Alternative News

Amendments To Block Unauthorized U.S. Military Involvement In Syria And Egypt Introduced

"Representative Massie offered two amendments to the House Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 2397) requiring congressional authorization to use taxpayer funds for military or paramilitary purposes in Syria and Egypt. 'Since our national security interests in Syria and Egypt are unclear, we risk giving money and military assistance to our enemies,' said Rep. Massie. 'The Constitution prohibits the President from unilaterally spending American taxpayer dollars on military operations without congressional approval. The American people deserve an open debate and an up-or-down vote by their elected officials on these important issues.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmendments To Block Unauthorized U.S. Military Involvement In Syria And Egypt Introduced

Jimmy Carter Defends Edward Snowden, Says NSA Spying Has Compromised Nation’s Democracy

"Former President Jimmy Carter announced support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden this week, saying that his uncovering of the agency's massive surveillance programs had proven 'beneficial.' Speaking at a closed-door event in Atlanta covered by German newspaper Der Spiegel, Carter also criticized the NSA's domestic spying as damaging to the core of the nation's principles. 'America does not have a functioning democracy at this point in time,' Carter said, according to a translation by Inquisitr. No American outlets covered Carter's speech." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJimmy Carter Defends Edward Snowden, Says NSA Spying Has Compromised Nation’s Democracy

Commodities Dealer Accepting Bitcoin for Gold

"Agora Commodities is the first gold, silver, platinum, and palladium dealer accepting Bitcoin for bullion. By taking Bitcoin as payment for a physical commodity, Agora is giving high-risk speculative traders one more way to play the market. And the added bonus is that the transaction can be 100% anonymous. But the company is going even deeper into anti-spying territory than that. They are offering their customers encrypted service for all their digital correspondence." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCommodities Dealer Accepting Bitcoin for Gold

JP Morgan Getting Ready To Settle For $1 Billion For Manipulating Energy Markets?

"Sources told the Journal the deal could come in close to a staggering $1 billion, the largest payout in the history of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which overseas power trading markets. JPM and FERC, the little regulator that could, are reportedly exchanging drafts of an agreement. Sources told the Journal the bank is working quickly to finish the deal so they can gear up for even more regulatory hoopla in the wake of the London Whale debacle. The filings describe how traders rigged their bidding in order to be eligible for 'make-whole' payments that would cover trading losses and generate a healthy profit, according to the Journal." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJP Morgan Getting Ready To Settle For $1 Billion For Manipulating Energy Markets?

Clarification of William Kaye Regarding German / US gold in Hong Kong refineries

"Hong Kong fund manager William Kaye identifies the Hong Kong gold refiner that is recasting Western gold, including Western central bank gold, for the Asian market. Kaye remarks that this movement and recasting of gold should hardly be a sensation because it is completely consistent with everything known about the current gold market. Kaye also denounces Western exchange-traded gold funds as facilitating 'enormous potential mischief and abuse' of gold investors at the hands of the bullion banks that are exclusively authorized to put gold into and take gold out of the funds." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingClarification of William Kaye Regarding German / US gold in Hong Kong refineries

China’s Central Bank Subsidizes the Federal Deficit

"The Chinese central bank creates money out of nothing, just as the Federal Reserve does. Then it takes this newly counterfeited money and buys U.S. government debt, just as the Federal Reserve does. It bought $25 billion of this debt last month. The Federal Reserve bought $45 billion. So, when it comes to currency-rigging, which central bank is the greater culprit? The two economies, China’s and America’s, are addicted to the drug of fiat money. The first central bank to quit counterfeiting — the first one to 'taper' — starts the international recession. The first one to stop inflating permanently will turn the recession into a depression. Which will it be?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChina’s Central Bank Subsidizes the Federal Deficit

Larry Summers’s Billion-Dollar Bad Bet at Harvard

"Matthew Klein at WaPo reminds us of the reckless bet that Larry Summers made on interest rates when he was president of Harvard. The Harvard endowment suffered serious losses. These were the risky investments that Iris Mack warned Summers about in an email and which resulted in her getting fired. Summers is now being considered for chairmanship of the Federal Reserve, where he would be in charge of interest rate policy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLarry Summers’s Billion-Dollar Bad Bet at Harvard

Still strong Indian demand for gold loans keeping banks interested

"Despite the recent imposition of new restrictions by the Reserve Bank of India on the provision of gold loans, banks and non-banking financial corporations, report continued growth in the sector. And, citizen demand for such loans has two institutions cozying up afresh, by filing applications to open up new centres. India's largest pure play gold mortgage player Muthoot Finance has applied for a banking licence and maintains it can easily launch a commercial lending business with over 2,000 branches. While Muthoot Finance aims to cater to the small towns and villages, IndusInd bank will instead focus on the metros and will cater to self employed individuals." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingStill strong Indian demand for gold loans keeping banks interested

Indian government again urges Indians not to buy gold

"India's Finance Minister P Chidambaram has appealed to the people, once again, to moderate their demand for gold. While insisting that the government would not rule out a complete ban on gold imports, as has been discussed in some quarters, he pointed out the precious metal has cost the nation $50 billion in foreign exchange. Stating that there is a long time attachment to gold in India, the minister asked, '... can we for sometime moderate the demand for gold?' Asking investors to cut down on their purchases as a starting point, Chidambaram suggested buying 10 grams of gold if one was inclined to buy 20 grams of gold." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndian government again urges Indians not to buy gold
Read more about the article ‘Pension Paupers’: Dream Time Collapses in Britain

‘Pension Paupers’: Dream Time Collapses in Britain

"Pensioners living on pocket money as savings crisis hits millions ... Almost two million retired adults in the UK have less disposable income than the average 11 year-old, as Britain's savings crisis creates a generation of 'pension paupers'. A new survey last night said 15 per cent of men and women in retirement have an income of less than £154 a week, which falls to £8 after essential living costs. Insurance giant LV= claimed the situation was only likely to get worse as over 50s cut the amount they put into their pension pots to cope with the cost of living." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Pension Paupers’: Dream Time Collapses in Britain