Monthly Archives: March 2013

Federal Reserve Monetary Policy To Target Wealth Inequality?

"The gap between the wealthy and the rest of America is a hot-button issue in Washington-especially in the White House and Congress. Recently, the Federal Reserve has also taken a greater interest in the topic. And some analysts are asking whether financial inequality in the U.S. might soon become part of the Fed's decision-making process. In a recent research note, Credit Suisse research analysts Neal Soss and Dana Saporta wrote that 'the issue of growing income and wealth disparity in the U.S. is gaining stature among Federal Reserve officials and may become the next important macroeconomic variable for monetary policy.'" Continue reading →

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Chris Hedges: The Day That TV News Died

"Phil Donahue and Bill Moyers, the last honest men on national television, were the only two major TV news personalities who presented the viewpoints of those of us who challenged the rush to war in Iraq. General Electric and Microsoft—MSNBC’s founders and defense contractors that went on to make tremendous profits from the war—were not about to tolerate a dissenting voice. Donahue was fired, and at PBS Moyers was subjected to tremendous pressure. A leaked MSNBC memo stated that Donahue was hurting the image of the network. He would be a 'difficult public face for NBC in a time of war,' the memo read. Donahue never returned to the airwaves." Continue reading →

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How The News Media Betrayed Us On Iraq

"The tenth anniversary of the start of America’s illegal and aggressive war against Iraq should not pass without recalling that the mainstream news media eagerly participated in the Bush administration’s dishonest campaign for public support. Most news operations were little more than extensions of the White House Office of Communications. The media became shameful conduits for unsubstantiated and outright false information about Saddam Hussein’s alleged threat to the American people. Unfortunately, even as media figures now issue mea culpas about their shameful Iraq 'coverage,' they are engaged in precisely the same shoddy business with respect to Iran." Continue reading →

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‘Pesky Critters’ and the Oklahoma Drone Summit 2013

Kaye Beach March 26, 2012 The 2013 Oklahoma Unmanned Aerial Systems Summit was held today in Norman. http://www.uasoklahoma.com/agenda2.pdf I would have loved to attended this event but the attendance conditions were quite intimidating even if I had of found out … Continue reading →

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Unwise Deepening of an Unnecessary Crisis

"It is difficult to avoid the conclusion we have made in past articles that much of what passes for solutions in the EU are actually being implemented to aggravate what is already injured. The idea perhaps is that a lingering crisis gives Brussels's Eurocrats the ability to further implement a 'deeper' political union. Are you an investor? Are you betting on the euro – or even the EU? In the era of the Internet, when people increasingly understand how the 'great game' is played, the deliberate (evolutionary) deepening of a crisis is perhaps unwise." Continue reading →

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Essex school bans triangular flapjacks after injury

"A school has banned triangular flapjacks after a pupil was injured by one. Dinner staff at Castle View school in Canvey Island, Essex, were told to cut the treat into squares or rectangles following the incident. It is understood that the triangular version was banned after one was thrown, hitting a boy in the face." Continue reading →

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NJ Police Lieutenant: Meeting Ticket Quotas A Daily Exercise In “Creative Writing”

"'Creative writing,' is how one East Orange police lieutenant described a typical day on the job. In order to tally a high number of tickets he might break up a fight just over the Newark border and report it occurred in East Orange, issue jaywalking tickets or cite a parent who has double-parked outside an elementary school to run in to pick up her child. Seven members of the East Orange Police Department said during in-person interviews that in the past two years, and most aggressively in recent months, the chief has instituted a quota system, demanding more summonses, arrests, pedestrian and motorist stops with little justification." Continue reading →

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Poll shows huge support for Rand Paul’s filibuster stance on drone attacks

"When Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) filibustered for nearly 13 hours two weeks ago, he had the American people on his side. A new Gallup poll shows a huge majority of Americans — 79 percent — supported Paul’s position that drone strikes should not be used on American soil against Americans suspected of terrorism. Just 13 percent say it would be okay. Americans also don’t support drone strikes against any suspected terrorist on American soil (25 percent support, 66 percent oppose) or against U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism abroad (41 percent support, 52 percent support)." Continue reading →

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Mike Bloomberg: “I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom”

"'I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom,' Mr. Bloomberg said, during an appearance on NBC. He made the statement during discussion of his soda ban — just shot down by the courts — and insistence that his fight to control sugary drink portion sizes in the city would go forth." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMike Bloomberg: “I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom”

Cypriot Banking Crisis – A Turning Point for Your Portfolio?

"Most Americans would not be directly affected if North Dakota decided to seize citizens' money in order to pay its bills, but all Americans would be deeply disturbed by such an action. The principle of the matter couldn't be clearer; outright theft is wrong. But it'd probably be fear, not principle, that would have people heading for their banks in droves to withdraw cash as fast as possible. People not living in Europe should not kid themselves into thinking that this is just a European problem. With a fractional reserve banking system, it doesn't take a majority of bank depositors to decide to withdraw their cash to put their banks out of business." Continue reading →

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