Obama
tried to fix the problem.” It’s their way of subtly deflecting blame to Bush
for ignoring it because he was too busy “smokin’ turrurists outta their holes”.
Healthcare reform was meant to increase competition and affordable
coverage for all Americans. Yet, the private insurance monopolies remain and
citizens are mandated to buy from them under penalty of jail, while 1000
of the most connected corporations are exempt from the law.
Furthermore, the FDA
remains under the full control of Big Pharma/Chemical giants and the giveaways
to the drug companies have only increased. Finally, when there are
huge profits involved in deciding if people live or die, and budgetary
rationing of services, you will always have “death panels.” So, yes, the
corporate government healthcare merger is complete with for-profit “death
panels.” Folks, if you want to know what the modern-day definition of fascism
is, you just read it.
We
can sense the hate mail is coming from die-hard “team blue” fans here, but America
doesn’t stand a chance without an honest assessment of what she represents and
where she is heading under the policies outlined above. The Bush-Obama
evolution is as blatant as it gets that the current two-party system has
morphed into one that would more properly be labeled The Corporatist
Party. We might do better to look beyond the two teams that so many root
for, and realize that there is one central clubhouse from which they both
operate.'
Paul
B. Farrell: Super-Rich CEOs are killing your retirement Farrell, MarketWatch SAN LUIS
OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — 'Headlines race across the web: “Jamie Dimon
Worries That Financial Regulation Will Doom Banks, Forever.” Doom? Forever?
Settle down Dimon, this sounds like an over-the-top B-movie promo for “Vampire
Chronicles.”
Suddenly the boss of $2 trillion J. P. Morgan Chase is our newest “Dr.
Doom.” Last week he was preaching his mantra to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
choir, warning that financial reforms would be a “nail in the coffin for big
American banks.” Small investors hurt by low rates
Mark Whitehouse explains how while low interest rates have meant big
profits for banks, they are hurting small investors, including seniors who are
seeing their cash earn minimal interest.
Nail in the coffin? Yes, and that’s exactly what the American public
wants. Stuff Wall Street’s Vampire Squids back in their coffins, nail the lids
shut, bury them forever.
Seriously, nationalize our incompetent Super-Rich Banks. We made a
historic mistake not doing it in 2008. Should have let the vampires go
bankrupt, reinstated Glass-Steagall. Instead we sat passively letting our
double-dealing Treasury Secretary, former Goldman boss Hank Paulson, protect
his Wall Street cronies as he conned Congress and taxpayers into making the
worst economic blunder in American history, bailing out Wall Street’s
“too-greedy-to-fail” banks.
Warning: Soon our Super-Rich Vampires will sink the economy deeper than
2008. Worse, they even believe we’ll bail them out again. We blinked in 2008,
so they’ll try sucking out more bail-out blood next time.
The scene’s pathetic: Here’s one of America’s Super-Rich CEOs, a guy
worth $260 million, coming across like a crybaby, whining because a tough-as-nails
gal like Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren and her Consumer Financial
Agency just might take away his toys for being a bad boy … might try to limit
his ability to rip off cardholders … might limit his high-risk gambling with
depositors’ cash, limit him playing in the $700 trillion global derivatives
casino … might force his bank to put up more reserves to prevent the next
meltdown … might even awaken his lost moral consciousness and get him to think
about the public welfare instead of the tens of millions he makes squeezing the
public.
But will Wall Street have an epiphany? Change? Never. No, won’t happen.
Why? America’s Super-Rich Vampire CEOs are already doomed, forever. Our
too-greedy-to-fail banks are back to their old pre-2008 tricks, bankrolling a
billion dollar “kill reform” drive. J. P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs,
Citigroup, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley have invested megabucks in
lobbyists and politicians to water down, defund and effectively kill Warren’s
CFA, the SEC, Dodd-Frank and every other attempt to protect the public.
These guys love running the Fed and Treasury as their own little piggy
banks. As Spencer Bachus, the GOP chairman of the House Financial Services committee
put it, government regulators “exist to serve banks.”
So, unfortunately, for a while you will have to listen to Dimon’s
incessant whining as he keeps replaying his overly dramatic Dr. Doom story.
Until Wall Street pounds all their nails in the coffin of financial reform,
while resurrecting their self-destructive Reaganomics vampire that sank its
fangs and triggered the 2008 meltdown.
But watch out Wall Street: Next time, American taxpayers won’t support
bailouts and trillions more debt. We will sink into the Great Depression 2 and
a new American Revolution next time. No bailout, we’ll just nationalize all
banks.
Then, poor little Jamie and his Super-Rich buddies will lose their jobs,
having destroyed American capitalism. Unfortunately, the great irony is that
these insatiable greedy, incompetent CEOs will personally survive well after
the collapse, living off the millions they’ve stashed away while sabotaging
America with their bankrupt Reaganomics ideas.
Dimon really loves his new role as a Dr. Doom. Plays a tragic drama
queen very well. That “nail in the coffin” speech fits perfectly with the
Chamber’s kill-reform strategies.
Some may say Wall Street’s short-term thinking CEOs are too myopic to be
on the same stage as our long-term thinking Dr. Dooms. But you decide: Here’s a
criteria from Barron’s, offered by legendary money manager Jeremy Grantham,
referring to the 2008 crash: “Why is it that several dozen people saw this
crisis coming for years.” Several dozen Over four years. But “the bosses of
Merrill Lynch and Citi and even Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chairman
Bernanke, none of them seemed to see it coming.”
Why? Grantham’s answer is simple: Wall Street and Washington’s leaders
are “management types who focus on what they are doing this quarter or this
annual budget.” Their myopia “guarantees that every time we get an outlying,
obscure event that has never happened before in history, they are always going
to miss it.”
Yes, and they’ll miss the next crash. Guaranteed. Here’s what other
long-term thinking Dr. Dooms predict:
In “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly”
economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff warn that as economies “improve
there will always be a temptation to stretch the limits. … A financial system
can collapse under the pressure of greed, politics and profits ... Technology
has changed ... but the ability of governments and investors to delude themselves
… seems to have remained a constant.”
In the 400-year history of the stock market “there has been a long
succession of financial bubbles,” says financial historian Niall Ferguson. The
culprit? The Fed: “Without easy credit creation a true bubble cannot occur.
That is why so many bubbles have their origins in the sins of omission and
commission of central banks.” And with the rate near zero, Bernanke is becoming
the biggest bubble-blower in American history.
Savvy Hong Kong economist Marc Faber says “the average life span of the
world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years … Once a society becomes
successful it becomes arrogant, righteous, overconfident, corrupt, and decadent
... overspends ... costly wars ... wealth inequity and social tensions
increase; and society enters a secular decline.”
Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz warned that unless Wall Street’s
incentive system is drastically reformed, “the financial sector will only try
to circumvent whatever new regulations we put in place. We will simply have a
short respite before the next crisis.”
Remember a decade ago in “Irrational Exuberance” Yale’s Robert Shiller
predicted the dot-com crash. More recently he warned: “Bubbles are primarily a
social phenomena. Until we understand and address the psychology that fuels
them, they’re going to keep forming. We recently lived through two epidemics of
excessive financial optimism, we are close to a third episode.” And everything
since 2008 guaranteed the “third episode.”
Former IMF chief economist Simon Johnson waned: “We’re running out of
time … to prevent a true depression … the financial industry has effectively
captured our government” and is “blocking essential reform,” and unless we
break Wall Street’s “stranglehold” we will be unable prevent another Great
Depression. Failure to reform Wall Street guarantees a depression.
Unfortunately, Dimon just doesn’t get it.
When Obama reappointed Bernanke, “Black Swan’s” Nicholas Taleb warned
that Bernanke was an economist who “doesn’t even know he doesn’t understand how
things work.” Now the Fed’s Greenspan clone is feeding the GOP’s
self-destructive Reaganomics ideology, blindly focused on saving a dying
banking system by flooding the world with inflated dollars guaranteed to
trigger another meltdown.
Hedge funds make fortunes betting on the utter stupidity of Washington
politicians and Wall Street CEOs gambling with the Fed’s self-destructive
cheap-money policies. In fact, AR Magazine just reported that the top hedge
fund manager made $4.9 billion shorting our clueless leaders, after making $3.4
billion in 2008, the year of the crash.
In George Soros’s “New Paradigm:” America’s 25-year “superboom … led to
massive deregulation ... blindly chasing free markets ... unleashed excessive
greed ... created the dot-com and credit meltdowns” and a “shadow banking
system” of derivatives. “The system is broken … the end of an era of credit
expansion based on the dollar as the international reserve currency.” Warns
Soros: “We’re now in a period of wealth destruction.”
Barton Biggs 2008 bestseller, “Wealth, War and Wisdom” warns us to
prepare for a “breakdown of civilization … Your safe haven must be
self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind of food ... well-stocked with
seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc. … a few rounds
over the approaching brigands’ heads would probably be a compelling persuader
that there are easier farms to pillage.” Biggs is no anarchist militiaman; he’s
a former Morgan Stanley research guru, now a top hedge fund manager.
Yes, the end will be swift. Why? Few can take the warnings of geniuses
like evolutionary anthropologist Jared Diamond. In “Collapse: How Societies
Choose to Fail or Succeed,” Diamond warns that societies fail because they’re
unprepared, in denial till it’s too late: “Civilizations share a sharp curve of
decline. Indeed, a society’s demise may begin only a decade or two after it
reaches its peak population, wealth and power.” Just two decades. America hit
its peak in 2000, with Bush’s election. Our two-decade reprieve will soon be
up.
Obvious warnings were everywhere long before the 2008 meltdown. But a
tragic Reaganomics dogma created a blind spot in Greenspan, Bernanke and
Paulson. Today that blind spot is even stronger with a new crop of Reaganomics
ideologues.
And again, the warnings are everywhere. Again ignored. Tragic figures
like Dimon, Bernanke, Geithner as well as Bachus, Bachman, Palin, Trump, Koch
Brothers and even Obama have that blind spot. They simply cannot hear any
warnings … won’t till it’s too late. '
A
Stark Peak Profits Warning from Capital & Crisis's Chris Mayer Cooper
'Rising star of the US financial newsletter world, Chris Mayer, has a stark
warning for readers in his latest issue of Capital & Crisis (click here). Profit
margins in the US have reached unprecedented levels and can now only fall as
commodity price inflation hits home.
One of the vulnerabilities in today’s market is that profit margins are
near peaks’, he says. ‘Investors tend to like companies with fat profit
margins, but high profit margins are like honey pots that attract competitors.
They are rarely sustainable for long.
Top ten crisis
If you take a list of the top 10 technology stocks in the US Nasdaq
market, the average net profit margin is around 25 per cent, and similar high
profit margins are also seen across the S&P 500 stocks. The boost to profit
margins has come from cost cutting in the downturn, mainly in the form of job
cuts that do nothing to boost domestic consumer demand.
Today, though, I doubt many of these firms have much more to cut,’
suggests Mayer. ‘Instead, the focus is now growing sales and taking business
from competitors or defending an existing business. The focus, too, is how to
deal with rising raw material costs. All of these put enormous pressure on
margins. We should expect to see them fall.
That of course is the contrarian view. It is not what the bulls of Wall
Street are saying. They see a recovery in the US economy that is raising all
boats.
If the Wall Street consensus is again wrong, then the reverse will be
true and all boats will sink. Mr Meyer is stock picking to locate the boats that
will stay afloat, so at least he is thinking in the right direction. But the
tendency always is for the good to get cast down with the bad, particularly if
the numbers are overwhelming.
Naturally, this situation is most dangerous when company profits have
recovered sharply and the domestic economy is still in the dumps. And what do
US auto and house sales figures quite clearly show us? (click
here). The domestic US economy is still in a depression with activity well
down on the boom years.
Domestic depression
Now if domestic demand is not rising, and indeed consumer personal
disposable income is falling (click
here), then what prospects are there for pushing up company revenues to
keep profits surging ahead? You have to look to exports and repatriation of multinational
income.
Yes but does the world not have a few worries of its own right now? To
briefly summize: Japan just had its worst earthquake in history and nuclear
reactors are leaking plutonium; the UK is facing three years of austerity; the
eurozone has a massive debt crisis and the Middle East and North Africa are in
a state of revolution, civil war and protest that have pushed oil prices to a
two-year high.
Will Asian sales hold up under these circumstances? Or will stocks sell
off and the dollar rally, making US exports uncompetitive again? This peak
profits warning is very well timed.'
Irwin
Kellner: Don’t believe everything you hear Kellner, MarketWatch
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (MarketWatch) — 'Don’t believe everything you hear —
especially when politics is involved.
These days, it amazes me how many canards pass for the truth. I can only
assume that the purveyors of these misleading bits of information must figure
that if something is repeated often enough, people will take it as correct. ..
While there no doubt are many examples, I give you five that are
particularly egregious. I will list them below in no particular order, and then
tell you why each of these is incorrect:
— the longer the government pays jobless benefits, the higher
unemployment will be;
— rising prices are no problem because “core” inflation is low;
— cutting government spending creates jobs;
— entitlements are fair game for budget cutters;
— Social Security is a key reason for Washington’s budget deficit.
A close look will reveal just how absurd these statements really are.
And by the way, neither political party has a lock on this craziness; this kind
of convoluted thinking can be found among Democrats as well as Republicans.
The first item assumes that people are lazy; they would rather be on the
dole than work. This is ridiculous for two reasons. First, these days there are
more than five applicants for every job. Second, the median weekly jobless
benefit is $300 — barely above the poverty level for one person and far below
the median weekly pay of $740, which, itself, won’t buy much in most parts of
the country.
Next is the belief that excluding food and energy is the best way to
measure inflation. This is misleading since (a) we all consume food and energy
every day; (b) because of this, these items have a major influence on our
attitudes towards inflation and (c) in the case of energy, many firms are
tacking on surcharges to the goods they make and/or deliver, so higher energy
prices are showing up elsewhere as well.
Meet the Most Tax Efficient Man in America
Doug Stives earns less than 75 percent of his former salary but takes
home almost 90 percent as much. How? He claims every tax deduction he can.
Kelsey Hubbard talks with the CPA turned professor about using the tax code to
get more with less.
The third item could literally be ripped from today’s headlines. It is
Herbert Hoover economics reincarnated — the notion that fiscal probity is the
key to economic happiness. By tightening its belt and reducing its deficit, the
story goes, the government will help the economy grow and create jobs by
boosting business confidence. No mention is made of the decline in buying power
and rise in joblessness that will occur first, which makes me wonder why this
would prompt a rise in hiring by the private sector.
Those who subscribe to the fourth item forget the definition of the word
“entitlement.” Webster’s Dictionary says that an entitlement is “a right
granted by law or contract, especially to financial benefits from the
government.” To some people, however, an entitlement is a derisive term, a
promise to be broken. But breaking this particular promise would also break the
law. The FICA Act of 1935 states specifically that revenues raised under that
act can be used only to pay Social Security benefits. Over the years the
provisions of this act have been reinforced a number of times.
Why all the interest in Social Security? Because it is a cash cow, with
assets totaling well over $2 trillion — more than three times the amount needed
to cover this year’s payments to beneficiaries. In plain English, the System
has a surfeit of funds and is in no way responsible for today’s budget
deficits. To put it another way, Social Security has been around for over 75
years, whereas today’s slug of red ink is only a few years old. Washington’s
humongous deficits are clearly the result of too much spending (two wars,
massive bailouts and the huge stimulus package) combined with insufficient
revenues (tax cuts and the Great Recession).
So the next time you hear a politician tell you something that does not
sound quite right — chances are it isn’t.
Irwin Kellner is MarketWatch's chief economist. '
Putting
a Damper on the Big March Job Report Celebration Baker
'Okay, this celebration around the jobs report is really getting out of
hand. Both the Post
and Times
had front page pieces touting the good news. The Post gets the award for being
the more breathless of the two:
The jobs numbers come amid other promising signs that the recovery is
building momentum. The stock market wrapped up the first quarter this week with
a 6.4 percent gain in the Dow Jones industrial average and continued to tack
upward Friday, adding another 0.5 percent. Investors were pleased that the job
growth was continuing — but not so fast that the Federal Reserve might want to
apply the brakes by raising interest rates anytime soon.
Also contributing to the buoyant markets were reports from automakers
Friday showing that auto sales rose in March. Sales of new vehicles were up 11
percent over a year before at General
Motors, 16 percent at Ford
and 23 percent at Honda.
A separate report Friday also showed continued strong growth in the
manufacturing sector, with the Institute for Supply Management’s index of
activity at the nation’s factories edging down to 61.2 from 61.4. Numbers above
50 indicate expansion.
First off, no one should include the stock market as indicator of the
economy's well-being. Rich people are happy -- that's nice -- it has little to
do with the economy. The car buying is positive, but with so many of the cars
now imported or largely comprised of imported parts the impact of this surge in
sales is much less than would have been the case 30 years ago. The drop in the
Institute for Supply Management's index suggests that manufacturing is likely
to make a marginally smaller contribution to growth in the months ahead, not
good news. (The Bureau of Labor Statistics employment diffusion index
for manufacturing, a measure of the percent of sectors that expect to add
workers, fell from 66.0 in February to 63.0 in January, it had been 73.5 in
January.)
As noted above, 216,000 jobs is not especially impressive, especially
given the depth of the hole that our economic policymakers put us in. In only
15 of the 52 months from February 1996 to May of 2000 did the economy create
fewer than 216,000 jobs. In most cases the weakness was caused by bad weather.
And this was at a time when the working age population was more than 10 percent
less than today.
It is also striking that neither paper seems to have mentioned the
Commerce Department's report
on construction in February, which showed a 1.4 percent decline in
February, following even larger declines in December and January. (The big news
in this report was the 2.6 percent downward revision to the data originally
reported for January.) Much of the story here is in non-residential
construction as the building boom that resulted from the bubble in that sector
is leading to a bust. The largest declines are in manufacturing construction
where bio-fuel subsidies had led to a boom in ethanol plants in 2009-2010.
Anyhow, construction is certain to be a big drag on growth in the first
quarter. It should knock at least a percentage point off GDP growth for the
quarter. I am forecasting many surprised economists and reporters.
I have one more point skunk to toss over at the celebrators. Here is the
path of the employment to population ratio (EPOP) over the downturn. Note that
we have only risen slightly from the low hit in December of 2009 and the EPOP
is actually a hair lower today than it was a year ago. The drop in the
unemployment rate over this period was entirely due to people leaving the labor
force. Now is that good news or what?(chart)...'
Markets
Treading Water: Dave's Daily 'Bulls
had a barely perceptible pulse Monday. Volume was incredibly light as traders
were unmoved to do much of anything other than keep things stable. Tech
underperformed weighed down by Apple(AAPL_) and Semis most of the
day. But, as this is written, breaking news indicates Texas Instruments(TXN_) will buy National
Semiconductor(NSM_)
for $6.5 billion so corporations armed with liquidity can keep markets alive
with M&A activity. Away from the late headline regarding TXN/NSM, little
changed in markets overall. Again, volume was light and breadth overall per the
WSJ was moderately positive adding to short-term overbought conditions...'
Weekly
Indicators: Economy Slowing Due to Choke Collar of High Oil Prices Stewart 'Last week's headline numbers were
the 216,000 jobs added in March and the continued decline in the unemployment
rate to 8.8%. As usual, I'll have more to say in the coming week, including at
least one finding that contradicts the conventional wisdom. For now, we can
just note that it was a good number - just not good enough for all the ground
we have to make up.
Other monthly numbers continued to show an economy that is slowing due
to the choke collar of high Oil prices. The manufacturing workweek declined
(-.1), as did new factory orders. There are two more of the 10 leading
indicators that have turned down. Residential and non-residential spending also
declined. New cars sold in March also declined slightly from February, although
at 13.1 million vehicles, this is still the second best showing in over two
years. On the plus side, manufacturing as measured by the Chicago PMI and the
ISM continued on a tear. BUT the leading components of that index - new orders
and vendor deliveries - declined. Vendor deliveries declined sharply - the
third of the 10 leading indicators to show a decline this week.
Did I mention that Oil was like a choke collar constricting economic growth?
Turning now to the high-frequency weekly indicators:
The BLS reported that Initial jobless claims last week were 388,000. The 4 week
average is 394,250. This is the sixth week in a row that this number has been
initially reported below 400,000. On the other hand, this series has not made a
new low in the last month. Will the downward momentum continue or has it
stalled?
On the other hand, Oil was
trading at about $107.94 a barrel Friday, the fourth full week it has been
above $100. It remains at a level above 4% of GDP. I believe we have started to
see the economic damage from that shock. Gas at the pump increased to $3.60 a
gallon. Gasoline usage at 8866 M gallons was 2% lower than last year. As I
expected, this YoY comparison is deteriorating and has now turned negative.
Railfax was up 3.5% YoY. Baseline
traffic for the second week is no higher than last year's levels, and both
cyclical and intermodal traffic are only slightly higher. Waste materials
continued below last year's levels (this may be fallout from municipal funding
cuts for recycling). Shipments of motor vehicles remained the bright spot,
continuing to improve YoY. With the exception of motor vehicles, rail freight
is now also signalling a significant slowdown (but not an outright reversal).
The Mortgage
Bankers' Association reported a decrease of 1.7% in seasonally adjusted
mortgage applications last week. This series has meandered generally in a flat
range since last June. Refinancing decreased 10.1%, and remains near its lows
since last July. The silver lining is that neither series has hit a new low in
almost 9 months.
The American
Staffing Association Index remained at 91 for yet another week. This series
has stalled at the 90-91 level for 7 weeks. It is signalling stagnation, not
growth, and is stalled relative to its pre-recession peak.
The ICSC
reported that same store sales for the week of March 26 rose 2.6% YoY, and
increased 0.2% week over week. Shoppertrak
reported a 4.3% YoY gain for the week ending March 19, and a WoW gain of 0.5%.
Unlike almost every other series, these two series' YoY comparisons have been
remaining steady or improving over the last month.
Weekly BAA commercial bond rates increased.02% to 6.00%. This
compares with a 09% increase in the yields of 10 year Treasuries to 3.38%. Both
series are down from recent highs.
Adjusting +1.07% due to the recent tax compromise, the Daily Treasury Statement
showed that for all of March 2011, $163.8 B was collected vs. $164.9 B a year
ago, for a loss of -1.1 B YoY. This is the first month with an outright YoY
decline compared with last year. For the last 20 days, $136.6 B was collected
vs. $128,4 B a year ago, for a gain of $8.2B, or +6.4%. I suggest using this
series with extra caution, because the adjustment for the withholding tax
compromise is only a best guess, and may be significantly incorrect.
M1 was up 1.3% w/w, down -0.4% M/M, and up a strong 9.9% YoY, so Real
M1 is up 7.7%. M2 was unchanged w/w, up 0.2% M/M and up 4.3% YoY, so Real
M2 is up 2.1%. Although Real M1 is still strongly in the "green
zone" where it has been since before the end of the "great
recession," Real M2 has been fading back into the "yellow zone"
below 2.5%. Additionally, the weak +0.2% M/M reading means that, depending on
inflation, it could become yet another of the 10 components of the LEI to go
negative in March.
Last week I noted that the LEI may have a negative month in March. Consumer
confidence, durable goods, and (Feb.) housing permits were all down strongly.
This week ISM vendor supplies, the manufacturing workweek, and new factory
orders also turned down. As noted just above, M2 could also be a negative. Only
the bond spread yield, the stock market, and initial unemployment claims look
like positives. In sum, that's 6 components down, 1 neutral (possibly
negative), and only 3 positive. (OTOH, ECRI's growth indicator continues to be
positive).
Did I mention that OIl was like a choke collar constricting economic growth?'
Barack
Obama: Losing $84 billion big success Washington Times |
Barack Obama has some ‘splaining to do about taxpayers’ profitable “investment”
in General Motors.
National / World
Radiation
Found In San Francisco, CA Tap Water – 18,100% Above Drinking Water Limit Alexander
Higgins | The federal drinking water limit for Iodine-131 is 3
Picocuries per liter.
Drudgereport: LIBYA:
GADDAFI MUST STAY BUT COUNTRY READY TO DISCUSS 'REFORM'...
READY
TO HOLD ELECTIONS... MORE...
DEFIANT:
Gaddafi salutes supporters at compound...
US
pulls out warplanes...
GOP
BUDGET: CUT $5.8 TRILLION
FEDS
SPEND 8X REVENUE...
White
House moving forward with govt shutdown plans...
858
SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHAN WAR UNDER OBAMA...
NATO FORCES
ACCIDENTALLY KILL 13 REBELS
CRACK FOUND IN
NUKE REACTOR PIT...
Leaking
directly into Pacific Ocean...
Struggle
is on to seal it...
Japanese nuke
crew faces '100-year battle'...
Petraeus
Warns Quran Burning Endangers War Effort...
Protests
Rage In Afghanistan...
JAPAN
TRIES 'SHREDDED NEWSPAPER' TO STOP NUKE LEAK (Well, there you go … a
nostalgic throwback to yesteryear … paper maché … who woulda' thunk it … or
remembered it … riiiiight … sounds like a plan!)
HORROR:
Remains From 3 More Victims In NY Serial Killer Case...
Duke
lacrosse accuser arrested in boyfriend's stabbing...
Ahmadinejad
Predicts Embarrassing End for Obama...
Radioactive
water in Japan plant leaks into sea (Washington Post) [ I gotta say, and
I’m not happy to say it; but the way they’re puttin’ out the info is starting
to sound like a page out of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s
propaganda playbook. I’m not much of a fisheater, but even if I was, I would be
taking no chances with this. Too much money changin’ hands both ways to trust
what they say, based upon the kind / quality of reporting / updating thus far. Fukushima
Plant Operators Again Ordered To “Review” Radiation Readings Steve
Watson | Findings have raised fears that underground waterways and
drinking water supplies could become contaminated.
‘US
orders media silence over Bahrain’ Press TV | President of
Bahrain’s Center for Human Rights Nabeel Rajab says the US media have been ordered
not to cover news on the government’s brutal crackdown on Bahraini people.
Cover
Up: Fukushima Plant Operators Again Ordered To “Review” “Suspiciously High”
Radiation Readings The operators of the crippled nuclear power plant at
Fukushima have once again been ordered to “review” and retract their radiation
findings where appropriate because Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
says they are too high.] Authorities discover radioactive water from the
damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant flowing into the sea from a crack
in the No. 2 reactor, adding to mounting problems facing emergency repair
workers.
What’s
your take on U.S.’s employment situation? (Washington Post) [ I don't believe a word they say; nor does
Denninger ... More
Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing,
forestry, mining and utilities combined
Employment
Report: Clear Trend Change Absence
Denninger 'From the Bureau Of Lies
And Scams (BLS): '...
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1415
(Chart)
How about the workweek and salaries?
In March, average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls
was unchanged at 34.3 hours in March. The manufacturing
workweek for all employees edged down by 0.1 hour to 40.5
hours, while factory overtime was unchanged at 3.3 hours. .. average hourly
earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls were unchanged at
$22.87. ..
No help here. No increase in hours worked and no hourly earnings
improvement either. For production and non-supervisory workers (those where
price increases really hurt) they saw a bit of a decline. This
is quite-bad news; note that the average annual wage for these
workers is $38,600 pre-tax. That's materially under the average worker's income
used in the BLS CPI tables, and it is those who have incomes under the median
that experience the worst of income allocation shifts into non-discretionary
purchases such as food, energy and medical..(bad).. given the price
inflation that is clearly-evident in the PPI since August. These price
increases are now going to start showing up on the store shelf
over the next couple of months. We should also see the impact of these PPI
changes being emitted from the rear end of the economy (that is, the business
end that hurts you, the consumer) in the 1st quarter earnings reports beginning
in earnest on the 11th.
Let's go look at our numbers and see if there's a "there"
there.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1417
(Chart)
That's small improvement. I guess you can say it's not another
turn-down.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1416
(Chart)
The number of employed ticked up a bit. That's positive. But it did last
year too, only to flag off as we got into the summer.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1419
(Chart)
"Not in labor force", annualized, isn't any good. Yes, the
monthly number looks good, but there are seasonal effects. .. - we're losing
participation. Permanently.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1418
(Chart)
..
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1420
(Chart)
..Positive change? Where? This is the root of the problem -
participation, as a percentage of the workforce, continues to decline. This
in turn means that the budgetary pressures will not come off. ..
What this all boils down to is that job growth is insufficient to support
the economy on its own. Yet the ability to keep writing hot checks to the tune
of $1.7 trillion a year or more to support a fake "recovery" is not
infinite...
Jobs report better than
expected … April fools … you got to be to believe anything they say, desperate
as they are [ Drudgereport: GALLUP:
Unemployment at 10.0%; underemployment 19.3%... Who do you believe? ] … particularly that huge fudge factor; viz.,
that ubiquitous 'stopped looking' category … granted there are some
'window-dressing' jobs created at huge uneconomic cost with the reality going
something like this: government give contract to company that will cover the
costs of the domestic jobs created using funds they don't really have
(borrowed, one way or another, and piled on to the already insurmountable debt
of a nation that is already defacto bankrupt), to produce goods which could be
produced better and cheaper elsewhere (there isn't anything that can't be
produced outside this country better, more efficiently, and cheaper). This is
doubly inflationary since, first, the goods are uneconomically more costly, and
second, whether borrowed or printed, the increased paper and lesser real value
thereof is also inflationary. That said, I don't even believe their headline
number and the unemployment rate they give is irrelevant and wholly inaccurate
(that 'stopped looking fudge factor', etc.). Then there is the b*** s***
concerning treasury turning a profit on the (ongoing fed / pomo / wall street)
bailouts that taxpayers have and will continue to pay for in higher prices from
oil to grains to other commodities to fewer jobs, now and in the future. There
is no modern day alchemy that 'spins more paper into gold'. That value has to
come from some place; viz., you! Light
Volume Rally Continues: Dave's Daily ' ...The Fed has injected $500 billion
(another $7B in POMO Wednesday) to the financial system since January
2011 and that wave of liquidity is overwhelming most thoughtful analysis... Sure it's the end of the quarter and a jam-job to
close things out puts a smile on investors' faces and bonuses in portfolio
managers' pockets. Painting the tape and window dressing is against the law …
ADP data has misled before but Wall Street is awash with cash from on high and
finds little other place to invest beyond stocks...' M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this
low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start
cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell
bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events
going on little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial
institutions to see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay
dividends. Making the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order
on the entire process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you’ … 19
Reasons Why The Federal Reserve Is At The Heart Of Our Economic Problems Most Americans don't understand what the Fed
Reserve is or why it is at the heart of our economic problems. When Americans
get into discussions about the economy, most of them still blame either the
Democrats or Republicans for inflation, for the housing crash, for our rampant
unemployment and for the national debt. The
Economic Collapse]
Employment
Report: Clear Trend Change Absence
Denninger 'From the Bureau Of Lies
And Scams (BLS):
Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 216,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was little
changed at 8.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job
gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, leisure and
hospitality, and mining. Employment in manufacturing continued to trend up.
Yeah, ok.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1415
(Click to enlarge)
How about the workweek and salaries?
In March, average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls
was unchanged at 34.3 hours in March. The manufacturing
workweek for all employees edged down by 0.1 hour to 40.5
hours, while factory overtime was unchanged at 3.3 hours. The average workweek
for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls
increased by 0.1 hour to 33.6 hours. (See tables B-2 and B-7.) The average
hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls were unchanged at
$22.87. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 1.7
percent. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and
nonsupervisory employees edged down by 2 cents over the month to $19.30.
(See tables B-3 and B-8.)
No help here. No increase in hours worked and no hourly earnings
improvement either. For production and non-supervisory workers (those where
price increases really hurt) they saw a bit of a decline. This
is quite-bad news; note that the average annual wage for these
workers is $38,600 pre-tax. That's materially under the average worker's income
used in the BLS CPI tables, and it is those who have incomes under the median
that experience the worst of income allocation shifts into non-discretionary
purchases such as food, energy and medical.
This just plain sucks given the price inflation that is
clearly-evident in the PPI since August. These price increases are now
going to start showing up on the store shelf over the next couple of
months. We should also see the impact of these PPI changes being emitted from
the rear end of the economy (that is, the business end that hurts you, the
consumer) in the 1st quarter earnings reports beginning in earnest on the 11th.
Let's go look at our numbers and see if there's a "there"
there.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1417
(Click to enlarge)
That's small improvement. I guess you can say it's not another turn-down.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1416
(Click to enlarge)
The number of employed ticked up a bit. That's positive. But it did last
year too, only to flag off as we got into the summer.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1419
(Click to enlarge)
"Not in labor force", annualized, isn't any good. Yes, the
monthly number looks good, but there are seasonal effects. On an annualized
basis we're still above the zero line - then again, we have been like ... well
... forever. This is a problem and to a material degree reflects the underlying
problem we have with labor in this country - we're losing participation.
Permanently.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1418
(Click to enlarge)
Here's the grand-daddy number. It's following the seasonal pattern;
let's see if it peaks in May. More-importantly, let's see if it puts in a lower
high to go with the lower low.
That would be bad, and until the pattern changes, it's what you have to
expect.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?get_gallerynr=1420
(Click to enlarge)
Nowhere is this more-evident than in this chart. Positive change? Where?
This is the root of the problem - participation, as a percentage of the
workforce, continues to decline. This in turn means that the budgetary
pressures will not come off. And that, in turn, is very bad from an
intermediate and longer-term stability perspective.
What this all boils down to is that job growth is insufficient to
support the economy on its own. Yet the ability to keep writing hot checks to
the tune of $1.7 trillion a year or more to support a fake "recovery"
is not infinite.
The wall is clearly visible through the fog at this point. Why
do we still have our monetary and fiscal foot mashed on the accelerator?'
Higher
Oil Slows Stock Rally: Dave's Daily 'No matter the market data,
how can I let April Fool's Day pass without some humorous image? But, more
somberly, today marks the second anniversary of ETF Digest pal Greg Newton's
(Naked Shorts Blog) sudden death. So, I'm not going to complain about the
10" of snow. Markets were sharply higher after a mildly better than expected
employment report. Many feel the economy has definitely turned the corner and
that bodes well for stocks.
The dollar rallied sharply early but then fell hard later in the day perhaps
coinciding with Fed Governor's Dudley's remarks that QE will remain on track.
(The Fed just can't find the "off" switch and behave like they're
addicted to crack.) But, as Friday wore on, it became clear that oil prices
would not be contained. Two reasons dominated: first, DUD-ley's comments and
second, events in Libya aren't moving the coalition's way. As to the latter,
what does this mean? Failure? Or, an enhanced presence? It sure presented
an inconvenient speed bump for bulls Friday despite gains. How will consumers
react to higher gas and energy prices? Not well one would think, but that's
just too logical. Short-term equity markets have become rapidly overbought.
DUD-ley's comments allow bulls to believe more, not less, liquidity is coming
their way. As markets hit previous highs, along with oil, sellers entered
markets to take profits. Volume is still ultra-light but breadth per the WSJ
remains positive. '
Short-Term,
High-Probability Mean-Reversion: Several ETFs Hit Short-Term Extremes Crowder 'Several of the ETFs I follow in the
High-Probability, Mean Reversion strategy have hit a short-term “very
overbought” extreme. Typically, when this type of event occurs a short-term
reprieve (1-3 days) is right around the corner.Unemployment numbers are out
before the bell today so I expect to see a pop at the open. If the market opens
higher today I expect to make a trade in the strategy, so subscribers stay
tuned.I currently have a trade on, so of course, a move lower at the open would
not upset me either. I expect today will be a very interesting day. Short-Term
High-Probability, Mean-Reversion Indicator – as of close 3/31/11
[overbought chart http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/1/saupload_3_31_11_hpmr.png ]
Disclosure: I am
short SPY.'
For Soda Aficionados Minyanville http://www.albertpeia.com/regionalsodas.htm
The Treasury
Auction Shell Game Peter Schiff | Very few people have the
patience to sift through Treasury Department bond auctions data.
GE
to Try to Avoid Liability in Japan Nuke Crisis Reuters |
The Japan’s nuke crisis has created a PR headache for General Electric, but the
company so far has escaped any legal fallout.
Foreign
Banks Tapped Fed’s Lifeline Most as Bernanke Kept Borrowers Secret Bloomberg
| The biggest borrowers from the 97-year-old discount window as the program
reached its crisis-era peak were foreign banks.
National / World
‘US
orders media silence over Bahrain’ Press TV | President of
Bahrain’s Center for Human Rights Nabeel Rajab says the US media have been
ordered not to cover news on the government’s brutal crackdown on Bahraini people.
Drudgereport: GALLUP:
Unemployment at 10.0%; underemployment 19.3%...
WSJ:
More Americans work for gov't than manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry,
mining, utilities -- combined...
OIL SOARS...
Highest
March price on record...
OBAMA'S
LIMO EXEMPT FROM NEW 'GREEN' POLICY
Government
losses in GM far higher than claimed...
Bosses at
bailed-out FANNIE, FREDDIE were paid millions...
Probes
Find 'Unprecedented' Political Review of FOIA Requests by Big Sis...
Issa: 'Nixonian'...
Federal
Agents Told to Reduce Border Arrests, AZ Sheriff Says...
1st
Grade Teacher Suspended for Facebook Rant About Students...
...Felt Like 'Warden' Supervising Future Criminals [ That's because that's what
they are … and inherently so … just because they look like wobama, holder,
michelle/wobama's belle, etc., doesn't change reality she has a right to
discuss in First Amendment Terms, particularly. Paterson
Teacher Suspended After Allegedly Calling Students 'Future Criminals ... Some comments:
I went to public school. Fortunately we had no blacks
at all. They're just disgusting animals. People are tired of making up excuses
for them. Look at sub-saharan africa, or any inner city. Always the same story
with them. In evolutionary terms, 'they're the ones that got left behind'.
(see, ie., http://albertpeia.com/anthroindex1.htm ).
Al Peia
Babba Booey
It’s a pretty funny story until you realize that the teacher is not only
being honest but sadly correct as well.
The New generation of savages to come
April 1, 2011 at 10:48 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
cochino
After all, three generations of imbeciles are enough!
April 1, 2011 at 10:04 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
ANSWER
Teachers in that environment have classrooms consisting of 25 to 30
children. These children come to school with little to no sleep, poor
nutrition, poor hygiene and zero guidance at home. In addition they don’t act
like 6 and 7 year olds. They demonstrate very poor focus and attention to take
direction. It is almost impossible to teach with these issues. Day after day
teachers in most of these inner city school districts try. But in most cases
the teacher can’t break this viscous cycle of ignorance. Mandatory birth
control is the only answer. Parents need to be held accountable. Teachers in
these environments all deserve to be paid at the highest scale! They deserve
it.
April 1, 2011 at 9:47 pm | Reply
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comment
Word of Wisdom
There is no such thing as a bad student….only bad teachers.
April 1, 2011 at 9:41 pm | Reply
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comment
princeton1991
You’re an idiot and a likley dropout. Go back to school! — and I hate
teachers more than you know so don’t blame me on you’re idiocy.
April 1, 2011 at 10:00 pm | Reply
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comment
Mike
Leave the children of slackers in the public school system. Listen to
this. My niece was doing her student teaching in Beachwood Ohio Public schools
with 9th graders. After lunch the princes and princesses came back to class
yelling and “fing” everyone and everything in sight. So she made them go back
to the hall and come back quietly and ready to learn.
Her reward for this was 1 hour of counseling, not for the class but for her!
This junior high has 4 full time shrinks on site to help manage the teachers
and kids. All that public school administrators want to to be sure no one makes
any waves. What a joke.
Not wanting any part of the public school system, she got her Phd and has been
teaching at a private college in Savana
April 1, 2011 at 9:36 pm | Reply
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comment
Dewey
My niece teaches HS in Queens NY and says mainly the students
show up to meet each other ,not to study ,
Many of these kids will never be in the standard work ethics we
older folks grew up with ,they won’t work as they expect to start
at the top. Sad but this teacher’s comments are not far from what
my niece feels.
April 1, 2011 at 9:34 pm | Reply
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comment
1608
She did her job.
Now the students know to judge a book by it’s cover.
April 1, 2011 at 9:28 pm | Reply
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comment
Sick of whining
It’s her business what she posts on Facebook – maybe she should have
marked it private and kept the comments amongst a select few. I can understand
what she is saying – go to the mall and watch how kids act around their parents
– heck, watch how the parents act. Instead of the parents crying about it they
need to step up and parent instead of having the state/county raise their
children. And yeah, some of those kids will grow up and be criminals. We have
no EXPECTATIONS of proper behavior – we ACCEPT antisocial behavior everyday
from children. Then when we can’t control the kids we dope ‘em up on ritalin
and other drugs then sit ‘em in front of MTV, and Jerry Springer for their role
models. Then we sit wondering what went wrong.
April 1, 2011 at 8:43 pm | Reply
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comment
Sick of whining
Did anyone bother to ask why she felt that way?
April 1, 2011 at 8:48 pm | Reply
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comment
loombergisafascist
people in this country despise the truth. i will bet dollars to donuts
that everything she has said about her so called students are true. if she is
seeeing this behaviour now in 1st grade can you imagine what these kids will be
like in 10 years. its like the kid in staten island who was harrassing the
muslim kid. he was a terror and nobody does anything. he was already running
around with scissors and cut some other poor girls hair. these teachers spend 6
hours a day with these kids and i believe everything she says. to bad the
parents dont take heed instead of just critizing her and acting all insulted.
April 1, 2011 at 8:09 pm | Reply
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comment
mell
She and all academic teachers in America should walk out and set up
their own small private schools. Capitalism and Freedom !!!!!!!! No more social
promotion and grade fixing for lazy Americans!
April 1, 2011 at 8:03 pm | Reply
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comment
Richard Allen
What is wrong with everyone….she knows what the truth is…she was warning
everyone before it got bad
We need to praise this teacher and give her a PAY RAISE…..
April 1, 2011 at 8:00 pm | Reply
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comment
joey gallows
boohoo someones feelings were hurt
next thing is a lawsuit
the kids say worse things to each other every day
April 1, 2011 at 6:14 pm | Reply
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comment
UJU
A school teacher can only do so much! Parents should rise up to their
duties
April 1, 2011 at 5:45 pm | Reply
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comment
Robert
Seek the truth, but don’t speak the truth ! The teacher can tell by the
character of her students how they will be in later life! Paterson is a ghetto
city and thats all one needs to know.
April 1, 2011 at 5:40 pm | Reply
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comment
kds
When I was growing up I had nothing but respect for any and all adults
specially teachers. Nowadays, my 9 year old neighbor is so disrespectful I
wonder what she’ll become as a young adult. The worse part is her parents
excuse her behavior with “she’s only nine”. I bet she behaves the same way in
school by what I hear from other adults in the complex where we live.
April 1, 2011 at 5:18 pm | Reply
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comment
2luv
why is it that people NEED to POST EVERYTHING IN FACEBOOK!!!
April 1, 2011 at 5:33 pm | Reply
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Michael Allen Powers
Mr. Johnson wonders why people are offended by the “truth”. (Fox’s
definition of the word, obviously). I think he’s cranky because the kids won’t
stay off his lawn.
I have teaching credentials, but I don’t teach. Why? Because I suck at
it. (I have nothing but respect for those who can.) I learned this early on,
and, to keep from doing a disservice to any prospective students, chose another
path, just as this teacher should have done.
April 1, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Reply
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comment
mike felter
i was thinking at first she can speak her mind she’s free but after some
more thinking i agree rise the bar ,, i grow up in newark. was going the wrong
way and some good people helped me,, and my great wife,,she stayed by me.. send
the teacher back to school
April 1, 2011 at 5:00 pm | Reply
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comment
story
There are expectations of educators to educate and not only academics
but also morals and ethics. Her statement takes away from these children the
chance they deserve to excel they are only 6 and 7 years old and will gravitate
towards attitudes taught to them. This teacher is not prepared and should not
be allowed to enter the class room again it is not the place for her she does
not have the love or tolerance to deal with children of that age. Children of
that age are curious and yes some of them are coming from homes where seeing is
believing the thing that happen there and if that is the case let school be the
heaven where they learn to be better people, gain knowledge and in the process
get a little love.
April 1, 2011 at 4:57 pm | Reply
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comment
Paterson
Teachers in that environment have classrooms consisting of 25 to 30
children. These children come to school with little to no sleep, poor
nutrition, poor hygiene and zero guidance at home. In addition they don’t act
like 6 and 7 year olds. They demonstrate very poor focus and attention to take
direction. It is almost impossible to teach with these issues. Day after day
teachers in most of these inner city school districts try. But in most cases
the teacher can’t break this viscous cycle of ignorance. Mandatory birth
control is the only answer.
April 1, 2011 at 9:29 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
Kar
Everyone is entitled to thier opinions, truth be told or not. As an
educator, you should know better then to ever post work related stuff. And
never ever be facebook friends with parents & students! Lesson be learned!
April 1, 2011 at 4:53 pm | Reply
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comment
Daniel Barbier
Please! And then if the kid does become a criminal then the educational
system gets “blamed” for not intervening while again the parents receieve no
responsibility in the outcome of their child’s behavior
April 1, 2011 at 4:39 pm | Reply
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comment
Shelli Lipton
Teachers who think they are there as police need to be in a different
profession. It’s good that this teacher was fired.
April 1, 2011 at 4:33 pm | Reply
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comment
James W Johnson
So why are people so offended by the truth and facts?
April 1, 2011 at 4:33 pm | Reply
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comment
James W Johnson
Why does the truth offend so many people?
April 1, 2011 at 4:32 pm | Reply
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comment
Mari
i would say the teacher should be suspended more for her stupidity in
posting to facebook than anything else. And she obviously was ill-prepared for
the reality of the challenging job of teaching. I have no doubt she found her
students unruly and undisciplined – they do live in an area where parenting
skills seem to me at a minimium, but is also a challenge for those who DO try
to be attentive to their children. She is to blame for thoughtlessness less
than for her thoughts, but the education system, including hers at teacher’s
college, are also partly responsible.
April 1, 2011 at 4:23 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
Paterson
Teachers in that environment have classrooms consisting of 25 to 30
children. These children come to school with little to no sleep, poor
nutrition, poor hygiene and zero guidance at home. In addition they don’t act
like 6 and 7 year olds. They demonstrate very poor focus and attention to take
direction. It is almost impossible to teach with these issues. Day after day
teachers in most of these inner city school districts try. But in most cases
the teacher can’t break this viscous cycle of ignorance. Mandatory birth
control is the only answer. Have some compassion for the teacher.
April 1, 2011 at 9:33 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
J
Bulls_it! Obviously there’s a reason why she said it. Paterson NJ, is a
gang infested slum with low function parents who are too busy smoking weed to
help their children with their homework. Some, are future criminals. Look at
their parents. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
April 1, 2011 at 4:01 pm | Reply
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comment
J
You ignorant bigot, I grew up in Paterson NJ…. I graduated with honors
from Penn State, I am getting my M.A at an international program…. after
working as a political adviser.. and well be surely making a lot more money
then you will ever be…..
April 1, 2011 at 4:31 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
James W Johnson
Democratis advisor no doubt.He made your point and you can’t even see
that!
April 1, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Cisco
“.. and well be surely making a lot more money then you will ever be…”
Return to Penn State and ask for a refund. English composition isn’t
your best game.
April 1, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Penn State Genius read this...
Teachers in that environment have classrooms consisting of 25 to 30
children. These children come to school with little to no sleep, poor
nutrition, poor hygiene and zero guidance at home. In addition they don’t act
like 6 and 7 year olds. They demonstrate very poor focus and attention to take
direction. It is almost impossible to teach with these issues. Day after day
teachers in most of these inner city school districts try. But in most cases
the teacher can’t break this viscous cycle of ignorance. Mandatory birth
control is the only answer. I hope this educates the Penn State ignoramus
ignoramus..
April 1, 2011 at 9:38 pm
teacher
i know as an educator the children will rise to your expectations. I set
the bar very high and they do very well and i see other teachers with this
teachers mentality of how they are no good and thats what they get. When will
society realize that we need to raise the bar and make them responsible and
they will rise to the occasion. Try it! It works!
April 1, 2011 at 3:54 pm | Reply
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comment
joe k
And I thought the truth would make you free.
April 1, 2011 at 3:43 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
anna
i thought its Arbeit macht frei (work would make you free)
April 1, 2011 at 4:39 pm | Reply
| Report
comment
US set to give
arms to Libyans SMH |
Are
US Soldiers Using Rape, Murder, And Bombing Of Children As War Strategy? Mary Lynn Cramer Countercurrents.org 3-30-11 ...
With the reports of
rape of women by US troops in Iraq (not to mention the alarmingly high rate of
rape of women soldiers within the US military); the bombing of civilian wedding
parties, children at play, and innocent villagers in their homes in Pakistan
and Afghanistan, why is it that Amy has not headlined that “Murder And Rape Are
Being Used By Obama And US Soldiers As Weapons of War”? (And who arrested those
accused Libyan soldiers in Tripoli so quickly? It takes forever to get charges
brought against American troops and contractors accused of rape, torture and
murder in US occupied countries; and even then they most often go free.) ..
This is a video of
several testimonies repeating the same lie about Iraqi soldiers killing babies
in incubators as they fled Kuwait in 1990.
” A key event in
generating momentum for the first U.S. War on Iraq, “Operation Desert Storm”
was a fraudulent report of the murder of Kuwaiti babies by Iraqi soldiers...The
girl relayed a shocking story while sobbing:
'… I saw the Iraqi
soldiers come into the hospital with guns, and go into the room where . . .
babies were in incubators. They took the babies out of the incubators, took the
incubators, and left the babies on the cold floor to die.
The massacre never
occurred. The girl was actually the daughter of a Kuwaiti emir, and had been
coached by the public relations firm Hill and Knowlton to give persuasive false
testimony.” ( How PR Sold the War in the Persian Gulf , by Stauber and
Rampton) http://911review.com/precedent/decade/incubators.html
...'
At least 40 civilians dead in Tripoli strikes: Vatican official Reuters
J. P. Morgan
Wants $5 ATM Charge CNBC.com |
Poll: Obama’s
approval hits new low Politico | Half of the registered
voters surveyed for the poll think that the president does not deserve a second
term in office.
Why
your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad)
European
Central Bank Set to Raise Interest Rates Before Fed Reuters
|
OPEC Could
Reap $1 Trillion This Year National Journal |
Fragile
Budget Talks Resume as Parties Trade ‘Extreme’ Label Fox |
·
A judgment had been
entered in my favor in the case, United States District Court Case
#3:93cv02065(AWT)(USDCJ Alvin Thompson), worth approximately now in excess of
$300,000 remains unaccounted for and which could be used for payment to
creditors, Los Angeles, etc..
·
Counsel Robert
Sullivan on my behalf documented by way of certification upon investigation
that Alan Shiff, USBCJ, had falsely stated a dismissal upon which false
statement he predicated a retaliatory and spurious contempt proceeding against
me causing substantial damage, and for which he sought Judicial Notice of those
and related proceedings as did I in some of my filings.
·
The Order of
Dismissal With Prejudice by Alan Shiff, USBCJ, owing to Defendant Coan’s
failure to file anything whatsoever by the court’s deadline causing creditors
and me substantial damages: [ Shiff Order of Dismissal With Prejudice on
Coan’s Failure to File Page 1 Page 2 ]
Harry
Dent Warns Major Crash Is Coming!
Harry Dent, Jr. Economy will be in a
Depression by 2011
The worst of this next depression is likely to hit between mid-2010 and
mid-2013, especially around early 2011, but if the banking system continues to
implode a deep downturn or depression could begin sometime in 2009 instead of
2010.
Dow will Fall to 3,800 – 4,500 by 2012
Nasdaq will Fall Below 1,100, its 2002 low, by late 2010 or mid-2012 at the
latest.
Inflation will Increase until mid- 2010 and then turn to Deflation
Interest Rates will Increase
U.S. Dollar will Decline
Housing will Decline by 40 – 60% from Today’s Levels
Greatest Economic and Banking Crisis since the 1930s will Occur Between 2010
and 2012). ]
Are
US Soldiers Using Rape, Murder, And Bombing Of Children As War Strategy? Mary
Lynn Cramer | She was also seen pulling a battered and empty incubator
behind her, yelling that Gaddafi forces had broken into the hospital maternity
ward. Mary Lynn Cramer Countercurrents.org March 30, 2011 Amy Goodman’s Take on One Reported Rape Case in Tripoli, Libya:
“Pro-Gaddafi Forces Accused of Using Rape as War Strategy”
“Some doctors in Libya have accused pro-Gaddafi fighters of using rape
as a weapon of war. On Sunday, five men were arrested for raping and torturing
a Libyan woman. The international press learned of the incident when the woman,
Eman al-Obeidi, burst into a hotel full of foreign journalists in Tripoli. She
was quickly detained by Libyan security officers. (http://www.democracynow.org/2011/3/28/headlines
)
She was also seen pulling a battered and empty incubator behind her,
yelling that Gaddafi forces had broken into the hospital maternity ward, pulled
babies out of the incubators and thrown them on the ground, and stamped them to
death…oh, sorry, that was another dramatized lie told to the US Congress to
justify another grossly destructive invasion and slaughter of thousands by US
air power in the Middle East.*
The doctors commenting on this single incident in Tripoli were no doubt
the same romantic, pure and idealistic, pro-democracy “rebels” adored by
DemocracyNow in their overtly sympathetic interviews with these courageous, US
armed, financed, and supported fighters with radical Islamist, Al Qaeda, and
CIA operative backgrounds….but why should we care who they are or where they
come from or how they are armed? And Democracy Now will the the very last to do
any serious questioning of this issue.)
With the reports of rape of women by US troops in Iraq (not to mention
the alarmingly high rate of rape of women soldiers within the US military); the
bombing of civilian wedding parties, children at play, and innocent villagers
in their homes in Pakistan and Afghanistan, why is it that Amy has not
headlined that “Murder And Rape Are Being Used By Obama And US Soldiers As
Weapons of War”? (And who arrested those accused Libyan soldiers in Tripoli so quickly?
It takes forever to get charges brought against American troops and contractors
accused of rape, torture and murder in US occupied countries; and even then
they most often go free.)
If you find my commentary more offensive than Democracy Now’s lack of
responsible, investigative journalism and Amy’s blatantly biased propaganda
regarding Libya, that may be indicative of just of how little integrity is left
in the so-called American Left.
This is a video of several testimonies repeating the same lie about
Iraqi soldiers killing babies in incubators as they fled Kuwait in 1990.
” A key event in generating momentum for the first U.S. War on Iraq,
“Operation Desert Storm” was a fraudulent report of the murder of Kuwaiti
babies by Iraqi soldiers. On October 10, 1990, the U.S. Congressional Human
Rights Caucus held a hearing on the subject of Iraqi human rights violations.
The centerpiece of the event was the emotional testimony of a 15-year-old
Kuwaiti girl, known only by her first name, Nayirah. Her full name was
supposedly being kept secret to protect her from Iraqi reprisals. The girl
relayed a shocking story while sobbing:
I volunteered at the al-Addan hospital. While I was there, I saw the
Iraqi soldiers come into the hospital with guns, and go into the room where . .
. babies were in incubators. They took the babies out of the incubators, took
the incubators, and left the babies on the cold floor to die.
The massacre never occurred. The girl was actually the daughter of a
Kuwaiti emir, and had been coached by the public relations firm Hill and
Knowlton to give persuasive false testimony.” ( How PR Sold the War in the
Persian Gulf , by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton) http://911review.com/precedent/decade/incubators.html
...'
] A call by lawmakers for a careful review
of AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile is really more code language for
something else, analysts say.
Rank |
|
||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
Financialization
and Our Increasingly Unstable Economy Roche ‘.. I highly recommend it to
anyone... It will certainly infuriate you...excellent job of showing how Wall
Street and government have become overrun by deregulation and sheer greed. A
combination of flawed economic theory and greed have combined to create the
beast that we now call a “functioning” economy. The worst part of it all is
that President Obama, who vowed change, has done almost nothing to fix any of it
and in fact continues most of the policies that helped get us here in the first
place’ ‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins
Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant fraud in the (many)
TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and declares with oscar in hand that
not one high level wall street exec has been prosecuted … despite ‘earning’
billiions from the fraud ), the commentator / experts recommend getting rid of
the corrupt eric holder ( what do holder and wobama have in common … wall street money? … a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ?...all/some of the above … or is it something else
... a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... ‘In
emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice official who quit over the
handling of a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party
accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in the civil rights
division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and white victims ' Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown.
’Inside Job’ New Documentary
Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To Steal Our Money
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv
'There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one:
the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good
economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects
that must be foreseen… the bad economist pursues a small present good that
will be followed by a great evil to come, while the good economist pursues a
great good to come, at the risk of a small present evil.
Light
Volume Rally Continues: Dave's Daily ' It may be it's the stupid person that fights this trend
reversal. The Fed has injected $500 billion (another $7B in POMO
Wednesday) to the financial system since January 2011 and that wave of
liquidity is overwhelming most thoughtful analysis. So, give it up to the
beard! Sure it's the end of the quarter and a jam-job to close things out
puts a smile on investors' faces and bonuses in portfolio managers' pockets.
Painting the tape and window dressing is against the law but show me someone
who's been caught. ADP data indicated job growth for Thursday's Jobless Claims
data and Friday's all important Unemployment report. ADP data has misled before
but Wall Street is awash with cash from on high and finds little other place to
invest
beyond stocks. Bull's are betting on a good report to close out the week, and
if not, they're just April Fools. Only a hardy few are pumping this market
higher as volume remains ultra-light. Of course, volume data isn't on your
monthly brokerage
statement since that would only confuse you, right? No, TPTB just wants you to
see higher prices to boost your confidence...' Chemist
charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [ This remains incredulous
to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! Not just corruption, but bad time
/resource management. The frauds on wall
street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement
imposed (this would also help significantly the hapless, hopeless budget
scenario). Drop
in home prices raises fear of double dip (Washington Post) [ Fear of double dip?
We're in a continuing dip that never
really ended with obfuscations of
reality including more insurmountable debt and fed-based manipulations (Dave explains
infra) Case-Shiller
Chairman: Here’s Why the Housing Market Recession is Not Over Wall St Cheat Sheet 'Welcome to 2003! The
S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index 10-City
Composite was down 2% and the 20-City Composite fell 3.1% in January on a
year-over-year basis. On a monthly basis, the 10-City Composite was down 0.9%
and the 20-City Composite fell 1.0% in January versus December 2010.San
Diego and Washington D.C. were the only two markets to record
positive year-over-year changes. However, San Diego was up a scant 0.1%,
while Washington DC posted a healthier +3.6% annual growth rate. The same
11 cities that had posted recent index level lows in December 2010, posted
new lows in January.
David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard &
Poor’s commented:
“Keeping with the
trends set in late 2010, January brings us weakening home prices with no real
hope in sight for the near future. With this month’s data, we find
the same 11 MSAs posting new recent index lows. The 10-City and 20-City
Composites continue to decline month-over-month and have posted monthly
declines for six consecutive months now.These data confirm what we have
seen with recent housing starts and sales reports. The housing
market recession is not yet over, and none of the statistics are
indicating any form of sustained recovery . At most, we have seen all
statistics bounce along their troughs; at worst, the feared double-dip
recession may be materializing. ..., but both series have moved closer to
a confirmed double-dip for six consecutive months. At this point we are
not too far off, and that is what many analysts are seeing with sales,
starts and inventory data too...' M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this
low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start
cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell
bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary
Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is
taxpayer money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events
going on little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial
institutions to see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay
dividends. Making the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order
on the entire process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you… (see infra)’
] False / fake data /
reports galore … High oil price rally! Come on!
What total b*** s***! Previous rally sparked by upward revision of GDP by the
scandal-scarred commerce department? You can’t believe anything these desperate
self-servers say! This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s suckers’ rally on more bad/worse than expected news
(consumer confidence down) provides an especially great opportunity to sell /
take profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! Fed
to hold regular news conferences (Washington
Post) [ Wow! Just what everyone needed … more spoon-fed b*** s*** / jawboning
by the flawed, flatulent, faultful fed … for the sake of fraudulent wall street
… you do remember those 'no-recession' jawbone sessions that sent the prior
bubble expanding faster than 'the big bang' itself … until every got and
continues to get banged from the last bubble-fraud crash. Chairman Bernanke’s move is part of
efforts by the central bank to make the institution appear less secretive. States
target jobless benefits (Washington
Post) Durable goods (leading indicator)
200% worse than expected, stocks rally. ‘ February
Durable Goods Orders Disappoint
NEW YORK (TheStreet)
Bharatwaj …’ This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Looking
Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
] The government charged a
chemist at the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday with insider trading.
This
Fed Governor ADMITS the Federal Reserve is Anti-Capitalistic [ No surprise here … the fed has literally
destroyed the american free enterpise, capitalist system in favor of the frauds
on wall street to the detriment of this and many other nations. ] Wall St Cheat Sheet On Wednesday March 30, 2011, 12:23 pm EDT
'There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one:
the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good
economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects
that must be foreseen… the bad economist pursues a small present good that
will be followed by a great evil to come, while the good economist pursues a
great good to come, at the risk of a small present evil.
–Frederic
Bastiat (1801-1850)
Nothing defined Alan
Greenspan’s tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank more than his
wholehearted embrace of capitalism . With early roots in his 30-year
association with the novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand , that faith grew into
an unconstrained confidence in the free market and deregulation to steer the
economy and ward off crises.
According to a current Fed governor, however, both Greenspan’s Fed and
the Fed today have not been the stalwarts of capitalism that the Maestro
believed them to be.
On March 7th, I had the great pleasure of listening to Thomas Hoenig
speak at the Colorado CFA Society forecast dinner. Hoenig, the only
member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors who I respect, is the board’s
lone rational dissenting voice.
After his speech, a lengthy Q&A, and a short conversation with him,
I left the event even more impressed with him.
Hoeing was equally critical of both the Fed’s zero-interest rate policy
and of QE2 . He said these policies encourage speculation and don’t allow
for price discovery, and consequently they lead to imbalances, unintended
consequences, and misallocation of resources.
He said it is important to judge QE2’s success over the right time
frame, one long enough to encompass not just its stimulative benefits but also
its consequences. (In other words, there is a good reason why we don’t
judge steroids solely based on what they do for an athlete’s
performance during the race, ignoring the strokes and other health
problems they often cause after the race).
Throughout his speech, Hoenig warned that there are no shortcuts to
greatness in monetary policy. The Fed’s intervention in the economy will have
unintended consequences, and it is impossible to know where they’ll show
up. For example, Hoenig recalled that the Fed lowered the interest rate
to 1% in 2003 and, though the economy was improving, kept rates low levels for
over a year in order to bring unemployment below 6.5%. The asset bubble that
deflated in the financial crisis (NYSE:XLF)
resulted, and today
unemployment is 10%.
Hoenig’s comments are extremely important. I too believe that the Fed’s
actions in 2003 played a very large role in the subsequent real estate bubble (NYSE:IYR),
financial crisis, and today’s high unemployment, but this was the first time
I’ve heard such an admission come directly from a Fed governor. To the
contrary, Greenspan has been outspoken in denying the role he and the Fed
played in the crisis.
Hoeing said he questions whether quantitative easing , which failed in
Japan (NYSE:EWJ),
will work in the US (NYSE:SPY).
He bluntly stated that too-big-to-fail financial institutions like Citigroup (NYSE:C),
Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC),
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM),
and others should be broken up. (I argued that point in this article.)
Commercial banks are in charge of our domestic and international payments
system, but their access to FDIC insurance and the Fed’s discount window (use
of which swelled from $900 million to $3 trillion over the last two years),
constitutes “an enormous protection” to the financial sector, encouraging
risk-taking through an implicit guarantee in the event of a crisis or failure.
Smaller institutions that don’t have access to the Fed’s fund window
have to compete in that space, and they start behaving and taking risks as if
they have access to the window. The walls between commercial and
investment banks have been demolished, Hoenig argued, and the two functions
within banks (NYSE:XLF)
are now joined at the hip. In the wake of this crisis, Hoeing said we did
the same things we did after previous crises: added supervision and regulation
and raised capital requirements. But history suggests that as time goes by
we’ll forget about the crisis and history will repeat itself, he said – unless
we break up too-big-to-fail institutions.
It is a fundamental tenant of American capitalism that central planning
of economies doesn’t work in the long term, whether in Soviet Union
historically or in China (NYSE:FXI)
today. But I often wonder: How is the Fed’s Board of Governors – the proverbial
12 guys in a room – any different than the 24 guys in a room who make up the
Chinese politburo? The non-democratic Chinese may have a few more levers to
push – an ability to force banks to lend, for example – but short of that, how
is the Fed’s micromanagement of interest rates any different from China’s?
After Hoenig came off the stage, I posed the question to Hoenig, and I asked
him point-blank whether the Federal Reserve is an anti-capitalistic entity.
To my shock, Hoenig agreed with me: The Fed is
anti-capitalistic.
I went further. In the midst of the 2008 financial crisis, to prevent
the freezing up of the US financial system and possible bank runs, the Fed put
in place QE1 – it purchased over a trillion dollars of mortgage and agency
debt. Like J.P. Morgan (NYSE:JPM)
in the pre-Fed era, the Fed was the lender of last resort. But QE2 is
drastically different from QE1, because the banking system is far from choking,
and now the Fed’s goal is to lower unemployment and grow the economy at a
higher rate (here is my article
on QE2).
I asked Hoenig if he thinks the Fed should stick to its mission as
lender of last resort, as it was during QE1, letting the free market set
interest rates. He looked at me with an expression that implied he
couldn’t have said it better himself and agreed.
I am very familiar with confirmation bias, our desire to seek out people
with whom we agree. But Hoenig is not your usual person; he is member of
the Federal Reserve Board of Governors , and he disagrees with almost
everything that institution does.
Hoeing’s courage and principled vision elevate him to the status of a
“good economist,” as defined by Frederic Bastiat over 150 years ago.
Let’s hope that his voice, in a room full of bad economists, does not fall
entirely on deaf ears.
Vitaliy N. Katsenelson, CFA, is a portfolio manager/director of research
at Investment
Management Associates in Denver, Colo. He is the author of The
Little Book of Sideways Markets. You can read more at his blog Contrarian
Edge.
Don’t Miss: Exclusive
Interview: How to Succeed in Sideways Markets – with Vitaliy Katsenelson.'
Caught
On Tape: Fed Admits It is Private Knox Harrington
| The Federal Reserve banking cartel is in fact a PRIVATE entity, and NOT
Federal at all. 19
Reasons Why The Federal Reserve Is At The Heart Of Our Economic Problems Most Americans do not understand what the
Federal Reserve is or why it is at the heart of our economic problems. When
Americans get into discussions about the economy, most of them still blame
either the Democrats or the Republicans for inflation, for the housing crash,
for our rampant unemployment and for the national debt. The
Economic Collapse
March 30, 2011
Most Americans do not understand what the Federal Reserve is or why it
is at the heart of our economic problems. When Americans get into
discussions about the economy, most of them still blame either the Democrats or
the Republicans for inflation, for the housing crash, for our rampant unemployment
and for the national debt. But the truth is that the institution with the
most power over our economic system is the Federal Reserve. So exactly
what is the Federal Reserve? Most people would say that it is an agency
of the federal government. But that is absolutely not true. In
fact, the Federal Reserve itself has argued in court that it is not an agency
of the federal government. Rather, the Federal Reserve is a
privately-owned banking cartel that has been given a perpetual monopoly over
our monetary system by the U.S. Congress. This privately-owned central
bank has been destroying the value of the U.S. dollar for decades, it has run
our economy into the ground and it has driven the U.S. government to the brink
of bankruptcy. The Federal Reserve operates in great secrecy, it has
never been subjected to a comprehensive audit and it is not accountable to the
American people. Yet the decisions that the Federal Reserve makes have a
dramatic impact on the lives of every single American citizen.
If you really want to understand what is causing our economic problems,
it is absolutely crucial that you understand exactly what the Federal Reserve
system is and how it is systematically destroying our economy. Once you
understand the truth about the Federal Reserve, you will view economic issues a
whole lot differently.
The following are 19 reasons why the Federal Reserve is at the very
heart of our economic problems….
#1 The Federal Reserve system is a debt-based financial system.
The way our system is designed, normally no money comes into existence
without more debt being created.
But this creates a huge problem, because when a new dollar is created,
the interest owed to the banking system on that dollar is not also created at
the same time.
Therefore, the amount money that is created is not equal to the larger
amount of debt that is also created.
This is a Ponzi scheme that is designed to drain wealth from the
American people and transfer it to the banking system.
Today, the amount of debt in our economic system is far, far, far
greater than the total amount of money.
The only way to keep the game going is to create even more money which
creates even more debt.
#2 The Federal Reserve and the bankers have a monopoly on the creation
of this debt-based money.
In the United States today, the only people that can create money are
the bankers.
You cannot create money.
You would go to jail if you tried.
Even the U.S. government cannot create money.
Although the U.S. Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to
create money, the U.S. Congress has given that power to the Federal Reserve and
to the banking system.
This gives them an enormous amount of power.
So how does money creation actually work?
Most Americans don’t understand this.
As I
have written about previously, the way our system is designed is that all
money is supposed to originally come into existence as government debt….
When the government wants more money, the U.S. government swaps U.S.
Treasury bonds for “Federal Reserve notes”, thus creating more government
debt. Usually the money isn’t even printed up – most of the time it is
just electronically credited to the government. The Federal Reserve
creates these “Federal Reserve notes” out of thin air. These Federal
Reserve notes are backed by nothing and have no intrinsic value of their own.
The Federal Reserve then sells these U.S. Treasury bonds to investors,
other nations (such as China) or sometimes they “sell” them back to
themselves. In fact, the Federal Reserve has been gobbling up a whole lot
of U.S. Treasuries lately. Some refer to this as “monetizing the debt”,
but that is not quite an accurate statement.
When the Federal Reserve creates money this way, it does not also create
the money to pay the interest on the debt that has been created.
Eventually this puts pressure on the U.S. government to borrow even more money
to keep the game going. So what this creates is a spiral where the U.S.
government must keep borrowing increasingly larger amounts of money, where the
money supply is endlessly expanding and where the value of the U.S. dollar is
destined to continue going down forever.
Once “Federal Reserve Notes” are in circulation, there is another way
that money is created.
It is called “fractional reserve lending”.
Once you or I deposit money into a bank, the bank is only required to
keep a very small amount of it actually in the bank. The rest of it the
bank can loan out to others (at interest of course). This process can be
repeated over and over and over, creating more money and an even larger amount
of debt.
But the important part to take away from all this is that normally money
is only created when debt is created, and the amount of debt to be paid back is
always larger than the amount of money created.
This entire system is designed to drain our wealth and to put it into
the hands of the bankers.
#3 The power of money creation and debt creation is in the hands of
private individuals – not the government.
The Federal Reserve claims that it is an “entity within
the government, having both public purposes and private aspects.”
That sounds so reasonable, but the truth is that the Federal Reserve is
a legalized banking cartel that is privately-owned.
In fact, the Federal Reserve is about as “federal” as Federal Express
is.
In defending itself against a Bloomberg request for information
under the Freedom of Information Act, the Federal Reserve objected by declaring
that it was “not
an agency” of the U.S. government and therefore it was not subject to the
Freedom of Information Act. It is kind of funny how Fed officials are
always talking about how important their “independence” is, but whenever anyone
starts criticizing them for being private they start stressing their ties with
the government.
So who owns the Federal Reserve?
As
the Federal Reserve’s own website describes, it is the member banks that
own it….
The twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks, which were established by
Congress as the operating arms of the nation’s central banking system, are
organized much like private corporations–possibly leading to some confusion
about “ownership.” For example, the Reserve Banks issue shares of stock to
member banks. However, owning Reserve Bank stock is quite different from owning
stock in a private company. The Reserve Banks are not operated for profit, and
ownership of a certain amount of stock is, by law, a condition of membership in
the System. The stock may not be sold, traded, or pledged as security for a loan;
dividends are, by law, 6 percent per year.
In particular, as we will see below, the banks of the New York Federal
Reserve have the most influence over the system.
So who owns the member banks?
Well, when you trace the ownership of the member banks to the very top
you find that the international banking elite are very strongly represented.
#4 The Federal Reserve itself is not much of a profit-making
institution. Rather, it is a tool that enables others to make obscene
amounts of money.
There are many that think of the Federal Reserve as an evil
profit-making machine. But the truth is that the Fed doesn’t make that
much money. Rather, the system was set up so that others could make an
obscene amount of money from U.S. government debt.
Many of those opposed to the Federal Reserve point to the record $80.9
billion in profits that the Federal Reserve made last year as evidence that
they are robbing the American people blind. But then those defending the
Federal Reserve will point out that the Fed returned $78.4 billion to the U.S.
Treasury.
In the end, those numbers are not nearly as important as the hundreds of
billions of dollars in interest that are made off of U.S. government debt each
year.
If the U.S. government had been issuing debt-free money all this time,
the U.S. government would likely not be spending one penny on interest
payments. Instead, the U.S. government spent over 413
billion dollars on interest on the national debt during fiscal 2010.
This is money that belonged to U.S. taxpayers that was transferred to the U.S.
government which in turn was transferred to wealthy international bankers and
other foreign governments.
This is where the magic of the Federal Reserve system is. It is in
getting the U.S. government enslaved to debt and using that debt to transfer
hundreds of billions of dollars of our wealth into the hands of others.
As interest rates go up, this phenomenon is going to become even more
brutal. Right now it is being projected that the U.S. government will be
paying900
billion dollars just in interest on the national debt by the year 2019.
As you fill out your tax return this year, just keep in mind that vast
quantities of our money is going to pay interest on debt that the U.S.
government never needed to become enslaved to.
There are some very happy people out there that are becoming fabulously
wealthy at our expense.
What a system, eh?
#5 The Federal Reserve is a perpetual debt machine.
As mentioned above, the U.S. government is enslaved to debt.
So how did it get enslaved?
Well, instead of printing up and spending the money that it needs, the
U.S. government borrows it through the Federal Reserve system at interest.
In fact, as noted above, the U.S. government cannot create a single new
dollar without borrowing it.
But each new dollar that the U.S. government borrows creates more than a
dollar of new debt.
As a result, the government eventually has to collect more in taxes than
what it has borrowed.
This phenomenon creates an endless debt spiral.
And is that not what we have in the United States today? In fact,
you see this in almost every nation on earth where a similar central banking
system has been established.
Did you know that the U.S. national debt is more than 5,000 times larger
than it was 100 years ago?
That’s right – back in 1910, prior to the passage of the Federal Reserve
Act, the national debt was only about $2.6
billion.
The only way that the U.S. government can inject more money into the
economy is by going into more debt. But when new government debt is created,
the amount of money to pay the interest on that debt is not also created.
In this way, it was intended by the international bankers that U.S. government
debt would expand indefinitely and the U.S. money supply would also expand
indefinitely. In the process, the international bankers would become
insanely wealthy by lending money to the U.S. government.
However, things did not have to turn out this way.
If
the Federal Reserve had never been created, and the U.S. government had
been issuing debt-free currency all this time, it is entirely conceivable that
we would have absolutely no federal government debt at this point.
Unfortunately, we are now trapped in a debt-based system.
The U.S. national debt simply cannot ever be paid off. U.S.
government debt has been mathematically designed to expand forever. It is
a trap from which there is no escape.
Sadly, we have now gotten to a terminal phase of the debt spiral.
The Congressional Budget Office is projecting that U.S. government debt
held by the public will reach a staggering 716 percent of GDP
by the year 2080. Remember when I used the term “debt spiral”
earlier? This is what a debt spiral looks like….
[chart]
#6 The Federal Reserve system is designed to cause inflation.
As U.S. government debt expands at an exponential pace, it inevitably
causes inflation.
Most Americans believe that inflation is a fact of life, but the truth
is that the United States has only had a major, ongoing problem with
inflation since
the Federal Reserve was created back in 1913.
Sadly, the U.S. dollar has lost well over 95 percent of its value since
the Federal Reserve was created.
If the Federal Reserve did not exist, it is theoretically conceivable
that we could have an economy with little to no inflation. Of course that
would greatly depend on the discipline of our government officials (which is
not very great at this point), but the sad truth is that our current system is always
going to produce inflation. In fact, the Federal Reserve system was
originally designed to be inflationary. Just check out the inflation
chart posted below. The U.S. never had massive problems with inflation
before the Fed was created, but now it is just wildly out of control….
#7 The Federal Reserve has decided to play bizarre games with our money
supply.
In a desperate attempt to revive the dying U.S. economy, the Federal
Reserve has resorted to chucking gigantic quantities of cash into the financial
system.
[chart]
Remember how earlier I explained that normally whenever new money is
created that more debt is created?
Well, lately the Fed has been resorting to a trick called “quantitative
easing”. What “quantitative easing” means is that the Federal Reserve
zaps massive amounts of money into existence out of thin air and starts
spending it on anything that it wants to buy. Lately, this has primarily
been done to buy up U.S. government debt.
But isn’t that “monetizing the debt”?
Of course it is, and it is a blatant Ponzi scheme.
However, what is even more alarming is what this is doing to our money
supply.
Just look at what has happened to our monetary base since about
mid-2008….
[chart]
Does anyone in their right mind believe that this is not going to cause
horrible inflation?
Right now most of the new cash is tied up in the financial system, but
once it gets out into the regular economy watch out!
#8 The Federal Reserve is undemocratic.
In
a previous article, I asked the following question:
“So what makes the central economic planning that the Federal Reserve
does different from the central economic planning that communist China does?”
In both cases, a bunch of unelected elitists run the economy and make
important economic decisions for the rest of us.
So what really is the difference?
#9 The Federal Reserve runs the U.S. economy.
Most Americans want to blame Obama or Bush or the U.S. Congress for the
state of the economy.
But the truth is that it is the Federal Reserve that sets interest
rates, it is the Federal Reserve that determines the money supply, it is the
Federal Reserve that sets the “target rate” of inflation, it is the Federal
Reserve that determines if unemployment is too high or too low and it is the
Federal Reserve that watches over all of our banks.
Yes, Obama, Bush and the U.S. Congress all have things to answer for as
well.
But none of them have the direct power over the economy that the Federal
Reserve does.
#10 The Federal Reserve favors the big banks.
Not all financial institutions are treated equally by the Fed.
The truth is that the big banks (particularly those on Wall Street) are
treated with great favor by the Federal Reserve.
If the Federal Reserve did not exist, the big Wall Street banks would
not have such an overwhelming advantage. Most Americans simply have no
idea that over the last several years the Federal Reserve has been giving
gigantic piles of nearly interest-free money to the big Wall Street banks which
they turned right around and started lending to the federal government at
a much higher rate of return. I don’t know about you, but if I was
allowed to do that I could make a whole bunch of money very quickly. In
fact, it has come out that the Federal Reserve made over $9
trillion in overnight loans to major banks, large financial institutions
and other “friends” during the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.
Wouldn’t you like to be able to zap trillions of dollars into existence
and loan it out to your friends at very favorable terms?
Sadly, most of the “help” from the Federal Reserve always seems to go to
the big boys.
When “small enough to fail” banks need assistance, they are usually told
to go sell themselves to one of the big banks.
#11 The worse the debt problems caused by the Federal Reserve become,
the more money the IRS needs to collect from the rest of us.
If the U.S. government could issue debt-free money, it is conceivable
that we would not even need the IRS. You doubt this? Well, the
truth is that the United States did just fine for well over a hundred years
without a national income tax. But about the same time the Federal
Reserve was created a national income tax was instituted as well. The
whole idea was that the wealth of the American people would be transferred to
the U.S. government by force and then transferred into the hands of the
ultra-wealthy in the form of interest payments.
If the Federal Reserve was shut down, it is entirely possible that we
would be able to shut down the IRS as well.
But the only way that the current system works is if massive amounts of
wealth continue to be drained from the American people.
#12 The Federal Reserve creates artificial financial bubbles.
When you look back over the last several decades, you will find
financial bubble after financial bubble.
So who created all of those bubbles?
It was the Federal Reserve.
The ridiculous policies of Greenspan and Bernanke have wrought disaster
after disaster and yet most of our politicians still will not even consider
major changes to the Federal Reserve.
#13 The Federal Reserve is anti-free market.
In a true free market system, the marketplace would determine what
interest rates are.
In a true free market system, the marketplace would determine which
financial institutions survive.
In a true free market system, artificial financial bubbles would be far
less likely.
But we don’t have a true free market system.
#14 The Federal Reserve tells the rest of the our banks what to do.
Most Americans don’t understand just how much power the Federal Reserve
actually has over our local banks.
For example, just last year Federal Reserve officials walked into one
bank in Oklahoma and demanded that they take down all
the Bible verses and all the Christmas buttons that the bank had been
displaying.
#15 The people currently running the Federal Reserve pretty much have no
idea what they are doing.
In case anyone has not noticed, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
hasa
very long track record of incompetence. Nearly every major judgment
that he has made since taking over that position has been dead wrong.
If one of us could go down the street and appoint the manager of the local
Dairy Queen as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, it is very doubtful that
person would do a worse job than Bernanke has done.
#16 Even though the Federal Reserve has such extraordinary power over
the financial system, the American people are not permitted to examine their
books.
The Federal Reserve claims that they are regularly audited, but when
some members of Congress attempted to push through a true comprehensive audit
of the Fed last year Federal Reserve officials threw a hissy fit.
The truth is that the Federal Reserve has never undergone a true
comprehensive audit since it was created back in 1913.
Whenever the subject of an audit comes up, Bernanke and others at the
Fed keep repeating the mantra of how important “the independence of the Federal
Reserve” is.
Sadly, Ron Paul’s proposal to audit the Federal Reserve last year,
which had previously been co-sponsored by 320 members of the U.S.
House of Representatives, ultimately
failed by a vote of 229-198.
Instead, a very, very limited examination of Fed transactions that
occurred during the recent financial crisis was approved.
So what did that limited examination reveal?
Well, the Federal Reserve was forced to reveal the details of 21,000
transactions stretching from December 2007 to July 2010 that combined were
worth trillions of dollars. It turns out that the Federal Reserve was
just handing out gigantic
piles of nearly interest-free cash to their friends at the largest banks,
financial institutions and corporations all over the globe.
Many members of Congress were absolutely stunned by these revelations.
So what would a more comprehensive audit reveal?
#17 The Federal Reserve has way too much power.
If the Federal Reserve did not exist, we would not have an unelected,
unaccountable “fourth branch of government” running around that has gotten
completely and totally out of control. Even some members of Congress are
now openly complaining about how much power the Fed has. For example, Ron
Paul told MSNBC last year that he believes that the Federal Reserve is
now more
powerful than Congress…..
“The regulations should be on the Federal Reserve. We should have
transparency of the Federal Reserve. They can create trillions of dollars to
bail out their friends, and we don’t even have any transparency of this.
They’re more powerful than the Congress.”
#18 The Federal Reserve is dominated by Wall Street and the New York
banks.
The New York representative is the only permanent member of the Federal
Open Market Committee, while other regional banks rotate in 2 and 3
year intervals. The former head of the New York Fed, Timothy
Geithner, is now U.S. Treasury Secretary. The truth is that the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York has always been the most important of the
regional Fed banks by far, and in turn the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York has always been dominated by Wall Street and the major New York banks.
The cold, hard reality of the matter is that the Federal Reserve is just
another one of the tools that the Wall Street banking elite use to dominate all
the rest of us.
#19 The Federal Reserve has brought us to the brink of economic
collapse.
If the Federal Reserve had never been created, the American people would
not be so enslaved to debt. At the very core of our economic problems is
debt. American consumers are swamped with debt, state and local
governments are facing horrific debt problems from coast to coast and the
federal government has piled up the biggest mountain of debt in the history of
the world.
We are living in an absolutely massive debt bubble, and when it bursts
the world is going to experience financial chaos like it has never seen before.
Things did not have to turn out this way. We did not have to adopt
a debt-based financial system. We did not have to allow the bankers to
enslave us with debt.
But that is what happened.
Sadly, most Americans and the vast majority of our politicians are still
clueless about these issues.
In 1922, Henry
Ford wrote the following….
“The people must be helped to think naturally about money. They must be
told what it is, and what makes it money, and what are the possible tricks of
the present system which put nations and peoples under control of the few.”
Hopefully this article will help people understand our debt-based financial
system a little bit better.
Until we fundamentally change our system, many of the economic and
financial problems we are currently experiencing will never go away.
Thankfully, it does appear that some Americans are waking up.
According to a
recent Bloomberg National Poll, the number of Americans that would like to
see the Federal Reserve held more accountable or even completely abolished is
increasing….
Asked if the central bank should be more accountable to Congress, left
independent or abolished entirely, 39 percent said it should be held more
accountable and 16 percent that it should be abolished. Only 37 percent favor
the status quo.
Those are very exciting numbers.
Hopefully we can awaken many more Americans to the dangers of a
debt-based economy.
In the book of Proverbs, it tells us the following….
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the
lender.
Well, by allowing ourselves to become enslaved to debt, we have become
the servants of the international banking system.
Not only that, we have also sold our children and our grandchildren into
perpetual debt
slavery.
Thomas Jefferson tried to warn us about this.
He believed that when the government borrows money in one generation
which must be paid back by future generations it is equivalent to
stealing….
And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more
dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be
paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a
large scale.
In fact, Thomas Jefferson said that if he could add one more amendment
to the U.S. Constitution it would be a ban on all
government borrowing….
I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our
Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of
the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its
Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government
the power of borrowing.
Where would we be today if we had listened to Thomas Jefferson?
The amount of government debt that we have racked up is a great
evil. We have stolen the future away from our children and our
grandchildren. We have put them in a position where they will spend the
rest of their lives paying off our debts to the bankers.
We owe it to future generations to fix the problems that we have created.
That is why so many of us believe that it is time for the U.S. Congress
to shut down the Federal Reserve. Our current financial system is a
complete and utter failure and we need to start over.'
The
American Dream March 30, 2011 'Most American families are really struggling
in this economy and they see most of the families around them really
struggling, but they don’t have any hard numbers to back up the feelings of
economic despair that they are experiencing. Well, below you will find 22
statistics that prove that American families are broke and getting
broker. Today, the financial condition of most middle class families is
rapidly deteriorating. The number of good jobs is declining, incomes are
down, debt loads are up and bankruptcies and foreclosures just continue to
increase. If you step back and really examine the statistics, it becomes
really hard to deny that American families are getting poorer. Well, the
wealthiest 5 percent are still thriving, but everyone else is really having a
tough time. The truth is that a large percentage of the U.S. middle class
is slowly but surely going broke. Unfortunately, this is being caused by
long-term economic trends that simply are not going to be fixed overnight.
Most Americans had just assumed that the United States would always have
a dominant, prosperous economy. But in the world we live in today there
are no guarantees.
The era when almost anyone could find a good job is over. Millions
of good jobs have already left the United States, and vast numbers of legal and
illegal workers have been shipped in to the country to compete for the jobs
that are still here.
There are millions of Americans that would give just about anything for
a good job right about now. But the good jobs are very few and far
between at this point.
Every day there is more depressing news. For example, a recent job
fair in Massachusetts was shut down because
of a lack of jobs.
In fact, with jobs so scarce these days, more Americans than ever are
willing to work for free.
This is not just a “recession” or an “economic downturn”. The U.S.
economy is fundamentally changing for the worse. Millions of American
families are already experiencing economic despair and millions more will be
experiencing it very soon.
The following are 22 jaw dropping statistics about the financial
condition of American families….
#1 In 2010, one
out of every eight American families had at least one family member that
was unemployed. In fact, the figure for 2010 was the highest it has been
since the U.S. Labor Department began keeping track of this statistic back in
1994.
#2 According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, more
than 8 million Americansare working part-time jobs because they can’t get
full-time jobs.
#3 There are now more
than 6 million Americans that the government sayshave
given up looking for work completely.
#4 After accounting
for inflation, the average income for an American family has
fallen 5 percent since the year 2000.
#5 According to the
New York Times, as of 2009 the wealthiest 5 percent of all Americans had 63.5
percent of all the wealth in America. Meanwhile, the bottom 80
percent had just 12.8 percent of all the wealth.
#6 During this most
recent economic downturn, employee compensation in the United States has been
the lowest that it has been relative to gross domestic product in over
50 years.
#7 According to the
Federal Reserve, between 2007 and 2009 median household net worth in the United
States fell by
23 percent.
#8 The Federal
Reserve also says that median household debt in the United States has
risen to
$75,600.
#9 Total U.S. credit
card debt is more
than 8 times larger than it was just 30 years ago.
#10 Today, 46%
of all Americans carry a credit card balance from month to month.
#11 Of U.S.
households that have credit card debt, the average amount owed on credit
cards is
$15,788.
#12 Americans now
owe more
than $887 billion on student loans, which is even more than they owe on
credit cards.
#13 A
staggering 25 percent of all American adults now
have a credit score below 599.
#14 When you adjust
wages for inflation, middle class workers in the United States make less money
today than they did
back in 1971.
#15 American workers
that are unemployed are
nearly twice as likely to have been told by a doctor or a nurse that they
suffer from depression.
#16 In 2010, for the
first time ever more
than a million U.S. families lost their homes to foreclosure, and that
number is expected to go even higher in 2011.
#17 According to
RealtyTrac, one
out of every 45 U.S. households was hit with a foreclosure filing in 2010.
#18 U.S. home values
have fallen an
astounding 6.3 trillion dollars since the peak of the real estate
market. Most of that pain has been felt by ordinary American families.
#19 Approximately
half of all American workers make
$25,000 a year or less.
#20 According to a
survey released very close to the end of 2010, 55
percentof all Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck.
#21 1.5 million
Americans filed for bankruptcy in 2010. That represented the fourth
yearly increase in bankruptcy filings in a row.
#22 As 2007 began,
only about 26 million Americans were on food stamps, but today over 44 million Americans are
on food stamps which is an all-time record high.'
Drudgereport:
Obama
2002: Toppling a Brutal Dictator Is 'A Dumb War'...
OBAMA POLL HITS NEW
LOW...
EPA
Says Radiation Found in U.S. Milk...
Inflation
worries push consumer confidence lower...
Home
prices STILL falling in cities...
13%
of all U.S. homes are vacant...
REBELS ON THE RUN
OBAMA
DEFENDS...
'World
Conscience'...
New
Committee to Set Libya's 'Political Direction'...
U.S.
says rebels may sell oil?
Brits
fear becoming another Iraq...
Gadhafi
tells West to halt 'barbaric genocide'...
Camp
Lejeune Marines sent to Libya...
Clinton,
Hague meet senior 'rebel' figure...
Intelligence
shows 'flickers' of al Qaeda...
MAG:
NEW 'KILL TEAM' PHOTOS RELEASED...
REPORT:
U.S. soldiers hacked off part of dead man's skull?
HORROR: Cut off 15-year-old boy's finger and kept as trophy...[We all knew the
u.s. Military was recruiting / is now composed of felons, war criminals, etc.;
but clearly, these are the blatant signs of serial killers – then that 360 tons
of $100 bills still missing in Iraq, etc., serial thieves, particularly at the
top down.)...
VIDEO:
Two on motorcycle gunned down...***WARNING: GRAPHIC***
PHOTOS...
500,000
MARCH IN LONDON TO PROTEST BUDGET CUTS...
Turns
violent; Anarchists blitz the Ritz...
ANARCHY
IN THE UK
NOT
DAYS, NOT WEEKS -- LIBYA OP TO LAST MONTHS...
NATO
likely to expand mission...
Energized
Muslim Brotherhood eyes a prize...
Unrest in Syria, Jordan Poses New
Test...
Clinton:
U.S. won't intervene...
REPORTER CONFINED IN
CLOSET DURING BIDEN'S FLA FUNDRAISER...
'Extremely
inappropriate'...
OBAMA
DEFENDS...
'America
has played a unique role as an anchor of global security'...
NOT
IN OVAL OFFICE...
NETS
BALKED AT PRIMETIME ADDRESS...
HILLARY
OFF TO LONDON TOWN...
WAR
COST: $600 MILLION, IN 6 DAYS...
Radiation
levels at nuclear plant reach new highs...
100,000X
NORMAL...
Radioactive
Water Extends One Mile Into Ocean...
Trace
Amounts Found in Florida...
At
the gates of stricken Fukushima nuke plant...
Radiation
levels highest since crisis began...
'Bad Readings' Plague Effort...
Concern grows over
sea contamination...
Tokyo blackouts to
resume Monday...
Radioactivity
detected in China...
And
Nevada... And SC, Fla...
And
Mass...
Gaps
in US radiation monitoring system revealed...
Four of EPA's 11
Sensors in CA Were Down...
Obama
says he didn't know of fed op smuggling guns into Mexico...
SOROS
GROUP PLOTS 'GUERILLA WAR', 'SABOTAGE' ON FOXNEWS...
AL
QAEDA FIGHTERS JOIN LIBYAN REBELS...
'Al
Qaeda snatched missiles'...
Boehner:
Obama needs to 'provide clarity' on military objective...
U.S.
officials assisted visit by Gadhafi son just before uprising...
Despite
airstrikes, Tripoli residents live in terror...
British
Minister Warns of Another Lockerbie...
'Black
Swan' double claims Portman did only 5% of dance shots...'The ballerina who served as a dancing
double for Natalie Portman’s Oscar-winnning role in Black Swan tells EW she has been the victim of a “cover-up” to
mislead the public about how much dancing Portman actually did in the film. “Of
the full body shots, I would say 5 percent are Natalie,” says Sarah Lane, 27,
an American Ballet Theatre soloist who performed many of the film’s complicated
dance sequences, allowing Portman’s face to be digitally grafted onto her body.
“All the other shots are me.”
Lane’s claim follows a March 23 L.A.
Times article in which Portman’s fiancé and Black
Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied said Lane’s work in the film was far
less significant. “There are articles now talking about her dance double
[American Ballet Theatre dancer Sarah Lane] that are making it sound like
[Lane] did a lot of the work, but really, she just did the footwork, and the
fouettés, and one diagonal [phrase] in the studio,” he said. “Honestly, 85
percent of that movie is Natalie.”
Lane disagrees. “The shots that are just her face with arms,
those shots are definitely Natalie,” she says. “But that doesn’t show the
actual dancing.” Lane admits that she was never promised a particular title for
her six weeks of work on the film, though she was disappointed to see that she
is credited only as as “Hand Model,” “Stunt Double,” and “Lady in the Lane” (a
brief walk-on role).
Lane also
says that Black Swan producer Ari Handel specifically told her not to
talk about her work to the press, even though she claims there was no such
stipulation in her contract. “They wanted to create this idea in people’s minds
that Natalie was some kind of prodigy or so gifted in dance and really worked
so hard to make herself a ballerina in a year and a half for the movie,
basically because of the Oscar,” says Lane. “It is demeaning to the profession
and not just to me. I’ve been doing this for 22 years…. Can you become a concert
pianist in a year and a half, even if you’re a movie star?”...'
San Diego and Washington D.C. were the only two markets to record
positive year-over-year changes. However, San Diego was up a scant 0.1%,
while Washington DC posted a healthier +3.6% annual growth rate. The same
11 cities that had posted recent index level lows in December 2010, posted
new lows in January.
David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard &
Poor’s commented:
“Keeping with the trends set in late 2010, January brings us weakening
home prices with no real hope in sight for the near future. With this
month’s data, we find the same 11 MSAs posting new recent index lows. The
10-City and 20-City Composites continue to decline month-over-month and have
posted monthly declines for six consecutive months now.
...
Lane disagrees. “The shots that are just her face with arms,
those shots are definitely Natalie,”..But that doesn’t show the actual
dancing.” ..
Drudgereport:
MOODY'S
THREATENS TO DOWNGRADE BRITAIN'S DEBT...
STUDY: US Finances Rank Near Worst in
World...
Libya
Mission 'clouded by confusion'...
White
House: Days, not weeks...
France:
Weeks, not days...
Dem
Rep: Obama told me US would be 'in and out'...
Beware
the Fed Driven Market Parnell ' A review of the headlines heading into trading
on March 23, 2011 was notable:
* Portugal braces for government collapse over austerity vote
* Ireland’s 10-year bond yield hits record at over 10%
* Bombing in Israel bus station
* Yemen’s pro-U.S. leader in talks on exit
* U.S. new home sales lowest on record, prices fall to December 2003
levels
* Federal Reserve rejects Bank of America dividend raise
Investment markets do not like uncertainty. And on
any normal trading day, simply one of these headlines alone might provide
justification for stock investors to take pause and reevaluate risk
exposures...'
U.S.
Consumer Sentiment Fell More Than Forecast in March Bloomberg
2011 is shaping up to be a really bad year for the U.S. economy. There
are all kinds of indications that big trouble is ahead. So far financial
markets are weathering all of the chaos around the world fairly well, but just
as there were huge flashing warning signs before the 2008 financial crisis
there are also huge flashing warning signs now. The price of oil is
soaring, the U.S. housing market is experiencing huge problems, the cost of
living in America recently hit a new record high and each week the globe seems
to become even more unstable. How much pounding can our fragile economic
system take before it completely collapses? As the price of oil goes even
higher, it is going to cause economic growth to slow down and it is going to
cause the prices of the things that we all buy at the stores to go up at the
same time. It is very likely that we are entering a period of
“stagflation” similar to what we experienced in the 1970s. This is going
to cause a huge amount of money trouble for millions of American
families. Already there are vast numbers of American families that are
barely making it every month. Tens of millions of Americans are already
receiving government assistance. So what is going to happen when the next
financial crash happens and we experience yet another major economic downturn?
The truth is that the financial system was never “fixed” after the crash
of 2008. If anything, it is more vulnerable today than it was back
then. Even as you read this, major imbalances are building up in the
global financial system, and at some point a “tipping point” will be reached.
Once that tipping point is reached, it will not be too long before the
U.S. economy experiences the next wave of economic problems. Perhaps we
will be fortunate and it will not be as bad as the 2008 crash. Perhaps
this next wave will be even worse than 2008 was. Only time will tell.
But all of the warning signs are there. The following are 15
indications that bad times are about to hit the U.S. economy….
#1 The price of
gasoline is about to cross the psychologically-important $4 a gallon threshold
in some areas of the United States. For example, the average price of
gasoline is now $3.977
in San Diego County and it is $3.955
in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
#2 The price of oil
moved up close to the $105 mark by the end of the day today, and that means
that more gasoline price increases are likely on the horizon for American
consumers.
#3 In February, food
prices in the United States rose at the fastest rate in
36 years.
#4 According to the
U.S. Labor Department, the cost of living in the United States hit a
brand new all-time record high in the month of February.
#5 According to the
National Association of Realtors, sales of previously existing homes in the
United States dropped a
stunning 9.6 percent in February. The National Association of
Realtors also has announced that the median home price is the lowest it has
been in 9
years.
#6 The U.S. is
already in the midst of a real
estate crash that never seems to end, but many are warning that it is about
to get even worse. For example, prominent housing analyst Gary Shilling
is warning that U.S. housing prices are likely to drop another
20 percent.
#7 According to the Mortgage
Bankers Association, at
least 8 million Americans are at least one month behind on their mortgage
payments at this point.
#8 According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the number of new building permits declined 20.5 percent in
February on a year over year basis. According to John Carney of CNBC, a
huge decline in building permits is usually an indication that a recession is
coming….
All nine recessions since 1959 have seen a year over year decline in
building permits. In eight of the last nine the annual rate of change hit
negative 20 percent or lower, and the economy went into a recession.
#9 31
percent of the homeowners that responded to a recent Rasmussen Reports
survey indicated that they are “underwater” on their mortgages.
#10 Millions of
American families are drowning in debt and debt collectors are becoming
increasingly aggressive. According to a new Federal Trade Commission
report, consumer complaints about debt collectors rose by
17 percent last year.
#11 Meredith Whitney
is warning that even though it may take longer than she originally projected,
we are still going to see a wave of municipal bond defaultsworth
hundreds of billions of dollars.
#12 The war in Libya
is putting upward pressure on the price of oil, it is yet another drain on U.S.
government finances, and it is raising tensions across the globe.
Vladimir Putin has called the NATO operation in Libya a “crusade” and
China is
calling for an immediate cease-fire. Financial markets do not like
instability of this nature.
#13 The rest of the
Middle East is melting down as well. More
than 40 demonstrators have been killed in Yemen and the president of that
country has declared a state of emergency. Government buildings are still
being set on fire in Egypt. Ivory Coast is in the midst of a full-blown
revolution, and there are ongoing protests in about a dozen other nations
across North Africa and the Middle East. This is really bad for global
economic stability.
#14 The damage from
the tsunami in Japan continues to affect more American Workers. GM has
just announced that they are going to temporarily
lay off workers at a Buffalo engine plant due to a shortage of parts from
Japan. When supply chains are going to get fully back to normal is
anyone’s guess. GM has also temporarily shut down a facility in
Shreveport, Louisiana due to supply problems.
#15 There continue to
be indications that the amount of radiation being released by the damaged
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants is much higher than we have been led to
believe. The following is an excerpt from a recent report by
NHK World….
“Japan’s science ministry says radiation exceeding 400 times the normal
level was detected in soil about 40 kilometers from the troubled Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant. The ministry surveyed radioactive substances in
soil about 5 centimeters below the surface at roadsides on Monday. The ministry
found 43,000 becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram of soil, and
4,700 becquerels of radioactive cesium-137 per kilogram about 40 kilometers
west-northwest of the plant. Gunma University Professor Keigo Endo says
radiation released by the iodine is 430 times the level normally detected in
soil in Japan and that released by the cesium is 47 times the norm.”
400 times the normal level amount of radiation 40 kilometers from the
plant?
That is something that should be taken very seriously.
Sadly, radiation levels continue to rise throughout northern and central
Japan. If a significant amount of people have to be evacuated from Tokyo
at some point that is going to be absolutely devastating for the global
economy.
So what should Americans be doing? How can middle class families
weather the storm that is coming?
Well, one thing that can be done is to start saving
money and not spending it on frivolous things like new cars and
international vacations. Many Americans did not learn the lessons of 2008
and they are running around blowing money as if the good times will never come
to an end.
Also, now is a good time to get out of debt. Millions of American
families are literally drowning in
debt, and when the next financial crash comes it is the families that are
overextended that will be the most financially vulnerable.
When you see a storm coming, the prudent thing to do is to make
preparations. Most people believe what they want to believe, but anyone
that cannot see the economic storm clouds on the horizon at this point has got
to be pretty clueless.
Our entire economic system is slowly failing. Hopefully the folks running
things will be able to hold the economy together for a while longer, but when
you stop and think about who we have in charge, there are not many reasons to
be optimistic.
Unemployment numbers
from the labored labor department? The ‘expiration / stopped looking,
everyone’, at best. How can anyone believe anything the pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt u.s. government says. Durable goods (leading indicator) 200%
worse than expected, stocks rally. ‘ February
Durable Goods Orders Disappoint NEW
YORK (TheStreet) Bharatwaj …’ This is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s suckers’ rally provides an especially great
opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse
to come! The frauds on wall street et
als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed
(this would also help significantly the hapless, hopeless budget scenario). M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If
you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing
can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies
allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the
proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy
back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer
money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events going on
little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial institutions to
see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay dividends. Making
the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order on the entire
process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you… (see infra)’ Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many important global stock markets, including
China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong, have been in fairly significant corrections
since November, down between 12% and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising
inflation and the resulting monetary tightening by their central banks to
combat the inflationary pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of
a more serious correction? The events and reports this week did provide more evidence
that the stock market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the
economy, and therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least
limit the market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more
downside risk? It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may
develop over the next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows New
homes are bad deals in some areas (Washington
Post) [ If it only was just the new
homes being bad deals in some areas … and if it only was just real estate and
not, ie., grossly over-valued u.s. stocks, which rallied on the much worse than
expected news, etc.. Post 'The rise (in stocks) came in spite of record
low new-home sales data and continued worry about the European debt
crisis.' Select
Stocks Boost Markets: Dave's Daily [ Dave: '...Economic data focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17%
causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to rally. I kid you not! ...' ]
Fears
grow of humanitarian crisis in Libya
(Washington Post) [ Ya
think? Based on … that familiar template we now know as Iraq, Afghanistan,
etc., and let's not leave out the beneficiary of all such 'preoccupation';
viz., pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america … Money
Trouble Ahead: 15 Indications That Bad Times Are About To Hit The U.S. Economy 2011
is shaping up to be a really bad year for the U.S. economy. There are all kinds
of indications that big trouble is ahead. So far financial markets are
weathering all of the chaos around the world fairly well, but just as there
were huge flashing warning signs before the 2008 financial crisis there are
also huge flashing warning signs now. The
American Dream
March 23, 2011 2011 is
shaping up to be a really bad year for the U.S. economy. There are all kinds of
indications that big trouble is ahead. So far financial markets are weathering
all of the chaos around the world fairly well, but just as there were huge
flashing warning signs before the 2008 financial crisis there are also huge
flashing warning signs now. The price of oil is soaring, the U.S. housing
market is experiencing huge problems, the cost of living in America recently
hit a new record high and each week the globe seems to become even more
unstable. How much pounding can our fragile economic system take before
it completely collapses? As the price of oil goes even higher, it is
going to cause economic growth to slow down and it is going to cause the prices
of the things that we all buy at the stores to go up at the same time. It
is very likely that we are entering a period of “stagflation” similar to what
we experienced in the 1970s. This is going to cause a huge amount of
money trouble for millions of American families. Already there are vast
numbers of American families that are barely making it every month. Tens
of millions of Americans are already receiving government assistance. So
what is going to happen when the next financial crash happens and we experience
yet another major economic downturn?
New
homes are bad deals in some areas (Washington Post) [ If it only was just the new homes being bad
deals in some areas … and if it only was just real estate and not, ie., grossly
over-valued u.s. stocks, which rallied on the much worse than expected news,
etc.. Post 'The rise (in stocks) came in spite of record low new-home
sales data and continued worry about the European debt crisis.' Select
Stocks Boost Markets: Dave's Daily [ Dave: '...Economic data focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17%
causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to rally. I kid you not! ...' ] 'As you must
know, many major indices are price weighted and the DJIA takes the lead in this
regard. Six of the highest priced stocks Wednesday (IBM, BA, CAT, DVX, MMM
& UTX) provided most of the gains. Stocks were lower most of the morning,
but volume seemed light, offering an opportunity for buyers to push prices
higher. The theme for bulls was reconstruction in Japan even though EWJ
(iShares Japan ETF) finished the day slightly lower. ETFs like XLB (SPDR
Materials Sector ETF), SLX (Van Eck Steel ETF) and XME (SPDR Metals &
Miners) have the "stuff" needed for reconstruction. Goldman Sachs CEO
Lloyd ("I want me some more me!") Blankfein was on the witness stand
today. He confirmed director Rajat Gupta violated "confidentiality"
by tipping off hedge
fund trader Raj Rajaratnam regarding
Buffett's investment in his company. Also in the financial sector, the Fed
announced it would not permit BAC to payout a dividend post the recent
("covered-up") bank stress tests. This rightly drove shares of many
financial companies lower. Further, it should drive taxpayer's nuts that a Fed
"gag order" restricting disclosure of stress test results exists.
This is taxpayer money after all. Meanwhile, speaking of the Fed we had two
days of POMO resulting in $15 billion in fire power for trading
desks of Primary Dealers including GS. The poor ADBE outlook lingered over tech
but traders always seem to find a way to discard bad news and
shift focus elsewhere. Of course, this can only be done so long. Economic data
focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17%
causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to rally. I kid you not! Energy markets were
higher despite higher inventories. OPEC spokesmen stated Tuesday they're
comfortable at $120. How about you? Gold and silver hit fresh highs, while the
euro dropped on Portugal, base metals rallied and bonds were slightly lower.
Volume was once again light while breadth per the WSJ was unremarkable...'
]
Sec.
Gates reassures Egypt over war in Libya (Washington Post) [ Well, there
you go. If Gates says it; well, it must be true … riiiiight! Gates’s
message (Washington
Post) [ Which one? And I don't mean
which gates. I mean which message? It's hard to keep up, especially if you have
a good memory and remember what the meaning of the word 'is', is. Candor? CIA
man gates? Are you just funnin' with us? Come on! Wake up! Oh wait … here's an
incisive statement you can take to the bank … Uncertain
outlook for Middle East: Gates [Sounds like a plan!] (Reuters) Overseas
official trips amidst crises
(Washington Post) [ It’s
really quite incredible indeed. It was the espn basketball brackets that got me
… so stereotypical … I mean what are they thinking, or not. Riiiight! Not!
Well, gates is gone and as a cia man, what he says means absolutely nothing …
they kind of pride themselves on that … On the receiving end you gotta think
they’re already checking air force one’s return trip schedule hoping to ‘hold
out’ and escape potential invasion themselves … After all, what nation in the
world can or does trust desperate, meaningfully lawless, pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt america … oh yeah, maybe fellow war crimes nation israel and
orwellian, me-too old-biddy britain.… Gates's
warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and Africa Christian
Science Monitor - In a
speech to cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Gates's
message was clear: The US military services, as well as the elected and
appointed civilians who send them to war, need better ways of foreseeing and
preparing for ... Gates
Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice
of America Warning Against
Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New
York Times [ Better said, than unsaid;
but, methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ] ]As war clouds
gathered over Libya on Friday, the U.S. commander in chief and his defense
secretary were each preparing to leave Washington to visit places far removed
from any military operations.
] The defense secretary is a voice of candor on the
Mideast.
Germans
pull forces out of NATO as Libyan coalition falls apart Mail
Online
‘Libya war could
last 30 years’ Mail Online | Ministers admitted
they have no idea how long military operation against Gaddafi could take.
New
homes are bad deals in some areas (Washington Post) [ If it only was just the new homes being bad
deals in some areas … and if it only was just real estate and not, ie., grossly
over-valued u.s. stocks, which rallied on the much worse than expected news,
etc.. Post 'The rise (in stocks) came in spite of
record low new-home sales data and continued worry about the European debt
crisis.' Select
Stocks Boost Markets: Dave's Daily [ Dave: '...Economic data focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17%
causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to rally. I kid you not! ...' ]
Portugal’s parliament rejects an austerity plan,
pushing the country closer to an international bailout and triggering another
test of Europe’s ability to deal with an ongoing debt crisis.
Related: Graphic:
Europe's financial contagion
3
Reasons to Exit the Market Now
Martchev 'NEW YORK (TheStreet) - A S&P 500 futures
trader once told me: "After a sharp sell-off, the bounce leading to a
first kiss of a 20-day moving average from below is a short sale." But, I
had to ask, "Why?" "That's how it is," he said with a
typical New York City assertiveness and did not elaborate...'
’Inside Job’ New Documentary
Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
] Former general counsel inherited part of a Bernard Madoff
account.
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas ( 3-4-11 Throw
Clarence Thomas Off the Bench (The Daily Beast) ) , but I do know about alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010 (*see
infra)
Steven M. Martinez,
Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my computer
to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also include 1
copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein (which
files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder named
‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act is a
criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages and
attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims probably
owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in need of such
assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations of law which
have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption is pervasive).
A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently with the subject
action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action which was
illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention of the
Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the Qui Tam provisions of
the Federal False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent
resolution seek to refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of
the law with which I am not familiar).
The
document in 5 pages under penalty of perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI
office in New Haven is probably the best and most concise summary of the
case RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but typical
problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the 3 disks
as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm .
With regard to the calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices:
There was one call to the LA office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA
office where I personally met with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave
probative evidentiary documents of the money laundering which he confirmed as
indicative of same (he was transferred from said office within approximately a
month of said meeting and his location was not disclosed to me upon inquiry).
The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron Barndollar and we remained in touch
for in excess of a decade until he abruptly retired (our last conversation
prior to his retirement related to the case and parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani
whose father I stated had been an enforcer for the mob to which he registered
disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did – he served 12 years in prison,
aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no, there is no Chinese wall of
separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction to
the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
·
A judgment had been
entered in my favor in the case, United States District Court Case #3:93cv02065(AWT)(USDCJ
Alvin Thompson), worth approximately now in excess of $300,000 remains
unaccounted for and which could be used for payment to creditors, Los Angeles,
etc..
·
Counsel Robert
Sullivan on my behalf documented by way of certification upon investigation
that Alan Shiff, USBCJ, had falsely stated a dismissal upon which false
statement he predicated a retaliatory and spurious contempt proceeding against
me causing substantial damage, and for which he sought Judicial Notice of those
and related proceedings as did I in some of my filings.
·
The Order of
Dismissal With Prejudice by Alan Shiff, USBCJ, owing to Defendant Coan’s
failure to file anything whatsoever by the court’s deadline causing creditors
and me substantial damages: [ Shiff Order of Dismissal With Prejudice on
Coan’s Failure to File Page 1 Page 2 ]
·
Defendant Coan had
filed an action against me to prevent me from suing him which necessitated me
to fly to Connecticut for a hearing before The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny,
Chief Judge, USDC, District of Connecticut, who denied Coan’s requested relief
as to Coan but precluded my action against Shiff (although there is no
immunity, judicial or otherwise, for criminal acts, ie., fraud connected with a
case under Title 11, USC, etc.) . [ transcript
in pertinent part - crossexamofcoanbypeia.pdf ]
·
Newly appointed
judge, Maryanne Trump Barry, Donald Trump’s sister, was assigned the RICO case
despite the conflict of interest in light of hundreds of thousands of dollars
of illegal (drug) money being laundered through the Trump casinos by the RICO
defendants, and despite my motion to recuse her which motion she heard herself
and denied, and U.S. Trustee Hugh Leonard with whom I met personally refused to
join or file a separate motion to recuse and not long thereafter left said
office for private practice at Cole, Shotz, et als on retainer with the RICO
defendants as his primary client.
·
Probative and
evidentiary documents, affidavits, exhibits, including those turned over to FBI
Agent Jeff Hayes in Long Beach, CA, had been given to Assistant U.S. Attorney
Jonathan Lacey with whom I met personally at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in
Newark, N.J., at which time Samuel Alito was U.S. Attorney, and went over said
documents and their probative value with him. Within approximately a month
thereafter upon inquiry I was told that Jonathon Lacey was no longer with the
office, that the file/documents could not be located, and that there was no
further information available concerning contacting him or his location. I
thereupon delivered by hand, copies of said documents to the office of then
U.S. Attorney Alito, addressed to him, with assurance they would go directly to
him. In addition to being inept [ I looked in on the
one mob case he had brought, bungled, lost (accidently on purpose?) since I was
suing some mob-connected under RICO and the court (I had known / previously met
outside of court the judge Ackerman through a client) was absolute bedlam and a
total joke since incompetent corrupt Alito brought in all 20 mob defendants
(rather than prosecute one or a few to flip them first) who feigning illness
had beds/cots in the courtroom along with their moans during testimony and had
the jury in stitches. As much as I hate the mob, it truly was funny, if not so
tragic.], Alito is also corrupt
(and maybe corrupt because he is inept). After a reasonable (but still rather
short) time I called to determine the status and was told that Alito was no
longer with the Office of the U.S. Attorney, that he was (appointed) a federal
judge, and that neither the documents nor any file or record of same could be
located. Alito did parley the same / cover-up into quid pro quo direct lifetime
appointment to the Court of Appeals, 3rd circuit, despite the
absence of judicial experience or successful tenure as U.S. Attorney (Maryanne
Trump Barry as well). This is the same Sam Alito that now sits on the purported
highest court in the land. The real application of the illegal rule ‘don’t ask,
don’t tell’.
There
is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor creditors, nor I
should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt and illegal
scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the meaningful rules of
law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert
L. Peia
611
E. 5th Street, #404
Los
Angeles, CA 90013
(213)
219-**** (cell phone)
(213)
622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with the line,
computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance greater
non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your
local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video on the economic / financial collapse from Stansberry and
Associates is so well researched and
succinctly presented that I’ve archived
same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without pictures / charts)
http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
(Washington Post) [Wobama says daffy gaddafi’s time is up, got to go.
The same can be said of wobama et als and his fraudulently failed
presidency. Sheen
On Obama: “A Coward In a Cheap Suit” [ I think Sheen to be too gentle in his criticism of wobama (Some
might reflexively, defensively allege drugs (prescription or otherwise) or any
number of the varied personality disorders so prevalent in america … ‘fuzzy,
California laid back thinking’, ‘whatever’… Who knows? ) But, that said,
wobama’s far worse than just a ‘coward in a cheap suit’. Indeed, Wobama’s a
total fraud having been elected under false pretenses; viz., his total,
unequivocal, and unfulfilled b*** s*** (those campaign promises) ! Moreover,
there has been some persuasive documentation questioning wobama’s citizenship /
birthplace placing his eligibility to even hold the office of president in
question. Drudgereport: UPDATE:
Huckabee claims Obama grew up in Kenya... The
Obama Nation, by Jerome Corsi Rezko
was corrupt, and supported Obama in many campaigns as well as in Obama buying
his home -- and therefore, according to Corsi, Obama is
corrupt by ...www.ontheissues.org/Obama_Nation.htm ] Amidst the controversy of his wild
interview on the Alex Jones Show yesterday, actor Charlie Sheen wasted little
time in confronting President Barack Obama on his failure to answer Sheen’s
twenty questions concerning 9/11, calling Obama, “a coward in a cheap
suit.” A
Government Shut-down Imperils the Power of Congress Paul Craig
Roberts | Congress could try to protect its loss of the power of the
purse by impeaching Obama.
Drudgereport: WOBAMA
'IMPEACHMENT' WARNING... ...to
announce exploratory committee 'in 10 days' Globalist
Shill Barack Obama Asks Business Leaders For Job Creation Ideas Even As He Ships
More Of Our Jobs Overseas As Part Of The New One World Economy The other
day, Barack Obama summoned a group of business and labor leaders to the White
House and “challenged” them to come up with some great ideas for creating more
jobs inside the United States. Public
confidence in Obama reaches new low
(Washington Post). Six in 10 Americans lack faith in Obama and hold
lower esteem for members of Congress, according to the latest Washington
Post-ABC News poll. Such stats as this tend to typify scenarios as this where
you break every significant campaign
promise that got you elected, from endless war (ie., Afghanistan, etc.) to not
prosecuting the frauds on wall street, and the growing realization of
‘typical’: Public
confidence in Obama reaches new low
(Washington Post) Six in 10 Americans lack faith in Obama and hold lower
esteem for members of Congress, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC
News poll. Such stats as this tend to typify scenarios as this where you break
every significant campaign promise that
got you elected, from endless war (ie., Afghanistan, etc.) to not prosecuting
the frauds on wall street, and the growing realization of ‘typical’:
‘The Obama
Deception’ Censored A viral You
Tube upload of one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama
Deception’ has been censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate
the movie’s title to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Ellen Bente Oliver
‘Salary
of House/Senate...$174,000. Salary of Speaker of House...$223,500. Salary of
Majority/Minority Leaders...$193,400. Average US Salary...$33,000 to $77,000.
Maybe our elected officials should make an average salary too...It's a time of
sacrifice after all...Pass along, post on your own page if you agree…’
Weigh in on the redesign, and share or recommend the new
washingtonpost.com.
You got to know I like the Post; and, it is your paper; and, it hasn't
been particularly good for my posting; and, you know I still like The
Washington Post; and, it is your paper; but, let me euphemistically say, you
did not help yourself with the changes (except as I surmise as a possible means
by which you conserve server / disk space).
Select
Stocks Boost Markets: Dave's Daily [ Dave: '...Economic data focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17% causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to
rally. I kid you not! ...' ] 'As you must know, many major indices are price
weighted and the DJIA takes the lead in this regard. Six of the highest priced
stocks Wednesday (IBM, BA, CAT, DVX, MMM & UTX) provided most of the gains.
Stocks were lower most of the morning, but volume seemed light, offering an
opportunity for buyers to push prices higher. The theme for bulls was reconstruction
in Japan even though EWJ (iShares Japan ETF) finished the day slightly lower.
ETFs like XLB (SPDR Materials Sector ETF), SLX (Van Eck Steel ETF) and XME
(SPDR Metals & Miners) have the "stuff" needed for
reconstruction. Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd ("I want me some more me!")
Blankfein was on the witness stand today. He confirmed director Rajat Gupta
violated "confidentiality" by tipping off hedge
fund trader Raj Rajaratnam regarding Buffett's investment in his
company. Also in the financial sector, the Fed announced it would not permit
BAC to payout a dividend post the recent ("covered-up") bank stress
tests. This rightly drove shares of many financial companies lower. Further, it
should drive taxpayer's nuts that a Fed "gag order" restricting
disclosure of stress test results exists. This is taxpayer money after all.
Meanwhile, speaking of the Fed we had two days of POMO
resulting in $15 billion in fire power for trading desks of Primary Dealers
including GS. The poor ADBE outlook lingered over tech but traders
always seem to find a way to discard bad news and shift focus elsewhere. Of
course, this can only be done so long. Economic data focused on New Home
Sales which were down nearly 17% causing the Homebuilder ETF (XHB) to
rally. I kid you not! Energy markets were higher despite higher inventories.
OPEC spokesmen stated Tuesday they're comfortable at $120. How about you? Gold
and silver hit fresh highs, while the euro dropped on Portugal, base metals
rallied and bonds were slightly lower. Volume was once again light while
breadth per the WSJ was unremarkable...'
3
Reasons to Exit the Market Now
Martchev 'NEW YORK (TheStreet) - A S&P 500 futures trader
once told me: "After a sharp sell-off, the bounce leading to a first kiss
of a 20-day moving average from below is a short sale." But, I had to ask,
"Why?" "That's how it is," he said with a typical New York
City assertiveness and did not elaborate. That very well may be "how it
is" for the unwritten trading rule to look to sell the S&P
500 Index near the 20-day moving average after a sharp sell-off, but I
still personally need to know the "why." Technical trading
has value, but simply looking at charts is not enough for me. So, I decided to
come up with some reasons behind why you should sell this particular rally.
Oil is above $100 per barrel as the bombardment of Libya has started. A
missile already hit the Gaddafi residential compound -- "even though he is
not a specific target" -- which, if successful, would have likely
shortened the operation and brought a quicker resolution to the situation.
(Click here
for a related InvestorPlace.com article on investing
in 3 dangerous places.) While Gaddafi has halted his attack on Benghazi after
jet fighters attacked his troops directly, there is still plenty of fighting
elsewhere. It looks to me that the rebels will use the situation to regroup and
mount an offensive. In this situation, no foreign oil workers will return to
the country anytime soon, causing Libya to further cut oil production. In
addition, the situation in Yemen and Bahrain, both of which border Saudi
Arabia, is rapidly deteriorating. In this scenario, I recommend taking a look
at the U.S. Oil Fund(USO_)
(NYSE: USO). This ETF has pulled back along with the front-month futures it
tracks. Oil is likely headed higher in the short term, as all the factors that
caused it to go to $107 have deteriorated notably while the price is below that
level as of the time of this writing. There are liquid April, May and June
options on the USO that offer numerous strategies to play the upside. Naked
calls are the most risky, while any relevant option spreads will limit your
risk and your rewards. (Smart traders try to minimize risk; greedy ones try to
maximize the reward.)'
2011 is shaping up to be a really bad year for the U.S. economy. There
are all kinds of indications that big trouble is ahead. So far financial
markets are weathering all of the chaos around the world fairly well, but just
as there were huge flashing warning signs before the 2008 financial crisis
there are also huge flashing warning signs now. The price of oil is
soaring, the U.S. housing market is experiencing huge problems, the cost of
living in America recently hit a new record high and each week the globe seems
to become even more unstable. How much pounding can our fragile economic
system take before it completely collapses? As the price of oil goes even
higher, it is going to cause economic growth to slow down and it is going to
cause the prices of the things that we all buy at the stores to go up at the
same time. It is very likely that we are entering a period of
“stagflation” similar to what we experienced in the 1970s. This is going
to cause a huge amount of money trouble for millions of American
families. Already there are vast numbers of American families that are
barely making it every month. Tens of millions of Americans are already
receiving government assistance. So what is going to happen when the next
financial crash happens and we experience yet another major economic downturn?
The truth is that the financial system was never “fixed” after the crash
of 2008. If anything, it is more vulnerable today than it was back
then. Even as you read this, major imbalances are building up in the
global financial system, and at some point a “tipping point” will be reached.
Once that tipping point is reached, it will not be too long before the
U.S. economy experiences the next wave of economic problems. Perhaps we
will be fortunate and it will not be as bad as the 2008 crash. Perhaps
this next wave will be even worse than 2008 was. Only time will tell.
But all of the warning signs are there. The following are 15
indications that bad times are about to hit the U.S. economy….
#1 The price of
gasoline is about to cross the psychologically-important $4 a gallon threshold
in some areas of the United States. For example, the average price of
gasoline is now $3.977
in San Diego County and it is $3.955
in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
#2 The price of oil
moved up close to the $105 mark by the end of the day today, and that means
that more gasoline price increases are likely on the horizon for American
consumers.
#3 In February, food
prices in the United States rose at the fastest rate in
36 years.
#4 According to the
U.S. Labor Department, the cost of living in the United States hit a
brand new all-time record high in the month of February.
#5 According to the
National Association of Realtors, sales of previously existing homes in the
United States dropped a
stunning 9.6 percent in February. The National Association of
Realtors also has announced that the median home price is the lowest it has
been in 9
years.
#6 The U.S. is
already in the midst of a real
estate crash that never seems to end, but many are warning that it is about
to get even worse. For example, prominent housing analyst Gary Shilling
is warning that U.S. housing prices are likely to drop another
20 percent.
#7 According to the
Mortgage Bankers Association, at
least 8 million Americans are at least one month behind on their mortgage
payments at this point.
#8 According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the number of new building permits declined 20.5 percent in
February on a year over year basis. According to John Carney of CNBC, a
huge decline in building permits is usually an indication that a recession is
coming….
All nine recessions since 1959 have seen a year over year decline in
building permits. In eight of the last nine the annual rate of change hit
negative 20 percent or lower, and the economy went into a recession.
#9 31
percent of the homeowners that responded to a recent Rasmussen Reports
survey indicated that they are “underwater” on their mortgages.
#10 Millions of
American families are drowning in debt and debt collectors are becoming
increasingly aggressive. According to a new Federal Trade Commission
report, consumer complaints about debt collectors rose by
17 percent last year.
#11 Meredith Whitney
is warning that even though it may take longer than she originally projected,
we are still going to see a wave of municipal bond defaultsworth
hundreds of billions of dollars.
#12 The war in Libya
is putting upward pressure on the price of oil, it is yet another drain on U.S.
government finances, and it is raising tensions across the globe.
Vladimir Putin has called the NATO operation in Libya a “crusade” and
China is
calling for an immediate cease-fire. Financial markets do not like
instability of this nature.
#13 The rest of the
Middle East is melting down as well. More
than 40 demonstrators have been killed in Yemen and the president of that
country has declared a state of emergency. Government buildings are still
being set on fire in Egypt. Ivory Coast is in the midst of a full-blown
revolution, and there are ongoing protests in about a dozen other nations across
North Africa and the Middle East. This is really bad for global economic
stability.
#14 The damage from
the tsunami in Japan continues to affect more American Workers. GM has
just announced that they are going to temporarily
lay off workers at a Buffalo engine plant due to a shortage of parts from
Japan. When supply chains are going to get fully back to normal is
anyone’s guess. GM has also temporarily shut down a facility in Shreveport,
Louisiana due to supply problems.
#15 There continue to
be indications that the amount of radiation being released by the damaged
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants is much higher than we have been led to
believe. The following is an excerpt from a recent report by
NHK World….
“Japan’s science ministry says radiation exceeding 400 times the normal
level was detected in soil about 40 kilometers from the troubled Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant. The ministry surveyed radioactive substances in
soil about 5 centimeters below the surface at roadsides on Monday. The ministry
found 43,000 becquerels of radioactive iodine-131 per kilogram of soil, and
4,700 becquerels of radioactive cesium-137 per kilogram about 40 kilometers
west-northwest of the plant. Gunma University Professor Keigo Endo says
radiation released by the iodine is 430 times the level normally detected in
soil in Japan and that released by the cesium is 47 times the norm.”
400 times the normal level amount of radiation 40 kilometers from the
plant?
That is something that should be taken very seriously.
Sadly, radiation levels continue to rise throughout northern and central
Japan. If a significant amount of people have to be evacuated from Tokyo
at some point that is going to be absolutely devastating for the global
economy.
So what should Americans be doing? How can middle class families
weather the storm that is coming?
Well, one thing that can be done is to start saving
money and not spending it on frivolous things like new cars and
international vacations. Many Americans did not learn the lessons of 2008
and they are running around blowing money as if the good times will never come
to an end.
Also, now is a good time to get out of debt. Millions of American
families are literally drowning in
debt, and when the next financial crash comes it is the families that are
overextended that will be the most financially vulnerable.
When you see a storm coming, the prudent thing to do is to make preparations.
Most people believe what they want to believe, but anyone that cannot see the
economic storm clouds on the horizon at this point has got to be pretty
clueless.
Our entire economic system is slowly failing. Hopefully the folks
running things will be able to hold the economy together for a while longer,
but when you stop and think about who we have in charge, there are not many
reasons to be optimistic.
U.S.
appears closer to turning over command(Washington
Post) [ I can't precisely pinpoint
exactly when, but at some point, if not for the real tragedy and horrific
consequences, national / world events and particularly pervasively corrupt /
defacto bankrupt america's lead role in them became a comedy of errors, at
best. Working
to maintain Arab support
(Washington Post) [ Sounds like
a plan! … Riiiiight! … I just had to say this here … Doesn't gaddaffy (who
forgot to duck) bear a striking resemblance (now, not when he was younger) to
David Patterson, former governor of new york (no slight to David Patterson …
you've got to be at least a little blind to take an oath upholding law in
corrupt, fraudulent, sinkholes new york / mob infested jersey, and america, generally.
Mob's man cuomo? What's up with that (as per SNL's Thompson's bit)? Or is it
just SNL's Fred Armisen's impression of both that leads me to such a
conclusion. But this should help: US
Army ‘kill team’ in Afghanistan posed for photos of murdered civilians infowars.com Commanders in
Afghanistan are bracing themselves for possible riots and public fury triggered
by the publication of “trophy” photographs of US soldiers posing with the dead
bodies of defenseless Afghan civilians they killed … Russia
“Regrets Armed Action” Killing 48 in Libya Kurt Nimmo | In a statement issued today, Russian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Alexander
Lukashevich said 64 civilians were reported to have been killed and 150
wounded in air strikes on Libya. Lukashevich called on Britain, France and the
United States Sunday to stop air strikes on non-military targets.
[I have been under
constant barrage / hack / intrusions which has my antivirus working overtime
and flashing savesfrom a multitude of threats. I think this particular thrust
by what I reasonably suspect to be paranoid american / israeli criminals /
lunatics was probably affected particularly by that blazing full ‘supermoon’,
but continues when for now just limited moments I’m logged into windows xp,
literally a virus magnet/so-called op system. I thereupon downloaded and
installed linux / unbuntu 10.10 (most recent) which also makes available an
‘installer’ (separate download, both free from their official website-I will
provide the link I used next session http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download ) that facilitates essentially a dual
boot (you may choose your operating system for the session – windows or
linux/ubuntu). Works like a charm and I strongly recommend it. Microsoft’s a
dyingosaur american monopoly company which is an american tale and story of
america as a pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt, dying / declining nation.]
[I have been under constant barrage / hack / intrusions
which has my antivirus working overtime and flashing savesfrom a multitude of
threats. I think this particular thrust by what I reasonably suspect to be
paranoid american / israeli criminals / lunatics was probably affected
particularly by that blazing full ‘supermoon’, but continues when for now just
limited moments I’m logged into windows xp, literally a virus magnet/so-called
op system. I thereupon downloaded and installed linux / unbuntu 10.10 (most
recent) which also makes available an ‘installer’ (separate download, both free
from their official website-I will provide the link I used next session) that
facilitates essentially a dual boot (you may choose your operating system for
the session – windows or linux/ubuntu). Works like a charm and I strongly
recommend it. Microsoft’s a dyingosaur american monopoly company which is an
american tale and story of america as a pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt,
dying / declining nation.]
I was somewhat nonplussed by the suckers’ market bounce those few days
but there was also that ‘shock and awe’ Libyan thing; and then, ‘Eureka!’ …
there it was, staring down for all to see … a blazing full moon. Yes, they have
such affects on lunatics as in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america et
als; but particularly on wall street, and it certainly doesn’t take much to
push the frauds on wall street over the edge and into their predisposed
fraudulent madness. In fact, you could say, ‘it’s in their genes’. This is the
grim economic reality
[ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting
monetary tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary
pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious correction?
The events and reports this week did provide more evidence that the stock
market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and
therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the
market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk?
It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the
next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
Global
Meltdown? [ Looks like … feels like … seems like … Yes, it is! A global
meltdown! ] Nyaradi ‘Global
meltdown. Scary words, indeed. However, as we look around our world, it
certainly does appear that a global meltdown is in progress…’
4
Phases of a Bear Market Meshkati NEW YORK (TheStreet)
-- 'Almost exactly one month ago, I described the 4 phases of a bull market
cycle. My reason for writing the article
was to warn market participants of the impending disaster that tends to strike
right around the time a certain class of investor (termed "phase 4"
investors) becomes involved in the financial markets...'
Deal
to combine AT&T, T-Mobile raises questions (AP) [Questions? Is that all? att / sbc is a horribly managed
company that can't even do the simplest things well; ie., land lines and dsl
thereby, my direct experience. We've seen this all before. When they can't do,
they go monopoly bigger with disasterous results. This is an old story with a
familiar ending. AP - AT&T's surprise announcement that it
plans to acquire T-Mobile USA will force federal regulators to confront a
difficult antitrust question: Can American consumers get good wireless service
at a ...
M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If
you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing
can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies
allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the
proceeds. POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy
back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer
money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events going on
little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial institutions to
see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay dividends. Making
the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order on the entire
process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you...'
Japanese
Meltdown Will Inhibit U.S. Recovery Hansen
[I have been under constant barrage / hack /
intrusions which has my antivirus working overtime and flashing saves from a
multitude of threats. I think this particular thrust by what I reasonably
suspect to be paranoid american / israeli criminals / lunatics is probably
affected particularly by this blazing full ‘supermoon’. I thereupon downloaded
and installed linux / ubuntu 10.10 (most recent) which also makes available an
‘installer’ (separate download) that facilitates essentially a dual boot (you
may choose your operating system for the session – windows or linux/ubuntu –
linux/ubuntu comes loaded with very functional software; ie., open office
suite, firefox web browser, etc.). Works like a charm and I strongly recommend
it. Microsoft’s a dyingosaur american monopoly company which is an american
tale and story of america as a pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt, dying /
declining nation.]
[I have
been under constant barrage / hack / intrusions which has my antivirus working
overtime and flashing saves from a multitude of threats. I think this
particular thrust by what I reasonably suspect to be paranoid american /
israeli criminals / lunatics is probably affected particularly by this blazing
full ‘supermoon’. I thereupon downloaded and installed linux / ubuntu 10.10
(most recent) which also makes available an ‘installer’ (separate download)
that facilitates essentially a dual boot (you may choose your operating system
for the session – windows or linux/ubuntu – linux/ubuntu comes loaded with very
functional software; ie., open office suite, firefox web browser, etc.). Works
like a charm and I strongly recommend it. Microsoft’s a dyingosaur american
monopoly company which is an american tale and story of america as a
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt, dying / declining nation.]
I was somewhat
nonplussed by the suckers’ market bounce these past two (now three) days, and
then, ‘Eureka!’ … there it was, staring down for all to see … a blazing full
moon. Yes, they have such affects on lunatics as on wall street and it
certainly doesn’t take much to push the frauds on wall street over the edge and
into their predisposed fraudulent madness. In fact, you could say, ‘it’s in
their genes’. This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! M&A,
Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If
you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing
can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies
allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the
proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy
back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer
money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events going on
little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial institutions to
see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay dividends. Making
the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order on the entire
process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you… (see infra)’ Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong, have
been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12% and
17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting monetary
tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary pressures...So was
this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious correction? The events and
reports this week did provide more evidence that the stock market may be ahead
of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and therefore corporate
earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the market’s upside
potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk? It might be wise
to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the next few days during
the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
Global
Meltdown? [ Looks like … feels like … seems like … Yes, it is! A global
meltdown! ] Nyaradi ‘Global
meltdown. Scary words, indeed. However, as we look around our world, it
certainly does appear that a global meltdown is in progress.At Wall Street
Sector Selector, we are nearly fully positioned on the “short” side of global
markets and so were fortunate to have had a pleasant day, unlike so many investors
and citizens of our small world. I sincerely hope and pray that many pleasant
days lie ahead for the people of Japan, Bahrain and Libya.Of course, the big
news is in Japan, where the struggle to contain the potential of nuclear
meltdown goes on after the tsunami and earthquake. I can’t add much to this
discussion other than to say that from a human standpoint, we need to do what
we can to help our allies in their time of need.I travel often to Japan and
this is a modern Western country now without power and water and basic
essentials for many days, and to fully understand this unthinkable tragedy,
just try to imagine a 30 foot wall of water coming through your neighborhood,
entire neighborhoods and towns disappearing, followed by the threat of nuclear catastrophe
and no water and power for days on end during these cold early spring
nights.Aside from the human catastrophe, the economic toll of this event will
be felt for years. Some analysts estimate that Japan will have to import an
additional 200,000 barrels of oil per day to make up for the lost output of the
damaged nuclear plants, while insurance and GDP losses are only guestimates at
this early hour but will be surely significant. Across the globe, unrest
continues in the Middle East as Bahrain is under martial law, the Libyan
government continues to quell the revolution (while the United Nations dithers)
and Portugal’s credit rating is downgraded and totters again on the edge of
financial collapse. At home, Congress continues putting band aids on our national
budget deficit while home sales plunge to new lows…’
4
Phases of a Bear Market Meshkati NEW YORK (TheStreet)
-- 'Almost exactly one month ago, I described the 4 phases of a bull market
cycle. My reason for writing the article
was to warn market participants of the impending disaster that tends to strike
right around the time a certain class of investor (termed "phase 4"
investors) becomes involved in the financial markets...'
Deal
to combine AT&T, T-Mobile raises questions (AP) [Questions? Is that all? att / sbc is a horribly managed
company that can't even do the simplest things well; ie., land lines and dsl
thereby, my direct experience. We've seen this all before. When they can't do,
they go monopoly bigger with disasterous results. This is an old story with a
familiar ending. AP - AT&T's surprise announcement that it
plans to acquire T-Mobile USA will force federal regulators to confront a
difficult antitrust question: Can American consumers get good wireless service
at a ...
I was somewhat
nonplussed by the suckers’ market bounce these past two days, and then,
‘Eureka!’ … there it was, staring down for all to see … a blazing full moon.
Yes, they have such affects on lunatics as on wall street and it certainly
doesn’t take much to push the frauds on wall street over the edge and into
their predisposed fraudulent madness. In fact, you could say, ‘it’s in their
genes’. This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting
monetary tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary
pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious
correction? The events and reports this week did provide more evidence that the
stock market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and
therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the
market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk?
It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the
next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
Helen Thomas is not sorry, nor were the comments that
ended her career accidental.
“I knew exactly what I was doing – I was going for
broke,” she told Playboy in the magazine’s April interview. “I had reached the
point of no return. You finally get fed up … I finally wanted to speak the
truth.”
Thomas, of course, left
her perch as the dean of the White House press corps last year after
telling a rabbi and blogger that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine”
and “go home” to “Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else.” Her family
is Lebanese and she grew up in the Detroit area, home to one of the country’s
densest populations of Arab Americans.
She spoke to Playboy
at length about the situation in Palestine, her feelings on American support of
Israel, and her take on Jews.
But her most controversial comments echoed ones she’s
made before about the influence of Jews in American life, which have
contributed to her name being stripped
from journalism awards.
"[The Jews are] using their power, and they have
power in every direction,” she told Playboy. “Power over the White House, power
over Congress … Everybody is in the pocket of the Israeli lobbies, which are
funded by wealthy supporters, including those from Hollywood. Same thing with
the financial markets. There's total control … It isn't the 2 percent. It's
real power when you own the White House, when you own these other places in
terms of your political persuasion. Of course they have power. [To the
interviewer] You don't deny that. You're Jewish, aren't you?"
She also had some controversial views about
memorializing the Holocaust.
"There's nothing wrong with remembering it, but why do we have to constantly remember?" she said. "We're not at fault. I mean, if they're going to put a Holocaust museum in every city in Germany, that's fine with me. But we didn't do this to the Jews. Why do we have to keep paying the price and why do they keep oppressing the Palestinians? Do the Jews ever look at themselves? Why are they always right? Because they have been oppressed throughout history, I know. And they have this persecution. That's true, but they shouldn't use that to dominate."
This is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting
monetary tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary
pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious
correction? The events and reports this week did provide more evidence that the
stock market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and
therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the
market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk?
It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the
next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
This is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone and today’s short-covering / suckers’ rally provides an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since
there's much worse to come! Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting
monetary tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary
pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious
correction? The events and reports this week did provide more evidence that the
stock market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and
therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the
market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk?
It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the
next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’ BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows
Global
Meltdown? [ Looks like … feels like … seems like … Yes, it is! A global
meltdown! ] Nyaradi ‘Global
meltdown.Scary words, indeed. However, as we look around our world, it
certainly does appear that a global meltdown is in progress.At Wall Street
Sector Selector, we are nearly fully positioned on the “short” side of global
markets and so were fortunate to have had a pleasant day, unlike so many
investors and citizens of our small world. I sincerely hope and pray that many
pleasant days lie ahead for the people of Japan, Bahrain and Libya.Of course,
the big news is in Japan, where the struggle to contain the potential of
nuclear meltdown goes on after the tsunami and earthquake. I can’t add much to
this discussion other than to say that from a human standpoint, we need to do
what we can to help our allies in their time of need.I travel often to Japan
and this is a modern Western country now without power and water and basic
essentials for many days, and to fully understand this unthinkable tragedy,
just try to imagine a 30 foot wall of water coming through your neighborhood,
entire neighborhoods and towns disappearing, followed by the threat of nuclear
catastrophe and no water and power for days on end during these cold early
spring nights.Aside from the human catastrophe, the economic toll of this event
will be felt for years. Some analysts estimate that Japan will have to import
an additional 200,000 barrels of oil per day to make up for the lost output of
the damaged nuclear plants, while insurance and GDP losses are only guestimates
at this early hour but will be surely significant.Across the globe, unrest
continues in the Middle East as Bahrain is under martial law, the Libyan
government continues to quell the revolution (while the United Nations dithers)
and Portugal’s credit rating is downgraded and totters again on the edge of
financial collapse. At home, Congress continues putting band aids on our
national budget deficit while home sales plunge to new lows…’
(Washington Post) [ Comments COMMENTS ARE CLOSED WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR SYSTEMS ]
Dana Milbank In state
legislatures, Tea Partyers take democracy to absurd lengths. (Washington Post)
[ I love to pick on Mr. Milbank … we’re so … ‘opposite’.
‘Louis Brandeis’? As they say on Saturday Night Live, ‘What’s up with that,
what’s up with that’. I concede he was a brilliant jurist (my personal favorite
was Holmes, especially Holmes’ discussion of the law as providing
foreseeability of consequences to actions, ie., threatening to do what one
legally can do which enables the other party to avoid such consequences, etc..
– Boy, did he get that wrong with pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt ‘modern
america’ where meaningfully lawlessness reigns supreme (see, ie., RICO case [ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
] ). Yet Brandeis’ powers of foresight were sorely lacking [ Upon completion of
his first semester exams he was packing his bags to leave (I think harvard)
certain he had failed out. In fact, he ‘aced’ them all. (I can empathize with
that feeling which unlike anytime after a test I felt after the 3 day bar exam.
I felt drained and ‘certain’ I had failed. In fact, I scored so high on the
multi-state that my ‘jersey part’ of the exam became irrelevant (how prescient
a circumstance). ] Laboratory?... I don’t think so … unless you’re talking of
that of Dr. Frankenstein himself.
2chambers:
McConnell, McCain draw the line (Washington Post) [ mccain
recently said that if he had been elected president, defacto bankrupt america
would be fighting 3 wars. Talk about a race to the ‘bottom’. Earth to mccain …
that’s why you weren’t elected (mccain’s a loser, from wrestler, to downed
pilot, to songbird pow, to keating 5 man who should have gone to jail, etc.;
although wobama the b (for b*** s***), despite promises to the contrary, has
been no better; viz., maybe 2 and a half wars despite the nation’s defacto
bankruptcy. Never trust a *********** Go ahead, fill it in … whatever comes to mind … don’t
feel guilty, his presidency’s done! Obama Laments He’s Not President Of Communist China [
Time to relieve wobama the b’ (for b*** s***) of his burden by impeaching /
removing him from office without delay! He may not have been the first black
president (Clinton is generally considered the first black president by blacks
and whites alike, a moniker Clinton accepted and wore proudly – that 18% vote),
but he is certainly the last! Drudgereport:
City Lowers Police Testing
Standards Because Not Enough Blacks Passed... Under pressure from Obama
administration... Illinois mayor says Obama
still owes city $55,457...
Obama to party with
Washington reporters... Golf in the afternoon... ] Weekly Standard | “Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the
president of China.” Dave’s Daily: ‘…Where is the president? This has been a universal
question raised by both right and left. Obama appeared on ESPN to go over his
NCAA basketball bracket, is hosting a $30K a plate fund raiser in Harlem and
heads this weekend to Rio. The president's disconnect is beyond belief and his
ears have turned to tin…’ Obama Plays While Japan Begs for Help [ ‘Wobama the b’ (for b*** s***) is a
typical ‘***************’ … Go ahead, fill it in … whatever comes to mind …
don’t feel guilty, he’s already a failed president who should be impeached /
removed from office without delay and a total incompetent and fraud. ] Watson/Jones | With the world on fire, the President goes AWOL
again … ’ Financialization
and Our Increasingly Unstable Economy Roche ‘I finally got around to seeing
the movie Inside Job, the story behind the credit crisis and winner of the
Academy Award for best documentary. It’s very good and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn’t seen it. It will certainly infuriate you. The movie doesn’t
place nearly enough blame on homeowners, but all in all it does an excellent
job of showing how Wall Street and government have become overrun by
deregulation and sheer greed. A combination of flawed economic theory and greed
have combined to create the beast that we now call a “functioning” economy. The
worst part of it all is that President Obama, who vowed change, has done almost
nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues most of the policies that helped
get us here in the first place. ]
Is
the Bear Market Back? [ The bear market never left … This has been a manipulated bubble-bull
cycle in this secular bear market based on b*** s*** alone and hence, is an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you can since there's
much worse to come! ] Michaud ‘Financial Markets at Critical
Junctures’ (see infra)
U.S.
Stocks in Red, Though Markets Cut Early Losses Amid Fed Optimism [ Fed optimism? You mean ‘fed b*** s*** ‘!
Yes, we’re spoon fed ‘fed b*** s*** ‘.
The same ‘no-recession’ b*** s*** that wall street frauds are made of
and thrive on. What do you expect them to say? After all, it’s the fed’s
incompetence, complicity and wall street’s greed, fraud! ]
Midnight Trader (see infra)
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
] Former general counsel inherited part of a Bernard Madoff
account.
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas ( 3-4-11 Throw Clarence Thomas Off the Bench (The Daily Beast) ) , but I do know about alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010
(*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption is
pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently with
the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action which
was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention of the
Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video on the economic / financial collapse from Stansberry and
Associates is so well researched and
succinctly presented that I’ve archived
same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without
pictures / charts) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Ellen Bente Oliver ‘Salary of
House/Senate...$174,000. Salary of Speaker of House...$223,500. Salary of
Majority/Minority Leaders...$193,400. Average US Salary...$33,000 to $77,000.
Maybe our elected officials should make an average salary too...It's a time of
sacrifice after all...Pass along, post on your own page if you agree…’
Hidden workforce
hinders recovery (Washington
Post) [ Come on! Get real! They’ll never give up that ‘fudge factor’ that gives
them cover for their prevarication and continued wall street churn and earn
bubble fraud. ] The biggest challenge to the nation’s economic recovery is
Americans who have stopped looking for new jobs.
(Washington Post) [ Comments COMMENTS ARE CLOSED WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR SYSTEMS ]
Marc
Faber On The Japanese Disaster, On A 20% Market Correction And On QE18 Marc
Faber appeared earlier on CNBC in response to a plunging market, and gave his
latest updated outlook on QE3… and 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (not to mention 18). Tyler Durden Zero
Hedge March 15, 2011 ‘Marc Faber appeared earlier on CNBC in response to a
plunging market, and gave his latest updated outlook on QE3… and 4, 5, 6, 7 and
8 (not to mention 18). “We may drop 10 to 15 percent. Then QE 2 will come,
(then) QE 4, QE 5, QE 6, QE 7—whatever you want. The money printer will
continue to print, that I’m sure. .. I meant to say QE 18.” …
Is
the Bear Market Back? [ The bear market never left … This has been a manipulated bubble-bull
cycle in this secular bear market based on b*** s*** alone and hence, is an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you can since there's
much worse to come! ] Michaud ‘Financial Markets at Critical
Junctures’ (see infra)
U.S.
Stocks in Red, Though Markets Cut Early Losses Amid Fed Optimism [ Fed optimism? You mean ‘fed b*** s*** ‘!
Yes, we’re spoon fed ‘fed b*** s*** ‘.
The same ‘no-recession’ b*** s*** that wall street frauds are made of
and thrive on. What do you expect them to say? After all, it’s the fed’s
incompetence, complicity and wall street’s greed, fraud! ]
Midnight Trader (see infra)
Ellen Bente Oliver ‘Salary of
House/Senate...$174,000. Salary of Speaker of House...$223,500. Salary of
Majority/Minority Leaders...$193,400. Average US Salary...$33,000 to $77,000.
Maybe our elected officials should make an average salary too...It's a time of
sacrifice after all...Pass along, post on your own page if you agree…’
Hidden workforce
hinders recovery (Washington Post) [ Come on! Get real! They’ll never
give up that ‘fudge factor’ that gives them cover for their prevarication and
continued wall street churn and earn bubble fraud. ] The biggest challenge
to the nation’s economic recovery is Americans who have stopped looking for new
jobs.
Poll:
Support for Afghan war waning (Washington Post) [ Waning? When have these
nation-bankrupting, perpetual war policies been other than ‘waning’, except
among the zionists, neocons, war criminals, military industrial complex, war
profiteers, etc.. It was opposition to these perpetual war policies that got
‘wobama the b’ (for b*** s***) elected, only to be revealed for the blatant
liar / fraud that he truly is. ]
Ellen Bente Oliver ‘Salary of
House/Senate...$174,000. Salary of Speaker of House...$223,500. Salary of
Majority/Minority Leaders...$193,400. Average US Salary...$33,000 to $77,000.
Maybe our elected officials should make an average salary too...It's a time of
sacrifice after all...Pass along, post on your own page if you agree…’
Store
shelves empty even outside disaster zone as panic buying grips Japan (Washington Post) [ I think the term
‘panic-buying’ with its connotation of
‘overreaction’ is a misnomer and misapplied to this unprecedented
catastrophe. I further believe that the magnitude of the fallout, literally and
figuratively, economically and otherwise, cannot be overstated in being far
more dire in negatively impacting already dour global economic prospects. ]
TOKYO - Canned goods, batteries, bread and bottled water have vanished from
store shelves and long lines of cars circle gas stations, as Japan grapples
with a new risk set off by last week's earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear
crisis: panic-buying.
Controversey Over
Bonuses (Washington Post) : I
think an appropriate bonus for anyone on capital hill is an all-expenses-paid
trip to ………… JAIL! Fed
meets as risks widen; policymakers aim to guard against inflation while
fostering growth (Washington Post) [ Come on! Let’s not kid each other! The
fed’s failed on both counts, continuing the policies of failure ushered in by
the senile greenspun… This is the grim economic
reality http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone is an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while
you can since there's much worse to come! … Who,
Besides Ben Bernanke, Wants to Buy (u.s.) Bonds? Well, PIMCO just voted
with their feet (they’re out of them) … Japansunami will preclude same (note:
despite the dire implications for defacto bankrupt america owing to their
costly reconstruction preoccupation … market suckers’ rally into the close and
off the lows to keep investors suckered … you can do such things, especially
into the close, with those computerized high frequency trade programs which are
great for generating commissions from the old ‘in-out, in-out’, and then some …
these days like last crash / crisis are made for such frauds.) … don’t go
looking to china to take more baths, especially with that recent trade deficit
of theirs. The answer is no-one! And, one can begin to see the fed’s reluctance
to alow proper scrutiny of their books ( technically ‘insolvent’ but printing
ever more worthless paper); beyond their complicity in the massive wall street
frauds cashed out with their help, there’s the worthless ‘paper on paper’
debacle just around the corner. ]
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve meets Tuesday at a time of widening economic
risks: higher oil and food prices; unemployment near 9 percent; crises in the
Middle East and Japan.
Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting
monetary tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary
pressures...So was this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious
correction? The events and reports this week did provide more evidence that the
stock market may be ahead of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and
therefore corporate earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the
market’s upside potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk?
It might be wise to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the
next few days during the ‘monthly strength period.’
BOB
PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New
Lows Blodget ‘Investors have gotten wildly bullish of late, as the bull
market that started in early 2009 keeps driving stocks to new highs. But the
pigs are about to get slaughtered, says Bob Prechter, president of Elliott Wave International and
editor of the Elliott Wave Theorist. Prechter still thinks the new bull market
is just a cyclical "retracement" of some of the bear market losses
that we've had since the market crashed in 2008. Prechter expected this
retracement to drive stocks 50% above the market lows, but stocks have since
soared 30% higher than than he expected. So when the day of reckoning
comes, Prechter thinks, it will be even more startling. And Prechter
still thinks that stocks will eventually crash to new bear-market lows (read:
below 6,800 on the DOW). What makes Prechter think this day of reckoning may come
sooner rather than later? Sentiment indicators and
other technical analysis. Investor bullishness has
now gotten so extreme, Prechter says, that it has exceeded the levels in 2008
before the market crashed. Investors could still get even more bullish, of
course, but eventually they'll pay for this optimism. And Prechter's not just bearish on stocks: He thinks oil,
silver, and other commodities are absurdly overvalued, too. The only
thing he's bullish on is the dollar. And lest he be dismissed as a perma-bear,
Bob Prechter is quick to add that he hopes there will come a day when he can
come on the show and tell everyone that stocks are finally so crushed and hated
that it's a historic opportunity to buy them. When will that be? Stay
tuned...’ The
Case for a Bear Market for Stocks Suttmeier ‘In making a bearish call on
the U.S. stock market, I base it on both fundamental and technical factors. The
fundamentals show that stocks are overvalued and we have had three ValuEngine
Valuation Warnings so far this year. The January warning was ignored by the
market but so far stocks peaked with the warning issued on February 18 and
re-iterated on March 3. During this period we have seen many days where all 16
sectors have been overvalued, with eight to 11 by double-digit percentages. Today
63.8% of all stocks are overvalued, and all 16 sectors are overvalued, 11 by
double-digit percentages…’
Utilities Are Warning the Correction Is Here Gayed ‘The utilities sector (IDU) may not be the most
fascinating sector of the market to watch, but in many ways can be one of the
most important. Legendary technical analyst Edson Gould, known for being one of
the best market timers of all time, believed that the performance of utilities
was an early indicator for broad market movements. He noted often times that
when utilities performed exceptionally well, within a short period of time,
markets would experience a period of volatility and declining prices…’
Is
the Bear Market Back? [ The bear market never left … This has been a manipulated bubble-bull
cycle in this secular bear market based on b*** s*** alone and hence, is an
especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you can since there's
much worse to come! ]
Michaud ‘Financial Markets at Critical Junctures
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
] Former general counsel inherited part of a Bernard Madoff
account.
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas ( 3-4-11 Throw Clarence Thomas Off the Bench (The Daily Beast) ) , but I do know about alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010
(*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance greater
non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video from Stansberry and Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without
pictures / charts) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
Disaster
in Japan threatens recession recovery (Washington Post) [ Recovery? …
Dreamin’ … and, we’re way past the ‘straw broke the camel’s back’ … we’re
really talkin’ about final nails in the coffin … This is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone is an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while
you can since there's much worse to come!
What
Can the Great Depression Teach Us About Our Great Recession? Chartprophet
‘Is the massive market rally of the past two years just a temporary recovery
that has tricked many investors to jump back into stocks right before the next
plunge? And how can the Great Depression reveal what may happen to the markets
this year, almost 80 years later?As we enter the third year of what has been a
very impressive "bull" market, many are left wondering whether this
incredible run of as much as 100 percent on the S&P 500 can continue - and
for how long. Yet while the economy seems to have rebounded very strongly off
of its early 2009 lows, accompanied by improving fundamentals, increased
company earnings, and a more optimistic consumer, many investors fail to at
least consider the thought that this entire "recovery" could, in
fact, be just an extreme overreaction to the 2008 market crash. In other words,
the huge rally we have seen in the global stock markets since early 2009 could
be just a temporary recovery and pause before the next - and possibly worse -
market decline.
It was less than
a year ago that the fear of an economic "double dip" - a plunge back
down to recession - intensely gripped the markets. The "flash crash",
BP oil spill,
European troubles, high unemployment, and potential derailment of the economy
all posed a severe threat to the viability of our recovery. Yet while many
parts of the economy seem to have been improving, there are still so many
issues surfacing daily that most of the world is basically ignoring. I am not
saying that all these issues are guaranteed to pull us back into recession, but
with such a huge rebound in stocks accompanied by so many potential derailers,
it may not be so far-fetched to at least consider the possibilities of the
tremendous upcoming turmoil.
The issues
now: huge government debt, credit crisis, European troubles, high insider
selling, Middle East turmoil, surging oil prices that threaten to hurt the
economy, soaring commodity prices, surfacing inflation, uncertainty about the
Fed's QE2 and QE3, billions of dollars of toxic assets on the balance sheets of
many banks, emerging market weakness since the end of 2010, real estate bubbles
from China to Singapore, rationalization of fundamentals and a strong
complacency that things will continue to be just as positive as they have been,
a very slowly-improving unemployment picture, and perhaps one of the most
telling points - the average investor is finally getting back in, and maybe
right at the end of the rally.
So why should
investors at least consider the possibility of a "double dip"? What
are the potential scenarios if this tremendous market rally was, in fact, a
"fool's rally"? And what can the Great Depression teach us about our
current situation?
First, we
must understand what a "fool's rally" is:
Otherwise
known as a "Dead Dog Bounce," the fool's rally is a corrective bounce
or temporary rebound that follows a severe decline in an individual stock or
broader market. Following a severe decline, stocks and markets can sometimes see
sharp bounces off of the lows as a rapid overreaction to the downside is
followed by an overreactive bounce to the upside. In other words, a market
crashes quickly and sharply but rebounds temporarily as much of the bad news
takes some time to fully sink in.
This
phenomenon is has been termed the "Dead Dog Bounce," based on the
statement that "even a dead dog will bounce" if dropped from high
enough. Here's an image of what this looks like:
[picture]
The Dead Dog Bounce is just a temporary recovery, however. The scenario is as
follows: 1) the market drops sharply; 2) after an extreme downturn, the market
recovers as some investors buy up what they consider to be "value";
3) the market cannot make it all the way back up to where it started its down
move, however, because the economy is nowhere near as healthy as it was; 4) the
investors who have pulled their money out of the stock market or who have
missed the recovery now jump back in, thinking the market is going back up; 5)
since this has been a dead dog bounce, and therefore just a corrective rebound
before the dead dog falls back down, many investors were tricked into thinking
the recovery was underway - but the market enters the next phase of decline or
recession. A double dip takes place.
Think of a tennis
ball dropped from the top of a building: as it drops, it gains momentum, hits
the ground, and bounces up - but the bounce can not be as high as its original
point. And following that bounce, it will ultimately be pulled back down by
gravity. So too the Dead Dog Bounce - the market drops from above, falls
sharply, hits the "ground," bounces back up (but not as high), and
ultimately falls back down.
I bring the
Great Depression up because it is one of the best examples of a Dead Dog
Bounce. We often think of the Crash of 1929 as the biggest event of the Great
Depression, and perhaps also consider it to be the biggest drop in the market.
But that actually wasn't the case.
Here's
how the Dead Dog Bounce played out in the Great Depression:
click to
enlarge
[chart]
Following 17 years of sideways movement beginning, the market finally embarked
on an uptrend from 1921 to the ultimate peak of 1929.
Compare the
above chart to what we have recently seen in our market:
[chart]
Like the Dow from 1904 to 1921, the Dow of 1960 to 1983 was also stuck in a
long sideways trend. It eventually broke out above the 1,000 level in 1983 and
began one of the greatest bull markets we have ever seen. Like the 1929 top
before the Great Depression, the 2007 peak marked the top before the Great
Recession we find ourselves in. The two charts above look eerily similar, and
make dismissing the relationship between the Great Depression and Great Recession
almost a fool's move.
Now take a
look at the 1929 stock market crash:
[chart]
After reaching a peak of 380+, the Dow tumbled to under 200 as the Crash of
1929 sent markets into a free-fall. Following the Crash, a Dead Dog Bounce took
place - raising the market approximately 50 percent.
Compare the
1929-1930 Crash-Dead Dog Bounce scenario with what we have just seen:
[chart]
After a bull market from 2003 to the end of 2007, the Dow reached a peak of
over 14,000. As the housing market collapsed, so did the stock market - sending
the Dow below 6,500. As in the Dow of 1929-1930, a potential Dead Dog Bounce
has followed since 2009 and continues until today.
The question
remains - what followed the Dead Dog Bounce of 1929-1930, and will our market
follow the same course?
Here's how it
played out in 1930:
[chart]
The Crash of 1929 was almost negligible in comparison to the Great Depression
that followed. The Crash sent the Dow tumbling from 380 to 200, and was
followed by a Dead Dog Bounce which recovered over 50 percent of the Crash; but
the real damage was done beginning in April 1930 and lasting until late 1932 -
where the Dow toppled from nearly 300 to less than 50 - a loss of over 83
percent.
The Dead Dog
Bounce in 1929 and 1930 was just a corrective overreaction to the steep plunge
that the Crash of 1929 brought to the market. But as we can see, the Crash and
the ensuing bounce were nothing compared to the huge drop that followed and
carried through until the end of the Great Depression.
We now find
ourselves in perhaps a similar situation - a market that saw a very impressive
bull run for years, and reached a lofty top followed by a severe downturn in
2008 and early 2009. It has since shown signs of improving, and many investors
and economists are optimistic for the future - thinking the worst is behind us.
But with so many negative and potentially devastating issues constantly
surfacing, are we just in the middle of a Dead Dog Bounce before reality sets
in and the market plunges back down into recession? I do not yet know the
answer to that question. But with the very strong similarities between our
market and that of the Great Depression, it would be very wise to at least pay attention.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.’
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Stocks
sink amid new economic concerns (Washington Post) [New economic concerns? I don’t think so! The
economic concerns certainly aren’t new: This is the grim economic
reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. This manipulated bubble in this secular bear market based on
b*** s*** alone is an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while
you can since there's much worse to come!But that
money/prosperity’s truly down the crapper and into the hands of the ‘perps and
friends’ … World's
richest are almost $1 trillion richer ( And the other 95% trillions
poorer.) … There’s never been a mystery here … just a massive fraud that
despite the rhetoric has been purposefully overlooked and unprosecuted … : “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’ Financialization
and Our Increasingly Unstable Economy Roche ‘I finally got around to seeing
the movie Inside Job, the story behind the credit crisis and winner of the
Academy Award for best documentary. It’s very good and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn’t seen it. It will certainly infuriate you. The movie doesn’t
place nearly enough blame on homeowners, but all in all it does an excellent
job of showing how Wall Street and government have become overrun by
deregulation and sheer greed. A combination of flawed economic theory and greed
have combined to create the beast that we now call a “functioning” economy. The
worst part of it all is that President Obama, who vowed change, has done almost
nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues most of the policies that helped
get us here in the first place. …’ ‘INSIDE
JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant
fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and declares with
oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been prosecuted …
despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator / experts
recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder and
wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE: MORE CLAIMS OF RACE
BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE
FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
]
Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding ‘Many
important global stock markets, including China, Brazil, India and Hong Kong,
have been in fairly significant corrections since November, down between 12%
and 17%. Their major concerns have been rising inflation and the resulting monetary
tightening by their central banks to combat the inflationary pressures...So was
this week’s stumble the beginning of a more serious correction? The events and
reports this week did provide more evidence that the stock market may be ahead
of reality regarding prospects for the economy, and therefore corporate
earnings, going forward, which should at least limit the market’s upside
potential. Limited upside potential equals more downside risk? It might be wise
to lighten up some into strength that may develop over the next few days during
the ‘monthly strength period.’
Taxpayers
caught in middle of Fannie lawsuit (Washington
Post) What could be worse than taxpayers paying more than $100 million to
defend a shareholder-owned company and its former executives in a private lawsuit? [
What could be worse? Not prosecuting the massive wall street frauds in
the trillions with jail, fines, and disgorgement the goal.…. Top
Economists: Trust is Necessary for a Stable Economy … But Trust Won’t Be
Restored Until We Prosecute Wall Street Fraud Most policy makers still
don’t understand the urgent need to restore trust in our financial system, or
the need to prosecute Wall Street executives for fraud and other criminal
wrongdoing ….. 'Gang
of 6' takes deficit fight to public (Washington Post) [ Riiiight! I like that term, gang, as applied
to capital hill. Indeed, without exaggeration or sarcasm I posit the realistic
existence of government mob, relative to other mob designations as ie., mafia,
irish mob, jewish mob, etc., based not on what they say they do but on what
they actually do. That now corrupted supreme court of old’s test for obscenity;
viz., ‘you know it when you see it’. And, haven’t we been seeing it for quite
some time now; the corruption, the corruptibility, the lobbyists, the military
industrial complex, the look the other way for the massive frauds on wall
street, the bribes in one form or another before or after the fact? The ‘gangs’
should be shouldering the burden first, then come asking those who foolishly
trusted them. Why
Social Security is welfare (Washington
Post) [ What does it matter what you call it? Part of america’s defacto
bankruptcy? Most assuredly (I haven’t even looked at the Bloomberg propaganda
piece which by its very title is an insult to intelligence; after all, we all
know they can continue to print evermore worthless fiat currency which in
reality does not change the ultimate reality of america’s defacto bankruptcy
but merely exacerbates while forestalling a realistic assessment of the
magnitude of the crisis. The fact is that there are others, culpable in
creating this crisis who should be shouldering the burden first; ie., frauds on
wall street via prosecution, fines, disgorgement; Ellen Bente Oliver
‘Salary
of House/Senate...$174,000. Salary of Speaker of House...$223,500. Salary of
Majority/Minority Leaders...$193,400. Average US Salary...$33,000 to $77,000.
Maybe our elected officials should make an average salary too...It's a time of
sacrifice after all...Pass along, post on your own page if you agree…’ ; SEC
on the hot seat (Washington Post) [ Oooooh! The capital hill hot seat …
shilling for no more than a grilling. House
Republicans press SEC on official's ties to Madoff (Washington Post) [ The
ultimate subterfuge. Mr. small potatoes madoff the focus of so much influence …
yet he’s in jail … and the only one … Boy, did mary shapiro become total b***
s*** fast … the current shibboleth of
capital hill / all 3 branches of pervasively corrupt u.s. government …
joining the others: “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’ Financialization
and Our Increasingly Unstable Economy Roche ‘I finally got around to seeing
the movie Inside Job, the story behind the credit crisis and winner of the
Academy Award for best documentary. It’s very good and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn’t seen it. It will certainly infuriate you. The movie doesn’t
place nearly enough blame on homeowners, but all in all it does an excellent
job of showing how Wall Street and government have become overrun by
deregulation and sheer greed. A combination of flawed economic theory and greed
have combined to create the beast that we now call a “functioning” economy. The
worst part of it all is that President Obama, who vowed change, has done almost
nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues most of the policies that helped
get us here in the first place. …’ ‘INSIDE
JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant
fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and declares with
oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been prosecuted …
despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator / experts
recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder and
wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE: MORE CLAIMS OF RACE
BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE
FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To Steal
Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Wis.
Senate strips workers' bargaining rights Vote
by Republicans bypasses chamber's missing Democrats (Washington
Post) [ Drudgereport: Drudge is reporting, and I think Charlie Sheen would
agree, that in Wisconsin, the GOP is … duh … winning … and conversely, the dems
/ unions are … duh … losers, trolls, etc… just kidding …
Drudgereport: World's
biggest bond fund dumps all U.S. debt...
WI
GOP pushes through union bill...
'ENOUGH
IS ENOUGH'...
Gov.
Walker applauds...
DEMS
SCRAMBLE BACK...
SHOCK:
82% of US schools 'failing'...
Gasoline
cost to jump $700 for avg household...
Libya
Tanks Move In To Crush Rebel Stronghold...
Carnage
in Rebel City...
FOOTAGE:
Libyan war plane shot down...
Obama,
Cameron discuss plan of action...
Hoyer:
No Balanced Budget for 15-20 Years 'We've Dug Such a Deep Hole'...
FLASHBACK:
Larger Than Entire 2007 Deficit...
Treasury
Draws Down Cash Balance...
FEBRUARY DEFICIT: $223 BILLION
FRESHMAN
DEM. SENATOR: OBAMA HAS 'FAILED TO LEAD'...
Mayors
to Unions: 'Dire fiscal straits' without 'dramatic' changes...
Anger
Brews Over Government Workers' Benefits...
UNREST
IN THE MIDWEST: Now Michigan...
WELFARE
NATION: ONE-THIRD OF ALL WAGES ARE HANDOUTS...
ROMNEY:
Obama Misery Index hits record high...
OPEC
VOWS NEW PUMPING...
OIL HOLDS
NEAR $105...
Roubini:
Will Hit $150...
Sheen:
'I'm really starting to lose my mind'... ‘In what appears to be a 180
degree turn around from his daily proclamations of having “tiger’s blood” and
“Adonis DNA,” Charlie Sheen admitted “I’m really starting to lose my mind” in
the new issue of “Life & Style.” The recently fired “Two and a Half Men”
star also reveals his desperation to regain custody of his two young twin sons,
Bob and Max.
ARTICLE: Charlie Sheen Attacks Jon Cryer.
“She can’t keep them from me,” Sheen says of his estranged
wife, Brooke Mueller. “I won’t let her—I’ll do anything to get them
back.”Sheen, 45, who has made four disturbing live web broadcasts from his
compound in Sherman Oaks, CA, admits that even his lawyer, Marty Singer, has
expressed concern about him.
PHOTOS: Charlie Sheen's Long List of Lady Friends.
“My lawyer wants to come over to my house and take the
bullets out of my gun," he told the magazine.A party pal of Charlie’s
tells the magazine, "It's crazy over here at the house—Charlie's losing
it. He's really mad about the show, and dealing with the kids and Brooke is
getting to be too much. Charlie is a ticking time bomb, and we all fear he
could do something drastic like committing suicide or falling back on hard
drugs."
ARTICLE: 'Tiger Blood' Drink Goes On Sale.
Sheen, who appeared on a Beverly Hills rooftop Monday,
brandishing a machete, realizes that his bizarre behavior has many
concerned."I'm really trying to contain myself right now," he said.
ARTICLE: 'Men' Co-Star Is Sheen's Lone Defender.
If that's true, he's not doing a good a job of it, because
Sheen widened his list of targets to include his former "Two and a Half
Men" co-star, Jon Cryer, on Tuesday.Cryer had managed to stay out of the
fray during Sheen's fall from grace at CBS, but his luck ran out.
ARTICLE: Can 'Two and a Half Men' Survive? Just Ask 'Three's
Company.'
"Jon has not called me. He's a turncoat, a traitor, a
troll. Clearly he's a troll," Sheen told E! News. "He issued a
statement. Is it gonna take me calling him a 'traitor, juvenile and scared' for
him to get it?"Cryer has actually not issued an official statement since
Sheen was fired from the hit CBS sitcom “Two-And-A-Half Men” on Monday. But he
may want to issue one now, because Sheen has not stopped ranting about his
enemies since his dismissal, and once you are on his crosshairs, it seems you
never escape.
ARTICLE: Sheen's Kids Could Be Next on Reality Show.
Tuesday night was the latest case in point, as Sheen blasted
his list of hated CBS executives one by one with yet another nonsensical,
barely decipherable scripted screed on Ustream. "A high treason has
occurred. The scales of justice are in a state of radical disarray. Together we
must right this infantile wrong… What happened yesterday was completely and entirely
illegal, unconscionable and to quote my lawyer 'really shi**y shi**y suck
suck'," Sheen, the self-proclaimed “Malibu Messiah,” said before launching
into a strange diatribe in his fourth "Sheen's Korner" webcast, in
which he saved his most savage attacks for producer Chuck Lorre – calling him
everything from a “silly clown,” to “little worm” and “loser.”
Gaddafi forces engage in fierce battle Regime
loyalists in Libya mount assaults to reclaim ground (Washington
Post) [ 41 years in power … Hey, when interviewed by Charlie Sheen on SNL he
seemed rather spry …
Sheen's-Korner, Ustream.TV
You're either in Sheen's-Korner or you're with the trolls... [and the big question is which trolls … the
pat_trolls, the con_trolls, the troll_eys, the troll_ups, etc.? ] http://www.ustream.tv/charliesheen Archived Web Site File: http://www.albertpeia.com/Sheen's-Korner,Ustream.TVYou'reeitherinSheen's-Korneroryou'rewiththetrolls.flv (448mb)
(for whatever reason, this file did not open properly in my somewhat
older player and I didn’t have time to download another to determine if the
problem is with the viewer or the file, but will, and will indicate the result
here. )
Here’s SNL’s take on the Sheen webcast
[ This was the first time I’d seen Miley Cyrus in anything and I must
say she is truly a star, albeit a very precocious one; this SNL was absolutely
hilarious across the board! ]
http://www.saturday-night-live.com
Part of the webcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIx4_t26AAs
With neither side able to muster overwhelming
force, the result appeared to be a bloody stalemate, with the death tolls
rising in both east and west.Intense international deliberations come as troops
loyal to Gaddafi continue to besiege the rebel-held city of Zawiyah, 27 miles
west of Tripoli.] The vote comes after a maneuver by GOP members that split the
proposal to curtail union rights from legislation requiring a quorum.
Gaddafi forces engage in fierce battle Regime
loyalists in Libya mount assaults to reclaim ground (Washington
Post) [ 41 years in power … Hey, when interviewed by Charlie Sheen on SNL he
seemed rather spry …
Sheen's-Korner, Ustream.TV
You're either in Sheen's-Korner or you're with the trolls... [and the big question is which trolls … the
pat_trolls, the con_trolls, the troll_eys, the troll_ups, etc.? ] http://www.ustream.tv/charliesheen Archived Web Site File: http://www.albertpeia.com/Sheen's-Korner,Ustream.TVYou'reeitherinSheen's-Korneroryou'rewiththetrolls.flv (448mb)
(for whatever reason, this file did not open properly in my somewhat
older player and I didn’t have time to download another to determine if the
problem is with the viewer or the file, but will, and will indicate the result
here. )
Here’s SNL’s take on the Sheen webcast
[ This was the first time I’d seen Miley Cyrus in anything and I must
say she is truly a star, albeit a very precocious one; this SNL was absolutely
hilarious across the board! ]
http://www.saturday-night-live.com
Part of the webcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIx4_t26AAs
] With neither side able to muster overwhelming force, the result appeared to be a bloody stalemate, with the death tolls rising in both east and west.
Obama creates indefinite detention system for
prisoners at Guantanamo Bay (Washington
Post) [ Sounds more like fellow failed president/war criminal dumbya bush every
day. Meanwhile, back at the
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american credit farm (totalitarian
communist china): New
restrictions on foreign journalists Under rules announced after foreign
journalists were physically harassed by security officers, foreign journalists
must have government permission to interview anyone in a public area.]
Gates
successor a quandary for Obama(Washington Post) [ Quandary? For ‘wobama the b’ (for b*** s***)? I don’t
think so! Like wobama, he or she must speak out of both sides of his/her mouth,
be particularly adept at lying (cia-speak), and believe in absolutely nothing
(no core values/beliefs). Gates says killing of Afghan boys a "setback" (Reuters)
[Ah, yes, riiiiight! … that’s what it is, alright…just a setback…I see. ] Gates: US
military to stay in Afghanistan US
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is on a surprise visit to Afghanistan, says
the American military should stay in the conflict-riddled country despite the
rising human costs. Violent
spring looming in Afghanistan (Washington Post) [ See … something to look
forward to … must be that good news that keeps getting pushed back … and spring
no less … everything bombing blooming or in war criminal american-speak …
‘booming’ … but not the defacto bankrupt american economy for which a crash is
‘looming’. Could somebody help me out with a translation of gates’ speech a
west point … I must be missing something … Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly
lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations
unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
] American military officials
expect that the Taliban will mount a campaign to regain ground lost to U.S.
troops last year and use suicide bombing teams to strike at those associated
with the Afghan government or coalition forces. ]
Fed Has Convinced Consumers to Re-Leverage [ Sounds
like a plan! … albeit a failed plan ala greenspan … this encore courtesy of ‘’no-recession helicopter ben shalom
bernanke’ … anything for that irrationally exuberant feeling on wall street ….
Bubbles, bubbles, everywhere, but not a bloke to blink. ] Roche ‘Despite lopsided
balance sheets and near record levels of household debt the Fed appears to have
succeeded in convincing American households that it is wise to begin
re-leveraging. The Fed’s latest consumer credit report showed broad improvement
in consumer credit trends (via Econoday):
"Consumer credit outstanding in December rose
$6.1 billion showing, for the first time in the recovery, gains for both
revolving and non-revolving credit. Revolving credit, up $2.3 billion, rose for
the first time in 27 months. Non-revolving credit, reflecting strength in
vehicle sales, extended its run of strength with a gain of $3.8 billion.
Looking ahead to January’s number, there may be some modest help from motor
vehicle sales which edged up 0.6 percent for the month but the amount boosting
consumer credit will depend in part on the share split of sales to consumers
and to businesses."
(Click to enlarge)
As I’ve previously mentioned, this is great news for
the near-term economic outlook. A re-leveraging consumer means more spending,
higher corporate revenues, etc. My hope was that a 10% deficit would result in
consumers continuing to de-leverage, however, that looks like wishful thinking.
Instead, the combination of easy money and no loser capitalism appears to be
setting the foundation for another debt binge. At a level of 115% of
debt:income, this trend is clearly unsustainable, however, the American public
appears intent on sustaining its fiscal imprudence. In short, enjoy the growth,
however, once the deficit shrinks or another asset bubble pops the air is going
to come out of the debt bubble once again and the upside down U.S. consumer
will again be exposed as the imprudent consumer that he/she is...’
Sheen's-Korner, Ustream.TV
You're either in Sheen's-Korner or you're with the trolls... [and the big question is which trolls … the
pat_trolls, the con_trolls, the troll_eys, the troll_ups, etc.? ] http://www.ustream.tv/charliesheen Archived Web Site File: http://www.albertpeia.com/Sheen's-Korner,Ustream.TVYou'reeitherinSheen's-Korneroryou'rewiththetrolls.flv (448mb)
(for whatever reason, this file did not open properly in my somewhat
older player and I didn’t have time to download another to determine if the
problem is with the viewer or the file, but will, and will indicate the result
here. )
Here’s SNL’s take on the Sheen webcast
[ This was the first time I’d seen Miley Cyrus in anything and I must
say she is truly a star, albeit a very precocious one; this SNL was absolutely
hilarious across the board! ]
http://www.saturday-night-live.com
Part of the webcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIx4_t26AAs
Milbank:
The
subpar lender crisis (Washington
Post) [ It truly is difficult for me to imagine Mr. Milbank as a business
reporter; although, … wall street journal … could fit. I had occasion to know a
successful wall street executive, chairman, institutional brokerage /
investment banking firm, who referred to the wall street journal as ‘total b***
s***’. I don’t think Mr. Milbank needs to refer to an ad hoc experience which
we know and can reasonably infer to be ubiquitous in kind and that they’re all
a bunch of typical american crooks (he wasn’t … but he was an old school risk
seeker long since out of the game). Academy Award winner Ferguson is way ahead:
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE: MORE CLAIMS OF RACE
BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE
FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Private
hiring spurs drop in jobless rate (Washington Post) [ This is a tab yet to be paid
(taxpayer / treasury / public) and the costs in money the nation doen’t have
for the political obfuscation will far outway the benefits. (Gallup
Reports Underemployment Surges To 19.9%, February “Jobs Situation
Deteriorates”: As Bad As 2010 On one hand we have the Department of Truth
about to tell tomorrow that NFP based on various seasonal and birth death
adjustments increased by 250,000… Santelli: 'Good' Jobs Report
Has Dark Side... … Denninger ‘ … Summary: The report did not show any material amount of
acceleration; it is, for all intents and purposes, flat. The Household Survey showed
some people going back to work, but in terms of percentage of the working-age
population the needle did not move to any material degree. The problem
continues to be people we don't count as unemployed but in fact are, and as
such the statistical gerrymandering of the results will give both the left and
right something to spin, but in point of fact there's no evidence of an economy
that is recovering it's ability to generate both private income and tax
revenues.’ … ‘ Mason’…Over the past four weeks, the Treasury’s General Account
has dropped by almost $70 billion. Thus, between this account and the
Treasury’s Supplementary Financing Account the Fed has injected almost $170
billion reserves into the banking system in February …’ Gerald
Celente: “There is no recovery — it’s a coverup!” Sic Semper Tyrannis | Celente argues the oil prices have been going up
before the recent chaos in the Middle East. ‘…One other point brought out by
Gerald Celente is the fact that the current puppet regime in the White House is
“cooking the books” on the unemployment numbers and current inflation rates. They
are making their own rules on how to determine inflation rates by leaving out
essential information such as food and fuel prices. The same is being done with
White House unemployment numbers by simply leaving out those who have given up
looking for jobs, as well as other deceptive “carnie” tricks (in reference to
White House spokesperson Carnie) in which he compares the administration to a
traveling carnival act.
In closing,
Celente states:
“… There is no recovery, it’s a coverup. It’s only
being boosted by these low interest rates, which again, when inflation
skyrockets- they’re gonna have to raise them …‘
]
Delusional
for 2012Will: Huckabee and Gingrich are diminishing the GOP.
(Washington Post) [ That’s only if you take them seriously; and, you can’t take
neocons seriously. You know the type … the pro-zionist bush me-toos … and don’t
forget … what could be more diminishing than having failed president ‘wobama
the b’ (for b*** s***) as their putative head. Perma war types all, the
pervasively corrupt america is defacto bankrupt. Drudgereport: Delaware voters say no to
Lobotomy Joe ….. Biden (the self-proclaimed zionist) -- for name of school...
'Wobama’s Where's Waldo?'
Presidency...
All Former U.S. Presidents To
Get Together For TV Special Honoring George H.W. Bush…(How totally pathetic
they are! How embarrassing for NBC!) ... [ Wake up! http://albertpeia.com/bushcrimes.htm ]
Gingrich to announce
exploratory committee 'in 10 days' [ Neo-con Dreamin’! I mean, come on … are
memories so short they don’t recall him being a total hypocrite, zionist
shill, and part of the problem though
to his credit, he’s not a mobster and complete joke as is trump! ]
CHICAGOLAND: Lawmaker
Suggests BOEING'S Contract Win A Result Of Dirty Politics... [ The contract’s with money the nation doen’t really
have anyway; and, the value of the money paid will be worth substantially less
by completion; and, no surprise … Chicago hasn’t changed much from the days of
capone and is rivaled in terms of corruption by such states as jersey, new
york, etc.. ] ‘…“I’m disappointed but not surprised,”
Republican Sen. Richard Shelby said. “Only Chicago politics could tip the
scales in favor of Boeing’s inferior plane. EADS clearly offers the more
capable aircraft.”…’
Rep. Rangel Causes Stir In
Courtroom; Reprimanded By Judge...NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Congressman
Charles Rangel caused a stir in court Friday
while trying to lend his support for bail of Afrika Owes.Owes, 17, had been a
student at the prestigious Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. Prosecutors say
she was also a member of a drug gang that terrorized 137th Street in
Harlem.Owes was one of fourteen
suspected “137th Street Crew” gang members arrested last month.
Prosecutors said the gang used shootings, beatings and robberies to protect
their turf and gain street status on a stretch of West 137th Street. The gang
allegedly openly dealt crack in apartment lobbies, near Harlem Hospital and
near the Abyssinian Baptist
Church. Congressman
Charles Rangel argues for Owes getting bail to Juliet Papa of 1010 WINS
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly
lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations
unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
Bernanke:
Fed will respond if oil prices trigger inflation (Washington Post) [ If?
Come on … don’t make me laugh! … Inflation
Is Here – Just Open Up Your Eyes And Look At These 5 Financial Charts! (see infra) Despite what Federal Reserve
Chairman Ben Bernanke says, rampant inflation is officially here. The federal
government is constantly monkeying with the numbers to keep the “official” rate
of inflation below 2 percent, but it is becoming very difficult to deny that
the cost of almost everything is really going up these days. … Merk ‘…While we believe food inflation
will be with us for quite some time and may contribute to an unstable world
possibly for years to come, the Federal Reserve appears to be firmly in the
camp of heavily discounting food inflation. The European Central Bank (ECB), in
contrast, has historically taken commodity inflation more seriously than the
Fed – ECB President Trichet talks about his concern over "second round
effects," i.e., commodity inflation stirring inflation throughout the
value chain.
The relevance of all this is that in the U.S. it’s
business as usual as far as monetary policy is concerned. According to Fed
Chair Bernanke, the U.S. economy must grow at a rate of at least 2.5% per annum
just to keep unemployment stable, however, he has made it clear that he will
pursue policies to boost growth above that level. With oil prices soaring, he
is facing yet another headwind. Rather than mopping up the liquidity that, in
our assessment, has contributed to global commodity inflation, he may be
tempted to keep the printing press in high gear to promote economic growth.
It doesn’t really matter whether we think there is a
crisis. What matters is that the Fed doesn’t think its policies are contributing
to global instability and continues on its expansionary path…’
House
Republicans press SEC on official's ties to Madoff (Washington Post) [ The
ultimate subterfuge. Mr. small potatoes madoff the focus of so much influence …
yet he’s in jail … and the only one … Boy, did mary shapiro become total b***
s*** fast … the current shibboleth of
capital hill / all 3 branches of pervasively corrupt u.s. government …
joining the others: “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL
RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
FADE:
OSCAR RATINGS DOWN 10% ...
Injury
Added to Insult... [ In terms of production value (rich in
content in every way), I believe this to be as good and in my view better than
ever as award ceremonies can be without the inimitable Bob Hope. I believe any
falloff can be directly attributable to last year the academy’s egregious
misstep in over-looking ‘Avatar’ / Cameron presaging a similar fate concerning
my clear choice of ‘Inception’ / Nolan ( Truth be told, I’ve yet to see ‘The
King’s Speech’ failing to muster any enthusiasm for seeing a film centered
around a ‘so-called royal’ trying to over-come a speech impediment, albeit a
minor one, regardless of circumstances; viz., stuttering, though I would
concede that it was probably well done. We all know of the problems attendant
to english royal inbreeding…ho hum… I did find ‘The Black Swan’ superb but
attribute same to my own bias and fascination with viewing female ballet
dancing). Bob Hope: Academy Awards,
‘passover’ … very funny! ]
CIVIL
WAR WEEKEND
Armed
pro-Gaddafi gangs roll in Tripoli...
...Shooting
from ambulances...
GRAFFITI
AND BARRICADES...
Gaddafi
vows to crush protesters...
Egypt
protesters dispersed by force...
Al
Qaeda calls for revolt against Arab rulers...
Obama
to Gaddafi: Leave now...
UN
Security Council passes votes to sanction...
Gas
prices surge 17 cents in a week...
Motorist
Calls Police Over Rising Prices...
OBAMA:
CAN WE DRILL NOW?
LONDON
DRIVERS PAYING $9 A GALLON...
Spain
reduces motorway speed limit to save oil...
WOBAMA
'IMPEACHMENT' WARNING... ...to
announce exploratory committee 'in 10 days'
WEST MOVES MILITARY ASSETS AROUND LIBYA
CharlieSheen
Publicist Runs For Hills...
Actor
set to sue CBS for $320M, 'mental anguish'...
The
Legal Letter...
THE
'TODAY' INTERVIEW...
NY
MAG: Madoff on Madoff: The Jailhouse Tapes...
Government
a Ponzi scheme...
CIVIL
WAR WEEKEND...
Anti-Gaddafi
forces widen control...
Take
town 30 miles from Tripoli...
Security
forces defect...
Armed pro-gangs
roll in capital...
...shooting
from ambulances
STUDY:
World's sixth 'mass extinction' may be underway…[Much, much too optimistic
relative to reality] ...
ISRAELI'S
YOUTUBE SPOOF OF GADHAFI CATCHES ON IN ARAB WORLD...
Police
station, state office burning in Oman town...
Tunisia
prime minister resigns...
Gingrich
to announce exploratory committee 'in 10 days' [ Neo-con Dreamin’! I mean, come
on … are memories so short they don’t recall him being a total hypocrite,
zionist shill, and part of the problem
though to his credit, he’s not a mobster and complete joke as is trump! ]
CHICAGOLAND:
Lawmaker Suggests BOEING'S Contract Win A Result Of Dirty Politics... [ The contract’s with money the nation doen’t really
have anyway; and, the value of the money paid will be worth substantially less
by completion; and, no surprise … Chicago hasn’t changed much from the days of
capone and is rivaled in terms of corruption by such states as jersey, new
york, etc.. ] ‘…“I’m disappointed but not surprised,”
Republican Sen. Richard Shelby said. “Only Chicago politics could tip the
scales in favor of Boeing’s inferior plane. EADS clearly offers the more
capable aircraft.”…’
Rep.
Rangel Causes Stir In Courtroom; Reprimanded By Judge...NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Congressman
Charles Rangel caused a stir in court Friday
while trying to lend his support for bail of Afrika Owes.Owes, 17, had been a
student at the prestigious Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. Prosecutors say
she was also a member of a drug gang that terrorized 137th Street in
Harlem.Owes was one of fourteen
suspected “137th Street Crew” gang members arrested last month.
Prosecutors said the gang used shootings, beatings and robberies to protect
their turf and gain street status on a stretch of West 137th Street. The gang
allegedly openly dealt crack in apartment lobbies, near Harlem Hospital and
near the Abyssinian Baptist
Church. Congressman Charles Rangel argues for Owes getting bail to
Juliet Papa of 1010 WINS
Violent
spring looming in Afghanistan (Washington Post) [ See … something to look
forward to … must be that good news that keeps getting pushed back … and spring
no less … everything bombing blooming or in war criminal american-speak …
‘booming’ … but not the defacto bankrupt american economy for which a crash is
‘looming’. Could somebody help me out with a translation of gates’ speech a
west point … I must be missing something … Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly
lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations
unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
] American military officials
expect that the Taliban will mount a campaign to regain ground lost to U.S.
troops last year and use suicide bombing teams to strike at those associated
with the Afghan government or coalition forces.
U.S. prepares for possible rise of new
Islamist regimes Revolutions
may bring a more religious cast to Mideast politics (Washington
Post) [ Oh riiiiight! Pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america, the
‘johnny on the spot’ when it comes to being ahead of the events / curve … and
they’re so interested in democratization … as in Saudi Arabia, etc… Egypt,
Serbia, Georgia… The History of US Sponsored “Democratization” There is a
Russian proverb: only a fool learns from his own mistakes. As Georgia’s foreign
minister visits his Egyptian counterpart, there are lessons for Egypt in
similar revolutions in eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet Union. ] Recent
developments have alarmed some who fear that the governments taking shape will
inevitably undercut democratic reforms.
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Bernanke:
Fed will respond if oil prices trigger inflation (Washington Post) [ If?
Come on … don’t make me laugh! … Inflation
Is Here – Just Open Up Your Eyes And Look At These 5 Financial Charts! (see infra) Despite what Federal Reserve
Chairman Ben Bernanke says, rampant inflation is officially here. The federal
government is constantly monkeying with the numbers to keep the “official” rate
of inflation below 2 percent, but it is becoming very difficult to deny that
the cost of almost everything is really going up these days. … Merk ‘…While we believe food inflation
will be with us for quite some time and may contribute to an unstable world
possibly for years to come, the Federal Reserve appears to be firmly in the
camp of heavily discounting food inflation. The European Central Bank (ECB), in
contrast, has historically taken commodity inflation more seriously than the
Fed – ECB President Trichet talks about his concern over "second round
effects," i.e., commodity inflation stirring inflation throughout the
value chain.
The relevance of all this is that in the U.S. it’s
business as usual as far as monetary policy is concerned. According to Fed
Chair Bernanke, the U.S. economy must grow at a rate of at least 2.5% per annum
just to keep unemployment stable, however, he has made it clear that he will
pursue policies to boost growth above that level. With oil prices soaring, he
is facing yet another headwind. Rather than mopping up the liquidity that, in
our assessment, has contributed to global commodity inflation, he may be
tempted to keep the printing press in high gear to promote economic growth.
It doesn’t really matter whether we think there is a
crisis. What matters is that the Fed doesn’t think its policies are
contributing to global instability and continues on its expansionary path…’
Gerald
Celente: “There is no recovery — it’s a coverup!” Sic Semper
Tyrannis | Celente argues the oil prices have been going up before the
recent chaos in the Middle East. ‘…One other point brought out by Gerald
Celente is the fact that the current puppet regime in the White House is
“cooking the books” on the unemployment numbers and current inflation rates.
They are making their own rules on how to determine inflation rates by leaving
out essential information such as food and fuel prices. The same is being done
with White House unemployment numbers by simply leaving out those who have
given up looking for jobs, as well as other deceptive “carnie” tricks (in
reference to White House spokesperson Carnie) in which he compares the
administration to a traveling carnival act.
In closing,
Celente states:
“… There is no recovery, it’s a coverup. It’s only
being boosted by these low interest rates, which again, when inflation
skyrockets- they’re gonna have to raise them …‘
House
Republicans press SEC on official's ties to Madoff (Washington Post) [ The
ultimate subterfuge. Mr. small potatoes madoff the focus of so much influence …
yet he’s in jail … and the only one … Boy, did mary shapiro become total b***
s*** fast … the current shibboleth of
capital hill / all 3 branches of pervasively corrupt u.s. government …
joining the others: “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL
RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Christian minorities minister assassinated
(Washington Post) [ Christians, Christianity lumped together with war
criminals, zionists, invaders, plunderers, murderers, etc.. No surprise here.
Winning hearts and minds? I don’t think so … Blowback? Most assuredly: 2 U.S. airmen killed, 2 hurt in
shooting near Frankfurt airport (Post, March
2, 2011); Most U.S. aid to Pakistan
hasn't gotten there yet (Post, March 2, 2011); Clinton: U.S. losing global
public-relations battle - to 'Baywatch' and wrestling (Post, March
2, 2011 Well, I don’t know about baywatch and wrestling, but reality beyond
false propaganda will do it every time) ] Shahbaz
Bhatti is gunned down in the second killing this year of a liberal, senior
government official who had spoken out against the nation's stringent blasphemy
laws.Karzai
condemns deadly NATO airstrike (Washington Post) [ Well, for pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt america, it’s just another of many war crimes. They
just role out the propaganda machine that no one is buying anymore. Yet, can
you believe your eyes and ears here: Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ] A NATO airstrike that Afghan officials
said killed nine children collecting firewood in eastern Afghanistan beccomes
the latest irritant in the tense relationship between President Hamid Karzai
and the international force in the country.
Government
cracks down on employment scams
(Washington Post) [ Yet leave the
biggest, most deleterious scam / fraud unprosecuted. What total b*** s***! House
Republicans press SEC on official's ties to Madoff (Washington Post) [ The
ultimate subterfuge. Mr. small potatoes madoff the focus of so much influence …
yet he’s in jail … and the only one … Boy, did mary shapiro become total b***
s*** fast … the current shibboleth of
capital hill / all 3 branches of pervasively corrupt u.s. government …
joining the others: “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL
RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Oil
soars to more than $100 a barrel on Libyan unrest (Washington Post) [ When
you factor in reality, the worst is yet to come … Gerald
Celente: “There is no recovery — it’s a coverup!” Sic Semper
Tyrannis | Celente argues the oil prices have been going up before the
recent chaos in the Middle East. ‘…One other point brought out by Gerald
Celente is the fact that the current puppet regime in the White House is
“cooking the books” on the unemployment numbers and current inflation rates.
They are making their own rules on how to determine inflation rates by leaving
out essential information such as food and fuel prices. The same is being done
with White House unemployment numbers by simply leaving out those who have
given up looking for jobs, as well as other deceptive “carnie” tricks (in
reference to White House spokesperson Carnie) in which he compares the
administration to a traveling carnival act.
In closing,
Celente states:
“… There is no recovery, it’s a coverup. It’s only
being boosted by these low interest rates, which again, when inflation
skyrockets- they’re gonna have to raise them …‘
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly
lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations
unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
Locked
in standoff, Gaddafi foes debate foreign airstrikes Opposition leaders consider
requesting foreign intervention (Washington Post) [
Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times ( Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! )
DÉJÀ
VU ALL OVER AGAIN? WHERE’S YOGI WHEN YOU NEED HIM TO EXPLAIN THIS INSANITY:
Chavez:
U.S. distorting situation in Libya ‘to justify an invasion’ CNN | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claims U.S.
criticism of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has a clear aim: military invasion.
US tightens
military grip on Gaddafi The Guardian | The west is edging towards a possible military confrontation with
Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
Obama
Encircles US War Machine Around Libya Paul Joseph Watson | Administration readies to exploit humanitarian
crisis to control Africa’s largest oil producer.
Most
Americans Strongly Oppose U.S. Military Action in Libya According to
Rasmussen, a large majority of Americans agree with the common sense of George
Washington. During his farewell address, the first president of the United
States said the nation should beware of foreign entanglements. ] Issue takes on increasing urgency amid
realization that rebels cannot continue to match the weaponry and firepower of
forces loyal to Gaddafi.
[ (2-26-11
et seq.) Let me state for the record here that my computer has been under
constant viral, hack attack, paralleling prior such foolish, paranoid actions
and let me reiterate: They will be sorry and I won’t forget it! ]
Bernanke
Cautious on Economic Growth as Oil Prices Rise [ In pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt america it’s come to be known all too familiarly as ‘defending
the indefensible’. ] New York
Times | Fed chief again defended the Fed’s large and unprecedented
stimulus program.
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL
RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has promised to hold Wall Street accountable
for the meltdown. ) (see this
film, I strongly recommend the complete documentary – the following is a
preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas, but I do know about
alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010
(*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video from Stansberry and Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without
pictures / charts) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly
lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations
unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
Bernanke:
Fed will respond if oil prices trigger inflation (Washington Post) [ If?
Come on … don’t make me laugh! … Merk ‘…While we believe food inflation will be
with us for quite some time and may contribute to an unstable world possibly
for years to come, the Federal Reserve appears to be firmly in the camp of
heavily discounting food inflation. The European Central Bank (ECB), in
contrast, has historically taken commodity inflation more seriously than the
Fed – ECB President Trichet talks about his concern over "second round
effects," i.e., commodity inflation stirring inflation throughout the
value chain.
The relevance of all this is that in the U.S. it’s
business as usual as far as monetary policy is concerned. According to Fed
Chair Bernanke, the U.S. economy must grow at a rate of at least 2.5% per annum
just to keep unemployment stable, however, he has made it clear that he will
pursue policies to boost growth above that level. With oil prices soaring, he
is facing yet another headwind. Rather than mopping up the liquidity that, in
our assessment, has contributed to global commodity inflation, he may be
tempted to keep the printing press in high gear to promote economic growth.
It doesn’t really matter whether we think there is a
crisis. What matters is that the Fed doesn’t think its policies are
contributing to global instability and continues on its expansionary path.
After all, the banks continue to sit on their money and as such, the economy is
certainly not in overdrive. With the exception of social instability spreading
globally, the Fed may be very much on course:
In contrast, the rest of the world is taking steps to
stem inflationary pressures. Russia is the latest country to raise interest
rates, following countries ranging from Sweden to Norway, Canada to Australia
and Korea to China. In the Eurozone, the pairing down of some emergency
facilities (leading to a draining of liquidity; a form of monetary tightening)
and recent hawkish talk suggest interest rates may be raised later this year.
This discussion should clarify that it is perfectly
possible for the world to be in turmoil without the U.S. dollar being a
beneficiary. The focus of this analysis was the perceived status of the U.S.
dollar as a safe haven, as well as implications of food inflation; a small, but
important sliver affecting the U.S. dollar.’
House
Republicans press SEC on official's ties to Madoff (Washington Post) [ The
ultimate subterfuge. Mr. small potatoes madoff the focus of so much influence …
yet he’s in jail … and the only one … Boy, did mary shapiro become total b***
s*** fast … the current shibboleth of
capital hill / all 3 branches of pervasively corrupt u.s. government …
joining the others: “The
Financial Industry Has Become So Politically Powerful That It Is Able To
Inhibit the Normal Process of Justice And Law Enforcement” The economy
cannot stabilize unless fraud is prosecuted. But the folks in D.C. seem
determined to turn a blind eye to Wall Street shenanigans, and is now moving to
defund the enforcement agencies like the SEC and CFTC. Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — ‘Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich…’
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE: MORE CLAIMS OF RACE
BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE
FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and white
victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has
promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown. ) (see this film, I strongly recommend the
complete documentary – the following is a preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Locked
in standoff, Gaddafi foes debate foreign airstrikes Opposition
leaders consider requesting foreign intervention (Washington Post) [
Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times ( Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! )
DÉJÀ
VU ALL OVER AGAIN? WHERE’S YOGI WHEN YOU NEED HIM TO EXPLAIN THIS INSANITY:
Chavez:
U.S. distorting situation in Libya ‘to justify an invasion’ CNN | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claims U.S.
criticism of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has a clear aim: military invasion.
US tightens
military grip on Gaddafi The Guardian | The west is edging towards a possible military confrontation with Muammar
Gaddafi’s regime.
Obama
Encircles US War Machine Around Libya Paul Joseph Watson | Administration readies to exploit humanitarian
crisis to control Africa’s largest oil producer.
Most
Americans Strongly Oppose U.S. Military Action in Libya According to
Rasmussen, a large majority of Americans agree with the common sense of George
Washington. During his farewell address, the first president of the United
States said the nation should beware of foreign entanglements. ] Issue takes on increasing urgency amid
realization that rebels cannot continue to match the weaponry and firepower of
forces loyal to Gaddafi.
[ (2-26-11)
Let me state for the record here that my computer has been under constant
viral, hack attack, paralleling prior such foolish, paranoid actions and let me
reiterate: They will be sorry and I won’t forget it! ]
Will
‘Chindia’ Rule the World in 2050, or America After All? [ I include this
only because it’s by Evans-Pritchard in light of his prior forthrightness in
reporting what he saw (clinton years, financial crisis pre-blowout, etc.). But
Citigroup and HSBC? Hardly the pictures of Nostradamus gone corporate given
their track records. Even Evans-Pritchard is out of his league here since 2050
is so optimistically close to the end (remember, decades at best), that such
really matters very little. Disclosure: I haven’t and don’t need to read the
article. ] Ambrose
Evans-Pritchard | Citigroup
and HSBC have come up with radically different pictures of what the world will
look like in 2050.
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas, but I do know about
alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010
(*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video from Stansberry and Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without
pictures / charts) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
U.S.
freezes $30 billion in Libya government assets (Washington
Post) [ The lesson for the Libyan people based upon pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt war crimes nation america’s desperation is … you better watch that
Libyan money closely; after all, look what’s happened to american money in
american hands … totally plundered by the opportunist few! ] Action taken by executive order is largest
blocking under any U.S. sanctions program ever; Clinton announces efforts to
stem humanitarian crisis.
[ (2-26-11)
Let me state for the record here that my computer has been under constant
viral, hack attack, paralleling prior such foolish, paranoid actions and let me
reiterate: They will be sorry and I won’t forget it! ]
‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted
massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and
declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been
prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator /
experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( now what do holder
and wobama have in common … is it wall street money ………… is it a proclivity for
jive-talking / b*** s*** ………all of the above, some of the above ……….. or is it
something else …… here’s a hint - UPDATE:
MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... CIVIL
RIGHTS PANEL TO PURSUE FED PROBE IN BLACK PANTHER CASE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice
official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the
New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in
the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and
white victims ...’ US v. AZ... Cases
against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud Washington Post | Obama has promised to hold Wall Street accountable
for the meltdown. ) (see this
film, I strongly recommend the complete documentary – the following is a
preview/summary) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHFjlqIzKE&feature=related
[Here’s an archived version
’Inside
Job’ New Documentary Exposes Wall Street Fraud And How Banksters Continue To
Steal Our Money
Web site Link / Path to archived file: http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.flv [45mb ]
http://www.albertpeia.com/insidejob.mp4 [ 65mb ] ]
Wobama says daffy
gaddafi’s time is up, got to go. The same can be said of wobama et als and his
fraudulently failed presidency. Sheen On
Obama: “A Coward In a Cheap Suit” [ I think Sheen to be too gentle in his criticism of wobama (Some
might reflexively, defensively allege drugs (prescription or otherwise) or any
number of the varied personality disorders so prevalent in america … ‘fuzzy,
California laid back thinking’, ‘whatever’… Who knows? ) But, that said,
wobama’s far worse than just a ‘coward in a cheap suit’. Indeed, Wobama’s a
total fraud having been elected under false pretenses; viz., his total,
unequivocal, and unfulfilled b*** s*** (those campaign promises) ! Moreover,
there has been some persuasive documentation questioning wobama’s citizenship /
birthplace placing his eligibility to even hold the office of president in
question. ] Amidst the controversy of his wild interview on the Alex Jones Show
yesterday, actor Charlie Sheen wasted little time in confronting President
Barack Obama on his failure to answer Sheen’s twenty questions concerning 9/11,
calling Obama, “a coward in a cheap suit.” A Government Shut-down Imperils the Power of Congress Paul Craig Roberts | Congress could try to protect its loss of the
power of the purse by impeaching Obama.
Drudgereport: WOBAMA
'IMPEACHMENT' WARNING... ...to
announce exploratory committee 'in 10 days' Globalist Shill
Barack Obama Asks Business Leaders For Job Creation Ideas Even As He Ships More
Of Our Jobs Overseas As Part Of The New One World Economy The other day,
Barack Obama summoned a group of business and labor leaders to the White House
and “challenged” them to come up with some great ideas for creating more jobs
inside the United States.
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington Post) [
Sounds like a plan! Come on! Wake up! After all, what can you expect
from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and scalia, colloquial – note that I have
refrained from using what some might consider disparaging terms as w*p*,
gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for the record that I truly loved and
respected my grandmother who was 100% Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my
grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with greek ancestral roots and I thereby
claim standing/right to posit the criticism in light of my direct experience.
). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as to judges, liars, etc., within the
very corrupted american illegal system; and, particularly bribes which in one
form or another are rampant . I don’t know about Thomas, but I do know about
alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15, 2010
(*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance greater
non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for contact).
] Group of law
professors' appeal comes after controversies involving travel and appearances
at political events by several justices.
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video from Stansberry and Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which I believe to be correct. This is a must-view,
must-see that I strongly recommend!
The complete url: http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ( 146mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.mp4 (
374mb ) Written text of presentation (without
pictures / charts) http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrypresentation.htm
]
‘The Chicago PMI
for February climbed to a 20-year high of 71.2. It had only ben expected to
come in at 67.5 after a 68.8 reading in January’. [ Come on! Does anyone
take anything coming out chicago capone-land seriously…maybe is the answer if
you’re a fool. ]
Market Crash 2011: It Will Hit by Christmas Farrell,
MarketWatch SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.
(MarketWatch) — Politicians lie. Bankers lie. Yes, they’re liars. But they’re
not bad, it’s in their genes, inherited. Their brains are wired that way, warn
scientists. Like addicts, they can’t help themselves. They want to sell stuff,
get rich.
We want to
believe they’re telling us the truth. Silly, huh? Both trapped in this eternal
“dance of death” controlled by programs hidden deep in our brains, telling us
what to do, telling us to ignore facts to the contrary — till it’s too late,
till a new crisis crushes all of us.
Joe Bel Bruno explains why stocks climbed to
21/2-year highs and extended their winning streak to a third consecutive week.
Psychology offers us a powerful lesson: Our
collective brain is destined to trigger a crash before Christmas 2011. Why?
We’re gullible, keep searching for a truth-teller in a world of liars. And
they’re so clever, we let them manipulate us into acting against our best
interests.
In fact, behavioral science tells us that bankers and
politicians are lying to us 93% of the time. It’s 13 times more likely Wall
Street is telling you a lie than the truth. That’s why they win. Why we lose.
Because our brains are preprogrammed to cooperate in their con game. Yes, we
believe most of their lies.
One of America’s leading behavioral finance gurus,
University of Chicago Prof. Richard Thaler, explains: “Think of the human brain
as a personal computer with a very slow processor and a memory system that is
small and unreliable.” Thaler even admits: “The PC I carry between my ears has
more disk failures than I care to think about.” Easy to manipulate.
Thaler’s a quant, speaks mostly in cryptic
algorithmics. So if you really want to know how Wall Street’s con game works on
you, Barry Ritholtz, the financial genius behind “Bailout Nation,” recently
summarized it in the Washington Post: “Humans make all the same mistakes, over
and over again. It’s how we are wired, the net result of evolution. That
flight-or-fight response might have helped your ancestors deal with hungry
saber-toothed tigers and territorial Cro Magnons, but it drives investors to
make costly emotional decisions.”
Humans have something “akin to brain damage,” says Ritholtz.
“To neurophysiologists, who research cognitive functions, the emotionally
driven appear to suffer from cognitive deficits that mimic certain types of
brain injuries. … Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses
the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You
ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory
works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly
mask any memories that might conflict.”
Worse,
there’s no cure.
Examples: USA Today headline: “Average Bull is 3.8
years: We’re not at 2 yet.” More upside. Wall Street loves it. The Wall Street
Journal: “Stock recovery in high gear … S&P500 now speeding toward its next
landmark,” double its March 2009 bottom.
Other lies: Inflation and rate rises won’t push China
and America over the edge into a new bear recession. That one’s real popular in
Wall Street’s echo chamber. Wall Street also cheers every time cable pundits
and journalists repeat their favorite statistic: That stocks rally in the third
year of a presidency, often more than 20%. Yes, Wall Street loves those 93%
lies.
Biggest lie? Wharton’s perennial bull, Jeremy Siegel,
of “Stocks for the Long Run” fame, recently told a TD Ameritrade Institutional
Conference, “There’s nothing but upside to come …the next several years are
going to be good for stocks.”
Yes, one of Wall Street’s favorite co-conspirators is
hypnotizing thousands of our best money managers and advisers into believing
the lie that this bull market will roar indefinitely. Worse, they’ll use that
message to sell naive investors on buying whatever junk Wall Street is selling.
Get the picture? A little conspiracy begins in your
head, a conspiracy between your gullible brain and Wall Street’s con men
selling hype, hoopla and happy-talk. Listen and you’ll lose. Warning: This
little conspiracy is a retirement killer. Remember: It’s odds-on you’re being
lied to. So for a few moments, listen to some highly respected contrarians.
They’re short-selling this conspiracy, betting that 2011 will hit headwinds
before Christmas, turn a cyclical bull rally into a cyclical bear market.
Remember, we can’t help it. Our brains are defective,
biased, manipulated by unseen forces 93% of the time. So blame all the lies,
lying and liars on our brain wiring. A perfect excuse. Sure, political dogma
and insatiable greed factor into our bizarre mental equations. But your brain
is as susceptible to the “great con” as Ben Bernanke, Henry Paulson, Bernie
Madoff.
Go back a few years: The subprime credit meltdown was
widely predicted years in advance. For example, back in 2007, the IMF’s Chief
Economist, Raghuram Rajan, “delivered a stark warning to the world’s top
bankers: Financial markets were headed for doom. They laughed it off,” said the
Toronto Star. Both Alan Greenspan and Larry Summers were there.
In April 2007, Jeremy Grantham, whose firm manages
$107 billion, also warned investors: “The First Truly Global Bubble: From
Indian antiquities to modern Chinese art; from land in Panama to Mayfair; from
forestry, infrastructure, and the junkiest bonds to mundane blue chips; it’s bubble
time. … Everyone, everywhere is reinforcing one another. … Bursting of the
bubble will be across all countries and all assets … no similar global event
has occurred before.”
We knew a crash was coming, Wall Street laughed.
Call it denial, or lying, or just a brain defect,
late that summer as the meltdown spread like wildfire, shutting down the
economy, our manipulative Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, a former Goldman
Sachs CEO, told Fortune “this is far and away the strongest global economy I’ve
seen in my business lifetime.” And Fed boss Bernanke was telling us the
subprime crisis was “contained.” Alan Greenspan agreed. He was on tour, making
millions hustling his new book of excuses, delusions and lies, “The Age of
Turbulence.”
Today, just three years later, the market’s just a
shade above its 2000 peak. Adjusted for inflation, Wall Street stocks have lost
roughly 20% of your retirement money the past decade. Get it? Wall Street’s a
big loser the past decade. And they’ll lose another 20% by 2020. Why? Because
93% of what comes from Wall Street is suspect, can’t be trusted.
At the beginning of 2011 USA Today reported a
contrarian forecast. Ned Davis Research says the S&P 500 will make a run at
the 2007 high of 1,565, but hit a “midyear peak.” Then it will crash as
interest rates rise. Davis concludes: “The midyear peak could mark the end of
the cyclical bull market that began in March 2009 and the start of a new
cyclical bear market.”
Warning, even though your brain doesn’t want to hear
it, there is a high probability a new cyclical bear market will begin this
summer … and overshadow the 2012 elections.
The Journal’s also warning: “Inflation jitters spread
through emerging markets, prompting China’s central bank to raise interest rate
for the third time in four months amid worries that a drought threatening the
country’s wheat crop will put further pressure on global food prices.”
Wake up America: With commodity prices rising rapidly,
all the bizarre rationalizations Wall Street uses to keep Bernanke’s interest
rates low are rapidly vaporizing. Yes, Ned Davis’ prediction of a bear will
soon be a painful reality.
Grantham also sees inflation and rising interest
rates killing the lies, popping the bubble and ending the rally: “As a simple
rule, the market will tend to rise as long as short rates are kept low. This
seems likely to be the case for eight more months and, therefore, we have to be
prepared for the market to rise and to have a risky bias.”
With $107 billion at stake Grantham better be
concerned. He predicted the 2008 meltdown, now sees a repeat dead ahead: “Be
prepared for a strong market and continued outperformance of everything risky,
but be aware that you are living on borrowed time as a bull.”
Yes, the bubble will pop this year says Grantham: “If
the S&P rises to 1,500, it would officially be the latest in the series of
true bubbles. All of the famous bubbles broke, but only after short rates had
started to rise.”
So keep a close watch on those two tipping points in
your planning, interest rates breaking to the upside and the S&P closing
near 1,500. When inflation pushes interest rates up they’ll choke off this bull
market. If you’re active, better stop chasing higher returns, especially
emerging markets.
Bottom line: In what sounds like a direct shot at
super-bull Jeremy Siegel, Grantham says that GMO’s research warns that “the
market is worth about 910 on the S&P 500, substantially less than current
levels” just above 1,300.
Then Grantham throws his fast ball right down the
middle: “The speed with which you should pull back from the market as it
advances into dangerously overpriced territory this year is more of an art than
a science, but by October 1 you should probably be thinking much more
conservatively.”
Translation: Get the heck out of Wall Street’s stock market casino soon, maybe as early as July 4th, and definitely get out by Christmas, because soon all the lies, lying and liars will stop working. ‘
Congress
on course to avert shutdown (Washington Post) [ And just when we thought there was hope … for the
nation … the world … How ‘bout a
massive furlough program for congress, the judiciary, and the executive
branch (except law enforcement). After all, if all of the foregoing along with
the likes of pseudo gov’t / connected fraudulent wall street, etc., are not to
blame for the debacle we now call america, then who is? They are, period,
exclamation point. Massive firings would also do quite satisfactorily! ]
Chinese
authorities block Web site, terms (Washington Post) [ It is bad enough that
China is essentially a totalitarian communist nation, disingenuously relying
upon capitalism for its stellar growth. In light of such and China’s
preoccupation with censorship, it is also clear that it’s not so much China’s
rise as it is pervasively corrupt / defacto bankrupt america’s demise. In other
words, they’re ‘limited’ (by such). But make no mistake, pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt america goes to great lengths in suppressing information,
truth in favor of what’s spewed out by their propaganda machine which is
nonpareil; and then there’s the perpetual illegal wars. ] Chinese authorities continued to tighten
controls on Internet use Friday in the face of murky calls for "jasmine
rallies" to emulate the anti-government protests convulsing the Middle
East and North Africa.
Feb.
23 (Bloomberg) -- Our country is bankrupt. It’s not bankrupt in 30 years or
five years. It’s bankrupt today.
Want proof? Look at President Barack Obama’s 2010
budget. It showed a massive fiscal gap over the next 75 years, the closure of
which requires immediate tax increases, spending cuts, or some combination
totaling 8 percent of gross domestic product. To put 8 percent of GDP in
perspective, this year’s employee and employer payroll taxes for Social
Security and Medicare will amount to just 5 percent of GDP.
Actually, the picture is much worse. Nothing in
economics says we should look out just 75 years when considering the
present-value difference between future spending and future taxes. Over the
full long-term, we need an extra 12 percent, not 8 percent, of GDP annually.
Seventy-five years seems like a long enough time to
plan. It’s not. Had the Greenspan Commission, which “fixed” Social Security
back in 1983, focused on the true long term we wouldn’t be sitting here now
with Social Security 26 percent underfunded. The Social Security trustees, at
least, have learned a lesson. The 26 percent figure is based on their infinite
horizon fiscal- gap calculation.
But the real reason we can’t look out just 75 years
is that the government’s cash flows (the difference between its annual taxes
and non-interest spending) over any period of time, including the next 75
years, aren’t well defined. This reflects economics’ labeling problem. If you
use different words to describe the receipts taken in and paid out each year by
the government, you produce entirely different cash flows and an entirely
different fiscal gap measured over any finite horizon.
Matter of Language
It’s only the value of the infinite horizon fiscal
gap that is unaffected by the choice of labels of language. Take this year’s
payroll tax contributions. Let’s call these transfers from workers to Uncle Sam
“borrowing” by the government, rather than “payroll taxes,” since the money
will be paid back as future benefits. If the future payback isn’t in full
(equal to principal plus interest), we can call the difference a “retirement
tax.” Presto! With this change of words, our 2011 deficit of about 10 percent
of GDP is boosted another five points to 15 percent.
With one set of words, taxes are higher now and lower
latter. With the other set of words, the opposite is true. But neither set of
labels makes more economic sense than the other or changes what the government
takes, on balance, from any person or business in any given year.
This is no surprise. The math of economics rules out
an absolute measure of the deficit, just like the math of physics rules out an
absolute measure of time.
Bottom Line
The bottom line, then, is that we need to look at the
infinite-horizon fiscal gap not just for Social Security, but for the entire
federal government. That analysis, based on the Congressional Budget Office’s
long-term alternative fiscal scenario, shows an unfathomable fiscal gap of $202
trillion. And covering this gap requires coming up with the aforementioned 12
percent of GDP, forever.
If this gives you the willies, there’s a ready
narcotic -- the president’s 2012 budget, which shows that most of our long-
term fiscal problem has miraculously disappeared; the fiscal gap isn’t 12
percent of annual GDP. Nor is it 8 percent. It’s now 1.8 percent.
This fantastic improvement in our finances is due,
we’re told, primarily to the Independent Payment Advisory Board. This board, to
be established in 2014 (after the next election, of course) is charged with
recommending cuts to Medicare and Medicaid providers when their costs grow too
fast.
Repealing Cuts
We’ve had laws mandating such cuts for years, and
they are routinely repealed. Indeed, President Obama signed the latest such
repeal last June. But rather than laugh out loud at this cost-control
mechanism, the Medicare trustees, three-quarters of whom were appointed by the
president, assume in their 2010 report that these cuts will be made -- to the
dollar. And the 2012 budget cites the report’s fictional forecast as its
authoritative source.
No one takes the 2010 Medicare trustee report’s
long-run projections seriously, least of all Richard Foster, Medicare’s chief
actuary. Foster added this statement to the end of the report: “The financial
projections shown in this report for Medicare do not represent a reasonable
expectation…in either the short range…or the long range.”
This isn’t the first administration to conceal our
long- term fiscal problem. Back in 1993, Alice Rivlin, then deputy director of
the Office of Management and Budget, asked me and economists Alan Auerbach and
Jagadeesh Gokhale to prepare a long-term fiscal gap/generational accounting for
inclusion in President Bill Clinton’s 1994 budget.
Politics Triumphs
We worked for months on the analysis, but two days
before the budget’s release, the study was excised from the budget. We were
shocked, but, in retrospect, the politics are clear. The Clinton administration
wanted to claim it was fiscally prudent and the study, which showed unofficial
debt growing at enormous rates, showed the opposite.
The fiscal gap’s next near appearance in a
president’s budget was in 2003. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill commissioned
Gokhale and Kent Smetters to do the study. It showed a massive $45 trillion
fiscal gap -- not a great basis for pushing tax cuts or introducing the
prescription-drug benefit for seniors, known as Medicare Part D. O’Neill was
ousted on Dec. 6, 2002, and a couple of days later the fiscal-gap study was
discarded.
I’m not sure whether censoring the fiscal gap is more
dishonorable than fudging it. What I do know is that we can’t assume our
problems away and that I expected far better of this president when I voted for
him.
--Editors:
James Greiff, Steven Gittelson’
Libyan
ruler clings to power as violence escalates (Washington Post) [ Clings? … As in a tight sweater …
or maybe a straight jacket. Wow! Talk about delusional. ] Regime
opens fire on protesters; Gaddafi calls supporters to arms (Washington Post) [ Pressure
mounts on Gaddafi (Washington Post) [ That he was always a caricature of
sorts, there is no question. That he’s totally burned out, there’s also no
doubt; though they might argue in his defense that so was failed president
dumbya bush … a point well taken … but look at the consequential pathetic state
of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america … with the unlit torch passed
to failed president wobama the b (for b*** s***) who pretends, or maybe in his
alternate and fake reality just believes it’s lit. That he’s done, also fait
accomplis, after 41 years … who cares. That he’s insane … now that’s quite
another thing with greater worldwide implications, so, daffy… gadaffy…
duck! Gaddafi vows to maintain hold on power Libyan
strongman says he'll fight 'until the last drop of my blood' (Washington Post) [ His latter wish is the
world’s command. ‘Something there is that doesn’t love a dictator, that wants
them down’ … (Excuse me … I was thinking of walls and ‘Mending Wall’, Robert Frost http://albertpeia.com/RobertFrost.htm ). Libya
Internet Shut Down Amid Protests, Per Multiple Reports [ Once again, as in Egypt, this, the
internet, inherently global in nature is the lynchpin, tampering with or
stifling same marking the end of any regime. Let this be a warning; viz., you
cannot put the genie back in the bottle! 41 years? Gadaffy duck should duck
‘cause he’s done. I mean, look at him, he’s the singular equivalent of the
multiple bushes. He’s totally burnt out (as much or more so than dumbya bush or
mubarack) and quite done! ] Reports have emerged late Friday that Libya appears
to have shut down its Internet due to widespread protests, less than a month
after Egypt did the same. ] With rebels
apparently controlling much of the eastern half of the country, the violence
engulfing Libya is already the worst in more than a month of unrest that has
toppled other regimes. ]
He remains defiant even as high-level defections continue to weaken his
government and rebels reportedly seize control of key swaths of nation. American
evacuees describe 'long ordeal' on ferry (Washington Post) [ I’ve included
this headline here, not for the article’s content but rather for the statement
of one of said evacuees on network television news that he was told by the u.s.
embassy that they’d have to fend for themselves and that they’re on their own.
That is an important aspect of the fact-filled video presentation by Stansberry
and Associates, infra, except that that will be the almost unimaginable
position of the u.s. government when the almost unimaginable but inevitable
happens here in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america. Don’t forget,
they and their’s have plundered this nation, its treasury, people and have use
each branch of this government to do so. I’ve experienced this first-hand in
having to ‘fend for myself’ in what should have been a simple RICO case owing
to the venality of those self-interested in the process (bribes, cover-up of
crimes, etc. http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ) …..
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR The instant video from Stansberry and
Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived same
on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which not only do I believe to be correct, but are
supported by the unequivocal documented facts. This is a must-view, must-see
that I strongly recommend! The
complete url ( 146 mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) : http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ]
Why your local Hospital could soon shut down (Ad) http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/LPSILC43/PR [ The instant video from Stansberry and
Associates is so well researched and succinctly presented that I’ve archived
same on my website;
also, because the facts and views presented comport with the facts and views
I’ve presented on my site which not only do I believe to be correct, but are
supported by the unequivocal documented facts. This is a must-view, must-see
that I strongly recommend! The
complete url ( 146 mb – approx. 1 hr. 17 min. ) : http://www.albertpeia.com/stansberrysinvestmentadvisory.flv ]
21
Signs That The Once Great U.S. Economy Is Being Gutted, Neutered, Defanged,
Declawed And Deindustrialized Once upon a time… The Economic Collapse Feb 12, 2011 ‘Once upon a time, the United
States was the greatest industrial powerhouse that the world has ever
seen. Our immense economic machinery was the envy of the rest of the
globe and it provided the foundation for the largest and most vibrant middle
class in the history of the world. But now the once great U.S. economic
machine is being dismantled piece by piece. The U.S. economy is being
gutted, neutered, defanged, declawed and deindustrialized and very few of our
leaders even seem to care. It was the United States that once showed the
rest of the world how to mass produce televisions and automobiles and airplanes
and computers, but now our industrial base is being ripped to shreds.
Tens of thousands of our factories and millions of our jobs have been shipped
overseas. Many of our proudest manufacturing cities have been transformed
into “post-industrial” hellholes that nobody wants to live in anymore.
Meanwhile,
wave after wave of shiny new factories is going up in nations such as China,
India and Brazil. This is great for those countries, but for the millions
of American workers that desperately needed the jobs that have been sent
overseas it is not so great.
This is the
legacy of globalism. Multinational corporations now have the choice
whether to hire U.S. workers or to hire workers in countries where it is legal
to pay slave labor wages. The “great sucking sound” that Ross Perot
warned us about so long ago is actually happening, and it has left tens of
millions of Americans without good jobs.
So what is to
become of a nation that consumes more than it ever has and yet continues to
produce less and less?
Well, the
greatest debt binge in the history of the world has enabled us to maintain (and
even increase) our standard of living for several decades, but all of that debt
is starting to really catch up with us.
The American
people seem to be very confused about what is happening to us because most of
them thought that the party was going to last forever. In fact, most of
them still seem convinced that our brightest economic days are still ahead.
After all,
every time we have had a “recession” in the past things have always turned
around and we have gone on to even greater things, right?
Well, what
most Americans simply fail to understand is that we are like a car that is
having its insides ripped right out. Our industrial base is being gutted
right in front of our eyes.
Most Americans
don’t think much about our “trade deficit”, but it is absolutely central to
what is happening to our economy. Every year, we buy far, far more from
the rest of the world than they buy from us.
In 2010, the
U.S. trade deficit was just a whisker under $500 billion. This is money
that we could have all spent inside the United States that would have supported
thousands of American factories and millions of American jobs.
Instead, we
sent all of those hundreds of billions of dollars overseas in exchange for a
big pile of stuff that we greedily consumed. Most of that stuff we
probably didn’t need anyway.
Since we spent
almost $500 billion more with the rest of the world than they spent with us, at
the end of the year the rest of the world was $500 billion wealthier and the
American people were collectively $500 billion poorer.
That means
that the collective “economic pie” that we are all dividing up is now $500 billion
smaller.
Are you
starting to understand why times suddenly seem so “hard” in the United States?
Meanwhile,
jobs and businesses continue to fly out of the United States at a blinding
pace.
This is a
national crisis.
We simply
cannot expect to continue to have a “great economy” if we allow our economy to
be deindustrialized.
A nation that
consumes far more than it produces is not going to be wealthy for long.
The following
are 21 signs that the once great U.S. economy is being gutted, neutered,
defanged, declawed and deindustrialized….
#1 The U.S. trade deficit with the rest of the world
rose to 497.8
billion dollars in 2010. That represented a 32.8% increase from 2009.
#2 The U.S. trade deficit with China rose to an
all-time record of 273.1
billion dollars in 2010. This is the largest trade deficit that one
nation has had with another nation in the history of the world.
#3 The U.S. trade deficit with China in 2010 was 27 times
larger than it was back in 1990.
#4 In the years since 1975, the United States had run a
total trade deficit of
7.5 trillion dollars with the rest of the world.
#5 The United States spends more
than 4 dollars on goods and services from China for every one dollar that
China spends on goods and services from the United States.
#6 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of all U.S. economic
output. In 2008, it represented only 11.5 percent and it continues to
fall.
#7 The number of net jobs gained by the U.S. economy
during this past decade was smaller than during any other
decade since World War 2.
#8 The Bureau of Labor Statistics originally predicted
that the U.S. economy would create approximately 22 million jobs during the
decade of the 2000s, but it turns out that the U.S. economy only produced about 7 million jobsduring
that time period.
#9 Japan now manufactures about 5 million more
automobiles than the United States does.
#10 China has now become the world’s largest
exporter of high technology products.
#11 Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer
industry is actually lower in 2010 than
it was in 1975.
#12 The United States now has 10 percent fewer “middle class jobs” than it did
just ten years ago.
#13 According to Tax Notes,
between 1999 and 2008 employment at the foreign affiliates of U.S.
parent companies increased an astounding 30 percent to 10.1 million.
During that exact same time period, U.S. employment at American multinational
corporations declined 8 percent to 21.1 million.
#14 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United
States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the
United States are manufacturing jobs.
#15 Back in 1998, the United States had 25 percent of
the world’s high-tech export market and China had just 10 percent. Ten years
later, the United States had less than 15 percent and China’s share had soared to 20 percent.
#16 The number of Americans that have become so
discouraged that they have given up searching for work completely now
stands at an all-time high.
#17 Half of all American workers now earn $505 or less per week.
#18 The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent
of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
#19 Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S. factories have closed
down for good.
#20 In 2008, 1.2 billion cellphones were sold
worldwide. So how many of them were manufactured inside the United
States? Zero.
#21 Ten years ago, the “employment rate” in the United
States was about 64%. Since then it
has been constantly declining and now the “employment rate” in the United
States is only about 58%. So where
did all of those jobs go?
The world is
changing.
We are
bleeding national wealth at a pace that is almost unimaginable.
We are
literally being drained dry.
Did you
know that
China now has the world’s fastest train and the world’s largest high-speed
rail network?
They were able
to afford those things with all of the money that we have been sending them.
How do you
think all of those oil barons in the Middle East became so wealthy and could
build such opulent palaces?
They got rich
off of all the money that we have been sending them.
Meanwhile,
once great U.S. cities such as Detroit, Michigan now look like war zones.
Back in 1985,
the U.S. trade deficit with China was about 6 million dollars for the entire
year.
As mentioned
above, the U.S. trade deficit with China for 2010 was over 273billion
dollars.
What a
difference 25 years can make, eh?
What do you
find when you go into a Wal-Mart, a Target or a dollar store today?
You find row
after row after row of stuff made in China and in other far away countries.
It can be more
than a bit difficult to find things that are actually made inside the United
States anymore. In fact, there are quite a few industries that have
completely and totally left the United States. For certain product
categories it is now literally impossible to buy something made in America.
So what are we
going to do with our tens of millions of blue collar workers?
Should we just
tell them that their jobs are not ever coming back so they better learn phrases
such as “Welcome to Wal-Mart” and “Would you like fries with that”?
For quite a
few years, the gigantic debt bubble that we were living in kind of insulated us
from feeling the effects of the deindustrialization of America.
But now the
pain is starting to kick in.
It has now
become soul-crushingly
difficult to find a job in America today.
According
to Gallup, the U.S. unemployment rate is currently 10.1% and when you throw
in “underemployed” workers that figure rises to 19.6%.
Competition
for jobs has become incredibly fierce and it is going to stay that way.
The great U.S.
economic machine is being ripped apart and dismantled right in full view of us
all.
This is not a
“conservative” issue or a “liberal” issue. This is an American issue.
The United
States is rapidly being turned into a “post-industrial” wasteland.
It is time to
wake up America.’
This is
that unmentionable reality as I alluded to earlier on close scrutiny of the
data, ‘that stock prices have been manipulated to the upside beyond any and all
rational basis‘ and as I previously wrote: Perception vs. Reality: Four Reasons to Remain Cautious on U.S.
Equities [ Hey, Abbott … That’s Lou
Costello calling him from the other side … Wake up! … Just kidding … but I’m
not kidding when I say that contrary to Abbott’s view, infra, if you’re not a
successful market timer you should rethink your position as an equity investor.
Moreover, in contradistinction to Mr. Abbott’s implication, if you’re not a
successful speculator (there are very few), you should rethink your position as
a short seller: reason…, you could be wiped out, lose more than your principal,
forced to cover (that’s why
the same is considered a contrary market indicator, particularly in these
manipulated, contrived markets). When I did my MBA thesis (1977, NYU, GBA,
Eve.Prog., Finance), a review of the data revealed even then (and much more so
now with computer programmed market manipulation) that the market remained
biased / propped up (artificially, especially now with computerized
manipulation) to the upside for far longer periods of time than for the
downside which meant that dollar-cost averaging (through regular, periodic
investment, for example), meant you were accumulating shares at higher prices
generally for longer periods of time skewing the average cost to the upside
(dollar-cost-averaging in declining markets was ok if analysis / forecast saw
resurgence based on fundamentals - now absent – which is timing, as even senile
wall street / gov’t shill Buffet would attest, that ‘greedy when others are
fearful thing’). Abbott discusses perception which is the psychological factor
involved in security evaluation / analysis; but investors need not and should
become nuts themselves, particularly when as now, the inmates are running the
asylum. ] Abbott ‘Perception
determines short-term market movements. The difference between perception and
reality determines the direction of major market trends. Though I generally try
to avoid making macro prognostications, I believe bottom-up analysis can be
informative about the current level of stock prices. I want to share what my
recent work tells me about where stocks are (and where they might be headed). I
will outline some various nuggets of collective wisdom that are taken for
granted right now by stock bulls, and I will attempt to demonstrate how reality
is likely to differ from these perceptions.
First, a
disclaimer. This is not a market timing call. At all times, I stay away from
market timing predictions. I think that's a loser's game in the long run. Even
if I'm correct about the discrepancies between the following perceptions and
realities, there's no saying when people will change their minds or shift their
focuses. That said, let's dive in.
Perception
vs. Reality #1
Perception: Low Interest Rates, Questionable Bond Outlook Means Stocks are
Attractive
Reality: Interest Rates Are Being Artificially and Deliberately Manipulated
It's no secret
that the Federal Reserve's low interest rate policy and quantitative easing
efforts have held interest rates very low for very long. However, when people
talk about stock market implications of bond yields, they rarely mention the
fact that bond yields are artificially low. In an unmanipulated
market, bond prices and stock valuations should be related, but I regard that
connection as highly dubious right now. Investors who say that stocks deserve
higher multiples (lower earnings yields) because bond yields are so low may
well be setting themselves up for disappointing returns/frustrating losses when
bond prices normalize. Again, this isn't a market timing call, and yields may
remain low for quite some time. But, eventually this discrepancy will correct
itself, and stock performance is likely to suffer at that time.
Perception
vs. Reality #2
Perception: Earnings Growth Has Been Strong and Will Remain That Way
Reality: Top-Line Growth Will Have to Pick Up; Cost-Cutting has Run Its
Course
Earnings growth
has certainly been robust, but much of the strength has come from companies
running lean cost structures and wringing as much efficiency as possible out of
their employees and their assets. Though the recession has ended, the economy
is not yet healthy enough to fuel strong sales growth. Companies can only boost
profits by cutting costs and increasing productivity for so long. Therefore,
top-line growth will have to play a larger role going forward than it has over
the past 4-6 quarters. Whether or not economic growth is strong enough to drive
revenue increases is unsure, but the current level of stock prices undoubtedly
assumes it is. Any stagnation of the recovery and concomitant sluggish sales
will likely hit stock prices.
Perception
vs. Reality #3
Perception: European Debt Crisis Drives Short-Term Volatility, but It's Not
a Long-Term Concern
Reality: Crisis May Be a Harbinger of What's to Come in the U.S. if States,
the Feds Don't Improve Balance Sheets
So far, turmoil
in Greece and Ireland has served only as a temporary headwind to U.S. stocks.
In keeping with the investment world's increasingly short-term focus, people
seem more concerned with what fiscal crises in Europe mean for U.S. stocks over
the coming days and months than with what they might mean down the road. I
believe that this interpretation misses the mark. Since the U.S. fiscal
situtation is generally considered to be stronger than that in many European
countries, U.S. federal and municipal debt issuance has been relatively smooth,
and interest rates have only risen modestly. If the U.S. doesn't get serious
about its fiscal woes, eventually the crisis will arrive on American shores.
There's no way of telling when this might happen, but the current level of
stock prices seems to imply that it never will.
Here's the
problem with that. To fix the federal balance sheet and/or to improve state and
municipal balance sheets, legislators will have to raise taxes and/or cut
spending. Tax hikes and spending cuts both reduce consumer spending. This hurts
growth. There's no way around this. Stocks can certainly continue to rise for
some time, but austerity will be bearish if/when it comes. If it doesn't come,
we're in for a much bigger crisis some time down the road.
Perception
vs. Reality #4
Perception: Everywhere You Look, You See Good Companies at Cheap Prices
Reality: It's Hard to Find Genuine Bargains, but There are Intriguing Short
Prospects Everywhere
There is no
shortage of stock market commentators who claim that they see bargains
everywhere they look. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right places, but I've
been having a difficult and increasingly impossible time finding good companies
at reasonable prices. I use similar criteria to assess long and short
investments, and I find intriguing shorts in lots of sectors right now. This
tells me that valuations are stretched. Certainly they can become more so
before we get a selloff, but every day that stocks rally, they get more
expensive.
I've written on Seeking
Alpha about a number of stocks which I regard as expensive (CRM, OPEN, GMCR), and take my word for it:
there are plenty more than these whose shares I do not want to own at present
levels. A few weeks ago, I also mused about the Facebook-Goldman deal and
argued that this valuation is indicative of excessive investor enthusiasm.
Bargains are hard to find, and as valuations go up, so does positive sentiment.
While this is not a prediction of an impending correction or bear market, it is
a message of caution for people who think stocks are cheap right now.
All that said, I always try to consider both sides of any investment issue, and there are some reasons for optimism. Job growth has shown signs of improvement, and some economic data have been increasingly (though not uniformly) positive. The Federal Reserve remains accommodative, and I'm skeptical about whether or not there is political will for austerity. For these reasons, stocks could continue onward and upward. That said, I see too many reasons for caution, and investors are turning a blind eye to these concerns as their complacency rises.’
12
Economic Collapse Scenarios That We Could Potentially See In 2011 What
could cause an economic collapse in 2011? Well, unfortunately there are quite a
few “nightmare scenarios” that could plunge the entire globe into another
massive financial crisis.
The Economic Collapse Jan
20, 2011 ‘What could cause an economic collapse in 2011? Well, unfortunately
there are quite a few “nightmare scenarios” that could plunge the entire globe
into another massive financial crisis. The United States, Japan and most
of the nations in Europe are absolutely drowning in debt. The Federal
Reserve continues to play reckless games with the U.S. dollar. The price
of oil is skyrocketing and the global price of food just hit a new record
high. Food riots are already breaking out all over the world. Meanwhile,
the rampant fraud and corruption going on in world financial markets is
starting to be exposed and the whole house of cards could come crashing down at
any time. Most Americans have no idea that a horrific economic collapse
could happen at literally any time. There is no way that all of this debt
and all of this financial corruption is sustainable. At some point we are
going to reach a moment of “total system failure”.
So will it be
soon? Let’s hope not. Let’s certainly hope that it does not happen
in 2011. Many of us need more time to prepare. Most of our families
and friends need more time to prepare. Once this thing implodes there
isn’t going to be an opportunity to have a “do over”. We simply will not
be able to put the toothpaste back into the tube again.
So we had all
better be getting prepared for hard times. The following are 12 economic
collapse scenarios that we could potentially see in 2011….
#1 U.S. debt could become a massive crisis at any
moment. China is saying all of the right things at the moment, but many
analysts are openly worried about what could happen if China suddenly
decides to start dumping all of the U.S. debt that they have
accumulated. Right now about the only thing keeping U.S. government
finances going is the ability to borrow gigantic amounts of money at extremely
low interest rates. If anything upsets that paradigm, it could
potentially have enormous consequences for the entire world financial system.
#2 Speaking of threats to the global financial system,
it turns out that “quantitative easing 2″ has had the exact opposite
effect that Ben Bernanke planned for it to have. Bernanke insisted that
the main goal of QE2 was to lower interest rates, but instead all it has done
is cause interest rates to go up substantially.
If Bernanke this incompetent or is he trying to mess everything up on purpose?
#3 The debt bubble that the entire global economy is
based on could burst at any time and throw the whole planet into chaos. According
to a new report from the World Economic Forum, the total amount of credit
in the world increased from $57 trillion in 2000 to $109 trillion in
2009. The WEF says that now the world is going to need another $100
trillion in credit to support projected “economic growth” over the next
decade. So is this how the new “global economy” works? We just keep
doubling the total amount of debt every decade?
#4 As the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve
continue to pump massive amounts of new dollars into the system, the floor
could fall out from underneath the U.S. dollar at any time. The truth is
that we are already starting to see inflation really accelerate and everyone
pretty much acknowledges that official U.S. governments figures for inflation
are an absolute joke. According
to one new study, the cost of college tuition has risen 286% over the last
20 years, and the cost of “hospital, nursing-home and adult-day-care services”
rose 269% during those same two decades. All of this happened during a
period of supposedly “low” inflation. So what are price increases going
to look like when we actually have “high” inflation?
#5 One of the primary drivers of global inflation
during 2011 could be the price of oil. A large number of economists are
now projecting that the price of oil could surge well
past $100 dollars a barrel in 2011. If that happens, it is going to
put significant pressure on the price of almost everything else in the entire
global economy. In fact, as
I have explained previously, the higher the price of oil goes, the faster
the U.S. economy will decline.
#6 Food inflation is already so bad in some areas of
the globe that it is setting off massive food riots
in nations such as Tunisia and Algeria. In fact, there have been reports
of people setting themselves on fire all
over the Middle East as a way to draw attention to how desperate they
are. So what is going to happen if global food prices go up another 10 or
20 percent and food riots spread literally all over the globe during 2011?
#7 There are persistent
rumors that simply will
not go away of massive physical gold and silver shortages. Demand for
precious metals has never been higher. So what is going to happen when
many investors begin to absolutely insist on physical delivery of their
precious metals? What is going to happen when the fact that far, far, far
more “paper gold” and “paper silver” has been sold than has ever actually
physically existed in the history of the planet starts to come out? What
would that do to the price of gold and silver?
#8 The U.S. housing industry could plunge the U.S.
economy into another recession at any time. The real estate market is
absolutely flooded with homes and virtually nobody is buying. This
massive oversupply of homes means that the construction of new homes has fallen
off a cliff. In 2010, only
703,000 single family, multi-family and manufactured homes were
completed. This was a new record low, and it was down 17% from the
previous all-time record which had just been set in 2009.
#9 A combination of extreme weather and disease could
make this an absolutely brutal year for U.S. farmers. This winter we have
already seen thousands of new cold weather and snowfall records set across the
United States. Now there is some very disturbing news emerging out of
Florida of an “incurable
bacteria” that is ravaging citrus crops all over Florida. Is there a
reason why so many bad things are happening all of a sudden?
#10 The municipal bond crisis could go “supernova” at
any time. Already, investors are bailing out of bonds at a frightening
pace. State and local government debt is now sitting at an all-time high
of 22
percent of U.S. GDP. According to Meredith Whitney, the municipal
bond crisis that we are facing is a gigantic threat to our financial system….
“It has
tentacles as wide as anything I’ve seen. I think next to housing this is the
single most important issue in the United States and certainly the largest
threat to the U.S. economy.”
Former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan is convinced
that things are so bad that literally 90% of our states and cities could go
bankrupt over the next five years….
#11 Of course on top of everything else, the quadrillion
dollar derivatives bubble could burst at any time. Right now we are
watching the greatest financial
casino in the history of the globe spin around and around and around and
everyone is hoping that at some point it doesn’t stop. Today, most money
on Wall Street is not made by investing in good business ideas. Rather,
most money on Wall Street is now made by making the best bets.
Unfortunately, at some point the casino is going to come crashing down and the
game will be over.
#12 The biggest wildcard of all is war. The Korean
peninsula came closer to war in 2010 than it had in decades. The Middle
East could literally explode at any time. We live in a world where a
single weapon can take out an entire city in an instant. All it would
take is a mid-size war or a couple of weapons of mass destruction to throw the
entire global economy into absolute turmoil.
Once again,
let us hope that none of these economic collapse scenarios happens in 2011.
However, we
have got to realize that we can’t keep dodging these bullets forever.
As bad as 2010
was, the truth is that it went about as good as any of us could have hoped.
Things are still pretty stable and times are still pretty good right now.
But instead of
using these times to “party”, we should be using them to prepare.
A really, really vicious economic storm is coming and it is going to be a complete and total nightmare. Get ready, hold on tight, and say your prayers.’
In a column
last week, Myerson points out that the devastation of The Great Recession has
fallen disproportionately on the blue collar population, those without a
college degree. And he traces the rolling over of median family income in this
century, not just in the downturn, but since the turn of the century. Even at
the peak, in 2007, median family income was less than in 2000.
What Meyerson
doesn't point out is that average incomes have faired better in the 21st
century and in all of the past 50 years. In fact, average family income has
risen more than 2.5 times as much and median income over the last 30 years. Why
is this important? Because the more there is a fat tail of ever higher incomes
for a few, the greater the difference between average and median income
becomes.
Myerson says:
The great sociologist William
Julius Wilson has long argued that the key to the
unraveling of the lives of the African American poor was the decline in the
number of "marriageable males" as work disappeared from the inner
city. Much the same could now be said of working-class whites in neighborhoods
that may not look like the ghettos of Cleveland or Detroit but in which
productive economic activity is increasingly hard to find.
This grim new reality has yet to inform our debate
over how to come back from this mega-recession. Those who believe our downturn
is cyclical argue that job-creating public spending can restore us to
prosperity, while those who believe it's structural - that we have too many
carpenters, say, and not enough nurses - believe that we should leave things be
while American workers acquire new skills and enter different lines of work.
But there's a third way to look at the recession: that it's institutional, that
it's the consequence of the decisions by leading banks and corporations to stop
investing in the job-creating enterprises that were the key to broadly shared
prosperity.
Since Meyerson has chosen income disparity as a
cornerstone of his argument, let's look at how incomes have grown over the last
50 years. These are shown in the following graph, not adjusted for inflation.
click to enlarge images [chart]
Real median income and average income seem to grow
similarly in the 1950s and 1960s, the growth of average income starts to pull
away in the mid-1960s and appears to continue to gain gound for the the next
40+ years. The more average income deviates from median income the more money
is found in the high income tail on the distribution curve. This is often
called a "fat tail", which is very appropriate in this discussion because
that is where the fat cats are. The fat tail has not gotten so because ten
times as many people equaled the incomes of the former fat cats, but more
because a few fat cats have received 10 times the income. This is exemplified
by the often quoted statistic that average CEO salaries were 40x average worker
pay 50 years ago and today are more like 400x.
The change income distribution that seems to be
appearing in the above graph becomes more apparent in the following graph where
real income gains are shown for the last six decades starting with the ten
years from 1949 - 1959 (the 1950s) and ending with 1999 - 2009 (the 2000s). [chart]
The 1950s and 60s were real boom years. Starting with
the 1970s a lower level of income growth was established, but even that lower
level could not be maintained in the 2000s.
After the 1950s every decade has seen average real
income grow more than the median. The fat tail has gotten fatter over the past
half century in every decade, without exception. Yes the average did decline in
the 2000s, but the median declined 76% more!
The most dramatic pattern of change is evident when
the data is divided into two halves: 1949 to 1979 and 1979 - 2009. This is done
in the following graph: [chart]
For thirty years after World War II the wealth of the
country increased in a balanced manner. The average income containing the
greater contribution from the top earners of the day, grew at a rate very
similar to the income growth of the broader population, represented by the
median.
Yes there were "fat cats" and they had
significantly larger incomes than the bulk of the population. And these top
incomes grew over those three decades, but at almost the same rate as the
majority of the populace.
Then something happened. From 1979-2009 it appears
that the American pie suddenly got smaller. In the later three decades the real
median income growth was less than 10% of the rate seen from 1949 to 1979. And
as the pie got smaller, the fat cats took a much larger share. The average
income grew at a rate 254% that of the median income. You might say that, as
the cow gave less milk, the top of the economic ladder skimmed more and more
cream off the top.
Meyerson identifies the force majuere to be
corporate America:
Our multinational companies still invest, of course -
just not at home. A study by the Business
Roundtable and the U.S. Council Foundation found that the
share of the profits of U.S.-based multinationals that came from their foreign
affiliates had increased from 17 percent in 1977 and 27 percent in 1994 to 48.6
percent in 2006. As the companies' revenue from abroad has increased, their
dependence on American consumers has diminished. The equilibrium among
production, wages and purchasing power - the equilibrium that Henry Ford
famously recognized when he upped his workers' pay to an unheard-of $5 a day in
1913 so they could afford to buy the cars they made, the equilibrium that
became the model for 20th-century American capitalism - has been shattered.
Making and selling their goods abroad, U.S. multinationals can slash their
workforces and reduce their wages at home while retaining their revenue and
increasing their profits. And that's exactly what they've done.
Meyerson doesn't get into some of the other areas that
might be brought to bear on the current condition of the American economy:
Part of the problem is that Americans have fallen
into the way of the easiest path, where, either by credit card or by making
quick trades, the desires of the moment are satisfied with no seemingly current
cost.
It seems that few want to think about the needs of
tomorrow. This is true starting with the masses who kiss off the idea of
working hard in school to prepare for what they will need 20 years down the road.
This is also true of the "capitalist" who finds that skimming a few
percent off each of many deals a year to get quick, large quarterly returns is
much easier than investing and building something that will will make much
larger returns extending over decades and producing things of real economic
utility.
There are a number of things that Meyerson does not
address, but if you want to hit one nail at a time, I think he has picked the
baddest nail in the plank. He finishes his column thusly:
Our economic woes, then, are not simply cyclical or
structural. They are also - chiefly - institutional, the consequence of U.S.
corporate behavior that has plunged us into a downward cycle of
underinvestment, underemployment and under-consumption. Our solutions must be
similarly institutional, requiring, for starters, the seating of public and
worker representatives on corporate boards. Short of that, there will be no
real prospects for reversing America's downward mobility.
If we were to address all the other issues I
mentioned previously and did not address the institutional problem Meterson has
identified, we would not ultimately solve our economic puzzle.’
20
Shocking New Economic Records That Were Set In 2010 2010 was quite a year,
wasn’t it? 2010 will be remembered for a lot of things, but for those living in
the United States, one of the main things that last year will be remembered for
is economic decline…The Economic
Collapse Jan 14, 2011 ‘2010 was
quite a year, wasn’t it? 2010 will be remembered for a lot of things, but
for those living in the United States, one of the main things that last year
will be remembered for is economic decline. The number of foreclosure
filings set a new record, the number of home repossessions set a new record,
the number of bankruptcies went up again, the number of Americans that became
so discouraged that they simply quit looking for work reached a new all-time
high and the number of Americans on food stamps kept setting a brand new record
every single month. Meanwhile, U.S. government debt reached record highs,
state government debt reached record highs and local government debt reached
record highs. What a mess! In fact, even many of the “good”
economic records that were set during 2010 were indications of underlying
economic weakness. For example, the price of gold set an all-time record
during 2010, but one of the primary reasons for the increase in the price of
gold was that the U.S. dollar was rapidly losing value. Most Americans
had been hoping that 2010 would be the beginning of better times, but
unfortunately economic conditions just kept getting worse.
So will things
improve in 2011? That would be nice, but at this point there are not a
whole lot of reasons to be optimistic about the economy. The truth is
that we are trapped in a period of long-term economic decline and we are now
paying the price for decades of horrible decisions.
Amazingly,
many of our politicians and many in the mainstream media have declared that
“the recession is over” and that the U.S. economy is steadily improving now.
Well, if
anyone tries to tell you that the economy got better in 2010, just show them
the statistics below. That should shut them up for a while.
The following
are 20 new economic records that were set during 2010….
#1 An all-time record of 2.87
million U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in 2010.
#2 The number of homes that were actually repossessed reached
the 1 million mark for the first time ever during 2010.
#3 The price of gold moved above $1400 an ounce for the
first time ever during 2010.
#4 According to the American Bankruptcy Institute,
approximately 1.53
million consumer bankruptcy petitions were filed in 2010, which was up 9
percent from 1.41 million in 2009. This was the highest number of
personal bankruptcies we have seen since the U.S. Congress substantially
tightened U.S. bankruptcy law several years ago.
#5 At one point during 2010, the average time needed to
find a job in the United States had risen to an all-time record of 35.2 weeks.
#6 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United
States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the
United States are manufacturing jobs, which is believed to be a new record low.
#7 The number of Americans working part-time jobs “for
economic reasons” was the highest it has been in at least five decades
during 2010.
#8 The number of American workers that are so
discouraged that they have given up searching for work reached an all-time high near the end of 2010.
#9 Government spending continues to set new all-time
records. In fact, at the moment the U.S. government is spending
approximately 6.85 million
dollars every single minute.
#10 The number of Americans on food stamps surpassed
43 million by the end of 2010. This was a new all-time record, and
government officials fully expect the number of Americans enrolled in the
program to continue to increase throughout 2011.
#11 The number of Americans on Medicaid surpassed 50
million for the first time ever in 2010.
#12 The U.S. Census Bureau originally announced that
43.6 million Americans are now living in poverty and according to them that was
the highest number of Americans living in poverty that they had ever
recorded in 51 years of
record-keeping. But now the Census Bureau says that they
miscalculated and that the real number of poor Americans is actually 47.8 million.
#13 According to the FDIC, 157
banks failed during 2010. That was the highest number of bank
failures that the United States has experienced in any single year during the
past decade.
#14 The Federal Reserve brought in a record $80.9 billion in profits during
2010. They returned $78.4 billion of that to the U.S. Treasury, but the
real story is that thanks to the Federal Reserve’s continual debasement of our
currency, the U.S. dollar was
worth less in 2010 than it ever had been before.
#15 It is projected that the major financial firms on
Wall Street will pay out an all-time record of $144 billion in compensation for
2010.
#16 Americans now owe more than $881 billion on student loans,
which is a new all-time record.
#17 In July, sales of new homes in the United
States declined to the lowest level
ever recorded.
#18 According to Zillow, U.S. housing prices have now
declined a
whopping 26 percent since their peak in June 2006. Amazingly, this is
even farther than house prices fell during the Great Depression. From
1928 to 1933, U.S. housing prices only fell 25.9 percent.
#19 State and local government debt reached at an
all-time record of 22 percent of U.S. GDP during 2010.
#20 The U.S. national debt has surpassed the 14 trillion
dollar mark for the first time ever and it is being projected that it will
soar well past 15 trillion during 2011.
There are some
people that have a hard time really grasping what statistics actually
mean. For people like that, often pictures and charts are much more
effective. Well, that is one reason I like to include pictures and graphs
in many of my articles, and below I have posted my favorite chart from this
past year. It shows the growth of the U.S. national debt from 1940 until
today. I honestly don’t know how anyone can look at this chart and still
be convinced that our nation is not headed for a complete financial meltdown….[chart]
14 Eye Opening Statistics Which Reveal Just How
Dramatically The U.S. Economy Has Collapsed Since 2007 Most
Americans have become so accustomed to the “new normal” of continual economic
decline that they don’t even remember how good things were just a few short
years ago. ‘The Economic Collapse Jan 10, 2011
’Most Americans have become so accustomed to the “new normal” of continual
economic decline that they don’t even remember how good things were just a few
short years ago. Back in 2007, unemployment was very low, good jobs were
much easier to get, far fewer Americans were living in poverty or enrolled in
welfare programs and government finances were in much better shape. Of
course most of this prosperity was fueled by massive amounts of debt, but at
least times were better. Unfortunately, things have really deteriorated
over the last several years. Since 2007, unemployment has skyrocketed,
foreclosures have set new all-time records, personal bankruptcies have soared
and U.S. government debt has gotten completely and totally out of
control. Poll after poll has shown that Americans are now far less
optimistic about the future than they were in 2007. It is almost as if
the past few years have literally sucked the hope out of millions upon millions
of Americans.
Sadly,
our economic situation is continually getting worse. Every month the
United States loses more factories. Every month the United States loses
more jobs. Every month the collective wealth of U.S. citizens continues
to decline. Every month the federal government goes into even more
debt. Every month state and local governments go into even more debt.
Unfortunately,
things are going to get even worse in the years ahead. Right now we look
back on 2005, 2006 and 2007 as “good times”, but in a few years we will look
back on 2010 and 2011 as “good times”.
We
are in the midst of a long-term economic decline, and the very bad economic
choices that we have been making as a nation for decades are now starting to
really catch up with us.
So
as horrible as you may think that things are now, just keep in mind that things
are going to continue to deteriorate in the years ahead.
But
for the moment, let us remember how far we have fallen over the past few
years. The following are 14 eye opening statistics which reveal just how
dramatically the U.S. economy has collapsed since 2007….
#1
In November 2007, the official U.S. unemployment rate was just 4.7
percent. Today, the official U.S. unemployment rate is 9.4 percent.
#2
In November 2007, 18.8% of unemployed Americans had been out of work for 27
weeks or longer. Today that percentage is up to 41.9%.
#3
As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million Americans that had been
unemployed for half a year or longer. Today, there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or
longer.
#4
Nearly 10 million Americans now receive unemployment insurance, whichis
almost four times as many as were receiving it back
in 2007.
#5
More than half of the U.S. labor force (55 percent) has “suffered a spell of
unemployment, a cut in pay, a reduction in hours or have become involuntary
part-time workers” since the “recession” began in December 2007.
#6
According to one analysis, the United States has lost a total of approximately
10.5 million jobs since 2007.
#7
As 2007 began, only 26 million Americans were on food stamps. Today, an
all-time record of 43.2 million Americans are enrolled in the
food stamp program.
#8
In 2007, the U.S. government held a total of $725 billion in mortgage
debt. As of the middle of 2010, the U.S. government held a total of $5.148 trillion in mortgage debt.
#9
In the year prior to the “official” beginning of the most recent recession in
2007, the IRS filed just 684,000 tax liens against U.S. taxpayers. During
2010, the IRS filed over a million tax liens against U.S.
taxpayers.
#10
From the year 2000 through the year 2007, there were 27 bank failures in the
United States. From 2008 through 2010, there were 314 bank failures in the United States.
#11
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number
of U.S. families with children living in homeless sheltersincreased from 131,000 to 170,000 between 2007
and 2009.
#12
In 2007, one poll found that 43 percent of Americans were living “paycheck to
paycheck”. Sadly, according to a survey released very close to the end of
2010, approximately 55 percent
of all Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck.
#13
In 2007, the “official” federal budget deficit was just 161 billion
dollars. In 2010, the “official” federal budget deficit was approximately 1.3 trillion dollars.
#14
As 2007 began, the U.S. national debt was just under 8.7 trillion
dollars. Today, the U.S. national debt has just surpassed 14 trillion dollars and it
continues to soar into the stratosphere.
So
is there any hope that we can turn all of this around?
Unfortunately,
the massive amount of debt that we have piled up as a society over the last
several decades has made that impossible.
If
you add up all forms of debt (government debt, business debt, individual debt),
it comes to approximately 360 percent of GDP. It is the biggest debt
bubble in the history of the world.
If
the federal government and our state governments stop borrowing and spending so
much money, our economy would collapse. But if they keep borrowing and
spending so much money they will continually make the eventual economic
collapse even worse.
We
are in the terminal stages of the most horrific debt spiral the world has ever
seen, and when the debt spiral gets stopped the house of cards is going to
finally come down for good.
So
enjoy these times while you still have them. Yes, today is not nearly as
prosperous as 2007 was, but today is most definitely a whole lot better than
2015 or 2020 is going to be.
Sadly,
we could have avoided this financial disaster completely if only we had
listened more carefully to those that founded this nation. Once upon a
time, Thomas Jefferson said
the following….
I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.’
The Economic Collapse
Dec 17, 2010
The financial
collapse that so many of us have been anticipating is seemingly closer then
ever. Over the past several weeks, there have been a host of ominous
signs for the U.S. economy. Yields on U.S. Treasuries have moved up
rapidly and Moody’s is publicly warning that it may have to cut the rating on
U.S. government debt soon. Mortgage rates are also moving up
aggressively. The euro and the U.S. dollar both look incredibly
shaky. Jobs continue to be shipped out of the United States at a
blistering pace as our politicians stand by and do nothing. Confidence in
U.S. government debt around the globe continues to decline. State and
local governments that are drowning in debt across the United States are
savagely cutting back on even essential social services and are coming up with
increasingly “creative” ways of getting more money out of all of us.
Meanwhile, tremor after tremor continues to strike the world financial system.
So does this mean that we have almost reached a tipping point? Is the
world on the verge of a major financial collapse?
Let’s hope
not, but with each passing week the financial news just seems to get eve
worse. Not only is U.S. government debt spinning wildly toward a breaking
point, but many U.S. states (such as California) are in such horrific financial
condition that they are beginning to resemble banana republics.
But it is not
just the United States that is in trouble. Nightmarish debt problems in
Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Belgium and several other European
nations threaten to crash the euro at any time. In fact, many economists
are now openly debating which will collapse first – the euro or the U.S.
dollar.
Sadly, this is
the inevitable result of constructing a global financial system on debt.
All debt bubbles eventually collapse. Currently we are living in the
biggest debt bubble in the history of the world, and when this one bursts it is
going to be a disaster of truly historic proportions.
So will we
reach a tipping point soon? Well, the following are 25 signs that the
financial collapse is rapidly getting closer….
#1 The official U.S. unemployment rate has not been
beneath 9 percent since
April 2009.
#2 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are
currently 6.3
million vacant homes in the United States that are either for sale or for
rent.
#3 It is being projected that the U.S. trade deficit
with China could hit 270 billion dollars
for the entire year of 2010.
#4 Back in 2000, 7.2 percent of blue collar workers
were either unemployed or underemployed. Today that figure is up
to 19.5 percent.
#5 The Chinese government has accumulated approximately
$2.65 trillion in
total foreign exchange reserves. They have drained this wealth from the
economies of other nations (such as the United States) and instead of
reinvesting all of it they are just sitting on much of it. This is
creating tremendous imbalances in the global economy.
#6 Since the year 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs. In the
year 2000 there were approximately 72 million middle class jobs in the United
States but today there are only about 65 million middle class jobs.
#7 The United States now employs about the same number
of people in manufacturing as
it did back in 1940. Considering the fact that we had 132 million
people living in this country in 1940 and that we have well over 300 million
people living in this country today, that is a very sobering statistic.
#8 According to CoreLogic, U.S. housing prices have now
declined for
three months in a row.
#9 The average rate on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage soared
11 basis points just this past week. As mortgage rates continue to
push higher it is going to make it even more difficult for American families to
afford homes.
#10 22.5 percent of all residential mortgages in the
United States were in negative equity as of the end of the third quarter
of 2010.
#11 The U.S. monetary base has
more than doubled since the beginning of the most recent recession.
#12 U.S. Treasury yields have been rising steadily
during the 4th quarter of 2010 and
recently hit a six-month high.
#13 Incoming governor Jerry Brown is scrambling to find
$29 billion more to cut from the California state budget. The
following quote from Brown about the desperate condition of California
state finances is not going to do much to inspire confidence in California’s
financial situation around the globe….
“We’ve been living in fantasy land. It is much worse
than I thought. I’m shocked.”
#14
24.3
percent of the residents of El Centro, California are currently unemployed.
#15
The average home in Merced, California has declined in value by
63 percent over the past four years.
#16
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has come up with a new way to save money. He
wants to cut 20
percent of Detroit off from essential social services such as road repairs,
police patrols, functioning street lights and garbage collection.
#17
The second most dangerous city in the United States – Camden, New Jersey – is
about to lay off about
half its police in a desperate attempt to save money.
#18
In 2010, 55
percent of Americans between the ages of 60 and 64 were in the labor market.
Ten years ago, that number was just 47 percent. More older Americans than
ever find that they have to keep working just to survive.
#19
Back in 1998, the United States had 25 percent of the world’s high-tech export
market and China had just 10 percent. Ten years later, the United States had
less than 15 percent and China’s share had soared to 20 percent.
#20
The U.S. government budget deficit increased to a whopping $150.4 billion last
month, which represented the biggest November budget deficit on record.
#21
The U.S. government is somehow going to have to roll over existing debt and
finance new debt that
is equivalent to 27.8 percent of GDP in 2011.
#22
The United States had been the leading consumer of energy on the globe for
about 100 years, but this past summer China took over the number one spot.
#23
According to an absolutely stunning new poll, 40 percent of all U.S. doctors plan to bail out of the
profession over the next three years.
#24
As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million Americans that had been
unemployed for half a year or longer. Today, there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#25
All over the United States, local governments have begun instituting “police
response fees”. For example, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has come up
with a plan under which a
fee of $365 would be charged if police are called to respond to an
automobile accident where no injuries are involved. If there are injuries
as a result of the crash that is going to cost extra.
As you examine
the long-term trends, you quickly come to realize that the U.S. is trapped in
an endless spiral of debt, the middle class is being wiped out, the U.S. dollar
is being destroyed and America is rapidly becoming a post-industrial wasteland.
Posted below
are 16 nightmarish economic trends to watch carefully in 2011. It is
becoming exceedingly apparent that unless something is done rapidly we are
heading for an economic collapse of unprecedented magnitude….
#1 Do you want to see something scary? Just check
out the chart below. Since the beginning of the economic downturn, the
U.S. monetary base has more than doubled. But don’t worry – Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has promised us that this could never cause
inflation. In fact, Bernanke says that we need to inject even more
dollars into the economy. So if you are alarmed by the chart below, you
are just being irrational according to Bernanke….
#2 Thousands of our factories, millions of our jobs and
hundreds of billions of dollars of our national wealth continue to be shipped overseas.
In 1985, the U.S. trade deficit with China was 6 million dollars
for the entire year. In the month of August
alone, the U.S. trade deficit with China was over 28 billion
dollars. Nobel economist Robert W. Fogel of the University of Chicago
is projecting that the Chinese economy will be three times larger than the U.S. economy by the
year 2040 if current trends continue.
#3 The United States is rapidly becoming a
post-industrial wasteland. Back in 1959, manufacturing represented 28
percent of all U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented only
11.5 percent and it continues to fall. Sadly, the truth is that America
is being deindustrialized. As of the end of 2009, less
than 12 million Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that
less than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
#4 The number of Americans that have been out of work
for an extended period of time has absolutely exploded over the last few
years. As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million Americans that had
been unemployed for half a year or longer. Today, there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#5 The middle class continues to be squeezed out of
existence. According to a poll
taken in 2009, 61 percent of Americans ”always or usually” live
paycheck to paycheck. That was up substantially from 49 percent
in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
#6 The number of Americans living in poverty is
absolutely skyrocketing. 42.9 million Americans are now on food
stamps, and one out of every six Americans is now enrolled
in at least one anti-poverty program run by the federal government.
Unfortunately, many of those that have been hardest hit by this economic
downturn have been children. According to one new study,
approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States are
living below the poverty line in 2010 - the highest rate in 20 years.
#7 Many American families have been pushed beyond the
breaking point during this economic downturn. Over 1.4 million Americans
filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a
32 percent increase over 2008. The final number for 2010 is expected
to be even higher.
#8 The U.S. real estate market continues to
stagnate. During
the third quarter of 2010, 67 percent of mortgages in Nevada were
“underwater”, 49 percent of mortgages in Arizona were “underwater” and 46
percent of mortgages in Florida were “underwater”. So what happens if
home prices go down even more?
#9 More elderly Americans than ever are being forced to
put off retirement and continue working. In 2010, 55
percent of Americans between the ages of 60 and 64 were in the labor
market. Ten years ago, that number was just 47 percent.
Unfortunately, it looks like this problem will only get worse in the years
ahead. In America today, approximately half of all workers have
less than $2000 saved up for retirement.
#10 In the United States today, there are simply far too
many retirees and not nearly enough workers to support them. Back in 1950
each retiree’s Social Security benefit was paid for by 16
workers. Today, each retiree’s Social Security benefit is paid for
by approximately 3.3 workers. By 2025 it is projected that
there will be approximately two workers for each retiree.
#11 Financial assets continue to become concentrated in
fewer and fewer hands. For example, the “big four” U.S.
banks (Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells
Fargo) had approximately 22 percent of all deposits in FDIC-insured
institutions back in 2000. As of the middle of 2009 that figure was up to 39 percent.
#12 The Federal Reserve has been destroying the value of
the U.S. dollar for decades. Since the Federal Reserve was created in
1913, the U.S. dollar has lost over 95 percent of its purchasing power.
An item that cost $20.00 in 1970 would cost you $112.35 today. An item
that cost $20.00 in 1913 would cost you $440.33 today.
#13 Commodity prices continue to soar into the
stratosphere. Ten years ago, the price of a barrel of oil hovered around 20 to 30
dollars most of the time. Today, the price of oil is rapidly closing
in on 100 dollars a barrel and there are now fears that it could soon go much
higher than that.
#14 Federal government spending is completely and
totally out of control. The U.S. government budget deficit increased to a
whopping $150.4 billion last month, which represented the biggest November deficit on record. But our
politicians can’t seem to break their addiction to debt. In fact,
Democrats are trying to ram through a
1,924 page, 1.1 trillion dollar spending bill in the final days of the
lame-duck session of Congress before the Republicans take control of the House
of Representatives next year.
#15 The U.S. national debt is rapidly closing in on 14 trillion dollars. It is more
than 13 times larger than it was just 30 short years ago. According to an
official U.S. Treasury Department report to Congress, the U.S. national
debt is projected to climb
to an estimated $19.6 trillion by 2015.
#16 Unfortunately, the official government numbers
grossly understate the horrific nature of the crisis we are facing. John
Williams of Shadow Government Statistics has calculated that if the federal government
would have used GAAP accounting standards to measure the federal budget deficit
for 2009, it would have been approximately 8.8
trillion dollars. Not only that, but John Williams now says that U.S.
government debt is
so wildly out of control that it is mathematically impossible for us to
“grow” our way out of it….
The government’s finances not only are out of
control, but the actual deficit is not containable. Put into perspective,
if the government were to raise taxes so as to seize 100% of all wages,
salaries and corporate profits, it still would be showing an annual deficit
using GAAP accounting on a consistent basis. In like manner, given
current revenues, if it stopped spending every penny (including defense and
homeland security) other than for Social Security and Medicare obligations, the
government still would be showing an annual deficit. Further, the U.S. has
no potential way to grow out of this shortfall.
The more one examines the U.S. economic situation,
the more depressing it becomes. The U.S. financial system is trapped
inside a horrific debt spiral and we are headed straight for economic oblivion.
If our leaders attempt to interrupt the debt spiral
it will plunge our economy into a depression. If our leaders attempt to
keep the debt spiral going for several more years it will just make the
eventual crash even worse. Either way, we are headed for a financial
implosion that will be truly historic.
The debt-fueled good times that we have been enjoying
for the last several decades are rapidly coming to an end. Unfortunately
for the tens of millions of Americans that are already suffering, our economic
problems are only going to get worse in the years ahead.’
The following
are 25 unemployment statistics that are almost too depressing to read….
#1 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
U.S. unemployment rate for November was 9.8
percent. This was up from 9.6 percent in October, and it continues a
trend of depressingly high unemployment rates. The official unemployment
number has been at 9.5 percent or higher for well over a year at this point.
#2 In November 2006, the “official” U.S. unemployment
rate was just 4.5
percent.
#3 Most economists had been expecting the U.S. economy
to add about 150,000 jobs in November. Instead, it
only added 39,000.
#4 In the United States today, there are over 15
million people who are “officially” considered to be unemployed for
statistical purposes. But everyone knows that the “real” number is even
much larger than that.
#5 As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million
Americans that had been unemployed for half a year or longer. Today,
there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#6 The number of “persons not in the labor force” in
the United States recently
set another new all-time record.
#7 It now takes the average unemployed American over
33 weeks to find a job.
#8 When you throw in “discouraged workers” and
“underemployed workers”, the “real” unemployment rate in the state of
California is
actually about 22 percent.
#9 In America today there are not nearly enough jobs
for everyone. In fact, there are now approximately
5 unemployed Americans for every single job opening.
#10 According
to The New York Times, Americans that have been unemployed for five weeks
or less are three times more likely to find a new job in the coming month than
Americans that have been unemployed for over a year.
#11 The U.S. economy would need to create 235,120
new jobs a month to get the unemployment rate down to pre-recession levels
by 2016. Does anyone think that there is even a prayer that is going to
happen?
#12 There are 9
million Americans that are working part-time for “economic reasons”.
In other words, those Americans would gladly take full-time jobs if they could
get them, but all they have been able to find is part-time work.
#13 In 2009, total wages, median wages, and average
wages all
declined in the United States.
#14 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million
Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that less
than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
#15 The United States has lost at least 7.5
million jobs since the recession began.
#16 Today, only
about 40 percent of Ford Motor Company’s 178,000 workers are employed
in North America, and a big percentage of those jobs are in Canada and
Mexico.
#17 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28
percent of U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented 11.5 percent.
#18 Earlier this year, one poll found that 28% of all American households had at least one member that
was looking for a full-time job.
#19 In the United States today, over
18,000 parking lot attendants have college degrees.
#20 The United States has lost a staggering
32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
#21 As the employment situation continues to stagnate,
millions of American families have decided to cut back on things such as
insurance coverage. For example, the percentage of American households
that have life insurance coverage is at its lowest level in
50 years.
#22 Unless Congress acts, and there is no indication
that is going to happen, approximately 2 million Americans will stop receiving unemployment checks over the next
couple of months.
#23 A poll that was released by the Pew Research Center
back in June discovered that an
astounding 55 percent of the U.S. labor force has
experienced either unemployment, a pay decrease, a reduction in hours
or an involuntary move to part-time work since the economic downturn
began.
#24 According to Richard McCormack, the United States
has lost over
42,000 factories (and counting) since 2001.
#25 In the United States today, 317,000
waiters and waitresses have college degrees.
But this is
what we get for creating the biggest debt
bubble in the history of the world. For decades we have been digging
a deeper hole for ourselves by going into increasingly larger amounts of
debt. In America today, our entire economy is based on debt. Even
our money
is debt. We were fools if we ever thought this could go on forever.
Just think about it. Have you ever gone out and run up a bunch of
debt? It can be a lot of fun sitting behind the wheel of a new car,
running your credit cards up to the limit and buying a beautiful big house that
you cannot afford. But in the end what happens? It always catches up with you.
Well, our collective debt is starting to catch up with us. There is a sea
of red ink on every level of American society. It is only a matter of
time before it destroys our economy. IF YOU THINK THAT
THINGS ARE BAD NOW, JUST WAIT. THINGS ARE GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT
WORSE. A HORRIFIC ECONOMIC COLLAPSE IS COMING, AND IT IS GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY PAINFUL.’
17 Things Worrying
Investors Lloyd's Wall of Worry
Worry Count: 17
CHINA: 1,330,044,605 people can’t be wrong.
The PIIGS: Fasten your seatbelts. It’s gonna be a long, bumpy, expensive,
weird, (insert your own adjective here) freak show of a ride.
CALIFORNIA AND THE OTHER 49 STATES: Not yet as dire as “The PIIGS”. Might I
suggest the classier moniker of “The Prosciuttos” for the American basket-case
states?
QE II: Gobble?
U.S. ECONOMY: The “Punky Brewster” of the global economic landscape.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Only thing worse than losing your job, losing your unemployment
check. At least there’s the holiday season to cheer everyone up (read: heavy
sarcasm).
TAXES: Praying to the Financial Market Gods that we don’t have another
TARP-like vote fiasco.
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PART II: Still two years before the Pres. election and the
peanut gallery is already pleading for a Hail Mary Pass to get them back in the
game.
HFT: Instead of beating up these liquidity supplying traders, let’s honor them
with their very own stock exchange. But wait -- with no retail
saps to pick-off they will never get that Day 1 opening bell tick. Perfect.
XMAS 2010: As my professor friend Nick says, “Nowadays Americans are dining off
of two menus – The Million Dollar and the $0.99 Cent.” And both
are pissed about it.
CURRENCIES: Poor Mr. Greenback. Does someone need a hug?
HOUSING CRISIS: Price Stabilization – Are we there yet? Just a little bit more.
Are we there yet? Just a little bit more. Are we there yet? Just a little bit
more….
INFLATION/DEFLATION: Fed Chief Ben B. comes out swinging from his heels in
defense of inflation promotion. Don’t punch yourself out as this one is likely
to go the distance.
COMMODITIES: Corrected but still sky high; fortunately these prices are only
affecting core, basic, life-sustaining necessities and sparing our electronic
gadgets and plus-sized SUVs. Whew!
INSIDER TRADING: Another black eye for Hedge Funds. I estimate that makes black
eye number 6,597.
INTEREST RATES: South Korea and China slowly turning up the dial to “11”. On
the other hand the U.S. has removed the dial altogether. This never ends well….
NORTH KOREA: Here we go again. (and now Egypt, etc.)
Consumer confidence down, LiveLeak.com - Loonie closes above U.S. dollar … dollar for first time closes below parity on Canadian
loonie … hey, hey, hey … 'Huge' stock decline — but not yet MarketWatch
- Commentary: Adens … ‘mega trend’ looks grim … The
Adens expect a hyperinflationary collapse … ‘ Oh come
on! Manipulated dollar decline with inflated earnings, stock prices thereby,
etc., … we’ve seen this all before … the last few crashes … Jobless
rate jumps to 9.8% as hiring slows (Washington Post) [ The reality is not a mystery! The nation’s
been thrown under the bus for the greater good (wealth) of the very few (frauds
on wall street, etc.); wall street giving out record bonuses from their accomplished
fraud (with no-recession b.s. bernanke help) of $144 BILLION: Come on! This is
gettin’ even more downright ridiculous (if that’s even possible)! Pending home
foreclosure / distress sales up, oil prices (and oil stocks) up, debased dollar
down, plus a little familiar ‘better than expected’ thrown in along with
prospects of a ‘no-recession bernanke’ market-frothing bull session on 60 minutes
and, voila, suckers’ rally into the close to keep the suckers suckered! What’s
good for the frauds on wall street is bad for just about everyone else which
includes the vast majority of people and businesses, domestically and globally,
as current dollar manipulation / debasement ultimately results in higher costs
and loss of purchasing power (ie., oil, etc.). Clearly, this is one of those
fraudulent wealth transfers to the frauds on wall street et als which will
ultimately be paid for by those who least are in a position to afford it,
courtesy of the ever more worthless Weimar dollar, etc., inflating earnings,
eps, lowering p/e multiples, etc., see infra. This is an especially great time
to sell / take profits while you can since there's much worse to come!
Previous: Rosy numbers on consumer sentiment, unemployment (far better than
private forecasts) from the government prior to the holiday so-called ‘shop
till you drop’? How can anyone believe anything they say? Najerian interviewed
by Motek chimes in with the reason for good retail cheer; viz., people have
stopped paying their mortgages and are using the funds to purchase retail
goods; while Davidowitz adds that with record numbers of americans on food
stamps, real unemployment at 17+, and wall street giving out record bonuses
from their accomplished fraud (with no-recession b.s. bernanke help) of $144
BILLION … the high end stores /
jewelers will do well … daaaaah! And, with insiders
and wall street frauds selling into the bubble as preceded last crash, this is
an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits! Suckers’ rally on light volume, full moon, and government
complicity (false data / reports) to keep suckers suckered (easy for the wall
street frauds to do with just a mouse click / push of the button – and, they
know all those technical trade lines that are easy to program in this current
phase of the scam/fraud with the debased dollar). Keep in mind, the totally
mindless blather from the ‘cottage industries’ of and fraudulent wall street itself
in talking up lower P/E multiples when the same is a direct result of the
debasement of the dollar and the consequent manipulation / translation (not
real, see Davis, infra) which preceded the financial crisis / last crash.
Unemployment, trade, deficit, etc., numbers continue decidedly worse than
expected along with other negative data (and in the ‘wrong direction’, that
spin accorded ‘down but not as bad as before’ b*** s*** ) yet the market has
rallied like no tomorrow with used home foreclosure / distressed sales, though
abated owing to ‘foreclosuregate’, the other ‘heralded’ good news. Moreover, the dumbo lemmings of Europe have
jumped on the fraudulent defacto bankrupt american crazy train propelled to the
precipice also as if no tomorrow. This is about keeping the suckers sucked in
with the help of a market-frothing pre-election debased dollar for favorable
currency translation and paper (but not real when measured in, ie., gold, etc.)
profits which preceded the last crisis, inflating a bubble as in the last
crisis to facilitate the churn-and-earn, particularly with computerized (and
high frequency) trades and which commissions they’ll get again on the way down.
There is nothing to support these overbought stock prices, fundamentally or
otherwise. These are desperate criminals ‘at work’. Even wall street shill, the
senile Buffett is saying we’re still in a recession (depression) [
Davis: ‘… all profits are inflated
by 10% (from falling, debased dollar) and that 10% is the E that gets divided
from the P and gives us a much better price/multiple to hang our hats on and
that gets investors to BUYBUYBUY …’ The bull market that never was / were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold ] This is a great
opportunity to sell / take profits (these lower dollar, hyperinflationary
currency manipulations / translations to froth paper stocks will end quite
badly as in last crash)! This
is a global depression. This is a secular bear market in a global depression.
The past up moves were manipulated bull (s***) cycles (at best) in a secular
bear market. This has been a typically manipulated bubble as has preceded the
prior crashes with great regularity that the wall street frauds and insiders
commission and sell into. This is a typical wall street ‘programmed
computerized high-frequency churn and earn pass the hot potato scam / fraud as
in prior crashes ( widely reported, high-frequency trading routinely
accounts for more than 50% of daily U.S. equity trading volume and regularly
approaches 70%. )’. This national decline, economic and otherwise, will not end
until justice is served and the wall street frauds et als are criminally prosecuted,
jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed.The Stock Market's
Long Decline Has Begun Smith ]
U.S.
Warship Tracking Yacht Hijacked by Somali Pirates... [ I realize
there are ‘laws of the sea’ / codified bodies of law within that broad yet very
specific category called ‘maritime law’, none of which I know nor care to know
(I’ll content myself to knowing and seeing to the enforcement of american law
as pertains to me; viz., RICO http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
. I do know that these somali
pirates need killin’ and I further believe that open season on them including
using their boats in the water for target practice makes sense and certainly is
morally justified. I’m tired of hearing about those little weasels … you know,
‘the skinnies’. ]
Some now question U.S. deal that brought
Gaddafi back into diplomatic fold (Washington Post) [ Oh, come on!
At this point in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s intractable
decline, naivity becomes no one! …Money, oil, arms change hands and no one’s
the wiser … and those few are again substantially richer … it’s the fatally tragic
‘american tale’… Arms
deals still made amid Middle East crackdowns (Washington Post) You bet your
bippy … a raison d’etre, so to speak. ]ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - As
Libya's Moammar Gaddafi ordered attacks on his own people this week, thousands
of arms sellers from the United States and other countries hawked their
aircraft, riot gear and rifles to Middle Eastern buyers at the Persian Gulf's preeminent
arms show.
Julian
Assange must be extradited to Sweden (Washington Post) [ Julian
Assange to be extradited to Sweden Infowars.com [ No surprise here. As I’ve previously written, I’m
against the censorship since one always, in the final analysis, must discern
truth from falsehood, information from disinformation, reality from propaganda.
In truth, I found it somewhat shocking and more than surprising that of all
places ‘to escape to’, Assange chose Orwellian england, puppet to the u.s. and
guarantor of servility to u.s./zionist interests, such is their own desperate
circumstances. What was he thinking? ]
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be extradited to Sweden to face
allegations of rape and sexual assault. Assange will appeal, his legal team
confirmed. If this is unsuccessful, he will be extradited to Sweden in 10
days. ] LONDON - Britain will honor
Sweden's request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face
sex-crime allegations, a British judge ruled Thursday.
Oil
prices on the rise (Washington Post) [ And except when and for fraudulent /
false / manipulated data, everything else down, dirty, and dismal: AP Business
Highlights: February 24, 2011, ‘New-home
sales in January drop 12.6 pct WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sales of new homes fell
significantly in January, a dismal sign after the worst year for that sector in
nearly a half-century.New-home sales dropped to a seasonally adjusted rate of
284,000 homes last month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That's down
from 325,000 in December and less than half the 600,000-a-year pace that
economists view as healthy…’
(Washington Post) New-home
sales fell more than forecast / FHFA:
Home prices fell in fourth quarter
Pro-government
forces, rebels engage in battles for territory (Washington Post) [
The big story here, lost on mainstream media, was the manipulated stock / oil
price fraud based upon false rumor of
daffy gaddafi not ducking and having been shot. Remember: there’s no
place for reality in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america and on
fraudulent wall street particularly. STOCKS
MAKE HUGE TURNAROUND ON STUNNING COLLAPSE IN OIL: BASED SOLELY ON NOW KNOWN TO
BE FALSE TWITTER RUMOR! [ Don’t be
surprised if the frauds on wall street initiated the rumors; their fraudulent
manipulations have included far worse … put them in jail where they belong,
with fines, disgorgement! ( ‘…an apparently Twitter-borne rumor started making the rounds
that Qaddafi had been shot! There was no basis for it, but oil simply
collapsed…’ ) ] , On Thursday February 24,
2011 Thank Twitter-borne rumors of Qaddafi's death for the fact that
markets totally didn't get crushed today…’ ] Militiamen, mercenaries hit cities
near capital while protesters seized air force base; U.S., other Western powers
consider responses to situation. Gaddafi
loyalists launch counterattacks ]
Crude prices broke through the $100-a-barrel threshold as violence in
Libya continued to shake markets.
Feb.
23 (Bloomberg) -- Our country is bankrupt. It’s not bankrupt in 30 years or
five years. It’s bankrupt today.
Want proof? Look at President Barack Obama’s 2010
budget. It showed a massive fiscal gap over the next 75 years, the closure of
which requires immediate tax increases, spending cuts, or some combination
totaling 8 percent of gross domestic product. To put 8 percent of GDP in
perspective, this year’s employee and employer payroll taxes for Social
Security and Medicare will amount to just 5 percent of GDP.
Actually, the picture is much worse. Nothing in
economics says we should look out just 75 years when considering the
present-value difference between future spending and future taxes. Over the
full long-term, we need an extra 12 percent, not 8 percent, of GDP annually.
Seventy-five years seems like a long enough time to
plan. It’s not. Had the Greenspan Commission, which “fixed” Social Security back
in 1983, focused on the true long term we wouldn’t be sitting here now with
Social Security 26 percent underfunded. The Social Security trustees, at least,
have learned a lesson. The 26 percent figure is based on their infinite horizon
fiscal- gap calculation.
But the real reason we can’t look out just 75 years
is that the government’s cash flows (the difference between its annual taxes
and non-interest spending) over any period of time, including the next 75
years, aren’t well defined. This reflects economics’ labeling problem. If you
use different words to describe the receipts taken in and paid out each year by
the government, you produce entirely different cash flows and an entirely
different fiscal gap measured over any finite horizon.
Matter of Language
It’s only the value of the infinite horizon fiscal
gap that is unaffected by the choice of labels of language. Take this year’s
payroll tax contributions. Let’s call these transfers from workers to Uncle Sam
“borrowing” by the government, rather than “payroll taxes,” since the money
will be paid back as future benefits. If the future payback isn’t in full
(equal to principal plus interest), we can call the difference a “retirement
tax.” Presto! With this change of words, our 2011 deficit of about 10 percent
of GDP is boosted another five points to 15 percent.
With one set of words, taxes are higher now and lower
latter. With the other set of words, the opposite is true. But neither set of
labels makes more economic sense than the other or changes what the government
takes, on balance, from any person or business in any given year.
This is no surprise. The math of economics rules out
an absolute measure of the deficit, just like the math of physics rules out an
absolute measure of time.
Bottom Line
The bottom line, then, is that we need to look at the
infinite-horizon fiscal gap not just for Social Security, but for the entire
federal government. That analysis, based on the Congressional Budget Office’s
long-term alternative fiscal scenario, shows an unfathomable fiscal gap of $202
trillion. And covering this gap requires coming up with the aforementioned 12
percent of GDP, forever.
If this gives you the willies, there’s a ready
narcotic -- the president’s 2012 budget, which shows that most of our long- term
fiscal problem has miraculously disappeared; the fiscal gap isn’t 12 percent of
annual GDP. Nor is it 8 percent. It’s now 1.8 percent.
This fantastic improvement in our finances is due,
we’re told, primarily to the Independent Payment Advisory Board. This board, to
be established in 2014 (after the next election, of course) is charged with
recommending cuts to Medicare and Medicaid providers when their costs grow too
fast.
Repealing Cuts
We’ve had laws mandating such cuts for years, and
they are routinely repealed. Indeed, President Obama signed the latest such
repeal last June. But rather than laugh out loud at this cost-control
mechanism, the Medicare trustees, three-quarters of whom were appointed by the
president, assume in their 2010 report that these cuts will be made -- to the
dollar. And the 2012 budget cites the report’s fictional forecast as its
authoritative source.
No one takes the 2010 Medicare trustee report’s
long-run projections seriously, least of all Richard Foster, Medicare’s chief
actuary. Foster added this statement to the end of the report: “The financial
projections shown in this report for Medicare do not represent a reasonable
expectation…in either the short range…or the long range.”
This isn’t the first administration to conceal our
long- term fiscal problem. Back in 1993, Alice Rivlin, then deputy director of
the Office of Management and Budget, asked me and economists Alan Auerbach and
Jagadeesh Gokhale to prepare a long-term fiscal gap/generational accounting for
inclusion in President Bill Clinton’s 1994 budget.
Politics Triumphs
We worked for months on the analysis, but two days
before the budget’s release, the study was excised from the budget. We were
shocked, but, in retrospect, the politics are clear. The Clinton administration
wanted to claim it was fiscally prudent and the study, which showed unofficial
debt growing at enormous rates, showed the opposite.
The fiscal gap’s next near appearance in a
president’s budget was in 2003. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill commissioned
Gokhale and Kent Smetters to do the study. It showed a massive $45 trillion
fiscal gap -- not a great basis for pushing tax cuts or introducing the
prescription-drug benefit for seniors, known as Medicare Part D. O’Neill was
ousted on Dec. 6, 2002, and a couple of days later the fiscal-gap study was
discarded.
I’m not sure whether censoring the fiscal gap is more
dishonorable than fudging it. What I do know is that we can’t assume our
problems away and that I expected far better of this president when I voted for
him.
--Editors:
James Greiff, Steven Gittelson
Pro-government
forces, rebels engage in battles for territory (Washington Post) [ The big story here, lost on
mainstream media, was the manipulated stock / oil price fraud based upon false
rumor of daffy gaddafi not ducking and
having been shot. Remember: there’s no place for reality in pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt america and on fraudulent wall street particularly. STOCKS
MAKE HUGE TURNAROUND ON STUNNING COLLAPSE IN OIL: BASED SOLELY ON NOW KNOWN TO
BE FALSE TWITTER RUMOR! [ Don’t be
surprised if the frauds on wall street initiated the rumors; their fraudulent
manipulations have included far worse … put them in jail where they belong,
with fines, disgorgement! ( ‘…an apparently Twitter-borne rumor started making the rounds
that Qaddafi had been shot! There was no basis for it, but oil simply
collapsed…’ ) ] , On Thursday February 24,
2011 Thank Twitter-borne rumors of Qaddafi's death for the fact that
markets totally didn't get crushed today…’ ] Militiamen, mercenaries hit cities
near capital while protesters seized air force base; U.S., other Western powers
consider responses to situation. Gaddafi
loyalists launch counterattacks ]
Crude prices broke through the $100-a-barrel threshold as violence in
Libya continued to shake markets.
STOCKS
MAKE HUGE TURNAROUND ON STUNNING COLLAPSE IN OIL: BASED SOLELY ON NOW KNOWN TO
BE FALSE TWITTER RUMOR! [ Don’t be
surprised if the frauds on wall street initiated the rumors; their fraudulent
manipulations have included far worse … put them in jail where they belong,
with fines, disgorgement! ( ‘…an
apparently Twitter-borne rumor started making the rounds
that Qaddafi had been shot! There was no basis for it, but oil simply
collapsed…’ ) ] , On Thursday February 24,
2011
February
22, 2011: Mohamed A. El-Erian, CEO PIMCO predicts a period of, at best,
stagflation; which of course is bad for stocks (and worse).
That
House You Bought 10 Years Ago Is Worth Exactly The Same Now As It Was Then
Depew ‘The chart below shows the median price for existing homes, which is down
3.7 percent year-over-year to $158,000. Some interesting things to note about
this:
1) While existing home sales increased 2.7 percent, the percent of home sales
which were distressed rose to 37 percent, an incredible amount if you stop to
think about it.
2) Also, 32 percent of the existing home sales transactions were for cash.
3) Oh, and if you were thinking that the housing bubble collapse has
exterminated all speculative activity in the housing market, consider that 23
percent of all sales went to buyers classified as "investors."
4) Finally, while the inventory of existing homes available declined to a
little less than 8 months' worth at the current pace of sales, if you factor in
the high percentage of distressed sales along with the fact that the National
Realtors' Survey doesn't account for inventory listed by banks and private
agents... well, you can see where this is headed. [chart]’
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington
Post) [ Sounds like a plan! Come on!
Wake up! After all, what can you expect from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and
scalia, colloquial – note that I have refrained from using what some might
consider disparaging terms as w*p*, gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for
the record that I truly loved and respected my grandmother who was 100%
Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with
greek ancestral roots and thereby claim standing/right to posit the criticism
in light of my direct experience. ). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as
to judges, liars, etc., within the very corrupted american illegal system; and,
particularly bribes which in one form or another are rampant . I don’t know
about Thomas, but I do know about alito and ‘jersey … : October 15, 2010 (*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action which
was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention of the
Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
16
miles away, Saudi Arabia's watchful eye looms over Bahrain unrest (Washington Post) [ I’m sure they
are… with a microscope at that. Saudis Worried
Protests Will Hit Home - saudi arabia;
talk about do nothing hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all
the oil reserves of a sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations
say so For the sake of the saudi Arabian people, more than just
protests should come to fruition! ] AFP | Saudi royal warns Arab world uprisings could cause
harm unless they reform. Bahrain authorities launch surprise attack on protesters [There’s the america and saudi Arabia
effect; far less than democratic and far more deadly in the mideast among other
places; talk about hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the
oil reserves of a sovereign nation as the saudis; time for the saudis to go the
way of dictator Mubarak and take the war criminal americans with them. ] Los Angeles Times Tear gas
canisters bombard sleeping protesters in Manama's Pearl Square. At least two
men are reported killed Video: Bahrain
protesters look to emulate Egypt revolt euronews Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters Voice
of America ‘Saudi
Arabia sending troops to Bahrain’ Saudi Arabia is sending troops to Bahrain in a move to crack down
on pro-democracy protesters who took to the streets in the capital Manama, a
political analyst says. [SAUDIS TOLD OBAMA 'NOT TO HUMILIATE MUBARAK'
[ Sounds like they’re hearing footsteps…Previous: Egyptian
capital teeters on anarchy Mubarak
asks cabinet to resign as anti-regime protests intensify
(Washington Post) [ Mubarak should have been looking in the mirror as he asked
his cabinet to resign … 30 years is a long time, and coincidentally, time for
him to go. In
Egypt: Access denied (Washington Post) [The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree!
Part of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong
position against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP)
Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP)
- ]
On
Obama's jobs tour, unemployed have little voice (Washington Post) [ This of
course is so true. That wobama’s done there’s no question. Indeed, despite the
rhetoric, separate terms, hasn’t he proven to be, and isn’t wobama just a
continuation of the NWO / NAFTAite regimes that landed the nation here in this
foul, pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt position. How different are
america’s entrenched corrupt bureaucracies / ‘leaders’ from the dictators and
their corrupt bureaucracies being deposed today. If only wobama wasn’t the
typical, jive-talikin’ wobama the b (for b*** s***) he is and did what he ran
and was elected on, the outcome for fallen america would have been
substantially better, though still dire, than that which lies ahead.
State
budget woes draw more protests (Washington Post) [ Obama
joins Wisconsin budget battle Democratic
lawmakers flee state in attempt to block anti-union bill (Washington Post) [ Looks like capital hill
can pick up a few pointers from ‘dem dems … fleeing the state, that is … except
in their case it’ll be fleeing the nation-state, or what’s left of same. Drudgereport: Michelle Obama, Daughters Hit
the Slopes on Ski Vacation ...
Vail...
Bidens vacation on Fla Keys...
FLASHBACK: Obama on tough
economy: 'You might put off a vacation'...
'Everyone must sacrifice'...
RASMUSSEN: OBAMA APPROVAL
SLIPS BACK TO 44%...
Gov't shutdown threat looms
over budget fight... DEBT NOW EQUALS ENTIRE
ECONOMY
OBAMA AGENDA IS OVER Obama refers to himself as
'The Gipper'… [ Riiiight! …anything you say wobmama the b for b*** s***… or
maybe the bipper, the chipper, or the yankee clipper (the new joltin’ joe)
…sounds like he’s losing it! ] ...Debunking
the 'Debunking Myths of U.S. Collapse' Post Ridder [ Stated another way, the collapse of the (dis)united
states is at hand. Now, let me state, that doesn’t mean america will disappear
from the face of the earth, but the reality truly is ‘death from a thousand
cuts’. It’s not just China’s rise, but america’s decline and fall with the
concomitant relative rise of other nations, regions. Quite simply, and
historically factual reality has proven, nation-states cannot and have not
survived the multitude of negative, destructive, and self-destructive things
america has done and prosper as a leading nation. From perpetual war, to
pervasive corruption, fraud, criminality across all stratum including
institutions, government of american society, to what I believe as well to be
an evolved genetic bias of inherent criminality/mental illness which is
ill-adapted to the strictures of a more enlightened 21st Century by way of near
instantaneously available information, with truth and factual reality being
america’s greatest enemy. In support of the foregoing I will reiterate reasons,
infra.] Debt
relief for states proposed (Washington Post) [ I’ve heard of the ‘blind leading the blind’, but the ‘bankrupt
borrowing from the bankrupt’ seems to be a nouveau american phenomenon destined
for ‘clichedom’. Previous: Governors
plan painful cuts amid budget crises (Washington Post) [ This truly is a disaster in the making, with
consequences even more dire than the grim outlook set forth by Meridith
Whitney, if that could even be fathomed. It’s really going to be all that bad…see
infra, The Economic Collapse, ‘#10
The municipal bond crisis could go “supernova” at any time. Already,
investors are bailing out of bonds at a frightening pace. State and local
government debt is now sitting at an all-time high of 22
percent of U.S. GDP. According to Meredith Whitney, the municipal
bond crisis that we are facing is a gigantic threat to our financial system….“It has
tentacles as wide as anything I’ve seen. I think next to housing this is the
single most important issue in the United States and certainly the largest
threat to the U.S. economy.” Economist:
United States Worse Off than Greece Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff is an economics
professor at Boston University. He says the Treasury and the government are
fudging the national debt numbers. Kotlikoff says the United States is bankrupt
and we don’t even know it.
Obama:
US needs better math, science education (AP) [Well, one thing we absolutely
know as true is that there’s at least one person in america in need of better
math skills and his name is’ wobama the b’ (for b*** s*** - despite campaign
promises to the contrary he actually ramped up war spending also despite
defacto bankruptcy of the nation – bush, if only it was just his math skills,
ramped of war spending while cutting taxes … to his base, a wobama’s on the
same page – how totally pathetic both of them are / were) … but let’s not kid ourselves,
from capital hill to wall street, etc., math skills are indeed lacking. ]
Internet tool shows French web surfers 'Jewish-curious' (AFP) - AFP - An Internet tool that flags up popular
search words has spontaneously revealed a deeper trend: French web surfers'
exceeding curiosity about whether their politicians are Jewish. [ To their
credit, at least in France it might matter … to america’s discredit and
self-destruction, it doesn’t even matter … as Buchanan aptly put it ‘capital
hill is occupied israeli territory and just proved it again with the
foolhardy veto of the un resolution
condemning illegal israeli settlements. ]
Gaddafi vows to maintain hold on power Libyan
strongman says he'll fight 'until the last drop of my blood' (Washington Post) [ His latter wish is the
world’s command. ‘Something there is that doesn’t love a dictator, that wants
them down’ … (Excuse me … I was thinking of walls and ‘Mending Wall’, Robert
Frost). Libya
Internet Shut Down Amid Protests, Per Multiple Reports [ Once again, as in Egypt, this, the
internet, inherently global in nature is the lynchpin, tampering with or
stifling same marking the end of any regime. Let this be a warning; viz., you
cannot put the genie back in the bottle! 41 years? Gadaffy duck should duck
‘cause he’s done. I mean, look at him, he’s the singular equivalent of the
multiple bushes. He’s totally burnt out (as much or more so than dumbya bush or
mubarack) and quite done! ] Reports have emerged late Friday that Libya appears
to have shut down its Internet due to widespread protests, less than a month after
Egypt did the same. ] With rebels
apparently controlling much of the eastern half of the country, the violence
engulfing Libya is already the worst in more than a month of unrest that has
toppled other regimes.
I knew
there was something especially (but typically) not right in Friday’s (and
Thursday’s) trade; and, sure enough, it was a full moon Friday as per lunar
calendar (a must in today’s markets owing to the prevalence of lunatics /
criminally insane on wall street).
A
frayed alliance: Obama and unions Wis.
budget impasse deepens (Washington
Post) [ Frayed? How ‘bout flayed, fillet, and souffled … Or, screwed, nude, and
double chewed … Drudgereport: OBAMA BACKS UNION UPROAR
PELOSI
BACKS PROTESTERS: 'I STAND IN SOLIDARITY'...
DEBT
NOW EQUALS ENTIRE ECONOMY
OBAMA
AGENDA IS OVER
Obama
refers to himself as 'The Gipper'… [ Riiiight! …anything you say wobmama the b
for b*** s***… or maybe the bipper, the chipper, or the yankee clipper (the new
joltin’ joe) …sounds like he’s losing it! ] ...
BUDGET
WOES FORCE STATES TO CONSIDER ABOLISHING '12 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES...
STATE
BUDGETS ON THE BRINK: CA, TX, IL, NY, NJ...
WISC
GOV: 'NOT GOING TO BE BULLIED, INTIMIDATED'...
Orders
state troopers to bring Dems to Capitol...
'There
Is Fear For Scott Walker's Safety'...
Dem
Sen: We'll stay away for weeks...
WALKOUT:
Milwaukee Schools closed; teachers call in 'sick'...
REPORT:
Average city teacher compensation tops $100,000...
PAPER:
GET BACK TO WORK!
DNC
playing role in protests...
Jesse
to the Rescue: Jackson rallies protesters...
'A
real Martin Luther King moment'...
Union
Fight Heats Up...
Republicans
vow to cut spending in state capitols...
Protests
Spread to Ohio...
Michigan...
'Coming
To Minnesota'...
Idaho
offical target of threats over education reform plan...
Egypt
in America?
'Day
of Rage' Hits Wisconsin over state unions...
Madison
schools closed; 1,100 teachers call in 'sick'...
Obama:
'Assault on Unions'...
Obama-founded
OFA spearheading effort to defeat bill...
Boehner:
'Suspend these tactics'...
DEMS
FLEE STATE HOUSE
SENATE
DEMOCRATS FOUND -- AT A RESORT IN ILLINOIS!
Gov.
Walker calls on Dems to return, vote...
Protesters,
supporters clash in Ohio over union bill...
Activists
swarm Boehner's Capitol Hill home; Chant 'don't tread on DC'..
Carney:
Stimulus 'Goals Have Been Met'...
GALLUP:
Unemployment hits 10%...
Feds
Borrow Additional $29,660/Household Since Obama Signed Stimulus...
Ratings
Downgrades Loom for Cash-Strapped States...
Hillary Clinton: Israeli Settlements 'Illegitimate'… [We know that
hill … We’ve known that for quite some time along with their illegal nukes, war
crimes, etc…The whole world knows that hill… so don’t just talk about it … DO
SOMETHING! ] ...
Offended
Mubarak refuses calls from Obama...
Ahmadinejad:
Obama can't spell his own name (True … it’s ‘w o b a m a’ with ‘the b for b*** s***’ his surname …
he’s so pathetic and a total caricature / joke!) ...
Egypt's
protests flare despite military warning...
Libya
set for 'day of anger'...
Thousands
of police confront protesters in Yemen...
Riot
police storm Bahrain camp; 2 reported dead...
ABCNEWS
Correspondent Beaten...
100
Egyptians reach Italy amid Arab exodus...
CARTER:
Muslim 'hood nothing 'to be afraid of'...
PAPER:
Senate hearing turns into farce as American ignorance on Egypt revealed...
USA TO REBUKE ISRAEL AT UN
Poll:
Majority of Republicans Doubt Obama's Birthplace...
Agents
Shot in Mexico...
WORRIES
OBAMA OFFICIALS...
ICE
IN VICE...
GAO:
Feds have 'operational control' of 44% of border; just 15% 'air tight'...
DAY
3: 'Watson' the computer creams human 'JEOPARDY!' champs...
REPORT:
Steve Jobs receiving treatment at cancer center... PAPER:
'Reportedly sicker than previously admitted'...
ISSA
MAKES A MOVE: New subpoena seeks records on sweetheart loans...
U.S.
Government Shuts Down 84,000 Websites, ‘By Mistake’
'Kill
Switch' Internet bill alarms privacy experts...
GOP
BLASTS FCC NET RULES...
TSA
agents busted at JFK for stealing $160,000 from bags...
Hillary
Clinton donors indicted...
Man
mugs 96-year-old -- for $5...
France
Wants New Global Finance System; End of Dollar Dominance...
Fannie,
Freddie bailout: $153 billion and counting...
GALLUP:
Unemployment at 10.3%...
Muslim
Bros plan political party...
Present
Two Faces...
Pakistan
Islamists warn of protests if US prisoner freed...
SECSTATE
JR: Sen Kerry arrives in Pakistan, expresses 'regret', 'sorrow'...
GADDAFI
TELLS PALESTINIANS: REVOLT AGAINST ISRAEL
World
Bank: Food prices at 'dangerous levels'...
Gov't
Motors to pay out $189 million in bonuses; some workers to get 50% payoffs..
Deficit
Expected to Jump to $1.65 Trillion...
...'slow
train wreck coming'
BUDGET
BLOWOUT: How big is $3.73 trillion? $12,000 from each American...
ANALYSIS:
$1.5 trillion
tax hike over 10 years...
AIRLINES:
New fees would be $2 billion tax increase on flyers...
Sessions:
Obama failed on budget...
Long
Spending Fight...
Produce
prices to skyrocket with freeze in Mexico, Southwest...
Clothing
Prices to Rise 10% Starting in Spring...
China
Replaced Japan in 2010 as Number 2 Economy...
China
plans Colombian rail link to challenge Panama canal...
The
March On Berlusconi...
Berlusconi
indicted in prostitution probe...
Malware
'Aimed at Iran Hit Five Sites'...
Mubarak
'falls into coma after final speech'...
Egyptian
military orders last protesters out of 'Liberation Square'...
Consolidates
power...
Delivers
ultimatum...
Boy
wrestler forfeits match to female opponent... [ What a homo! Wow! I
feel sorry for those guys she actually beat (20 of them – her record was 20 and
13) … they’ll probably never get over it … nor should they … I have to rethink
my regard for Iowa, Iowa state wrestling now presuming such stalwart
championship teams to be the products of out-of-state imports … as for the guy
who forfeited, he could have easily and gently taken her down (you can easily
do that with a lesser opponent), got her in a double grapevine and grind her in
a certain way into the mat, and when she was in the throws of convulsive
orgasm, she’d unwittingly arch her back, thereby pressing her own shoulder
blades to the mat, thereby pinning herself, thus enabling the homo to say in a
manner of speaking that he was making heterosexual love not war with her ………
how pathetic and preposterous this was … and, let me remind the homo that God
doesn’t care that you wrestle a girl who wants to wrestle! ]
]
House
approves dramatic cuts in federal spending
Vote
sets up showdown with Dems; threat of shutdown looms (Washington
Post) [ As they say on SNL, ‘What’s up with that?’. Come on! Wake up! That
doesn’t even cover the interest on a $14 trillion debt. And, how disingenuous
of the author to write, ‘largest cut of its kind since WWII’… Not in percentage
terms by a long shot! … Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are
simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of
global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form
of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh)
is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut
$100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while
continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1%
each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool
all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT
THERE! ‘ ] After all-night debate, House votes
235-189 to approve plan to cut $60 billion in federal funding in what'd be the
largest cut of its kind since WWII.
The following
are 25 unemployment statistics that are almost too depressing to read….
#1 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
U.S. unemployment rate for November was 9.8
percent. This was up from 9.6 percent in October, and it continues a
trend of depressingly high unemployment rates. The official unemployment
number has been at 9.5 percent or higher for well over a year at this point.
#2 In November 2006, the “official” U.S. unemployment
rate was just 4.5
percent.
#3 Most economists had been expecting the U.S. economy
to add about 150,000 jobs in November. Instead, it
only added 39,000.
#4 In the United States today, there are over 15
million people who are “officially” considered to be unemployed for
statistical purposes. But everyone knows that the “real” number is even
much larger than that.
#5 As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million
Americans that had been unemployed for half a year or longer. Today,
there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#6 The number of “persons not in the labor force” in
the United States recently
set another new all-time record.
#7 It now takes the average unemployed American over
33 weeks to find a job.
#8 When you throw in “discouraged workers” and
“underemployed workers”, the “real” unemployment rate in the state of
California is
actually about 22 percent.
#9 In America today there are not nearly enough jobs
for everyone. In fact, there are now approximately
5 unemployed Americans for every single job opening.
#10 According
to The New York Times, Americans that have been unemployed for five weeks
or less are three times more likely to find a new job in the coming month than
Americans that have been unemployed for over a year.
#11 The U.S. economy would need to create 235,120
new jobs a month to get the unemployment rate down to pre-recession levels
by 2016. Does anyone think that there is even a prayer that is going to
happen?
#12 There are 9
million Americans that are working part-time for “economic reasons”.
In other words, those Americans would gladly take full-time jobs if they could
get them, but all they have been able to find is part-time work.
#13 In 2009, total wages, median wages, and average
wages all
declined in the United States.
#14 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million
Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that less
than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
#15 The United States has lost at least 7.5
million jobs since the recession began.
#16 Today, only
about 40 percent of Ford Motor Company’s 178,000 workers are employed
in North America, and a big percentage of those jobs are in Canada and Mexico.
#17 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28
percent of U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented 11.5
percent.
#18 Earlier this year, one poll found that 28% of all American households had at least one member that
was looking for a full-time job.
#19 In the United States today, over
18,000 parking lot attendants have college degrees.
#20 The United States has lost a staggering
32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
#21 As the employment situation continues to stagnate,
millions of American families have decided to cut back on things such as
insurance coverage. For example, the percentage of American households
that have life insurance coverage is at its lowest level in
50 years.
#22 Unless Congress acts, and there is no indication
that is going to happen, approximately 2 million Americans will stop receiving unemployment checks over the next
couple of months.
#23 A poll that was released by the Pew Research Center
back in June discovered that an
astounding 55 percent of the U.S. labor force has
experienced either unemployment, a pay decrease, a reduction in hours
or an involuntary move to part-time work since the economic downturn
began.
#24 According to Richard McCormack, the United States
has lost over
42,000 factories (and counting) since 2001.
#25 In the United States today, 317,000
waiters and waitresses have college degrees.
But this is
what we get for creating the biggest debt
bubble in the history of the world. For decades we have been digging
a deeper hole for ourselves by going into increasingly larger amounts of
debt. In America today, our entire economy is based on debt. Even
our money
is debt. We were fools if we ever thought this could go on forever.
Just think about it. Have you ever gone out and run up a bunch of
debt? It can be a lot of fun sitting behind the wheel of a new car,
running your credit cards up to the limit and buying a beautiful big house that
you cannot afford. But in the end what happens? It always catches up with you.
Well, our collective debt is starting to catch up with us. There is a sea
of red ink on every level of American society. It is only a matter of
time before it destroys our economy. IF YOU THINK THAT
THINGS ARE BAD NOW, JUST WAIT. THINGS ARE GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT
WORSE. A HORRIFIC ECONOMIC COLLAPSE IS COMING, AND IT IS GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY PAINFUL.’
17 Things Worrying
Investors Lloyd's Wall of Worry
Worry Count: 17
CHINA: 1,330,044,605 people can’t be wrong.
The PIIGS: Fasten your seatbelts. It’s gonna be a long, bumpy, expensive,
weird, (insert your own adjective here) freak show of a ride.
CALIFORNIA AND THE OTHER 49 STATES: Not yet as dire as “The PIIGS”. Might I
suggest the classier moniker of “The Prosciuttos” for the American basket-case
states?
QE II: Gobble?
U.S. ECONOMY: The “Punky Brewster” of the global economic landscape.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Only thing worse than losing your job, losing your unemployment
check. At least there’s the holiday season to cheer everyone up (read: heavy
sarcasm).
TAXES: Praying to the Financial Market Gods that we don’t have another
TARP-like vote fiasco.
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PART II: Still two years before the Pres. election and the
peanut gallery is already pleading for a Hail Mary Pass to get them back in the
game.
HFT: Instead of beating up these liquidity supplying traders, let’s honor them
with their very own stock exchange. But wait -- with no retail
saps to pick-off they will never get that Day 1 opening bell tick. Perfect.
XMAS 2010: As my professor friend Nick says, “Nowadays Americans are dining off
of two menus – The Million Dollar and the $0.99 Cent.” And both
are pissed about it.
CURRENCIES: Poor Mr. Greenback. Does someone need a hug?
HOUSING CRISIS: Price Stabilization – Are we there yet? Just a little bit more.
Are we there yet? Just a little bit more. Are we there yet? Just a little bit
more….
INFLATION/DEFLATION: Fed Chief Ben B. comes out swinging from his heels in
defense of inflation promotion. Don’t punch yourself out as this one is likely
to go the distance.
COMMODITIES: Corrected but still sky high; fortunately these prices are only
affecting core, basic, life-sustaining necessities and sparing our electronic
gadgets and plus-sized SUVs. Whew!
INSIDER TRADING: Another black eye for Hedge Funds. I estimate that makes black
eye number 6,597.
INTEREST RATES: South Korea and China slowly turning up the dial to “11”. On
the other hand the U.S. has removed the dial altogether. This never ends well….
NORTH KOREA: Here we go again. (and now Egypt, etc.)
Consumer confidence down, LiveLeak.com - Loonie closes above U.S. dollar … dollar for first time closes below parity on Canadian
loonie … hey, hey, hey … 'Huge' stock decline — but not yet MarketWatch
- Commentary: Adens … ‘mega trend’ looks grim … The
Adens expect a hyperinflationary collapse … ‘ Oh come
on! Manipulated dollar decline with inflated earnings, stock prices thereby,
etc., … we’ve seen this all before … the last few crashes … Jobless
rate jumps to 9.8% as hiring slows (Washington Post) [ The reality is not a mystery! The nation’s
been thrown under the bus for the greater good (wealth) of the very few (frauds
on wall street, etc.); wall street giving out record bonuses from their accomplished
fraud (with no-recession b.s. bernanke help) of $144 BILLION: Come on! This is
gettin’ even more downright ridiculous (if that’s even possible)! Pending home
foreclosure / distress sales up, oil prices (and oil stocks) up, debased dollar
down, plus a little familiar ‘better than expected’ thrown in along with
prospects of a ‘no-recession bernanke’ market-frothing bull session on 60
minutes and, voila, suckers’ rally into the close to keep the suckers suckered!
What’s good for the frauds on wall street is bad for just about everyone else which
includes the vast majority of people and businesses, domestically and globally,
as current dollar manipulation / debasement ultimately results in higher costs
and loss of purchasing power (ie., oil, etc.). Clearly, this is one of those
fraudulent wealth transfers to the frauds on wall street et als which will
ultimately be paid for by those who least are in a position to afford it,
courtesy of the ever more worthless Weimar dollar, etc., inflating earnings,
eps, lowering p/e multiples, etc., see infra. This is an especially great time
to sell / take profits while you can since there's much worse to come!
Previous: Rosy numbers on consumer sentiment, unemployment (far better than
private forecasts) from the government prior to the holiday so-called ‘shop till
you drop’? How can anyone believe anything they say? Najerian interviewed by
Motek chimes in with the reason for good retail cheer; viz., people have
stopped paying their mortgages and are using the funds to purchase retail
goods; while Davidowitz adds that with record numbers of americans on food
stamps, real unemployment at 17+, and wall street giving out record bonuses
from their accomplished fraud (with no-recession b.s. bernanke help) of $144
BILLION … the high end stores /
jewelers will do well … daaaaah! And, with insiders
and wall street frauds selling into the bubble as preceded last crash, this is
an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits! Suckers’ rally on light volume, full moon, and government
complicity (false data / reports) to keep suckers suckered (easy for the wall
street frauds to do with just a mouse click / push of the button – and, they
know all those technical trade lines that are easy to program in this current
phase of the scam/fraud with the debased dollar). Keep in mind, the totally
mindless blather from the ‘cottage industries’ of and fraudulent wall street
itself in talking up lower P/E multiples when the same is a direct result of
the debasement of the dollar and the consequent manipulation / translation (not
real, see Davis, infra) which preceded the financial crisis / last crash.
Unemployment, trade, deficit, etc., numbers continue decidedly worse than
expected along with other negative data (and in the ‘wrong direction’, that
spin accorded ‘down but not as bad as before’ b*** s*** ) yet the market has
rallied like no tomorrow with used home foreclosure / distressed sales, though
abated owing to ‘foreclosuregate’, the other ‘heralded’ good news. Moreover, the dumbo lemmings of Europe have
jumped on the fraudulent defacto bankrupt american crazy train propelled to the
precipice also as if no tomorrow. This is about keeping the suckers sucked in
with the help of a market-frothing pre-election debased dollar for favorable
currency translation and paper (but not real when measured in, ie., gold, etc.)
profits which preceded the last crisis, inflating a bubble as in the last
crisis to facilitate the churn-and-earn, particularly with computerized (and
high frequency) trades and which commissions they’ll get again on the way down.
There is nothing to support these overbought stock prices, fundamentally or
otherwise. These are desperate criminals ‘at work’. Even wall street shill, the
senile Buffett is saying we’re still in a recession (depression) [
Davis: ‘… all profits are inflated
by 10% (from falling, debased dollar) and that 10% is the E that gets divided
from the P and gives us a much better price/multiple to hang our hats on and
that gets investors to BUYBUYBUY …’ The bull market that never was / were beyond wall
street b.s. when measured in gold ] This is a great
opportunity to sell / take profits (these lower dollar, hyperinflationary
currency manipulations / translations to froth paper stocks will end quite
badly as in last crash)! This
is a global depression. This is a secular bear market in a global depression.
The past up moves were manipulated bull (s***) cycles (at best) in a secular
bear market. This has been a typically manipulated bubble as has preceded the
prior crashes with great regularity that the wall street frauds and insiders
commission and sell into. This is a typical wall street ‘programmed
computerized high-frequency churn and earn pass the hot potato scam / fraud as
in prior crashes ( widely reported, high-frequency trading routinely
accounts for more than 50% of daily U.S. equity trading volume and regularly
approaches 70%. )’. This national decline, economic and otherwise, will not end
until justice is served and the wall street frauds et als are criminally
prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed.The Stock Market's
Long Decline Has Begun Smith ]
Sadly, very
little has changed since the world financial system experienced almost a
complete meltdown back in 2008. Global financial markets are still a
whirlpool of debt and speculation. One really bad week could put us right
back where we were prior to the infamous Wall Street bailouts. Very
little in our world is truly stable anymore. As we have seen recently in
Egypt, the globe can literally change almost overnight. All it would take
is for one really bad event to happen and world financial markets would
instantly start imploding.
So when will
the coming economic collapse happen? Nobody knows for sure, but the fact
that the global economy is increasingly becoming less stable as we approach the
year 2012 is making a lot of people very nervous.
The following
are 47 statistics that indicate that economic stress points in 2011 could be
setting the stage for a global economic meltdown in 2012….
#1 According to the United Nations, global food prices set a new all-time record
during the month of January.
#2 In early February the worst freeze in 60
years wiped out entire crops all across the southwestern U.S. and northern
Mexico. Already, it has been reported that some U.S. supermarkets have
doubled or even tripled prices for certain produce items.
#3 It is being reported that due to the recent horrible
freeze in Mexico cases of tomatoes that would usually cost shop owners between
12 and 15 dollars are now going for up to $40.
#4 One of China’s key agricultural provinces is facing
its worst drought in 200 years.
#5 The Food and Agriculture Organization says that up to
two-thirds of China’s wheat crop could be at risk of failing due to weather
conditions.
#6 Officials in Mexico are estimating that four million
tons of corn have been lost because of the recent freeze. That represents
a full 16 percent of Mexico’s annual corn
harvest.
#7 The price of corn has doubled over the last six months
and it recently hit a new all-time high.
#8 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced
that corn supplies are the tightest that they have been in 15 years.
#9 It appears that Chinese imports of corn will
be about 9 times larger than the
U.S. Department of Agriculture originally projected them to be for 2011.
#10 The price of wheat has more than doubled over
the past year and it hit a 30-month high on Monday.
#11 In the event of a global catastrophe, current global
stockpiles of wheat would only be able to feed the world for 82 days.
#12 According to Forbes, the price
of soybeans is up about 50% since last June.
#13 The price of cotton has more than doubled over
the past year.
#14 The commodity price of orange juice has doubled since 2009.
#15 The price of sugar is the highest it has been in 30 years.
#16 The United Nations is projecting that the global
price of food will increase by
another 30 percent by the end of 2011.
#17 In the U.K., the official rate of inflation is now twice as high as the
target rate of inflation.
#18 Inflation in China is starting to get out of
control. For example, food prices in China rose 10.3 percent during the
month of January.
#19 Almost 14 percent of all credit
card accounts in the United States are currently 90 days or more delinquent.
#20 New home sales in the state of California were
at the lowest level ever
recorded in the month of January.
#21 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the number of job openings in the United States declined for a second straight month
during December.
#22 Average household debt in the United States has now
reached a level of 136% of average household income.
#23 It is estimated that there are about 5 million
homeowners in the United States that are at least two months
behind on their mortgages, and it is being projected that over a million
American families will be booted out of their homes this year alone.
#24 Today, 46% of all Americans carry a
credit card balance from month to month.
#25 700,000 Americans have signed up for a credit card
that has interest rates that go as high as 59.9%.
#26 Americans now owe more than $889 billion on student loans,
which is even more than they owe on credit cards.
#27 The FDIC is “insuring” U.S. bank deposits that total
5.4 trillion dollars with a deposit insurance fund that is currently sitting at
approximately negative 8 billion dollars.
#28 The Social Security trust fund will run a deficit
of 56 billion dollars this
year. Just a couple of years ago government planners were promising that
we would not have any Social Security deficits until at least 2016 or 2017.
#29 When you adjust wages for inflation, middle class
workers in the United States make less money today than they did back in 1971.
#30 4.2 million Americans have
been unemployed for one year or longer at this point.
#31 The number of Americans that have become so
discouraged that they have given up searching for work completely now
stands at an all-time high.
#32 According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of Americans
believe that unemployment is currently the most important problem in the United
States. Another 29 percent believe that the economy is currently our
biggest problem.
#33 Gallup also says that 19.6 percent of the workforce in
America is currently either unemployed or underemployed.
#34 The U.S. government says that 504,000 Americans “dropped out of
the labor force” in January.
#35 The Obama administration is projecting that the
federal budget deficit will be 1.65 trillion dollars for
fiscal 2011.
#36 It is estimated that the total U.S. national
debt will be greater
than 100 percent of GDP by the end of this fiscal year.
#37 The U.S. government relies on foreign nations such
as China and Japan to finance 40 percent of all new government debt.
#38 State and local government debt is now sitting at an
all-time high of 22 percent of U.S. GDP.
#39 The Chinese are now hoarding gold like there is no
tomorrow. In fact, Chinese demand for gold has now risen to
approximately 25% of total global production.
#40 According to
a recent report from the World Economic Forum, the world is going to need
another $100 trillion in credit to support projected “economic growth” over the
next decade.
#41 According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, visits
to soup kitchens are up 24 percent over the past
year.
#42 One out of every seven
Americans is now on food stamps.
#43 One out of every six elderly
Americans now lives below the federal poverty line.
#44 During the last school year, almost half of all school children in
the state of Illinois came from families that were considered to be
“low-income”.
#45 According to a survey released very close to the end
of 2010, 55 percentof all Americans are now
living paycheck to paycheck. A major economic downturn could quickly wipe
out millions of families.
#46 Gasoline prices in the United States are now the
highest that they have ever been
in the middle of February.
#47 Faith in our economic system continues to
decline. According to one new report, only 26 percent of
Americans now trust the U.S. financial system.’
Video: Why Isn’t
Wall St. in Jail? [ This truly will prove to be the story of the century
(albeit an abbreviated one and a turning point toward america’s intractable
decline) owing to what will ultimately be the lynch-pin of global economic /
financial collapse ushering in an era of great scarcity in more ways than can
be imagined. The pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american nation /
government has literally underwritten this massive fraud at the expense of the
vast majorities directly and indirectly, precluded prosecution while
obfuscating the substantial crimes, literally becoming accomplices thereby.
There is absolutely no excuse for what is essentially a defalcation and
abrogation of duty. I was watching a somewhat obscure film recently which
(though elsewhere on this page and site I’ve set forth alarming crime
statistics clearing showing america as number 1 in all categories by wide
margins) which set forth the statistic that america has 85% of the world’s
serial killers (and I’d go further in saying it is likely that america has a
similar lead in war crimes, etc.) ] MSNBC | Cenk Uygur talks
to Matt Taibbi about his latest Rolling Stone article.
.
Bahrain authorities launch surprise attack on protesters [There’s the america and saudi Arabia
effect; far less than democratic and far more deadly in the mideast among other
places; talk about hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the
oil reserves of a sovereign nation as the saudis; time for the saudis to go the
way of dictator Mubarak and take the war criminal americans with them. ] Los Angeles Times Tear gas
canisters bombard sleeping protesters in Manama's Pearl Square. At least two
men are reported killed Video: Bahrain
protesters look to emulate Egypt revolt euronews Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters Voice
of America
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit
ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions
to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
WeAreChange Confronts Dick Cheney on 9/11 Standdown Order
Aaron Dykes | Activist group confronts former vice
president Dick Cheney about inconsistencies in 9/11 testimony and actions in
PEOC bunker. ‘Infowars.comFebruary 15,
2010The testimony of Norman
Mineta before the 9/11 Commission leaves compelling questions about former
Vice President Dick Cheney’s actions on the day of 9/11. Then Transportation
Secretary Mineta witnessed Cheney refuse to contradict an apparent standdown
order as an aide warned of something incoming at the Pentagon. Cheney has given
conflicting
reports about what time he entered the PEOC bunker. Mineta later
confirmed his suppressed 9/11 Commission testimony and refuted Cheney’s
account of arriving later.During the CPAC conference, WeAreChange.org confronted Cheney about
these questions, which he refused to address.“Hey Mr. Cheney, what did you
do in the underground bunker on 9/11? Dick Cheney we know what you did on 9/11
with the standdown order. Norman Mineta testified against you on the 9/11
Commission report. What happened on 9/11?”When he was being forced out,
WeAreChange.org founder Luke Rudkowski calmly asked security not to push him;
security backed off after asking him, ‘Are you being polite?’
Luke Rudkowski and James Lane of We Are Change confront Dick Cheney in
Washington D.C. at CPAC 2/10/2011.
WeAreChangeOklahoma – Newt Gingrich and Dick Cheney (CPAC 2011)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 3610.01A issued June
1, 2001 on “Aircraft Piracy (Hijacking) and Destruction of Derelict Airborne
Objects (Click each document for a larger image)
Cheney dodged the continuing questions by exiting with his entourage into an
elevator. As a woman started repeating “Thank you Mr. Cheney for all you’ve
done,” Rudkowski interjected that he was a ‘terrorist.’ Certainly, the use of admittedly
elevated terror alerts throughout the Bush administration to stoke the fear
card and score political dominion alone is reason to justify this label. The
implications of what really happened on 9/11, and in relation to Cheney’s
apparent standdown order, is even more compelling. Notably, a change in the standard
operating procedure for the chain of command during the event of a hijacked
aircraft was changed in June 2001, including subjecting NORAD’s response to DoD
approval (SEE BELOW).
The former Vice President’s re-entry into the public limelight, after years of
dealing with heart issues, is what appears to be an attempt to re-brand the
Bush Administration in time to retain neo-con power in the coming GOP
presidential primary field, where tea party politics and candidates like Ron
Paul have obviously taken root with conservative voters in the years of the
Obama administration. This confrontation occurred during the same CPAC
convention where Ron
Paul won the presidential straw poll and Dick Cheney was heckled
and called a “war-monger” during a pep rally where Donald Rumsfeld was
given the “Defender of the Constitution Award.”
From Norman
Mineta’s testimony:
“During the time that the airplane was coming into the Pentagon, there
was a young man who would come in and say to the Vice President…the plane is 50
miles out…the plane is 30 miles out….and when it got down to the plane is 10
miles out, the young man also said to the vice president “do the orders still
stand?” And the Vice President turned and whipped his neck around and said “Of
course the orders still stand, have you heard anything to the contrary!?’
Boehner
draws line on spending bill (Washington Post) [ Lines … riiiiight! … republicans are great ones
for drawing lines … Poppy bush’s line in sand ( everyone who really knows the
real story knows that bush’s cia station chief, april glaspie gave sadam
hussein the green light to invade Kuwait over their dispute concerning Kuwait’s
slant-drilling of Iraqi oil reserves … to contrive the conflict. ), lines of
war-criminal dumbya bush of with us or aggin’ us, etc., but we can thank both
parties in terms of their bi-partisan
contribution to ever-growing unemployment LINES. Yes, unemployment numbers were quite bad this day, but the frauds
on wall street with fed help you’ll ultimately pay for rallied anyway. Jobless
Recovery?: 25 Unemployment Statistics That Are Almost Too Depressing To Read ‘…
Unemployment is up again! That’s right – even though Wall Street is swimming in
cash and the Obama administration is declaring that “the recession is over”,
the U.S. unemployment rate has gone even higher. So are you enjoying the
jobless recovery? Economic
Collapse Blog ‘Guess what? Unemployment is up again! That’s
right – even though Wall Street is swimming in cash and the Obama
administration is declaring that “the recession is over”, the U.S. unemployment
rate has gone even higher ... Times are really, really tough and unfortunately
the long-term outlook is very bleak. We should have compassion on those
who are out of work right now, because soon many of us may join them.The
following are 25 unemployment statistics that are almost too depressing to
read…. See infra for list
Stock Melt-Up Continues to Ignore Warnings [ While I generally warn against
short-selling as an investment strategy for all but the most successful
speculators (there are very, very few), if there ever was a time to try your
luck at same, that time is now! We’re now beyond the absurd in these
overbought, overvalued, contrived, manipulated markets. See also, Dave infra,
‘…Further, the Philly Fed (riiiiight …
that global hub of manufacturing activity) came in much higher than expected
although inside the numbers the prices paid vs prices received disparity was
the greatest since 1979. That wasn't a great time for corporate profits. Even
though there's some "discussion" within the Fed over the
effectiveness of QE operations another heavy dose of POMO
was released to trading desks again
Thursday. …’ Why Isn’t Wall Street
in Jail? Matt Taibbi | Financial crooks brought down the
world’s economy — but the feds are doing more to protect them than to prosecute
them. ( This is not a too big to fail, but a too willing to pay bribes to jail
- reality. This really is beyond the pale, particularly when they trumpet
prosecution of $225 million in medicare frauds while wall street’s continuing
fraud in the trillions remains unprosecuted – there is no excuse whatsoever –
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america is done!). ] Minyanville
‘Suttmeier, chief market strategist at ValuEngine.com: The stock melt-up has the major equity
averages above this week’s pivots putting the focus on the Nasdaq and its
quarterly risky level at 2853. The Dow Transports broke above the potential
double-top. Stocks are ignoring the ValuEngine Valuation Warning and extreme
overbought technical market indicators. The 10-Year yield failed at my weekly
risky level at 3.568 after holding my annual value level at 3.791 last week.
Comex gold is above my annual pivot at $1356.5 and closed above its 50-day
simple moving average at
$1372.2. Nymex crude oil remains below my semiannual pivot at $87.52, but is
now oversold. The euro is above its 50-day simple moving average at 1.3377 with
this week’s risky level at 1.3636.
Imams
wage political battle against U.S. (Washington Post) [ Yeah!
Are not these native Afghans freedom fighters in the highest, truest, and most
noble sense of the term. I mean, pervasively corrupt / defacto bankrupt
america’s destructive and corrupting influence is unequivocal (including the
resurgent heroin trade that had all been eradicated by the Taliban). This
unlawful incursion is a lose, lose scenario for all parties; and, america’s /
israel’s / nato’s zionist aspirations in the region are among the most self-destructive,
self-defeating policies in world history. ]
For the U.S. government, and for the 100,000 American troops
fighting in Afghanistan, the messages delivered last Friday could hardly have
been worse.
Clock
is ticking (Washington Post) [ Oh come on! Don’t be a
spoil-sport realist; after all, these are, unlike mubarak, young
pro-saudi-american dictators and still have a bright future of repression /
oppression / suppression ahead of them for the greater good of … status quo? …
nobody really thinks so. Tick-Tock! ] Editorial: In Bahrain, America should press the government to
cease its repression [ Don’t hold your breath. ]. Bahrain authorities launch surprise attack on protesters [There’s the america and saudi Arabia
effect; far less than democratic and far more deadly in the mideast among other
places; talk about hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the
oil reserves of a sovereign nation as the saudis; time for the saudis to go the
way of dictator Mubarak and take the war criminal americans with them. ] Los Angeles Times Tear gas
canisters bombard sleeping protesters in Manama's Pearl Square. At least two
men are reported killed Video: Bahrain
protesters look to emulate Egypt revolt euronews Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters Voice
of America
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit
ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions
to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money
laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit ( also
maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s
casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
Sadly, very
little has changed since the world financial system experienced almost a
complete meltdown back in 2008. Global financial markets are still a
whirlpool of debt and speculation. One really bad week could put us right
back where we were prior to the infamous Wall Street bailouts. Very
little in our world is truly stable anymore. As we have seen recently in
Egypt, the globe can literally change almost overnight. All it would take
is for one really bad event to happen and world financial markets would
instantly start imploding.
So when will
the coming economic collapse happen? Nobody knows for sure, but the fact
that the global economy is increasingly becoming less stable as we approach the
year 2012 is making a lot of people very nervous.
The following
are 47 statistics that indicate that economic stress points in 2011 could be
setting the stage for a global economic meltdown in 2012….
#1 According to the United Nations, global food
prices set a new all-time record
during the month of January.
#2 In early February the worst freeze in 60
years wiped out entire crops all across the southwestern U.S. and northern
Mexico. Already, it has been reported that some U.S. supermarkets have
doubled or even tripled prices for certain produce items.
#3 It is being reported that due to the recent horrible
freeze in Mexico cases of tomatoes that would usually cost shop owners between
12 and 15 dollars are now going for up to $40.
#4 One of China’s key agricultural provinces is facing
its worst drought in 200 years.
#5 The Food and Agriculture Organization says that up to
two-thirds of China’s wheat crop could be at risk of failing due to weather
conditions.
#6 Officials in Mexico are estimating that four million
tons of corn have been lost because of the recent freeze. That represents
a full 16 percent of Mexico’s annual corn
harvest.
#7 The price of corn has doubled over the last six months
and it recently hit a new all-time high.
#8 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced
that corn supplies are the tightest that they have been in 15 years.
#9 It appears that Chinese imports of corn will
be about 9 times larger than the
U.S. Department of Agriculture originally projected them to be for 2011.
#10 The price of wheat has more than doubled over
the past year and it hit a 30-month high on Monday.
#11 In the event of a global catastrophe, current global
stockpiles of wheat would only be able to feed the world for 82 days.
#12 According to Forbes, the price
of soybeans is up about 50% since last June.
#13 The price of cotton has more than doubled over
the past year.
#14 The commodity price of orange juice has doubled since 2009.
#15 The price of sugar is the highest it has been in 30 years.
#16 The United Nations is projecting that the global
price of food will increase by
another 30 percent by the end of 2011.
#17 In the U.K., the official rate of inflation is now twice as high as the target
rate of inflation.
#18 Inflation in China is starting to get out of
control. For example, food prices in China rose 10.3 percent during the
month of January.
#19 Almost 14 percent of all credit
card accounts in the United States are currently 90 days or more delinquent.
#20 New home sales in the state of California were
at the lowest level ever
recorded in the month of January.
#21 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the number of job openings in the United States declined for a second straight month
during December.
#22 Average household debt in the United States has now
reached a level of 136% of average household income.
#23 It is estimated that there are about 5 million
homeowners in the United States that are at least two months
behind on their mortgages, and it is being projected that over a million
American families will be booted out of their homes this year alone.
#24 Today, 46% of all Americans carry a
credit card balance from month to month.
#25 700,000 Americans have signed up for a credit card
that has interest rates that go as high as 59.9%.
#26 Americans now owe more than $889 billion on student loans,
which is even more than they owe on credit cards.
#27 The FDIC is “insuring” U.S. bank deposits that total
5.4 trillion dollars with a deposit insurance fund that is currently sitting at
approximately negative 8 billion dollars.
#28 The Social Security trust fund will run a deficit
of 56 billion dollars this
year. Just a couple of years ago government planners were promising that
we would not have any Social Security deficits until at least 2016 or 2017.
#29 When you adjust wages for inflation, middle class
workers in the United States make less money today than they did back in 1971.
#30 4.2 million Americans have
been unemployed for one year or longer at this point.
#31 The number of Americans that have become so
discouraged that they have given up searching for work completely now
stands at an all-time high.
#32 According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of Americans
believe that unemployment is currently the most important problem in the United
States. Another 29 percent believe that the economy is currently our
biggest problem.
#33 Gallup also says that 19.6 percent of the workforce in
America is currently either unemployed or underemployed.
#34 The U.S. government says that 504,000 Americans “dropped out of
the labor force” in January.
#35 The Obama administration is projecting that the
federal budget deficit will be 1.65 trillion dollars for
fiscal 2011.
#36 It is estimated that the total U.S. national
debt will be greater
than 100 percent of GDP by the end of this fiscal year.
#37 The U.S. government relies on foreign nations such
as China and Japan to finance 40 percent of all new government debt.
#38 State and local government debt is now sitting at an
all-time high of 22 percent of U.S. GDP.
#39 The Chinese are now hoarding gold like there is no
tomorrow. In fact, Chinese demand for gold has now risen to
approximately 25% of total global production.
#40 According to
a recent report from the World Economic Forum, the world is going to need
another $100 trillion in credit to support projected “economic growth” over the
next decade.
#41 According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, visits
to soup kitchens are up 24 percent over the past
year.
#42 One out of every seven
Americans is now on food stamps.
#43 One out of every six elderly
Americans now lives below the federal poverty line.
#44 During the last school year, almost half of all school children in
the state of Illinois came from families that were considered to be “low-income”.
#45
According to a survey released very close to the end of 2010, 55 percentof all Americans are now
living paycheck to paycheck. A major economic downturn could quickly wipe
out millions of families.
#46
Gasoline prices in the United States are now the highest that they have ever been
in the middle of February.
#47 Faith in our economic system continues to decline. According to one new report, only 26 percent of Americans now trust the U.S. financial system.’
Panetta
outlines plan for bin Laden (Washington Post) [ Yeah, and if panetta’s
grandmother had wheels she’d be a trolley car. I mean, how much more irrelevant
can the cia become, beyond their drug deals, arms deals, among other
self-interested / perpetuating ops / commotions / promotions. In case they
haven’t looked recently, pervasively corrupt america is defacto bankrupt; and
in large part owing to their flawed, self-perpetuating strategies (oh, how they
loved and miss the cold war). Who cares (about Osama bin Laden or his deputy
Ayman al-Zawahiri). Indeed, one way or another, it makes no difference.
Moreover, take a look at the ‘stand-down’ order as discussed infra regarding
‘that pearl harbor event / neo-con wet dream’. They are so pathetic! A parallel
universe? They only wish! ] CIA
Director Leon Panetta told Congress on Wednesday that if Osama bin Laden or his
deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri is captured they will be held by the military and
probably will be sent to Guantanamo Bay. (Reuters)
In
Bahrain, authorities move against protesters Police
use tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets to disperse crowd (Washington Post) [ Bahrain authorities launch surprise attack on protesters [There’s the america and saudi Arabia
effect; far less than democratic and far more deadly in the mideast among other
places; talk about hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the
oil reserves of a sovereign nation as the saudis; time for the saudis to go the
way of dictator Mubarak and take the war criminal americans with them. ] Los Angeles Times Tear gas
canisters bombard sleeping protesters in Manama's Pearl Square. At least two
men are reported killed Video: Bahrain
protesters look to emulate Egypt revolt euronews Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters Voice
of America
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit
ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions
to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY HECKLED...
'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?'
]
] At least two are killed, while those
involved in the protests say others are critically injured. There is no
official word on deaths or injuries.
Obama
careful in crackdown (Washington Post) [ Sounds like a page out of the
former american-installed shah of Iran’s play-book … The important difference here
is the life and death continued struggle of Iran against the Zionist israeli /
american regimes (look at what the latter regimes do, not what they say) …
Indeed, the great american/israeli hope for Iran, ‘son of shah’ … pshaw! I have
a special affinity for Egypt, a land of great wisdom with the richest of
histories and culture and wisdom of the ages in wisely, at one time, holding
Cats in their highest regard and esteem!
] President Obama cautiously criticized the Iranian government Tuesday
for carrying out a deadly crackdown on street demonstrations, as hard-line
legislators in Tehran called for the execution of several prominent opposition
leaders. (Afp/getty Images)
Americans
climb out of debt, save more (Washington Post) [ There is what is known in
basic economics as the so-called “paradox of thrift’ and the negative portends
for the economy the natural concomitant. There is no getting away from that
age-old economic equation Gross Domestic Product is the sum of all spending on
goods and services in a nation's economy in a year. The formula for GDP is: GDP
= C + I + G + (Ex - Im), where “C” equals spending by consumers, “I” equals
investment by businesses, “G” equals government spending and “(Ex - Im)” equals
net exports, that is, the value of exports minus imports. Net exports may be
negative. Of late, the C component has risen to near 71%, fueled by
unsustainable credit. Private investment owing to a structural shift has lagged
for want of real (profitable domestic)
investment opportunities (the wall street computer-programmed high
frequency churn-and-earn is NOT a component here but rather a net negative owing
to the lesser propensity to consume of the frauds on wall street), and we all
know the direction of government spending. Read more: GDP and the Players Three: All Together Now: C + I + G —
Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/cig/economics/consumption-investment-government.html#ixzz1E79N4H4B . That said, this (saving) is still good
for americans generally since the government has long since all but stopped
concerning themselves with the dire predicament of the vast majority of the
nation and citizens. ] The
recession that just rocked the U.S. economy happened in part because Americans
were borrowing and spending more than they could afford. Now, three years after
the downturn began, families are moving faster than many analysts had expected
to put their finances in order by paying down debt and boosting their savings.
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit
ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions
to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable
to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was
incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not
also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in
america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
Drudgereport:
DEBT
NOW EQUALS ENTIRE ECONOMY
OBAMA
AGENDA IS OVER
Obama
refers to himself as 'The Gipper'… [ Riiiight! …anything you say wobmama the b
for b*** s***… or maybe the bipper, the chipper, or the yankee clipper (the new
joltin’ joe) …sounds like he’s losing it! ] ...
France
Wants New Global Finance System; End of Dollar Dominance...
Fannie,
Freddie bailout: $153 billion and counting...
GALLUP:
Unemployment at 10.3%...
Muslim
Bros plan political party...
Present
Two Faces...
Pakistan
Islamists warn of protests if US prisoner freed...
SECSTATE
JR: Sen Kerry arrives in Pakistan, expresses 'regret', 'sorrow'...
GADDAFI
TELLS PALESTINIANS: REVOLT AGAINST ISRAEL
World
Bank: Food prices at 'dangerous levels'...
Gov't
Motors to pay out $189 million in bonuses; some workers to get 50% payoffs..
Deficit
Expected to Jump to $1.65 Trillion...
...'slow
train wreck coming'
BUDGET
BLOWOUT: How big is $3.73 trillion? $12,000 from each American...
ANALYSIS:
$1.5 trillion
tax hike over 10 years...
AIRLINES:
New fees would be $2 billion tax increase on flyers...
Sessions:
Obama failed on budget...
Long
Spending Fight...
Produce
prices to skyrocket with freeze in Mexico, Southwest...
Clothing
Prices to Rise 10% Starting in Spring...
China
Replaced Japan in 2010 as Number 2 Economy...
China
plans Colombian rail link to challenge Panama canal...
The
March On Berlusconi...
Berlusconi
indicted in prostitution probe...
Malware
'Aimed at Iran Hit Five Sites'...
Mubarak
'falls into coma after final speech'...
Egyptian
military orders last protesters out of 'Liberation Square'...
Consolidates
power...
Delivers
ultimatum...
Concerns
over European defense cuts (Washington Post) [ At some point, rationality
must overcome irrationality; if only necessity being the mother of this
new-found invention (rationality). Interestingly, there was a blip on
television news from a NATO rep talking up the technological / military
superiority of NATO relative to Russia (without whose technological prowess
that space station and crew would literally be lost in space). So take that,
literally … and make the cuts (rational). ] European policymakers say the cuts
are necessary given their financial straits, and that training, not sheer
numbers, is what matters in a post-Cold War world.
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation
has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside,
coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money
laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster
trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)
]
earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense
was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the
people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable
structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have
survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms
condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his
opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt
america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed
the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
Symbolic
reductions (Washington Post) Gerson: Why would the GOP cut funding for bed nets in Africa? [ Well, given the
perilous state of a nation-state in peril; viz., defacto bankrupt america and
the imperiled citizenry therein, one might ask how such was funded in the first
instance… Drudgereport: DEBT NOW EQUALS ENTIRE
ECONOMY
OBAMA AGENDA IS OVER
Obama refers to himself as
'The Gipper'… [ Riiiight! …anything you say wobmama the b for b*** s***… or
maybe the bipper, the chipper, or the yankee clipper (the new joltin’ joe)
…sounds like he’s losing it! ] ...
France Wants New Global
Finance System; End of Dollar Dominance...
Fannie, Freddie bailout: $153
billion and counting...
GALLUP: Unemployment at
10.3%...
GADDAFI TELLS PALESTINIANS:
REVOLT AGAINST ISRAEL
Gov't Motors to pay out $189
million in bonuses; some workers to get 50% payoffs..
Deficit Expected to Jump to
$1.65 Trillion...
...'slow train wreck coming'
BUDGET BLOWOUT: How big is
$3.73 trillion? $12,000 from each American...
ANALYSIS: $1.5 trillion tax hike over 10 years...
AIRLINES: New fees would be
$2 billion tax increase on flyers...
Sessions: Obama failed on
budget...
Long Spending Fight...
Produce prices to skyrocket
with freeze in Mexico, Southwest...
Clothing Prices to Rise 10% Starting in Spring...
China Replaced Japan in 2010
as Number 2 Economy...
China plans Colombian rail
link to challenge Panama canal...
The March On Berlusconi...
Malware 'Aimed at Iran Hit
Five Sites'...
Mubarak 'falls into coma
after final speech'...
Egyptian military orders last
protesters out of 'Liberation Square'...
Consolidates power...
Delivers ultimatum...
Could
the Dow Hit 4,500? [ Short answer: YES! Prechter et als say even far lower
(which I would agree with in real terms, but not in debased dollar terms.) ] Norfolk ‘October 20, 1999: I am at a breakfast briefing run by
a British investment house. Scarfing my bacon bap and croissant, washed down
with the treacly and malodorous coffee that only hotels can provide, I feel
quite the patronised lower-order businessman as I listen to the market
overview.
Suddenly, I become uneasy. It's not the stomach registering the high fat food -
nothing like it for dealing with last night's alcohol, I find - it's the
strange disconnection between what the fund reps are telling me and what they
want me to do. They are feeding me dead pig so I will recommend equity
investment to my clients - but they're telling me (with relaxed smiles)
"the American stock market could be as much as 50% too high, and a
correction is overdue", as I reported in a letter to a client the next
day.
We sure get bought cheaply, don't we?
It was around the same time that I attended a monthly broker network meeting in
Worcester, where another fund house recruiting sergeant told us IFA doughboys
how (in 1999) the tech boom was only in its first phase, and a sort of
super-boom was coming next.
That's when I decided (1) to start reminding my people that most of their
pensions and investments had an option to switch to cash within the wrapper -
with the caveat that I had no crystal ball, and (2) to change my own business
and earnings model to survival mode.
The next year, when one of our colleagues at the monthly get-together revealed
that the best asset class for the last 12 months had been cash and asked hands
up who'd seen that coming, I kept my hand down. I didn't want to disappear in a
hail of slightly stale bread rolls.
Today I read in "The Spectator" magazine an
article by Merryn Somerset Webb, editor-in-chief of "Moneyweek".
She points out the inflationary boom in the East and suggests a contrarian play
- invest West (counting Japan as part of the West) - but warns of overvaluation
here, too:
"I refer you to two valuation measures that seek
to tell us where markets will go over ten to 20 years, the cyclically adjusted
price-earnings ratio and the Q ratio of market value to underlying asset value.
According to their biggest fan, the strategist Andrew Smithers, they now tell
us that the US market is around 70 per cent overvalued."
I fear that Smithers is an optimist; or rather, when
he says a market is overvalued, I assume he's using a theoretical fair value as
his point of reference, and ignoring the overshoot effect. 70% overvaluation
implies a 40% (ish) drop; but for a long time I've been watching for a 70%
drop.
Back in October 2008, J. Kyle Bass of Hayman Advisors (.pdf
here) was saying "We think we will see 10-12% unemployment, a 4-5%
decline in GDP, and the equity markets could drop at least 70% from peak to
trough." (I love that reassuringly conservative "at least",
don't you? As Wavy Gravy said at Woodstock, "There is always a little bit
of heaven in a disaster area." Maybe we will all be feeding each other
again, man.)
So I had a go at drawing a picture... in December
2008, I took the Dow at close at the start of each calendar month from late
October 1928 to 80 years later, and divided it by inflation (CPI-U) as
announced for the end of the preceding month (I figured that even official
figures for consumer prices aren't as manipulated as the gold market). Here's
what I got: [chart]
Re-done today to the end of January, here's the same story updated:
[chart]
Read this way, the real peak was at the end of 1999, then the market halved
until monetary inflation from 2003 blew up real estate, then it halved again
until the wonders of QE, and sometime soon the Fed's lungs are going to give
out once more.
Allowing for inflation, a drop of 70% from December 1999 would mean the Dow's
low should be just under 4,500 today. That red dot really doesn't look so
freakishly out of whack in context - not half so much as the Twin Peaks before
it.
Of course, inflation is the joker in the pack. I'm talking about a deflation of
the Dow in real terms; one way that could happen is a phoney boom discounted by
high inflation - like 1973 - 1982, for instance:
[chart]
It took until April 1992 for the real Dow to get back
to what it had been worth in December 1972; but at least it got back. The
dollar lost 70% of its consumer purchasing power over the same period.
Like I said in my last SA article (This
Liquidity Will Soak Us All ), it may be that we're going to wet, no matter
what tree we stand under.
Meantime, I'm buying my own sandwiches.’
GOP's
plan for spending cuts sets Capitol Hill showdown (Washington Post) [
Showdown? How ‘bout hoedown! I mean, give me a break … who’s kidding whom … but
the ‘show’ part fits! Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are
simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of
global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form
of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh)
is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut
$100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while
continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1%
each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool
all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT
THERE! ‘ Howard Davidowitz on the Economy:
"Here Are the Numbers ... WE'RE BROKE!" 11-25-10
‘The U.S. economy "is
a complete disaster," Howard Davidowitz declared here in July,
the most recent in a string of dire predictions …
"Here are the numbers...we're broke," Davidowitz declares, noting the
U.S. government goes $5 billion deeper into debt every day and is facing $1
trillion-plus annual deficits for the next decade. "In other words, we're
bankrupt."As with the economy, Davidowitz is unwaveringly consistent
in his views on President Obama, calling him "deranged, dysfunctional and
discredited."Results of the midterm election show "the people of this
country think we are in a catastrophe," he says. "I'm with
them."] Some Republicans express concerns about the steep cuts, but
some cheer the trims as an important political objective -- meeting a campaign
pledge they made last fall to grass-roots activists.
Milbank:
Donald
trumps CPAC | Gibbs
gone (Washington Post) [ That trump is a loser, dressed up and
propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt
regions of the country (every fallen nation has such), there is no question
…"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost
come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said.
(Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is.
[ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance – jersey
general ] ) "I've beaten many
people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't
serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie.,
bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss …
trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade,
quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of
american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! NEWS FLASH:
Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new
yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for
the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go
down…..riiiiight!).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own
company’)
Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal
Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With
Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in
mob-infested jersey!
Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers
defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt
federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and
handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in
jail ... (see RICO Case)
Egypt's
popular uprising triumphs In
18 days, a revolution topples 30-year regime Hosni Mubarak becomes
the second Arab leader in a month to succumb to his people's potent thirst for
freedom. (Washington Post) [ That 82
year old, 30 year Egyptian potentate, Pharhosni Mubarak was done was never in
question. What comes next is another matter entirely:
Drudgereport: IMF CALLS FOR ALTERNATIVE TO
$$ AS WORLD'S RESERVE
MILITARY
TAKES COMMAND
'Egypt
is Free,' crowds chant...
WIRE:
Military coup was behind Mubarak's exit...
Military
calls for normal business activity to resume...
DAY
18: Mubarak and family flee Cairo for Sharm el-Sheikh...
Swiss
freeze assets...
Obama
learns of resignation watching TV...
Crisis
Puts White House in Disarray...
Director
of National Intelligence: Muslim Brotherhood 'Largely Secular,' 'Has Eschewed
Violence'...
'Weakness'
in USA...
Ahmadinejad:
Egyptian protests herald new Mideast...
AL-JAZEERA
LIVE FEED...
FRANCE 24 LIVE FEED...
Mubarak Hangs Tough...
VP
Urges Protestors to Ignore Media, and Go Home...
AL-JAZEERA
LIVE FEED...
CIA
Panetta Confused: Said Strong likelihood Mubarak would 'step down tonight'...
March
to palace being organized...
REUTERS
LIVE...
ElBaradei
warns Egypt will 'explode'....
Egypt's
govt on the brink..
FLASH
CRASH: APPLE stock loses $10 billion in four minutes...
Jobs'
Health Rumor?
Global
Stock Exchanges Headed for Major Consolidation...
Kyl
becomes fifth senator to step aside...
Fed
Governor Resigns; Bernanke Adviser Questioned Stimulus...
NBC:
Intelligence officials 'scrambling to try to determine exactly what this all
means'...
TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump
also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and
trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a
run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.).
[ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]
Mubarak
Steps Down as President, Army Takes Over ABC News | Egypt’s embattled President Hosni Mubarak abruptly
stepped down as president, ending his 30-year America’s
Strategic Repression of the ‘Arab Awakening’ A popular backlash against
American-supported dictatorships and repressive regimes has been anticipated
for a number of years, with arch-hawk geopolitical strategist Zbigniew
Brzezinski articulating a broad conception of a ‘Global Political Awakening’
taking place, in which the masses of the world (predominantly the educated,
exploited and impoverished youth of the ‘Third World’) have become acutely
aware of their subjugation, inequality, exploitation and oppression.
One-Way Market Action: Dave's Daily ‘"To the moon"(Alice) might be a better description of
this nonstop bullish action. All week markets were worrying about Egypt. When
things were bad there, markets rallied. When things seemed better, markets
rallied. When Cisco and Credit Suisse posted lousy reports, markets rallied.
When China raised interest rates, markets rallied. Every dip has been bought
and every dip has been buying. All this was taking place while many emerging
markets were breaking down creating some divergence from previously high
inter-market correlations. Things are going so well most reliable technical
indicators are getting steamrolled by what those few trading must believe is a
rosy future. Market rallies have been steady but not spectacularly higher with
daily .50% type moves. But, those add up. Does all this frustrate us?
Partially, since active portfolios exited a
couple of weeks ago but Lazy Portfolios are doing better. Making sense of Mr.
Market has never been an easy proposition. I'm back from attending the annual Inside
ETFs conference in
Florida where I moderated a panel on technical analysis. Most panelists were bullish
but couldn't pin-point why other than "price" analysis. Friday
Mubarak gave up probably needing the extra time to round-up the loot before he
left town for a Club Med in Dubai or some such place. Markets opened lower on
Mubarak's initial determination but then rallied some on his change of heart
Friday…’
T_rump: Ron Paul Has “Zero Chance” Of Beating Obama Paul
Joseph Watson | { Drudgereport: TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE... PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the
laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed,
that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a
testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s become! [ If he was mobster
in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag
and offers up an (too little too late – typical lightweight) implausible
solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d already be in jail in a
rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump
(and not prospectively buy) their ever more and declining in value day-by-day
(from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper / bonds and overnight the u.s.
economy consequently thereby collapses.
[ When you come right down to it, this has been america’s most significant
export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush
and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the
greatest thing since sliced bread was
indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of
honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in
pervasively corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly,
you may have noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on
pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too
light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting
to be a significant part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the
reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is
that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man;
bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current
hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at
the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few
genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has
fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless
america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money
laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit ( also
maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s
casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.).
[ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' }
NBC:
Intelligence officials 'scrambling to try to determine exactly what this all
means'...
TRUMP
DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING
PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [
trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true
enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the
possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a
laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too
little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down
to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this
irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton
couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no
uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who,
unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively
corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have
noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery
including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The
Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant
part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in
america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The
Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt,
unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He
was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if
not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies
in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even
false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even
fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.).
[ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a
25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY
HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?'
] Fragile steps to end crisis seen as plans
take shape for a transition process that would allow Mubarak to remain as a
figure head until new elections. ] After decades of repression, democracy
advocates say it could take many months -- if not years -- to lay groundwork
for open and credible elections. ]
Mubarak
cedes some authority but refuses to quit In
latest bid to quell protests, president transfers powers to VP (Washington Post) [Wow! ‘Earlier Thursday,
CIA Director Leon
Panetta told Congress that "there is a strong likelihood that Mubarak
may step down this evening."…’ Talk about being out of the loop and stuck
with ‘foot-in-mouth’ … not that you’d expect more from the CIA … CIA's
dilemma in Egypt (Washington Post)
[ Come on! How does anyone take these ‘muck-ups’ seriously … As a
purported journalist, Mr. Ignatius should know better. What distracts the
agency is self-interest and greed … yes, greed for themselves, theirs, and a
raison d’etre that assures their continued funding (oh how they miss the cold
war, hot ones will have to do) on top of their private so-called ‘black ops’.
They’re wrong or absent without leave (awol) on major events purportedly within
their bailiwick; ie., mideast, israel, ‘wmd’s in Iraq’, 9-11, Egypt, etc.; and,
as well, are fallacious in their policy direction, directives, etc.. I mean,
beyond their nefarious undertakings, they look more and more like Maxwell
Smarts (‘Get Smart’) minus ‘99’ every day. Expanded
Free Trade: Exporting Jobs [ When you come right down to it, this has been
america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift,
hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived without
them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest
thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and
warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be
bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never
have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great,
other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police,
politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a
wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american
folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and
certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The
reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win
election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible;
and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but
unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as
I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false
perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake
it anymore. At CIA, mistakes by officers are often
overlooked (Washington Post) [ Duuuh! I want to know of even one
thing that’s not overlooked concerning those incompetent mental cases at the
cia; from assassinations, to illegal drug dealing, to illegal arms sales, to
corruption, to disinformation, etc., to america’s and the world’s (ie., those
WMD’s in Iraq, etc.) substantial detriment. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
] Egyptian leader's
defiance stuns and angers hundreds of thousands in Cairo who respond with
chants of "revolution, revolution."
Cisco Slump, Mubarak Saga Keep Lid On Stocks [ But guess what? The fraudulent wall street rally point … ‘news
that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would step down’ … never happened! ] ‘Disappointing earnings projections from Cisco and PepsiCo pressured Wall Street Friday
morning, but news that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would step down
buoyed markets by midday and the major indexes essentially flat by the closing
bell.The Nasdaq actually ticked positive to gain 1 point to 2,790, despite
Wednesday’s troubling report from Cisco that included a decline in gross
margins along with its better than expected earnings and revenue. (See “Cisco:
Prelude To Profits, Or Layoffs.”)Cisco’s shares slumped 14.2%, but the rest
of the tech sector as fairly resilient. Apple was also in the news, after a sudden plunge in the 1
p.m. hour on little news before recovering to finish with a 1% decline. (See “Did
Someone Have A Fat Finger On Apple Today?”)Egypt jumped back into the
headlines shortly after the open, with speculation that President Hosni Mubarak
would resign. In a speech that began just before the U.S. markets closed,
Mubarak stopped short of confirming his departure, but did say he would
transfer some of his presidential powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman until
a September election.It was a tough day for companies who rang the closing
bells at NYSE and Nasdaq, since all eyes were on Mubarak’s speech that ran past
the end of trading. The S&P 500 added 1 point to 1,322, while the Dow Jones
industrial average broke its eight-day winning streak with an 11-point decline
to 12,229.Aside from Cisco, a weaker-than-anticipated forecast from PepsiCo
also pressured stocks, overshadowing any enthusiasm for the latest snapshot of
the job market. New jobless claims fell to their lowest level since July 2008
last week, according to the Labor Department, dropping to 383,000. The
four-week moving average was down to 415,500.’
Initial
Jobless Claims Drop to 383,000 [ Come on! Who believes anything they say /
report! ]
Cisco Slump, Mubarak Saga Keep Lid On Stocks [ But guess what? The fraudulent wall street rally point … ‘news
that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would step down’ … never happened! ] ‘Disappointing earnings projections from Cisco and PepsiCo pressured Wall Street Friday
morning, but news that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would step down
buoyed markets by midday and the major indexes essentially flat by the closing
bell.The Nasdaq actually ticked positive to gain 1 point to 2,790, despite
Wednesday’s troubling report from Cisco that included a decline in gross
margins along with its better than expected earnings and revenue. (See “Cisco:
Prelude To Profits, Or Layoffs.”)Cisco’s shares slumped 14.2%, but the rest
of the tech sector as fairly resilient. Apple was also in the news, after a sudden plunge in the 1
p.m. hour on little news before recovering to finish with a 1% decline. (See “Did
Someone Have A Fat Finger On Apple Today?”)Egypt jumped back into the
headlines shortly after the open, with speculation that President Hosni Mubarak
would resign. In a speech that began just before the U.S. markets closed,
Mubarak stopped short of confirming his departure, but did say he would
transfer some of his presidential powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman until
a September election.It was a tough day for companies who rang the closing
bells at NYSE and Nasdaq, since all eyes were on Mubarak’s speech that ran past
the end of trading. The S&P 500 added 1 point to 1,322, while the Dow Jones
industrial average broke its eight-day winning streak with an 11-point decline
to 12,229.Aside from Cisco, a weaker-than-anticipated forecast from PepsiCo
also pressured stocks, overshadowing any enthusiasm for the latest snapshot of
the job market. New jobless claims fell to their lowest level since July 2008
last week, according to the Labor Department, dropping to 383,000. The
four-week moving average was down to 415,500.’
Initial
Jobless Claims Drop to 383,000 [ Come on! Who believes anything they say /
report! ]
Donald
T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and
scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too little
too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’
flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with
meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their
ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies)
u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been
america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift,
hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with
them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest
thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and
warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be
bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never
have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great,
other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians,
etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing
of late, purporting to be a significant part of american folklore / history /
culture. However, the reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real
story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness
died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of
his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real
america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his
are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to.
How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt,
meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern
emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
… The pervasively corrupt
american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their
lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are
unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these
drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly
bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans.
Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug
money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3rd circuit (
also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her
brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it
for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is
great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.).
[
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Egyptian
protesters plan new push Government
detains foreigners, says it's willing to open talks (Washington Post) [ Open talks? ‘bout what?
Building a pyramid in mubarak’s honor before stepping down? He’s done … finito
… burnt as an over-micro-waved burrito! The following from the Post is indeed
the straw that broke the riders with whips he sent on camels’ and horses’
backs! ‘Wants to die in Egypt? How
touching, or the reality, he’s just plain touched as in totally ‘out of
it’. ‘…In what the U.S. State
Department called a "concerted campaign to intimidate," several dozen
journalists were rounded up by security forces and detained for hours, along
with foreigners working as teachers, engineers and human rights researchers.
Across the city, angry bands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak also beat
journalists; several reporters said that they were threatened with death…’ ]
Cairo seeks to shift blame for clashes by rounding up journalists; U.S.
worries renewed protests could spark more violence from Mubarak supporters. Demonstrations
in Egypt take bloody turn In
Cairo square, Mubarak backers confront anti-government crowds (Washington Post) [ Not too difficult for desperate and done
mubarak to contrive: Mubarak
Says Egyptians Have to Choose Between “Chaos” and Him … Then Sends In His Thugs
to Stir Up Chaos (Infowars.com) In
order to justify staying in power until elections are held in September,
President Mubarak said on tv that the people had to choose between him and
“chaos”. ] The coordinated nature of day's events suggested that Mubarak's
supporters were determined to show, as he had warned, that the country faced a
"choice between chaos and stability." [ Previous: Mubarak's
pledge seen as not enough Egyptian
president plans to stay in office to transfer power (Washington Post) [ Let me put it another
way: Mubarak is as done as an over-cooked tamale … He seems to be stalling for
time and even in his age impaired mind certainly knows his position is
untenable, unsustainable, and even more irrational as each second passes. There
is a possibility that he’s using same to move money / treasure for himself and
others, literally as well, buying time. See infra … Previous: Mubarak
seeks dialogue, shows no sign of relenting Demonstrators
call for massive protest but lack leadership (Washington Post) [ He relented when he
resorted to media / internet blackout. Indeed, this lack of sign thing is a
testament to how far from reality 30 years has taken him, not to mention the
other 52 years that have taken their toll on his cognitive processes. Whether
it is plaques ‘on the brain’ or outright senility, that he is so disengaged
from the events unfolding around him, one may only wonder how he lasted this
long. Nor did his choice of cia standin / shill, new VP Suleiman enhance his
now untenable position which leaves him as ‘done as a burnt enchilada’. Kissinger
on Egypt unrest – “This is only the first scene of the first act of a drama
that is to be played out” [ The
import of this so-called interview, and it is here that I part company with
alex jones, et als (who by the way, censored me for this very thesis, which
puts him and his at the top of my hypocrite list), is that the so-called elite
have orchestrated these events and ‘are in control’. First, there are no elites
in this world; you can’t derive elites from apes, notochordates, and initially
single celled organisms. Second, almost by definition and certainly by history,
there are no elites in america even if you were to accept the first proposition
(though true) as untrue. What you do have, in this world and america
particularly (with few exceptions as I’ve discussed elsewhere / comments / my
website), are inherent criminals and mentally ill people of varying degrees of
unscrupulousness and insanity who do commit crimes, both small and large, to
further their interests or fortunes (sociopaths / psychopaths). The ’so-called
alpha-dogs’ of the human species at most, but still incompetent vegetables who,
if you look at anything they touch (to use a term term of such incompetent
vegetables as historically pertains to their role in the mideast – and
generally the state of the world) it invariably goes ‘pear shaped’ (english
term). What hasn’t zionist kissinger not messed up as appointee or ‘consultant’
– what does he get paid for? No! The fact is, they have absolutely no idea how
this unfolds and as with most of their lives, they will predictably choose the
most sordid, despicable, and diabolical course at every turn because … that is
their inherently criminal, mentally ill / unstable nature to do so. ]
] Fragile steps to end crisis seen as plans
take shape for a transition process that would allow Mubarak to remain as a
figure head until new elections.
}
]
]
After decades of repression, democracy advocates say it could take many
months -- if not years -- to lay groundwork for open and credible elections.
]
Rep.
Lee (R-N.Y.) resigns after Craigslist incident (Washington
Post) [ I am truly astounded; and, I say that without even a tinge of
sarcasm. Where is the corpus dilicti here. That he is a fool and somewhat a
dummy, if such is the standard for resignation, then all of capital hill should
be tendering their resignations en masse. After all, aside from the inherent
conflict, and particularly in light of a financial / fiscal / economic disaster
in large part of their own making and compounding by failing to prosecute the
perps and instead accommodate their crimes, ie., FASB rule change, etc., does
not the consistent though undeserved raises they give themselves constitute of
sorts a defalcation of duty, responsibility, and trust. Unlike congress, indeed
all the pervasively corrupt and incompetent branches of u.s. government in
their day-to-day activities / course of business, though tasteless, sleazy,
etc., this so-called incident is without a corpus dilicti. It kind of reminds
me of that scene in ‘Road to Perdition’ when mob kingpin Newman responds (in a
somewhat incredulous, come on, who you kidding way) to former footsoldier Hanks
by reminding him that they’re all murderers (in the room-including
Hanks).] Move came after a Web site
reported that the married congressman had e-mailed a shirtless image of himself
to a woman he met online.
CIA's
dilemma in Egypt (Washington Post)
[ Come on! How does anyone take these ‘muck-ups’ seriously … As a
purported journalist, Mr. Ignatius should know better. What distracts the
agency is self-interest and greed … yes, greed for themselves, theirs, and a
raison d’etre that assures their continued funding (oh how they miss the cold
war, hot ones will have to do) on top of their private so-called ‘black ops’.
They’re wrong or absent without leave (awol) on major events purportedly within
their bailiwick; ie., mideast, israel, ‘wmd’s in Iraq’, 9-11, Egypt, etc.; and,
as well, are fallacious in their policy direction, directives, etc.. I mean,
beyond their nefarious undertakings, they look more and more like Maxwell
Smarts (‘Get Smart’) minus ‘99’ every day. Expanded
Free Trade: Exporting Jobs [ When you come right down to it, this has been
america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift,
hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived without
them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest
thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and
warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be
bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never
have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great,
other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police,
politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a
wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american
folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and
certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality
is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to
the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in
the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he
and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously
alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively
corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. At CIA, mistakes by officers are often
overlooked (Washington Post) [ Duuuh! I want to know of even one
thing that’s not overlooked concerning those incompetent mental cases at the
cia; from assassinations, to illegal drug dealing, to illegal arms sales, to
corruption, to disinformation, etc., to america’s and the world’s (ie., those
WMD’s in Iraq, etc.) substantial detriment. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees,
cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved
american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense ( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Expanded
Free Trade: Exporting Jobs [ When you come right down to it, this has been
america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift,
hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived without
them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest
thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and
warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be
bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never
have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great,
other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police,
politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a
wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american
folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and
certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The
reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win
election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible;
and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but
unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as
I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception!
Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore.
See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
] Lounsbury
‘In January Steven Hansen observed
that, through November, the trade deficit for manufactured goods was the
equivalent of 1.3 million workers earning the median manufacturing wage in the
U.S. Well, the trade deficit has been with us in a major way for nearly two
decades. I am reminded of the 1992 presidential campaign where one of the three
candidates, Ross Perot, argued against the adoption of NAFTA, The North
American Free Trade Agreement. The other two candidates supported NAFTA.Perot
is famous for his statement that a free trade agreement that was not a two way
street would create a “giant
sucking sound” of jobs going south to the cheap labor markets of Mexico.
Both of Perot’s opponents (George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton) argued that NAFTA
would create jobs in the U.S. because of business expansion.However, the goods
balance of trade for the U.S. with Mexico has been negative and steadily
growing over the years. In 2010 it amounted to $61.6
billion, which was 9.5% of the total goods trade deficit last year.
So Perot has
been vindicated in his opinion; expanded free trade has not been accompanied by
an increase in jobs in the U.S. relative to the vast numbers of jobs created in
the rest of the world as NAFTA became just a stepping stone on the pathway to
global commerce.
Veronique de
Rugy has produced
a graph which shows how manufacturing output and manufacturing employment
have varied over the years 1975 – 2010.
click to
enlarge images
The giant
sucking sound actually started in 1980 as manufacturing employment peaked in
1979. The decline in employment in 1980-83 can be associated with the double
recessions of that time period, which was also evidenced in the drop in
manufacturing output. But when the recovery took hold, manufacturing resumed
strong growth but employment gradually declined from 1984 to 2000, after which
the decline accelerated.
Now, to be
fair, not all the employment decline was due to increased employment overseas.
Trade deficits remained fairly benign by 21st century standards.
Employment declined significantly because of productivity improvements as more
and more automation replaced manual labor. However, some of the decline was
undoubtedly due to increased importation of goods to the U.S.
The rapid
growth in the trade deficit for goods began in the early 1990s and we will
start our detailed examination of the data with 1992, in deference to Mr.
Perot.
Growth of
the Trade Deficit for Goods
The first two
tables show pertinent annual data. The table on the left shows the trade
balance for goods. The table on the right shows the value of U.S. manufactured
goods and manufacturing payroll employment.
The sources
for the data used in these tables are:
Productivity Improvement
In 19 years the value of U.S. manufacturing output
has risen by 58% while manufacturing employment has declined by 31%. It only
took 2.5 manufacturing employees in 2010 to produce what 5.8 employees produced
in 1992. The dramatic improvement in labor productivity (and loss of jobs) is
emphasized by the following graph.
Jobs Equivalent to Manufactured Goods Trade Deficit
One cannot say that there is a U.S. jobs loss exactly
equal to the trade deficit for manufactured goods. Here are some reasons:
However, it is not unreasonable to make the
assumption that a significant portion of the manufacturing jobs equivalent to
the trade deficit would have been created in the U.S.
The U.S. manufacturing jobs equivalence of the goods
trade deficit is shown for each of the years starting with 1992 in the
following table, along with the cumulative total. Hereafter we refer to the
jobs equivalence as “jobs exported”.
[chart]
The jobs exported each year are shown in the
following graph.
The following graph shows that there have been a
cumulative total of almost 29 million jobs exported over the past 19 years.
Unemployment Today and the Counterfactual Labor Shortage
The total number of people employed today according
to the latest BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) data is 139.3 million. If just
half of the exported jobs were retained in the U.S., there would be about 153
million employed. The current civilian labor force is only 153 million so there
would be no slack in the labor force at all. However, the labor participation
rate has fallen from 67% in 2000-01 to 64.2% today. If the participation rate
returned to 67% the civilian labor force would be 160 million. With 153 million
employed the unemployment rate would be 4.4% and we would be complaining of
labor shortages.
The Sweet Spot
If only some, even less than half, of the
manufacturing that has been outsourced had been retained in the U.S., it is
likely that there would still be an emerging market boom, but there would not
be the severe structural unemployment problem that exists today in the U.S. It
seems, looking at these numbers, that where we are is not the result of doing a
fundamentally bad thing. It could be argued that it is actually the result of
taking a good thing too far. It seems we missed the sweet spot and simply
botched a beautiful shot.
Free Trade is a very good thing, but free trade taken
too far is destructive. Hard data shows why.
Related Article
USA Trade Deficit Exports 1.3 million Jobs by Steven Hansen’
Drudgereport: Oil
hits $101 again...
Paul
Ryan confronts over Fed's purchases of debt...
Soaring
debt pushes Portugal towards bailout...
House GOP Targets Dozens of Gov't Programs...
CUT,
CUT, CUT...
White
House to Slash Heating Program for Poor…but still no pros of massive frauds on
wall street which fines and disgorgement of would yield huge amounts to cover
spending... [ Howard Davidowitz on the Economy:
"Here Are the Numbers ... WE'RE BROKE!" 11-25-10
‘The U.S. economy "is
a complete disaster," Howard Davidowitz declared here in July,
the most recent in a string of dire predictions from
Tech Ticker's most entertaining guest.On the eve of Thanksgiving, I asked
Davidowitz if he had any regrets, or was ready to throw in the towel given recent signs of
economic revival. Are you kidding me? "Here are the numbers...we're
broke," Davidowitz declares, noting the U.S. government goes $5 billion
deeper into debt every day and is facing $1 trillion-plus annual deficits for
the next decade. "In other words, we're bankrupt."As with the economy,
Davidowitz is unwaveringly consistent
in his views on President Obama, calling him "deranged, dysfunctional and
discredited."Results of the midterm election show "the people of this
country think we are in a catastrophe," he says. "I'm with
them."Check the accompanying video for more of Howard's unfettered
opinions and stay tuned for additional clips from
this interview. And...Happy Thanksgiving! Aaron Task is the host of Tech
Ticker. You can follow him on Twitter at @atask or email him at
[email protected]’
Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current
debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country
that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn
(entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing
about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and
talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to
"fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn
on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a
Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL
OUT THERE! ‘ ]
UNDERDOG:
CNN POLL: 51% SEE NO SECOND TERM FOR OBAMA...
71%
OF ALL VEGAS HOMEOWNERS UNDER WATER...
'New
normal' in housing bust...
STRESS...
Job
openings fall for second straight month...
HOUSE
VOTES NEXT WEEK TO BLOCK OBAMACARE FUNDS
WE'RE
ON 'ROAD TO RUIN'
UPDATE:
Egypt sees largest demos since start of revolt...
NEW
WORLD TRADES...
Global
Stock Exchanges Headed for Major Consolidation...
D
Börse, NYSE in advanced talks...
London
takes Canada...
Exchange
chiefs seek new global powerhouses...
SAUDIS
TOLD OBAMA 'NOT TO HUMILIATE MUBARAK' [ Sounds like they’re hearing
footsteps…Previous: Egyptian
capital teeters on anarchy Mubarak
asks cabinet to resign as anti-regime protests intensify
(Washington Post) [ Mubarak should have been looking in the mirror as he asked
his cabinet to resign … 30 years is a long time, and coincidentally, time for
him to go. In
Egypt: Access denied (Washington Post) [The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree!
Part of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong
position against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP)
Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP)
- AP - In its effort to silence protesters, Egypt took a step that's rare
even among authoritarian governments: It cut off the Internet across the entire
country. Mubarak fires Cabinet, defends army’s efforts Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:20:58 GMT Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak dismisses his Cabinet, calls on the army to help put
down rising potests... Egypt's Mubarak sends in army, resists
demands to quit (Reuters) - 1 hour agoReuters -
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused on Saturday to bow to demands that he
resign after ordering troops and tanks into cities in an attempt to quell an
explosion of street protests again... ]
Embattled leader's move falls far short of demands that he give up his 30-year
authoritarian rule, leave the country and permit fresh elections. ]
Debt
relief for states proposed (Washington Post) [ I’ve heard of the ‘blind leading the blind’, but the ‘bankrupt
borrowing from the bankrupt’ seems to be a nouveau american phenomenon destined
for ‘clichedom’. Previous: Governors
plan painful cuts amid budget crises (Washington Post) [ This truly is a disaster in the making, with
consequences even more dire than the grim outlook set forth by Meridith
Whitney, if that could even be fathomed. It’s really going to be all that
bad…see infra, The Economic Collapse, ‘#10 The municipal bond crisis could go “supernova” at
any time. Already, investors are bailing out of bonds at a frightening
pace. State and local government debt is now sitting at an all-time high
of 22
percent of U.S. GDP. According to Meredith Whitney, the municipal
bond crisis that we are facing is a gigantic threat to our financial system….
“It has
tentacles as wide as anything I’ve seen. I think next to housing this is the
single most important issue in the United States and certainly the largest
threat to the U.S. economy.”
At CIA, mistakes by officers are often
overlooked (Washington Post) [ Duuuh! I want to know of even one
thing that’s not overlooked concerning those incompetent mental cases at the
cia; from assassinations, to illegal drug dealing, to illegal arms sales, to
corruption, to disinformation, etc., to america’s and the world’s (ie., those
WMD’s in Iraq, etc.) substantial detriment. See also, ie., http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal /
judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Is
the Market Headed for a Sell-Off? Zaky [ Yes … I agree, except that fundamentally the longer term
prospects are even worse than his bearish outlook suggests (don’t forget the
debasement of the dollar, manipulation, and spending / printing money the
nation doesn’t have in real terms behind this manipulated uptick) and summarized
as follows: ‘I suspect that this rally is on its very last legs. We should see
a very healthy 10% or so correction within the next 1-2 week period ... This
market is headed for a sell-off. ]
2011
Update: Another Lost Decade for Stocks - Are You Prepared? [ I agree that
this is but a (manipulated) bull cycle in a secular bear market with
substantially worse to come! ]Kopas ‘In February 2010, we published an article
on Seeking Alpha entitled “Another Lost Decade for Stocks - Are You Prepared?,”
wherein we argued that the year 2000 marked a secular (long-term) peak for U.S.
stocks. A secular bear market is formed when a series of business cycles are
linked together, establishing an extended period of stock market
under-performance. Our objective here is to bring you up-to-date on the
progress of this secular bear market and help you prepare for the next ten
years.
The
first benchmark we monitor is U.S. stock prices adjusted for inflation. In this
chart below, we compare the U.S. stock market to the Shiller 10-year
Price/Earnings ratio. This P/E ratio is an indication of investor confidence; a
lack of that signals extreme valuation levels. Our conclusion is
that investor psychology is still too optimistic and has a long way to go
before reaching an undervalued stock market level.
[chart] click to enlarge
Updating
our duration and valuation benchmarks, again we find progress,
but not yet achieving the truly undervalued levels we expect to see toward the
end of a secular bear market. Based upon previous cycles, it appears we are
only slightly past the half way mark in terms of years, number of recessions,
and valuations. A look at our chart and table comparing this to earlier secular
bear markets illustrates our conclusion. We expect that a major bottom for
inflation adjusted stock prices is still years away before stocks finally
gravitate toward the target area outlined below.
[chart]
New
Benchmark: Tobin Q Ratio
In
this update we introduce another relative valuation benchmark created by Yale
economics professor and Nobel laureate James Tobin, hence the name Tobin’s Q
Ratio. The Q ratio is calculated as the total value of the stock market divided
by the replacement cost of all its companies. Values greater than 1 indicate
stock prices sell above their replacement cost and are therefore “expensive.” A
reading below 1 indicates stocks can be bought below replacement cost and
therefore indicates that it is cheaper to buy a company than to build one.
A
long-term view of the Q ratio gives investors a good understanding of value,
information about current risk levels and a method to assess probable returns
for the long term. Secular bear markets historically bottom when the Q ratio
declines to a bargain level less than .4, meaning stock prices sell for just
40% of replacement value. Today’s reading of 1.03 is above the average reading
of .75 and considerably higher than the average secular low reading of .33. Investors
beware; stocks have considerable more downside potential before the Q ratio
truly reflects a great valuation. Buy and Hold tactics will continue to
frustrate investors, just as they have in the past decade.
In
conclusion, none of the benchmarks we evaluate indicate we are anywhere close
to a secular stock market bottom yet. In the meantime, a prudent and profitable investment
strategy should be flexible enough to actively adjust portfolio asset
allocation, depending on where we are in the business cycle and the direction
of the secular trend.’
Shiller Ratio Points to U.S. Equities Being Significantly
Overvalued [ Yes they are indeed;
so take this especially great opportunity to sell, take profits since there’s
much, much worse to come! That computer-programmed spike into the close to keep
suckers suckered does not change the aforesaid. This is particularly evident in
their attempt to cash in on that superstitious scam known as the ‘January effect’
by way of these manipulated bubble-making buy programs; you know, loosen /
soften the suckers up for the coming year’s new fraud / scam. ] The
'January
Effect' Is More Market Myth Than Sound Analysis ... Kumar ‘…January of 1929, for example, was off
to a brisk start as the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed to 317 from 307.
But investors would be slammed later in the year by a historic stock market
crash that heralded the start of the Great Depression. January of 1987, too,
began nicely. The Dow climbed to 2160 at the end of the month after starting
out at 1927. But Black
Monday would hit investors in October of that year, leading to the sharpest
historical stock market decline in percentage terms. More recently, January
2001 had a strong showing when the Dow Jones finished the month at 10,887 after
starting at 10,646. Those reading it as an auspicious beginning would be hit
first by the further fallout from collapse of the dot-com bubble and then the
massive decline following the September 11 terrorist attacks. See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/cyaPDT ‘… Then, more recently
there’s ‘The stock market scored a strong gain and locked in its first
positive finish for January since 2007 (we all know what happened after that!
Crash!) with help from the energy sector, which climbed sharply in response to
a spike in oil prices.(Yahoo/Briefing.com) … Higher oil prices … riiiiight! … that
sounds bull(s***)ish … on fraudulent wall street. ]
Governors
plan painful cuts amid budget crises (Washington Post) [ This truly is a disaster in the making, with
consequences even more dire than the grim outlook set forth by Meridith
Whitney, if that could even be fathomed. It’s really going to be all that
bad…see infra, The Economic Collapse, ‘#10 The municipal bond
crisis could go “supernova” at any time. Already, investors are bailing
out of bonds at a frightening pace. State and local government debt is
now sitting at an all-time high of 22
percent of U.S. GDP. According to Meredith Whitney, the municipal
bond crisis that we are facing is a gigantic threat to our financial system….
“It has
tentacles as wide as anything I’ve seen. I think next to housing this is the
single most important issue in the United States and certainly the largest
threat to the U.S. economy.”
Egypt protests continue as Mubarak's
government offers concessions (Washington Post) [ Come on!
Let not all of us join america’s / israel’s, et als, and mubarak’s delusions. After all, here’s an 82
year old tyrant, in power for 30 years, yet in some parallel universe appears
to think he’s calling the shots. Other than literal and quite foolish shots
against protesters, even journalists, see infra, there are few indeed that
would trust his mindset, such as it is, much less his judgment, so flawed as he
has now shown it to be. What is obvious is that this long overdue ‘people’s
election’ cannot be thwarted by platitudes and small talk, but resisting the
inevitable will turn an american quasi-ally into an anti-american breeding ground
because there’s just no reconciling a pro-mubarak, however slight, position
with american / israeli, et als war crimes in the region. Restless
Cairo protesters hoping for U.S. support (Washington Post) [ The sad
reality here is, much like wobama’s Afghanistan fiasco, that america has
‘bought it’. This is truly yet another ‘loss, loss’ scenario as is true of
america’s mideast policy generally. Defacto bankrupt america’s initiatives in
the region particularly, though generally true of all american policy, is the
‘square pegs in round holes’ approach to almost everything they do, which
certainly is not lost on the rest of the world. Coddling and caving in to
israeli / neocon / zionist paranoia despite the war mongering intransigence of
the former is devastating to a nation as pervasively corrupt america which is
facing insurmountable domestic problems of its own, economically, financially,
politically, and geo-politically. This should bring to mind the missteps of a
former fading empire in this same region desperately trying to remain relevant.
Indeed, from Balfour’s Despoliation to arbitrary boundaries, etc., Orwellian
britain’s demise (decline) as a real player globally was, as america’s
currently, significantly and irrevocably hastened. Quite simply, pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt america will increasingly be viewed as a bunch
of ‘muck-ups’ who can’t handle their
own substantial problems much less those of other nations; and in fact,
invariably exacerbate existing conditions / problems, particularly when
pandering to israel’s self-interested concerns. ] While the ouster of President
Hosni Mubarak remains the most pressing concern for protesters, the role of
U.S. is far from absent in the dialogue. { Previous: Amid Arab protests, U.S. influence has waned
(Washington Post) [ And that’s just the way israel likes it … and to america’s
detriment, of course … which is not lost on even George Soros … Drudgereport: Soros:
'The main stumbling block is Israel'...
Egyptian
protesters plan new push Government
detains foreigners, says it's willing to open talks (Washington Post) [ Open talks? ‘bout what?
Building a pyramid in mubarak’s honor before stepping down? He’s done … finito
… burnt as an over-micro-waved burrito! The following from the Post is indeed
the straw that broke the riders with whips he sent on camels’ and horses’
backs! ‘Wants to die in Egypt? How
touching, or the reality, he’s just plain touched as in totally ‘out of
it’. ‘…In what the U.S. State Department
called a "concerted campaign to intimidate," several dozen
journalists were rounded up by security forces and detained for hours, along
with foreigners working as teachers, engineers and human rights researchers.
Across the city, angry bands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak also beat
journalists; several reporters said that they were threatened with death…’ ]
Cairo seeks to shift blame for clashes by rounding up journalists; U.S.
worries renewed protests could spark more violence from Mubarak supporters. Demonstrations
in Egypt take bloody turn In
Cairo square, Mubarak backers confront anti-government crowds (Washington Post) [ Not too difficult for desperate and done
mubarak to contrive: Mubarak
Says Egyptians Have to Choose Between “Chaos” and Him … Then Sends In His Thugs
to Stir Up Chaos (Infowars.com) In
order to justify staying in power until elections are held in September,
President Mubarak said on tv that the people had to choose between him and
“chaos”. ] The coordinated nature of day's events suggested that Mubarak's
supporters were determined to show, as he had warned, that the country faced a
"choice between chaos and stability." [ Previous: Mubarak's
pledge seen as not enough Egyptian
president plans to stay in office to transfer power (Washington Post) [ Let me put it another
way: Mubarak is as done as an over-cooked tamale … He seems to be stalling for
time and even in his age impaired mind certainly knows his position is
untenable, unsustainable, and even more irrational as each second passes. There
is a possibility that he’s using same to move money / treasure for himself and
others, literally as well, buying time. See infra … Previous: Mubarak
seeks dialogue, shows no sign of relenting Demonstrators
call for massive protest but lack leadership (Washington Post) [ He relented when he
resorted to media / internet blackout. Indeed, this lack of sign thing is a
testament to how far from reality 30 years has taken him, not to mention the
other 52 years that have taken their toll on his cognitive processes. Whether
it is plaques ‘on the brain’ or outright senility, that he is so disengaged
from the events unfolding around him, one may only wonder how he lasted this
long. Nor did his choice of cia standin / shill, new VP Suleiman enhance his
now untenable position which leaves him as ‘done as a burnt enchilada’. Kissinger
on Egypt unrest – “This is only the first scene of the first act of a drama
that is to be played out” [ The
import of this so-called interview, and it is here that I part company with
alex jones, et als (who by the way, censored me for this very thesis, which
puts him and his at the top of my hypocrite list), is that the so-called elite
have orchestrated these events and ‘are in control’. First, there are no elites
in this world; you can’t derive elites from apes, notochordates, and initially
single celled organisms. Second, almost by definition and certainly by history,
there are no elites in america even if you were to accept the first proposition
(though true) as untrue. What you do have, in this world and america
particularly (with few exceptions as I’ve discussed elsewhere / comments / my
website), are inherent criminals and mentally ill people of varying degrees of
unscrupulousness and insanity who do commit crimes, both small and large, to
further their interests or fortunes (sociopaths / psychopaths). The ’so-called
alpha-dogs’ of the human species at most, but still incompetent vegetables who,
if you look at anything they touch (to use a term term of such incompetent
vegetables as historically pertains to their role in the mideast – and
generally the state of the world) it invariably goes ‘pear shaped’ (english
term). What hasn’t zionist kissinger not messed up as appointee or ‘consultant’
– what does he get paid for? No! The fact is, they have absolutely no idea how
this unfolds and as with most of their lives, they will predictably choose the
most sordid, despicable, and diabolical course at every turn because … that is
their inherently criminal, mentally ill / unstable nature to do so. ]
] Fragile steps to end crisis seen as plans
take shape for a transition process that would allow Mubarak to remain as a
figure head until new elections.
} ]
Budget
freeze hampers oversight, SEC chair says (Washington Post) [ Well, now we
know the real reason behind the spending freeze. It always was a bit of a
stretch to say that was because of their seriousness regarding
deficit-reduction which is a catch-phrase but myth at best. That said, in light
of wobama’s et als’ failure to live up to campaign promises regarding
prosecution of the blatant frauds on wall street, it seems that the absence of
the $200 million will be interposed as an excuse for planned failure. After
all, at every turn, the frauds on wall street were given every opportunity to
cover their tracks and keep their booty. The attorney general’s office, u.s.
attorneys and wobama the b are the worst offenders concerning the
foregoing. ] Mary L. Schapiro says the
freeze is compromising the agency's ability to police the financial markets. Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on
offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the
nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a
pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
]
Milbank: Rumsfeld
offers no apology on Iraq (Washington Post) [ Well, journalistically
speaking, you know Mr. Milbank’s hit the bottom of the barrel when he leads his
article with a quote seemingly as a purported standard from war criminal dumbya
bush who probably didn’t even understand the words he was regurgitating (see ,
ie., bushisms from bush the brain-damaged moron http://albertpeia.com/bushisms.htm
- sadly, wobama probably understands the words but forgets his prior words
contradicting same, campaign promises particularly, and hence, failed
presidents both). Who cares about what would be meaningless apologies from
these incompetent psychopaths.
(2-3-11) Rumsfeld
Finally Confesses He Was Wrong About WMD In New Autobiography [ Nice to know … a nation’s bankruptcy
(america) and another nation’s destruction (Iraq) later. ] Former Defence
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has finally confessed he was wrong to claim America
knew where Saddam Hussein had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction in the
first days after the Iraq invasion.
Previous: Words are cheap, in america particularly … I don’t believe
anything they say and then, as I said, words are cheap. ANALYSIS
| Palin's 'blood libel' comment backfires Washington Post) [ God knows I’m no fan of sarah palin’s
although I am constrained to admit that as a fan of Saturday Night Live, I do
appreciate her contribution to comedic content in the show. That said, this new ‘tempest in a teapot’ of
her own making is a bit overdone. After all, it should be common knowledge by
now, to put it mildly, that she is quite dumb; and, like that burnt out, dumb,
war criminal and moron, dumbya bush (see , ie., bushisms from bush the
brain-damaged moron http://albertpeia.com/bushisms.htm),
she also has trouble with words; more specifically, the meanings of words. But
it is also true that wobama and his ilk have trouble with words and their
meaning, particularly when those spoken words are measured against what he
does, his ilk never seeming to discern the glaring difference … wobama the ‘b’
for b*** s***. Lamentably (by her) and unexpectedly for palin was her failure
to fully understand ‘that jewish thing’ attached to the phrase and the tender
sensibilities of those who previously have been among the ranks of what seems
more and more to be a somewhat offbeat fanclub of sorts. Yeah, that ‘never here
the end of it’ jewish stereotype of paranoid sensibilities to religious /
ethnic prejudice / slur behind some word, phrase, or even a sneeze (spielberg’s
childhood memories) can wind up turning around and biting you’re a** !
Previously: Krauthammer: Beyond
Ariz., a reckless charge
(Washington Post) [ If it were only that simple; viz., a palin ( I’ve
previously said I’m more concerned with her level of stupidity, dumb enough in
an infantile way to prove she had gonads by pressing the button – never goin’
to happen, her being in that position), a beck, a bush, a wobama (Drudgereport:
OBAMA FLASHBACK: 'If They
Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun'... ), etc., there’d be hope for pervasively corrupt
defacto bankrupt america. The fact is, the problem is inherent to america /
americans themselves as I previously wrote here and reiterate: Will: Half-baked
explanations for tragedy (Washington Post) [ Half-baked? Charlatans? The
foregoing are in no short supply in defacto bankrupt, meaningfully lawless,
pervasively corrupt, fraud prevalent america. See, for example, RICO case http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm . Moreover, Mr. Will as an oftimes
apologist for war criminal, pervasively fraud-prone, defacto bankrupt, etc.,
america, with crime rates exceeding by far those of any other so-called
civilized nations, might indeed find himself among those he’s so categorized.
Among the last separate page sections to my website will be a somewhat detailed
psychoanalytic evolutionary profile of the u.s. (one might ask who am I to do
so which is fair comment to which I would reply, read it, or not, your choice).
However, for the nonce, let me say that the it is no small coincidence that the
20th century has been dubbed ‘the american century’. That the 20th
century has been considered the bloodiest is at once the natural concomitant of
the foregoing reality. Keeping in mind the so-called ‘selective’ processes in
both insurance (adverse) and evolutionary (Darwinian) terms, and as well, the
psychology of it all from a behavioral perspective, america has indeed evolved.
From the genocide of indigenous populations, to outlandish propaganda in
support of same (ie., that ‘manifest destiny’ balderdash with overtones of
religiosity spoonfed since elementary school, etc.), to contrived conflict /
war, such, euphemistically bad behavior has been reinforced, some of which
conditioning not always purposeful, ie., the ever greater frauds perpetrated on
wall street for which there have been in large part no real punitive
consequences to the perpetrators; but, to the contrary, great financial rewards
though substantially detrimental to the majority. Despite the surface appeal,
that oft asserted ‘blue-blood’ distinction doesn’t pass muster. Aside from the
few seeking seeking religious freedom (ie., Puritans among some others), most
then new americans were such disaffected rejects of their former homelands that
desperation at best was motivation for travel to the wilds of the ‘so-called
new world’ as opposed to intelligent, rational choice; criminals, mentally ill,
the not-so-bright but ruthless populating the new nation in disparate numbers
toward the ends consistent with greed and common criminality, corruption, and
venality. As of the age of the dinosaurs, the american century has passed into
the annals of a history replete with self-generating terrorism within and
without (that blowback thing). DRUDGEREPORT:
NATION SHOCKED: CONGRESSWOMAN
SHOT IN TUCSON ]
White House mulls Egypt options as protests persist Pro-democracy demonstrators stage 'Day of Departure' rallies (Washington Post) [ It truly is difficult to even imagine such a scenario as ‘a transition process that would allow Mubarak to remain as a figure head until new elections’, though the same probably comports with america’s own pervasively corrupt style of politics as usual (wobama a glaring current example of actions belying words, war criminal dumbya bush, et als) which has spelled intractable decline for america domestically and internationally (probably also comports with israel’s aims at the expense and to the detriment of Egypt and Egypt’s citizens – also gives the cia time to do their deals which could be whatever nefarious money-making / power brokering scheme comes to mind). In corrupt, defacto bankrupt america, facades count more than reality. Egyptian protesters plan new push Government detains foreigners, says it's willing to open talks (Washington Post) [ Open talks? ‘bout what? Building a pyramid in mubarak’s honor before stepping down? He’s done … finito … burnt as an over-micro-waved burrito! The following from the Post is indeed the straw that broke the riders with whips he sent on camels’ and horses’ backs! ‘Wants to die in Egypt? How touching, or the reality, he’s just plain touched as in totally ‘out of it’. ‘…In what the U.S. State Department called a "concerted campaign to intimidate," several dozen journalists were rounded up by security forces and detained for hours, along with foreigners working as teachers, engineers and human rights researchers. Across the city, angry bands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak also beat journalists; several reporters said that they were threatened with death…’ ] Cairo seeks to shift blame for clashes by rounding up journalists; U.S. worries renewed protests could spark more violence from Mubarak supporters.
Ignored but
Important - What Omitted Jobs Data means for Stocks [ What it means is that when there are no
jobs, and everyone has stopped looking, there will be full employment which of
course, is rally time for stocks … riiiiight! ] Maierhofer, see entire article
infra: ‘…The headline unemployment rate (U-3) reported by the BLS fell to 9%,
the lowest level since April 2009. How can the unemployment rate drop 0.4% if
only 36,000 jobs were added? (Much worse than the 140,000 expected – stocks
still rallied) 36,000 aren't even enough to provide jobs for a quarter of
graduates…’ Riiiiight! … that fudge factor/fraud; viz., discouraged / stopped
looking … What total b*** s***! How desperate they are! Previous: Initial
Claims Drop More Than Expected [ Come on! Who believes anything they say
and at what cost with money not really there in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, with manipulated programmed suckers’ rally into the close.
…‘In the U.S. market, Slothower concludes: “This is a hard one to gauge, given
the QE2 manipulations verses skyrocketing food and energy prices, which have
now reached prices levels that have choked off growth in the past and caused
recessions, as we saw in 2008 when oil prices hit $100 a barrel (in March of
that year).” “It is like walking in a mine field. You move very carefully now
with your eyes wide open and on every move, knowing that any day something out
of the blue could blow thing up, given these extreme risks.” But he’s now only
70% in cash. The balance is split equally between: iPath Dow Jones-AIG Grains
Total Return Sub-Index …’ Minyanville's
T3 Weekly Recap: Growing Disconnect Between Market and Economy/World ‘Bernanke said in his comments yesterday
that he is responsible for higher stock prices, but not necessarily for
sky-rocketing global food prices. Well, you can't have it both ways, Ben. By
propping up asset prices when economic data doesn't match the ferocity of the
stock market rally, the Fed is potentially creating another bubble of
sorts.Just look at today's non-farm payrolls number: There was a gain of only
36,000 jobs when 140,000 were expected. Also, unemployment fell to 9.0% -- a
positive sign for the layman, but an ominous sign for the more keen eye.
Nine-hundred thousand discouraged job-hunters left the labor force this month,
after 500,000 left in the previous month. It's hard to see optimism in the
stock market continue unabated while so many Americans remain jobless…’ ‘Kung Hei Fat Choy!: Dave's Daily …Speaking of the man with printers ink stains
up to his neck, Bernanke spoke Thursday to the Press Club stating, among other
things, "inflation remains quite low". He continued saying,
"Since August, when we announced our policy of reinvesting maturing
securities and signaled we were considering more purchases, equity prices have
risen significantly...") I believe that sums things up from an investing view. Silly
people like me are standing by watching those that can like GS and JPM take
this easy money and route it directly to the S&P futures pits, among other
similar places, taking on risk the Fed expects. Oh, and speaking of JPM, the
Madoff Trustees have sued the bank for complicity in helping steer client funds
to Madoff despite complaints from within that his results were "too good
to be true"…’ Monthly
Market Valuation: Investors Are Too Bullish, Valuations Are Too High The conclusion of the following detailed,
documented analysis: ‘Wolinsky :In conclusion, the market is over-valued based
on the above data. Tobin's Q, Shiller P/E and AAII data are all indicating that
investors are too bullish and valuations are too high.’ ]
, On
Friday February 4, 2011, ‘The monthly employment report has become one
of the most anticipated and talked about, but least analyzed ritual on Wall
Street.As far as the media is concerned, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
might as well just publish the headline number, because that's about the only
thing anyone talks about.Not only does the core message of the 40+ page report
go largely un-deciphered, the correlation between the employment reports is
also somewhat deceptive.This article will extract some uncommonly reported
information and point towards what is likely to move the marketThe only other
Wall Street ritual that tops monthly unemployment reports is earnings season.
Like any other ritual, it comes with many myths and fables attached. The most
common one is that unemployment directly affects stock prices.
THE
HEADLINE NUMBER ... WAIT, THERE IS MORE
The headline
unemployment rate (U-3) reported by the BLS fell to 9%, the lowest level since
April 2009. How can the unemployment rate drop 0.4% if only 36,000 jobs were
added? 36,000 aren't even enough to provide jobs for a quarter of
graduates.According to BLS data, the number of unemployed workers (not
seasonally adjusted) rose from 14.83 million to 14.94 million. The work force
shrunk from 153.89 million to 152.54 million. The workforce didn't actually
decline, but statistically more workers are considered discouraged and are no
longer considered unemployed.One of the most remarkable BLS data points on the
BLS site is the average number of weeks workers are now unemployed. The jobless
are unemployed for an average of 36.9 weeks, an all-time high (see chart
below).[chart]
House
Republicans propose $32B in budget cuts (Washington Post) [ Well, there you
go … all over but the shoutin’ … $14+ trillion debt problem solved … riiiiight!
… Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are
simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of
global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form
of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh)
is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut
$100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while
continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1%
each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool
all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT
THERE! ‘] The figure represents
an unprecedented rollback that would force some agencies to cut spending by as
much as 20 percent, analysts say.
]
Fed
dismisses inflation concerns (Washington Post) [ If you’re not used to Dave of Dave’s Daily, see infra, ‘he talks
with tongue in cheek’; meaning, inflation’s here, including the inflated stock
bubble that the frauds on wall street commission and sell into, just as
bernanke planned and admitted, with hyperinflation around the corner, and the
typical ‘bust’. Initial
Claims Drop More Than Expected [ Come on! Who believes anything they say
and at what cost with money not really there in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, with manipulated programmed suckers’ rally into the close.
…‘In the U.S. market, Slothower concludes: “This is a hard one to gauge, given
the QE2 manipulations verses skyrocketing food and energy prices, which have
now reached prices levels that have choked off growth in the past and caused
recessions, as we saw in 2008 when oil prices hit $100 a barrel (in March of
that year).” “It is like walking in a mine field. You move very carefully now
with your eyes wide open and on every move, knowing that any day something out
of the blue could blow thing up, given these extreme risks.” But he’s now only
70% in cash. The balance is split equally between: iPath Dow Jones-AIG Grains
Total Return Sub-Index …’ ‘Kung Hei Fat Choy!: Dave's Daily …Speaking of the man with printers ink stains
up to his neck, Bernanke spoke Thursday to the Press Club stating, among other
things, "inflation remains quite low". He continued saying,
"Since August, when we announced our policy of reinvesting maturing
securities and signaled we were considering more purchases, equity prices have
risen significantly...") I believe that sums things up from an investing view. Silly
people like me are standing by watching those that can like GS and JPM take
this easy money and route it directly to the S&P futures pits, among other
similar places, taking on risk the Fed expects. Oh, and speaking of JPM, the Madoff
Trustees have sued the bank for complicity in helping steer client funds to
Madoff despite complaints from within that his results were "too good to
be true"…’ Monthly
Market Valuation: Investors Are Too Bullish, Valuations Are Too High The conclusion of the following detailed,
documented analysis: ‘Wolinsky :In conclusion, the market is over-valued based
on the above data. Tobin's Q, Shiller P/E and AAII data are all indicating that
investors are too bullish and valuations are too high.’ ]
]
Bernanke gives a mixed assessment of the nation's economic
prospects.
Egyptian
capital teeters on anarchy Mubarak
asks cabinet to resign as anti-regime protests intensify
(Washington Post) [ Mubarak should have been looking in the mirror as he asked
his cabinet to resign … 30 years is a long time, and coincidentally, time for
him to go. In
Egypt: Access denied (Washington Post) [The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree! Part
of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong
position against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP)
Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP)
- AP - In its effort to silence protesters, Egypt took a step that's rare
even among authoritarian governments: It cut off the Internet across the entire
country. Mubarak fires Cabinet, defends army’s efforts Sat, 29 Jan 2011
00:20:58 GMT Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak dismisses his Cabinet,
calls on the army to help put down rising potests... Egypt's
Mubarak sends in army, resists demands to quit (Reuters)
- 1 hour agoReuters - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused
on Saturday to bow to demands that he resign after ordering troops and tanks
into cities in an attempt to quell an explosion of street protests
again... ]
Embattled leader's move falls far short of demands that he give up his 30-year
authoritarian rule, leave the country and permit fresh elections.
Israel
watches Arab turmoil closely, but comments cautiously Washington
Post) [ Illegal nuke-totin’ war crimes nation israel, watch this closely since
the same was a long time coming … GOP senator favors cutting US aid to Israel (AP) (
Now this is a great and long overdue idea that might also lead to enhanced
peace efforts for the region; b e c a u s e , israel will have less money to
waste on provocative and costly (particularly to america financially and
geopolitically) war games. ) AP - Tea party-backed Republican Sen. Rand Paul
favors cutting U.S. aid to Israel as part of a deficit-driven effort to slash
government spending by $500 billion this year, drawing criticism from Dems (and
capital hill generally as Buchanan once described as israeli occupied
territory, to america’s detriment) ... Rand Paul: End Aid to
Israel Pressed on CNN’s Situation Room about details on his budget cut
plans, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) says end all foreign aid–and when pressed further
says that includes to Israel. ]
Economic growth strengthened (Washington Post) [ Wow! Mr. Irwin’s back to his glass very much half full ways. The question is, is Mr. Irwin trying to convince himself, or disingenuously trying to convince his readers. After all, in reality, they’re really hasn’t been sufficient ‘bang for the buck’ (Fed Continues Failed Monetary Policy Suttmeier, chief market strategist at ValuEngine.com
‘Fed Is Continuing a Failed Monetary Policy (And,
amazingly, their rationale is the same failed rationale that preceded the last
bubble, as now, crash, as will, that was spun by senile greenspan that wall
street frauds / insiders sold into; you know, that so called wealth effect
which in reality is theirs not yours; viz., their gain, your pain.)
In
Egypt: Access denied (Washington Post) [The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree!
Part of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong
position against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP)
Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP)
- AP - In its effort to silence protesters, Egypt took a step that's rare
even among authoritarian governments: It cut off the Internet across the entire
country. Mubarak fires Cabinet, defends army’s efforts Sat, 29 Jan 2011
00:20:58 GMT Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak dismisses his Cabinet,
calls on the army to help put down rising potests... Egypt's
Mubarak sends in army, resists demands to quit (Reuters)
- 1 hour agoReuters - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused
on Saturday to bow to demands that he resign after ordering troops and tanks
into cities in an attempt to quell an explosion of street protests
again... ]
Unrest in Egypt has been ongoing all week, but the Internet only seemed to take notice when it affected the Internet. The chilling aspect of an Internet clampdown is the assumption that lies behind it: If you will not let your people tweet, what else will you not let them do?
Regulators
shut banks (11 so far in 2011) in Colo,
NM, Okla, Wis
The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree!
Part of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong
position against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP) Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP) - AP - In its effort to silence protesters,
Egypt took a step that's rare even among authoritarian governments: It cut off
the Internet across the entire country.
Mubarak fires Cabinet, defends army’s efforts Sat, 29 Jan 2011
00:20:58 GMT Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak dismisses his Cabinet,
calls on the army to help put down rising potests... Egypt's Mubarak sends in army, resists demands to quit
(Reuters)
- 1 hour agoReuters - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused
on Saturday to bow to demands that he resign after ordering troops and tanks
into cities in an attempt to quell an explosion of street protests
again...
Egypt
riots knock Wall St to biggest drop in 6 months (Reuters) – [ No! That’s not correct! They probably would
like you to think that … some unforeseeable problem from out of nowhere
deflating their contrived fraudulent bubble that they always manage to sell
into. But the fact is the market’s overvalued to a point again beyond the pale
… another inflated point that the wall street frauds always seem to find some
reason other than the reality of a fraudulently manipulated overvalued bubble
to sell into. ] Reuters - Stocks suffered their biggest one-day loss in nearly
six months on Friday as anti-government rioting in Egypt prompted investors to
flee to less risky assets to ride out the turmoil.
GOP senator favors cutting US aid to Israel (AP) [ Now this
is a great and long overdue idea that might also lead to enhanced peace efforts
for the region; b e c a u s e , israel will have less money to waste on
provocative and costly (particularly to america financially and geopolitically)
war games. ] AP - Tea party-backed Republican
Sen. Rand Paul favors cutting U.S. aid to Israel as part of a deficit-driven
effort to slash government spending by $500 billion this year, drawing
criticism from Dems (and capital hill generally as Buchanan once described as
israeli occupied territory, to america’s detriment) ... Rand Paul: End Aid to
Israel Pressed on CNN’s Situation Room about details on his budget cut
plans, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) says end all foreign aid–and when pressed further
says that includes to Israel.
Paulson's
$5 billion payout shocks, raises questions (Reuters) [ Shock? Come on …
everyone knows that crime in america pays … and pays well! ]
NY
mob task force spends 6 MONTHS probing 50-cent sausage heist... As with cuomo, you won’t see new york / mob infested
new jersey trying too hard if at all to hurt themselves by prosecuting mob
which is so integrally a part of both states… ‘On the mobbed-up docks of Bayonne, the
six-month probe was known as Operation Missing Link.Its target: A suspect who
swiped a $2 bottle of iced tea and used it to wash down a stolen 50-cent piece
of sausage - the lost link that left a bad taste in everybody's mouth, sources
told the Daily News.An investigation of the penny-ante heist was ordered by the
Waterfront Commission, the agency charged with policing the docks for mob
corruption, drug smuggling and other major crimes, the sources said.The
investigation included scores of interviews over countless hours dating to last
August, sources said - even though the victim was reluctant to press
charges."It's like Capt. Queeg and the strawberries," said New
Jersey state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a harsh critic of the bistate
commission."It's a $2.50 ongoing investigation."One of the sources was
more blunt: "The whole investigation is bull----. It's a waste of
manpower, money and resources."Waterfront Commission General Counsel
Phoebe Soriel, while declining to address specifics, said the case was more
complex than it appeared."While the commission does not comment on pending
investigations, it takes any theft in the port seriously - especially theft
involving extortion," she said without going into detail.The reported
value of the stolen goods - a handful of change - is a microfraction of the $200
billion that moves annually through the ports of New York
and New Jersey.The overkill began when the commission received an anonymous tip
that someone filched the drink and the sausage from a food truck catering to
dock workers.According to two sources, the case was quickly wrapped up: The
thief confessed to the crime, and the victim said an arrest was unnecessary.The
victim "didn't want to see him behind bars...just wanted him to stop,"
one source said.But top commission officials, convinced its investigators
mishandled the case, ordered a second probe with every possible witness
reinterviewed, the sources said.Investigators from the 58-year-old agency
returned to the docks and conducted about 80 second interviews, all the while
cranking out piles of paperwork, the sources said.The commission was blasted in
August 2009 - one year before the sausage investigation was launched - as home
to corrupt execs barely better than the waterfront's notorious
mobsters.Officials were accused in a damning 60-page report of misusing
Homeland Security money, keeping a convicted crook in business and surfing the
Internet for porn.The iced-tea-and-sausage probe - which has yet to wrap up -
is considered an embarrassment among investigators and dock workers."They
snicker about it," one of the sources said.’
The FBI’s the only
serious anti-mob game in town: FBI
'largest' Mafia takedown...
Flowchart...
'Vinny
Carwash', 'The Fang', 'Tony Bagels', 'Johnny Pizza', 'Baby Shacks', 'Jack the
Wack', 'Junior Lollipops', 'Bobby Glasses'...
The Mafia
family tree: FBI flowchart reveals
127 'mobsters' arrested in biggest ever blitz on New York's crime empires [ This is a very big deal! http://albertpeia.com/mafiafamilytreeflowchartFBIarrests.htm ]
Car bomb kills dozens (Washington Post) [ Ah, yes! Signs of american style democratization in the middle east popping out all over. The other turmoil is testament to the fact that other mideast nations have complacently sat back as zionist israel / american ‘adventurism / war / war crimes / war profiteering have taken their toll on the region, their people, and their aspirations which like all such action outside a vacuum, have reactions. ] At least 48 were killed and 121 wounded when a booby-trapped car exploded outside a funeral tent in a Shiite neighborhood of northern Baghdad, escalating an upsurge of violence across the country.
New
research points to earlier human migration out of Africa (Washington
Post) [ This is hardly breakthrough
news inasmuch as the same has been reported with authority in as far back as
2005 4th edition Michael Alan Park text; viz., ‘…fossils (of) the
first fully modern Homo Sapiens are found in Africa and Southwest Asia
beginning around 160,000 years ago.’ Truth be told, I find such fine lines in
this truly sad tale of the history of man to be relatively unimportant.
Interestingly, coincidentally, the Drudgereport this day includes this
headline: DNA: Humans 97% same as
orangutans … 98% same as chimps ... ] For decades, the consensus scientific opinion has
held that anatomically modern humans first migrated out of Africa some 60,000
years ago, heading north into the eastern Mediterranean region and then on to
Europe and Asia.
[To the
Professor at the beginning of the course]
10-5-09
Postscript: Professor *****,
I felt compelled to thank you again for the add; not to curry your favor but
indeed to express profound thanks inasmuch as this is probably the last formal
course at a formal educational institution I'll ever take; and among the most
important. While I had bought at discount a library-discarded 1993 Anthropology
by Embers text, though meaning to read same never quite got to it. I am
astounded by the substantial amount of time involved in the evolutionary
process, not that I ever stopped to think about it, and one must come away with
the sense of 'and all that...for this?'. This course should be required
curriculum along with psychology, sociology, etc., but probably won't be owing
to what is, as it should be, a very humbling educational experience for any
member of the human race.
Regards,
Al Peia
U.S.
must cut deficit, IMF warns (Washington Post) [ Duuuuuh! Ya’ think? CBO:
This year's budget deficit to hit $1.5T
Washington Post (Why
the CBO may not believe all its own deficit projections Christian
Science Monitor CBO:
Social Security to run permanent deficits (AP) No
stemming red ink: Federal deficit to hit $1.5T (AP) Deficit Outlook Darkens Wall Street Journal -
WASHINGTON—The federal budget deficit will reach a record of nearly $1.5
trillion in 2011 due to the weak economy, higher spending and fresh tax cuts,
congressional budget analysts said, ... Social Security now seen to run permanent deficits The Associated Press ) The nonpartisan budget agency
predicts the deficit will drop to $1.1 trillion next year. ]
The IMF warning comes as federal officials grapple with a congressional
projection this week that the annual deficit will reach a historic $1.5
trillion this year. This is the latest report to raise concerns about how
massive government debts in developed countries could undermine the global
economic recovery.
DNA:
Humans 97% same as orangutans … 98% same as chimps ...
HE'S BACK: Rahm ruled eligible for mayoral run... [ No
surprise here … lots of juice / cash to go around … Hollywood,
Jobs, Trump help Rahm haul in $10.6M … [ No
surprise here, mobster trump (how was trump missed in the recent big mafia bust
since he too is a corrupt bribe paying/receiving, drug money laundering among
other crimes, mobster), hollywood
flakes like magic mushroom eater sorkin, LSD aficionado jobs (I now realize
what that premium priced disfunctional though fanciful pizzazz of apple products that I would
refuse to pay extra for stems from-jobs says he owes it all to his LSD use-don’t
forget, apple’s protected source code, kernel, and consequent stability existed
pre-jobs and I believe, particularly after actually using an iphone, that the
same is a way to extract money from an ever increasingly dumbed down / dumb
(and I think at the least, eccentric if not obsessively pathological if you
witnessed the near compulsive use of these extraneous-rich, in a trivially
frivolous way, devices) american public by pandering to their desire for
superfluous functionality which requires additional purchases through apple-I
do give them credit for the more elaborate interface / touchscreen and the
ipad, all of which is currently being duplicated ex-apple and presenting
greater values/utility/functionality for the money-so also credit for pioneering),
zionists including spielberg, etc.; no small wonder that chicago and the nation
are down the tubes. ] ... ]
CBO:
This year's budget deficit to hit $1.5T
(Washington Post) [Why
the CBO may not believe all its own deficit projections Christian
Science Monitor CBO:
Social Security to run permanent deficits (AP)
] The nonpartisan budget agency predicts the deficit will drop to $1.1 trillion next year.
U.S.
seeks balanced approach to Mideast turmoil (Washington Post) [ Wow! Talkin’ about balance. The
response might be, ‘better late than never’, yet it won’t take long for all to
figure out that balance means heavily weighted to zionist israel / american
interests which of course, ultimately at this rate they will have none of.
Indeed, america’s pro-israel stance in the region is now as good as it gets;
which ain’t too good and fading fast based on … reality. It’s what they do, not
what they say. Then there’s turmoil, and unforgotten turmoil brought to the
region courtesy of israel / american / nato ‘adventurism’ / manipulation /
conflict / war which animus will linger long after this more parochial turmoil
has subsided. For america to believe the old ways will pull through is a dream
that will become a nightmare for american aspirations in the region. ]
TrimTabs: “No Amount Of QE Will Be Able To Keep The Current Stock Market Bubble From Bursting” Zero Hedge | If the money to boost stock prices by almost $9 trillion from the March 2009 lows did not come from the traditional players, it had to have come from somewhere else. We believe that place is the Fed. ] Economic expansion is continuing, a Fed committee said in a statement, but not quickly enough.
Samuelson:
Deficit
dodgeball (Washington Post) [ In past posts I’ve disagreed with the tenor
if not substance of Mr. Samuelson’s articles, even so far, if my memory on this
unimportant point serves me, alluding to his need to bone up on basic economics
by way of that once ubiquitous Samuelson economics text (is there a familial
relation?), gently implying him to be a soft-touch / lightweight with regard to
all things economic / business; but, this really takes the cake and I find his
article, euphemistically speaking, sorely lacking. Even his dodgeball
reference, though I might be accused of nit-picking, is misplaced. This is no
game. The literal life or death of the nation is at stake. The insurmountable
debt is unsustainable. Yet, nowhere in his article is there even a mention of
the perpetual, needless wars abroad which I would argue have worsened the
nation’s security position (blowback, ill will, geopolitical antipathy, etc.).
Indeed, this huge expenditure on these needless wars is literally frittered
away and even stolen (360 tons of $100 bills
flown into Iraq disappear, etc.), abroad denying the economic benefits of such
if spent domestically. His lip service
in two words, ‘(b) downsizing other programs, including defense’ ( and no
mention of the fraudulent wall street computerized high-frequency programmed
churn-and-earn / a negative in real economic terms) , falls short and his
article is sophomoric at best.
IED
casualties in Afghanistan spike (Washington Post) [ Yeah! That progress thing’s a b**ch! What do you expect them ( Petraeus
optimistic on war ) to say? That the money
spent / diverted to these lucrative for the few war profiteers (360 tons
of $100 bills flown into Iraq disappear, etc.) has been worth the defacto
bankruptcy of the nation. The new military brass as with gates’ cia are without
honor, from illegal drugs, to illegal arms, to war crimes, etc.. ]
Grading
the SOTU / Roboinson (Washington Post) [ I say this sincerely and without
even a tinge of sarcasm that anyone who even watched / listened to wobama’s
‘speech’ should be embarrassed / ashamed of themselves (not that I listened to
dumbya bush’s either). The grade is ‘f’ as in failure as is his failed
presidency, as in ‘f’ himself. Wobama is but a pathetic b*** s*** artist and a
total embarrassment! Previous: Gerson: Obama,
more deficit hawk than GOP? (Washington Post) [ Come on! Where do they get
this stuff? Wobama not only continued war criminal dumbya bush’s perpetual war,
fraudulent wall street protectorate, etc., free-spending ways, but added to the
deficit in his own profligate ways; and, as I’ve said before, democrats /
republicans are but distinctions without significant differences. Moreover,
there’s the literal rearrangement of the congressional deck-chair seating in
the u.s.s. titanic halls for the non-event state of the union (wobama the ‘b’
for b*** s***, more empty words belied by actions / non-action) … Previous:
Topic A: What
should be in State of the Union? (Washington Post) [ Well, at the very
least, it should be noted that the states of the union are crumbling (see
bankruptcy headlines infra), ergo, the state of the union is crumbling and
precarious indeed. The problem with and for wobama is that he’s been there,
done that, and his words don’t match his actions, as is so regarding his not
easily forgotten campaign promises (from perpetual wars, to no pros the frauds
on wall street, to new ‘bubble building’ as in last precursor to crash
supplanting sound economics. Blame it on the teleprompter … sounds like a plan!
All we really know for certain is what definitely will not be in the state of
the union; viz., a solution to pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s
intractable decline. ]
Drudgereport: BANKRUPTCY FOR STATES STUDIED
CA DECLARES EMERGENCY
Facing $1.6B shortfall, San
Fran pays employees $170 million in bonuses...
What Happened to 15 Million
Jobs?
Wall Street's 'Bernanke'
rally runs into headwinds...
Home sales hit 13-year low...
UPDATE: Hawaii governor says
Obama's birth record 'exists' but can't produce it...
Obama daughter practices
Chinese with Hu...
Chinese Tiger ate US Dove for
lunch...
FBI 'largest' Mafia
takedown...
Flowchart...
'Vinny Carwash', 'The Fang',
'Tony Bagels', 'Johnny Pizza', 'Baby Shacks', 'Jack the Wack', 'Junior
Lollipops', 'Bobby Glasses'...
MTV PORN: Parents Television
Council Calls for Fed Investigation Into 'SKINS'...
VIACOM PRESENTS: SEX AT 15!
Young Star Defends
Show's Racy Content: 'It's What Teens Are Doing'...
TACO BELL Pulls Ads...
Teacher Suspended After 2nd
Graders 'Sex Acts In Class'...
Joan Rivers calls Michelle
Obama 'Blackie O'... [ ‘Blackie O’ … Very funny! … I like that … but
don’t look for joan on ‘The View’ anytime soon, or invites from the whitehouse
either … but of course, and ‘Blackie O’ might retort that joan will be too busy
anyway, reprising the role of ‘The Joker’ in the next Batman film by the gifted
director, Christopher Nolan, with AH new Catwoman … meow! ]
]
Shiller Ratio Points to U.S. Equities Being Significantly
Overvalued [ Yes they are indeed;
so take this especially great opportunity to sell, take profits since there’s
much, much worse to come! That computer-programmed spike into the close to keep
suckers suckered does not change the aforesaid. ]
Why in the world would anyone still want
to live in the state of California at this point? Residents of California
have been forced to endure a brutally oppressive level of taxation for many
years, and yet the state of California has still managed to find itself on the
verge of bankruptcy. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a “fiscal
emergency” in his state on Thursday, but nobody is even pretending that
such a declaration is actually going to help matters. Brown wants to cut
even deeper into the state budget (even after tens of billions have already
been slashed out of it in recent years) and he wants to explore ways to raise
even more revenue.
Meanwhile, the standard of living in
California is going right into the toilet. Housing values are
plummeting. Unemployment has risen above 20 percent in many areas of the
state. Crime and gang activity is on the rise even as police budgets are
being hacked to the bone. The health care system is an absolute disaster.
At this point California has the fewest emergency rooms per million people out
of all 50 states.
While all of this has been going on, the
state legislature in Sacramento has been very busy passing hundreds of new laws
that are mostly about promoting one radical agenda or another. The state
government has become so radically anti-business that it is a wonder that any
businesses have remained in the state. It seems like the moving vans
never stop as an endless parade of businesses and families leave California as
quickly as they can.
One of the only things keeping the
population of California relatively stable at this point are the massive hordes
of illegal immigrants that are constantly pouring into California cities.
There are certain areas of major California cities that you simply do not ever
want to go into anymore. In fact, there are rumors that the police will
not even venture into certain areas anymore.
Traffic in California is a bigger
nightmare than it ever has been before and the state cannot even keep up with
repairing the roads and infrastructure that it already has. There are a
few areas of California where you can still see the promise of greatness and
the amazing natural beauty that once attracted tens of millions of Americans to
the state, but they are few and far between now. At this point, most of
the state is turning into one gigantic hellhole.
Perhaps the state could have some hope of
turning things around if they had some solid leadership, but at this point the
vast majority of the politicians in the state are pushing agendas that are so
“radical” (not in a good way) and so “anti-American” that it is absolutely
frightening.
Of course on top of everything else there
is the constant threat of wildfires, mudslides and earthquakes. One day a
really “big earthquake” is going to hit, and once that happens many people
believe that the geography of the state of California could be permanently
altered forever.
But what most people are focused on right
now is the horrific financial condition that the state of California currently
is in. Governor Brown recently summarized his analysis of California’s
financial condition with the following statement: “We’ve been living in fantasy
land. It is much worse than I thought. I’m shocked.”
Yes, things really are that bad in California.
The following are 22 facts about
California that make you wonder why anyone would still want to live in that
hellhole of a state….
#1 The California state government is facing a
potential state budget deficit of 19 billion dollars this year, and California
debt is rapidly
approaching junk status. One way or another the taxpayers of
California are going to have to pay for this mess somehow.
#2 California Governor Jerry Brown recently unveiled a
“draconian” budget plan for 2011 that includes 12 billion dollars more in
spending cuts and that maintains 12 billion dollars in recent tax increases.
#3 The state of California currently has the third highest state income tax
in the nation: a 9.55% tax bracket at $47,055 and a 10.55% bracket at
$1,000,000.
#4 California has the highest state sales tax rate in the nation by far
at 8.25%. Indiana has the next highest at 7%.
#5 Residents of California pay the highest
gasoline taxes (over 67 cents per gallon)
in the United States.
#6 California had more foreclosure filings that any
other U.S. state in 2010. The 546,669 total foreclosure filings during
the year means that over 4 percent of all the housing units in the state of
California received a foreclosure filing at some point during 2010.
#7 Home prices in some areas of California have
completely fallen off a cliff. For example, the average home in Merced,
California has declined in value by 63 percent over the past four
years.
#8 725 new laws (most of them either
completely pointless or completely stupid) went into effect in the state of
California on January 1st.
#9 20 percent of the residents of Los
Angeles County are now receiving public aid of one kind or another.
#10 The number of people unemployed in the state of
California is approximately equal to
the populations of Nevada, New Hampshire and Vermont combined.
#11 In some areas of California, the level of
unemployment is absolutely nightmarish. For example, 24.3 percent of the residents of El
Centro, California are now unemployed.
#12 Residents of California pay some of the highest electricity
prices in the entire nation.
#13 The state of California ranks dead last out of all 50 states in the
number of emergency rooms per million people.
#14 According to one survey, approximately 1 out of
every 4 Californians under the age of 65 has absolutely no
health insurance.
#15 At one point last year it was reported that in the
area around Sacramento, California there was one closed
business for every six that were still open.
#16 In the late 70s, California was number one in
per-pupil spending on education, but now the state has fallen to 48th place.
#17 In one school district in California, children as
young as five years old are being forced to watch
propaganda films that tout the benefits of “alternative lifestyles”, and
parents are being told that no “opting out” will be permitted.
#18 The crime rate in the San Diego school system is
escalating out of control. The following is what San Diego School Police Chief
Don Braun recently told the press
about the current situation….
“Violent crime in schools has risen 31 percent. Property crime has risen
12 percent. Weapons violations (have gone up) almost 8 percent.”
#19 Oakland,
California Police Chief Anthony Batts announced last year that due to severe
budget cuts there are a number of crimes that his department will
simply not be able to respond to any longer. The crimes that the
Oakland police will no longer be responding to include grand theft, burglary,
car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism.
#20 Things have
gotten so bad in Stockton, California
that the police union put up a billboard with the following message: “Welcome
to the 2nd most dangerous city in California. Stop laying off cops.”
#21 During one recent
23 year period, the state of California built 23 prisons but just one
university.
#22 The farther you
look into the future, the worse California’s financial problems become. According
to an article in the Wall Street Journal, California’s unfunded pension
liability is estimated to be somewhere between $120 billion and $500
billion at this point.
So
could the state of California actually go bankrupt?
In
Washington D.C., some lawmakers are now working very hard
behind the scenes to come up with a way to allow individual U.S. states to
declare bankruptcy.
If
something like that is worked out in Washington, then certainly the state of
California would potentially be one of the first states to take advantage of
it.
Unfortunately,
the truth is that the state of California is a complete and total mess at this
point, and not even bankruptcy is going to fix much.
The
state has become a rotting, festering hellhole that is getting worse by the
day. Yes, some really good people still live there, but there are some
really, really good reasons why so many people are leaving the state in droves.
But
perhaps you disagree. Does anyone want to state the case in favor of the
state of California? Please feel free to express your opinion below….’
Economy
News Nightmare: 20 Things That You Should Not Read If You Do Not Want To Become
Very Angry The
Economic Collapse
| Today America is very, very frustrated.
#1 Today, millions of American families are digging deep into
their savings and investments in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. Over the
past two years, U.S. consumers have withdrawn $311 billion more from savings and investment
accounts than they have put into them.
#2 15 billion dollars: the total amount of
compensation that Goldman Sachs paid out to its employees for 2010.
#3 The number of American families that were booted out of
their homes and into the streets set a new all-time record in 2010.
#4 Dozens of packages that we buy in the supermarket have been
reduced in size by up to 20%. For example, there are now
2 less slices of cheese in a typical package of Kraft American cheese, and
there is now 9 percent less toilet paper in a typical package of Scott toilet
paper. So now, you may think that you are paying the same amount for
these items that you always have, but the truth is that you have been hit with
a large price increase.
#5 One Canadian company is making a ton of money shipping “millions and millions of dollars” worth of
manufacturing equipment from factories that are being shut down in the United
States over to new factories that are being set up in China.
#6 In America today, the wealthiest 20% own a whopping 93% of all the “financial assets”
in the United States.
#7 Only 35 percent of Americans now have enough “emergency savings” to be able to cover three
months of living expenses.
#8 47 percent of all Americans now believe that
China is the number one economic power in the world.
#9 If the U.S. banking system is healthy, then why does the
number of “problem banks” continue to keep increasing? This past week the
number of U.S. banks on the unofficial list of problem banks reached 937.
#10 According to former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, the
wealthiest 0.1% of all Americans make as much money as the poorest 120 million.
#11 U.S. housing prices have now fallen further during this economic
downturn than they did during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
#12 According to some very disturbing new
research, 45 percent of U.S. college students exhibit “no significant gains in learning” after two
years in college.
#13 Americans now owe more than $884
billion on student loans, which is a new all-time record.
#14 The United Nations says that the
global price of food hit an all-time record high in December, and
the price of oil is surging towards $100 a barrel, but the U.S. government
continues to insist that we barely have any inflation at all.
#15 The more Americans that are on food
stamps the more profits that JP Morgan makes.
Today, an all-time record of 43.2 million Americans are on food stamps, and JP
Morgan is making a lot of money processing millions of those benefit payments.
#16 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs
in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9
percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
#17 Dozens of U.S. states
are either implementing tax increases in 2011 or are considering proposals to
raise taxes.
#18 The United States has had a negative
trade deficit every single year since 1976.
#19 The U.S. national debt has crossed the $14 trillion mark for the first time, and
at some point during 2011 it will cross the $15 trillion mark.
#20 What the U.S. economy really needs is for the government
to get off all of our backs, but instead they continue to tighten their grip on
us. In fact, the Obama administration is proposing a “universal Internet ID”
that would watch, track, monitor and potentially control everything that you do
on the Internet’
Drudgereport: CUT!
WHAT?!
GOOGLE
Comes Under Fire for 'Secret' Relationship with NSA...
IMF:
Instability Threatens Recovery...
OH
NO: Price Drop Points to Likely Double Dip in Housing Market...
Jobless
Rise in 20 States as Workers Still Laid Off...
UK Economy
May Be Heading for Double Dip...
Obama
will 'have to produce birth certificate' to run again...
NYT:
Former Spy With Agenda Operates Own Private CIA... [ Quite serious a problem … Remember … these people really are quite
stupid but self-interested if not greedy; and, if the money’s right, they wrap
themselves in the flag and find a reason … remember ollie north who’s an
absolute dope … and there are many, many more worse than him. Then there’s their
war mongering which of course is the precursor to their war profiteering, etc..
]
UPDATE:
Hawaii governor says Obama's birth record 'exists' but can't produce it...
BACKTRACK: Now Hawaii won't release birth info...
Hollywood,
Jobs, Trump help Rahm haul in $10.6M … [ No
surprise here, mobster trump (how was trump missed in the recent big mafia bust
since he too is a corrupt bribe paying/receiving, drug money laundering among
other crimes, mobster), hollywood
flakes like magic mushroom eater sorkin, LSD aficionado jobs (I now realize
what that premium priced disfunctional though fanciful pizzazz of apple products that I would
refuse to pay extra for stems from-jobs says he owes it all to his LSD
use-don’t forget, apple’s protected source code, kernel, and consequent
stability existed pre-jobs and I believe, particularly after actually using an
iphone, that the same is a way to extract money from an ever increasingly
dumbed down / dumb (and I think at the least, eccentric if not obsessively
pathological if you witnessed the near compulsive use of these extraneous-rich,
in a trivially frivolous way, devices) american public by pandering to their
desire for superfluous functionality which requires additional purchases through
apple-I do give them credit for the more elaborate interface / touchscreen and
the ipad, all of which is currently being duplicated ex-apple and presenting
greater values/utility/functionality for the money-so also credit for
pioneering), zionists including spielberg, etc.; no small wonder that chicago
and the nation are down the tubes. ] ...
COURT:
Candidate 'must have actually resided' in city for 1 year before election...
Plans
appeal to Illinois Supreme Court...
CHICAGOLAND
SHOCK: RAHM BOOTED OFF BALLOT
China
'on Collision Course' with USA...
Bank
Moves to Buy U.S. Branches...
Stealth
fighter 'based on crashed American plane'...
Chinese
Pianist Played Anti-American Propaganda Tune at White House?
Emanuel
vows to fight ballot ruling (Washington Post) [ Ill.
court rules on Emanuel … OPINION:
Rahm got robbed (of his and of those of his prospective booty) Drudgereport: Hollywood,
Jobs, Trump help Rahm haul in $10.6M … [ No
surprise here, mobster trump (how was trump missed in the recent big mafia bust
since he too is a corrupt bribe paying/receiving, drug money laundering among
other crimes, mobster), hollywood
flakes like magic mushroom eater sorkin, LSD aficionado jobs (I now realize
what that premium priced disfunctional though fanciful pizzazz of apple products that I would
refuse to pay extra for stems from-jobs says he owes it all to his LSD
use-don’t forget, apple’s protected source code, kernel, and consequent
stability existed pre-jobs and I believe, particularly after actually using an
iphone, that the same is a way to extract money from an ever increasingly
dumbed down / dumb (and I think at the least, eccentric if not obsessively
pathological if you witnessed the near compulsive use of these extraneous-rich,
in a trivially frivolous way, devices) american public by pandering to their
desire for superfluous functionality which requires additional purchases
through apple-I do give them credit for the more elaborate interface /
touchscreen and the ipad, all of which is currently being duplicated ex-apple
and presenting greater value/utility/functionality for the money-so also credit
for pioneering), zionists including spielberg, etc.; no small wonder that
chicago and the nation are down the tubes. ] ...
COURT:
Candidate 'must have actually resided' in city for 1 year before election...
Plans
appeal to Illinois Supreme Court...
CHICAGOLAND
SHOCK: RAHM BOOTED OFF BALLOT
China
'on Collision Course' with USA...
Bank
Moves to Buy U.S. Branches...
Stealth
fighter 'based on crashed American plane'...
Chinese
Pianist Played Anti-American Propaganda Tune at White House?
NYT:
Former Spy With Agenda Operates Own Private CIA... [ Quite serious a problem … Remember … these people really are quite
stupid but self-interested if not greedy; and, if the money’s right, they wrap
themselves in the flag and find a reason … remember ollie north who’s an
absolute dope … and there are many, many more worse than him. Then there’s
their war mongering which of course is the precursor to their war profiteering,
etc.. ]
UPDATE:
Hawaii governor says Obama's birth record 'exists' but can't produce it...
BACKTRACK: Now Hawaii won't release birth info...
Hezbollah-backed candidate has votes to become prime minister (Washington Post) [ Now who could possibly deny the rationality of the Lebanese wisdom of a leader that puts not war crimes nations israel / u.s. and nato allies interests, but rather the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese people first beyond words and propaganda based on what they do; ie., most recent of many in the region: US-led airstrikes kill Afghan civilians 1-24-11Two separate airstrikes by US-led foreign forces have killed at least five civilians and wounded several others in various parts of Afghanistan. ] BEIRUT - The Shiite armed movement Hezbollah on Monday had the support needed for its candidate to become Lebanon's prime minister, effectively ending the Western-backed rule of U.S. allies who came to power more than five years ago.
Obama
won't endorse Social Security cuts (Washington Post) [
Is that written in stone? Does that mean veto? Is this failed presidency
pre-election year desperation? Where will the cuts come from for ‘deficit
reduction’? What does the teleprompter say? For some, social security is all
they have, many corporate pensions underfunded, defunct from bankruptcies,
non-existent, etc.. Now there is a very rich pension fund that the citizens
have paid for and does have a lot of fat for cutting; viz., Wikipedia:
‘Congressional pension is a pension made
available to members of the United States Congress. Members who
participated in the congressional pension system are vested after five (5)
years of service. A full pension is available to Members 62 years of age with 5
years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of
service at any age. A reduced pension is available depending upon which of
several different age/service options is chosen. If Members leave Congress
before reaching retirement age, they may leave their contributions behind and
receive a deferred pension later.[1]’
… official site: ‘Members of Congress are eligible for a pension at age 62 if
they have completed at least five years of service. They are eligible for a
pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after
completing 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on years of
service and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the
starting amount of a member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80 percent of
his or her final salary. As of October 1, 2000, the average annual pension for
members of Congress who have retired under CSRS is $52,464, and $46,932 for
retirees under FERS-only or both FERS/CSRS. ‘ ]
Gerson: Obama,
more deficit hawk than GOP? (Washington Post) [ Come on! Where do they get
this stuff? Wobama not only continued war criminal dumbya bush’s perpetual war,
fraudulent wall street protectorate, etc., free-spending ways, but added to the
deficit in his own profligate ways; and, as I’ve said before, democrats /
republicans are but distinctions without significant differences. Moreover,
there’s the literal rearrangement of the congressional deck-chair seating in
the u.s.s. titanic halls for the non-event state of the union (wobama the ‘b’
for b*** s***, more empty words belied by actions / non-action) … Previous:
Topic A: What
should be in State of the Union? (Washington Post) [ Well, at the very
least, it should be noted that the states of the union are crumbling (see
bankruptcy headlines infra), ergo, the state of the union is crumbling and
precarious indeed. The problem with and for wobama is that he’s been there,
done that, and his words don’t match his actions, as is so regarding his not
easily forgotten campaign promises (from perpetual wars, to no pros the frauds
on wall street, to new ‘bubble building’ as in last precursor to crash
supplanting sound economics. Blame it on the teleprompter … sounds like a plan!
All we really know for certain is what definitely will not be in the state of
the union; viz., a solution to pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s
intractable decline. ]
Economy
News Nightmare: 20 Things That You Should Not Read If You Do Not Want To Become
Very Angry The Economic Collapse | Today America is very, very
frustrated.
#1 Today, millions of American families are digging deep into
their savings and investments in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. Over the
past two years, U.S. consumers have withdrawn $311 billion more from savings and investment
accounts than they have put into them.
#2 15 billion dollars: the total amount of
compensation that Goldman Sachs paid out to its employees for 2010.
#3 The number of American families that were booted out of
their homes and into the streets set a new all-time record in 2010.
#4 Dozens of packages that we buy in the supermarket have been
reduced in size by up to 20%. For example, there are now
2 less slices of cheese in a typical package of Kraft American cheese, and
there is now 9 percent less toilet paper in a typical package of Scott toilet
paper. So now, you may think that you are paying the same amount for
these items that you always have, but the truth is that you have been hit with
a large price increase.
#5 One Canadian company is making a ton of money shipping “millions and millions of dollars” worth of
manufacturing equipment from factories that are being shut down in the United
States over to new factories that are being set up in China.
#6 In America today, the wealthiest 20% own a whopping 93% of all the “financial assets”
in the United States.
#7 Only 35 percent of Americans now have enough “emergency savings” to be able to cover three
months of living expenses.
#8 47 percent of all Americans now believe that
China is the number one economic power in the world.
#9 If the U.S. banking system is healthy, then why does the
number of “problem banks” continue to keep increasing? This past week the
number of U.S. banks on the unofficial list of problem banks reached 937.
#10 According to former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, the
wealthiest 0.1% of all Americans make as much money as the poorest 120 million.
#11 U.S. housing prices have now fallen further during this economic
downturn than they did during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
#12 According to some very disturbing new
research, 45 percent of U.S. college students exhibit “no significant gains in learning” after two
years in college.
#13 Americans now owe more than $884
billion on student loans, which is a new all-time record.
#14 The United Nations says that the
global price of food hit an all-time record high in December, and
the price of oil is surging towards $100 a barrel, but the U.S. government
continues to insist that we barely have any inflation at all.
#15 The more Americans that are on food
stamps the more profits that JP Morgan makes.
Today, an all-time record of 43.2 million Americans are on food stamps, and JP
Morgan is making a lot of money processing millions of those benefit payments.
#16 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs
in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9
percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
#17 Dozens of U.S. states
are either implementing tax increases in 2011 or are considering proposals to
raise taxes.
#18 The United States has had a negative
trade deficit every single year since 1976.
#19 The U.S. national debt has crossed the $14 trillion mark for the first time, and
at some point during 2011 it will cross the $15 trillion mark.
#20 What the U.S. economy really needs is for the government
to get off all of our backs, but instead they continue to tighten their grip on
us. In fact, the Obama administration is proposing a “universal Internet ID”
that would watch, track, monitor and potentially control everything that you do
on the Internet’
China's new stealth fighter may use US technology (AP)
Drudgereport: NYT:
Former Spy With Agenda Operates Own Private CIA... [ Quite serious a problem … Remember … these people really are quite
stupid but self-interested if not greedy; and, if the money’s right, they wrap
themselves in the flag and find a reason … remember ollie north who’s an
absolute dope … and there are many, many more worse than him. Then there’s
their war mongering which of course is the precursor to their war profiteering,
etc.. ]
UPDATE:
Hawaii governor says Obama's birth record 'exists' but can't produce it...
BACKTRACK: Now Hawaii won't release birth info...
Hollywood,
Jobs, Trump help Rahm haul in $10.6M … [ No
surprise here, mobster trump (how was trump missed in the recent big mafia bust
since he too is a corrupt bribe paying/receiving, drug money laundering among
other crimes, mobster), hollywood
flakes like magic mushroom eater sorkin, LSD aficionado jobs (I now realize
what that premium priced disfunctional though fanciful pizzazz of apple products that I would
refuse to pay extra for stems from-jobs says he owes it all to his LSD
use-don’t forget, apple’s protected source code, kernel, and consequent
stability existed pre-jobs and I believe, particularly after actually using an
iphone, that the same is a way to extract money from an ever increasingly dumbed
down / dumb (and I think at the least, eccentric if not obsessively
pathological if you witnessed the near compulsive use of these extraneous-rich,
in a trivially frivolous way, devices) american public by pandering to their
desire for superfluous functionality which requires additional purchases
through apple-I do give them credit for the more elaborate interface /
touchscreen and the ipad, all of which is currently being duplicated ex-apple
and presenting greater values/utility/functionality for the money-so also
credit for pioneering), zionists including spielberg, etc.; no small wonder
that chicago and the nation are down the tubes. ]
...
COURT:
Candidate 'must have actually resided' in city for 1 year before election...
Plans
appeal to Illinois Supreme Court...
CHICAGOLAND
SHOCK: RAHM BOOTED OFF BALLOT
China
'on Collision Course' with USA...
Bank
Moves to Buy U.S. Branches...
Stealth
fighter 'based on crashed American plane'...
Chinese
Pianist Played Anti-American Propaganda Tune at White House?
Topic A: What
should be in State of the Union? (Washington Post) [ Well, at the very
least, it should be noted that the states of the union are crumbling (see
bankruptcy headlines infra), ergo, the state of the union is crumbling and
precarious indeed. The problem with and for wobama is that he’s been there,
done that, and his words don’t match his actions, as is so regarding his not
easily forgotten campaign promises (from perpetual wars, to no pros the frauds
on wall street, to new ‘bubble building’ as in last precursor to crash
supplanting sound economics. Blame it on the teleprompter … sounds like a plan!
All we really know for certain is what definitely will not be in the state of
the union; viz., a solution to pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s
intractable decline. ]
Drudgereport: BANKRUPTCY
FOR STATES STUDIED
CA
DECLARES EMERGENCY
Facing
$1.6B shortfall, San Fran pays employees $170 million in bonuses...
What
Happened to 15 Million Jobs?
Wall
Street's 'Bernanke' rally runs into headwinds...
Home
sales hit 13-year low...
UPDATE:
Hawaii governor says Obama's birth record 'exists' but can't produce it...
Obama
daughter practices Chinese with Hu...
Chinese
Tiger ate US Dove for lunch...
FBI
'largest' Mafia takedown...
Flowchart...
'Vinny
Carwash', 'The Fang', 'Tony Bagels', 'Johnny Pizza', 'Baby Shacks', 'Jack the
Wack', 'Junior Lollipops', 'Bobby Glasses'...
MTV
PORN: Parents Television Council Calls for Fed Investigation Into 'SKINS'...
VIACOM
PRESENTS: SEX AT 15!
Young Star Defends Show's Racy Content: 'It's What Teens Are
Doing'...
TACO
BELL Pulls Ads...
Teacher
Suspended After 2nd Graders 'Sex Acts In Class'...
Joan
Rivers calls Michelle Obama 'Blackie O'... [ ‘Blackie O’ … Very
funny! … I like that … but don’t look for joan on ‘The View’ anytime soon, or
invites from the whitehouse either … but of course, and ‘Blackie O’ might
retort that joan will be too busy anyway, reprising the role of ‘The Joker’ in
the next Batman film by the gifted director, Christopher Nolan, with AH new
Catwoman … meow! ]
Hezbollah
gets support of Druze leader (Washington Post) [ Is this a direct outcome
and consequence of israeli belligerence, war crimes, and america’s alliance
with and hence, apparent endorsement of such by america which also has
bloodstained hands from numerous civilian deaths in the region. Yes! After all,
no one would reasonably deny Hezbollah’s a**-kicking of israel in their fairly
recent ‘encounter’. ] The armed Shiite movement received a major boost in its
efforts to form a new government in Lebanon when a potential kingmaker swung
his support behind the group and its allies.
Four U.S. bank failures bring year's total to 7
Do You Believe in the Bernanke Put? [ Yes! I agree with the dire
assessment infra except that it will be more than tears as in that, ‘There Will
Be Blood (film name)’ … and not just in the streets. ] Hui ‘Earlier this week Gluskin Sheff Chief Economist David
Rosenberg wrote an article in the Globe and Mail entitled Why
this rally will end in tears.
Last week, Rosenberg called the current state of the financial market a Wile E.
Coyote market, or a market that seemingly ignores the major macro-economic
risks that could blow up the global economy.
We have an incredible bear market rally on our hands.
History shows that these spasms can go further than anyone thinks. But after
the U.S. market staged a monstrous 80-per-cent-plus rally from its March, 2009,
lows (the most pronounced bounce in such a short time since 1955), it has
become seriously overextended. Meanwhile, practically every pundit is
extrapolating the recent trend into the future because that is the easy thing
to do.
Most investors see only the recent returns; they do not see the nearly
invisible risks. But the risks are there. I recall all too well the 2003-07 bear
market rally – yes, that is what it was. It was no long-term bull run such as
1949-1966 or 1982-2000. It was a classic bear market rally, and it ended in
tears because what drove the market upward was phony wealth generated by a
non-productive asset called housing alongside widespread financial engineering,
which triggered a wave of artificial paper profits. [picture]
He
went on to detail his concerns about the future (which I paraphrase):
When will it be time for QE3?
While I would tend to agree with many of Rosenberg’s concerns about the
macro-economic risks to this upturn, most of the risks in his outline are
economic in nature and could be addressed by central bank action. In such a
case, the question for investors has to be: Were any of these negative outcomes
were to occur, would the Bernanke Fed respond with another round of
quantitative easing? In other words, is there a Bernanke Put in the market?
I believe that the future trajectory of the global economy and asset prices are
highly policy dependent. While I have my opinion, I am not confident enough in
them to be a basis for investment decisions. That’s why I depend on the
discipline of the Inflation-Deflation
Timer Model, as the underlying philosophy is to allow market prices to tell
us the likely direction of policy and price trends, which in turn, allows us to
be more tactical and able to capitalize on the intermediate swings in the
markets’
Market
Outlook: 10 Reasons to Expect a Correction Seeking Delta ‘The
S&P 500 is down a little more than 1% in the last two days despite largely
positive economic data. As Cullen Roche so eloquently stated earlier this month:
But the market isn’t the economy. Main Street isn’t
Wall Street. And the market is a heartless beast that desires one thing and one
thing only- PROFITS!
What follows are the ten reasons (in no particular
order) why I am cautious here, as I see the 1% dip over the last two days to be
the beginning of a larger correction.
1. Another Earnings Season Sell-Off?
During some point in the past four earnings seasons
the S&P 500 has sold off significantly. The trend has been to rally into
earning, then to sell the news. Chart, via WSJ.
click to enlarge
2. Investor Sentiment
Both individual and professional sentiment remains
high, as measured by AAII and
NAAIM, respectively.
Both readings are currently higher than one standard deviation above historical
average bullish readings. Contrary indicator: historically returns are less
favorable when sentiment readings are high.
3. Too Far Too Fast?
The current 22 month rally from the March 2009 lows
has been 90.1% (click on chart to enlarge). The average 24 month rally
to start bull markets is 56.1% with the next closest rally being 65.7% starting
in October 1974. Have we come too far too fast? Chart and data via The
Big Picture. [chart]
4. Low and Declining Put/Call Ratio
Since late 2003, when the 20 day rolling average
put/call ratio has fallen below .55 (roughly 1 standard deviation from average)
the average 30 day returns are -2.2% (-0.7% median) versus a series average of
0.2% (0.8% median). The current 20 day average put/call ratio is .52. The last
time the ratio dropped below .55 (April ’10) the market sold-off roughly 14%
over the next month-and-a-half. Chart
here.
5. Equities Running Out of Breadth?
The ratio of the number of stocks gaining versus the
number declining is struggling to regain 2010 levels. Data
Diary suggests:
that the market has been gaining ground on the backs
of fewer and fewer stocks. We could interpret this as more and more stocks are
bumping up against valuation constraints – or put another way, valuation
multiples can only move so far ahead of earnings growth.
6. Short Selling of Securities in the S&P
500 at 1 Year Low
Per Data
Explorers. Potentially a contrary indicator – have the shorts thrown in the
towel?
7. Tom DeMark Says U.S. Stocks Near Significant Decline.
Mr. DeMark, the creator of a set of Market-timing
indicator, is calling for a decline of “at least 11%.” The last time his
indicators gave a sell signal was mid-2007. Needless to say, the last quarter
of '07 and '08 were not a good time to be in equities.
8. Consensus of 11 Strategists Surveyed
by Bloomberg Says S&P 500 to Rise by 11% in 2011.
Contrary indicator?
9. QE Ending in June, Maybe earlier?
There is some pressure, as the economy recovers, that
QE is no longer needed. I would be surprised if QE2 ends in June, as scheduled,
let alone early. But if it does, watch out.
10. Low Volume Rally
Volume has consistently trended down since the
beginning of the March 2009 rally (click to enlarge).
[chart] ‘
Freaky Friday - Alpha 2 Says 'Cliff Ahead'
Israeli
human rights groups sound alarm (Washington Post) [ As indeed they should!
As a war crimes nation along with pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america, israel has much to lose by exposure of their pervasive crimes though
the entire world is aware of same including illegal nukes! … Ie., Accountability is unclear in israeli probe of flotilla
raid (Washington
Post) Oh, come on! An israeli probe of an
israeli massacre of civilians. Time for israel to pay; for illegal nukes, for
violations of international law, for continued violations of u.n. resolutions,
for provocations as pretexts to sabotage peace talks, and on and on ad nauseum.
Why does america among other nations feel compelled to sacrifice themselves for
the sake of a global criminal nation with an insatiable greed and blood-thirst
as israel? ] An
initiative in the Israeli parliament this month to investigate the funding of
local human rights organizations has intensified debate here about the role of
the groups, which critics have accused of harming Israel.
Obama
presses (as in pressing Mr. Hu’s pants) Chinese leader on rights At
summit, Hu admits his nation needs to make more progress (Washington Post) [ Riiiiight! … Mr. Hu says
with utmost sarcasm to continued perpetual war president, in the mold of dumbya
bush though national u.s. defacto bankruptcy, viz., ‘wobama the b (for b***
s***)’. White
House more hard-nosed about Chinese government / Hu
to face a tougher Obama administration (Washington Post) [ Please … don’t
make me laugh … and, are you sure you didn’t mean more ‘brown-nosed’ about the
Chinese government. This is starting to sound like seed material for the
Weekend Update SNL skit segment, ‘REALLY’. I mean, really. Does anybody believe
this? Come on … I don’t think so! ] Analysts say President Hu Jintao is eager
to burnish his legacy, but he will find a White House that views his government
with misgivings.] [Drudgereport: Currency system
'product of the past'...
HU QUESTIONS FUTURE
OF DOLLAR
RISING DRAGON: China on equal
footing with USA as Hu visits Washington...
GE CEO: China one day will be
world's biggest economy… daaaaah! ...
Obama: 'We Welcome China's
Rise'...
Careful to avoid criticism... ] President
urges counterpart to allow more freedom and open a real dialogue with the Dalai
Lama, and raises the case of imprisoned Nobel winner.
The
Teflon Market Is Here [ Just ask the ‘Teflon Don’ … oh, right … he’s dead …The
pervasively corrupt frauds on wall street, the fed, and the u.s. government are
desperate to evade their unequivocal responsibility and overdue punishment
(prosecution, fines, jail, disgorgement) for the last and ongoing (toxic, worthless paper assets now marked to
anything) fraud diverting attention from their own culpability for the prior
bubble/crash and on-going financial / economic crisis, america’s worst economy
and prospects in america’s relatively short history with this contrived bubble
exceeding that precursor to the last crash; “this has never happened before, in
82 years of history”, and a crash is what’s a-coming. This is nothing short of
pathetic desperation that typifies the last gasp of the dead and dying,
figuratively of course. ] Roche
‘Calling this a “bullish” run might be a bit of an understatement. There has
been an unprecedented bid under the market since August 2010. The Bernanke Put
is well entrenched in everyone’s minds. This week ’s spike in jobless claims
was not enough to cause risk appetite to temper as it likely just reminds
investors that rising claims are what led to QE2 to begin with. Indeed, this is
a Federal Reserve that will not allow equity prices to falter to any
substantial degree. Nominal wealth creation has become the rally cry of a group
of economic thinkers who truly have no idea how to create sustainable economic
growth.
The
stats behind this bull market are even more remarkable than the rally itself
appears. As I noted in December the market literally could not
decline. But the data since then shows an even more untouchable
market (via ZeroHedge):
“As a point of reference the S&P
has been above the 10 day average for 30 days straight, and above the 50 day
average for 92 days straight. What is remarkable are some statistical findings
that pertain to the average’s movement with respect to the SMAs. Sentiment
Trader points out that while as part of the recent surge in the
S&P, the market has gone for “92 days without closing below its 50-day
average, which has been matched only 17 other times since 1928.” Where
it gets scary, is that as pointed out, during this time the market has not
closed below the 10 DMA once during the past 30 days. And as Sentiment Trader
notes, “this has never happened before, in 82 years of history.”
Not much else needs to be said. The
teflon market is here.
Update: Some additional thoughts from Jeff
Saut:
Herb Stein once remarked, “If something
can’t go on forever, it won’t!” And, the current “buying stampede” is now 90
sessions long, making it the longest one ever recorded in my notes of more than
40 years. Combine that with many other “finger to wallet” indicators suggesting
caution and I am currently just sitting. Indeed, sometimes me sits and thinks
and sometimes me just sits. As the astute Lowry’s organization opines, “Our
last short term sell-signal for aggressive traders was triggered on December
30th, when the 14-day Stochastic indicator dropped from overbought levels and
crossed below its moving average. A conventional short term sell-signal, for
culling selective stocks [from portfolios], was registered as of
today’s market close (last Friday), when our Short Term Index dropped a total
of more than 6 points from its recent high of 104.” ‘
E.U.
seeks to expand bailout fund to calm markets (Washington Post) [Nyaradi
The
Sick Man Tries to Save the Terminally Ill (
I can’t recall the specific phrase, but applied
here it goes something like this, ‘Japan with
a debt to GDP ratio of 200% is going to save Europe, but who’s going to save
Japan’. Let’s get real
here as the u.s. house-building with decks, as in Titanics and reshuffled /
rearranged deck chairs, of cards, as in ‘houses of cards’, becomes insanely
ubiquitous worldwide and will systemically (now globally) end quite badly. This
is an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits since there is much,
much worse to come. ) Nyaradi ‘It was a quiet
day yesterday for ETFs and stocks in world markets as most exchange traded
funds recovered recent losses amid reduced tensions in Europe.Incredibly,
Japan’s intent to buy European bonds was the catalyst for the more positive
atmosphere in Europe, and as the title of this article suggests, this is truly
the sick man trying to save the terminally ill…see infra… ’ ] Nations
expand the scope of the euro-zone bailout fund, saying more support is
necessary as investors worry about the prospects of Portugal and Spain.
The
Sick Man Tries to Save the Terminally Ill [
I can’t
recall the specific phrase, but applied here it goes something like this,
‘Japan with a debt to GDP ratio of 200% is going to save Europe, but who’s
going to save Japan’. Let’s get real here as the u.s. house-building with
decks, as in Titanics and reshuffled / rearranged deck chairs, of cards, as in
‘houses of cards’, becomes insanely ubiquitous worldwide and will systemically
(now globally) end quite badly. This is an especially great opportunity to sell
/ take profits since there is much, much worse to come. ] Nyaradi
‘It was a quiet day yesterday for ETFs and stocks in world markets as
most exchange traded funds recovered recent losses amid reduced tensions in
Europe.
Incredibly,
Japan’s intent to buy European bonds was the catalyst for the more positive
atmosphere in Europe, and as the title of this article suggests, this is truly
the sick man trying to save the terminally ill.
The
soap opera in Europe, like every soap opera, is getting boring. It starts with
rising interest rates and credit default swap rates which is met by the
concerned government proclaiming that they’re totally solvent and will never
need a bailout which ends up to be exactly what happens.
Portugal
will be selling 10 year notes today, Wednesday, and its ten year debt has stood
largely above 7% in recent days. When rates in Greece and Ireland hit these
levels, bailouts came within days in both cases. Italy and Spain go to the bond
trough this week, as well, and so it will be an active few days in Europe.
Bottom
line; get ready for an ECB bailout of Portugal coming soon, possibly this week.
At
home, we move into earnings season, Illinois is moving towards an income tax
increase to deal with its budget deficit while Governor Brown in California
begins to sell his austerity plans.
Daily Moves for Major ETFs:
Dow
Jones Industrials: (NYSEArca: DIA) +0.30%
Russell
2000: (NYSEArca: IWM) -0.47%
NASDAQ
100: (NasdaqGM: QQQQ) +0.41%
S&P
500 Index: (NYSEArca: SPY) +0.37%
MSCI
Emerging Markets:(NYSEArca: EEM) +1.06%
MSCI
China (NYSEArca: FXI) +1.13%
Gold
(NYSEArca: GLD) +0.59%
7-10
Year Treasuries: (NYSEArca: IEF) -0.39%
20+
Year Treasuries: (NYSEArca: TLT) -0.56%
VIX
-3.71%
U.S.
Dollar (NYSE:Arca: (NYSE:Arca: UUP) -0.08%
The
major indexes remain overvalued and overbought on a technical and fundamental
basis and so Wall Street Sector Selector remains in “Yellow Flag” status,
expecting choppy to lower prices ahead.’
Four Financial Farces That Will End in Disaster Summers ‘At this point the news out of the financial world is more insane than
… well, just about anything.
Farce #1: Japan Can Bail Out Anything.
First
off, Japan, which has a debt to GDP ratio of 200%, is bailing out Europe, which
has a smaller but equally disturbing debt problem. Yes, one broke country
(Japan) is now trying to bail out an entire economic union, despite the fact
that it hasn't succeeded in managing its own finances or economy in over 20
years.Indeed, the idea that Japan could bail out anyone when it’s failed to
create any substantial economic growth despite spending trillions of yen should
give you an idea of just how out of control the entire financial system has
become. We are literally in the end game now. Unless Martians come down and
start bailing out Earth, the Great Sovereign Default will be in full effect
within the next six months.
Farce #2: Inflation Is at 1%.
Meanwhile,
Ben Bernanke claims that inflation in the U.S. is at 1%. President Obama has to
maintain that this is a fact with a straight face next week when he meets with
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is witnessing food riots in Algeria due
to soaring food prices.The Fed has claimed inflation is under control for
months now, proving that its members must not eat food, drive cars, or know how
to read. Indeed, in order to ignore rising prices in the U.S., you would
literally have to not shop for groceries, not pump gas into your car, not read
the newspaper, and not have access to the Internet or any financial news
outlet.I sincerely hope that the Fed is not run by folks who fit this description,
but after reading the next two farces, I’m not so sure.
Farce #3: QE Is Working.
Various
Fed officials have stepped forward to claim that its Quantitative Easing
program has worked. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the whole purpose of
QE was to lower interest rates.How then do you explain the following? [chart]As
you can see, interest rates have soared since the Fed implemented QE 2. It’s
not like QE has helped the U.S. economy either; food stamp usage has hit new
records since it began.And yet the Fed claims that QE is not only working, but
we need more of it. However, even that farce pales compared to the next and
final financial farce of today’s essay.
Farce #4: The Folks Managing the Fed’s QE Efforts Have No
Investing Experience.
Then,
of course, there’s the recent revelation that the Fed’s monetary policies
involving the purchasing of trillions of U.S. Treasuries are in the hands of
folks aged 26, 29, and 34, none of whom have any investing experience
whatsoever.And they’re in charge of buying up trillions in U.S. debt.If, at
this point, it’s not clear that the entire financial system is not a disaster
waiting to happen, then I don’t know what else to say. Indeed, our entire
system is built on fraud and managed by folks who don’t know what they’re
doing. And if you think they’ll steer us to safety, consider that around the
globe we’re already beginning to see signs of systemic collapse.Indeed, I
believe we are in fact on the verge of another round of deflation which will
take prices down across the board as the U.S. dollar rallies. However, this
period will be short-lived as it will be followed by a U.S. dollar collapse
soon after.At that point, the next stage is the paper currency collapse, the
stage at which inflation accelerates as the U.S. dollar collapses, destroying
purchasing power while inflation hedges explode higher.Some, like the most
popular picks (gold and silver bullion), will record strong gains. However,
others (the ones that 99.9% of the investment world are currently clueless about),
will go absolutely parabolic.’
Watchdog
over Afghan reconstruction resigns (Washington Post) [ Wow! Sounds like he
really meant business … which also meant, congress ‘hearing footsteps’ so to
speak, that he had to go. After all, applying a stringent standard that
promises to do something about fraud and corruption is a standard that would
threaten the entire u.s. government … all three branches. ] Arnold Fields, the head of the office
charged with investigating corruption in the multibillion-dollar effort to
rebuild Afghanistan has resigned, the White House said, following congressional
demands that he be replaced.
China
as Europe's white knight? (Washington Post) [ White
knight? I don’t think so. Yellow night and day, I think yes. Not to impugn
their motives, but the Book of Ecclesiastes said it well: "What
has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there
is nothing new under the sun"
Jun 18, 2007 ... John
Perkins' career as an economic hit man (EHM) has taken him all over
the globe. He details his activities as an EHM in his best-seller ...
heartlanddiaryofbettyb.blogspot.com/.../confessions-of-economic-hit-man.html - Cached - Similar
Mar 23, 2007 ...
Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins is an exclamation
point riddled history of a few financial manipulations of the Cold War ...
cobb.typepad.com/cobb/2007/03/confessions_of_.html -
Cached - Similar
Aug 9, 2006 ...
rustydude's diary :: :: The reason I bring it up within the ..... I am
thrilled to hear all this support for the Economic Hit Man book since
...
www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/10/04532/7753 - Cached - Similar
Jul 13, 2010 ... In 2008,
Greek writer/director Stelios Koul made a documentary about Perkins entitled “Diary
of an Economic Hit Man.” ...
www.thewrap.com/.../cinema-libre-acquires-economic-hit-man-19179 - Cached
14 Eye Opening Statistics Which Reveal Just How
Dramatically The U.S. Economy Has Collapsed Since 2007 Most
Americans have become so accustomed to the “new normal” of continual economic
decline that they don’t even remember how good things were just a few short
years ago. ‘The Economic Collapse Jan 10, 2011
’Most Americans have become so accustomed to the “new normal” of continual
economic decline that they don’t even remember how good things were just a few
short years ago. Back in 2007, unemployment was very low, good jobs were
much easier to get, far fewer Americans were living in poverty or enrolled in
welfare programs and government finances were in much better shape. Of
course most of this prosperity was fueled by massive amounts of debt, but at
least times were better. Unfortunately, things have really deteriorated
over the last several years. Since 2007, unemployment has skyrocketed,
foreclosures have set new all-time records, personal bankruptcies have soared
and U.S. government debt has gotten completely and totally out of
control. Poll after poll has shown that Americans are now far less
optimistic about the future than they were in 2007. It is almost as if
the past few years have literally sucked the hope out of millions upon millions
of Americans.
Sadly,
our economic situation is continually getting worse. Every month the
United States loses more factories. Every month the United States loses
more jobs. Every month the collective wealth of U.S. citizens continues
to decline. Every month the federal government goes into even more
debt. Every month state and local governments go into even more debt.
Unfortunately,
things are going to get even worse in the years ahead. Right now we look
back on 2005, 2006 and 2007 as “good times”, but in a few years we will look
back on 2010 and 2011 as “good times”.
We
are in the midst of a long-term economic decline, and the very bad economic
choices that we have been making as a nation for decades are now starting to
really catch up with us.
So
as horrible as you may think that things are now, just keep in mind that things
are going to continue to deteriorate in the years ahead.
But
for the moment, let us remember how far we have fallen over the past few
years. The following are 14 eye opening statistics which reveal just how
dramatically the U.S. economy has collapsed since 2007….
#1
In November 2007, the official U.S. unemployment rate was just 4.7
percent. Today, the official U.S. unemployment rate is 9.4 percent.
#2
In November 2007, 18.8% of unemployed Americans had been out of work for 27
weeks or longer. Today that percentage is up to 41.9%.
#3
As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million Americans that had been
unemployed for half a year or longer. Today, there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or
longer.
#4
Nearly 10 million Americans now receive unemployment insurance, whichis
almost four times as many as were receiving it back
in 2007.
#5
More than half of the U.S. labor force (55 percent) has “suffered a spell of
unemployment, a cut in pay, a reduction in hours or have become involuntary
part-time workers” since the “recession” began in December 2007.
#6
According to one analysis, the United States has lost a total of approximately
10.5 million jobs since 2007.
#7
As 2007 began, only 26 million Americans were on food stamps. Today, an
all-time record of 43.2 million Americans are enrolled in the
food stamp program.
#8
In 2007, the U.S. government held a total of $725 billion in mortgage
debt. As of the middle of 2010, the U.S. government held a total of $5.148 trillion in mortgage debt.
#9
In the year prior to the “official” beginning of the most recent recession in
2007, the IRS filed just 684,000 tax liens against U.S. taxpayers. During
2010, the IRS filed over a million tax liens against U.S.
taxpayers.
#10
From the year 2000 through the year 2007, there were 27 bank failures in the
United States. From 2008 through 2010, there were 314 bank failures in the United States.
#11
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number
of U.S. families with children living in homeless sheltersincreased from 131,000 to 170,000 between 2007
and 2009.
#12
In 2007, one poll found that 43 percent of Americans were living “paycheck to
paycheck”. Sadly, according to a survey released very close to the end of
2010, approximately 55 percent
of all Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck.
#13
In 2007, the “official” federal budget deficit was just 161 billion
dollars. In 2010, the “official” federal budget deficit was approximately 1.3 trillion dollars.
#14
As 2007 began, the U.S. national debt was just under 8.7 trillion
dollars. Today, the U.S. national debt has just surpassed 14 trillion dollars and it
continues to soar into the stratosphere.
So
is there any hope that we can turn all of this around?
Unfortunately,
the massive amount of debt that we have piled up as a society over the last
several decades has made that impossible.
If
you add up all forms of debt (government debt, business debt, individual debt),
it comes to approximately 360 percent of GDP. It is the biggest debt
bubble in the history of the world.
If
the federal government and our state governments stop borrowing and spending so
much money, our economy would collapse. But if they keep borrowing and
spending so much money they will continually make the eventual economic
collapse even worse.
We
are in the terminal stages of the most horrific debt spiral the world has ever
seen, and when the debt spiral gets stopped the house of cards is going to
finally come down for good.
So
enjoy these times while you still have them. Yes, today is not nearly as
prosperous as 2007 was, but today is most definitely a whole lot better than
2015 or 2020 is going to be.
Sadly,
we could have avoided this financial disaster completely if only we had
listened more carefully to those that founded this nation. Once upon a
time, Thomas Jefferson said
the following….
I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.’
Options Data Suggests Topping Action -VXX
- News)
has lulled investors into a state of complacency. If you had to describe
investor's alertness in sleep lingo, a state of REM sleep would probably be the
closest comparison.History tells us that the (bear) market only strikes when
least expected.Based on analyst polls by Bloomberg, Barron's, USA Today and a
variety of sentiment measures, a stock market (NYSEArca: VTI
- News)
decline is as remote today as it was in 2000 or 2007.
Hedging Activity Drops
Investors
and traders are content to hold on to massive long positions without hedge. One
of the easiest ways to hedge your stock portfolio is via put options. Last week
the CBOE Equity Put/Call Ratio dropped to 0.4, the lowest reading since April
15, 2010.The lack of hedging is dangerous for prices because the market is
without a safety net. The only option for spooked investors without hedge is to
sell. Selling causes prices to drop.On April 16, 2010, the ETF Profit Strategy
Newsletter warned of the consequences of a low put/call ratio: 'Selling results
in more selling. This negative feedback loop usually results in rapidly falling
prices. The pieces are in place for a major decline. We are simply waiting for
the proverbial first domino to fall over and set off a chain reaction.'The
first domino dropped just a few days later, setting off the May 6 'Flash Crash'
and ultimately resulted in a swift 15% correction for the Dow (DJI: ^DJI), 17% correction
for the S&P (SNP: ^GSPC), 19% for the Nasdaq (Nasdaq: ^IXIC), and 21% for
the Russell 2000 (NYSEArca: IWM - News).A
different measure of complacency is the premium traders willingness to pay
for call options (bullish bets). Based on a three-month average, the price for
put options (bearish bets) is near a 10-year low. The only other time that
rivals current readings was in 2007.
This Time is Different
The
spirit of 'this time is different' is one of the most fascinating phenomenons
known to Wall Street. Investors' sentiment follows the ebb and flow of stock
prices. When prices are up, the future is expected to be bright. When prices
are down, the future is supposedly bleak (just think of the 2007 peak and 2009
bottom).This approach of linear extrapolations feeds the herding mentality,
which contrarians use as effective indicators. This approach is not foolproof
but, nevertheless, is one of the most accurate, if not the most accurate timing
tool known to underground Wall Street aficionadosThe chart below (taken from
the January 2011 ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter) illustrates the four most
prominent occurrences of extreme optimism, or the 'this time is different'
effect. The green line connects the price of the S&P with the timeline and
various sentiment gauges. [chart] Investors thought 'this time is different' at
the 2007 peak, in May 2008, in January 2010, and again in April 2010. The only
thing different at all four times was the velocity of the descent, but each
period of euphoria was greeted by despair.
Optimism and Bad News
If
you had a chance to watch CNBC's 60 Minutes over the past two weeks, you are
aware of some possible 'Black Swan' events.Scott Pelley's introduction to Ben
Bernanke's interview couldn't have been more sobering: 'That is the worst
recovery we've ever seen. Ben Bernanke is concerned. Chairmen of the Fed rarely
do interviews, but this week Bernanke feels he has to speak out because he
believes his critics may not understand how much trouble the economy is in.'The
financial media, however, ignored Ben Bernanke's sobering assessment of the
economy and focused on the silver lining: A bad economy may lead to QE3 and its
cousins QE4 and QE5. What's better, an improving economy or more QE? Apparently
QE is just as good as more jobs.Another 60 Minutes focused on the next big
thing; Municipal and state defaults. In the two years since the 'Great
Recession,' states have collectively spent nearly half a trillion dollars more
than they collected. There's a trillion dollar hole in their public pension
fund and according to New Jersey's Governor, the day of reckoning is
near.Meredith Whitney, one of the few analysts who foresaw the bubble building
in banks (NYSEArca: KBE - News)
and financials (NYSEArca: XLF - News)
believes at least part of the three trillion municipal bond market will unravel
within the next year.For much of 2010 municipal bonds were brewing their own
little bubble. As it is common with bubbles, they are rarely foreseen by the
public eye. In the case of muni bonds, yield hungry investors ignored the red
flags.On August 26, the ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter warned that it is time
to get out of muni bonds, corporate bonds and Treasuries. Muni-bonds topped on
August 26 and have since given up more than two years worth of gains.
History Rhymes
Yes,
history doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes. In 2007, Merrill Lynch's
Global Economics Report foresaw a bright future: 'The Merrill Lynch global
economics team believes that the economy will continue to grow in 2007 - with
no sign of a significant cyclical slowdown.'According to J.P. Morgan, Barclays
Capital and Goldman Sachs (Merrill Lynch failed to foresee its own demise in
2007 and is no more), the S&P will gain between 15 - 20% in 2011 and the
'economy will continue to grow in 2011.'Perhaps this time will be different,
but based on history, now is the time to at least be cautious and protect your
investments. An ounce of protection is worth more than a pound of cure. Based on
long-term valuation metrics the stock market is priced to deliver pain, not
gain (see November 2011 ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter for a detailed
analysis).Based on sentiment, the market is overheated and due for a correction
at the very least, and how often have we seen a correction turn into something
more? Timing a top is tricky, but based on support and resistance levels and
seasonal patterns it is possible to narrow down when the market is ready to
roll over.The ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter
includes the next resistance likely to mark the end of this rally and important
structural support. A close below this important support level will probably
break the bulls' spirit and the market's streak.’
Twain
needs no fixin' (Washington Post) [ I quite agree with Ms. Parker,
particularly in this digital age which facilitates such censorship which can be
accomplished with such ease and an environment as in the self-created paranoid
u.s. replete with pervasive corruption, incompetence, and criminality where
perpetrators / criminals therein cry out for more cover-up / censorship all in
the self-destructive name of ‘war on terror’, jingoistic patriotism, etc.. I’m
against almost all censorship (subject
to very limited exceptions, ie., ‘yelling fire in a crowded theater, kiddy
porn, etc., except that the u.s. courts are so corrupt and venal that they can
no longer be trusted to responsibly apply those limited exceptions to narrowly
defined exceptional circumstances. See, for example, RICO case
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm )
. DRUDGEREPORT: NYT SATURDAY: NUMBER OF COMBAT
INJURIES IN AFGHANISTAN APPROACHES IRAQ-WAR LEVELS... DEVELOPING...
'WE'RE
DIGGING OUT OF A HOLE' [ Example of sentiment: some comments - ‘…Barack Obama is a cooked goose. He is absolutely
the most incompetent president of the U.S. ever, so he continues to spin the
numbers in such a manner that might make him look good. News for him: NOTHING
will make you look good. Pretty is skin deep, incompetence goes clear to the
bone. "Let his days be few; and let another take his office." Psalms
109:8- RightStuff, Texas, USA, 7/1/2011 19:45
You know what happens when you keep digging a hole - you reach China and
that is what is going to finish the americans and Obamarama...- Olrik, Canada,
7/1/2011 19:41
'We're digging ourselves out of a hole' - Barack Hussein Obama To get
out of a hole you've dug so deep, is to STOP DIGGING, fill it up with soil so
you can climb OUT OF THE HOLE. STOP SPENDING OBAMA! STOP PRINTING MONEY! The US
dollar is weakening against YUAN of China. Republicans better start cutting all
spending, defund/repeal Obamacare, America is flat BROKE! If Republicans can't
rein all spending created by Pelosi and her peons, their DEBT would be BIGGER
than their economy.- Observer, over here, over there, 7/1/2011 19:33
Well the ammo index is still down, I guess having 3,000 rounds is
enough- NVBob, Richland WA USA, 7/1/2011 19:31
Fill in the hole, with Obama in it, at the bottom!- Stan, St Louis,
Missouri, USA, 7/1/2011 19:30
DRUDGEREPORT: NYT SATURDAY: NUMBER OF
COMBAT INJURIES IN AFGHANISTAN APPROACHES IRAQ-WAR LEVELS... DEVELOPING...
'WE'RE
DIGGING OUT OF A HOLE' [ Example of sentiment: some comments - ‘…Barack Obama is a cooked goose. He is absolutely
the most incompetent president of the U.S. ever, so he continues to spin the
numbers in such a manner that might make him look good. News for him: NOTHING
will make you look good. Pretty is skin deep, incompetence goes clear to the
bone. "Let his days be few; and let another take his office." Psalms
109:8- RightStuff, Texas, USA, 7/1/2011 19:45
You know what happens when you keep digging a hole - you reach China and
that is what is going to finish the americans and Obamarama...- Olrik, Canada,
7/1/2011 19:41
'We're digging ourselves out of a hole' - Barack Hussein Obama To get
out of a hole you've dug so deep, is to STOP DIGGING, fill it up with soil so
you can climb OUT OF THE HOLE. STOP SPENDING OBAMA! STOP PRINTING MONEY! The US
dollar is weakening against YUAN of China. Republicans better start cutting all
spending, defund/repeal Obamacare, America is flat BROKE! If Republicans can't
rein all spending created by Pelosi and her peons, their DEBT would be BIGGER
than their economy.- Observer, over here, over there, 7/1/2011 19:33
Well the ammo index is still down, I guess having 3,000 rounds is
enough- NVBob, Richland WA USA, 7/1/2011 19:31
Fill in the hole, with Obama in it, at the bottom!- Stan, St Louis,
Missouri, USA, 7/1/2011 19:30
Jobs
report an 'utter mess'... ‘…However, some economists were less optimistic. 'It's a bit of a mixed
bag,' said Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody's Analytics. Many analysts hoped
to see larger job gains, and the drop in the unemployment rate is unlikely to
be sustained, he said. 'The labour market ended last year with a bit of a
thud,' he said…’
China
plans $1.3 billion 'seven-star hotel'...
China
Backs Europe, Euro for Investing Reserves...
REPORT:
Too much fluoride in US water...
CBO
Says Repeal Would Reduce Spending by $540 Billion...’The Congressional Budget Office, in an email to
Capitol Hill staffers obtained by the Spectator, has said that
repealing the national health care law would reduce net spending by $540
billion in the ten year period from 2012 through 2021. That number represents
the cost of the new provisions, minus Medicare cuts. Repealing the bill would
also eliminate $770 billion in taxes. It's the tax hikes in the health care law
(along with the Medicare cuts) which accounts for the $230 billion in deficit
reduction…’
Republicans
reject cost estimate on health repeal (Washington Post) [
One thing’s certain … they’ll agree to disagree … $14 plus trillion and
counting and wobama the b for b*** s*** and co are worried about a couple
hundred billion … tax cuts to the rich …
(Davis ‘… This is how we
pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get
anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but
probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded
liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see
Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth
of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend
$1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is
no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all
of the time. THIS HOUSE
OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!) ‘Then again, look at the war spending : Drudgereport: Congresswoman calls
Afghanistan 'national embarrassment'...
'Epic failure'... Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) talks about the "disastrous" war that
is Afghanistan. "This war represents an epic failure, a national
embarrassment and a moral blight," Rep. Woolsey said. [ True enough!
Though broke, they’re still voting for more war across the board. But even more
than that, this war is a blowback-creating, self-perpetuating,
self-destructive, self-defeating, colossally expensive debacle benefiting only
the war profiteers / lobbies and attendant frauds while diverting attention
from the more ’mundane’ tasks of governance of a failing, pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt nation, viz., america. ]
PENTAGON BUDGET SLASH [
Riiiiight! … What’s $80 billion on a trillion dollar tab especially with those
off-budget special items whenever they so choose. ]: OBAMA TO CUT TROOPS ON ACTIVE DUTY
FEDS BREAK GROUND ON SUPER
SPY CENTER (Riiiiight! More spending on those ultra-efficient super-spies, ie.,
Iraq on a lie, illegal drug ops, 9-11 NORAD ordered to stand down, etc., though
u.s. defacto bankrupt)...
New Miami Police peeping
drone may be first in country; ACLU approves...
Man Arrested for Having
'Suspicious' Bagel on Plane...
Ex-CIA officer charged with
leak to NYT reporter...
Packages Cause
'Flash Explosions' At 2 State Gov't Buildings in MD...
One addressed to Gov...
US Treasury asks Congress to
lift debt ceiling...
Obama calls Gibbs $174,000
salary 'relatively modest' ( Come on! In pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america, government jobs for the otherwise unemployable at those levels are
over-priced and over-valued, as are other so-called executive jobs, ie.,
fraudulent wall street, etc.. Look at their results! )... ] Boehner dismisses CBO forecast that rescinding law
would raise deficit by about $230 billion and leave 32 million more Americans
uninsured.
Apprehension ahead of Moqtada al-Sadr speech (Washington Post) [ What is he expected to say?:
Thank you america for bombing, invading, and destroying his nation based on a
lie? Thank you america for killing, maiming innocent children, women, and men?
Thank you america for all the depleted uranium you’ve left behind? Thank you
america for removing your america-supported mad-dog tyrant sadam hussein who
foolishly played into his cia handlers’ trap regarding that green light for
Kuwait invasion over the slant-drilling by the latter from April Glasspie. I
don’t think so, and I don’t think the rest of the world nor his fellow Iraqis
think so. ] Lawmakers across Iraq's
political and ethnic spectrums wait for word from anti-American Shiite cleric
Moqtada al-Sadr, saying his first address after returning from nearly four
years of self-imposed exile in Iran would likely say a lot about his approach
to Iraq's government.
1 in 6 Americans Live in Poverty Tradermark ‘One of the biggest mega trends
happening in America is the bifurcation of society between the haves and the
have nots. Many of the jobs the 'underclass' once did are gone forever, while
others spent freely when times were good, and when the tide turned, have little
buffer. [Dec 8, 2007: Do the Bottom 80% of Americans Stand a
Chance?] After all, saving for a rainy day is what boring people do.
Others really never got off the ground, as the K-12 education system has
degraded dramatically the past few decades.Frankly the underlying trend - as
bad as it is on the surface - has been hidden by multiple bubbles, and most
recently, there has been a level of government assistance never seen before. [Nov 5, 2010: USA Today - Anti-Poverty Programs Surpass
Cost of Medicare] In terms of government spending. This brings up a
host of issues as any changes to the social safety net are going to send
millions past GO and directly to impoverished status (and yes there are people
gaming the system, but not tens of millions). There are myriad societal effects
of the transformation of America from a relative egalitarian society in the
1960s to a 2 or 3 class system - but those are topics for other posts we have
done.The official U.S. government tally of who is living in poverty is a joke.
We last looked at it about 16 months ago [Sep 19, 2009: US Poverty Rises to 11 Year High - But
Still Vastly Understated] For example, if you make $23,000 for a
family of 4 - you are not in poverty. If you are single and make $14,000 you
are not in poverty. I'm not sure in what counties except for rural Mississippi
you can accomplish that cost of living, but apparently the government believes
a middle class lifestyle is available at $25K for a family of 4 in all of
America. Or at least it would be inconvenient to admit otherwise. And yes once
more let me put the caveat that being "poor" in America is different
than being poor in Malawi, but in theory we should be comparing ourselves to
other first world countries.The AP has an interesting report of a new measure
of poverty in the U.S., based on the census. It has a different band of
parameters and shows an increase over the government's incredibly generous
definition of poverty. What is striking is the large increase in those in the
over 65+ camp who fall into poverty. Due to our consumption culture (encouraged
by the government at every turn, since we've transformed our economy from good
producing to services and consumption) many are entering the golden years with
little to nothing.Where once many had their mortgage paid off by the time they
retired and hence could live on a much lower income as their largest expense
was eliminated, now after a generation of serial refinancing and cash out to
finance buying 'what we deserve', many still have the mortgage to worry about
even at age 70+. There are many other factors we've discussed often - i.e. the
move from pensions to do it yourself savings in a country where saving is a sin
and spending is worshiped, the disaster that is the 401k system, etc. Unlike
the mortgage crisis which is playing out in a relative short period of time (6-8
years), this grand economic experiment of running an economy on consumption
& services (you do my nails, I'll cut your hair, you serve me a beer, I'll
cut your lawn, you build a house, I'll default on it) is taking decades to play
out. But we're starting to see the first wave of results the past 5-10 years,
and it's not pretty.Bigger picture, there are enormous stresses being formed at
the bottom end of the society, and more and more are being caught in the net.
Anyone who truly believes there will be any serious spending cuts at the
federal level does not realize the (increasing) dependency that has been
created by the a multitude of poor decisions over the past few decades. Indeed
we fast approach the time when 1 in every 5 dollars of "income" are
government transfers. [May 25, 2010: 1 in 5.5 Dollars of American Income Now Via
Government; All time High] At this point, the genie is out of the
bottle and with a dysfunctional government whose only solution is layer on more
debt to kick the can down the road, our modern day plutonomy only grows in
power. [Sep 7, 2009: Citigroup - America; A Modern Day Plutonomy]
However, there appears nothing to be worried about since we've been well
trained to parrot the fact that as long as the S&P 500 only goes up,
everything in America is fine. Nothing to see here, move along (buy stocks as
you are moving of course).
Via AP
[Feb 20, 2009: NYT - Newly Poor Swell Lines @ Food Banks
Nationwide]
[Oct 22, 2010: Reuters - The Haves, the Have Nots, and the
Dreamless Dead]
[Sep 3, 2010: FT.com - The Crisis in Middle America]
[July 26, 2010: [Video] DatelineNBC - America's Increasing
Ranks of Poor]
Unemployment Claims Are Not What They Appear Adler
‘First-time unemployment claims rose by 52,038 to 577,279 in the week that
ended January 1. The Wall Street captive media is, as usual, fudging the
reports by reporting that claims were at 409,000, based on the seasonal hocus
pocus. They report an uptick of 18,000 instead of 52,000. Both Dow Jones and
Bloomberg are emphasizing that the 4 week moving average dropped sharply.
Again, this is based on seasonally adjusted fudge packing.The truth is that
while this year's end of year rise in claims is better than the past two years,
the numbers are still a lot worse than during good economic times. This week’s
jump of 52k compares with a rise of 88,929 in the week that ended 1/2/10. The
chart below shows that the normal seasonal uptrend is at a lower trend level
than the past two years, but well above 2006-2008. The insured unemployment
rate remains well above the 2004-2008 period. However, even that number may be
misleading because it uses a base number comprised of a 6 month average from
the period that ended in June. Because fewer people are now eligible, the
actual rate should be higher.[chart]Because new
claims are limited to those eligible, part of the downtrend in new claims is
due to the millions of persons losing eligibility. To account for that, the
next chart shows new claims as a percentage of those eligible. Here the
improving trend shows evidence of leveling off. The normal seasonal spike at
the beginning of January needs to hold around .053% to keep the downtrend from
the peaks of the past 2 years intact. The green line connects the most recent
week with the same week in prior years. Next week’s data should be the seasonal
peak.[chart]The
Department of Labor calculates the total number of covered employees quarterly,
using a 6 month average. The current figure is based on data from the first
half of 2010, which is not very useful now. However, it does imply that much of
the drop in continuing claims has come from those losing eligibility.[chart]The
following chart shows Continued Claims on an inverse scale, overlaid with stock
prices and Fed securities holdings. The inverse Continued Claims graph is a
directional proxy for total employment. The downtick at this time of year is
normal. The trend remains strong which suggests that the seasonally adjusted
payrolls data tomorrow should be positive. The consensus calls for a gain of
140,000. As I reported in the Wall Street Examiner Professional Edition
Treasury update to subscribers this week, wage tax withholding in December ran
15% ahead of November, but that probably reflects withholding from year end
bonuses rather than a significant increase in employment levels. The year to
year gain was more muted.[chart]It’s pretty
clear from this chart that the Fed is the driver of these trends, but that
other forces are at work causing diminishing returns.Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no
plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.’
Expecting Employment Surprise: Dave's Daily ‘There are a lot of wild estimates making the rounds for
employment data Friday. Consensus estimates for new jobs added range from
150-200K, but some whisper numbers are as high as 500K and that would shock
many sectors. Meanwhile stocks were hurt early by poorly received December same
store sales (despite bullish headlines to the contrary) and rebound higher in
Jobless Claims. Nevertheless, the dollar continued to rise as commodity markets
were still selling-off. The buzz remains inflation is heating up particularly
in food and energy so investors fear tightening even as the Fed is engaged in
QE. Now that's interesting!! Bond prices remained rather stable. The Fed tossed
in more POMO
activity Thursday. As that was announced stocks immediately rallied if only
briefly. What a coincidence! In advance of the all-important employment report
volume remained light and breadth negative.’
Are Investors Concerned About Rising Gas Prices? Rotblut
‘Bullish sentiment extended its streak of above-average readings to 18
consecutive weeks in the latest AAII Sentiment Survey. This is the longest such
streak since 2004. The percentage of individual investors expecting stock
prices to rise over the next six months rose 4.3 percentage points to 55.9%.
The historical average is 39%.Neutral sentiment, expectations that stock prices
will stay essentially flat over the next six months, fell 2.5 percentage points
to 25.9%. Neutral sentiment has been below its historical average of 31% for 22
consecutive weeks.Bearish sentiment, expectations that stocks prices will fall
over the next six months, slipped 1.8 percentage points to 18.3%. Bearish
sentiment has been below its historical average of 30% for 15 out of the last
17 weeks.Bullish sentiment remains at historically high levels. One example of
this is the eight-week moving average of bullish sentiment, which is above 51%
for the third consecutive week. (It is at 51.4%.) This measure has not been
higher since January 2005. Other measures also suggest sentiment is running
hot, including the spread between bullish and bearish sentiment (37.6
percentage points) and the standard deviation (bullish sentiment is more than
one standard deviation above the historical mean). High bullish readings have
been correlated with market pullbacks, but other indicators should be analyzed
before predicting where stocks prices are headed.Individual investors are
continuing to feel optimistic about stock prices due to, in part, the sustained
rally and additional signs that the economy is recovering. News of upbeat 2011
forecasts from several market strategists is also playing a role.This week’s
special question asked AAII members whether they are concerned about the
potential impact rising gasoline prices will have the economic recovery.About
half of respondents described themselves as being somewhat worried about rising
prices at the pump. Many did think the economy will grow, though the pace of
the recovery might be slowed. Several members added the caveat that their
concerns are dependent on how high prices actually rise. A small number thought
higher prices would be good for their energy holdings or would increase demand
for fuel-efficient vehicles and other green initiatives. Here is a sampling of
the responses:
This week’s sentiment survey results:
Historical Averages:
The AAII Sentiment Survey has been conducted weekly since July 1987 and asks AAII members whether they think stock prices will rise, remain essentially flat, or fall over the next six months. The survey period runs from Thursday (12:01 a.m.) to Wednesday (11:59 p.m.). The survey and its results are available online.’
Less
Than 35% of All Stocks Are Undervalued Suttmeier ‘ValuEngine now shows that only
34.6% of more than 5,000 stocks are undervalued with 65.4% overvalued. A
reading below 35% may persist for a while, but typically the stock market tops
out when less than 35% of all stocks are undervalued. Fifteen of 16 sectors are
overvalued by 8.6% for Consumer Discretionary to 33.1% for Basic Industries.
Medical is the undervalued sector, but only by 1.4%. The major equity averages
are extremely overbought on both daily and weekly charts. The missing
ingredient for a top is the lack of nearby risky levels for the major averages.
The major equity averages straddle quarterly value levels, pivots and risky
levels favoring a reversal-oriented first quarter – 11,395 Dow, 1162.5 SPX,
2853 NASDAQ, 4671 Transports and 765.50 Russell 2000. The rise in the 30-year
yield above 4.5% is a major drag on equity valuations. With stock market
complacency as high as it is, Comex gold closed below its 50-day simple moving
average at 1380.6 for the first time since August 11. Nymex crude oil is above
this week’s pivot at $88.50. The euro is between its 200-day at 1.3080 and its
50-day at 1.3422, approaching a test of the 200-day. The Dow is well above my
annual pivot at 11,491 without a nearby risky level as the MOJO run continues.
Valuations are stretched with only 16.1% of all stocks undervalued by at least
20%, whereas 33.0% of all stocks are overvalued by more than 20%.[chart](Click
to enlarge)
It is difficult to find stocks to add to the ValuTrader Model
Portfolio as only 76
stocks are rated STRONG BUY or BUY with a market cap of at least five billion
and average daily trading volume of 500,000 shares or more, and projected to
gain at least 7.5% over the next twelve months. There are twelve stocks in the
model portfolio.
Key Levels From My Proprietary Analytics
10-year Note – (3.483) Weekly, annual and semiannual value levels are 3.714,
3.791 and 4.268 with a daily risky level at 3.371. Annual, semiannual and
monthly risky levels are 2.690, 2.441, 2.322 and 2.150.
Comex Gold – ($1373.7) Annual, semiannual and annual value levels are
$1356.5, $1300.6 and $1187.2 with a weekly pivot at $1380.0. Daily, monthly,
quarterly and semiannual risky levels are $1412.74, $1439.0, $1441.7 and
$1452.6.
Nymex Crude Oil – ($90.30) Semiannual and monthly value levels are $87.52 and
$75.74 with a weekly pivot at $88.50. Annual, semiannual and quarterly risky
levels are $99.91, $101.92, $107.14 and $110.87.
The euro –
(1.3149) Monthly and weekly value levels are 1.2805 and 1.2703 with quarterly
and daily pivots at 1.3227 and 1.3358, and semiannual and annual risky levels
at 1.4624, 1.4989, 1.6367 and 1.7312.
Daily Dow:
(11,723) Annual, quarterly, weekly, semiannual, monthly and semiannual value
levels are 11,491, 11,395, 11,334, 10,959, 10,427 and 9,449 with a daily pivot
at 11,687, and annual risky level at 13,890.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.’
Retailers
hold down stocks ahead of jobs data (Reuters) - Stocks
slipped on Thursday as soft retail sales and a sharp rise in the dollar left
investors edgy a day before December's U.S. employment report.
U.N.
group warns of possible food crisis (Washington Post) [ Possible? How ‘bout
it’s already begun and hence, inevitable particularly since worldwide with few
exceptions in looking to the u.s. as analogous to the self-destructive
compulsion of an addict or drunk they’ve jumped on the american crazy train,
from perpetual wars, to profligate spending, to over-printing of fiat paper
currencies, to mark to anything burial and cover-up and no-pros of fraudulent
paper schemes of the fraudulent wall street ilk / variety, etc. ] The Food and Agricultural Organization
said Wednesday that the world faces a "food price shock" after the
agency's benchmark index of farm commodities prices shot up last month.
October 15, 2010 (*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for the
mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did – he
served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no, there is
no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that prosecuted
gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
----------
*The foregoing and as
indicated therein was previously send 9-14-10 but delivery confirmation was
flawed as set forth below and my inquiries to the u.s. postal service rebuffed
(I believe tampered with inasmuch as your office could not locate same). This cover
letter (9-13-10) is on the 3 disks with navigable hyperlinks to the subject
files for ease of reference, including the files in the RICO action as
indicated. (10-15-10) I spoke with Rose, FBI, ADIC Secretary, who indicates
once again that your office has not received the aforesaid and which can
reasonably be presumed to have been tampered with, and hence, a violation of
the federal statute concerning same. ]
The following
are 25 unemployment statistics that are almost too depressing to read….
#1 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
U.S. unemployment rate for November was 9.8
percent. This was up from 9.6 percent in October, and it continues a
trend of depressingly high unemployment rates. The official unemployment
number has been at 9.5 percent or higher for well over a year at this point.
#2 In November 2006, the “official” U.S. unemployment
rate was just 4.5
percent.
#3 Most economists had been expecting the U.S. economy
to add about 150,000 jobs in November. Instead, it
only added 39,000.
#4 In the United States today, there are over 15
million people who are “officially” considered to be unemployed for
statistical purposes. But everyone knows that the “real” number is even
much larger than that.
#5 As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million
Americans that had been unemployed for half a year or longer. Today,
there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#6 The number of “persons not in the labor force” in
the United States recently
set another new all-time record.
#7 It now takes the average unemployed American over
33 weeks to find a job.
#8 When you throw in “discouraged workers” and
“underemployed workers”, the “real” unemployment rate in the state of
California is
actually about 22 percent.
#9 In America today there are not nearly enough jobs
for everyone. In fact, there are now approximately
5 unemployed Americans for every single job opening.
#10 According
to The New York Times, Americans that have been unemployed for five weeks
or less are three times more likely to find a new job in the coming month than
Americans that have been unemployed for over a year.
#11 The U.S. economy would need to create 235,120
new jobs a month to get the unemployment rate down to pre-recession levels
by 2016. Does anyone think that there is even a prayer that is going to
happen?
#12 There are 9
million Americans that are working part-time for “economic reasons”.
In other words, those Americans would gladly take full-time jobs if they could
get them, but all they have been able to find is part-time work.
#13 In 2009, total wages, median wages, and average
wages all
declined in the United States.
#14 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million
Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time that less
than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941.
#15 The United States has lost at least 7.5
million jobs since the recession began.
#16 Today, only
about 40 percent of Ford Motor Company’s 178,000 workers are employed
in North America, and a big percentage of those jobs are in Canada and
Mexico.
#17 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28
percent of U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented 11.5 percent.
#18 Earlier this year, one poll found that 28% of all American households had at least one member that
was looking for a full-time job.
#19 In the United States today, over
18,000 parking lot attendants have college degrees.
#20 The United States has lost a staggering
32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
#21 As the employment situation continues to stagnate,
millions of American families have decided to cut back on things such as
insurance coverage. For example, the percentage of American households
that have life insurance coverage is at its lowest level in
50 years.
#22 Unless Congress acts, and there is no indication
that is going to happen, approximately 2 million Americans will stop receiving unemployment checks over the next
couple of months.
#23 A poll that was released by the Pew Research Center
back in June discovered that an
astounding 55 percent of the U.S. labor force has
experienced either unemployment, a pay decrease, a reduction in hours
or an involuntary move to part-time work since the economic downturn
began.
#24 According to Richard McCormack, the United States
has lost over
42,000 factories (and counting) since 2001.
#25 In the United States today, 317,000
waiters and waitresses have college degrees.
But this is
what we get for creating the biggest debt
bubble in the history of the world. For decades we have been digging
a deeper hole for ourselves by going into increasingly larger amounts of
debt. In America today, our entire economy is based on debt. Even
our money
is debt. We were fools if we ever thought this could go on forever.
Just think about it. Have you ever gone out and run up a bunch of
debt? It can be a lot of fun sitting behind the wheel of a new car,
running your credit cards up to the limit and buying a beautiful big house that
you cannot afford. But in the end what happens? It always catches up with you.
Well, our collective debt is starting to catch up with us. There is a sea
of red ink on every level of American society. It is only a matter of
time before it destroys our economy. IF YOU THINK THAT
THINGS ARE BAD NOW, JUST WAIT. THINGS ARE GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT
WORSE. A HORRIFIC ECONOMIC COLLAPSE IS COMING, AND IT IS GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY PAINFUL.’
Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are
simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of
global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form
of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh)
is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut
$100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while
continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1%
each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool
all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT
THERE! ‘
Short-Term, High-Probability Mean-Reversion Indicator:
Overbought Readings Continue to Increase Crowder ‘It was the best
start to a year in over seven years, but I am not sure how long Monday’s gain
will last, at least over the short-term.According to my High-Probability,
Mean-Reversion overbought/oversold indicator, most of the ETFs I follow have
pushed into a short-term “overbought” to “very overbought” state. As I have stated
ad nauseum, when this many ETFs hit a short-term extreme the market typically
takes a short-term reprieve (1-3 days).The XLB
position that is currently held in the High-Probability, Mean-Reversion
strategy moved in the red Monday although it was only a slight move. The
position, in my opinion, still looks rather well-positioned given the
short-term extreme overbought state of the market and XLB.Since I placed the trade
there have been some incredibly large positions taken in XLB. Someone sure
thinks the Materials sector (XLB) is headed south. Check it out here.The year ended with some nice gains as
the High-Probability, Mean-Reversion strategy made 9.7% gains for the month to
follow up the 3.7% in November. Not bad for the first two months of the
strategy. Hopefully 2011 will bring allow for more gains in the strategy.As I
stated last week, going back over the last seven years, if you purchased QQQQ on the 8th trading day of January and
held until the end of the month, you would have had returns of -2.3%, -3.1%,
-2.3%, -2.7%, -4.1%, -1.6% and -7.7%. The median maximum gain during those
trades was +0.7% compared to a median draw down of -5.3%.
Short-Term High-Probability, Mean-Reversion Indicator – as of
close 1/03/10
Benchmark ETFs
* S&P 500 (SPY)
– 86.5 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 96.5
* Dow Jones (DIA)
–79.5 (overbought)
* Russell 2000 (IWM)
– 71.4 (overbought)
* NASDAQ 100 (QQQQ)
– 74.5 (overbought)
Sector
ETFs
*
Biotech (IBB)
– 62.5 (neutral)
* Consumer Discretionary (XLY)
– 70.5 (overbought)
* Health Care (XLV)
– 72.5 (overbought)
* Financial (XLF)
– 84.2 (very overbought)
* Energy (XLE)
– 89.5 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 98.8
* Gold Miners (GDX)
– 48.5 (neutral)
* Industrial (XLI)
– 80.1 (very overbought)
* Materials (XLB)
– 91.4 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 95.7
* Real Estate (IYR)
– 85.8 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 96.0
* Retail (RTH) – 76.2
(overbought)
* Semiconductor (SMH) – 61.8
(neutral)
* United States Oil Fund (USO)
– 64.1 (neutral)
* Utilities (XLU)
– 68.3 (neutral)
International
ETFs
*
Brazil (EWZ)
– 82.0 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 98.7
* China 25 (FXI)
– 72.2 (overbought)
* EAFE (EFA)
– 77.4 (overbought)
* South Korea (EWY)
– 91.9 (very overbought) / RSI (2) – 99.1
Commodity
ETFs
*
Gold (GLD) – 64.9 (neutral)
Ultra
Extremes
* Small Cap Bear 3x (TZA)
– 24.6 (oversold)
* Small-Cap Bull 3x (TNA)
– 74.1 (overbought)
* UltraLong QQQQ (QLD) –
75.4 (overbought)
* Ultra Long S&P 500 (SSO)
– 90.2 (very overbought)
* Ultra Short S&P 500 (SDS)
– 10.7 (very oversold)
* UltraShort 20+ Treasury (TBT)
– 43.5 (neutral)
Disclosure: I am short XLB.’
U.S.-built
infrastructure is deteriorating (Washington Post) [ At first glance, I
thought this article was miscategorized as a national story in the World
section. Indeed, there’s no denying the truth of the title as america
generally, domestically. Yet, the tragedy is that the tainted, destructive,
self-defeating wars for america have been a boon for war profiteers, frauds of
all stripes, when this defacto bankrupt america is sorely in need of repair,
replacement of its own shoddy, aging infrastructure suffering from the domestic
equivalent of similar scams, kickbacks, shoddy workmanship and all. After all,
it got to the point that they didn’t even go through the motions / façade and
actually flew $12 billion in hundred dollar bills into Iraq which to this day
is unaccounted for / unprosecuted … like the wall street frauds, since the
worthless toxic paper cashed out by wall street is still out there in the
trillions now marked to anything. ] Roads, canals and schools built in
Afghanistan as part of a special U.S. military program are crumbling under
Afghan stewardship, despite new steps imposed over the past year to ensure
reconstruction money is not being wasted, according to government reports.
Is
This a Major Market Top? [ Truth be told, there was a time when I read
Barron’s with great regularity (no more). I never missed Alan Abelson’s
incisively sharp wit and the market laboratory, the latter being supplanted by
readily accessible numerical data on the web. I also don’t recall Alan Abelson
ever being wrong and I don’t think he’s wrong here, particularly when you
consider the costs, fraud, and insanity underlying this manipulated and
inflated stock market which bubble is at best a (contrived) bull cycle in a
secular bear market. ] Roche ‘With economic recovery still in doubt and
sentiment readings at their highest levels since the S&P 500 topped in
2007, some market prognosticators find the latest surge in stocks to have been
irrational. There is now a near universal belief that stocks have but one
direction to go and that has some investors feeling uneasy. This
weekend’s Barron's showed the diametrically opposing views as two of their
leading columnists (Alan Abelson and Mike Santoli) discussed why they believe
this is a major market top (or not).
Abelson refers
to a certain veteran market technician (whom he doesn’t identify):
And he shares our concern about the epidemic of
optimism that has gripped the Street, manifest in any number of wildly bullish
forecasts for the market in 2011. It is the kind of explosive optimism that is
usually witnessed, he says more in wonder than rue, at market tops, either
temporary or something worse.
He doesn’t buy the argument that the huge stash of
cash supposedly sitting on the sidelines is a guarantee of a steady source of
fuel for the equity rally. Rather, he calls that hefty pile of cash, which is
being augmented by a fresh infusion from fixed-income investors now that bonds
are getting clocked, “scared money.” It belongs, he elaborates, to folks who
all this time have been leery of committing their dough to stocks but, thanks
to December’s quantum leap in share prices, have grown increasingly fearful of
missing the next leg up, and are itching to put all that scratch to work.
That such nervous-newbie equity buyers will stay the
course and step up their buying after the initial, inevitable correction is
hardly a given. Our bet is that they would jackrabbit out at the first hint of
trouble.
The peerless technician is also bothered by the
leadership of the end-of-the-year rally. More specifically, the shares of
commodity-related companies are in the vanguard of the advance at a time when
China, the big global buyer of virtually every commodity known to man, is striving
to rein in inflation. It is no accident, he suggests, that Chinese stock
markets have been lagging, and he feels they may prove a pretty good precursor
for our own dear market.
In sum, he sees stocks making at least a temporary
top early in the new year. It’s hard to say, he readily admits, just how bad or
enduring a setback equities will suffer. But obviously, he’s talking something
more substantial than a flickering decline or a tiny crack.
Santoli’s case against a major market top has been
more commonly discussed:
The reasons the bulls are bullish are also pretty
universally agreed upon. The industrial economy has gathered some momentum, the
emerging markets are surging, companies are flush, profits look set to rise
decently again, the Federal Reserve is seeking new ways to penalize risk
aversion, taxes won’t go up and the market tends to do well in the year after a
midterm election.
And we can add to the list the likelihood that
another financial-engineering cycle is just getting into gear, so expect lots
of equity-friendly refinancings by stretched companies, re-leveraging by
cash-rich ones and buyouts hither and yon.
The thing is, it’s all pretty much true. And because
of that, and given that stock valuations are not excessive, it’s tough to think
a likely pullback or worse would signal some major top.
Indeed, the happy feeling and the recent climb in
margin borrowing and drop in short interest, by one way of looking at them,
simply show that what has been a bull market for the better part of two years
is finally being viewed as one. The last time we had such a run of investor
optimism, indeed, was late 2004, before a calm but not terribly exuberant year.
The risk, then, is more about the near term, about
expectations of ease meeting some unforeseen complication early this year, and
that what’s likely to be a firm fundamental and technical case for riskier
financial assets in 2011 has, to a fair degree, been priced in by the market
lift of late 2010.
Interestingly, both appear to agree that the major
risk is in the near-term. Santoli, however, clearly believes any sell-off will
prove to be a buying opportunity. Abelson tends to still be in the bear market
camp. Major market top or a prelude to a continuation of the bull market? Only
time will tell.
Source: Barron's’
Tipping Point: 25 Signs That The Coming Financial Collapse Is Now Closer Then Ever The financial collapse that so many of us have been anticipating is seemingly closer then ever. Over the past several weeks, there have been a host of ominous signs for the U.S. economy… ] Decision could make it easier for the bailed-out lender to launch an IPO and repay its government debt.
Pakistan's
top general vexes U.S. plans (Washington Post) [ Geeh! How dare that PAKISTAN General not jump on the war criminal
american crazy train by putting the interests of his nation ahead of u.s.
contrived interests and preventing Pakistan from being turned into a toxic
wasteland, killing fields, etc., as in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.. ] Despite intense efforts, officials fail
to persuade Gen. Ashfaq Kayani to undertake the administration's strategy of
eliminating Taliban havens inside Pakistan.
Pay
Attention to New Year Market Indicators [ The problem with these anecdotal,
mechanized (and sophomoric) technical guidelines is that the frauds on wall
street are well aware of them and with the current computer technology can
easily program to meet them with the fraudulent hope they’ll become
self-fulfilling. I disagree with the ‘everything coming up roses, green shoots
and all’ scenarios being painted in typical self-interested fashion and hardly
objective. Even near perma-bull John Augustine (speaking with Motek) looks for
at a minimum, if things go well for the economy (not at all likely and no can
do with real numbers / data) a 3-5% pullback / correction near term. Keep in
mind all stock prices have been inflated by amounts exceeding the gains, viz.,
13-17% by the debased dollar which of course is reflected in huge price
increases for commodities across the board which will impact margins or
consumption or both going forward. ] Plessis ‘If Santa has not yet made his way
to your investment portfolio, don’t despair. According to Jeffrey Hirsch (Stock Trader’s Almanac),
the “Santa Claus Rally” normally occurs during the last five trading days of a
year and the ensuing first two trading sessions of the new year. During this
seven-day period stocks historically tend to advance (by 1.5% on average since
1950), but when recording a loss, they frequently trade much lower in the new
year.With four of the seven sessions behind us there has been little in it,
with the S&P 500 Index marginally up by 0.09% and the Dow Jones Industrial
Average losing 0.03%.Another old stock market saw tells us the first five
trading days of January sets the course for January (known as the “First Five
Days Early Warning System”), and if the month of January is higher, there is a
good chance the year will end higher, i.e. the so-called “January Barometer”.
Every down January since 1950 has been followed by a new or continuing bear
market or a flat year. “As January goes, so goes the year,” said Hirsch.Lastly,
according to Hirsch, the “December Low Indicator" says that should
the Dow Jones Industrial Index close below its December low anytime during the
first quarter, it is frequently an excellent warning sign of lower levels
ahead. The numbers to watch are those recorded on December 1: 1,206.07 for the
S&P 500 Index and 11,255.78 for the Dow Industrial Average.The American
benchmark indices will have to crash today in order to make 2010 a down year.
Early indications therefore point to the January Barometer (with January having
been a down month) this year failing investors. Looking ahead to 2011, time
will tell whether the year-end/new-year indicators play out according to the
historical pattern. Meanwhile, we’ll have some fun tracking how it pans out.’
Happy
New Year! Here Are The Final Numbers For 2010 , On Friday December 31, 2010
‘Indices mixed
today, but not for the year. Stocks weren't the real winner, however, with
commodity prices booming.
First, today's
scoreboard:
Now, the final scoreboard for 2010:
Equities:
Check out the best and worst performing global equity indices
in 2010 >
Commodities:
Check
out Societe Generale's guide to commodities in 2011 >
Bonds:
Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Global Broad Market
Index rose 4.7% this year.
Drudgereport: Medicare
Bound to Bust 'by 2017' as First Boomers Hit 65...
POLL:
Only 21% Want FCC to Regulate Internet...
Fear of Political Agenda...
Next
Year's Wars: 16 brewing conflicts to watch...
VIDEO:
Oil Could Push to $110...
Berlin
sees most snow in December since 1900s...
White
House Plans to Push 'Global Warming' Policy, GOP Vows Fight...
FLASHBACK:
Gore Reports Snow and Ice Across World Vanishing Quickly...
Top
China blogger forced to shut down magazine...
Non-US
banks gain from Fed crisis fund; Half of emergency credit facility cash went to
foreign institutions...
Backlash...
THE
MAN WHO TOOK ON BIG SIS... Pilot
angered TSA with video... ‘…News10 established a relationship with the Liu
family last July after their rental home in Sacramento's Oak Park was destroyed
by an arsonist. Four firefighters were injured when the house exploded…’
Oil
rises near $92...
Ex-SHELL
president sees $5 gas in year...
MATTHEWS:
Why Doesn't Obama Just Release The Birth Certificate?
NYT:
Bundle Up, It's Global Warming...
Obama
Reading List: Book on Reagan... [ Reagan would absolutely detest,
hate (yes, Reagan could hate ) wobama
and did detest, hate people like failed president like no other in history,
wobama]
Duma
Disses Obama, delays START vote...
Assange
fears death in a US jail...
OPEC
Members 'Target $100'...
China,
following pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt american
example, bars political dissident access to lawyers...
Indefinite
detention possible for suspects at Guantanamo Bay...
DARK SIDE OF SIS: AGENTS RAID HOME OF PILOT CRITICAL OF TSA...
Posted Video Exposing Airport Security Flaws...
PUNISHED...
DEFICIT
HITS RECORD...
MINORITY
REPORT: Spielberg advising on rebranding Dems... [ Come on! You
can’t unring the bell on the damage they’ve done by particularly doing the
opposite of what they said, from perpetual war, to no prosecutions of the wall
street frauds now marked to anything as per criminal courtesy via FASB rule
change, etc.. They b*** s*** like their mascot, ‘wobama the b’ (for b*** s***);
not that the republicans are substantially different … they’re incompetent,
corrupt, etc... They’ve embraced the ‘history of decline and fall of
nation-states’. ]
TODAY:
Obama pledges 'singular focus' on economy...
ONE
YEAR AGO: 'Obama to focus hard on economy'...
TWO
YEARS AGO: Obama to put 'renewed focus' on economy...
US
press should fear being targeted: Assange...
BLOWOUT:
Government liabilities rose $2 trillion for year...
PEOPLE:
308,745,538
DEBT:
$13,868,461,000,000
STATE
OF THE NATION: Census shows slowing US growth...
GOP-leaning
states pick up seats in Congress...
NY, OH, IL, MA, NJ and PA lose seats...
FCC
Gives Government Power to Regulate Web...
Agency
splits along party lines...
DeMint
vows to reverse 'Internet takeover'...
AP:
TOP 10 STORIES OF 2010...
MOODY'S May Cut US Rating on Tax Package...
New
spending bill totals $1.1 TRILLION!
Congress
Job Approval Rating Worst in GALLUP History...
FLASHBACK:
Obama Promised 5-Day, Public Review of Bills Before Signing; Signs Tax Bill
Within Hours of House Vote...
13 million get unexpected tax bill from 'tax credit'?
Pelosi
skips vote on tax bill, then shuns signing ceremony...
House
votes to extend gov't funding -- through Tuesday...
OBAMA
FALLS TO 40% APPROVE IN FOXNEWS POLL...
The FCC's Threat to Internet Freedom...
Dems
play politics with 'net neutrality' vote...
'Sweeping
new rules'...
REGULATE...
SHUT:
Music Web Sites Dispute Legality of Their Closing...
UK
ministers threaten: Censor web, or we will legislate 'to protect children'...
Plan
to block all online porn...
Hugo
Chavez defends plan for web regulations...
Venezuela
tightens Internet regulation...
THEY'RE
COMING FOR THE INTERNET!
JULIUS
SEIZURE
$2
trillion debt crisis threatens to bring down 100 US cities...
States
face $140 billion in budget shortfalls...
32
states borrow billions from feds to cover unemployment benefits...
Friedman:
America the Stupid...
French
AAA Grade at Risk as Downgrades Sweep Europe...
Oil Heads
Toward $100...
Chavez
defends plan for Internet regulations...
UK
ministers threaten: Censor web, or we will legislate 'to protect children'...
The
FCC's Threat to Internet Freedom...
Dems
play politics with 'net neutrality' vote...
'Sweeping
new rules for the Internet'...
SKorea
detains Chinese fishermen...
Security
Council meets on tensions...
North
Threatens More Attacks...
...
says war would go nuclear
China
warns of escalating arms race...
'Don't ask' repeal moves toward law...
DREAM OVER: Senate Blocks Bill for Illegal Immigrants...
Budget
Brawl Looms in Congress...
Michelle
wears $2,500 purchased dress to Christmas concert...
Senate
Plans Weekend Votes on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' Amnesty Bill...
Senator:
Gay ban tied to Russia treaty...
UN
PLANS INTERNET REGULATION [ Those
who can’t do … work at the u.n., in the u.s.; after all, for the first time in
human history, the internet has for the most part enabled an unfettered look at
the truth and truthful reasons for the unequivocally sad state of the world.
That a supposed world body should support and potentially facilitate the encroachment
upon such global communication is reason enough to dismantle such an already
discredited body which arbitrarily seeks enforcement of some ‘resolutions’ as
to some but not others ( ie., israel, u.n. resolutions 242, 338, etc., israeli
and american war crimes, etc..) Raison d’tre … I don’t think so! Quite the contrary! ]
Regulators
close banks in GA, FL, AR, MN... [ Regulators shutter 3 small banks in Ga., 1 each in
Fla., Ark., Minn.; 157 banks closed in 2010 ]
Payrolls Drop in 28 States, Joblessness Rises in 21...
Nevada rate to 14.3%...
Rhode Island City Nears Bankruptcy...
Ireland Debt Downgrade...
IMF chief worried about Europe domino effect...
Senate
clerks preparing to read 1,924-page spending bill on floor -- for 50 hours!...
Senator:
'There's No Way' To Read Entire Bill Before Vote...
KERRY:
'Why Would We Have To Read Something?'
McConnell
offers 1-page resolution in place of 1,924-page spending bill...
SHOWDOWN:
Gingrich Urges Fillibuster...
Biden
To GOP Opposition: 'Get Out Of The Way'...
Reid:
Earmarks are 'what we're supposed to do'...
Ban on Gitmo transfers vanishes...
Omnibus
bill loaded with goodies for abortion industry...
PRIORITIES:
House approves bill to make hybrids louder...
23%
Say USA Heading in Right Direction, Lowest Since Obama Took Office...
POLL:
Just 29% think Obama will be re-elected...
Is
America the sick man of the globe?
BUCHANAN:
Is this our America anymore?
UK
Red Cross Bans Christmas to Avoid Offending Muslims...
SALVATION
ARMY bell ringer caught stealing from kettle...
Deputies
suspended after getting into brawl at party...
2
women charged with robbing 74-year-old...
Hundreds
of gifts for kids stolen from 'Toys for Tots'...
Thousands
of dollars in donated toys ruined after skunk attack...
Grocery
prices grow by 1.5 times inflation rate...
Socialist
president plays host to capitalism...
REPORT:
Obama told lawmakers not passing tax deal could end presidency...
A
$48 billion earmark...
PAPER:
Year of bullying, bluff and bailouts leaves euro fighting for its life...
Reeling
from riots, Italy faces uncertainty...
Greek
anti-austerity strike turns violent...
VIDEO...
MORE
UNREST: 2011...
$575
million PER PAGE...
6,488
earmarks...
McConnell
fumes: 'No one has seen it'...
Reid threatens to keep Congress into next year...
Intelligence
Reports Offer Dim Views of Afghan War...
HOLBROOKE
LAST WORDS: STOP THIS WAR!
UPDATE:
RUSSIA TO USE CHINA CURRENCY IN TRADES...
UK
GRANTS ASSANGE BAIL; SWEDEN APPEALS...
Release
delayed...
Lawyer:
Secret Grand Jury Meeting Outside Washington on Leak...
CHRISTMAS CRIMES: Drive-By
Purse Snatcher Terrorizing Women In NJ...
2
women charged with robbing 74-year-old...
Hundreds
of gifts for kids stolen from 'Toys for Tots'...
Thousands
of dollars in donated toys ruined after skunk attack...
Copper
thieves burn down city's Christmas tree...
Burglar
steals family's gifts -- and its dog!
Grave
robbers steal 400 urns from cemetery...
'Grinch'
Steals Packages Off Doorsteps, Signs For Deliveries...
Home
Invaders Tie Up 12-Year-Old Boy, Take Video Games...
90-Year-Old
Man Put In Choke-Hold, Robbed Of $370...
'Tea
Party' anger simmers over backroom deal; Ramps up efforts...
2
Bank Failures Bring Year's Tally To 151...
COPS: Madoff's son hangs himself with dog collar in SoHo
apartment...
...gave mechanic $400 tip day before suicide
Madoff
Trustee Launches $19.6 Billion Lawsuit; 60 accused of participating in 'illegal
scheme'...
Pump
prices close in on average $3 a gallon...
FLASHBACK:
$1.81 when Obama took office...
BLOW
TO O: JUDGE RULES GOV'T CAN'T MANDATE CITIZENS BUY HEALTH CARE...
Cantor:
Direct Appeal to Supremes...
POLL:
Support For Obamacare Hits New Low...
Pelosi:
'Are You Serious?'
Obama: 'I'm itching for a fight'...
U
N C O N S T I T U T I O N A L
Barbara
Walters: 'This Guy (wobama) Has an Emotional Problem' [ Yes, it’s true,
babawawa … wobama has substantial mental problems which along with inherent
criminality are pervasive in america which also includes boner, and where were
you in discussing such, babawawa regarding psychopaths bush, clinton, etc., or
even former beau, senile greenspun ]...
DEFICIT
HITS RECORD...
Putin Slams West for Assange Arrest...
US
cable: Cuba to be insolvent within 2-3 years...
Assange
Lawyers Prepare for U.S. Spying Indictment...
Teen
Arrested in Hack Attacks...
Donations
to WIKILEAKS are Tax Deductible -- in Germany...
Anonymous
cyberwarriors stun experts...
Media
outlets may be probed over WikiLeaks stories, joe ‘zelig zionist incompetent
and corrupt‘ lieberman in Campaign To Trample The First Amendment claims Can the US government prosecute media outlets
that reported on the WikiLeaks cables? According to joe ‘zelig zionist
incompetent and corrupt‘ lieberman in
his Campaign To Trample The First Amendment, the answer is maybe.
Home
Values May Drop by $1.7 Trillion This Year...
UNEMPLOYMENT
WEEK: DOWN TO 421,000; REVISED UP LAST WEEK 438,000...
POLL:
Most Americans Say They’re Worse Off Under Obama...
F
O [Related: Olbermann:
Obama Is ‘God Damned Wrong’ ]
REVENGE
OF THE WIKIS!
Army
of hackers targets the Swedish government...
Take down
MASTERCARD site...
...VISA
PAYPAL...
AMAZON
braces for hactivist attack...
Palin
under cyber attack...
Assange's
'poison pill' file impossible to stop...
MOSCOW:
Give Assange Nobel Peace Prize...
SENATE REJECTS REPEAL OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL...
House
Dems push through massive budget bill...
Final
House Race Decided; GOP Net Gain: 63 Seats...
Ron
Paul, Author of 'End the Fed,' to Lead Fed Oversight Panel...
Student
protesters in London turn violent over tuition hikes...
Thousands
try to break through police barricades at Houses of Parliament...
...attack car containing Prince Charles, Camilla...
Rolls
Royce hit with paint; rear window smashed...
US Treasuries hit by biggest sell-off since
LEHMAN...
Prices Plunge for 2nd Day on Deficit Fears...
Rattles investors...
Oil tipped to bubble over $100 barrel...
Food Stamp Rolls Continue to Rise...
SHOCK POLL: Americans Believe China Has Surpassed USA
in Economic Strength...
'U.S. fiscal health worse than Europe's'...
Sorkin: Palin TV show is 'snuff movie'... [ Yeah … ‘she’s really all that’ and worse …
I have great difficulty getting past the fact that she’s so incredibly dumb …
not just ‘nonintellectual’ … butt really dumb! ] ‘… Sorkin, writer of the recent Facebook movie The
Social Network, also accused the Fox News contributor of making a "snuff
film" after the latest episode of Sarah's Palin's Alaska featured the
politician going hunting with her father and shooting a caribou. He described
Palin as "deranged", a "witless bully" and a "phony
pioneer girl". He also said The Learning Channel, the US cable network,
"should be ashamed of itself" for broadcasting her "truly awful
reality show"…’
Senate convicts Clinton-appointed judge...
[ Come on! One way or another they’re almost all getting bribed; including the
initial lifetime appointment as alito, trump-barry, etc.. Abolish the
corrupt, costly, economically wasteful lifetime extravagantly appointed federal
courts (see RICO case http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ) End those lifetime licenses to steel. ] In earlier hearings, two attorneys who once worked
with Porteous had testified that they gave him thousands of dollars in cash,
including about $2,000 stuffed in an envelope in 1999, just before Porteous
decided a major civil case in their client's favor.
Assange could face espionage trial in USA...
Palin under cyber attack...
1st Amendment issues...
Assange's 'poison pill' file impossible to stop...
WIKILEAKS: Stop Us? You'll Have to Shut Down Web...
Berkeley 'resolution' honoring leaker...
Scientologists outraged over spoof Christmas play... [ Hubbard was such a total fraud!
Scientologists are delusional! ]St. Petersburg, Florida – ‘A controversial holiday
musical production is set to open at American Stage Theatre in St. Petersburg. Photos:
Pictures of
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant "A
Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" is a musical play
designed for the holiday season, but this play will not focus on Jesus Christ,
but instead the story is about L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church Of
Scientology…’
NO BAIL...
Assange
'sabotaged condom' during one night stand...
Refused to wear one during another...
Stockholm police: Both women are victims...
INTERPOL WARRANT FOR NOT WEARING PROTECTION?
ASSANGE
UNDER ARREST:
'HE
DIDN'T WEAR A CONDOM'
Under
arrest, will Assange dump the Doomsday Files?
Assange:
Don't shoot messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths...
FLASHBACK:
HILLARY COMPLAINS GOVERNMENTS BLOCK FREE FLOW OF INFO ON INTERNET...
WIKILEAKS:
LIVE UPDATES...
FCC
push to regulate news draws fire...
Lieberman:
NYT may have committed crime by printing WIKILEAKS docs...
US
to Host World Press Freedom Day in 2011 … [ What a total travesty! The u.s. as
host … What a cruel joke! ] ...
OBAMA
RACES TO CUT TAXES BEFORE REPUBLICANS: 6.2% Social Security tax would drop to
4.2% for workers for one year... MORE
THE
NEW OBAMA!
SURPRISE TAX CUT
MOVE [ As with defacto bankrupt america
generally, more defacto bankrupt social security system, etc., are distinctions without significant
differences. ]
OIL
HITS $89...
Pump
prices hit 2-year high...
Schwarzenegger Declares Fiscal Emergency, Proposes $9.9 Billion In
Cuts...
Top
Democrats defect, join unified GOP...
WIKILEAKS'
Assange Will Release Encrypted Files If Arrested...
Cables
Reveal How US Manipulated Climate Accord...
Cable:
China Leaders Ordered Hacking on GOOGLE...
Meddling
by Neighbors Adds to Iraq's Woes...
Government
Workers Ordered Not to Read Cables...
Gingrich:
Leaks Show Admin 'Shallow,' 'Amateurish'...
McConnell:
Assange a 'High-Tech Terrorist'...
List of facilities 'vital to US security' leaked...
Mirror
Sites Appear by the Hundreds...
Assange
Speaks...
Hillary
Jokes...
US
forced to shake up embassies around world...
THE
DOOMSDAY FILES
PAPER:
Wave goodbye to Internet freedom...
[ I’m absolutely astounded that the world is not
profoundly grateful to Assange et als for providing insight into the
machinations and insanity of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america, et
als who wreaked havoc on the world as they pillage, plunder, and destroy
(lives, nations, etc.). ]
+39,000 JOBS IN NOVEMBER...
BOEHNER: Dem Leaders Should Stop Wasting Time on Tax
Hike Votes...
HALPERIN: Dems 'In Midst of Nervous Breakdown'...
Obama Makes Surprise Trip to Afghanistan...
Flies 7,000 miles -- talks to Karzai for 15 minutes on
phone!
Forgets the Coast Guard...
Leaves Biden behind to handle 'disappointing' jobs
report...
Reid, funded by casinos, pushes online gambling...
ABCNEWS accused of breaking embargo...
2010
death toll of US troops nears that of 2001-2008 combined...
OBAMA SPEECHWRITER JOKES ABOUT TSA GROPING: Allows
'defrocked priests to give back to society'...
US
Deficit-Cutting Plan Falls Short of Needed Votes...
UNEMPLOYMENT UP TO 9.8%
HILLARY: Secretary of State will be 'my last public
position'... ... PITCHE$ $IGNED DVD ON HOME $HOPPING NETWORK..
US TO BAILOUT EU
[ Riiiiight! Sounds like a plan! After all, in defacto bankrupt america money
does grow on trees … derivatively (pun intended) that is … you know … that ever
more worthless fiat paper currency … and ultimately, existentially,
philosophically, doesn’t paper come from trees … sure it does …so, no problemo
since money grows on trees. ]
BOMBSHELL: European banks took big slice of
Fed aid...
Hundreds of billions of dollars...
Fed reveals global extent of its backing...
]Funds went to stalwarts of
American industry including GE and Caterpillar and household-name companies
such as Verizon, new data show.
GEORGIA: HUNDREDS LINE UP IN COLD FOR HEAT HELP...
Assistance Funds Quickly Depleted...
'Almost like being in soup line during great
depression'...
VIDEO...
DELAYING TAX VOTE COULD 'CRASH
STOCK MARKET' STARTING 12/15 [ Come on! There’s no way to justify
the tax cut to the top 1% including the frauds on wall street … their threats
don’t hunt no more … the nation’s defacto bankrupt … see Davis, supra! ]
Chase Bank orders branch to remove Christmas tree...
Cyber attack forces WIKILEAKS to change web address...
Respected media outlets collaborate with
organization... [ Said
outlets and other disseminators and of course Wikileaks deserve accolades for
the advancement of first amendment liberties in the name of an informed global
body politick for all.]
UPDATE: Latest developments...
Foreign contractors hired Afghan 'dancing boys'...
Embassy cables portray Karzai as corrupt, erratic...
CIA drew up UN spying wishlist...
Assange speaks...
UPDATE: Latest WIKILEAKS developments...
Foreign contractors hired Afghan 'dancing boys'...
Embassy cables portray Karzai as corrupt, erratic...
CIA drew up UN spying wishlist...
SANTA CLAUSE: FED AID WENT TO COMPANIES, BANKS,
OFFSHORE...
SECRETLY BAILED OUT GE -- GE NEWS OUTLETS FAILED TO
REVEAL IN FED COVERAGE...
SANTA CLAUSE: FORD, BMW, TOYOTA Took Secret Government
Money......
Fed Created Conflicts in Improvising Financial System
Rescue...
Tax Breaks for Bailout Recipients Spark Debate...
MORE SECRETS: Fed Withholds Data for $885 Billion in
Loans...
RUSSIA TO HOST '18 WORLD CUP FINALS...
Qatar selected '22 host over USA, others...
'AMERICAN
PSYCHO' musical in works... [ I recommend the derivative films,
American Psycho and American Psycho 2,
for insight! ]
National Board of Review: SOCIAL NETWORK named best
film... [ National board of what? ‘Inception’ is by
far and away the ‘Best Film’ across the board, in all categories, and on the
list! ] LIST...
BANK OF AMERICA Becoming 'Bank of Asia' as
Revenue Increases 30% ...
RESET: PUTIN CRITICIZES USA OVER WIKILEAKS … [ Putin
deserves the greatest deference in matters of global concern in light of his
greater rationality; america’s self-serving accusations are merely envy and
projection / displacement (in psychoanalytic terms) of america’s pervasively
corrupt, criminal, broken system which is a far cry in reality from defacto
bankrupt america’s propaganda.]...
REWARD: [ The payoff. Bribe complete! Next bribe
scenario … ] CITI to Hire Obama's Ex-Budget Chief Orszag...
FLASHBACK: Rubin and friends ride NY-DC shuttle...
ZUCKERMAN: Watching America's Decline and Fall [the moral authority of the West has
dramatically declined in the face of the financial crisis. It has revealed deep
fault lines within Western economies that have spread to the global economy. The majority of Western governments
are running fiscal deficits of 10 percent or more relative to
GDP, but it is increasingly clear that there will be no quick fixes, that big
government and fiscal deficits will not bring us back to the status quo ante.
Indeed, the tidal wave of red ink has meant that the leverage-led or
debt-led growth model is dead. Developed countries will be forced to deal with
their debt on every level, from the personal to the corporate to the sovereign.
Being able to borrow may have made people feel richer, but having to repay the
debt is certainly making them feel poorer, particularly since the unfunded
liabilities that many governments face from aging populations will have to be
paid for by a shrinking band of workers. (Ecoutez, mes amis!) Demography is destiny. As a result, there is a
burgeoning consensus that we are witnessing an inevitable rise of the East and
a decline of the West…( Harry Dent, Jr. Economy will be in a Depression by 2011
The
worst of this next depression is likely to hit between mid-2010 and mid-2013,
especially around early 2011, but if the banking system continues to implode a
deep downturn or depression could begin sometime in 2009 instead of 2010.
Dow
will Fall to 3,800 – 4,500 by 2012
Nasdaq
will Fall Below 1,100, its 2002 low, by late 2010 or mid-2012 at the latest.
Inflation
will Increase until mid- 2010 and then turn to Deflation
Interest
Rates will Increase
U.S.
Dollar will Decline
Housing
will Decline by 40 – 60% from Today’s Levels
Greatest
Economic and Banking Crisis since the 1930s will Occur Between 2010 and 2012). ) ]...
Interpol issues wanted notice for Julian Assange
[ They just can’t take the truth! ] ...
US cuts access to files [ Think about it. Really think
about it. Their policies are in the tank, along with the nation and the rest of
this world as a consequence. Don’t those so detrimentally affected (everyone) have
a right to know? I think in light of the global frauds, contrived perpetual
wars though defacto bankruptcy of this and other nations, pervasive corruption
and crime, failed policies domestically and geo-politically while serving the
very parochial interests of the self-interested few, the answer is an
unequivocal, YES! I believe that world history will write Mr. Assange as a hero
in the truest sense. He should be given a medal; and, certainly, since mr. b***
s*** wobama undeservingly got a ‘nobel peace prize’ (what he does, not what he
says, ie., Afghanistan, etc.), who more than Julian Assange is deserving of
that and more? Cover-up / propaganda … thy name is fallen america.]...
WIKILECTURE: 'HILLARY SHOULD
RESIGN' ‘…Hillary Clinton, Julian Assange said, "should resign."
Speaking over Skype from an undisclosed location on Tuesday, the WikiLeaks
founder was replying to a question by TIME managing editor Richard Stengel over
the diplomatic-cable dump that Assange's organization loosed on the world this
past weekend. Stengel had said the U.S. Secretary of State was looking like
"the fall guy" in the ensuing controversy, and had asked whether her
firing or resignation was an outcome that Assange wanted. "I don't think
it would make much of a difference either way," Assange said. "But
she should resign if it can be shown that she was responsible for ordering U.S.
diplomatic figures to engage in espionage in the United Nations, in violation
of the international covenants to which the U.S. has signed up. Yes, she should
resign over that."…’
CITY ON EDGE: Cash-Strapped Newark, new jersey Forced
To Lay Off 14% Of Police Force... [ From decades old
(1978-1985) direct personal experience with newark, n.j., the police are the
absolute last cuts that can be afforded to be made. Indeed, while walking
through Military Park (a sliver of a “park” - more a pedestrian
thoroughfare/cement walks) in newark, new jersey on the way to the bank during
lunch hour, I heard the clearly audible screams/cries of what turned out to be
an old lady on the ground with blood streaming from her mouth. I ran toward the
sound of the cries, the source of which I could not see because there were so
many people in and about this thoroughfare so as to block any vision of the
source of the cries. When I came to the woman, on the ground, blood streaming
from her mouth, I asked what happened, to which she responded she had been hit
in the mouth and knocked to the ground, her purse stolen/put inside her
shopping bag, and she pointed out the criminal casually now walking across the
main street. Nobody stopped to help her, many having passed her by. I slammed
the thug to the ground so hard that, in light of all the blood and confusion
(limbic system / adrenalin flow) I thought I had been stabbed (the blood was
from his elbows hitting the pavement so hard - no one helped / a crowd gathered
/ an undercover cop happened along). When I testified at the Grand Jury
Proceeding I made sure his threat on my life was set forth in prima facie
fashion so as to maximize the DA’s position with both felonies ( he went to
prison – pled out ). The other case I wrote about here ( This was included on
my website in the Psychology forum discussion of ‘bystander effect’ / diffusion
of responsibility. ) - Having had occasion to have run down a mugger in newark,
n.j. who apparently had followed a girl from the bank on her way to the bursar
to pay tuition, though in pretty good shape, I was astounded by how totally
exhausting such a pursuit was, how much like rubber my arms were when I traded
punches with the perpetrator, and truth be told, if I had a flashlight on my
belt, I have little doubt that I would have probably used it to subdue the
perp. The girl was not that seriously injured, did get her pocketbook and
tuition back, and the criminal went to jail. The other thing about such a
pursuit that amazed me was that no one else assisted the girl or me despite
being in a position to do so). (Other newark / new jersey and new york, n.y.
metro, viz., ie., connecticut, and of course, d.c., d.c. metro, viz., ie.,
virginia experience … corrupt federal judges as maryanne trump barry, sam
alito, shiff, matz (california), hall, underhill, dorsey, etc.. Defacto
bankrupt america’s so-called system is pervasively corrupt and broken (AP) Abolish the corrupt, costly, economically
wasteful lifetime extravagantly appointed federal courts - see RICO case http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ) ]
Nation's '2nd Most Dangerous City' (camden, new
jersey) To Lay Off Nearly Half Of Police Force...
Chicagoland: Vandals torch Christmas charity van...
Businessman
gets harsh prison term (Washington Post) [ Come on! Quality of justice
concerns by pervasively corrupt / defacto bankrupt america (I’ve seen this first
hand and have sworn under penalty of perjury to the readily discernible
corruption in the ‘so-called judicial process’ / american illegal system; and
Orwellian britain / european illegal systems little better as toadies to the
criminal americans)? Don’t make me laugh? The u.s. illegal system is a cruel
joke! What parallel universe / fantasy land are they living in? ] A Moscow judge's decision to impose the
harshest possible penalty on Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky signaled
that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin intends to keep a firm grip on power and is
unwilling to bend to American and European concerns about the quality of
Russian justice.
October 15, 2010 (*see
infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no, there
is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that prosecuted
gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set
forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
----------
*The foregoing and as
indicated therein was previously send 9-14-10 but delivery confirmation was
flawed as set forth below and my inquiries to the u.s. postal service rebuffed
(I believe tampered with inasmuch as your office could not locate same). This
cover letter (9-13-10) is on the 3 disks with navigable hyperlinks to the
subject files for ease of reference, including the files in the RICO action as indicated.
(10-15-10) I spoke with Rose, FBI, ADIC Secretary, who indicates once again
that your office has not received the aforesaid and which can reasonably be
presumed to have been tampered with, and hence, a violation of the federal
statute concerning same. ]
-----
Former
president convicted of rape (Washington Post) [ Between the orgies, war crimes, assassinations, etc., what a
bunch of sick perverts, criminals the israeli operatives / powers that be and
their friends are; see, ie., Victor Ostrovsky Mossad
ebook download in PDF format September: Victor Ostrovsky, a former Mossad
trainee, publishes his book By Way of Deception ... Israel's Mossad has regularly
faked Australian passports for its. spies,
… 1 http://khup.com/keyword/victor-ostrovsky-mossad-by-way-of-deception.html 2 http://khup.com/keyword/page-2/victor-ostrovsky-mossad-by-way-of-deception.html 3 http://khup.com/keyword/page-3/victor-ostrovsky-mossad-by-way-of-deception.html ]
An Israeli court finds former president Moshe Katsav guilty of rape,
indecent assault and sexual harassment of female subordinates, the most serious
conviction of a former top official in Israel's history
Economic
forecasters see growth in 2011 (Washington Post) [ Growth indeed … in the deficits that is …
and in insurmountable fashion at that … which masks / obfuscates in the
short-term the weakness and structural shift in the worst economic terms
imaginable while benefiting the self-interested few (ie., frauds on wall
street, war profiteers, the ‘already campaigning for the next election’ pols, etc..
The trade-off is far from commensurate.
The Economic Collapse
Dec 17, 2010
The financial
collapse that so many of us have been anticipating is seemingly closer then
ever. Over the past several weeks, there have been a host of ominous
signs for the U.S. economy. Yields on U.S. Treasuries have moved up
rapidly and Moody’s is publicly warning that it may have to cut the rating on
U.S. government debt soon. Mortgage rates are also moving up aggressively.
The euro and the U.S. dollar both look incredibly shaky. Jobs continue to
be shipped out of the United States at a blistering pace as our politicians
stand by and do nothing. Confidence in U.S. government debt around the
globe continues to decline. State and local governments that are drowning
in debt across the United States are savagely cutting back on even essential
social services and are coming up with increasingly “creative” ways of getting
more money out of all of us. Meanwhile, tremor after tremor continues to
strike the world financial system. So does this mean that we have almost
reached a tipping point? Is the world on the verge of a major financial
collapse?
Let’s hope
not, but with each passing week the financial news just seems to get eve worse.
Not only is U.S. government debt spinning wildly toward a breaking point, but
many U.S. states (such as California) are in such horrific financial condition
that they are beginning to resemble banana republics.
But it is not
just the United States that is in trouble. Nightmarish debt problems in
Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Belgium and several other European
nations threaten to crash the euro at any time. In fact, many economists
are now openly debating which will collapse first – the euro or the U.S.
dollar.
Sadly, this is
the inevitable result of constructing a global financial system on debt.
All debt bubbles eventually collapse. Currently we are living in the
biggest debt bubble in the history of the world, and when this one bursts it is
going to be a disaster of truly historic proportions.
So will we
reach a tipping point soon? Well, the following are 25 signs that the
financial collapse is rapidly getting closer….
#1 The official U.S. unemployment rate has not been
beneath 9 percent since
April 2009.
#2 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are
currently 6.3
million vacant homes in the United States that are either for sale or for
rent.
#3 It is being projected that the U.S. trade deficit
with China could hit 270 billion dollars
for the entire year of 2010.
#4 Back in 2000, 7.2 percent of blue collar workers
were either unemployed or underemployed. Today that figure is up
to 19.5 percent.
#5 The Chinese government has accumulated approximately
$2.65 trillion in
total foreign exchange reserves. They have drained this wealth from the
economies of other nations (such as the United States) and instead of reinvesting
all of it they are just sitting on much of it. This is creating
tremendous imbalances in the global economy.
#6 Since the year 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs. In the
year 2000 there were approximately 72 million middle class jobs in the United
States but today there are only about 65 million middle class jobs.
#7 The United States now employs about the same number
of people in manufacturing as
it did back in 1940. Considering the fact that we had 132 million
people living in this country in 1940 and that we have well over 300 million
people living in this country today, that is a very sobering statistic.
#8 According to CoreLogic, U.S. housing prices have now
declined for
three months in a row.
#9 The average rate on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage soared
11 basis points just this past week. As mortgage rates continue to
push higher it is going to make it even more difficult for American families to
afford homes.
#10 22.5 percent of all residential mortgages in the
United States were in negative equity as of the end of the third quarter
of 2010.
#11 The U.S. monetary base has
more than doubled since the beginning of the most recent recession.
#12 U.S. Treasury yields have been rising steadily
during the 4th quarter of 2010 and
recently hit a six-month high.
#13 Incoming governor Jerry Brown is scrambling to find
$29 billion more to cut from the California state budget. The
following quote from Brown about the desperate condition of California
state finances is not going to do much to inspire confidence in California’s
financial situation around the globe….
“We’ve been living in fantasy land. It is much worse
than I thought. I’m shocked.”
#14
24.3
percent of the residents of El Centro, California are currently unemployed.
#15
The average home in Merced, California has declined in value by
63 percent over the past four years.
#16
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has come up with a new way to save money. He
wants to cut 20
percent of Detroit off from essential social services such as road repairs,
police patrols, functioning street lights and garbage collection.
#17
The second most dangerous city in the United States – Camden, New Jersey – is
about to lay off about
half its police in a desperate attempt to save money.
#18
In 2010, 55
percent of Americans between the ages of 60 and 64 were in the labor
market. Ten years ago, that number was just 47 percent. More older
Americans than ever find that they have to keep working just to survive.
#19
Back in 1998, the United States had 25 percent of the world’s high-tech export
market and China had just 10 percent. Ten years later, the United States had
less than 15 percent and China’s share had soared to 20 percent.
#20
The U.S. government budget deficit increased to a whopping $150.4 billion last
month, which represented the biggest November budget deficit on record.
#21
The U.S. government is somehow going to have to roll over existing debt and
finance new debt that
is equivalent to 27.8 percent of GDP in 2011.
#22
The United States had been the leading consumer of energy on the globe for
about 100 years, but this past summer China took over the number one spot.
#23
According to an absolutely stunning new poll, 40 percent of all U.S. doctors plan to bail out of the
profession over the next three years.
#24
As 2007 began, there were just over 1 million Americans that had been
unemployed for half a year or longer. Today, there are over
6 million Americans that have been unemployed for half a year or longer.
#25
All over the United States, local governments have begun instituting “police
response fees”. For example, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has come up
with a plan under which a
fee of $365 would be charged if police are called to respond to an
automobile accident where no injuries are involved. If there are injuries
as a result of the crash that is going to cost extra.
Timid
Tuesday: Is it Safe? Davis
‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are
simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of
global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form
of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh)
is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut
$100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while
continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1%
each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool
all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT
THERE! ‘
5
More Themes for 2011 Suttmeir ‘5 themes for 2011 (6 more are on their way):
Tracking the US Capital Markets – US stocks are overvalued fundamentally and overbought
technically on both daily and weekly charts. The snow storm causes stocks
to drift lower and higher.
Here are my remaining themes for 2011 – Six through
Eleven (a
continuation of 1-5)
6.
QE2, the $600 billion program where the Federal Reserve buys long dated US
Treasury Securities has been a failure so far. The yield on the 10-Year was 2.334 when Fed Chief
Bernanke touted QE2 in October only to see the yield nearly 125 basis points
higher in December. The primary intent of QE2 was to lower longer-dated US
Treasury yields. Yields held this week’s value level at 3.494 again on
Wednesday. There is risk to 3.75 to 4.25 in 2011, but with or without this
weakness, the 10-Year yield will decline to 2.75 to 2.50 during 2011.
7.
Comex Gold has gone parabolic, and therefore you cannot predict how high gold
prices can climb. I do know that
corrections will be fierce and painful for those that buy strength instead of
weakness. The 2011 neutral zone is between $1350 and $1450.
8.
Nymex Crude Oil is headed back above $100 per barrel according to most experts.
I cannot rule that out for 2011, but
the downside is more significant given weekly closes below the $87 per barrel
area. If gasoline stays above $3.00 per gallon demand on Main Street will slow
down and will be a drag on economic growth and job creation.
9.
Problems among the PIIGS nations denominated in euros will trump problems at
the state level in the USA. This
will keep the euro versus the dollar in a trading range. We will begin
2011 with a quarterly pivot around 1.3150.
10.
US stocks show strong technical characteristics. The S&P 500 is above the 61.8% Fibonacci
Retracement of the decline from October 2007 to the low of March 2009 at
1228.74. Dow Theory had a Buy Signal in early November and another confirmation
in December. The Dow Industrial Average – I project downside to 9,375 in
the first half with a rebound to 11,500 in the second half. Strength above
11,500 will return to 11,500, and the 2011 close will be at or below 11,500.
11.ValuEngine.com
indicates that equity fundamental are not cheap. Fifteen of sixteen sectors will begin 2011 overvalued
according to ValuEngine. The normal range for the percent undervalued or
overvalued stocks is 35% to 65%. We will begin 2011 close to the low end of the
range for undervalued stocks and towards the high end for overvalued stocks. Because
of the battle between the technicals and fundamentals, stocks will be
reversal-oriented in 2011 and be little changed year over year.
Tracking
the US Capital Markets – US stocks
are overvalued fundamentally and overbought technically on both daily and
weekly charts.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate
any positions within the next 72 hours.’
Struggling to the Finish Line: Dave's Daily ‘Most
economic news today (Jobless Claims, Chicago PMI and Home Sales) was, ahem,
"better than expected"; still, that didn't spark any determined
buying. Maybe without any POMO Thursday trading desks were running on empty.
2010 was an interesting year with lots of erratic behavior but a Fed
"stick save" in the end. Flash Crashes, elections, tax issues,
spending, unemployment, POMO and home prices were all center stage. Now you're
probably expecting some sort of forecast from your humble pundit, but alas, all
I can offer are three basic tenets to follow:
"The
best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew."
-- Robert
Burns
Or, if you
prefer: "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry"
-- John
Steinbeck
"If
you must forecast, forecast often."
--Economist
Edgar Fiedler (ETF Digest Sacred Cow IX)
"Things
change"
-- ETF Digest
Sacred Cow X
You were
expecting Dow 20,000?!?
Volume
Thursday did improve a tad and breadth was flat… ‘
Baby
Boomers Start To Turn 65: 16 Statistics About The Coming Retirement Crisis That
Will Drop Your Jaw The American Dream | The moment when
the first Baby Boomers reach retirement age has arrived. ‘ … The following are
16 statistics about the coming retirement crisis that will drop your jaw…..
#1 Beginning January 1st, 2011 every single day more
than 10,000 Baby Boomers will reach the age of 65. That is going to keep
happening every single day for the next 19 years.
#2 According to one recent survey, 36 percent of
Americans say that they don’t
contribute anything at all to retirement savings.
#3 Most Baby Boomers do not have a traditional pension
plan because they have been going out of style over the past 30 years.
Just consider the following quote from Time
Magazine: The traditional pension plan is disappearing. In 1980, some
39 percent of private-sector workers had a pension that guaranteed a steady
payout during retirement. Today that number stands closer to 15 percent,
according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute in Washington, D.C.
#4 Over 30 percent of U.S. investors currently in their
sixties have more than 80
percent of their 401k invested in equities. So what happens if the
stock market crashes again?
#5 35%
of Americans already over the age of 65 rely almost entirely on
Social Security payments alone.
#6 According to another recent survey, 24%
of U.S. workers admit that they
have postponed their planned retirement age at least
once during the past year.
#7 Approximately
3 out of 4 Americans start claiming Social Security benefits the moment
they are eligible at age 62. Most are doing this out of necessity.
However, by claiming Social Security early they get locked in at a much lower
amount than if they would have waited.
#8 Pension consultant Girard Miller recently told
California’s Little Hoover Commission that state and local government bodies in
the state of California have $325
billion in combined unfunded pension liabilities. When you break that
down, it comes to $22,000 for every single working adult in California.
#9 According to a recent report from Stanford
University, California’s three biggest pension funds are as much as $500
billion short of meeting future retiree benefit obligations.
#10
It has been reported that the $33.7 billion Illinois Teachers
Retirement System is
61% underfunded and is on the verge of complete collapse.
#11 Robert Novy-Marx of the University of Chicago and Joshua
D. Rauh of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management recently calculated the
combined pension liability for all 50 U.S. states. What they found
was that the 50 states are collectively facing $5.17 trillion in
pension obligations, but they only have $1.94 trillion set aside in
state pension funds. That is a difference of 3.2
trillion dollars. So where in the world is all of that extra money
going to come from? Most of the states are already completely broke and
on the verge of bankruptcy.
#12
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Social Security system will pay
out more in benefits than it receives in payroll taxes in 2010. That
was not supposed to happen until at least 2016. Sadly, in the years
ahead these “Social Security deficits” are scheduled to become absolutely
horrific as hordes of Baby Boomers start to retire.
#13
In 1950, each retiree’s Social Security benefit was paid for by 16
U.S. workers. In 2010, each retiree’s Social Security benefit
is paid for by approximately 3.3 U.S. workers. By 2025, it is
projected that
there will be approximately two U.S. workers for each retiree. How in
the world can the system possibly continue to function properly with numbers
like that?
#14
According to a
recent U.S. government report, soaring interest costs on
the U.S. national debt plus rapidly escalating spending on
entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare will absorb
approximately 92 cents of every single dollar of federal revenue by the
year 2019. That is before a single dollar is spent on anything
else.
#15
After analyzing Congressional Budget Office data, Boston University economics
professor Laurence J. Kotlikoff concluded that the U.S. government is facing a “fiscal gap”
of $202 trillion dollars. A big chunk of that is made up of future
obligations to Social Security and Medicare recipients.
#16
According to a recent AARP survey of Baby Boomers, 40
percent of them plan to work “until they drop”.
Companies all over America have been dropping their
pension plans in anticipation of the time when the Baby Boomers would
retire. 401k programs were supposed to be part of the answer, but if the
stock market crashes again, it is absolutely going to devastate the Baby
Boomers.
State and local governments are scrambling to find
ways to pay out all the benefits that they have been promising. Many
state and local governments will be forced into some very hard choices by the
hordes of Baby Boomers that will now be retiring.
Of course whenever a big financial crisis comes along
these days everyone looks to the federal government to fix the problem.
But the truth is that after fixing crisis after crisis the federal government
is flat broke …’
Constitution's
new starring role in House (Washington Post) [ Riiiiight!…Whew! That was a close one…we can all
rest easy now…and to think we were thinkin’ they were goin’ in the wrong direction
and sinkin’…for those skeptics who hail this as yet another desperate and
redundant gimmick … have no fear, the new congress is here. ]
‘…They will read the Constitution aloud…’
Roubini:
‘Housing Prices Can Only Move Down’ According to economist Nouriel Roubini,
the housing market is in a double dip. And negative Case-Shiller Home Price
numbers out today only confirm that unpleasant truth.
Housing
market forecast (Washington Post) Expert says
"house prices probably have another 20% to fall." And that may be a
"conservative estimate.’
The 10 Most Important Tax Tips Of 2010 Posted by Investopedia
It’s the end of the year, and while holiday baking may be top of mind, that
niggling little task of getting the year-end tax tasks done is still there,
bothering you over the scent of the fruitcake in the oven. The
following tips will give you some specifics so you can take care of taxes,
and then get back to your fun holiday activities.
IN
PICTURES: Top 10
Solutions For A Big Tax Bill
IN PICTURES: 6
Tax Credits That Anyone Can Claim
The Bottom Line
With taxes, you don’t know until you ask. You may be able to save much more
than you think you can just by making a few simple changes, or by paying for
expenses in December instead of January, February or March. It’s a little bit
of forethought that can make the tax bill much more bearable.
For the latest financial news, see Water
Cooler Finance: FBI Insider-Trading Bust.’
Army
edits its history of deadly battle of Wanat (Washington
Post) [ Come on! Does anyone really think they ever get a true story from the
u.s. gov’t et als about anything at all?
] Draft put majority of blame on top commanders, but final version's
focuses on lower-level leaders sparks anger among families of those killed.
A subtler tack to fight Afghan corruption?
(Washington Post) [ How
about a not so subtler tack to fight corruption starting right here in the u.s.
of a. where corruption and crime are pervasive and in fact, at the root of the
Afghanistan problems, from american reinvigorated heroin trade to bribery
attendant thereto to killing civilians, etc..
Defacto
Bankrupt, Meaningfully Lawless, War Criminal Nation america, the leader of
nations … in crime:
Though having but 5% of the world’s population, america can
boast 76% of the world’s serial killers, followed by Europe with England/UK
then Germany leading the way for the eu [excerpt, 6 minute video, Serial Killers:
Real Life Hannibal Lechters
http://www.albertpeia.com/realifeamericaserialkillers.mpg (as is consistent with crime generally,
see infra)]. Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive
(defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of
the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern
emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
… ]
Wall
Street Is Laundering Drug Money And Getting Away With It Zach
Carter, … etc. … Drudgereport:
CLASSIFIED
NO MORE: USA RACES TO LIMIT WIKILEAKS DAMAGE
[Publishing the Wikileaks is the right thing to do; after all, one
cannot possibly look to even one rationally correct strategy, domestically,
globally, geopolitically that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the
failed strategies, their genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this
nation and the world dearly] ...
WIKILEAKS:
We've been hit with 'mass distributed denial of service attack'...
MOST
EMBARRASSING, DAMAGING DISCLOSURE IN DECADES...
SENATORS:
PROSECUTE THE LEAKERS!
NYT
EXPLAINS: THE DECISION TO PUBLISH … [The NYT clearly did the right thing to
publish; after all, one cannot possibly look to even one rationally correct
strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically that would justify continued
hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their genesis, flawed rationale,
etc., which has cost this nation and the world dearly]...
SKorea
says sound of artillery heard on island...
US,
SKorea start major naval drills...
China
issues warning...
DHS
SEIZES DOMAIN NAMES...
EU
Debt Crisis Escalates...
6
American soldiers killed in Afghanistan...
Next Debt
Crisis 'May Start in Washington'...
WIKILEAKS
TURNS ON OBAMA! … [ Like who hasn’t, and for good reason! Publishing
the Wikileaks is the right thing to do; after all, one cannot possibly look to
even one rationally correct strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically
that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their
genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this nation and the world
dearly] ]
] Authorities are
investigating whether Julian Assange violated criminal laws, including possible
charges under the Espionage Act, sources say. Afghanistan: Gates: Progress has
'exceeded my expectations' (Post, December 8, 2010; 5:53 PM)
U.S. hurting peace chances by giving up on
israeli settlement freeze, analysts say (Post,
December 8, 2010; 11:00 PM)
In South Korea, Joint Chiefs chairman scolds
China for its 'tacit approval' of North's aggression (Post,
December 8, 2010; 11:01 PM)
Iran talks end with little sign of progress
(Post, December 8, 2010; 1:04 AM)
Rice, on 'The View,' defends Obama on
WikiLeaks (Post, December 8, 2010; 1:00 AM) (Washington Post) [ The problems in all these regions
are inextricably tied to the nation with insurmountable problems of its own and
own making. That nation quite obviously
is pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt america (along
with such comparable enablers / allies as zionist israel, nato, etc.. How can
anyone believe anything they say, least of all gates who hails from
C(ottage)I(ndustries of)A(merica) based on lies, chaos, and conflict.]
Army
edits its history of deadly battle of Wanat (Washington
Post) [ Come on! Does anyone really think they ever get a true story from the
u.s. gov’t et als about anything at all?
] Draft put majority of blame on top commanders, but final version's
focuses on lower-level leaders sparks anger among families of those killed.
A subtler tack to fight Afghan corruption?
(Washington Post) [ How
about a not so subtler tack to fight corruption starting right here in the u.s.
of a. where corruption and crime are pervasive and in fact, at the root of the
Afghanistan problems, from american reinvigorated heroin trade to bribery
attendant thereto to killing civilians, etc..
Defacto
Bankrupt, Meaningfully Lawless, War Criminal Nation america, the leader of
nations … in crime:
Though having but 5% of the world’s population, america can
boast 76% of the world’s serial killers, followed by Europe with England/UK
then Germany leading the way for the eu [excerpt, 6 minute video, Serial
Killers: Real Life Hannibal Lechters http://www.albertpeia.com/realifeamericaserialkillers.mpg (as is consistent with crime generally,
see infra)]. Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive
(defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of
the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern
emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
… ]
Wall
Street Is Laundering Drug Money And Getting Away With It Zach
Carter, … etc. … Drudgereport:
CLASSIFIED NO MORE: USA RACES
TO LIMIT WIKILEAKS DAMAGE [Publishing
the Wikileaks is the right thing to do; after all, one cannot possibly look to
even one rationally correct strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically
that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their
genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this nation and the world
dearly] ...
WIKILEAKS: We've been hit
with 'mass distributed denial of service attack'...
MOST EMBARRASSING, DAMAGING
DISCLOSURE IN DECADES...
SENATORS: PROSECUTE THE
LEAKERS!
NYT EXPLAINS: THE DECISION TO
PUBLISH … [The NYT clearly did the right thing to publish; after all, one
cannot possibly look to even one rationally correct strategy, domestically,
globally, geopolitically that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the failed
strategies, their genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this nation
and the world dearly]...
SKorea says sound of
artillery heard on island...
US, SKorea start major naval
drills...
China issues warning...
DHS SEIZES DOMAIN NAMES...
EU Debt Crisis Escalates...
6 American soldiers killed in
Afghanistan...
Next Debt Crisis 'May Start in Washington'...
WIKILEAKS TURNS ON OBAMA!
… [ Like who hasn’t, and for good reason! Publishing the Wikileaks is the right
thing to do; after all, one cannot possibly look to even one rationally correct
strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically that would justify continued
hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their genesis, flawed rationale,
etc., which has cost this nation and the world dearly] ]
] Authorities are
investigating whether Julian Assange violated criminal laws, including possible
charges under the Espionage Act, sources say. Afghanistan: Gates: Progress has
'exceeded my expectations' (Post, December 8, 2010; 5:53 PM)
U.S. hurting peace chances by giving up on
israeli settlement freeze, analysts say (Post,
December 8, 2010; 11:00 PM)
In South Korea, Joint Chiefs chairman scolds
China for its 'tacit approval' of North's aggression (Post,
December 8, 2010; 11:01 PM)
Iran talks end with little sign of progress
(Post, December 8, 2010; 1:04 AM)
Rice, on 'The View,' defends Obama on
WikiLeaks (Post, December 8, 2010; 1:00 AM) (Washington Post) [ The problems in all these regions
are inextricably tied to the nation with insurmountable problems of its own and
own making. That nation quite obviously
is pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt america (along
with such comparable enablers / allies as zionist israel, nato, etc.. How can
anyone believe anything they say, least of all gates who hails from
C(ottage)I(ndustries of)A(merica) based on lies, chaos, and conflict.]
5
Economic Themes for 2011 Suttmeier
‘5 themes for 2011 (6 more are on their way):
Tracking the US Capital Markets – US stocks are overvalued fundamentally and overbought
technically on both daily and weekly charts. The snow storm causes stocks
to drift lower and higher.
The Yield on the 10-Year Note (3.345) – Tested this week’s value level at 3.494 with today’s
risky level at 3.306.
Comex Gold ($1384.2) – The 50-day at $1372.1 held at the low on Monday with
this week’s risky level at $1401.2.
Nymex Crude Oil ($90.79) – Reached a new high for the year at $91.88, shy of
this week’s risky level at $93.28. Support is the 21-day simple moving average
at $88.24.
The Euro (1.3163) – My weekly value level is 1.2906 with 200-day simple
moving average at 1.3087 and quarterly pivot at 1.3318, which goes away at the
end of the year.
The Dow Industrial Average (11,555) – Remains extremely overbought on both daily and weekly
charts. The 21-day simple moving average is 11,384 with a daily pivot at 11,569
and this week’s risky level at 11,629.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate
any positions within the next 72 hours.
Market
Crash on 12/31/10? Technical indicators suggest market collapse may
begin by December 31st Why
Stocks Could Collapse...Beginning as Soon as December 31, 2010!
The Fed has propped up the equity markets for
months ... but that could soon come to a
disastrous end! Dennis Slothower is one of the world’s leading technical analysts.
He’s one of the few advisors whose readers completely avoided ALL losses during
the disaster that was 2008. And now he’s issuing another dire warning. His
technical indicators suggest that the market manipulation we’ve seen over the
last several months is about to come to an end…and that means thousands of
investors are about to get clobbered. This correction could begin as soon
as December 31st– so it’s important that you
take action now to prepare yourself. Click on the link below for immediate
access to Dennis Slothower’s latest report, which will explain – in plain
English – just how Dennis saw the collapse of 2008 coming…and how he’ll help
you avoid disaster in the weeks ahead.
http://www.stealthstocksonline.com/reports/FreeReport4StealthStocks.pdf
What's
Coming in 2011? More Gloom, But Not Necessarily Doom Krasting ‘Oh boy, is 2011
going to be an exciting year! Some things that I think might happen:
Have a great year!’
Toasting
the bad economy (Washington Post) [
As indeed the Russians should since they have much to celebrate. Russian
tiger team hails success yahoo
Moscow's
unprecedented military deal (Washington Post) ( France should be praised
inasmuch as a strong Russia, and conversely, a weak perpetual war, war
mongering, war crimes, pervasively corrupt nation, america is optimal for world
peace! ) Russia
is last in series of major powers to seal valuable deals with India (Washington Post) ( Bravo for India … a deal with
Russia is a deal with a future! ) ] Their country still endures the sting of
economic crisis, but Russians plan to drink up this holiday season. Applebaum: The
'decline of the West' (Washington Post) [ It really is true … and, no
leftist sympathizer with his book of the same name, none other than Buchanan
says as much. The reason of course is based on reality. From Orwellian Britain,
to failed nation-state the pervasively corrupt and defacto bankrupt
wobama-bushland america, to perpetual war ‘me-toos’ (ie., nato allies, war
crimes nations israel, u.s., etc.), their frauds (wall street, etc.) protected,
laws meaningless(see RICO
case http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ) , their ruthless suppression subtle, hidden,
but odious as never before in their respective histories, the west at best has
become that ‘distinction without significant difference’ and heading to worse
than can be imagined. Of course they’ll lay blame to something other than the
huge frauds / wealth transfers that have plundered the nation. Indeed, one
could even cogently argue that said plundering gave rise to the flawed, failed
communism lie in the first instance. Yet, Russia, a great nation with a rich
history is not a communist nation, did not violently suppress the people as
they shirked that communist yoke / albatross, is not as defacto bankrupt,
meaningfully lawless, pervasively corrupt america engaging in perpetual wars of
destruction to persons and property, and with a great leader of historical
dimension in Putin is a far more rational choice than the bankrupt west on all
levels. As for communist china, it has
truly been a self-defeating, self-destructive creation of the west out of greed
which is in no short supply in the west.
PREVIOUS:
Wikileaks
founder freed on bail (Washington
Post) [ ‘… Moore (correctly) asserts
that Assange
is under attack solely because he had the courage to expose American war
crimes. Moore writes:
We
were taken to war in Iraq on a lie. Hundreds of thousands are now dead. Just
imagine if the men who planned this war crime back in 2002 had had a WikiLeaks
to deal with. They might not have been able to pull it off. The only reason
they thought they could get away with it was because they had a guaranteed
cloak of secrecy....
So
why is WikiLeaks, after performing such an important public service, under such
vicious attack? Because they have outed and embarrassed those who have covered
up the truth…’
CLINTON BODY COUNT
By: Ether Zone
Staff
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
CLINTON BODY COUNT
By: Ether Zone
Staff
Here is the latest body
count that we have. All of these people have been connected with the Clintons
in some form or another. We have not included any deaths that could not be
verified or connected to the Clinton scandals. All deaths are listed
chronologically by date. This list is current and accurate to the best of our
knowledge as of January 13, 1999 August 1, 2000. (see complete list http://albertpeia.com/bodycount.htm )
Susan Coleman: Rumors were circulating in Arkansas of an affair
with Bill Clinton. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head at 7 1/2
months pregnant. Death was an apparent suicide.
Kevin Ives & Don Henry: Initial cause of death was reported to be the result
of falling asleep on a railroad track in Arkansas on August 23, 1987. This
ruling was reported by the State medical examiner Fahmy Malak. Later it was
determined that Kevin died from a crushed skull prior to being placed on the
tracks. Don had been stabbed in the back. Rumors indicate that they might have
stumbled upon a Mena drug operation.
Paul Olson: A Federal witness in investigations to drug money
corruption in Chicago politics, Paul had just finished 2 days of FBI interviews
when his plane ride home crashed, killing Paul and 130 others on Sept 8 1994. The
Sept. 15, 1994 Tempe Tribune newspaper reported that the FBI suspected that a
bomb had brought down the airplane.
Calvin Walraven: 24 year on Walraven was a key witness against Jocelyn
Elder's son's drug case. Walraven was found dead in his apartment with a
gunshot wound to the head. Tim Hover, a Little Rock police spokesman says no
foul play is suspected.
Alan G. Whicher: Oversaw Clinton's Secret Service detail. In October 1994
Whicher was transferred to the Secret Service field office in the Murrah Building
in Oklahoma City. Whatever warning was given to the BATF agents in that
building did not reach Alan Whicher, who died in the bomb blast of April 19th
1995.
Ron Brown:. The Commerce Secretary died on April 3, 1996, in an
Air Force jet carrying Brown and 34 others, including 14 business executives on
a trade mission to Croatia, crashed into a mountainside. The Air Force, in a
22-volume report issued in June of 1996, confirmed its initial judgment that
the crash resulted from pilot errors and faulty navigation equipment At the
time of Brown's death, Independent Counsel Daniel Pearson was seeking to
determine whether Brown had engaged in several sham financial transactions with
longtime business partner Nolanda Hill shortly before he became secretary of
commerce.
Charles Meissner: died: UNK - Following Ron Brown's death, John Huang was
placed on a Commerce Department contract that allowed him to retain his
security clearance by Charles Meissner. Shortly thereafter, Meissner died in
the crash of a small plane. He was an Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for International Economic Policy.
Barbara Wise: Wise a 14-year Commerce Department employee found dead and
partially naked in her office following a long weekend. She worked in the same
section as John Huang. Officially, she is said to have died of natural causes.
Mary C. Mahoney: 25, murdered at the Georgetown Starbuck's coffee bar over
the 4th of July '97 weekend. She was a former White House intern who worked
with John Huang. Apparently she knew Monica Lewinsky and her sexual encounters
with Bill Clinton. Although not verified, it has been said that Lewinsky told
Linda Tripp that she did not want to end up like Mahoney.
---------------------------------------------------------
] Gerson: He could have
taken quiet credit for the bipartisan tax deal; he chose otherwise. ]
10 Good Reasons To Be Worried About The Stock Market In
2011 , On Sunday December 26, 2010,
‘This is one of David Rosenberg's best pieces in awhile. In his latest daily
note, the Gluskin-Sheff economist
presents 10 reasons bulls should be worried about the stock market in 2011. And
it's not just that there are all kinds of negative headlines that are being
ignored, or that some economic datapoints aren't so hot, or that there is still
deflation. He makes a great argument that many factors, like the level of
bullishness, the relative valuation of stocks to bonds, and the unanimity in
thinking are worrisome. If anything, the list isn't taking into account
everything we see right now.
7.
BREADTH IS
DETERIORATING "As Bob Farrell is
clearly indicating in his work, momentum and market breadth have been lacking.
The number of stocks in the S&P 500 that are making 52-week highs is
declining even though the index continues to make new 52-week highs. "Source: Gluskin-Sheff Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-to-be-worried-about-the-stock-market-in-2011-2010-12#breadth-is-deteriorating-7#ixzz19G1KZX2Q
8.
VALUATIONS ARE
GETTING RICH "Stocks are overvalued at the present levels. For
December, the Shiller P/E ratio says stocks are now trading at a whopping 22.7
times earnings! In normal economic periods, the Shiller P/E is between 14
and 16 times earnings. Coming out of the bursting of a credit bubble, the
P/E ratio historically is 12. Coming out of a credit bubble of the
magnitude we just had, the P/E should be at single digits." Source: Gluskin-Sheff Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-to-be-worried-about-the-stock-market-in-2011-2010-12#valuations-are-getting-rich-8#ixzz19G23tGaQ
9.
HOUSING
IS STILL A HUGE THREAT "The potential for a significant down-leg in home
prices is being underestimated. The unsold existing inventory is still
80% above the historical norm, at 3.7 million. And that does not include
the ‘shadow’ foreclosed inventory. According to some superb research
conducted by the Dallas Fed, completing the mean-reversion process would entail
a further 23% decline in real home prices from here. In a near zero percent
inflation environment, that is one massive decline in nominal terms.
Prices may not hit their ultimate bottom until some point in 2015. "Read
more: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-to-be-worried-about-the-stock-market-in-2011-2010-12#housing-is-still-a-huge-threat-9#ixzz19G2O6qNU
10. FISCAL STRAINS POSE A MAJOR THREAT "Arguably the most
understated, yet significant, issue facing both U.S. economy and U.S. markets
is the escalating fiscal strains at the state and local government levels,
particularly those jurisdictions with uncomfortably high pension
liabilities. Have a look at Alabama town shows the cost of neglecting a
pension fund on the front page of the NYT as well as Chapter 9 weighed in
pension woes on page C1 on WSJ." In the absence of Chapter 9
declarations or dramatic federal aid, fixing the fiscal problems at lower
levels of government is very likely going to require some radical restraint,
perhaps even breaking up existing contracts for current retirees and tapping
tax payers for additional revenues. The story has some how become lost in
all the excitement over the New Tax Deal cobbled together between the White
House and the lame duck Congress just a few weeks ago." Source: Gluskin-Sheff
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-to-be-worried-about-the-stock-market-in-2011-2010-12#fiscal-strains-pose-a-major-threat-10#ixzz19G2gqTZP
THE
STOCK MARKET IS A BUBBLE Corson ‘The stock market is not bubbled up, you
say? Well then, let's take a serious macro macro look at the situation and
raise the matter as a question.How is it that from about 1950 (or 1965 at
least) up to about 1985, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stayed mostly in the
range from about 250 to 1200, when America was growing and doing pretty well on
average, and then, from about 1985 to the year 2000 or so -- a mere fifteen
years -- the Dow shot up to over 10,000, when middle class America realized
almost no income gains in real terms and the economy basically cycled from one
boom and bust cycle to the next?I argue we face one of the biggest bubbles of
all time. Let me explain and lets address the problem by focusing on the DJIA.
Here is what the DJIA has done since 1965. click to enlarge images
What
we observe is the DJIA has gone up about ten fold from 1965 to the year 2000 or
so. But what has industrial production in the US done during that time frame?
Industrial
production has increased to be sure, but only by a factor of three or so. It
certainly has not increased anything like the DJIA. But there is slippage, you
say. To be sure, we now generate more services, the time series data have been
smoothed and more importantly changed, etc., etc. But these explanations simply
don't bridge the gap.
Here is another one that doesn't either.
Back in the early-to-mid 1980s macro economists noted
that the risk premium being paid on equities over bonds was far higher than was
warranted by standard measures of individuals’ attitudes towards risk. In
short, the risk premium agents were being paid more than compensated them for
the risk. This was particularly surprising since over the long run, the risk on
equities was no different than that on bonds. As a result, there appeared to be
an arbitrage opportunity by shifting one’s portfolio from bonds to stocks and
holding the equities for a long time.
Do you believe that? We simply had a financial
epiphany and corrected. More importantly, do you want to believe that or
anything except we are bubbled up?As we know, Japan had this problem with its
stock market and here is what happened. But that can't happen here you say. I
ask, why not?
Even GDP and profits have not caught up with this
market. They too have only increased three and a half fold at best.
(The data in these charts are smoothed to conceal
recessions and ease presentation.)Why is it that we don't have a serious bubble
in our stock market now? Were our valuations all wrong for years on end
earlier, or do we have it wrong now? I think we have a problem and our heads
are in the sand… http://www.seekingalpha.com/article/243573-is-the-dow-showing-a-major-stock-market-bubble?source=yahoo
’
9-13-10
Steven M. Martinez,
Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include a copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’)…
The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the
RICO Act is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble
damages and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said
claims probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and
in need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said
violations of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which
corruption is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed
concurrently with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of
the action which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in
contravention of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge,
USDC, District Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the
referenced documents as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests
of both the U.S. and the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los
Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal False Claims Act probably would apply
and I would absent resolution seek to refer the within to a firm with expertise
in that area of the law with which I am not familiar).
The
document in 5 pages under penalty of perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI
office in New Haven is probably the best and most concise summary of the
case RICO
Summary to FBI Under Penalty of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [ http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf (
http://albertpeia.com/fbiofficela91310 )
].
The correspondence I
received from Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but typical
problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the 3 disks
as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry).
The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron Barndollar and we remained in
touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly retired (our last
conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and parenthetically,
Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for the mob to which
he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did – he served 12
years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no, there is no Chinese
wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction to
the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO
VERIFIED COMPLAINT (see infra). Such includes and as set forth
in the case, inter alia,
There
is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor creditors, nor I
should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt and illegal
scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the meaningful rules of
law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert
L. Peia
611
E. 5th Street, #404
Los
Angeles, CA 90013
(213)
******** (cell phone)
(213)
622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with the line,
computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance greater
non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for contact).
• Audio:
Obama on terrorism tactics
A subtler tack to fight Afghan corruption?
(Washington Post) [ How
about a not so subtler tack to fight corruption starting right here in the u.s.
of a. where corruption and crime are pervasive and in fact, at the root of the
Afghanistan problems, from american reinvigorated heroin trade to bribery
attendant thereto to killing civilians, etc..
Defacto
Bankrupt, Meaningfully Lawless, War Criminal Nation america, the leader of
nations … in crime:
Though having but 5% of the world’s population, america can
boast 76% of the world’s serial killers, followed by Europe with England/UK
then Germany leading the way for the eu [excerpt, 6 minute video, Serial
Killers: Real Life Hannibal Lechters http://www.albertpeia.com/realifeamericaserialkillers.mpg (as is consistent with crime generally,
see infra)]. Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive
(defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of
the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern
emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1 |
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2 |
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3 |
6,507,394 |
|
… ]
]
Airstrike probe finds poor coordination
between Pakistan, U.S. (Washington Post) [ Riiiiight! That
coordination thing underlying those unfriendly-fire incidents and civilian
deaths wherever american storm troopers happen to be … Eureka! And all this
while everyone was thinking that the same was just typical americana! ]
U.S.
funds go to Taliban, warlords, report finds (Washington
Post) [ Well, defacto bankrupt america can afford it; after all, how much more
defacto bankrupt can the nation get? Well, then again, despite the headline, a
lot of those hundreds of billions are finding their way back into american
hands, albeit dirty ones, like, for example the 360 tons of hundred dollar
bills flown into Iraq and still unaccounted for, etc.. ]Military has minimal
knowledge of and virtually no control over thousands of Afghans it pays to
guard operating bases, bipartisan report finds.
Harry Dent, Jr. Economy will be in a
Depression by 2011
The worst of this next depression is likely to hit between mid-2010 and
mid-2013, especially around early 2011, but if the banking system continues to
implode a deep downturn or depression could begin sometime in 2009 instead of
2010.
Dow will Fall to 3,800 – 4,500 by 2012
Nasdaq will Fall Below 1,100, its 2002 low, by late 2010 or mid-2012 at the
latest.
Inflation will Increase until mid- 2010 and then turn to Deflation
Interest Rates will Increase
U.S. Dollar will Decline
Housing will Decline by 40 – 60% from Today’s Levels
Greatest Economic and Banking Crisis since the 1930s will Occur Between 2010
and 2012). ]
Sunnis'
walkout mars political talks in Iraq (Washington Post) [ ‘It’s … be…ginning
to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere pervasively corrupt ‘little israel’
defacto bankrupt war criminal nation america goes (to that Christmas tune) …
Nothing like creating the anti-Christian sentiment through failed policy to
keep the war machine greased with money defacto bankrupt america doesn’t really
have (and aren’t the jews / israelis by definition ‘anti-Christ and hence
anti-Christian’) ] One chaotic parliamentary session reflects challenges facing
U.S. efforts to leave behind a stable Iraq with a representative
government. Attack
on Karachi police building kills 18 (Washington Post) About six militants
open fire on a criminal investigations office in the "red zone," a
highly secured area within Pakistan's largest city that houses the provincial
minister's residence and the U.S. Consulate. [Visiting U.S. senators praise Afghan
progress, say drawdown date is unrealistic (Washington Post) [ I’ll
tell you what’s unrealistic: having compromised senators ( ie., non-war-heroe
senile mccain, closet homosexual graham, incompetent zelig zionist lieberman, new
york sinkhole slug Kirsten Gillibrand chided As 'Schumer's (zionist)
Little Girl' ) stay the course with already failed pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt american policy … Paul
Craig Roberts: Government Abandoned Vietnam POWs Kurt
Nimmo |
John McCain worked overtime to make sure Vietnam POWs never came home. I think
the even bigger story vis-à-vis mccain is: http://www.albertpeia.com/heroenot.htm
‘Did you know that that so-called "american heroe" john mccain was
referred to by his fellow pows in Vietnam as something akin to the
"songbird" inasmuch as he was constantly "singing" to his
Viet-Cong captors to curry favor and better treatment? This has been documented
with authority by Colonel David Hackworth. The same violates military
code/protocol (other soldiers have been court-martialed for far less) click Here, Here. [ http://www.albertpeia.com/hackworth.htm
] But, you see, this covered up scenario, compromizing the false facade
of far less than a heroe, is exactly what a criminal (lie of a) nation as
america loves and encourages (get everyone's hands dirty so no-one dares to
rectify same, ie., bush, sr., clinton, bush, jr.). That is, "toe the
(corrupt, propagandized) line", become a criminal, or be exposed,
prosecuted, and/or ruined; and, hasn't anyone asked how "wall street"
has been "spared the spotlight" (and even was accorded protective
legislation from their criminal culpability) and focus of inquiry, attention,
and prosecution despite being the primary beneficiaries financial and otherwise
of these scams (you know the wall street motto, "churn and earn";
huge conflicts of interest if not outright fraud)…’…Oh and they so can afford
it Deficit
panel proposes huge cuts (Washington Post) [ Cuts? I heard the corrupt, incompetent lawmakers were giving
themselves a raise. They actually deserve at least a 10% paycut and abolition
of those lifetime appointments / permanent corrupt bureaucracies. Nothing
succeeds like failure and crime in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america! ] Lawmakers propose curbs on Social Security, cuts in spending and tax
hikes if long-term goals aren't met. ]
A
united goal: Saving the tiger (Washington Post) [
Clearly the wisdom of an historically great leader for the ages,
Vladimir V. Putin should be given great deference in all matters of global
concern. Having evolved from his youthful indiscretion as a novice KGB agent, a
hand dealt to him (by a soviet communist system) more than chosen, he has
reminded the world of the greatness that was, is, and forever will be Russia’s
and His! ] The tale of
the magnificent Siberian tiger, and its unfinished fight for survival, should
be a compelling one for the 500 conservationists and world leaders arriving for
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin's tiger summit this weekend.
Where
no man has gone before (Washington Post) [ Geeh! I can almost hear that
Star Trek Theme reverberate in my head, followed by a taste of Zarathustra …
After all, this is 2010 Odd but hardly a Space Odyssey. Indeed, merely
launching rockets is a far cry from Jupiter, and as for the moon; well, they
just didn’t get that done either … though the video was … okay. Launch
of secret US space ship masks even more secret launch of new weapon
Karzai
officials on CIA payroll (Washington Post)
[Riiiiight! The roster of allies … love of america breakin’ out all over
the region … boy oh boy … talk about creating your own boondoggles … well, they
can afford it. After all, it’s only taxpayer money and america’s already
defacto bankrupt. Then again, they have the requisite licenses; viz., to kill,
to steal, to distribute illegal drugs, etc.. Whew! Glad they didn’t act without
the requisite licensure.]
WikiLeaks founder could be charged under
Espionage Act (Washington Post) [
Drudgereport: Interpol issues
wanted notice for Julian Assange [ They just can’t take the truth! ] ...
US cuts access to files [
Think about it. Really think about it. Their policies are in the tank, along
with the nation and the rest of this world as a consequence. Don’t those so
detrimentally affected (everyone) have a right to know? I think in light of the
global frauds, contrived perpetual wars though defacto bankruptcy of this and
other nations, pervasive corruption and crime, failed policies domestically and
geo-politically while serving the very parochial interests of the
self-interested few, the answer is an unequivocal, YES! I believe that world
history will write Mr. Assange as a hero in the truest sense. He should be
given a medal; and, certainly, since mr. b*** s*** wobama undeservingly got a
‘nobel peace prize’ (what he does, not what he says, ie., Afghanistan, etc.),
who more than Julian Assange is deserving of that and more? Cover-up /
propaganda … thy name is fallen america.]...
WIKILECTURE: 'HILLARY SHOULD
RESIGN' ‘…Hillary Clinton, Julian Assange said, "should resign."
Speaking over Skype from an undisclosed location on Tuesday, the WikiLeaks
founder was replying to a question by TIME managing editor Richard Stengel over
the diplomatic-cable dump that Assange's organization loosed on the world this
past weekend. Stengel had said the U.S. Secretary of State was looking like
"the fall guy" in the ensuing controversy, and had asked whether her
firing or resignation was an outcome that Assange wanted. "I don't think
it would make much of a difference either way," Assange said. "But
she should resign if it can be shown that she was responsible for ordering U.S.
diplomatic figures to engage in espionage in the United Nations, in violation
of the international covenants to which the U.S. has signed up. Yes, she should
resign over that."…’
CITY ON EDGE: Cash-Strapped
Newark, new jersey Forced To Lay Off 14% Of Police Force... [ From decades old
(1978-1985) direct personal experience with newark, n.j., the police are the
absolute last cuts that can be afforded to be made. Indeed, while walking
through Military Park (a sliver of a “park” - more a pedestrian
thoroughfare/cement walks) in newark, new jersey on the way to the bank during
lunch hour, I heard the clearly audible screams/cries of what turned out to be
an old lady on the ground with blood streaming from her mouth. I ran toward the
sound of the cries, the source of which I could not see because there were so
many people in and about this thoroughfare so as to block any vision of the
source of the cries. When I came to the woman, on the ground, blood streaming
from her mouth, I asked what happened, to which she responded she had been hit
in the mouth and knocked to the ground, her purse stolen/put inside her
shopping bag, and she pointed out the criminal casually now walking across the
main street. Nobody stopped to help her, many having passed her by. I slammed
the thug to the ground so hard that, in light of all the blood and confusion
(limbic system / adrenalin flow) I thought I had been stabbed (the blood was
from his elbows hitting the pavement so hard - no one helped / a crowd gathered
/ an undercover cop happened along). When I testified at the Grand Jury
Proceeding I made sure his threat on my life was set forth in prima facie
fashion so as to maximize the DA’s position with both felonies ( he went to
prison – pled out ). The other case I wrote about here ( This was included on
my website in the Psychology discussion of ‘bystander effect’ / diffusion of
responsibility. ) - Having had occasion to have run down a mugger in newark,
n.j. who apparent had followed a girl from the bank on her way to the bursar to
pay tuition, though in pretty good shape, I was astounded by how totally
exhausting such a pursuit was, how much like rubber my arms were when I traded
punches with the perpetrator, and truth be told, if I had a flashlight on my
belt, I have little doubt that I would have probably used it to subdue the
perp. The girl was not that seriously injured, did get her pocketbook and
tuition back, and the criminal went to jail. The other thing about such a
pursuit that amazed me was that no one else assisted the girl or me despite
being in a position to do so). (Other newark / new jersey and new york, n.y.
metro, viz., ie., connecticut, and of course, d.c., d.c. metro, viz., ie.,
virginia experience … corrupt federal judges as maryanne trump barry, sam
alito, shiff, matz (california), hall, underhill, dorsey, etc.. Defacto
bankrupt america’s so-called system is pervasively corrupt and broken (AP) Abolish the corrupt, costly, economically
wasteful lifetime extravagantly appointed federal courts - see RICO case http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ) ]
]
Wall
Street Is Laundering Drug Money And Getting Away With It Zach
Carter, … etc. … Drudgereport:
CLASSIFIED NO MORE: USA RACES
TO LIMIT WIKILEAKS DAMAGE [Publishing
the Wikileaks is the right thing to do; after all, one cannot possibly look to
even one rationally correct strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically
that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their
genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this nation and the world
dearly] ...
WIKILEAKS: We've been hit
with 'mass distributed denial of service attack'...
MOST EMBARRASSING, DAMAGING
DISCLOSURE IN DECADES...
SENATORS: PROSECUTE THE
LEAKERS!
NYT
EXPLAINS: THE DECISION TO PUBLISH … [The NYT clearly did the right thing to
publish; after all, one cannot possibly look to even one rationally correct
strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically that would justify continued
hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their genesis, flawed rationale,
etc., which has cost this nation and the world dearly]...
SKorea
says sound of artillery heard on island...
US,
SKorea start major naval drills...
China
issues warning...
DHS
SEIZES DOMAIN NAMES...
EU
Debt Crisis Escalates...
6
American soldiers killed in Afghanistan...
Next Debt
Crisis 'May Start in Washington'...
WIKILEAKS
TURNS ON OBAMA! … [ Like who hasn’t, and for good reason! Publishing
the Wikileaks is the right thing to do; after all, one cannot possibly look to
even one rationally correct strategy, domestically, globally, geopolitically
that would justify continued hiding/cover-up of the failed strategies, their
genesis, flawed rationale, etc., which has cost this nation and the world
dearly] ]
] Authorities are
investigating whether Julian Assange violated criminal laws, including possible
charges under the Espionage Act, sources say.
Concerns
over European defense cuts (Washington Post) [ At some point, rationality
must overcome irrationality; if only necessity being the mother of this
new-found invention (rationality). Interestingly, there was a blip on
television news from a NATO rep talking up the technological / military
superiority of NATO relative to Russia (without whose technological prowess
that space station and crew would literally be lost in space). So take that,
literally … and make the cuts (rational). ] European policymakers say the cuts
are necessary given their financial straits, and that training, not sheer
numbers, is what matters in a post-Cold War world.
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored ‘The Obama Deception’ has
been censored In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Did Google Block “Barry
Soetoro” Search Term? Screenshots obtained by a Prison Planet reader suggest
that Google may have moved to de-list “Barry Soetoro” as a popular search term
shortly after it rose to the top of the Google Trends charts after yesterday’s
effort by radio talk show host Alex Jones to focus attention on Barack Obama’s
real name.
Bush's
fantasy world (Washington Post) [
I’m frankly surprised to see cohen bite the hand that feeds zionists(
ie., dumbya bush, et als). After all, I’ve never seen cohen not like a pro
israel policy, regardless of the cost
to this nation in blood, sweat, tears, and geopolitical and general decline,
particulary economic / financial; nor like a pro-american policy that
negatively impacts israel. I think america particularly, and the rest of the
world has sacrificed enough for the greedy, blood-thirsty, lawless israelis. ] Cohen: WikiLeaks shows the unreality of a presidential
memoir. Jeffrey
Smith: Fighting
leaks
Palestinians
counter israeli offer on settlements (Washington Post) [ The Palestinians, unlike the lawless israelis are
cognizant of u.n. resolutions, prior accords, international law, etc., in their
proposal. ]
Israeli
prime minister offers conditional settlements freeze (Washington Post )
[ Déjà vu all over again? Now why is there a familiar ring to this story
… maybe ‘cause of the ‘been there done that ‘ reality. It’s really quite
incredible since israel’s in violation of u.n. resolutions (242, 338, etc.),
international law, nuclear proliferation treaty, a drain on the the u.s.
globally / domestically, etc.. The u.s. / international community should impose
a resolution. ]
Israel: Defining 'Jewish state': For
many, term has different meanings (Washington Post) [
Well ain’t that the truth! As per Forrestal’s warning (infra), it meant new
york, pennsylvania, and California … for the greedy zionist israelis it means anything
they want it to mean, borders, laws, u.n. resolutions, civilized behavior,
etc., be damned! ]
Clinton
wraps up Israeli, Palestinian talks - for now (Washington
Post) [ That’s a wrap (Hollywood speak), or just a lot of crap (reality). Well
some celluloid facetime (hill, I said celluloid, not cellulite), appearance of
doing something (not). U.S.
urges Arab states to drop israel nuclear treaty demand Reuters Oooooh! Wow! Sounds like a plan! … For world
conflagration … Another step toward nuclear prone middle east … israel should
be exempt because ….. ‘US –
Israel’s partner in crime, not a referee’ … You really can’t make this stuff up; the preposterous s***
coming out of america! ]The U.S. envoy to the UN atomic watchdog urged Arab
states to withdraw a resolution calling on Israel to sign an anti-nuclear arms treaty,
warning it would send a negative signal to Middle East peace talks. Israelis,
Palestinians already broaching tough topics in talks, envoy says (Washington
Post) ‘US –
Israel’s partner in crime, not a referee’ (Infowars.com) Israeli and Palestinian leaders are holding a new
round of direct talks. Bombshell:
Barack Obama conclusively outed as CIA creation Wayne Madsen |
Investigative journalist Wayne Madsen has discovered CIA files that document
the agency’s connections to the lives of Barack Obama and his mother, father,
grandmother, and stepfather. ] RAMALLAH,
WEST BANK - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday wrapped up
three days of intense Middle East diplomacy that produced good atmospherics but
no sign that an impasse over Israeli settlement construction has been resolved.
(Alex Brandon - AP)
The
unlikely face of Egypt's protesters (Washington Post) [ Unlikely? … I don’t think so in light of the
strength and prevalence of the ‘anyone but mubarak (and his)’ sentiment. ]
Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Prize-winning former United Nations
bureaucrat, has emerged this week as an improbable revolutionary, clamoring for
the overthrow of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak.
Iran's
Khamenei says uprisings represent 'defeat' for U.S. (Washington Post) [
No matter how you slice it, dice it, or
euphemise about it, these are indeed substantial, irrevocable losses for the
u.s.; but importantly, of america’s own making; self-defeat if you will,
compounded by a slew of bad choices. Sadly, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is
quite correct when he states: "The Israelis and the U.S. are
more concerned about what would happen to their interests in a post-Mubarak
regime." … and further, ‘He also accused the United States of propping up
corrupt leaders in the region to protect its interests and those of its ally israel.’
Unfortunately, as has become chrystal clear from america’s perpetual war in the
region, the people have invariably figured last in america/israel’s unbalanced
equations. ]
Egyptian
protesters plan new push Government
detains foreigners, says it's willing to open talks (Washington Post) [ Open talks? ‘bout what?
Building a pyramid in mubarak’s honor before stepping down? He’s done … finito
… burnt as an over-micro-waved burrito! The following from the Post is indeed
the straw that broke the riders with whips he sent on camels’ and horses’
backs! ‘Wants to die in Egypt? How
touching, or the reality, he’s just plain touched as in totally ‘out of
it’. ‘…In what the U.S. State
Department called a "concerted campaign to intimidate," several dozen
journalists were rounded up by security forces and detained for hours, along
with foreigners working as teachers, engineers and human rights researchers.
Across the city, angry bands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak also beat
journalists; several reporters said that they were threatened with death…’ ]
Cairo seeks to shift blame for clashes by rounding up journalists; U.S.
worries renewed protests could spark more violence from Mubarak supporters. Demonstrations
in Egypt take bloody turn In
Cairo square, Mubarak backers confront anti-government crowds (Washington Post) [ Not too difficult for desperate and done
mubarak to contrive: Mubarak
Says Egyptians Have to Choose Between “Chaos” and Him … Then Sends In His Thugs
to Stir Up Chaos (Infowars.com) In
order to justify staying in power until elections are held in September,
President Mubarak said on tv that the people had to choose between him and
“chaos”. ] The coordinated nature of day's events suggested that Mubarak's
supporters were determined to show, as he had warned, that the country faced a
"choice between chaos and stability." [ Previous: Mubarak's
pledge seen as not enough Egyptian
president plans to stay in office to transfer power (Washington Post) [ Let me put it another
way: Mubarak is as done as an over-cooked tamale … He seems to be stalling for
time and even in his age impaired mind certainly knows his position is
untenable, unsustainable, and even more irrational as each second passes. There
is a possibility that he’s using same to move money / treasure for himself and
others, literally as well, buying time. See infra … Previous: Mubarak
seeks dialogue, shows no sign of relenting Demonstrators
call for massive protest but lack leadership (Washington Post) [ He relented when he
resorted to media / internet blackout. Indeed, this lack of sign thing is a
testament to how far from reality 30 years has taken him, not to mention the
other 52 years that have taken their toll on his cognitive processes. Whether
it is plaques ‘on the brain’ or outright senility, that he is so disengaged
from the events unfolding around him, one may only wonder how he lasted this
long. Nor did his choice of cia standin / shill, new VP Suleiman enhance his
now untenable position which leaves him as ‘done as a burnt enchilada’. Kissinger
on Egypt unrest – “This is only the first scene of the first act of a drama
that is to be played out” [ The
import of this so-called interview, and it is here that I part company with
alex jones, et als (who by the way, censored me for this very thesis, which
puts him and his at the top of my hypocrite list), is that the so-called elite
have orchestrated these events and ‘are in control’. First, there are no elites
in this world; you can’t derive elites from apes, notochordates, and initially
single celled organisms. Second, almost by definition and certainly by history,
there are no elites in america even if you were to accept the first proposition
(though true) as untrue. What you do have, in this world and america
particularly (with few exceptions as I’ve discussed elsewhere / comments / my
website), are inherent criminals and mentally ill people of varying degrees of
unscrupulousness and insanity who do commit crimes, both small and large, to
further their interests or fortunes (sociopaths / psychopaths). The ’so-called
alpha-dogs’ of the human species at most, but still incompetent vegetables who,
if you look at anything they touch (to use a term term of such incompetent
vegetables as historically pertains to their role in the mideast – and
generally the state of the world) it invariably goes ‘pear shaped’ (english
term). What hasn’t zionist kissinger not messed up as appointee or ‘consultant’
– what does he get paid for? No! The fact is, they have absolutely no idea how
this unfolds and as with most of their lives, they will predictably choose the
most sordid, despicable, and diabolical course at every turn because … that is
their inherently criminal, mentally ill / unstable nature to do so. ]
] Fragile steps to end crisis seen as plans
take shape for a transition process that would allow Mubarak to remain as a
figure head until new elections.
}
]
]
After decades of repression, democracy advocates say it could take many
months -- if not years -- to lay groundwork for open and credible elections.
]
Julian
Assange must be extradited to Sweden (Washington Post) [ Julian
Assange to be extradited to Sweden Infowars.com [ No surprise here. As I’ve previously written, I’m
against the censorship since one always, in the final analysis, must discern
truth from falsehood, information from disinformation, reality from propaganda.
In truth, I found it somewhat shocking and more than surprising that of all
places ‘to escape to’, Assange chose Orwellian england, puppet to the u.s. and
guarantor of servility to u.s./zionist interests, such is their own desperate
circumstances. What was he thinking? ]
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be extradited to Sweden to face
allegations of rape and sexual assault. Assange will appeal, his legal team
confirmed. If this is unsuccessful, he will be extradited to Sweden in 10
days. ] LONDON - Britain will honor
Sweden's request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face
sex-crime allegations, a British judge ruled Thursday.
16
miles away, Saudi Arabia's watchful eye looms over Bahrain unrest (Washington Post) [ I’m sure they
are … with a microscope at that. Saudis Worried
Protests Will Hit Home - saudi arabia;
talk about do nothing hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all
the oil reserves of a sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign
corporations say so For the sake of the saudi Arabian people, more
than just protests should come to fruition!
] AFP | Saudi royal warns Arab world uprisings could cause
harm unless they reform. Bahrain authorities launch surprise attack on protesters [There’s the america and saudi Arabia
effect; far less than democratic and far more deadly in the mideast among other
places; talk about hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the
oil reserves of a sovereign nation as the saudis; time for the saudis to go the
way of dictator Mubarak and take the war criminal americans with them. ] Los Angeles Times Tear gas
canisters bombard sleeping protesters in Manama's Pearl Square. At least two
men are reported killed Video: Bahrain
protesters look to emulate Egypt revolt euronews Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters Voice
of America ‘Saudi
Arabia sending troops to Bahrain’ Saudi Arabia is sending troops to Bahrain in a move to crack down
on pro-democracy protesters who took to the streets in the capital Manama, a
political analyst says. [SAUDIS TOLD OBAMA 'NOT TO HUMILIATE MUBARAK'
[ Sounds like they’re hearing footsteps…Previous: Egyptian
capital teeters on anarchy Mubarak
asks cabinet to resign as anti-regime protests intensify
(Washington Post) [ Mubarak should have been looking in the mirror as he asked
his cabinet to resign … 30 years is a long time, and coincidentally, time for
him to go. In
Egypt: Access denied (Washington Post) [The day part of the Internet died: Egypt goes dark [I disagree!
Part of the internet didn’t die, but rather the order to so darken the nation
heralded the demise, at 30 years and counting, of the so-called leadership in
the persona of Mubarak. Time for him to go! After all, he’s been in a position,
with Egypt among the only Mideast nations to have signed a peace treaty with
israel, to have stepped up with substantial credibility in taking a strong position
against israeli transgressions, violations of international law / u.n.
resolutions, war crimes, etc., which beyond soft-touch, he failed to do. And,
of all places, he sends his family to Orwellian england; he still loves those
colonial masters … how pathetic. I mean, 30 years … how free-flowing does
anyone think the election process is at this point … and one could ask the same
regarding the entrenched powers that be in pervasively corrupt, defacto
bankrupt america, to be fair. Then there’s saudi arabia; talk about do nothing
hypocrites. How does one family claim ownership of all the oil reserves of a
sovereign nation; I suspect only when foreign corporations say so. The only
Mideast nations showing backbone are Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, and, of course
the perennially propaganda painted bad-boy Iran among possibly some of the
smaller emirates, ie., Qatar, etc., (I lack sufficient information regarding
these other nations). ] (AP)
Internet cutoff fails to silence Egypt protests (AP)
- ]
Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m truly sorry that
Kelly lost a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the
nations unlucky enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military
industrial complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by
President General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond
the false propaganda. ]
Imams
wage political battle against U.S. (Washington Post) [ Yeah!
Are not these native Afghans freedom fighters in the highest, truest, and most noble sense of the term. I mean,
pervasively corrupt / defacto bankrupt america’s destructive and corrupting
influence is unequivocal (including the resurgent heroin trade that had all
been eradicated by the Taliban). This unlawful incursion is a lose, lose
scenario for all parties; and, america’s / israel’s / nato’s zionist
aspirations in the region are among the most self-destructive, self-defeating
policies in world history. ] For
the U.S. government, and for the 100,000 American troops fighting in
Afghanistan, the messages delivered last Friday could hardly have been worse.
Cohen: Time
for Arabs to reject anti-semitism (Washington Post) [ Reality check … time
for israelis / jews to reject zionism and all that is entailed therein,
including an alternate reality that defies credulity, rationality, and facts;
such as, a self-rationalizing greed, anti-arab / anti-Christian predisposition
and the ‘Oedipal Effect’ (blowback) engendered thereby. No, Johnny Carson was
not anti-semitic (Fred Silverman), same for Charlie Sheen (Chuck Lorre), etc.
(the list is endless inasmuch as when facts are not on their side, such
specious inflammatory arguments as ‘anti-semitism’, prejudice, are a convenient
subterfuge distracting from their weak position; ie., illegal nukes, war
crimes, ignoring u.n. resolutions, ie., 242, 338, etc., ignoring international
law. At best, no … God did not give them this land … at worst, God took the
land back when they with roman muscle crucified Christ. Balfour was an
arbitrary, incompetent, british joke.).
]
U.S.
vetoes Security Council resolution denouncing Israeli settlements (Washington Post) [ Drudgereport: Hillary Clinton: Israeli
Settlements 'Illegitimate'… [We know that hill … We’ve known that for quite
some time along with their illegal nukes, war crimes, etc…The whole world knows
that hill… so don’t just talk about it … DO SOMETHING! ] ... Yes! …
in pervasively corrupt, defacto america’s self-defeating, self-destructive way
they are doing something … U.S.
vetoes Security Council resolution denouncing Israeli settlements … Sounds
like a plan! … right! … for self-destruction! ] Sallai Meridor: Israel's
fear (Washington Post) [ Come on! Wake up! Illegal nuke totin’, war crimes
nation israel’s fears … p l e a s e, spare me the pro-israeli b*** s*** ! What
israel fears is a projection of their own ill-founded motives and actions for
which all norms, rules, laws governing civilized behavior are suspended for
expedience at the least, and blood-thirst that some posit as a remnant of their
historic role as Christ-killers (with roman ‘juice’). Isn’t it time, in these desperate times for america, to put
america’s, not israel’s interests, first.
Who cares what israel fears … In 1948, U.S.
Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, an opponent of the creation of a Jewish
state in Palestine, warned that, even though failure to go along with the
Zionists might cost President Truman the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and
California, it was about time that somebody should pay some consideration to
whether we might not lose the United States….. Mr. Forrestal was absolutely
correct! Isn’t that exactly what’s happened to defacto bankrupt america in
intractable decline. TIME TO REVOKE AND NULLIFY THE BALFOUR DECLARATION AND
ABROGATE THE CREATION OF THE NATION STATE OF ISRAEL IN THE INTERESTS OF
FAIRNESS, JUSTICE, PEACE AND PROSPECTIVE PROSPERITY FOR THIS WORLD! Israel wary of transition in Egypt, concerned
about regional stability (Washington Post) [ Who cares what the
paranoid, war criminal, illegal nuke totin’, war criminal israelis are wary of.
This country has gone down the tubes cow-towing to the paranoid,
self-interested concerns of the psycho / sociopathic zionist israelis who are
forever projecting their own pathological motives to every turn of history
while ignoring their own culpability in producing the very outcomes they
purportedly seek to avoid. War, conflict, greed, bloodshed is the historically
based israeli way. ] A
resurgent Syria alarms u.s., israel (Washington Post) [ Tell me! What doesn’t alarm these two
paranoid, zionist neo-nazi regimes of oppression, suppression, aggression, and
regression. If they were individuals, they’d undoubtedly be diagnosed as
psychopaths, sociopaths totally ignorant of the rights of others, laws,
civilized behavior as israel pads her illegal nuke arsenals with american
supplied weaponry / support while expecting all other nations to ‘role over and
die’. Bipolar / manic / depressive, the ups and downs are increasingly
difficult for even americans to follow. Obssessive / compulsive thy names are
zionist israel / america. Projection / displacement regarding their own illegal
acts, war crimes, etc.; what they distinguished from what they do …
dissociative identity disorder, dissociative fugue? Yes … the u.s. and israel
are the world’s lunatics, sorely in need of therapy! ] Syria's fresh interference in Lebanon and
its increasingly sophisticated weapons shipments to Hezbollah have alarm
officials and prompt Israel's military to consider striking a Syrian weapons
depot.
Peter King, IRA supporter and enthusiastic counter-terrorism
advocate (Washington Post) [ A neocon; a zionist with a large jewish
constituency; an IRA terrorist supporter; looks a lot like, bears a striking
resemblance to, corrupt dodo dodd former Conn. Senator; in sum, that can’t be
good. Maybe he suffers from a multiple personality disorder. I mean … wow!
Whew! ]
Violent
spring looming in Afghanistan (Washington Post) [ See … something to look
forward to … must be that good news that keeps getting pushed back … and spring
no less … everything blooming, or in war criminal american-speak … ‘booming’ …
but not the defacto bankrupt american economy for which a crash is ‘looming’.
Could somebody help me out with a translation of gates’ speech a west point … I
must be missing something … Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war,
says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice (Washington Post) [ I
disagree! They are very much aware; as they stand in unemployment lines, use
food stamps to get by, etc.. I hate to sound cavalier and I’m sorry that Kelly lost
a son to war, but along with the multitude of civilians in the nations unlucky
enough to provide a source of corporate welfare to the military industrial
complex and war profiteering for the few (as warned against by President
General Eisenhower), they died for nothing, for no good reason beyond the false
propaganda. Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ]
] American military officials expect
that the Taliban will mount a campaign to regain ground lost to U.S. troops
last year and use suicide bombing teams to strike at those associated with the
Afghan government or coalition forces.
NATO endorses plan for Afghan forces to take
over several areas (Washington Post) [ Yeah! Sounds like a plan … if
the several areas encompass the entire nation; and, nato quits their
foolishness in wasting money they don’t have for the sake of the military
industrial complex, war profiteers, thieves, and (nato) heroin dealers. ]
Karzai
condemns deadly NATO airstrike (Washington Post) [ Well, for pervasively
corrupt, defacto bankrupt america, it’s just another of many war crimes. They
just role out the propaganda machine that no one is buying anymore. Yet, can
you believe your eyes and ears here: Six NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
(Washington Post) [ Is there something wrong with the following picture? … am I
missing something? … Gates's warning: Avoid land war in Asia, Middle East, and
Africa Christian Science
Monitor - In a speech to cadets at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, Gates's message was clear: The US military services, as
well as the elected and appointed civilians who send them to war, need better
ways of foreseeing and preparing for ...
Gates Tells US Army to Take New Approach Voice of America Warning
Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan New York
Times [ Better said, than unsaid; but,
methinks a bit late for that in light of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america’s consummate decline and fall! If only they had listened and not shot
at the messenger … things could have been different! ] A NATO airstrike that Afghan officials
said killed nine children collecting firewood in eastern Afghanistan beccomes
the latest irritant in the tense relationship between President Hamid Karzai
and the international force in the country.
U.N. confirms probe into allegations of
torture by Gaddafi's forces (Washington
Post) [ Well we all know how effective the u.n. has been in enforcing the mandate against torture / war crimes in
light of their stern rebuke / sanctions / action against the u.s. / israel …
riiiiight! http://albertpeia.com/evilonthetarmac.htm ]
Accountability is unclear in israeli probe of flotilla
raid (Washington
Post) Oh, come on! An israeli probe of an
israeli massacre of civilians. Time for israel to pay; for illegal nukes, for
violations of international law, for continued violations of u.n. resolutions,
for provocations as pretexts to sabotage peace talks, and on and on ad nauseum.
Why does america among other nations feel compelled to sacrifice themselves for
the sake of a global criminal nation with an insatiable greed and blood-thirst
as israel?
The
israeli Spin-Machine in Overdrive: dershowitz to the Rescue? Armed
Israeli commandos, the elite of the elites, rappelled to the deck of a Turkish
ship carrying humanitarian relief supplies to the 1.5 million prisoners in the
Gaza concentration camp.
CIA
Stooge Awlaki Prime Suspect Behind Plane Bomb Plot Paul Joseph
Watson | Evidence screams “false flag” as authorities seek to crush
resistance against invasive airport security measures, while Obama exploits
event for domestic and geopolitical gain.
Did
Obama Order British Authorities To Find Non-Existent Ink Bomb? After having
examined the suspicious ink toner device for six hours and found it to be a
dud, bomb experts at East Midlands Airport only reversed their decision after
being ordered to re-inspect the package by US authorities following President
Obama’s Friday afternoon speech in which he claimed that the devices did in
fact contain explosives.
Toner Bomb Plot
Used to Empower CIA In addition to adding new urgency and a fresh dose of
hysteria to the flagging war on manufactured terror, the toner bomb plot has
provided an excuse to rationalize the global reach of the CIA.
Yemen
Insists No Packages Sent 48 Hours Prior to Toner Bomb Hysteria Kurt
Nimmo | As usual, the government has not done a very good job of
making the latest al-CIA-duh plot credible.
Obama
Issues Fake Terror Alert On Eve Of Elections As we predicted on four
separate occasions would happen, the Obama White House has deliberately
contrived a fake terror scare on the eve of the mid-term elections in an effort
to subdue the rampaging political appetite for anti-big government candidates
that threatens to sweep aside establishment incumbents next week. ]
Obama:
Suspicious packages are a 'credible terrorist threat' (Washington
Post) [October surprise anyone …
still October … trick or treat … there are skeptics … then there are some
who’ll say … just jewish synagogues, no big deal … nothing of strategic value …
healthy dose of skepticism … Obama
‘Fake Terror’ Alert Story Hits #1 on Google Aaron Dykes
Infowars.com October 29, 2010 Efforts to warn the population that the Obama
Administration, like the Bush Administration
before it, has engaged in issuing fake terror alerts has gone viral,
with the search term “fake terror” reaching #1 on
Google Trends. It is yet another success in the Infowar, initiated
on the Alex Jones Show. As we are just days out from the 2010 midterm
elections, voters must realize that the establishment has willfully engaged in
hyping up false alerts to scare the public into believing that we are under
siege by potential terrorist acts at all moments. Various “officials” have been
warning that an attack is likely to occur for weeks now, and it is no surprise
to see the Obama Administration trying to use the fear to its advantage. Recall
that Obama advisor and former top Clinton official, Robert Shapiro, alluded to the
idea that only a terror attack could save Obama’s presidency earlier
in the year.
“The bottom line here is that Americans don’t believe in President
Obama’s leadership,” said Shapiro, adding, “He has to find some way between now
and November of demonstrating that he is a leader who can command confidence
and, short of a 9/11 event or an Oklahoma City bombing, I can’t think of how he
could do that.”
Read the original story by Paul Joseph Watson here, as it has been updated.
GOP's
Palin paradox (Washington Post) Parker: She's too powerful to ignore, and too (fill-in-the-blank) to take
seriously. [ Say it! … Dumb! … Everybody knows it! … Cher even said it! … I
believe that this further evinces the leadership vacuum in america and is a
testament to how unequivocally far america has fallen. Powerful? I don’t think so! ]
Sarah
Palin: The Next Teleprompter Reader in the White House [ Not gonna’ happen
… she’s just too embarrassingly dumb …
and all that fake macho / zionist b*** s***
… unless her gal o’donnel casts a spell … which is a whole new ball game
… witches … really … how ‘bout dumb *******s …. she’s really dumb enough to
press the button. ] ? Kurt Nimmo | In 2008, Tea Party Sarah trekked to New York to
kiss Henry Kissinger’s ring.
Sarah
Palin: The Next Teleprompter Reader in the White House? [ Not gonna’ happen … she’s just too embarrassingly dumb … unless her gal o’donnel casts a spell …
which is a whole new ball game … witches … really … how ‘bout dumb *******s ...
and all that fake macho / zionist b*** s*** ... she’s really dumb enough to
press the button. ] It looks like the establishment is grooming Tea Party Sarah
for a run. She says as much in the Newsmax interview below.
Palin
calls reporters 'impotent' and 'limp' (Washington Post) [ I must reiterate,
she, palin’s so embarrassingly dumb! She truly is the joke that keeps on
giving! I really mean it! I mean, what next? ] The former Alaska governor
weighed in herself: "Those who are impotent and limp and gutless and they
go on their anonymous -- sources that are anonymous -- and impotent, limp and
gutless reporters take anonymous sources and cite them as being factual
references," she told Sean Hannity. "It just slays me ( this could be
a somewhat Freudian slip as she contemplates the uselessness of sexually
non-interested reporters while she meant lays and I think her supposed /
purported attractiveness / desirability is vastly overstated; but, this makes
for great SNL skits; you know, those reporters not man enough to service her
) because it's so absolutely clear what
the state of yellow journalism is today that they would take these anonymous
sources as fact."
The
power of Palin's touch
(Washington Post) [Wow! Talk about stupid. Murphy could have eliminated the
middle-man (person) and appeared on SNL himself; maybe reprising a familiar
(Eddie) Murphy role as Gumby 2, Son of Gumby. The only thing funnier is palin
herself. She’s so embarrassingly dumb!] .Endorsement lifts little-known
candidate in Md., giving the struggling campaign a "megaphone."
Comment on:
5 Myths about Sarah Palin at 10/14/2010 9:39 PM EDT
Test
yourself to find out how much you know about Sarah Palin. Take the quiz and
after, check out The Washington Post's 'Five Myths about Palin.' (Washington
Post) [ Geeh! I scoured the quiz / 5 myths and nowhere did I see the obvious
myth; viz., that she really has a brain. Maybe gal pal pol protégé o’donnell
can help her out … a few mysterious words, a slimy newt (gingrich) in a caldron
of b*** s*** , and voila … a new reality which is what o’donnell herself is
sorely in need of … O'Donnell, evolved Milbank: She didn't mention mice with
human brains in Wednesday's debate. But she said silly things. Stromberg:
O'Donnell is... wow The CNN host, moderating the long awaited Delaware senatorial
debate Wednesday night, was trying to get the Republican nominee to talk about
her 1998 statement on the Bill Maher show that "evolution is a myth."
"Do you believe evolution is a myth?" Blitzer asked.
"I believe that the local ... " O'Donnell began, then started anew.
"I was talking about what a local school taught, and that should be
taught, that should be decided on the local community."
"Do you believe evolution is a myth?" the moderator repeated.
"Local schools should make that decision."
"What do you believe?"
"What I believe is irrelevant."
"Why is it irrelevant? Voters want to know."
"What I will support in Washington, D.C. is the ability of the local
school system to decide what is taught in their classrooms," O'Donnell
repeated.
The answer, though, was obvious: Of course she believes in evolution; she is a
product of evolution herself. She has evolved from a very odd woman who spoke
about the evils of masturbation and of mice with fully functioning human brains
and of her experience in sorcery (but she didn't join a coven!). …
Obama creates indefinite detention system for
prisoners at Guantanamo Bay (Washington
Post) [ Sounds more like fellow failed president/war criminal dumbya bush every
day. Meanwhile, back at the
pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american credit farm (totalitarian
communist china): New
restrictions on foreign journalists Under rules announced after foreign
journalists were physically harassed by security officers, foreign journalists
must have government permission to interview anyone in a public area.]
"After standing on the
stage, after the debates, I made it very plain, we will not have an
all-volunteer army. And yet, this week—we will have an all-volunteer army. Let
me restate that."—Daytona Beach, Fla., Oct. 16, 2004
"The CIA laid out several
scenarios and said life could be lousy, life could be OK, life could be
better, and they were just guessing as to what the conditions might be
like."—New York, Sept. 21, 2004
"Free societies are hopeful
societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have
no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 17,
2004 (Thanks to David Stanford.)
"That's why I went to the
Congress last September and proposed fundamental—supplemental funding, which is
money for armor and body parts and ammunition and fuel."—Erie, Pa., Sept.
4, 2004
"Too many good docs are
getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their
love with women all across the country."—Sept. 6, 2004, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
"They've seen me make
decisions, they've seen me under trying times, they've seen me weep, they've
seen me laugh, they've seen me hug. And they know who I am, and I believe
they're comfortable with the fact that they know I'm not going to shift
principles or shift positions based upon polls and focus groups."
—Interview with USA Today, Aug. 27, 2004
"I didn't join the
International Criminal Court because I don't want to put our troops in the
hands of prosecutors from other nations. Look, if somebody has done some wrong
in our military, we'll take care of it. We got plenty of capability of dealing
with justice."—Niceville, Fla., Aug. 10, 2004
"So community colleges are
accessible, they're available, they're affordable, and their curriculums don't
get stuck. In other words, if there's a need for a certain kind of worker, I
presume your curriculums evolved over time."—Niceville, Fla., Aug. 10,
2004
"Tribal sovereignty means
that, it's sovereign. You're a—you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed
as a sovereign entity. And, therefore, the relationship between the federal
government and tribes is one between sovereign entities."—Washington,
D.C., Aug. 6, 2004
"Secondly, the tactics of
our—as you know, we don't have relationships with Iran. I mean, that's—ever
since the late '70s, we have no contacts with them, and we've totally
sanctioned them. In other words, there's no sanctions—you can't—we're out of
sanctions."—Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004
"I mean, if you've ever been
a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband
technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for
example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It's difficult to do. It's,
like, cost-prohibitive."—Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004 (Thanks to
Michael Shively.)
"Our enemies are innovative
and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm
our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5,
2004 (Thanks to Alicia Butler.)
"And I am an optimistic
person. I guess if you want to try to find something to be pessimistic about,
you can find it, no matter how hard you look, you know?"—Washington, D.C.,
June 15, 2004 (Thanks to Robert Irwin.)
"[A] free Iraq is essential
to our respective securities."—Washington, D.C., June 1, 2004
"I want to thank my friend,
Sen. Bill Frist, for joining us today. … He married a Texas girl, I want you to
know. (Laughter.) Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like
me."—Nashville, Tenn., May 27, 2004
"I'm honored to shake the
hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam
Hussein."—Washington, D.C., May 25, 2004
"This has been tough weeks
in that country."—Washington, D.C., April 13, 2004 (Thanks to David
Huddleston.)
"[B]y the way, we rank 10th
amongst the industrialized world in broadband technology and its availability.
That's not good enough for America. Tenth is 10 spots too low as far as I'm
concerned."—Minneapolis, Minn., April 26, 2004
"My job is to, like, think
beyond the immediate."—Washington, D.C., April 21, 2004
"This is historic
times."—New York, N.Y., April 20, 2004
"Obviously, I pray every
day there's less casualty."—Fort Hood, Texas, April 11, 2004 (Thanks to
Pat Gallagher.)
"Recession means that people's
incomes, at the employer level, are going down, basically, relative to costs,
people are getting laid off."—Washington, D.C., Feb. 19, 2004 (Thanks to
Garry Trudeau.)
"God loves you, and I love
you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who
wonder about their future can hear."—Los Angeles, Calif., March 3, 2004
(Thanks to Tanny Bear.)
"The march to war affected
the people's confidence. It's hard to make investment. See, if you're a small
business owner or a large business owner and you're thinking about investing,
you've got to be optimistic when you invest. Except when you're marching to
war, it's not a very optimistic thought, is it? In other words, it's the
opposite of optimistic when you're thinking you're going to war."
—Springfield, Mo., Feb. 9, 2004 (Thanks to Garry Trudeau.)
"See, one of the
interesting things in the Oval Office—I love to bring people into the Oval
Office—right around the corner from here—and say, this is where I office, but I
want you to know the office is always bigger than the person."—Washington,
D.C., Jan. 29, 2004 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"More Muslims have died at
the hands of killers than—I say more Muslims—a lot of Muslims have died—I don't
know the exact count—at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the
world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers
kill."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"In an economic recession,
I'd rather that in order to get out of this recession, that the people be
spending their money, not the government trying to figure out how to spend the
people's money."—Tampa, Fla., Feb. 16, 2004
"King Abdullah of Jordan,
the King of Morocco, I mean, there's a series of places—Qatar, Oman—I mean,
places that are developing—Bahrain—they're all developing the habits of free
societies."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004
"But the true strength of
America is found in the hearts and souls of people like Travis, people who are
willing to love their neighbor, just like they would like to love
themselves."—Springfield, Mo., Feb. 9, 2004 (Thanks to George Dupper.)
"My views are one that
speaks to freedom."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004
"In my judgment, when the
United States says there will be serious consequences, and if there isn't
serious consequences, it creates adverse consequences."
"There is no such thing
necessarily in a dictatorial regime of iron-clad absolutely solid
evidence. The evidence I had was the best possible evidence that he had a
weapon."
"The recession started upon
my arrival. t could have been—some say February, some say March, some
speculate maybe earlier it started—but nevertheless, it happened as we showed
up here. The attacks on our country affected our economy. Corporate scandals
affected the confidence of people and therefore affected the economy. My
decision on Iraq, this kind of march to war, affected the economy."—Meet
the Press, Feb. 8, 2004
"I was a prisoner too, but
for bad reasons."—To Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, on being told
that all but one of the Argentine delegates to a summit meeting were imprisoned
during the military dictatorship, Monterrey, Mexico, Jan. 13, 2004
"[T]he illiteracy level of
our children are appalling."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004 (Thanks to
Lewell Gunter.)
"Just remember it's the
birds that's supposed to suffer, not the hunter."—Advising quail hunter
and New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, Roswell, N.M., Jan. 22, 2004
"One of the most meaningful
things that's happened to me since I've been the governor—the president—governor—president.
Oops. Ex-governor. I went to Bethesda Naval Hospital to give a fellow a Purple
Heart, and at the same moment I watched him—get a Purple Heart for action in
Iraq—and at that same—right after I gave him the Purple Heart, he was sworn in
as a citizen of the United States—a Mexican citizen, now a United States
citizen."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 9, 2004
"I want to thank the
astronauts who are with us, the courageous spacial entrepreneurs who set such a
wonderful example for the young of our country."—Washington, D.C., Jan.
14, 2004
"And if you're interested
in the quality of education and you're paying attention to what you hear at
Laclede, why don't you volunteer? Why don't you mentor a child how to
read?"—St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 5, 2004
"So thank you for reminding
me about the importance of being a good mom and a great volunteer as
well."—St. Louis, Jan. 5, 2004
"I want to remind you all
that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money
that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that
they're well-paid, well-trained, well-equipped."
"See, without the tax relief package, there would have been a deficit, but
there wouldn't have been the commiserate—not 'commiserate'—the kick to our
economy that occurred as a result of the tax relief."
"[T]he best way to find these terrorists who hide in holes is to get
people coming forth to describe the location of the hole, is to give clues and
data."
"Justice was being delivered to a man who defied that gift from the
Almighty to the people of Iraq."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 15, 2003
"[A]s you know, these are
open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to
say."—Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2003
"The ambassador and the
general were briefing me on the—the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a
peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to
justice."—Washington, D.C., Oct. 27, 2003 (Thanks to Robert Hack.)
"[W]hether they be
Christian, Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, people have heard the universal call to
love a neighbor just like they'd like to be called
themselves."—Washington, Oct. 8, 2003 (Thanks to George Dupper.)
"See, free nations are
peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't
develop weapons of mass destruction."—Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003
"[W]e've had leaks out of
the administrative branch, had leaks out of the legislative branch, and out of
the executive branch and the legislative branch, and I've spoken out
consistently against them, and I want to know who the leakers
are."—Chicago, Sept. 30, 2003
"Washington is a town where
there's all kinds of allegations. You've heard much of the allegations. And if
people have got solid information, please come forward with it. And that would
be people inside the information who are the so-called anonymous sources, or
people outside the information—outside the administration."—Chicago, Sept.
30, 2003 (Thanks to Andy Bowers.)
"[T]hat's just the nature
of democracy. Sometimes pure politics enters into the rhetoric."—Crawford,
Texas, Aug. 8, 2003 (Thanks to Inigo Thomas.)
"I glance at the headlines
just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and
get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves."—Washington,
D.C., Sept. 21, 2003
"I'm so pleased to be able
to say hello to Bill Scranton. He's one of the great Pennsylvania
political families."—Drexel Hill, Penn., Sept. 15, 2003 (Thanks to Michael
Shively.)
"We had a good Cabinet
meeting, talked about a lot of issues. Secretary of State and Defense brought
us up to date about our desires to spread freedom and peace around the
world."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 1, 2003 (Thanks to Tanny Bear.)
"Security is the essential
roadblock to achieving the road map to peace."—Washington, D.C., July 25,
2003
"Our country puts $1
billion a year up to help feed the hungry. And we're by far the most generous
nation in the world when it comes to that, and I'm proud to report that. This
isn't a contest of who's the most generous. I'm just telling you as an aside.
We're generous. We shouldn't be bragging about it. But we are. We're very
generous."—Washington, D.C., July 16, 2003
"It's very interesting when
you think about it, the slaves who left here to go to America, because of their
steadfast and their religion and their belief in freedom, helped change
America."—Dakar, Senegal, July 8, 2003 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"My answer is bring them
on."—On Iraqi militants attacking U.S. forces, Washington, D.C., July 3,
2003
"You've also got to measure
in order to begin to effect change that's just more—when there's more than
talk, there's just actual—a paradigm shift."—Washington, D.C., July 1,
2003 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"I urge the leaders in
Europe and around the world to take swift, decisive action against terror
groups such as Hamas, to cut off their funding, and to support—cut funding and
support, as the United States has done."—Washington, D.C., June 25, 2003
"Iran would be dangerous if
they have a nuclear weapon."—Washington, D.C., June 18, 2003
"Now, there are some who
would like to rewrite history—revisionist historians is what I like to call
them."—Elizabeth, N.J., June 16, 2003
"I am determined to keep
the process on the road to peace."—Washington, D.C., June 10, 2003 (Thanks
to Tanny Bear.)
"The true strength of
America happens when a neighbor loves a neighbor just like they'd like to be
loved themselves."—Elizabeth, N.J., June 16, 2003
"We are making steadfast
progress."—Washington, D.C., June 9, 2003 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"I'm the master of low
expectations."—Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003
"I'm also not very
analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about
why I do things."—Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003
"I recently met with the
finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp
of finances."—Washington, D.C., May 29, 2003
"Oftentimes, we live in a
processed world—you know, people focus on the process and not
results."—Washington, D.C., May 29, 2003
"I've got very good
relations with President Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdallah and the King of
Jordan, Gulf Coast countries."—Washington, D.C., May 29, 2003
"All up and down the
different aspects of our society, we had meaningful discussions. Not only in
the Cabinet Room, but prior to this and after this day, our secretaries,
respective secretaries, will continue to interact to create the conditions
necessary for prosperity to reign."—Washington, D.C., May 19, 2003
"First, let me make it very
clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be
not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill."—Washington, D.C., May 19,
2003
"We ended the rule of one
of history's worst tyrants, and in so doing, we not only freed the American
people, we made our own people more secure."—Crawford, Texas, May 3, 2003
(Thanks to Tony Marciniec.)
"We've had a great weekend
here in the Land of the Enchanted."—Albuquerque, N.M., May 12, 2003 (New
Mexico's state nickname is "Land of Enchantment.")
"We've got hundreds of
sites to exploit, looking for the chemical and biological weapons that we know
Saddam Hussein had prior to our entrance into Iraq."—Santa Clara, Calif.,
May 2, 2003 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"I think war is a dangerous
place."—Washington, D.C., May 7, 2003
"I don't bring God into my
life to—to, you know, kind of be a political person."—Interview with Tom
Brokaw aboard Air Force One, April 24, 2003
"You're free. And freedom
is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order—order
out of chaos. But we will."—Washington, D.C., April 13, 2003
"Perhaps one way will be,
if we use military force, in the post-Saddam Iraq the U.N. will definitely need
to have a role. And that way it can begin to get its legs, legs of
responsibility back."—the Azores, Portugal, March 16, 2003
"I know there's a lot of
young ladies who are growing up wondering whether or not they can be champs.
And they see the championship teams from USC and University of Portland here,
girls who worked hard to get to where they are, and they're wondering about the
example they're setting. What is life choices about?"—Washington, D.C.,
Feb. 24, 2003
"Now, we talked to Joan
Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near
retirement—retiring—in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart,
active, capable people who are retirement age and are
retiring."—Alexandria, Va., Feb. 12, 2003 (Thanks to Dennis Doubleday.)
"Columbia carried
in its payroll classroom experiments from some of our students in
America."—Bethesda, Md., Feb. 3, 2003
"And, most importantly,
Alma Powell, secretary of Colin Powell, is with us."—Washington, D.C.,
Jan. 30, 2003
"The war on terror involves
Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam
Hussein, and his willingness to terrorize himself."—Grand Rapids, Mich.,
Jan. 29, 2003
"When Iraq is liberated,
you will be treated, tried, and persecuted as a war criminal."—Washington,
D.C., Jan. 22, 2003 (Thanks to Chad Conwell.)
"Many of the punditry—of
course, not you (laughter)—but other punditry were quick to say, no one is
going to follow the United States of America."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 21,
2003
"One year ago today, the
time for excuse-making has come to an end."—Washington, D.C., Jan. 8, 2003
"I think the American
people—I hope the American–I don't think, let me—I hope the American people
trust me."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2002
"The goals for this country
are peace in the world. And the goals for this country are a compassionate
American for every single citizen. That compassion is found in the hearts and
souls of the American citizens."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2002 (Thanks
to Michael Shively.)
"There's only one person
who hugs the mothers and the widows, the wives and the kids upon the death of
their loved one. Others hug but having committed the troops, I've got an
additional responsibility to hug and that's me and I know what it's
like."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2002
"In other words, I don't
think people ought to be compelled to make the decision which they think is
best for their family."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2002 (Thanks to
Stephanie Nichols.)
"Sometimes, Washington is
one of these towns where the person—people who think they've got the sharp
elbow is the most effective person." —New Orleans, Dec. 3, 2002 (Thanks to
Michael Shively.)
"The law I sign today
directs new funds and new focus to the task of collecting vital intelligence on
terrorist threats and on weapons of mass production."—Washington, D.C.,
Nov. 27, 2002
"These people don't have
tanks. They don't have ships. They hide in caves. They send suiciders
out."—Speaking about terrorists, Portsmouth, N.H., Nov. 1, 2002
"I know something about
being a government. And you've got a good one."—Stumping for Gov. Mike
Huckabee, Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 4, 2002
"I need to be able to move
the right people to the right place at the right time to protect you, and I'm
not going to accept a lousy bill out of the United Nations Senate."—South
Bend, Ind., Oct. 31, 2002
"John Thune has got a
common-sense vision for good forest policy. I look forward to working with him
in the United Nations Senate to preserve these national heritages."
"Any time we've got any
kind of inkling that somebody is thinking about doing something to an American
and something to our homeland, you've just got to know we're moving on it, to
protect the United Nations Constitution, and at the same time, we're protecting
you."—Aberdeen, S.D., same day (Thanks to George Dupper.)
"Let me tell you my
thoughts about tax relief. When your economy is kind of ooching along, it's
important to let people have more of their own money."—Boston, Oct. 4,
2002
"I was proud the other day
when both Republicans and Democrats stood with me in the Rose Garden to
announce their support for a clear statement of purpose: you disarm, or we
will."—Speaking about Saddam Hussein, Manchester, N.H., Oct. 5, 2002
(Thanks to George Dupper.)
"You see, the Senate wants
to take away some of the powers of the administrative branch."—Washington,
D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
"We need an energy bill
that encourages consumption."—Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002
"People say, how can I help
on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a
child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."—Washington,
D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
"I'm plowed of the
leadership of Chuck Grassley and Greg Ganske and Jim Leach."—Davenport,
Iowa, Sept. 16, 2002
"There's an old saying in
Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once,
shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville,
Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
"There's no doubt in my
mind that we should allow the world worst leaders to hold America hostage, to
threaten our peace, to threaten our friends and allies with the world's worst
weapons."—South Bend, Ind., Sept. 5, 2002
"If you don't have any
ambitions, the minimum-wage job isn't going to get you to where you want to
get, for example. In other words, what is your ambitions? And oh, by the way,
if that is your ambition, here's what it's going to take to achieve
it."—Speech to students in Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 29, 2002 (Thanks to
George Dupper.)
"See, we love—we love
freedom. That's what they didn't understand. They hate things; we love things.
They act out of hatred; we don't seek revenge, we seek justice out of
love."—Oklahoma City, Aug. 29, 2002
"There's no cave deep
enough for America, or dark enough to hide."—Oklahoma City, Aug. 29,
2002 (Thanks to Michael Shively.)
"President Musharraf, he's
still tight with us on the war against terror, and that's what I
appreciate. He's a—he understands that we've got to keep al-Qaida on the
run, and that by keeping him on the run, it's more likely we will bring him to
justice."—Ruch, Ore., Aug. 22, 2002 (Thanks to Scott Miller.)
"I'm a patient man. And
when I say I'm a patient man, I mean I'm a patient man."
"Nothing he [Saddam
Hussein] has done has convinced me—I'm confident the Secretary of Defense—that
he is the kind of fellow that is willing to forgo weapons of mass destruction,
is willing to be a peaceful neighbor, that is—will honor the people—the Iraqi
people of all stripes, will—values human life. He hasn't convinced me, nor has
he convinced my administration."—Crawford, Texas, Aug. 21, 2002
"I'm thrilled to be here in
the bread basket of America because it gives me a chance to remind our fellow
citizens that we have an advantage here in America—we can feed
ourselves."—Stockton, Calif., Aug. 23, 2002 (Thanks to Christopher Baird.)
"There's no bigger task
than protecting the homeland of our country."
"The federal government and
the state government must not fear programs who change lives, but must welcome
those faith-based programs for the embetterment of mankind."—Stockton,
Calif., Aug. 23, 2002 (Thanks to George Dupper.)
"I love the idea of a
school in which people come to get educated and stay in the state in which
they're educated."
"There may be some tough
times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before,
and we're going to do it again."
"I promise you I will
listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here."
"I can assure you that,
even though I won't be sitting through every single moment of the seminars, nor
will the vice president, we will look at the summaries."
"Tommy [Thompson, Health
and Human Services secretary,] is a good listener, and he's a pretty good
actor, too."
"The trial lawyers are very
politically powerful. … But here in Texas we took them on and got some good
medical—medical malpractice.""I firmly believe the death tax is good
for people from all walks of life all throughout our society."
—Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002
"There was no malfeance
involved. This was an honest disagreement about accounting procedures. ...
There was no malfeance, no attempt to hide anything."—White House press
conference, Washington, D.C., July 8, 2002
"I also understand how
tender the free enterprise system can be."—White House press conference,
Washington, D.C., July 9, 2002
"Over 75 percent of white
Americans own their home, and less than 50 percent of Hispanos and African
Americans don't own their home. And that's a gap, that's a homeownership gap.
And we've got to do something about it."—Cleveland, Ohio, July 1, 2002
"Whether you're here by
birth, or whether you're in America by choice, you contribute to the vitality
of our life. And for that, we are grateful."—Washington, D.C., May
17, 2002
"I'd rather have them
sacrificing on behalf of our nation than, you know, endless hours of testimony
on congressional hill."—National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland,
June 4, 2002
"We're working with
Chancellor Schröder on what's called 10-plus-10-over-10: $10 billion from the
U.S.,$10 billion from other members of the G7 over a 10-year period, to help
Russia securitize the dismantling—the dismantled nuclear
warheads."—Berlin, Germany, May 23, 2002
"Do you have blacks,
too?"—To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso, Washington, D.C., Nov. 8,
2001
"This is a nation that
loves our freedom, loves our country."—Washington, D.C, May 17, 2002
"The public education
system in America is one of the most important foundations of our democracy.
After all, it is where children from all over America learn to be responsible
citizens, and learn to have the skills necessary to take advantage of our
fantastic opportunistic society."—Santa Clara, Calif., May 1, 2002
"After all, a week ago,
there were—Yasser Arafat was boarded up in his building in Ramallah, a building
full of, evidently, German peace protestors and all kinds of people. They're
now out. He's now free to show leadership, to lead the world."—Washington,
D.C., May 2, 2002 (Thanks to M. Bateman.)
"This foreign policy stuff
is a little frustrating."—as quoted by the New York Daily News,
April 23, 2002
"I want to thank the dozens
of welfare to work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and
solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves."—Washington, D.C.,
April 18, 2002 (Thanks to George Dupper.)
"And so, in my State of
the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want
to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000
hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I
asked—4,000 hours." —Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002 …(there are many more)
Election outcome may complicate Obama's
foreign policy (Washington Post)
[ Wow! That’s all this country
needs … a more self-destructive zionist-leaning foreign policy which, as
obvious to the rest of the world, ignores israel’s transgressions (ie.,
violations of international law, u.n. resolutions, nuclear non-proliferation
treaty, etc.) while focusing on geopolitically detrimental or otherwise,
non-events. I see an already zionist-leaning foreign policy with wobama and co.
which begs the question … What foreign policy? James Forrestal made the point
infra: ]
Obama
cites Indonesia as model for Muslims (Washington Post)[
Drudgereport: Obama slams israel from
Jakarta … [ Wow! Who woulda’ thunk it … Wobama growing gonads in Indonesia … He
is quite correct, albeit in one of those sparingly infrequent moments … But,
alas … he’ll be returning to ‘little israel’ soon (usa) and I’m sure his
rhetoric will return to typical pro-israeli (anti-american interest) actions and
words (b*** s***)! ]...
netanayahu takes Flight
Back...
Confronts Anti-israel
Reality/Truth Movement in USA...
China Ratings
Agency Downgrades America... ] In city he
once lived in as a boy, Obama heralds nation's "spirit of tolerance"
that allows mosques, churches and temples to co-exist in a democracy.
Deaths of four Americans reflect increasing
violence of Somali piracy (Washington Post) [ Drudgereport: U.S. Warship Tracking Yacht
Hijacked by Somali Pirates... [ I realize there are ‘laws of the
sea’ / codified bodies of law within that broad yet very specific category
called ‘maritime law’, none of which I know nor care to know (I’ll content
myself to knowing and seeing to the enforcement of american law as pertains to
me; viz., RICO http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm . I do know that these
somali pirates need killin’ and I further believe that open season on them
including using their boats in the water for target practice makes sense and
certainly is morally justified. I’m tired of hearing about those little weasels
… you know, ‘the skinnies’. ]
Progress in Afghan war called 'uneven'
( Washington Post ) [ Uneven? Riiiiight! The real question
consonant with reality: Is there EVEN progress at all … just a little bit … un
petit peux … teeny weeny, itsy bitsy, one iota of progress … A resounding NO! …
unless you’re counting the magnitude of america’s defacto bankruptcy,
anti-american sentiment, etc.. ]
Visiting U.S. senators praise Afghan
progress, say drawdown date is unrealistic (Washington Post) [ I’ll
tell you what’s unrealistic: having compromised senators ( ie., non-war-heroe
senile mccain, closet homosexual graham, incompetent zelig zionist lieberman, new
york sinkhole slug Kirsten Gillibrand chided As 'Schumer's (zionist)
Little Girl' ) stay the course with already failed pervasively corrupt,
defacto bankrupt american policy … Paul
Craig Roberts: Government Abandoned Vietnam POWs Kurt
Nimmo |
John McCain worked overtime to make sure Vietnam POWs never came home. I think
the even bigger story vis-à-vis mccain is: http://www.albertpeia.com/heroenot.htm
‘Did you know that that so-called "american heroe" john mccain was
referred to by his fellow pows in Vietnam as something akin to the
"songbird" inasmuch as he was constantly "singing" to his
Viet-Cong captors to curry favor and better treatment? This has been documented
with authority by Colonel David Hackworth. The same violates military
code/protocol (other soldiers have been court-martialed for far less) click Here, Here. [ http://www.albertpeia.com/hackworth.htm
] But, you see, this covered up scenario, compromizing the false facade
of far less than a heroe, is exactly what a criminal (lie of a) nation as
america loves and encourages (get everyone's hands dirty so no-one dares to
rectify same, ie., bush, sr., clinton, bush, jr.). That is, "toe the
(corrupt, propagandized) line", become a criminal, or be exposed, prosecuted,
and/or ruined; and, hasn't anyone asked how "wall street" has been
"spared the spotlight" (and even was accorded protective legislation
from their criminal culpability) and focus of inquiry, attention, and
prosecution despite being the primary beneficiaries financial and otherwise of
these scams (you know the wall street motto, "churn and earn"; huge
conflicts of interest if not outright fraud)…’…Oh and they so can afford it Deficit
panel proposes huge cuts (Washington Post) [ Cuts? I heard the corrupt, incompetent lawmakers were giving
themselves a raise. They actually deserve at least a 10% paycut and abolition
of those lifetime appointments / permanent corrupt bureaucracies. Nothing
succeeds like failure and crime in pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt
america! ] Lawmakers propose curbs on Social Security, cuts in spending and tax
hikes if long-term goals aren't met.
Families remember USS Cole 10 years later
(Washington Post) [ If only Americans remembered the uss
liberty, they’d understand the israeli albatross strangling and bleeding the
life out of america as they have since that
fateful day.] In
the Middle East, it's still 1947 (Washington
Post) [ Indeed it should be! Among the few
times the cia was correct, and they’ve been trying to put square pegs in round
holes ever since, to america’s substantial detriment. I wonder what what those
american sailors of the US Liberty killed by the israelis would say?
USS
Liberty Survivor Threatened by Unknown Israeli This is what happened to Phillip F. Tourney, decorated war hero
and survivor of Israel’s premeditated attack on the USS Liberty 43 years ago.
On the evening of Aug. 6, Tourney was verbally threatened by a foreign national
claiming to work for the government of israel. As for the purported disdain
shown for war mongerer netanayahu, if only wobama’s actions matched his words,
the same would represent a major plus for him and the nation of america, so
sorely in need of pluses whether the same be budgetary or economic or
geopolitical. In fact, for America to abrogate 1948 would guarantee America’s
survival, prosperity, and global hegemony in the most positive sense. ]
‘The Obama Deception’
Censored A viral You Tube upload of
one of Alex Jones’ most popular feature films ‘The Obama Deception’ has been
censored following a spur of the moment campaign to elevate the movie’s title
to the top of the major internet search engines. In light of
this development, I provide an archived site version which appears to be
complete (but will be compared with earlier version and replaced with same if
incomplete) http://albertpeia.com/obamadeceptionhighqualityversion.flv
Ethics
code urged for Supreme Court
(Washington
Post) [ Sounds like a plan! Come on!
Wake up! After all, what can you expect from two guidos from ‘jersey (alito and
scalia, colloquial – note that I have refrained from using what some might
consider disparaging terms as w*p*, gui***s, or da***s … and let me state for
the record that I truly loved and respected my grandmother who was 100%
Italian/Bari,Italy and as well my grandfather/Lake Como,northern Italy with
greek ancestral roots and thereby claim standing/right to posit the criticism
in light of my direct experience. ). How ‘bout starting with enforcing laws as
to judges, liars, etc., within the very corrupted american illegal system; and,
particularly bribes which in one form or another are rampant . I don’t know
about Thomas, but I do know about alito and ‘jersey … :
October 15,
2010 (*see infra)
Steven M. Martinez, Assistant Director In Charge
Federal Bureau of Investigation, USDOJ
11000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Sir:
I enclose herewith 3
copies of the within DVD rom autorun disk (which will open in your computer’s
browser) as per your office’s request as made this day (the disk and contents
have been scanned by Avast, McAfee, and Norton which I’ve installed on my
computer to prevent viral attacks / infection and are without threat). I also
include 1 copy of the DVD as filed with the subject court as referenced therein
(which files are also included on the aforesaid 3 disks in a separate folder
named ‘112208opocoan’). The (civil) RICO action (as you’re aware, the RICO Act
is a criminal statute which provides a civil remedy, including treble damages
and attorney fees, as an incentive for private prosecution of said claims
probably owing to the fact that the USDOJ seems somewhat overwhelmed and in
need of such assistance given the seriousness and prevalence of said violations
of law which have a corrupting influence on the process, and which corruption
is pervasive). A grievance complaint against Coan was also filed concurrently
with the subject action and held in abeyance pending resolution of the action
which was illegally dismissed without any supporting law and in contravention
of the Order of The Honorable Robert N. Chatigny, Chief Judge, USDC, District
Connecticut. The files below the horizontal rule are the referenced documents
as filed. (Owing to the damage to the financial interests of both the U.S. and
the District of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, viz., Los Angeles, the
Qui Tam provisions of the Federal
False Claims Act probably would apply and I would absent resolution seek to
refer the within to a firm with expertise in that area of the law with which I
am not familiar).
The document in 5 pages under penalty of
perjury I was asked to forward to the FBI office in New Haven is probably the
best and most concise summary of the case
RICO Summary to FBI Under Penalty
of Perjury at Their Request (5 pages) [
ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://albertpeia.com/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf ].
The correspondence I
received from the Congresswoman by way of email attachment (apparent but
typical problem with my mail) along with my response thereto is included on the
3 disks as fbicorrespondencereyes.htm . With regard to the
calls to the FBI’s LA and New Haven, CT offices: There was one call to the LA
office and I was referred to the Long Beach, CA office where I personally met
with FBI Agent Jeff Hayes to whom I gave probative evidentiary documents of the
money laundering which he confirmed as indicative of same (he was transferred
from said office within approximately a month of said meeting and his location
was not disclosed to me upon inquiry). The matter was assigned to FBI Agent Ron
Barndollar and we remained in touch for in excess of a decade until he abruptly
retired (our last conversation prior to his retirement related to the case and
parenthetically, Rudy Giuliani whose father I stated had been an enforcer for
the mob to which he registered disbelief and requested I prove it, which I did
– he served 12 years in prison, aggravated assault/manslaughter? – and no,
there is no Chinese wall of separation – Andrew Maloney’s the one that
prosecuted gotti).
In contradistinction
to the statement in said correspondence, there is a plethora of information
including evidence supporting the claims set forth in the RICO VERIFIED
COMPLAINT (see
infra). Such includes and as set forth in the case, inter alia,
There is applicable insurance / surety coverage and neither LA, nor
creditors, nor I should continue to have been damaged by this brazened corrupt
and illegal scenario, which should be resolved in accordance with the
meaningful rules of law apposite thereto.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Peia
611 E. 5th Street, #404
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 219-**** (cell phone)
(213) 622-3745 (listed land line but there are unresolved problems with
the line, computer connection may be the reason but I hesitate to chance
greater non-performance / worsening by their ‘fix’ so cell phone best for
contact).
----------
*The foregoing and as
indicated therein was previously send 9-14-10 but delivery confirmation was
flawed as set forth below and my inquiries to the u.s. postal service rebuffed
(I believe tampered with inasmuch as your office could not locate same). This
cover letter (9-13-10) is on the 3 disks with navigable hyperlinks to the
subject files for ease of reference, including the files in the RICO action as
indicated. (10-15-10) I spoke with Rose, FBI, ADIC Secretary, who indicates
once again that your office has not received the aforesaid and which can
reasonably be presumed to have been tampered with, and hence, a violation of
the federal statute concerning same. ]
----------
*The foregoing and as
indicated therein was previously send 9-14-10 but delivery confirmation was
flawed as set forth below and my inquiries to the u.s. postal service rebuffed
(I believe tampered with inasmuch as your office could not locate same). This
cover letter (9-13-10) is on the 3 disks with navigable hyperlinks to the
subject files for ease of reference, including the files in the RICO action as
indicated.
-----
Label/Receipt Number:
0310 1230 0000 0862 8183
Expected Delivery
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----
Sent Postage Prepaid: United States Mail - VIA Priority
Mail, Delivery Confirmation and VIA Certified Mail this 5th day of October,
2010.
Signed:
___________________________________
Albert L. Peia
Judges
rule without title, lenders can't foreclose (Washington Post) [ Rules of law? I didn’t think
they cared. That’s certainly the direct experience I’ve had with the
pervasively corrupt american legal / judicial system (along with the other two
branches of the u.s. government and defact bankrupt america generally). Court
decisions could call into doubt the ownership of mortgages, raising urgent
challenges for both the real estate market, wider financial system. Connecticut,
California join probe of Ally (Washington Post) [I’d be much more impressed if they initiated a probe of more
readily discernible criminal offenses in violation of the RICO Act http://albertpeia.com Frauds/Liars
(sic-lawyers)Covering Up for Other Frauds/Liars (sic-lawyers). In Productive
Societies as China, Japan, etc., Fraudulent Liars (sic-lawyers) and the Fraudulent
u.s. System They're a Part of Are Unheard Of/Non-existent. List of Files
Regarding Filed Attorney Grievance Against Fraud coan et als Or Here For A Clearer View Of
Filed
Grievance Complaint, Response, Exhibits, and Related RICO Filings Note the Committee of
Frauds/Liars (sic-lawyers). Included are DOJ Rep., State Court Rep., State
Atty. General Office Rep., and even a Vegetable Garden yale law prof who
probably never practiced law in his life. How Pathetic! http://albertpeia.com/fbiofficela91310
] Justice:
FBI improperly opened probes
(Washington Post) [ I just hope
they’re as zealous (in probing readily discernible crime) with regard to my
RICO matters and the corruption in the (judicial / legal) process since, in the
final analysis, it will have been the corruption within that will have brought
the nation down irrevocably and totally.
• Audio: Obama on terrorism tactics
A subtler tack to fight Afghan corruption?
(Washington
Post) [ How about a not so subtler tack
to fight corruption starting right here in the u.s. of a. where corruption and
crime are pervasive and in fact, at the root of the Afghanistan problems, from
american reinvigorated heroin trade to bribery attendant thereto to killing
civilians, etc.. Defacto Bankrupt, Meaningfully Lawless,
War Criminal Nation america, the leader of nations … in crime:
Though having but 5% of the world’s population, america can
boast 76% of the world’s serial killers, followed by Europe with England/UK
then Germany leading the way for the eu [excerpt, 6 minute video, Serial
Killers: Real Life Hannibal Lechters http://www.albertpeia.com/realifeamericaserialkillers.mpg (as is consistent with crime generally,
see infra)]. Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive
(defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of
the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern
emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed
employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in
this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense
( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
) ]:
Rank |
|||
# 1
|
11,877,218 |
|
|
# 2
|
6,523,706 |
|
|
# 3
|
6,507,394 |
|
… ]
Stepped-up
efforts fail to stem drug money (Washington Post) [ Come on! Wake up! That’s american, yes american big business.
The stuff that the war in Afghanistan is made of; viz., ie., heroin, etc..
]Stashing cash in spare tires, engine transmissions and truckloads of baby
diapers, couriers for Mexican drug cartels are moving tens of billions of dollars
in profits south across the border each year, a river of dirty money that has
overwhelmed U.S. and Mexican customs agents.
Mideast Digest: Iran's Ahmadinejad
calls for regional solution to Afghan crisis (Washington
Post) And appropriately so, as leader of a nation in the region as opposed to
invading nations from outside the region (particularly as one targeted by
assassins the likely assigns of those outside the region).
Judge: 'Don't ask, don't tell' is unconstitutional
(Washington
Post) [ Well, we all know that judge walker is alledgedly a
homo, so the question here is whether judge phillips is a lesbian… just
kidding! Not to slight homosexuals but to emphasize judicial bias / corruption
which is pervasive in america and I’ve observed, experienced, and have been
substantially damaged by pervasive and systemic corruption in the american
judicial process which has become more blatant and which justifies the
abolition of these costly, corrupt lifetime appointment / bureaucracies. The
fact is that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is the policy throughout the pervasively
corrupt federal system which is indeed as illegal as it is unconstitutional! ( http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
). ]
(Previously) I’d say this
alito vs. wobama is a tempest in a teapot inasmuch as alito is more than just a
lightweight, hack, liar, fraud etc., as set forth in the comments. alito is a
criminal who should have served / should be serving time in prison for
obstruction of justice, bribery, among other RICO violations. To alito, drug
money is as green as corporate money and worth his vote as well. In addition to
being an inept [I looked in on the one mob case he had brought, bungled, lost
(accidently on purpose?) since I was suing some mob-connected under RICO and
the court (I had known / previously met outside of court the judge Ackerman
through a client) was absolute bedlam and a total joke since incompetent
corrupt alito brought in all 20 mob defendants (rather than prosecute one or a
few to flip them first) who feigning illness had beds/cots in the courtroom
along with their moans during testimony and had the jury in stitches)] and
corrupt (see below and particularly the summary provided to the FBI under
penalty of perjury [
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf
http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm
] ) u.s. attorney.
You’re naïve to think
that the so-called supreme court is any different from the rest of the
meaningfully lawless and pervasively corrupt american ‘system’. I knew well an
accomplished trial lawyer, fellow american college of trial lawyers / and a bar
examiner, who pondered from time to time becoming a judge “so he’d never have
to work again” – his words.
Some comments on
alito…all appropriate:
Probably the worst appointment in one
hundred years.
Posted by: mnjam
-----------------------
Really? That's a pretty sweeping
statement to make about someone who's only been on the court a short few years.
And I thought that liberals were in
universal agreement that Clarence Thomas was the worst appointment in all of
history?
Posted by: blert | January 28, 2010 2:11
AM | Report abuse
----------------------------
Yes. Really. Alito is a total lightweight and hack. He makes Thomas look like
John Marshall or Oliver Wendell Holmes. I KNOW ALITO.
Posted by: mnjam | January 28, 2010 2:24 AM |
the loser here is alito.lost his composure not good for a judge especially
afederal or supreme justice .loser big time this will live with guy for a very
time.roberts and the other justices will have a talk with him that is a given.this
relly larger than o one day news cycle.
Posted by: donaldtucker | January 28, 2010 1:12 AM |
Should Alito resign or be impeached?
Posted by: jdmca | January 28, 2010 1:05 AM |
I
include the first two comments to the foregoing headline:
Billo Says:
June 11th, 2010 at 6:15
am
Lunacy? Keep in mind
that this country is run and controlled by lunatics. Our press government and
military seem to take their orders from Israel. Isarel wants to be known as a
pack of “mad dogs. Do we want “mad dogs” controlling us?
Here we see a bunch of phony accusations against Iran just
like we did in the run up to the bogus wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now
Pakistan. The boy has cried wold ten thousand times. It’s time to identify the
“lunatics” and kindly take away the car keys. If you won’t let your friends
drive drunk, why do we let a bunch of “lunatic” enemies run this place.
Glen Reply:
June 11th, 2010 at 6:47
am
Lunacy it would be.
But it is also to their
great credit that the Iranians have not made their own threats.
Everyone knows there are
3 WMD threats, Nuclear Biological and chemical. The scariest of which is
Biological.
Any attack done under
the threat of immediate biological retaliation would deter only the insane.
Watch out america home
of the insane, home of the leaders who want an 80% population reduction.
Paul
Craig Roberts: Government Abandoned Vietnam POWs Kurt Nimmo
| John McCain worked overtime to make sure Vietnam POWs never came home. I
think the even bigger story vis-à-vis mccain is: http://www.albertpeia.com/heroenot.htm
‘Did you know that that so-called "american heroe" john mccain was
referred to by his fellow pows in Vietnam as something akin to the
"songbird" inasmuch as he was constantly "singing" to his
Viet-Cong captors to curry favor and better treatment? This has been documented
with authority by Colonel David Hackworth. The same violates military
code/protocol (other soldiers have been court-martialed for far less) click Here, Here. [ http://www.albertpeia.com/hackworth.htm
] But, you see, this covered up scenario, compromizing the false facade
of far less than a heroe, is exactly what a criminal (lie of a) nation as
america loves and encourages (get everyone's hands dirty so no-one dares to
rectify same, ie., bush, sr., clinton, bush, jr.). That is, "toe the
(corrupt, propagandized) line", become a criminal, or be exposed,
prosecuted, and/or ruined; and, hasn't anyone asked how "wall street"
has been "spared the spotlight" (and even was accorded protective
legislation from their criminal culpability) and focus of inquiry, attention,
and prosecution despite being the primary beneficiaries financial and otherwise
of these scams (you know the wall street motto, "churn and earn";
huge conflicts of interest if not outright fraud)…’
Coalition wants UK space lift-off [ Don’t make me laugh! ]
Israel’s
Nukes Out of the Shadows Israel faces unprecedented pressure to
abandon its official policy of “ambiguity” on its possession of nuclear weapons
as the international community meets at the United Nations in New York this
week to consider banning such arsenals from the Middle East.
NASA wants mission to bring Martian rocks to Earth (AP) Why?
They already have that and more:
Launch
of secret US space ship masks even more secret launch of new weapon
http://www.albertpeia.com/UFOetryWeNeverWentToTheMoonPNTV.wmv
[To the
Professor at the beginning of the course]
10-5-09
Postscript: Professor *****,
I felt compelled to thank you again for the add; not to curry your favor but
indeed to express profound thanks inasmuch as this is probably the last formal
course at a formal educational institution I'll ever take; and among the most
important. While I had bought at discount a library-discarded 1993 Anthropology
by Embers text, though meaning to read same never quite got to it. I am
astounded by the substantial amount of time involved in the evolutionary
process, not that I ever stopped to think about it, and one must come away with
the sense of 'and all that...for this?'. This course should be required
curriculum along with psychology, sociology, etc., but probably won't be owing
to what is, as it should be, a very humbling educational experience for any
member of the human race.
Regards,
Al Peia
Go to following pages for
above links:
http://www.albertpeia.com/currentopics2ndqtr10108.htm
http://www.albertpeia.com
http://www.albertpeia.com/alresume.htm
http://www.albertpeia.com/wallstreetlunacy2ndqtr10108.htm
You may post a comment on my blog on any topic: http://alpeiablog.blogspot.com
Drudgereport:
KRUGMAN:
'We are now, I fear, in the early stages of a third depression'...
STOCKS HIT LOWEST OF YEAR...
DEBT
SOARS TO HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE WWII...
PRIVATE SECTOR SEES WEAKER JUNE JOBS...
Sputtering...
Bilderberg
2010: Between the sword and the wall...
Protesters
'being detained, searched, questioned'...
Final
List of Participants...
Stephen Hawking: Aliens exist but don't talk to them --
it's too dangerous … might not like us… Oh pshaw! … Human nature, man’s
inhumanity to man? … Such humble beginnings and evolutionary history …
What’s not to like? … Besides, not to worry. With their advanced
technologies that defy human understanding, the aliens already know you’re here
… to stay. So, not to worry. After all, as we know from that documentary of
that same name, ‘Earth Girls Are Easy’ … and then there’s photosynthesis on
earth in a very big way also going for it! ...
Seeing
Aliens Will Likely Take Centuries. Centuries? Not goin’ to happen; at best,
decades.
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