Alternative News

Government Gives Samsung and Motorola Monopoly Patent Grants; then Probes them for “Patent Abuse”

"The state is schizophrenic. It grants monopolies aimed at limiting competition (patents and copyright), and then penalizes companies for using ('abusing') them, in contravention of state antitrust law–so that there is a 'tension' between these state laws. Then courts have to 'balance' these against each other. Each state law gives the state an excuse to ratchet up its power. Here’s an idea: get rid of both antitrust and patent law. (Likewise, there is also a 'tension' between copyright censorship, and the right to free speech.)" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment Gives Samsung and Motorola Monopoly Patent Grants; then Probes them for “Patent Abuse”

Uneasiness in the Netherlands about national gold reserve

"Almost 300 'concerned Netherlands citizens' have joined the German initiative for insight about the gold reserves. In a petition the citizens committee demands 'full openness on the quantity and storage location of the Netherlands' physical gold, and on the extent and nature of the gold claims.' In Germany a lot of uneasiness has risen about the quantity, value, and quality of the gold reserves, which have not been audited in many years at various storage locations. Under pressure from the German federal audit office, part of the gold stock will be repatriated from the United States to Frankfurt." Continue reading →

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Louisiana: Traffic Camera Company Sues Client Over Cash

"Redflex is irate that its photo ticketing contract was swept up in a parish government corruption scandal two years ago. A new set of government leaders intent on cleaning up the parish decided on January 27, 2010 to suspend the red light camera program. Officials were most concerned about documents that showed Redflex paid a 3.2 percent cut of the firm's profit on each ticket to lobbyist Bryan Wagner, a former New Orleans city councilman, who in turn shared the funds with the wife of District Judge Robert Murphy. Wagner was set to earn an estimated $90,000 a year from this deal." Continue reading →

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Obama Supporters Actually Hate Obama’s Policies

"Luke Rudkowski hits the streets of NYC to find out where Obama supporters really stand on his policies. Now he did this in an underhanded way where the policies where presented to be Romney's, but this was only done to get an honest opinion. The reactions when the truth was uncovered varied but they were very telling to say the least." Continue reading →

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The Recovery Meme and Why It’s Just Talk

"The top people in Britain announce the 'recession' is over ... and then the powers-that-be attribute its ending to the Diamond Jubilee and the English-hosted Olympics. These are fairytales. The world's current downward spiral is the quite deliberate result of money printing that causes first booms and then busts. Too much money always distorts the economic system. It's an old banking trick, from what we can tell, but aided immeasurably by modern monopoly central banking. irst they expand. Then the economic rubber band snaps back, leaving people dazed and bleeding. And then those responsible begin to point fingers." Continue reading →

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College tuition increases more than triple the rate of inflation

"California — which saw the worst tuition increase last year — has a five-year tuition increase of 102 percent for two-year public colleges and a 72 percent five-year increase at four-year colleges. The College Board made a calculated decision to throw out California’s tuition rates in their average because it would have skewed the average increase too high. A separate report found that 81 percent of African American students carries some kind of student debt along with 67 percent of Latino students. Only about 64 percent of white students, meanwhile have student debt." Continue reading →

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Inflation at the Currency Level

"M2 money supply includes more than just currency. It also includes demand deposits, travelers checks, savings accounts, time deposits of under $100,000, and balances in retail money market mutual funds. But this doesn't mean cash isn't keeping up with the Fed's money printing. Below is a chart showing the growth of currency in circulation, since 1990." Continue reading →

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Catalan politicians ask for EU help against Spanish army

"Four Catalan MEPs have asked the European Commission to tell Spain it cannot use military force to stop Catalonia from splitting away. The letter says: 'We are writing to you to convey our deep concern over a series of threats of the use of military force against the Catalan population ... In these circumstances, the EU should intervene preventatively to guarantee that the resolution of the Catalan conflict be resolved in a peaceful, democratic manner.' Spanish MEP Alejo Vidal-Quadras had said: 'They [the government] should be briefing a general of the Civil Guard ... the government should think of intervening in the rebellious region if they persist.'" Continue reading →

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Asian economies turn to yuan

"A 'renminbi bloc' has been formed in East Asia, as nations in the region abandon the US dollar and peg their currency to the Chinese yuan — a major signal of China's successful bid to internationalize its currency, a research report has said. Now seven out of 10 economies in the region — including South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand — track the renminbi more closely than they do the US dollar. Only three economies in the group — Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Mongolia — still have currencies following the dollar more closely than the renminbi, said the report." Continue reading →

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