Consumers spent more than they could afford to spend, and are now paying down that debt. There is little consumer appetite for increasing debt.
"Saving" GM and GMAC by allowing them to loosen credit requirements is like "saving" New Orleans during hurricane Katrina by pumping in more water - it is ridiculous.
Americans have too many big houses, too many cars, too many big TVs, and too much stuff. It can take years to use up the items we have "bought forward" with debt.
GMAC to loosen criteria for loans upon bail-out
By Bernard Simon in Toronto
GMAC, the financial services group part-owned by General Motors, on Tuesday said it would immediately loosen its criteria for vehicle loans in the wake of a two-step government bail-out.
“The actions of the federal government to support GMAC are having an immediate and meaningful effect on our ability to provide credit to automotive customers”, GMAC’s president Bill Muir said in a statement.
...
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Regulator Lets IndyMac Lie
These government conspirators that enabled lies and fraud, such as Darrel Dochow, should go to prison and lose their government pensions.
Regulator Let IndyMac Bank Falsify Report
Agency Didn't Enforce Its Rules, Inquiry Finds
By Binyamin Appelbaum and Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A senior federal banking regulator approved a plan by IndyMac Bank to exaggerate its financial health in a May federal filing, allowing the California company to avoid regulatory restrictions only two months before it collapsed, a federal inquiry has found.
...
The finding that OTS on several occasions "blessed a fiction," in the words of one congressional staffer, renews questions about the agency's relationship with the companies it regulates and about its complicity in the collapse this year of several of the nation's largest thrifts, including Washington Mutual and Countrywide Financial.
...
The regulator named in Thorson's letter, Darrel Dochow, was removed from his position yesterday as director of OTS's west division, which supervised Washington Mutual, Countrywide, IndyMac and Downey Savings and Loan, among other banks that have been seized or sold this year.
It is the second time Dochow has been removed from a position as a senior thrift regulator. He was demoted in the early 1990s after federal investigators found that he had delayed and impeded proper regulation of Charles Keating's failed Lincoln Savings and Loan.
...
The core allegation is that Dochow allowed IndyMac to count money it got in May in describing its financial condition at the end of March.
...
Regulator Let IndyMac Bank Falsify Report
Agency Didn't Enforce Its Rules, Inquiry Finds
By Binyamin Appelbaum and Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A senior federal banking regulator approved a plan by IndyMac Bank to exaggerate its financial health in a May federal filing, allowing the California company to avoid regulatory restrictions only two months before it collapsed, a federal inquiry has found.
...
The finding that OTS on several occasions "blessed a fiction," in the words of one congressional staffer, renews questions about the agency's relationship with the companies it regulates and about its complicity in the collapse this year of several of the nation's largest thrifts, including Washington Mutual and Countrywide Financial.
...
The regulator named in Thorson's letter, Darrel Dochow, was removed from his position yesterday as director of OTS's west division, which supervised Washington Mutual, Countrywide, IndyMac and Downey Savings and Loan, among other banks that have been seized or sold this year.
It is the second time Dochow has been removed from a position as a senior thrift regulator. He was demoted in the early 1990s after federal investigators found that he had delayed and impeded proper regulation of Charles Keating's failed Lincoln Savings and Loan.
...
The core allegation is that Dochow allowed IndyMac to count money it got in May in describing its financial condition at the end of March.
...
Monday, December 15, 2008
The war is not over, says President Bush
"The war is not over," President Bush told Iraqis during his surprise farewell visit to Iraq. Iraqi journalist says, "This is a farewell kiss, you dog." and throws shoe at President Bush. 150,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq fighting a war that is intensely unpopular around the globe. More than 4,200 U.S. military have died, and the cost to U.S. taxpayers is over $576 billion and climbing.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Blaring Musical Harassment
Federal agencies used similar tactics against US citizens in Texas.
... After the failed search and destroy manoeuvre by Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents, the FBI rolled in and rigged up a sound system and light show that would make ravers drool with envy. Special Agent DJ Waco spun a relentless 24-7 groove of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" while dropping in Tibetan monk chanting and slaughtered bunny noises in an effort to dislodge the Davidians and their leader David Koresh from their spiritual home. ...
Musicians protest use of songs by US jailers
By ANDREW O. SELSKY
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) -- Blaring from a speaker behind a metal grate in his tiny cell in Iraq, the blistering rock from Nine Inch Nails hit Prisoner No. 200343 like a sonic bludgeon.
...
The auditory assault went on for days, then weeks, then months at the U.S. military detention center in Iraq. Twenty hours a day. AC/DC. Queen. Pantera. The prisoner, military contractor Donald Vance of Chicago, told The Associated Press he was soon suicidal.
The tactic has been common in the U.S. war on terror, with forces systematically using loud music on hundreds of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, then the U.S. military commander in Iraq, authorized it on Sept. 14, 2003, "to create fear, disorient ... and prolong capture shock."
Now the detainees aren't the only ones complaining. Musicians are banding together to demand the U.S. military stop using their songs as weapons.
...
The experience was overwhelming for many. Binyam Mohammed, now a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, said men held with him at the CIA's "Dark Prison" in Afghanistan wound up screaming and smashing their heads against walls, unable to endure more.
"There was loud music, (Eminem's) 'Slim Shady' and Dr. Dre for 20 days. I heard this nonstop over and over," he told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith. "The CIA worked on people, including me, day and night for the months before I left. Plenty lost their minds."
...
... After the failed search and destroy manoeuvre by Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents, the FBI rolled in and rigged up a sound system and light show that would make ravers drool with envy. Special Agent DJ Waco spun a relentless 24-7 groove of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" while dropping in Tibetan monk chanting and slaughtered bunny noises in an effort to dislodge the Davidians and their leader David Koresh from their spiritual home. ...
Musicians protest use of songs by US jailers
By ANDREW O. SELSKY
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) -- Blaring from a speaker behind a metal grate in his tiny cell in Iraq, the blistering rock from Nine Inch Nails hit Prisoner No. 200343 like a sonic bludgeon.
...
The auditory assault went on for days, then weeks, then months at the U.S. military detention center in Iraq. Twenty hours a day. AC/DC. Queen. Pantera. The prisoner, military contractor Donald Vance of Chicago, told The Associated Press he was soon suicidal.
The tactic has been common in the U.S. war on terror, with forces systematically using loud music on hundreds of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, then the U.S. military commander in Iraq, authorized it on Sept. 14, 2003, "to create fear, disorient ... and prolong capture shock."
Now the detainees aren't the only ones complaining. Musicians are banding together to demand the U.S. military stop using their songs as weapons.
...
The experience was overwhelming for many. Binyam Mohammed, now a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, said men held with him at the CIA's "Dark Prison" in Afghanistan wound up screaming and smashing their heads against walls, unable to endure more.
"There was loud music, (Eminem's) 'Slim Shady' and Dr. Dre for 20 days. I heard this nonstop over and over," he told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith. "The CIA worked on people, including me, day and night for the months before I left. Plenty lost their minds."
...
Law Enforcement Murders Marine Sergeant
Death Squad in Delaware: The Case of the Murdered Marine
by William Norman Grigg
...
Hale, a retired Marine Sergeant who served two tours in Iraq and was decorated before his combat-related medical discharge in January 2006, was murdered by a heavily armed 8–12-member undercover police team in Wilmington, Delaware last November 6. He had come to Wilmington from his home in Manassas, Virginia to participate in a Toys for Tots event.
...
Less than a second later – according to several eyewitnesses at the scene – Derek was hit with a taser blast that knocked him sideways and sent him into convulsions. His right hand involuntarily shot out of its pocket, clenching spasmodically.
“Not in front of the kids,” Derek gasped, as he tried to force his body to cooperate. “Get the kids out of here.”
The officers continued to order Derek to put up his hands; he was physically unable to comply.
So they tased him again. This time he was driven to his side and vomited into a nearby flower bed.
Howard Mixon, a contractor who had been working nearby, couldn't abide the spectacle.
“That's not necessary!” he bellowed at the assailants. “That's overkill! That's overkill!”
At this point, one of the heroes in blue (or, in this case, black) swaggered over to Mixon and snarled, “I'll f*****g show you overkill!” Having heroically shut up an unarmed civilian, the officer turned his attention back to Derek – who was being tased yet again.
“I'm trying to get my hands out,” Derek exclaimed, desperately trying to make his tortured and traumatized body obey his will. Horrified, his friend Sandra screamed at the officers: “He is trying to get his hands out, he cannot get his hands out!”
Having established that Derek – an innocent man who had survived two tours of duty in Iraq – was defenseless, one of Wilmington's Finest closed in for the kill.
Lt. William Brown of the Wilmington Police Department, who was close enough to seize and handcuff the helpless victim, instead shot him in the chest at point-blank range, tearing apart his vitals with three .40-caliber rounds. He did this after Derek had said, repeatedly and explicitly, that he was trying to cooperate. He did this despite the fact that witnesses on the scene had confirmed that Derek was trying to cooperate. He did this in front of a traumatized mother and two horrified children.
...
by William Norman Grigg
...
Hale, a retired Marine Sergeant who served two tours in Iraq and was decorated before his combat-related medical discharge in January 2006, was murdered by a heavily armed 8–12-member undercover police team in Wilmington, Delaware last November 6. He had come to Wilmington from his home in Manassas, Virginia to participate in a Toys for Tots event.
...
Less than a second later – according to several eyewitnesses at the scene – Derek was hit with a taser blast that knocked him sideways and sent him into convulsions. His right hand involuntarily shot out of its pocket, clenching spasmodically.
“Not in front of the kids,” Derek gasped, as he tried to force his body to cooperate. “Get the kids out of here.”
The officers continued to order Derek to put up his hands; he was physically unable to comply.
So they tased him again. This time he was driven to his side and vomited into a nearby flower bed.
Howard Mixon, a contractor who had been working nearby, couldn't abide the spectacle.
“That's not necessary!” he bellowed at the assailants. “That's overkill! That's overkill!”
At this point, one of the heroes in blue (or, in this case, black) swaggered over to Mixon and snarled, “I'll f*****g show you overkill!” Having heroically shut up an unarmed civilian, the officer turned his attention back to Derek – who was being tased yet again.
“I'm trying to get my hands out,” Derek exclaimed, desperately trying to make his tortured and traumatized body obey his will. Horrified, his friend Sandra screamed at the officers: “He is trying to get his hands out, he cannot get his hands out!”
Having established that Derek – an innocent man who had survived two tours of duty in Iraq – was defenseless, one of Wilmington's Finest closed in for the kill.
Lt. William Brown of the Wilmington Police Department, who was close enough to seize and handcuff the helpless victim, instead shot him in the chest at point-blank range, tearing apart his vitals with three .40-caliber rounds. He did this after Derek had said, repeatedly and explicitly, that he was trying to cooperate. He did this despite the fact that witnesses on the scene had confirmed that Derek was trying to cooperate. He did this in front of a traumatized mother and two horrified children.
...
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Insolvent AIG Gives Bonuses
AIG was insolvent and instead of going into bankruptcy, the US government stepped in.
AIG has now admitted they have recently been giving millions in bonuses to executives for "retention". With the financial industry slowdown, where would those executives be going? These bonuses are unneeded and shameful.
This follows up on the expensive hotel party in October.
Where is the outrage when AIG uses bailout money for bonuses?
AIG Says More Managers Get Retention Payouts Topping $4 Million
By Hugh Son
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc., the insurer whose bonuses and perks are under fire from U.S. lawmakers, offered cash awards to another 38 executives in a retention program with payments of as much as $4 million.
The incentives range from $92,500 to $4 million for employees earning salaries between $160,000 and $1 million, Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy said in a letter dated Dec. 5 to Representative Elijah Cummings. The New York-based insurer had previously disclosed that 130 managers would get the awards and that one executive would get $3 million.
“I remain concerned, as do many American taxpayers, that these retention payments are simply bonuses by another name,” Cummings said in letter responding to Liddy.
AIG, which received a U.S. rescue package of more than $152 billion, has been criticized for saying it will eliminate bonuses for senior executives while still planning to hand out “cash awards” that double or triple the salaries of some managers. The payments are designed to keep top employees at AIG while Liddy seeks to sell units and pay back the federal government, which owns 79.9 percent of AIG.
...
AIG has now admitted they have recently been giving millions in bonuses to executives for "retention". With the financial industry slowdown, where would those executives be going? These bonuses are unneeded and shameful.
This follows up on the expensive hotel party in October.
Where is the outrage when AIG uses bailout money for bonuses?
AIG Says More Managers Get Retention Payouts Topping $4 Million
By Hugh Son
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc., the insurer whose bonuses and perks are under fire from U.S. lawmakers, offered cash awards to another 38 executives in a retention program with payments of as much as $4 million.
The incentives range from $92,500 to $4 million for employees earning salaries between $160,000 and $1 million, Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy said in a letter dated Dec. 5 to Representative Elijah Cummings. The New York-based insurer had previously disclosed that 130 managers would get the awards and that one executive would get $3 million.
“I remain concerned, as do many American taxpayers, that these retention payments are simply bonuses by another name,” Cummings said in letter responding to Liddy.
AIG, which received a U.S. rescue package of more than $152 billion, has been criticized for saying it will eliminate bonuses for senior executives while still planning to hand out “cash awards” that double or triple the salaries of some managers. The payments are designed to keep top employees at AIG while Liddy seeks to sell units and pay back the federal government, which owns 79.9 percent of AIG.
...
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Drug Prohibition
An article in the Wall Street Journal argues for the end of drug prohibition. Historical facts of the failed alcohol prohibition are presented and compared with the failed drug prohibition.
Let's End Drug Prohibition
Most Americans agreed that alcohol suppression was worse than alcohol consumption.
By ETHAN A. NADELMANN
Today is the 75th anniversary of that blessed day in 1933 when Utah became the 36th and deciding state to ratify the 21st amendment, thereby repealing the 18th amendment. This ended the nation's disastrous experiment with alcohol prohibition.
... We should consider why our forebears rejoiced at the relegalization of a powerful drug long associated with bountiful pleasure and pain, and consider too the lessons for our time.
The Americans who voted in 1933 to repeal prohibition differed greatly in their reasons for overturning the system. But almost all agreed that the evils of failed suppression far outweighed the evils of alcohol consumption.
The change from just 15 years earlier, when most Americans saw alcohol as the root of the problem and voted to ban it, was dramatic. Prohibition's failure to create an Alcohol Free Society sank in quickly. Booze flowed as readily as before, but now it was illicit, filling criminal coffers at taxpayer expense.
...
When repeal came, it was not just with the support of those with a taste for alcohol, but also those who disliked and even hated it but could no longer ignore the dreadful consequences of a failed prohibition. They saw what most Americans still fail to see today: That a failed drug prohibition can cause greater harm than the drug it was intended to banish.
Consider the consequences of drug prohibition today: 500,000 people incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails for nonviolent drug-law violations; 1.8 million drug arrests last year; tens of billions of taxpayer dollars expended annually to fund a drug war that 76% of Americans say has failed; millions now marked for life as former drug felons; many thousands dying each year from drug overdoses that have more to do with prohibitionist policies than the drugs themselves, and tens of thousands more needlessly infected with AIDS and Hepatitis C because those same policies undermine and block responsible public-health policies.
And look abroad. At Afghanistan, where a third or more of the national economy is both beneficiary and victim of the failed global drug prohibition regime. At Mexico, which makes Chicago under Al Capone look like a day in the park. And elsewhere in Latin America, where prohibition-related crime, violence and corruption undermine civil authority and public safety, and mindless drug eradication campaigns wreak environmental havoc.
...
Let's End Drug Prohibition
Most Americans agreed that alcohol suppression was worse than alcohol consumption.
By ETHAN A. NADELMANN
Today is the 75th anniversary of that blessed day in 1933 when Utah became the 36th and deciding state to ratify the 21st amendment, thereby repealing the 18th amendment. This ended the nation's disastrous experiment with alcohol prohibition.
... We should consider why our forebears rejoiced at the relegalization of a powerful drug long associated with bountiful pleasure and pain, and consider too the lessons for our time.
The Americans who voted in 1933 to repeal prohibition differed greatly in their reasons for overturning the system. But almost all agreed that the evils of failed suppression far outweighed the evils of alcohol consumption.
The change from just 15 years earlier, when most Americans saw alcohol as the root of the problem and voted to ban it, was dramatic. Prohibition's failure to create an Alcohol Free Society sank in quickly. Booze flowed as readily as before, but now it was illicit, filling criminal coffers at taxpayer expense.
...
When repeal came, it was not just with the support of those with a taste for alcohol, but also those who disliked and even hated it but could no longer ignore the dreadful consequences of a failed prohibition. They saw what most Americans still fail to see today: That a failed drug prohibition can cause greater harm than the drug it was intended to banish.
Consider the consequences of drug prohibition today: 500,000 people incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails for nonviolent drug-law violations; 1.8 million drug arrests last year; tens of billions of taxpayer dollars expended annually to fund a drug war that 76% of Americans say has failed; millions now marked for life as former drug felons; many thousands dying each year from drug overdoses that have more to do with prohibitionist policies than the drugs themselves, and tens of thousands more needlessly infected with AIDS and Hepatitis C because those same policies undermine and block responsible public-health policies.
And look abroad. At Afghanistan, where a third or more of the national economy is both beneficiary and victim of the failed global drug prohibition regime. At Mexico, which makes Chicago under Al Capone look like a day in the park. And elsewhere in Latin America, where prohibition-related crime, violence and corruption undermine civil authority and public safety, and mindless drug eradication campaigns wreak environmental havoc.
...
State Law Is Controlling
By not accepting a 10th amendment case for review, the federal Supreme Court is saying state law over-rides conflicting federal law. While this happens to be about possession of state-regulated marijuana this will apply to any conflicting laws including defensive weapons which have significant federal regulations. The fact the Supreme Court is not reviewing the lower court decision means state law is controlling and this is a big victory for the states and the people.
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Case on Seized Marijuana
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Case on Seized Marijuana
Friday, December 05, 2008
Non-GMO Shopping Guide
This non-GMO (gentically modified) shopping guide is free to print or can be purchased at cost. This could be a nice gift for those expecting children and for those with young children.
NON-GMO SHOPPING GUIDE
How to avoid foods made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
NON-GMO SHOPPING GUIDE
How to avoid foods made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Torture Backpedaling
The Democrats repeatedly and persistently spoke out against using torture, and the Democrats continued to speak out the past two years while they had control of both houses of Congress. The Democrats now have control of the White House and larger majorities in Congress, and the Democrats are now backpedaling on stopping the use of torture.
Anyone who voted for the Democrats in an effort to "throw the bums out" should now clealy see the Democrats and Republicans are very similar and when they are in power have very similar policies - including the use of torture. The Democrats and Republicans are two wings from the same bird of prey, and American voters and taxpayers are they prey.
There are other choices in the elections, though people need to do their research on third party candidates who will bring real "change".
Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?
Time constraints prevented me yesterday from writing about Dianne Feinstein's comments concerning torture in yesterday's New York Times, in which the California Senator -- who will replace Jay Rockefeller as Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- rather clearly backtracked on what had been her repeated, unequivocal insistence throughout the year that the CIA should be required to comply with the Army Field Manual when interrogating detainees. But Time's Michael Scherer picked up on the same backtracking and did a very good job of highlighting what appears to be Feinstein's (as well as Ron Wyden's) conspicuous, and rather disturbing, reversals.
But it's actually somewhat worse even than Scherer suggests. According to Mark Mazzetti and Scott Shane, who wrote the article, Feinstein and Wyden are just two of the "senior Democratic lawmakers" who have "seemed reluctant in recent interviews to commit the new administration to following the Army Field Manual in all cases" -- despite the fact that both Feinstein and Wyden said throughout the year that they emphatically favored such a measure and even co-sponsored legislation requiring it.
...
Anyone who voted for the Democrats in an effort to "throw the bums out" should now clealy see the Democrats and Republicans are very similar and when they are in power have very similar policies - including the use of torture. The Democrats and Republicans are two wings from the same bird of prey, and American voters and taxpayers are they prey.
There are other choices in the elections, though people need to do their research on third party candidates who will bring real "change".
Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?
Time constraints prevented me yesterday from writing about Dianne Feinstein's comments concerning torture in yesterday's New York Times, in which the California Senator -- who will replace Jay Rockefeller as Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- rather clearly backtracked on what had been her repeated, unequivocal insistence throughout the year that the CIA should be required to comply with the Army Field Manual when interrogating detainees. But Time's Michael Scherer picked up on the same backtracking and did a very good job of highlighting what appears to be Feinstein's (as well as Ron Wyden's) conspicuous, and rather disturbing, reversals.
But it's actually somewhat worse even than Scherer suggests. According to Mark Mazzetti and Scott Shane, who wrote the article, Feinstein and Wyden are just two of the "senior Democratic lawmakers" who have "seemed reluctant in recent interviews to commit the new administration to following the Army Field Manual in all cases" -- despite the fact that both Feinstein and Wyden said throughout the year that they emphatically favored such a measure and even co-sponsored legislation requiring it.
...
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Canada's PM Power Grab Shuts Down Parliament
Tough economic times are leading to political power grabs. Civil rights are often lost during times like this while the political leaders grasp for power.
Crisis as Canada's PM shuts down Parliament
Unprecedented move by Harper in attempt to hang on to power
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down Parliament on Thursday in an unprecedented attempt to keep his government in power, fending off a no-confidence vote he was all but certain to lose.
...
Crisis as Canada's PM shuts down Parliament
Unprecedented move by Harper in attempt to hang on to power
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down Parliament on Thursday in an unprecedented attempt to keep his government in power, fending off a no-confidence vote he was all but certain to lose.
...
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Geo-Political Boiling
Pakistan may be the flash that ignites a worldwide geo-political storm. Pakistan has nuclear weapons. With so many countries in economic turmoil, Thailand demonstrations causing political change, and major military powers thinly spread and fighting multiple wars, Pakistan could be the flash that starts a worldwide uprising.
World stability hangs by a thread as economies continue to unravel
The political bubble is bursting. Spreads on geo-strategic risk are now widening as dramatically as the spreads on financial risk at the onset of the credit crunch.
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Whether it is the Indian rupee, the Shanghai bourse, or Kremlin debt, the stars of the credit boom have fallen to earth. Investors are retreating into 3-month US Treasury bills – the ultimate safe-haven. The yield has fallen to 0.02pc, less than zero after costs. You pay Washington to guard your money.
The working assumption of the "Great Boom" is – or was – that we live in a benign era where most societies are converging towards some form of market liberalism; where trade and capital flows are unrestricted; where governments have enough legitimacy to keep order by light touch; where a major war is unthinkable.
This illusion is now being tested.
...
The exodus of foreign capital may now quicken, laying bare the horrors of Indian public finance. The combined federal and state deficit is 8pc of GDP. Plainly, spending will have to be slashed.
If the atrocity now propels the Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi into office at the head of a revived Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), south Asia will once again face a nuclear showdown between India and Pakistan.
...
News that the British Empire could not uphold military discipline set off capital flight. Britain was forced off the gold standard within five days. A chunk of the world followed suit.
Nor was it obvious that Germany would go mad. Bruning persisted with deflation, blind to the danger. The result was the election of July 1932 when two parties committed to the destruction of Weimar – the KPD Communists and the Nazis – won over the half the seats in Reichstag.
...
World stability hangs by a thread as economies continue to unravel
The political bubble is bursting. Spreads on geo-strategic risk are now widening as dramatically as the spreads on financial risk at the onset of the credit crunch.
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Whether it is the Indian rupee, the Shanghai bourse, or Kremlin debt, the stars of the credit boom have fallen to earth. Investors are retreating into 3-month US Treasury bills – the ultimate safe-haven. The yield has fallen to 0.02pc, less than zero after costs. You pay Washington to guard your money.
The working assumption of the "Great Boom" is – or was – that we live in a benign era where most societies are converging towards some form of market liberalism; where trade and capital flows are unrestricted; where governments have enough legitimacy to keep order by light touch; where a major war is unthinkable.
This illusion is now being tested.
...
The exodus of foreign capital may now quicken, laying bare the horrors of Indian public finance. The combined federal and state deficit is 8pc of GDP. Plainly, spending will have to be slashed.
If the atrocity now propels the Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi into office at the head of a revived Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), south Asia will once again face a nuclear showdown between India and Pakistan.
...
News that the British Empire could not uphold military discipline set off capital flight. Britain was forced off the gold standard within five days. A chunk of the world followed suit.
Nor was it obvious that Germany would go mad. Bruning persisted with deflation, blind to the danger. The result was the election of July 1932 when two parties committed to the destruction of Weimar – the KPD Communists and the Nazis – won over the half the seats in Reichstag.
...
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
War Is Peace
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON HOMEOWNERSHIP
at the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2002, 10:30 A.M. EDT
Excerpt from President Bush's speech:
I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace.
at the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2002, 10:30 A.M. EDT
Excerpt from President Bush's speech:
I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
President-Elect Skips Grandmother's Memorial Service
Memorial scheduled for Obama's grandmother
HONOLULU – A memorial service for President-elect Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, will be held Friday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
The Borthwick Mortuary said Wednesday that the service will be open to the public, but the Obama family will not be in attendance.
...
HONOLULU – A memorial service for President-elect Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, will be held Friday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
The Borthwick Mortuary said Wednesday that the service will be open to the public, but the Obama family will not be in attendance.
...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Banker Bailout Funds Buy Chinese Bank Assets
Bank of America's stake in China Construction Bank may play well
November 18, 2008
U.S. politicians could be forgiven a raised eyebrow or two. Bank of America took $15 billion under the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP. Now its chief, Ken Lewis, is spending $7 billion of his spare cash upping the bank's stake in China Construction Bank, or CCB, to 19 percent. It might smack of TARP funds - borrowed by the United States from countries like China - going full circle back to the Middle Kingdom.
...
November 18, 2008
U.S. politicians could be forgiven a raised eyebrow or two. Bank of America took $15 billion under the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP. Now its chief, Ken Lewis, is spending $7 billion of his spare cash upping the bank's stake in China Construction Bank, or CCB, to 19 percent. It might smack of TARP funds - borrowed by the United States from countries like China - going full circle back to the Middle Kingdom.
...
USA Asks For Foreign Aid
US seeks 300 billion dlrs from Gulf states: report
Thu Nov 20, 2:29 am ET
KUWAIT CITY (AFP) – The United States has asked four oil-rich Gulf states for close to 300 billion dollars to help it curb the global financial meltdown, Kuwait's daily Al-Seyassah reported Thursday.
...
The daily said the United States plans to use the funds to help the ailing automobile industry , banks and other companies suffering from the global financial turmoil.
...
Thu Nov 20, 2:29 am ET
KUWAIT CITY (AFP) – The United States has asked four oil-rich Gulf states for close to 300 billion dollars to help it curb the global financial meltdown, Kuwait's daily Al-Seyassah reported Thursday.
...
The daily said the United States plans to use the funds to help the ailing automobile industry , banks and other companies suffering from the global financial turmoil.
...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Auto Industry CEOs Get Pricey Perk While Asking For Taxpayer Bailout
They want more taxpayer funds while they fly on private jets. Do the employees and shareholders not care how management continues to waste money?
The automakers have been effectively insolvent for a decade because of the retiree benefit obligations. Vehicle sales are down (particularly high-margin SUVs) and the fixed costs are killing the auto makers. A bailout or loan will not fix the economics of the industry and benefit obligations.
Big Three CEOs Flew Private Jets to Plead for Public Funds
Auto Industry Close to Bankruptcy But They Get Pricey Perk
By BRIAN ROSS and JOSEPH RHEE
November 19, 2008—
The CEOs of the big three automakers flew to the nation's capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running out of cash and needs $25 billion in taxpayer money to avoid bankruptcy.
The CEOs of GM, Ford and Chrysler may have told Congress that they will likely go out of business without a bailout yet that has not stopped them from traveling in style, not even First Class is good enough.
All three CEOs - Rick Wagoner of GM, Alan Mulally of Ford, and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler - exercised their perks Tuesday by flying in corporate jets to DC. Wagoner flew in GM's $36 million luxury aircraft to tell members of Congress that the company is burning through cash, asking for $10-12 billion for GM alone.
...
The automakers have been effectively insolvent for a decade because of the retiree benefit obligations. Vehicle sales are down (particularly high-margin SUVs) and the fixed costs are killing the auto makers. A bailout or loan will not fix the economics of the industry and benefit obligations.
Big Three CEOs Flew Private Jets to Plead for Public Funds
Auto Industry Close to Bankruptcy But They Get Pricey Perk
By BRIAN ROSS and JOSEPH RHEE
November 19, 2008—
The CEOs of the big three automakers flew to the nation's capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running out of cash and needs $25 billion in taxpayer money to avoid bankruptcy.
The CEOs of GM, Ford and Chrysler may have told Congress that they will likely go out of business without a bailout yet that has not stopped them from traveling in style, not even First Class is good enough.
All three CEOs - Rick Wagoner of GM, Alan Mulally of Ford, and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler - exercised their perks Tuesday by flying in corporate jets to DC. Wagoner flew in GM's $36 million luxury aircraft to tell members of Congress that the company is burning through cash, asking for $10-12 billion for GM alone.
...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
AIG Resort "Junket"
While the size of the AIG bailout continues to expand, top AIG employees are spending the bailout money at resorts.
Another AIG Resort "Junket": Top Execs Caught on Tape
KNXV Discovers $343,000 Secret Gathering, AIG Signs and Logos Hidden
By BRIAN ROSS and JOSEPH RHEE
November 10, 2008
Even as the company was pleading the federal government for another $40 billion dollars in loans, AIG sent top executives to a secret gathering at a luxury resort in Phoenix last week.
Brian Ross investigates the insurance giant's "seminar" at a posh resort.
Reporters for abc15.com (KNXV) caught the AIG executives on hidden cameras poolside and leaving the spa at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort, despite apparent efforts by the company to disguise its involvement.
"AIG made significant efforts to disguise the conference, making sure there were no AIG logos or signs anywhere on the property," KNXV reported.
...
Another AIG Resort "Junket": Top Execs Caught on Tape
KNXV Discovers $343,000 Secret Gathering, AIG Signs and Logos Hidden
By BRIAN ROSS and JOSEPH RHEE
November 10, 2008
Even as the company was pleading the federal government for another $40 billion dollars in loans, AIG sent top executives to a secret gathering at a luxury resort in Phoenix last week.
Brian Ross investigates the insurance giant's "seminar" at a posh resort.
Reporters for abc15.com (KNXV) caught the AIG executives on hidden cameras poolside and leaving the spa at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort, despite apparent efforts by the company to disguise its involvement.
"AIG made significant efforts to disguise the conference, making sure there were no AIG logos or signs anywhere on the property," KNXV reported.
...
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Bloomberg Sues Fed
The Federal Reserve is a private bank, not part of the government. FOIA requests are for the government, so Bloomberg's lawsuit will fail. It's surprising that Bloomberg's lawyers don't know this ... maybe they are trying to wake up the people?
Bloomberg Sues Fed to Force Disclosure of Collateral
By Mark Pittman
Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg News asked a U.S. court today to force the Federal Reserve to disclose securities the central bank is accepting on behalf of American taxpayers as collateral for $1.5 trillion of loans to banks.
The lawsuit is based on the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, which requires federal agencies to make government documents available to the press and the public, according to the complaint. The suit, filed in New York, doesn't seek money damages.
...
Bloomberg Sues Fed to Force Disclosure of Collateral
By Mark Pittman
Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg News asked a U.S. court today to force the Federal Reserve to disclose securities the central bank is accepting on behalf of American taxpayers as collateral for $1.5 trillion of loans to banks.
The lawsuit is based on the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, which requires federal agencies to make government documents available to the press and the public, according to the complaint. The suit, filed in New York, doesn't seek money damages.
...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
European Slowdown
Slowdown in Europe. Nearly a shutdown!
Volvo, Scania Miss Profit Estimates, Cut Truck Output (Update2)
By Chad Thomas and Marco Bertacche
Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Volvo AB, the second-largest maker of heavy trucks, and Scania AB reported lower-than-anticipated earnings and said they'll cut production after industrywide European sales fell for a fifth straight month.
Volvo plunged the most in at least 19 years in Stockholm trading. The Gothenburg, Sweden-based company won just 115 European orders in the third quarter, down from 41,970 a year earlier. Soedertaelje, Sweden-based Scania slipped 8.9 percent to a four-year low. ...
Volvo, Scania Miss Profit Estimates, Cut Truck Output (Update2)
By Chad Thomas and Marco Bertacche
Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Volvo AB, the second-largest maker of heavy trucks, and Scania AB reported lower-than-anticipated earnings and said they'll cut production after industrywide European sales fell for a fifth straight month.
Volvo plunged the most in at least 19 years in Stockholm trading. The Gothenburg, Sweden-based company won just 115 European orders in the third quarter, down from 41,970 a year earlier. Soedertaelje, Sweden-based Scania slipped 8.9 percent to a four-year low. ...
Saturday, October 25, 2008
USA Constitution-Free Zones
The government is assuming extraordinary powers to stop and search individuals within this zone. This is not just about the border: This " Constitution-Free Zone" includes most of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.
USA no-Constitutional rights zone map.
USA no-Constitutional rights zone map.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Security Theater
The Things He Carried
If I were a terrorist, and I’m not, but if I were a terrorist—a frosty, tough-like-Chuck-Norris terrorist, say a C-title jihadist with Hezbollah or, more likely, a donkey-work operative with the Judean People’s Front—I would not do what I did in the bathroom of the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, which was to place myself in front of a sink in open view of the male American flying public and ostentatiously rip up a sheaf of counterfeit boarding passes that had been created for me by a frenetic and acerbic security expert named Bruce Schneier.
...
I couldn’t believe that what Schneier was saying was true—in the national debate over the no-fly list, it is seldom, if ever, mentioned that the no-fly list doesn’t work. “It’s true,” he said. “The gap blows the whole system out of the water.”
...
If I were a terrorist, and I’m not, but if I were a terrorist—a frosty, tough-like-Chuck-Norris terrorist, say a C-title jihadist with Hezbollah or, more likely, a donkey-work operative with the Judean People’s Front—I would not do what I did in the bathroom of the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, which was to place myself in front of a sink in open view of the male American flying public and ostentatiously rip up a sheaf of counterfeit boarding passes that had been created for me by a frenetic and acerbic security expert named Bruce Schneier.
...
I couldn’t believe that what Schneier was saying was true—in the national debate over the no-fly list, it is seldom, if ever, mentioned that the no-fly list doesn’t work. “It’s true,” he said. “The gap blows the whole system out of the water.”
...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Visa Fraud
High Rate of H-1B Visa Fraud
A study finds that 13% of the visa petitions for U.S. employers to bring in skilled foreign workers are fraudulent
By Moira Herbst
A report released Oct. 8 by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals that 13% of petitions filed for H-1B visas on behalf of employers are fraudulent. Another 7% contain some sort of technical violations.
...
Critics say H-1Bs help U.S. companies replace American workers with less costly foreign workers. "The report makes it clear that the H-1B program is rife with abuse and misuse," says Ron Hira, assistant professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. "It shows the desperate need for an auditing system." However, both Presidential candidates, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), have said they support expanding the program.
...
A study finds that 13% of the visa petitions for U.S. employers to bring in skilled foreign workers are fraudulent
By Moira Herbst
A report released Oct. 8 by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals that 13% of petitions filed for H-1B visas on behalf of employers are fraudulent. Another 7% contain some sort of technical violations.
...
Critics say H-1Bs help U.S. companies replace American workers with less costly foreign workers. "The report makes it clear that the H-1B program is rife with abuse and misuse," says Ron Hira, assistant professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. "It shows the desperate need for an auditing system." However, both Presidential candidates, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), have said they support expanding the program.
...
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Disappearing Bees
Bayer Pesticide Chemicals Linked to Devastating Collapse of Honeybee Populations
(NaturalNews) German government researchers have concluded that a bestselling Bayer pesticide is responsible for the recent massive die-off of honeybees across the country's Baden-Württemberg region. In response, the government has banned an entire family of pesticides, fueling accusations that pesticides may be responsible for the current worldwide epidemic of honeybee die-offs.
...
(NaturalNews) German government researchers have concluded that a bestselling Bayer pesticide is responsible for the recent massive die-off of honeybees across the country's Baden-Württemberg region. In response, the government has banned an entire family of pesticides, fueling accusations that pesticides may be responsible for the current worldwide epidemic of honeybee die-offs.
...
Saturday, October 04, 2008
You Broke It, You Bought It
While the mainstream media tells America the (fat-cat banker) bailout is needed to protect jobs and bank accounts, there are Americans that understand a bailout can't fix the problem. The problem will be fixed when asset prices move toward more reasonable levels, not by giving fat-cat bankers a few more meal tickets.
"Keep the panic pressure on."
"Here is the latest reality game. Let's play Wall Street bailout." "Privatize gains. Socialize losses."
"The Federal Reserve is not smart enough. Treasury is not smart enough. Congress is not smart enough."
"The real question is, 'Where does it [the money for bailout] come from?"
"There is no authority in the Constitution to make money and credit out of thin air."
"Keep the panic pressure on."
"Here is the latest reality game. Let's play Wall Street bailout." "Privatize gains. Socialize losses."
"The Federal Reserve is not smart enough. Treasury is not smart enough. Congress is not smart enough."
"The real question is, 'Where does it [the money for bailout] come from?"
"There is no authority in the Constitution to make money and credit out of thin air."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Too Smart To Be A Cop
Judge Rules That Police Can Bar High I.Q. Scores
Published: September 9, 1999
A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test.
In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court in New Haven agreed that the plaintiff, Robert Jordan, was denied an opportunity to interview for a police job because of his high test scores. But he said that that did not mean Mr. Jordan was a victim of discrimination.
Judge Dorsey ruled that Mr. Jordan was not denied equal protection because the city of New London applied the same standard to everyone: anyone who scored too high was rejected.
...
Published: September 9, 1999
A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test.
In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court in New Haven agreed that the plaintiff, Robert Jordan, was denied an opportunity to interview for a police job because of his high test scores. But he said that that did not mean Mr. Jordan was a victim of discrimination.
Judge Dorsey ruled that Mr. Jordan was not denied equal protection because the city of New London applied the same standard to everyone: anyone who scored too high was rejected.
...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
1+1=3
Eyebrows raised over city school policy that sets 50% as minimum score
1+1=3? In city schools, it's half right
Monday, September 22, 2008
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials say they want to give struggling children a chance, but the district is raising eyebrows with a policy that sets 50 percent as the minimum score a student can receive for assignments, tests and other work.
...
While some districts use "F" as a failing grade, the city uses an "E."
"The 'E' is to be recorded no lower than a 50 percent, regardless of the actual percent earned. For example, if the student earns a 20 percent on a class assignment, the grade is recorded as a 50 percent," said the memo from Jerri Lippert, the district's executive director of curriculum, instruction and professional development, and Mary VanHorn, a PFT vice president.
...
1+1=3? In city schools, it's half right
Monday, September 22, 2008
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials say they want to give struggling children a chance, but the district is raising eyebrows with a policy that sets 50 percent as the minimum score a student can receive for assignments, tests and other work.
...
While some districts use "F" as a failing grade, the city uses an "E."
"The 'E' is to be recorded no lower than a 50 percent, regardless of the actual percent earned. For example, if the student earns a 20 percent on a class assignment, the grade is recorded as a 50 percent," said the memo from Jerri Lippert, the district's executive director of curriculum, instruction and professional development, and Mary VanHorn, a PFT vice president.
...
No Wall Street Banker Left Behind Legislation
Paulson of the US Treasury is asking for king-like powers. Bernanke of the Fed and Bush of the White House are pushing this huge bailout for their financial friends.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Ready, Set, Pump!
Nashville pumps dry after panic about rumor of no gas
(CNN) -- Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy: An estimated three-fourths of gas stations in the Nashville, Tennessee, area ran dry Friday, victim of an apparent rumor that the city was running out of gas.
Officials said panic regarding a rumor of a lack of gas caused customers to to rush to the pumps.
Officials said panic regarding a rumor of a lack of gas caused customers to to rush to the pumps.
"Everybody has just gone nuts," said Mike Williams, executive director of the Tennessee Petroleum Council.
He said he has no idea about the origin of a rumor that there was going to be no gas in Nashville. One reporter called him, saying she had heard that Nashville would be without gas within the hour, he said.
Hearing the rumor, drivers rushed to fill their cars and trucks.
CNN called 13 Nashville gas stations at random. Only two reported having gas, and one said it was almost out. The stations said they were being told they would not get more until Monday or Tuesday.
...
(CNN) -- Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy: An estimated three-fourths of gas stations in the Nashville, Tennessee, area ran dry Friday, victim of an apparent rumor that the city was running out of gas.
Officials said panic regarding a rumor of a lack of gas caused customers to to rush to the pumps.
Officials said panic regarding a rumor of a lack of gas caused customers to to rush to the pumps.
"Everybody has just gone nuts," said Mike Williams, executive director of the Tennessee Petroleum Council.
He said he has no idea about the origin of a rumor that there was going to be no gas in Nashville. One reporter called him, saying she had heard that Nashville would be without gas within the hour, he said.
Hearing the rumor, drivers rushed to fill their cars and trucks.
CNN called 13 Nashville gas stations at random. Only two reported having gas, and one said it was almost out. The stations said they were being told they would not get more until Monday or Tuesday.
...
Monday, September 15, 2008
UN To Remove Internet Anonymity
U.N. agency eyes curbs on Internet anonymity
Posted by Declan McCullagh 31 comments
A United Nations agency is quietly drafting technical standards, proposed by the Chinese government, to define methods of tracing the original source of Internet communications and potentially curbing the ability of users to remain anonymous.
The U.S. National Security Agency is also participating in the "IP Traceback" drafting group, named Q6/17, which is meeting next week in Geneva to work on the traceback proposal. Members of Q6/17 have declined to release key documents, and meetings are closed to the public.
...
Posted by Declan McCullagh 31 comments
A United Nations agency is quietly drafting technical standards, proposed by the Chinese government, to define methods of tracing the original source of Internet communications and potentially curbing the ability of users to remain anonymous.
The U.S. National Security Agency is also participating in the "IP Traceback" drafting group, named Q6/17, which is meeting next week in Geneva to work on the traceback proposal. Members of Q6/17 have declined to release key documents, and meetings are closed to the public.
...
Texas School District Will Let Teachers Carry Guns
Instead of having students and teachers be victims in gun-free zones, this school district will allow teachers (already vetted and background checked) to defend themselves and their students. Teachers are responsible for their students, so allowing this responsibility to include self-defense is logical. Disarming teachers to create "sitting duck zones" is illogical.
Texas School District Will Let Teachers Carry Guns
Friday, August 15, 2008
A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to pass a law specifically allowing teachers and staff to pack heat when classes begin later this month.
Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.
Superintendent David Thweatt told FOXNews.com the policy was initiated because of safety concerns.
"We have had employees assaulted before by people in the last several years," Thweatt said. "I think that safety is big concern. We are seeing a lot of anger in society."
...
Texas School District Will Let Teachers Carry Guns
Friday, August 15, 2008
A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to pass a law specifically allowing teachers and staff to pack heat when classes begin later this month.
Trustees at the Harrold Independent School District approved a district policy change last October so employees can carry concealed firearms to deter and protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting teachers follow certain requirements.
Superintendent David Thweatt told FOXNews.com the policy was initiated because of safety concerns.
"We have had employees assaulted before by people in the last several years," Thweatt said. "I think that safety is big concern. We are seeing a lot of anger in society."
...
Dictatorship To Democracy
How to rebuild and restart. Download, print, read, act.
Free download of From Dictatorship To Democracy.
First published in Bangkok in 1993.
Free download of From Dictatorship To Democracy.
First published in Bangkok in 1993.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Web Of Power: Lehman Brothers, President Bush's Cousin, McCain's Son
Lehman Investment Unit Gets Bids From Bain, Clayton (Update1)
By Jason Kelly and Jonathan Keehner
Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. received offers for its asset-management unit from private- equity firms including Bain Capital LLC and Clayton Dubilier & Rice Inc., said people familiar with the situation.
...
The buyout companies are angling to own a business with assets of $273 billion headed by former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker George Walker, 39. The New York-based firm proceeded with the auction because the private-equity firms continued to express interest in a deal, according to the people. While Lehman aimed to complete the sale by late next month, the process may be disrupted by a takeover of the company, perhaps as soon as this weekend.
...
George Herbert Walker IV
George Herbert Walker IV (born April 1969) is a Managing Director at Lehman Brothers and is a second cousin to U.S. President George W. Bush. ...
Bank Tied To John McCain's Son Goes Under
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2008
(AP) Regulators on Friday shut down Silver State Bank, saying the Nevada bank failed because of losses on soured loans, mainly in commercial real estate and land development.
...
Andrew K. McCain, a son of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, sat on the boards of Silver State Bank and of its parent, Silver State Bancorp, starting in February but resigned in July citing "personal reasons," corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show. Andrew McCain also was a member of the bank's audit committee, responsible for oversight of the company's accounting.
By Jason Kelly and Jonathan Keehner
Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. received offers for its asset-management unit from private- equity firms including Bain Capital LLC and Clayton Dubilier & Rice Inc., said people familiar with the situation.
...
The buyout companies are angling to own a business with assets of $273 billion headed by former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker George Walker, 39. The New York-based firm proceeded with the auction because the private-equity firms continued to express interest in a deal, according to the people. While Lehman aimed to complete the sale by late next month, the process may be disrupted by a takeover of the company, perhaps as soon as this weekend.
...
George Herbert Walker IV
George Herbert Walker IV (born April 1969) is a Managing Director at Lehman Brothers and is a second cousin to U.S. President George W. Bush. ...
Bank Tied To John McCain's Son Goes Under
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2008
(AP) Regulators on Friday shut down Silver State Bank, saying the Nevada bank failed because of losses on soured loans, mainly in commercial real estate and land development.
...
Andrew K. McCain, a son of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, sat on the boards of Silver State Bank and of its parent, Silver State Bancorp, starting in February but resigned in July citing "personal reasons," corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show. Andrew McCain also was a member of the bank's audit committee, responsible for oversight of the company's accounting.
FDIC Insurance (It Doesn't Exist)
FDIC Insurance Fund - It Doesn't Actually Exist
When FDIC head Shelia Bair says her agency might have to bolster the FDIC's insurance fund with Treasury borrowings to pay for the new spate of bank failures, a lot of us, this 40-year banking veteran included, assumed there's an actual FDIC fund in need of bolstering.
We were wrong. As a former FDIC chairman, Bill Isaac, points out here, the FDIC Insurance Fund is an accounting fiction. It takes in premiums from banks, then turns those premiums over to the Treasury, which adds the money to the government's general coffers for "spending . . . on missiles, school lunches, water projects, and the like."
The insurance premiums aren't really premiums at all, therefore. They're a tax by another name.
...
When FDIC head Shelia Bair says her agency might have to bolster the FDIC's insurance fund with Treasury borrowings to pay for the new spate of bank failures, a lot of us, this 40-year banking veteran included, assumed there's an actual FDIC fund in need of bolstering.
We were wrong. As a former FDIC chairman, Bill Isaac, points out here, the FDIC Insurance Fund is an accounting fiction. It takes in premiums from banks, then turns those premiums over to the Treasury, which adds the money to the government's general coffers for "spending . . . on missiles, school lunches, water projects, and the like."
The insurance premiums aren't really premiums at all, therefore. They're a tax by another name.
...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
9/11 TM
The Republicans have been consumed by the 9/11 con-artists who sell fear and perpetual war.
Video commentary about the 9/11 trademark:
Video commentary about the 9/11 trademark:
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Jumping Prions
Prion news has not been widely discussed in North America, though Europeans are familiar with it due to the 1990s mad cow scare.
Prions jump species barrier
Test tube experiments may help identify the most hazardous prion proteins.
Amber Dance
Infectious prion proteins from hamsters can change normal proteins from mice into new, infectious forms of prion - simply by mixing the proteins together in a test tube.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston suggest their discovery could be turned into a useful test for whether a given prion strain is transmissible from one species to another. Prion proteins are responsible for Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and "mad cow" disease.
...
Prions jump species barrier
Test tube experiments may help identify the most hazardous prion proteins.
Amber Dance
Infectious prion proteins from hamsters can change normal proteins from mice into new, infectious forms of prion - simply by mixing the proteins together in a test tube.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston suggest their discovery could be turned into a useful test for whether a given prion strain is transmissible from one species to another. Prion proteins are responsible for Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and "mad cow" disease.
...
Friday, September 05, 2008
Outsourcing Torture
Extraordinary rendition, extraordinary mistake
By Sangitha McKenzie Millar
...
There is substantial evidence that the United States routinely and knowingly "outsources" the application of torture by transferring terrorism suspects to countries that frequently violate international human rights norms.
...
By Sangitha McKenzie Millar
...
There is substantial evidence that the United States routinely and knowingly "outsources" the application of torture by transferring terrorism suspects to countries that frequently violate international human rights norms.
...
Friday, August 29, 2008
Collect America - Senior Build & Release Engineer, Programmer
Location:
Denver, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
TBD- Based on skills
Length:
Employment
Position ID:
371859
Dice ID:
RTL297290
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
Senior Build & Release Engineer
Skills:
Included in Job Description
Date:
8-29-2008
Description:
Senior Build and Release Engineer
Collect America is one of the largest providers of financial debt asset management and collections services in the world. The corporation*s six business segments provide services to both consumers and businesses. We are currently seeking a Senior Build and Release Engineer
The ideal candidate will lead architecture, design, and development of a custom build system from the ground up, utilizing a variety of technologies such as Make, Maven, and Ant to build, deploy, and configure our software platform. The company*s software platform runs on Oracle Application Server, Oracle ESB, Oracle BPEL Engine and Oracle WebCenter utilizing such technologies as Java/J2EE, WebServices, BPEL, JSP, and JSF. This role will be key in the development of the company*s automated build and test framework. In addition, this individual will also support and own any build system, deployment or configuration improvements required for various projects.
The ideal candidate will have experience building and supporting large-scale enterprise software build systems and have a positive service-oriented and do-it-right-the-first-time attitude. This individual will report to the Director of Application Development.
Duties and responsibilities of this position will include:
- Hands-on Development of company*s continuous build system
- Development of product packaging and deployment (installation and configuration) systems
- Development of company*s automated test framework
- Working closely with other engineers to ensure feasibility of design implementation.
- Work with the Operations team to ensure stable and flexible server environments.
- Reducing build times and increasing engineer productivity
- Assuring reliability, predictability, and verifiability of build (user and continuous) and automated test systems
- Providing help desk support and occasional training for build system to development and QA engineers
- Other tasks and projects as assigned
Skills/Requirements/Education we are looking for:
- 5 or more years experience building and supporting large-scale build systems
- Strong in Maven, Perl, Make, Ant and shell scripting skills
- Strong ability to administer and configure Linux servers
- Familiarity with Java/ J2EE,
- Experience working with enterprise-level customers on mission-critical projects
- B.S. in Computer Science or equivalent experience
- Effective and experienced in working with a cross functional team, leading design reviews and integrating feedback from various stakeholders
- Ability to work independently and in a dynamic and collaborative team environment
- Service oriented, highly motivated, and resourceful
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to write reusable, flexible code and willingness to participate in code reviews
- Flexible and open to constructive criticism
- Organized, methodical, and detail oriented
- Proficient at personal time management and prioritization
- Ability to balance complex requirements and constraints and clearly present tradeoffs
- Experience with Linux RPM packaging and deployment preferred
- Agile/Test-Driven Development methodology knowledge a plus
- Understanding of network security management and/or log data management preferred
There are great benefits to working for us!
Some of these benefits are:
* Monthly premium for employee health, dental and vision at no cost (spouse and dependant coverage also available at a discounted rate)
* Eligible (after 6 months of employment) to participate in our 401K program- with company match up to 4%
* Paid vacation
* 8 paid holidays
* On site exercise facility
* On site caf for breakfast and lunch
* Business casual attire (Monday-Thursday) and casual attire (Friday)
* Free covered parking
* Located near Light Rail and bus stops
* Employee Activities Committee (EAC)
We recognize that confident people, with the right skills and proactive ideas, will enable us to continue our success. If you want to join our Collect America team and you feel that you meet these requirements noted above, please submit your resume for our review.
---------------------------------------------------------
Location:
Greenwood Village, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
Competitive
Length:
Position ID:
7101
Dice ID:
10114744
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
SQL Developer
Skills:
SQL, Package development, Oracle 10g, PL/SQL
Date:
8-18-2008
Description:
tw telecom is the leading provider of managed voice and data networking solutions - offering the highest class of service to businesses in 75 markets within the U.S.
At tw telecom, you can be part of a diverse, imaginative, and talented team of people. In fact, the answer to our success is and always has been in our people - We value them, reward them, and empower them to succeed.
We give our people a voice by listening to what's important to our employees and our customers.
tw telecom employees enjoy the many rewards of working for a company which offers such things as: extremely competitive benefits, a 401k match of 5% with no vesting period, an employee recognition program, internal training, endless career advancement opportunities, leadership training, cutting edge technology - And many, many more!
SUMMARY
tw telecom is searching for a qualified SQL Developer in our Greenwood Village, CO location
to join our Business Intelligence, Reporting and Analytics team. You will be involved in the entire software lifecycle helping to finalize specifications, architect designs, code software, write installers and developer reporting and analytics for the internal use within the company. You will have the opportunity to participate in determining the direction of new development and actively share knowledge with other team members.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Be involved in all aspects of the development life cycle including, architecture, development, testing, training, implementation and support of reporting applications to be used internally by our employees.
Using creativity to develop design requirements.
Develop back end Oracle data marts for Business Intelligence, Reporting and Analytics.
Interface with other teams and departments to develop new and modify existing reporting applications.
Coordinates technical effort across multiple internal groups (Web Systems, IT, NOC, Sales, Marketing, etc.).
Ensures adherence to sound methodologies for business analysis and design, quality assurance, and customer support.
Develop front end reporting applications using Oracle APEX.
Note:
This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications associated with the job. An individual must be able to perform all of the duties and responsibilities listed in a fully competent manner to be considered successful in the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties and responsibilities.
Apply Online:
You may also apply online by visiting our careers section at http://www.twtelecom.com/about_us/opportunities.html.
Click on the "Click here to get started." Next click on "Advanced Search". Enter the Job ID, 7101. Click "Search". You will be taken to this job opportunity.
Thank you for your interest in tw telecom.
QUALIFICATIONS:
2+ years experience with design and development of SQL and/or PL/SQL packages.
Bachelors degree in computer science or computer information systems
Knowledge of the following:
Unix
Oracle PL/SQL procedure development
SQL*Plus
Preferred knowledge of:
ASP and/or .NET framework
HTML
MS Access
TOAD
Extensive experience writing complex stored procedures, functions, and triggers.
Knowledgeable in performance tuning.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills required to communicate with business managers and end users.
Strong problem solving skills.
Relational database (preferably Oracle 10g) experience.
Telecommunications industry experience a plus.
Oracle APEX experience a plus.
Report development experience a plus.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong ability to work both independently and in a team environment, be self motivated, and willing to expand their knowledge on a daily basis.
---------------------------------------------------------
Location:
Denver, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
TBD- Based on skills
Length:
Position ID:
056449
Dice ID:
RTL297290
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
Programmer- Entry Level
Skills:
Unix/Linux Oracle PL/SQL PHP Perl
Date:
8-29-2008
Description:
Entry Level Programmer
A rapidly growing financial services company located in the Denver Tech Center is seeking a recent college graduate to fill an entry level position in its Information Technology department. This is a tremendous opportunity for the right candidate to develop real world experience with a company utilizing a mix of legacy and cutting edge technologies. The position is in the Production Services group and will have significant responsibility for supporting the technologies and business processes for a multi-million dollar line of business.
Requirements are as follows:
- College degree in Computer Science or a closely related field with significant coursework in Computer Science
- Formal training in object oriented development theories and methods
- Formal training in the Java programming language
- Proficiency with SQL
- Knowledge of or ability to learn Perl and PHP
- Knowledge of or ability to learn Oracle PL/SQL
- Knowledge of Unix/Linux operating system
Denver, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
TBD- Based on skills
Length:
Employment
Position ID:
371859
Dice ID:
RTL297290
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
Senior Build & Release Engineer
Skills:
Included in Job Description
Date:
8-29-2008
Description:
Senior Build and Release Engineer
Collect America is one of the largest providers of financial debt asset management and collections services in the world. The corporation*s six business segments provide services to both consumers and businesses. We are currently seeking a Senior Build and Release Engineer
The ideal candidate will lead architecture, design, and development of a custom build system from the ground up, utilizing a variety of technologies such as Make, Maven, and Ant to build, deploy, and configure our software platform. The company*s software platform runs on Oracle Application Server, Oracle ESB, Oracle BPEL Engine and Oracle WebCenter utilizing such technologies as Java/J2EE, WebServices, BPEL, JSP, and JSF. This role will be key in the development of the company*s automated build and test framework. In addition, this individual will also support and own any build system, deployment or configuration improvements required for various projects.
The ideal candidate will have experience building and supporting large-scale enterprise software build systems and have a positive service-oriented and do-it-right-the-first-time attitude. This individual will report to the Director of Application Development.
Duties and responsibilities of this position will include:
- Hands-on Development of company*s continuous build system
- Development of product packaging and deployment (installation and configuration) systems
- Development of company*s automated test framework
- Working closely with other engineers to ensure feasibility of design implementation.
- Work with the Operations team to ensure stable and flexible server environments.
- Reducing build times and increasing engineer productivity
- Assuring reliability, predictability, and verifiability of build (user and continuous) and automated test systems
- Providing help desk support and occasional training for build system to development and QA engineers
- Other tasks and projects as assigned
Skills/Requirements/Education we are looking for:
- 5 or more years experience building and supporting large-scale build systems
- Strong in Maven, Perl, Make, Ant and shell scripting skills
- Strong ability to administer and configure Linux servers
- Familiarity with Java/ J2EE,
- Experience working with enterprise-level customers on mission-critical projects
- B.S. in Computer Science or equivalent experience
- Effective and experienced in working with a cross functional team, leading design reviews and integrating feedback from various stakeholders
- Ability to work independently and in a dynamic and collaborative team environment
- Service oriented, highly motivated, and resourceful
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to write reusable, flexible code and willingness to participate in code reviews
- Flexible and open to constructive criticism
- Organized, methodical, and detail oriented
- Proficient at personal time management and prioritization
- Ability to balance complex requirements and constraints and clearly present tradeoffs
- Experience with Linux RPM packaging and deployment preferred
- Agile/Test-Driven Development methodology knowledge a plus
- Understanding of network security management and/or log data management preferred
There are great benefits to working for us!
Some of these benefits are:
* Monthly premium for employee health, dental and vision at no cost (spouse and dependant coverage also available at a discounted rate)
* Eligible (after 6 months of employment) to participate in our 401K program- with company match up to 4%
* Paid vacation
* 8 paid holidays
* On site exercise facility
* On site caf for breakfast and lunch
* Business casual attire (Monday-Thursday) and casual attire (Friday)
* Free covered parking
* Located near Light Rail and bus stops
* Employee Activities Committee (EAC)
We recognize that confident people, with the right skills and proactive ideas, will enable us to continue our success. If you want to join our Collect America team and you feel that you meet these requirements noted above, please submit your resume for our review.
---------------------------------------------------------
Location:
Greenwood Village, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
Competitive
Length:
Position ID:
7101
Dice ID:
10114744
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
SQL Developer
Skills:
SQL, Package development, Oracle 10g, PL/SQL
Date:
8-18-2008
Description:
tw telecom is the leading provider of managed voice and data networking solutions - offering the highest class of service to businesses in 75 markets within the U.S.
At tw telecom, you can be part of a diverse, imaginative, and talented team of people. In fact, the answer to our success is and always has been in our people - We value them, reward them, and empower them to succeed.
We give our people a voice by listening to what's important to our employees and our customers.
tw telecom employees enjoy the many rewards of working for a company which offers such things as: extremely competitive benefits, a 401k match of 5% with no vesting period, an employee recognition program, internal training, endless career advancement opportunities, leadership training, cutting edge technology - And many, many more!
SUMMARY
tw telecom is searching for a qualified SQL Developer in our Greenwood Village, CO location
to join our Business Intelligence, Reporting and Analytics team. You will be involved in the entire software lifecycle helping to finalize specifications, architect designs, code software, write installers and developer reporting and analytics for the internal use within the company. You will have the opportunity to participate in determining the direction of new development and actively share knowledge with other team members.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Be involved in all aspects of the development life cycle including, architecture, development, testing, training, implementation and support of reporting applications to be used internally by our employees.
Using creativity to develop design requirements.
Develop back end Oracle data marts for Business Intelligence, Reporting and Analytics.
Interface with other teams and departments to develop new and modify existing reporting applications.
Coordinates technical effort across multiple internal groups (Web Systems, IT, NOC, Sales, Marketing, etc.).
Ensures adherence to sound methodologies for business analysis and design, quality assurance, and customer support.
Develop front end reporting applications using Oracle APEX.
Note:
This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications associated with the job. An individual must be able to perform all of the duties and responsibilities listed in a fully competent manner to be considered successful in the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties and responsibilities.
Apply Online:
You may also apply online by visiting our careers section at http://www.twtelecom.com/about_us/opportunities.html.
Click on the "Click here to get started." Next click on "Advanced Search". Enter the Job ID, 7101. Click "Search". You will be taken to this job opportunity.
Thank you for your interest in tw telecom.
QUALIFICATIONS:
2+ years experience with design and development of SQL and/or PL/SQL packages.
Bachelors degree in computer science or computer information systems
Knowledge of the following:
Unix
Oracle PL/SQL procedure development
SQL*Plus
Preferred knowledge of:
ASP and/or .NET framework
HTML
MS Access
TOAD
Extensive experience writing complex stored procedures, functions, and triggers.
Knowledgeable in performance tuning.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills required to communicate with business managers and end users.
Strong problem solving skills.
Relational database (preferably Oracle 10g) experience.
Telecommunications industry experience a plus.
Oracle APEX experience a plus.
Report development experience a plus.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong ability to work both independently and in a team environment, be self motivated, and willing to expand their knowledge on a daily basis.
---------------------------------------------------------
Location:
Denver, CO
Area Code:
303
Tax Term:
FULLTIME
Pay Rate:
TBD- Based on skills
Length:
Position ID:
056449
Dice ID:
RTL297290
Travel Required:
none
Telecommute:
no
Title:
Programmer- Entry Level
Skills:
Unix/Linux Oracle PL/SQL PHP Perl
Date:
8-29-2008
Description:
Entry Level Programmer
A rapidly growing financial services company located in the Denver Tech Center is seeking a recent college graduate to fill an entry level position in its Information Technology department. This is a tremendous opportunity for the right candidate to develop real world experience with a company utilizing a mix of legacy and cutting edge technologies. The position is in the Production Services group and will have significant responsibility for supporting the technologies and business processes for a multi-million dollar line of business.
Requirements are as follows:
- College degree in Computer Science or a closely related field with significant coursework in Computer Science
- Formal training in object oriented development theories and methods
- Formal training in the Java programming language
- Proficiency with SQL
- Knowledge of or ability to learn Perl and PHP
- Knowledge of or ability to learn Oracle PL/SQL
- Knowledge of Unix/Linux operating system
Wall Street on Demand - C++ Engineer, Associate Technical Writer, Datawarehouse Engineer, .NET Developer, Junior Web Developer, Quality Assurance Eng
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges, brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities - www.wallst.com. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Web sites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. You will work on a small, high-energy team, supporting projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world, surrounded by highly motivated, intelligent individuals. Benefits: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. offers a dynamic work environment that creates an abundance of opportunities for motivated individuals, a great benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K, flexible spending
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.3169A.D010B@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2180435/
Date 08/29/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Web sites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. Position Summary: Work with the Technical Writer to produce accurate, comprehensive, and clear end-user documentation for newly developed software products. Essential Job Duties: Work with internal developers and product managers to develop User Guide documentation for commercial software products. Create Produce Release Notes documenting new functionality, bug fixes, and known issues in each released version of the code. Update and create Installation Guides for the new and existing products. Support the
Type Contract/Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Phone 303-417-9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2180500/
Date 08/29/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Is business stability, innovation, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues missing from your life? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. What you Offer: This position will be involved in all aspects of enhancing, maintaining, operating, and providing information from and access to the company s SQL and OLAP Datawarehouse. Essential Job Duties: Design, implement, and
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.D9C43.E99A2@mail.jobserve.com
Phone 303.417.9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2098298/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. We are currently seeking .NET Developers What We Offer: The opportunity to help build our next-generation .NET platform that supports almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in developing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Learning from some of the best developers and engineers this side of the Mississippi. To be considered, please share a code sample, Resume and brief cover letter with us. To apply, send to (see
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.A8ECC.27E9B@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2112040/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Is business stability, innovation, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues missing from your life? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. Resume, cover letter and salary requirements are required for consideration. You will be contacted if we are interested in an interview. Please Note: Local candidates preferred; no relocation packages are available at this time. Salary:
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Phone 303.417.9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2083937/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder , CO , focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. JUNIOR Web DEVELOPERS WHAT YOU OFFER An affinity for JavaScript, D/X/HTML, CSS, Web standards, Server Side Scripting (in any platform). Experience with object-oriented methodologies. A desire to create and maintain high profile Web applications with daily page views in the millions. Technical and user experience contributions to site design, site architecture, and site production. Ability to work in a collaborative environment. CS degree preferred, but not required. WHAT WE OFFER The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in developing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Learning from some of the best developers this side of the Mississippi.We keep advertising
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2057094/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. What We Offer: The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. Resume, cover letter and salary requirements are required for consideration. Please email (see below). You will be contacted if we are interested in an interview. Please Note: Local candidates preferred; no relocation packages are available at this time. Required Skills: What You Offer: A
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.DBCE6.0D750@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2133211/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. WHAT WE OFFER The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in designing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Time to process conceptual diagrams and create visual presentations. An encouraging space to explore information display. Teaching in a storytelling-based approach to information design. Ability to expand your skills in designing for AJAX and other rich application
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.BC2AE.2385F@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2133210/
Date 08/27/2008
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges, brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities - www.wallst.com. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Web sites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. You will work on a small, high-energy team, supporting projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world, surrounded by highly motivated, intelligent individuals. Benefits: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. offers a dynamic work environment that creates an abundance of opportunities for motivated individuals, a great benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K, flexible spending
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.3169A.D010B@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2180435/
Date 08/29/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Web sites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. Position Summary: Work with the Technical Writer to produce accurate, comprehensive, and clear end-user documentation for newly developed software products. Essential Job Duties: Work with internal developers and product managers to develop User Guide documentation for commercial software products. Create Produce Release Notes documenting new functionality, bug fixes, and known issues in each released version of the code. Update and create Installation Guides for the new and existing products. Support the
Type Contract/Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Phone 303-417-9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2180500/
Date 08/29/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Is business stability, innovation, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues missing from your life? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. What you Offer: This position will be involved in all aspects of enhancing, maintaining, operating, and providing information from and access to the company s SQL and OLAP Datawarehouse. Essential Job Duties: Design, implement, and
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.D9C43.E99A2@mail.jobserve.com
Phone 303.417.9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2098298/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. We are currently seeking .NET Developers What We Offer: The opportunity to help build our next-generation .NET platform that supports almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in developing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Learning from some of the best developers and engineers this side of the Mississippi. To be considered, please share a code sample, Resume and brief cover letter with us. To apply, send to (see
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.A8ECC.27E9B@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2112040/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Is business stability, innovation, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues missing from your life? Wall Street on Demand, Inc. has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Check out our Website for all of our current opportunities. What We Offer: Wall Street on Demand, Inc is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client's other offerings. The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. Resume, cover letter and salary requirements are required for consideration. You will be contacted if we are interested in an interview. Please Note: Local candidates preferred; no relocation packages are available at this time. Salary:
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Phone 303.417.9999
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2083937/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic, growing organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder , CO , focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. JUNIOR Web DEVELOPERS WHAT YOU OFFER An affinity for JavaScript, D/X/HTML, CSS, Web standards, Server Side Scripting (in any platform). Experience with object-oriented methodologies. A desire to create and maintain high profile Web applications with daily page views in the millions. Technical and user experience contributions to site design, site architecture, and site production. Ability to work in a collaborative environment. CS degree preferred, but not required. WHAT WE OFFER The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in developing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Learning from some of the best developers this side of the Mississippi.We keep advertising
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2057094/
Date 08/27/2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. What We Offer: The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. The ability to expand your skills in a team based environment. Terrific working space and great benefits. Resume, cover letter and salary requirements are required for consideration. Please email (see below). You will be contacted if we are interested in an interview. Please Note: Local candidates preferred; no relocation packages are available at this time. Required Skills: What You Offer: A
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.DBCE6.0D750@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2133211/
Date 08/27/2008
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Boulder, CO
Do you want an innovative environment, technical challenges and brilliant colleagues in addition to business stability? Wall Street on Demand, Inc has doubled in size the last two years and continues to look for exceptional people who want to solve hard problems and truly make a difference at work. Wall Street on Demand, Inc. is a dynamic organization, headquartered at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO, focused on the design, development and hosting of financial Websites, reports, and tools. We deliver innovative, high quality products to help our clients and their customers visualize, manipulate and understand complex financial information. Our compelling, presentation-rich services for financial professionals and individual investors have won acclaim for our clients, many of whom rank at the top of the Gomez and Forbes awards. Our products are custom designed for each client, completely private-labeled, and fully integrated into the client s other offerings. WHAT WE OFFER The opportunity to work on projects for almost every top-tier financial institution in the world. Training in the necessary knowledge in designing for financial information. Ramp-up time to gain comfort in our environment. Time to process conceptual diagrams and create visual presentations. An encouraging space to explore information display. Teaching in a storytelling-based approach to information design. Ability to expand your skills in designing for AJAX and other rich application
Type Permanent
Advertiser Wall Street on Demand (Company)
Contact Human Resources
Email Human.Resources.BC2AE.2385F@mail.jobserve.com
Fax 303.444.2586
Ref JS2133210/
Date 08/27/2008
Moral Hazard
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=834802685
With rare honesty a Federal Reserve official admits, (paraphrasing): Central bankers are in the business of creating moral hazard.
With rare honesty a Federal Reserve official admits, (paraphrasing): Central bankers are in the business of creating moral hazard.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Citibank Stole $14 Million From Customers
Theft committed by a corporate entity, for the benefit of providing bonuses to senior executives, is a "business decision."
California: Citibank Stole $14 Million from its Customers
Bank agrees to stop illegal 'sweeps,' make refunds
August 26, 2008
Nationally, the company took more than $14 million from its customers, including $1.6 million from California residents, through the use of a computer program that wrongfully swept positive account balances from credit-card customer accounts into Citibank’s general fund, Brown said.
“The company knowingly stole from its customers, mostly poor people and the recently deceased, when it designed and implemented the sweeps,” Brown said. “When a whistleblower uncovered the scam and brought it to his superiors, they buried the information and continued the illegal practice.”
...
In July of 2001, a Citibank employee uncovered the practice and brought it to the attention of his superiors. The employee was later fired for discussing the credit sweeps with an internal audit team.
In the words of a Citibank executive, “Stealing from our customers is a business decision, not a legal decision.” The same executive later said that the sweep program could not be stopped because it would reduce the executive bonus pool, Brown charged.
...
California: Citibank Stole $14 Million from its Customers
Bank agrees to stop illegal 'sweeps,' make refunds
August 26, 2008
Nationally, the company took more than $14 million from its customers, including $1.6 million from California residents, through the use of a computer program that wrongfully swept positive account balances from credit-card customer accounts into Citibank’s general fund, Brown said.
“The company knowingly stole from its customers, mostly poor people and the recently deceased, when it designed and implemented the sweeps,” Brown said. “When a whistleblower uncovered the scam and brought it to his superiors, they buried the information and continued the illegal practice.”
...
In July of 2001, a Citibank employee uncovered the practice and brought it to the attention of his superiors. The employee was later fired for discussing the credit sweeps with an internal audit team.
In the words of a Citibank executive, “Stealing from our customers is a business decision, not a legal decision.” The same executive later said that the sweep program could not be stopped because it would reduce the executive bonus pool, Brown charged.
...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DISH Network - Systems Admin
Englewood, CO
DISH Network, a Fortune 250 company with over 23,000 employees and 2007 revenues of over $11B, serves over 13.8 million customers with the latest in satellite TV programming offerings and technology, providing better TV for all. We aggressively recruit energetic, driven and intelligent people to meet the demands of our exciting industry and to help us reach our vision of changing the way the world communicates. We seek an expert technologist with the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment managing one of Denver's largest Windows Server implementations. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and executing system administration duties and mentoring junior and mid-level staff. These duties include, but are not limited to, installation, monitoring, backup/recovery and tuning. The successful candidate will work effectively with a team of System Administrators to maintain uptime, consistency, scalability and performance while meeting business needs. We are seeking a team player with the ability to work effectively with System Administrators, DBA's, Programmers and Analysts to complete tasks in a timely manner. This position requires expert technical capability, high energy, and strong problem solving and communication skills; and compensates accordingly. Opportunities to move into team leadership exist within our organization. Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university and 8+ years related experience, or equivalent combination of
Type Permanent
Advertiser EchoStar Communications (Company)
Contact Kellie Nichols
Ref JS2137418/IRC17065
Date 08/27/2008
DISH Network, a Fortune 250 company with over 23,000 employees and 2007 revenues of over $11B, serves over 13.8 million customers with the latest in satellite TV programming offerings and technology, providing better TV for all. We aggressively recruit energetic, driven and intelligent people to meet the demands of our exciting industry and to help us reach our vision of changing the way the world communicates. We seek an expert technologist with the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment managing one of Denver's largest Windows Server implementations. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and executing system administration duties and mentoring junior and mid-level staff. These duties include, but are not limited to, installation, monitoring, backup/recovery and tuning. The successful candidate will work effectively with a team of System Administrators to maintain uptime, consistency, scalability and performance while meeting business needs. We are seeking a team player with the ability to work effectively with System Administrators, DBA's, Programmers and Analysts to complete tasks in a timely manner. This position requires expert technical capability, high energy, and strong problem solving and communication skills; and compensates accordingly. Opportunities to move into team leadership exist within our organization. Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university and 8+ years related experience, or equivalent combination of
Type Permanent
Advertiser EchoStar Communications (Company)
Contact Kellie Nichols
Ref JS2137418/IRC17065
Date 08/27/2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
TSA Sabotages Airplane, Blames Airline
TSA Fires Back: Blames Airline for 'Security Violation'
Inspector Gained Access to Planes, But Caused Nine to Be Grounded
By JOSEPH RHEE and ERIC LONGABARDI
August 21, 2008
Even though its inspector's actions caused nine American Eagle planes to be grounded in Chicago this week, the Transporatation Security Administration says it may pursue action against the airline for security lapses.
A TSA inspector, as part of a spot security check, used a sensitive aircraft probe as a handhold to gain access to parked American Eagle planes at Chicago's O'Hare airport. American Eagle Airlines said the "unorthodox inspection techniques" led to additional maintenance inspections of the planes, causing "delays to approximately 40 flights and inconveniencing hundreds of customers."
...
Inspector Gained Access to Planes, But Caused Nine to Be Grounded
By JOSEPH RHEE and ERIC LONGABARDI
August 21, 2008
Even though its inspector's actions caused nine American Eagle planes to be grounded in Chicago this week, the Transporatation Security Administration says it may pursue action against the airline for security lapses.
A TSA inspector, as part of a spot security check, used a sensitive aircraft probe as a handhold to gain access to parked American Eagle planes at Chicago's O'Hare airport. American Eagle Airlines said the "unorthodox inspection techniques" led to additional maintenance inspections of the planes, causing "delays to approximately 40 flights and inconveniencing hundreds of customers."
...
Friday, August 22, 2008
More Dead Zones
In the USA, crop fertilizers that wash into the Mississippi river cause a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Corn requires much fertilizer, so the increased corn ethanol crops contribute to the dead zone.
Ocean 'dead zones' on the rise
By Bina Venkataraman
Coastal oceans are being starved of oxygen at an alarming rate, researchers are reporting, with vast stretches of water along the seafloor depleted of oxygen to the point that they can barely sustain marine life.
The main culprit, scientists say, is nitrogen-rich nutrients from crop fertilizers that spill into coastal waters by way of rivers and streams.
In a study to be published Friday in the journal Science, researchers say the number of marine "dead zones" around the world has doubled about every 10 years since the 1960s. At the same time, the zones along many coastlines have been growing in size and intensity. About 400 coastal areas now have periodically or permanently oxygen-starved bottom waters. Combined, they constitute an area larger than the state of Oregon.
...
Ocean 'dead zones' on the rise
By Bina Venkataraman
Coastal oceans are being starved of oxygen at an alarming rate, researchers are reporting, with vast stretches of water along the seafloor depleted of oxygen to the point that they can barely sustain marine life.
The main culprit, scientists say, is nitrogen-rich nutrients from crop fertilizers that spill into coastal waters by way of rivers and streams.
In a study to be published Friday in the journal Science, researchers say the number of marine "dead zones" around the world has doubled about every 10 years since the 1960s. At the same time, the zones along many coastlines have been growing in size and intensity. About 400 coastal areas now have periodically or permanently oxygen-starved bottom waters. Combined, they constitute an area larger than the state of Oregon.
...
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Everybody Will Be Under Investigation
New Guidelines Would Give F.B.I. Broader Powers
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
WASHINGTON — A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday.
... the new guidelines would allow the F.B.I. to open an investigation of an American, conduct surveillance, pry into private records and take other investigative steps “without any basis for suspicion.” The plan “might permit an innocent American to be subjected to such intrusive surveillance based in part on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or on protected First Amendment activities,” the letter said. It was signed by Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
...
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
WASHINGTON — A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday.
... the new guidelines would allow the F.B.I. to open an investigation of an American, conduct surveillance, pry into private records and take other investigative steps “without any basis for suspicion.” The plan “might permit an innocent American to be subjected to such intrusive surveillance based in part on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or on protected First Amendment activities,” the letter said. It was signed by Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
...
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Motorized Office Chair
German police seize teens' motorized office chair
BERLIN (AP) -- German police have confiscated what may be the world's fastest office chair. Police say officers happened on the contraption - the work of two inventive 17-year-olds - in the western town of Gross-Zimmern on Saturday.
The pair had added a lawnmower engine, bicycle brakes and a metal frame to the revolving chair - making into a go-kart-like vehicle.
...
BERLIN (AP) -- German police have confiscated what may be the world's fastest office chair. Police say officers happened on the contraption - the work of two inventive 17-year-olds - in the western town of Gross-Zimmern on Saturday.
The pair had added a lawnmower engine, bicycle brakes and a metal frame to the revolving chair - making into a go-kart-like vehicle.
...
Monday, August 18, 2008
Who Is The Enemy?
European news and eyewitness accounts say Georgia started the recent conflict with Russia.
American news is mainly saying the Russia is the aggressor. Fox News interview of Americans who were in Georgia. Note how Fox News kept going to commercial breaks when the guests described what really happened.
Apparently the eyewitness accounts didn't fit the talking points of Faux News.
McCain's foreign policy advisor was the registered lobbyist from Georgia until earlier this year. McCain's support of Georgia appears to have been paid for through Georgia's lobbyist who now works for McCain.
A different viewpoint, from MSNBC:
American news is mainly saying the Russia is the aggressor. Fox News interview of Americans who were in Georgia. Note how Fox News kept going to commercial breaks when the guests described what really happened.
Apparently the eyewitness accounts didn't fit the talking points of Faux News.
McCain's foreign policy advisor was the registered lobbyist from Georgia until earlier this year. McCain's support of Georgia appears to have been paid for through Georgia's lobbyist who now works for McCain.
A different viewpoint, from MSNBC:
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Grants For Mexican Truckers
American tax money may be given to Mexican companies. Outrageous!
LA OKs Grants For Mexican Truckers
08-16-2008
Land Line Magazine
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach boast of bringing in 40 percent of the nation’s imported goods, and plans to cut emissions at each port have been highlighted in mainstream news programs and the cable TV show “America’s Port.”
...
“An MX-registered truck probably won’t be automatically excluded from getting grant funding,” Adams-Lopez said. “However, it will need to meet all the standard criteria. Be assured that no truck will be funded under either port’s funds unless it can be shown to meet all program requirements, as a legitimate frequent tripper and contributor to the ports’ air quality programs.”
The potential for hundreds of millions of dollars to be given to companies domiciled in Mexico concerns the Missouri-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said Rick Craig, OOIDA’s director of regulatory affairs.
“It appears that certain Mexican trucking companies could meet the requirements of this program,” Craig said.
...
LA OKs Grants For Mexican Truckers
08-16-2008
Land Line Magazine
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach boast of bringing in 40 percent of the nation’s imported goods, and plans to cut emissions at each port have been highlighted in mainstream news programs and the cable TV show “America’s Port.”
...
“An MX-registered truck probably won’t be automatically excluded from getting grant funding,” Adams-Lopez said. “However, it will need to meet all the standard criteria. Be assured that no truck will be funded under either port’s funds unless it can be shown to meet all program requirements, as a legitimate frequent tripper and contributor to the ports’ air quality programs.”
The potential for hundreds of millions of dollars to be given to companies domiciled in Mexico concerns the Missouri-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said Rick Craig, OOIDA’s director of regulatory affairs.
“It appears that certain Mexican trucking companies could meet the requirements of this program,” Craig said.
...
Fly in the Ointment
Serious meddling by a federal judge. Was this a jury of peers, or a jury hand-picked by the judge and prosecutor?
Juror Becomes Fly in the Ointment
It was supposed to be just another federal drug prosecution. The federal prosecutors introduced evidence that the man on trial was involved in the black market drug trade. The defense attorney said the government agents entrapped his client. And then the twelve citizen-jurors retired to deliberate the outcome of the case.
But then something unusual happened. The jury sent a note to the trial judge with the following query: Since the Constitution needed to be amended in 1919 to authorize federal criminal prosecutions for manufacturing and smuggling alcohol, a juror wanted to know from the judge where “is the constitutional grant of authority to ban mere possession of cocaine today?”
...
When the jury sent out more notes about a juror that wasn’t going to sign off on an unconstitutional prosecution, Young halted the proceedings to identify the ”problem juror.” Once discovered, that juror was replaced with an alternate–over the objections of defense counsel. Shortly thereafter, the new jury returned with guilty verdicts on several cocaine-related charges.
...
Time magazine article on jury nullification.
Juror Becomes Fly in the Ointment
It was supposed to be just another federal drug prosecution. The federal prosecutors introduced evidence that the man on trial was involved in the black market drug trade. The defense attorney said the government agents entrapped his client. And then the twelve citizen-jurors retired to deliberate the outcome of the case.
But then something unusual happened. The jury sent a note to the trial judge with the following query: Since the Constitution needed to be amended in 1919 to authorize federal criminal prosecutions for manufacturing and smuggling alcohol, a juror wanted to know from the judge where “is the constitutional grant of authority to ban mere possession of cocaine today?”
...
When the jury sent out more notes about a juror that wasn’t going to sign off on an unconstitutional prosecution, Young halted the proceedings to identify the ”problem juror.” Once discovered, that juror was replaced with an alternate–over the objections of defense counsel. Shortly thereafter, the new jury returned with guilty verdicts on several cocaine-related charges.
...
Time magazine article on jury nullification.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Cancer, B17, and Laetril
World Without Cancer, by G. Edward Griffin
The Science and Politics of Cancer, by G. Edward Griffin
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 1 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 2 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 3 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 4 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 5 of 5.
The Science and Politics of Cancer, by G. Edward Griffin
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 1 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 2 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 3 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 4 of 5.
G. Edward Griffin interview about "B17", part 5 of 5.
Real Milk
Back in the 20s, Americans could buy fresh raw whole milk, real clabber and buttermilk, luscious naturally yellow butter, fresh farm cheeses and cream in various colors and thicknesses. Today's milk is accused of causing everything from allergies to heart disease to cancer, but when Americans could buy Real Milk, these diseases were rare. In fact, a supply of high quality dairy products was considered vital to American security and the economic well being of the nation.
What's needed today is a return to humane, non-toxic, pasture-based dairying and small-scale traditional processing...
What's needed today is a return to humane, non-toxic, pasture-based dairying and small-scale traditional processing...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Pravda to Bush: Why don’t you shut up?
This is a non-US centric view of the Georgian/Russian conflict and fighting. This sort of alternative opinion and viewpoint is generally not available in the USA.
Bush: Why don’t you shut up?
Taking the words of the illustrious King of Spain, in his imbecillic retort to President Hugo Chavez, we use them not as a response to a diatribe but rather, a just retort to an imbecile. President George W. Bush, why don’t you shut up?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? In your statement on Monday regarding the legitimate actions of the Russian Federation in Georgia, you failed to mention once the war crimes perpetrated by Georgian military forces, which American advisors support, against Russian and Ossetian civilians. Kinda embarrassing, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Your faithful ally, Mikhail Saakashvili, was announcing a ceasefire deal while his troops, with your advisors, were massing on Ossetia’s border, which they crossed under cover of night and destroyed Tskhinvali, targeting civilian structures just like your forces did in Iraq. Kinda humanitarian, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? The military forces of your faithful ally, Georgia, supported by American advisors, while on a mission as peacekeepers in Ossetia, were ordered to open fire on Russian peacekeeping forces in the same team. Kinda noble, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Your American transport aircraft gave a ride home to thousands of Georgian soldiers from Iraq directly into the combat zone. Did your boys wish them good luck as they stepped off the aircraft? I can almost hear it, “Give ‘em Hell!” Kinda friendly, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? How do you account for the fact that among the Georgian soldiers fleeing the fighting yesterday you could clearly hear officers using American English giving orders to “Get back inside” and how do you account for the fact that there are reports of American soldiers among the Georgian casualties? Kinda odd, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Do you really think anyone gives any importance whatsoever to your words after 8 years of your criminal and murderous regime and policies? Do you really believe you have any moral ground whatsoever and do you really imagine there is a single human being anywhere on this planet who does not stick up his middle finger every time you appear on a TV screen? Kinda makes ya’ll think, eh?
Do you really believe you have the right to give any opinion or advice after Abu Ghraib? After Guantanamo? After the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens? After the torture by CIA operatives? Kinda difficult, eh?
Bush: Why don’t you shut up?
Taking the words of the illustrious King of Spain, in his imbecillic retort to President Hugo Chavez, we use them not as a response to a diatribe but rather, a just retort to an imbecile. President George W. Bush, why don’t you shut up?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? In your statement on Monday regarding the legitimate actions of the Russian Federation in Georgia, you failed to mention once the war crimes perpetrated by Georgian military forces, which American advisors support, against Russian and Ossetian civilians. Kinda embarrassing, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Your faithful ally, Mikhail Saakashvili, was announcing a ceasefire deal while his troops, with your advisors, were massing on Ossetia’s border, which they crossed under cover of night and destroyed Tskhinvali, targeting civilian structures just like your forces did in Iraq. Kinda humanitarian, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? The military forces of your faithful ally, Georgia, supported by American advisors, while on a mission as peacekeepers in Ossetia, were ordered to open fire on Russian peacekeeping forces in the same team. Kinda noble, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Your American transport aircraft gave a ride home to thousands of Georgian soldiers from Iraq directly into the combat zone. Did your boys wish them good luck as they stepped off the aircraft? I can almost hear it, “Give ‘em Hell!” Kinda friendly, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? How do you account for the fact that among the Georgian soldiers fleeing the fighting yesterday you could clearly hear officers using American English giving orders to “Get back inside” and how do you account for the fact that there are reports of American soldiers among the Georgian casualties? Kinda odd, eh?
President Bush,
Why don’t you shut up? Do you really think anyone gives any importance whatsoever to your words after 8 years of your criminal and murderous regime and policies? Do you really believe you have any moral ground whatsoever and do you really imagine there is a single human being anywhere on this planet who does not stick up his middle finger every time you appear on a TV screen? Kinda makes ya’ll think, eh?
Do you really believe you have the right to give any opinion or advice after Abu Ghraib? After Guantanamo? After the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens? After the torture by CIA operatives? Kinda difficult, eh?
Saturday, August 09, 2008
We Would See America Come And Go
We were told that we would see America come and go. In a sense, America is dying.
From Swedish TV (in English).
From Swedish TV (in English).
Friday, August 08, 2008
Burn Scar You Will Carry Forever
To the Captain I Saw at Cracker Barrel
by Richard R. DiPirro, VFP member
...
I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to keep them from sending you over there. I’m sorry for what the rest of your life will be like – for the burn scar you will carry forever on your soul. I’m sorry for the anger and frustration you will feel when you think that no one understands, that no one could possibly know what you had to do there. I’m sorry you don’t know what has been done to you. And I’m sorry for the tears you too will shed one day when you do understand. Welcome home, sir.
...
by Richard R. DiPirro, VFP member
...
I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to keep them from sending you over there. I’m sorry for what the rest of your life will be like – for the burn scar you will carry forever on your soul. I’m sorry for the anger and frustration you will feel when you think that no one understands, that no one could possibly know what you had to do there. I’m sorry you don’t know what has been done to you. And I’m sorry for the tears you too will shed one day when you do understand. Welcome home, sir.
...
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers
Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers
Records Aid Insurers but Prompt Privacy Concerns
By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 4, 2008; Page A01
Health and life insurance companies have access to a powerful new tool for evaluating whether to cover individual consumers: a health "credit report" drawn from databases containing prescription drug records on more than 200 million Americans.
...
Traditionally, insurance companies have judged an applicant's risk by gathering medical records from physicians' offices. But the new tools offer the advantage of being "electronic, fast and cheap," said Mark Franzen, managing director of Milliman IntelliScript, which provides consumers' personal drug profiles to insurers.
The trend holds promise for improved health care and cost savings, but privacy and consumer advocates fear it is taking place largely outside the scrutiny of federal health regulators and lawmakers.
Ingenix, a Minnesota-based health information services company that had $1.3 billion in sales last year -- and Wisconsin-based rival Milliman -- say the drug profiles are an accurate, less expensive alternative to seeking physician records, which can take months and hundreds of dollars to obtain. They note that consumers authorize the data release and that the services can save insurance companies millions of dollars and benefit consumers anxious for a decision.
...
Records Aid Insurers but Prompt Privacy Concerns
By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 4, 2008; Page A01
Health and life insurance companies have access to a powerful new tool for evaluating whether to cover individual consumers: a health "credit report" drawn from databases containing prescription drug records on more than 200 million Americans.
...
Traditionally, insurance companies have judged an applicant's risk by gathering medical records from physicians' offices. But the new tools offer the advantage of being "electronic, fast and cheap," said Mark Franzen, managing director of Milliman IntelliScript, which provides consumers' personal drug profiles to insurers.
The trend holds promise for improved health care and cost savings, but privacy and consumer advocates fear it is taking place largely outside the scrutiny of federal health regulators and lawmakers.
Ingenix, a Minnesota-based health information services company that had $1.3 billion in sales last year -- and Wisconsin-based rival Milliman -- say the drug profiles are an accurate, less expensive alternative to seeking physician records, which can take months and hundreds of dollars to obtain. They note that consumers authorize the data release and that the services can save insurance companies millions of dollars and benefit consumers anxious for a decision.
...
Monday, August 04, 2008
Vaccines and Autism
Government Concedes Vaccine-Autism Case in Federal Court - Now What?
Posted February 25, 2008
After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.
The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case.
The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.
The child's claim against the government -- that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism -- was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.
Keisler wrote that medical personnel at the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation (DVIC) had reviewed the case and "concluded that compensation is appropriate."
...
Posted February 25, 2008
After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.
The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case.
The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.
The child's claim against the government -- that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism -- was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.
Keisler wrote that medical personnel at the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation (DVIC) had reviewed the case and "concluded that compensation is appropriate."
...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Three Gram Flying "Dragonfly" Spy Device
Remote-controlled aircraft with camera and image recognition software. First it was ballon and airplane surveillance. Then satellite surveillance. Now tiny bug-like surveillance.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
World Class Item
Terrorism Funds May Let Brass Fly in Style
Air Force officials say the program dates from a 2006 decision by Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb that existing seats on transport planes, including some that match those on commercial airliners, may be fine for airmen and troops but inadequate for the top brass.
...
"I was asked by Gen. [Robert H.] McMahon what it would take to make the [capsule] . . . a 'world class' piece of equipment," an officer at the service's Air Mobility Command said in a March 2007 e-mail to a colleague, referring to the mobility command's top officer then. "He said he wanted an assurance . . . that we would be getting a world class item this week."
...
In a letter of complaint sent yesterday to Gates, POGO asserted that the new capsules will provide no special communications or work capabilities beyond those already available for top officials on Air Force transport aircraft. It is "a gross misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars that could otherwise be used to train and equip soldiers," wrote Danielle Brian, the group's executive director.
...
Air Force officials say the program dates from a 2006 decision by Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb that existing seats on transport planes, including some that match those on commercial airliners, may be fine for airmen and troops but inadequate for the top brass.
...
"I was asked by Gen. [Robert H.] McMahon what it would take to make the [capsule] . . . a 'world class' piece of equipment," an officer at the service's Air Mobility Command said in a March 2007 e-mail to a colleague, referring to the mobility command's top officer then. "He said he wanted an assurance . . . that we would be getting a world class item this week."
...
In a letter of complaint sent yesterday to Gates, POGO asserted that the new capsules will provide no special communications or work capabilities beyond those already available for top officials on Air Force transport aircraft. It is "a gross misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars that could otherwise be used to train and equip soldiers," wrote Danielle Brian, the group's executive director.
...
Monday, July 07, 2008
Voices Inside Your Head
Crowd-Controlling MEDUSA Ray Gun Puts Voices Inside Your Head
The Sierra Nevada Corporation claimed this week that it is ready to begin production on the MEDUSA, a damned scary ray gun that uses the "microwave audio effect" to implant sounds and perhaps even specific messages inside people's heads. Short for Mob Excess Deterrent Using Silent Audio, MEDUSA creates the audio effect with short microwave pulses. The pulses create a shockwave inside the skull that's detected by the ears, and basically makes you think you're going balls-to-the-wall batshit insane. The MEDUSA can also "produce recognizable sounds" and is aimed primarily at military uses, but New Scientist revealed there are other uses in the works, too.
...
The Sierra Nevada Corporation claimed this week that it is ready to begin production on the MEDUSA, a damned scary ray gun that uses the "microwave audio effect" to implant sounds and perhaps even specific messages inside people's heads. Short for Mob Excess Deterrent Using Silent Audio, MEDUSA creates the audio effect with short microwave pulses. The pulses create a shockwave inside the skull that's detected by the ears, and basically makes you think you're going balls-to-the-wall batshit insane. The MEDUSA can also "produce recognizable sounds" and is aimed primarily at military uses, but New Scientist revealed there are other uses in the works, too.
...
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Strong Dollar?
The US dollar is weak, has been weak, probably will continue to be weak.
Treasury's Paulson says believes in strong dollar
Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:24am EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Monday he believes in a strong U.S. dollar and that U.S officials were working to resolve the country's economic problems, including regulatory mistakes that led to excesses in the mortgage and banking sectors.
...
Treasury's Paulson says believes in strong dollar
Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:24am EDT
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Monday he believes in a strong U.S. dollar and that U.S officials were working to resolve the country's economic problems, including regulatory mistakes that led to excesses in the mortgage and banking sectors.
...
The Energy Non-Crisis
A different viewpoint on American oil, from Lindsey William. In this video, he predicts $5 gas, which has happened.
"Either be a slave in your own land, or tell the truth and home somebody will listen to you."
"The standard currency of the world is oil."
"The Federal Reserve note is nothing but a piece of paper."
"A democracy is we the sheeple. A republic is we the people."
"The price of gasoline at the gas pump is a form of taxation imposed by them. Who are they? ... The IMF and the World Bank, who forgave third world countries their loans."
He quotes from Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins.
Click for video link.
"Either be a slave in your own land, or tell the truth and home somebody will listen to you."
"The standard currency of the world is oil."
"The Federal Reserve note is nothing but a piece of paper."
"A democracy is we the sheeple. A republic is we the people."
"The price of gasoline at the gas pump is a form of taxation imposed by them. Who are they? ... The IMF and the World Bank, who forgave third world countries their loans."
He quotes from Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins.
Click for video link.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Financial Storm Warnings
Barclays warns of a financial storm as Federal Reserve's credibility crumbles
US central bank accused of unleashing an inflation shock that will rock financial markets, reports Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Barclays Capital has advised clients to batten down the hatches for a worldwide financial storm, warning that the US Federal Reserve has allowed the inflation genie out of the bottle and let its credibility fall "below zero".
"We're in a nasty environment," said Tim Bond, the bank's chief equity strategist. "There is an inflation shock underway. This is going to be very negative for financial assets. We are going into tortoise mood and are retreating into our shell. Investors will do well if they can preserve their wealth."
...
RBS issues global stock and credit crash alert
The Royal Bank of Scotland has advised clients to brace for a full-fledged crash in global stock and credit markets over the next three months as inflation paralyses the major central banks.
"A very nasty period is soon to be upon us - be prepared," said Bob Janjuah, the bank's credit strategist.
A report by the bank's research team warns that the S&P 500 index of Wall Street equities is likely to fall by more than 300 points to around 1050 by September as "all the chickens come home to roost" from the excesses of the global boom, with contagion spreading across Europe and emerging markets.
...
US central bank accused of unleashing an inflation shock that will rock financial markets, reports Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Barclays Capital has advised clients to batten down the hatches for a worldwide financial storm, warning that the US Federal Reserve has allowed the inflation genie out of the bottle and let its credibility fall "below zero".
"We're in a nasty environment," said Tim Bond, the bank's chief equity strategist. "There is an inflation shock underway. This is going to be very negative for financial assets. We are going into tortoise mood and are retreating into our shell. Investors will do well if they can preserve their wealth."
...
RBS issues global stock and credit crash alert
The Royal Bank of Scotland has advised clients to brace for a full-fledged crash in global stock and credit markets over the next three months as inflation paralyses the major central banks.
"A very nasty period is soon to be upon us - be prepared," said Bob Janjuah, the bank's credit strategist.
A report by the bank's research team warns that the S&P 500 index of Wall Street equities is likely to fall by more than 300 points to around 1050 by September as "all the chickens come home to roost" from the excesses of the global boom, with contagion spreading across Europe and emerging markets.
...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
TSA Employees Smuggle Drugs At Atlanta Airport
Delta, TSA Employees Admit Smuggling Drugs At Atlanta Airport
Drugs Went From Atlanta To New York
ATLANTA -- Two former TSA employees and a former Delta worker admitted Wednesday to smuggling drugs at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
...
Adgar and Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin.
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Drugs Went From Atlanta To New York
ATLANTA -- Two former TSA employees and a former Delta worker admitted Wednesday to smuggling drugs at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
...
Adgar and Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin.
...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Florida Converts Farmland To Conservation
Less food for the people. Expect increased sugar prices.
Fla. strikes $1.7B deal with Big Sugar
By Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writer
WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) -- In the biggest conservation deal in Florida history, the nation's largest producer of cane sugar reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to get out of the business and sell its nearly 300 square miles in the Everglades to the state for $1.75 billion.
...
Fla. strikes $1.7B deal with Big Sugar
By Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writer
WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) -- In the biggest conservation deal in Florida history, the nation's largest producer of cane sugar reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to get out of the business and sell its nearly 300 square miles in the Everglades to the state for $1.75 billion.
...
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