Alternative News

Tracking Inflation: Consumer Price Index vs. MIT Billion Prices Project

"Another way to keep an eye on inflation is with MIT’s Billion Prices Project (previous post) which tracks prices in real-time by grabbing them from websites. By checking on 50,000+ different prices daily covering everything from prescription drugs to clothing to real estate, this alternative inflation measurement has the potential to keep governments “honest” with their numbers. Over the past five years, the two indexes have actually tracked relatively closely. Just recently, the two are diverging a bit; BPP is showing a little over 2% inflation as opposed to 1.5% from CPI." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTracking Inflation: Consumer Price Index vs. MIT Billion Prices Project

Bill Bonner: Argentina’s monetary and economic mismanagement

"It is always a pleasure to visit Argentina. It is a country where economic disaster stories are daily life....where economists' daffy theories are government policy...and where everyday citizens have to figure out how to deal with a monetary system that is half-mad...and half merely incompetent. When we are here, we need to spend pesos...especially out in the country, where people's math skills are not as well developed as they are in Buenos Aires. But any serious purchase - say, if you're buying an apartment - requires dollars...either on top of the table or underneath it. So, you have to be prepared." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: Argentina’s monetary and economic mismanagement

Ron Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

"For the first time since leaving office, Ron Paul returned to the spotlight this week. The recently retired congressman launched a new foreign-policy educational effort from Washington on Wednesday called the Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Some fellow lawmakers past and present - including Walter Jones, Dennis Kucinich, John Duncan, and Thomas Massie are on the Institute's board, and they are aiming to change more than policy as RT's Meghan Lopez explains." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

Ron Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

"For the first time since leaving office, Ron Paul returned to the spotlight this week. The recently retired congressman launched a new foreign-policy educational effort from Washington on Wednesday called the Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Some fellow lawmakers past and present - including Walter Jones, Dennis Kucinich, John Duncan, and Thomas Massie are on the Institute's board, and they are aiming to change more than policy as RT's Meghan Lopez explains." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

Ron Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

"For the first time since leaving office, Ron Paul returned to the spotlight this week. The recently retired congressman launched a new foreign-policy educational effort from Washington on Wednesday called the Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Some fellow lawmakers past and present - including Walter Jones, Dennis Kucinich, John Duncan, and Thomas Massie are on the Institute's board, and they are aiming to change more than policy as RT's Meghan Lopez explains." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul launches Institute for Peace and Prosperity

The Government Steals Raisins

"Why does the federal government steal one-third to one-half of the raisin crop every year? Why aren’t the farmers paid for the stolen crop? Why does the government then sell the stolen raisins to foreigners at below-market prices? Why has this been going on ever since 1948? There are at least 29 other programs just like it. How many government employees spend their entire careers enforcing laws like this one? No one knows. Congress does not care. A story like this never makes it into high school civics textbooks. Stories like this one make the federal government sound like a loony bin." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Government Steals Raisins

The Government Steals Raisins

"Why does the federal government steal one-third to one-half of the raisin crop every year? Why aren’t the farmers paid for the stolen crop? Why does the government then sell the stolen raisins to foreigners at below-market prices? Why has this been going on ever since 1948? There are at least 29 other programs just like it. How many government employees spend their entire careers enforcing laws like this one? No one knows. Congress does not care. A story like this never makes it into high school civics textbooks. Stories like this one make the federal government sound like a loony bin." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Government Steals Raisins

The Government Steals Raisins

"Why does the federal government steal one-third to one-half of the raisin crop every year? Why aren’t the farmers paid for the stolen crop? Why does the government then sell the stolen raisins to foreigners at below-market prices? Why has this been going on ever since 1948? There are at least 29 other programs just like it. How many government employees spend their entire careers enforcing laws like this one? No one knows. Congress does not care. A story like this never makes it into high school civics textbooks. Stories like this one make the federal government sound like a loony bin." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Government Steals Raisins

Encryption and Privacy: Goodbye Copyright Laws

"Kim Dotcom really is his name these days. He had it legally changed. The federal government shut down his enormously profitable file-sharing business in 2011. It won’t shut down his latest version of file-sharing. His new company, Mega, offers 100% encryption. His company can’t crack it. The U.S. government can’t crack it — not at a price it can afford, anyway. So people can post movies, songs, or anything else on his site. You get 50 megabytes of free storage to start out. His lawyers can now say this: 'Our company will cooperate with the governments of the world. But, sorry, we have no idea what people are putting into their accounts.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEncryption and Privacy: Goodbye Copyright Laws

Encryption and Privacy: Goodbye Copyright Laws

"Kim Dotcom really is his name these days. He had it legally changed. The federal government shut down his enormously profitable file-sharing business in 2011. It won’t shut down his latest version of file-sharing. His new company, Mega, offers 100% encryption. His company can’t crack it. The U.S. government can’t crack it — not at a price it can afford, anyway. So people can post movies, songs, or anything else on his site. You get 50 megabytes of free storage to start out. His lawyers can now say this: 'Our company will cooperate with the governments of the world. But, sorry, we have no idea what people are putting into their accounts.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEncryption and Privacy: Goodbye Copyright Laws