Again, Reuters Compares Central Bankers to Superheroes!

"Another day, another editorial in Reuters about central banking superheroes. Are you convinced yet that this is a dominant social theme? And how exactly does this work? Is it coincidence? Do all the Reuters columnists sit down in a room together and decide that they will write editorials, serially, comparing central bankers to Superman? Lord, help us. Good things come in threes, and since this is the second article in a week comparing bankers to superheroes, we expect at least one more." Continue reading

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Echoes of the bubble in agents’ descriptions of real estate markets

"Astonishingly low mortgage rates, which the Federal Reserve has driven down in the hopes of stimulating borrowing and goosing the economy, have given qualified purchasers more buying power. A 1 percent decline in mortgage rates increases buying power by about 10 percent. Even though agents might worry about overvalued homes, that's not stopping buyers from bidding up prices, a phenomenon happening in markets with tight inventories across the U.S. Maxwell Rabin, an agent at TTR Sotheby's International Realty, said the Washington, D.C. market is experiencing 'very, very high demand and almost historically low supply.'" Continue reading

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John Browne Explains the Great Game

"Of countries that have to make something, like the Swiss – the Swiss have got a heap of granite with icing on the top of it and yet they're one of the richest countries in the world. It's the people that do this stuff. It's the people and the leadership and if they believe in something they do it, and the Germans, too. They believe in hard work but what's more, they believe that the hard work of today's citizens should be kept intact so that those hard working people, when they retire, should be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The Anglo-Americans say the hell with the future, the hell with children, the hell with grandchildren. We want that money now." Continue reading

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Mark Zuckerberg Launches Political Campaign Group

"The 28-year-old billionaire is forming a political campaign group that is expected to focus initially on liberalising the US immigration and visa system. Work on the group will reunite him with Joe Green, his room-mate at Harvard University, who also went on to be a successful technology entrepreneur. His new campaign group is to be fronted by Jon Lerner and Rob Jesmer, political consultants from the Right wing of the Republican party. Rob Jesmer was the campaign manager for John Cornyn for US Senate; the John McCain Presidential campaign and the Southeast Regional Political Director, RNC; Chief of Staff, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.)" Continue reading

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Volcker Travelled as Chase Bank Official to Kuwait; Was Viewed as Federal Reserve Official

"How lucky for Chase Manhattan Bank. Below from a new batch of cables released by Wikileaks: A 1975 cable on Paul Volcker travelling to Kuwait as an official of Chase Manhattan Bank, who the State Department reports will be viewed by the Kuwaiti government as a senior Federal Reserve official." Continue reading

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Who Got the Fed Minutes in Advance of Everyone Else and Why?

"This is really an odd list and appears to be some type of very insider, VIP group. It contains major investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs, high powered law firms, such as Sullivan Cromwell and bank lobbying firms. I am on the list to receive FOMC minutes and other Fed releases, but did not receive the FOMC minutes in advance, like those on this list did. The real question is what is this list about, how does one get on it and do they receive any type notices from the Fed that are not released to anyone else? Indeed, the BIG question is why was this list put together?" Continue reading

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These 12 Banks Got the Fed Minutes a Day Early

"It wasn't just Capitol Hill staffers and trade groups that received the Federal Reserve minutes a day early. Many banks and other financial institutions also got an early look at the minutes. A list of recipients obtained by CNBC reveals that at least 12 banks, a Wall Street law firm, a hedge fund and a private equity fund were on the distribution list that got the minutes early. The banks included Fifth Third, Citigroup, UBS, Barclays, U.S. Bancorp, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, HSBC, BNP Paribas, BB&T, JPMorgan Chase and PNC. Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the most powerful Wall Street law firms, also got the email." Continue reading

Continue ReadingThese 12 Banks Got the Fed Minutes a Day Early

The Internet-Homeland Security Power Center Revolving Door

"The second-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security said she will resign shortly, ending four years as a champion of a civilian-controlled Internet. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Jane Holl Lute, the sole deputy secretary at Homeland Security, said on Monday she would give notice this week and leave to pursue a role in international Internet affairs. Lute said that she was leaving with the department on a strong footing in Internet matters, with its central role cemented by an executive order on cybersecurity issued by President Barack Obama in February." Continue reading

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The Best Enemy Money Can Buy

"In this YouTube video clip, Vice President Joe Biden states that the 'affirmative task before us now is to create a new world order' at the Export Import Bank conference in Washington on April 5, 2013. OK — David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, George H. W. Bush, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, John McCain, Barack Obama, Joe Biden ad nauseam — how do you explain away this one? Conspiracy fact or conspiracy theory?" Continue reading

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The Myth of Journalistic Objectivity

"For generations we have been taught that the ideal journalist is fair, balanced and objective. But the idea of the objective journalist is a myth. Join us today on The Corbett Report as we explore the ideologies and assumptions behind all news media and what alternative models we have for journalism in the online era." Continue reading

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