Bullshit Artists

FDA approves first brain wave test for ADHD

"US regulators on Monday approved the first brain wave test for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, saying it may improve the accuracy of diagnoses by medical experts. Cases of ADHD are on the rise in the U.S., as are the number of prescriptions for stimulants doled out to young people who appear to have difficulty concentrating or controlling impulses. The new test, known as the Neuropsychiatric EEG-Based Assessment Aid (NEBA) System, measures electrical impulses given off by neurons in the brain. 'The theta/beta ratio has been shown to be higher in children and adolescents with ADHD than in children without it,' the FDA said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFDA approves first brain wave test for ADHD

Oregon: Jesus Malverde Medallion Did Not Justify Traffic Stop

"The Oregon Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected the argument that an image of Jesus Malverde in an automobile is suspicious enough to warrant a search for drugs. When Trooper Wells came to the window to ask Manuel Meza-Garcia for his license and registration, the trooper's suspicion was heightened after he noticed something near the windshield. The appellate judges refused to consider the medallion as evidence and instead rejected the other assertions police used to search Meza-Garcia. The trooper insisted it was inherently suspicious to have two people driving with two cell phones north on I-5 without visible luggage." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOregon: Jesus Malverde Medallion Did Not Justify Traffic Stop

Oregon: Jesus Malverde Medallion Did Not Justify Traffic Stop

"The Oregon Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected the argument that an image of Jesus Malverde in an automobile is suspicious enough to warrant a search for drugs. When Trooper Wells came to the window to ask Manuel Meza-Garcia for his license and registration, the trooper's suspicion was heightened after he noticed something near the windshield. The appellate judges refused to consider the medallion as evidence and instead rejected the other assertions police used to search Meza-Garcia. The trooper insisted it was inherently suspicious to have two people driving with two cell phones north on I-5 without visible luggage." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOregon: Jesus Malverde Medallion Did Not Justify Traffic Stop

How the Federal Reserve Just Hid Important Data

"One of the most important data points released by the Federal Reserve has been the amount of excess reserves sitting at the Federal Reserve. This is important data because these reserves are sitting at the Fed and not in the economy bidding up goods and service. If banks start pulling this money out of the Fed and making loans with the money, the money supply will explode, as well as price inflation. This must be watched closely. But notice something about this chart, the chart title says the series is discontinued. Got that? One of the most important data points is no longer reported by the Federal Reserve." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow the Federal Reserve Just Hid Important Data

Fox commentator was paid $50,000 to tout stock

"Most investors can’t tell the difference between 'sponsored investment research' and independent analysis, and that’s exactly what the 'sponsors' — typically small companies paying for a marketing campaign that will inflate their stock activity and value — are counting on. The difference gets even tougher to figure out when the sponsor hires someone who is known for giving independent commentary colored only by his own feelings and research. Last week, that bought-and-paid-for stock endorsement was a 20-page mailer about Petrosonic Energy, supported by an email campaign, featuring Tobin Smith, a regular on the Fox networks." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFox commentator was paid $50,000 to tout stock

Remember “8 Pressure Stock Pitches Stockbrokers at John Thomas Financial Might Use on You”?

"John Thomas Financial, the beleaguered Wall Street brokerage firm founded by celebrity broker Tommy Belesis, has fallen so far it’s now six feet under. The formerly high-flying brokerage firm, which once boasted attendants in its office bathroom and ties to famed film director Oliver Stone, filed termination requests with federal and state regulators. In March, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Belesis and George Jarkesy, a Houston radio host, accusing them of deceiving investors of a hedge fund allegedly controlled by Belesis. In April, Finra filed a complaint accusing Belesis of selling the brokerage firm’s shares ahead of clients and intimidating and harassing brokers." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRemember “8 Pressure Stock Pitches Stockbrokers at John Thomas Financial Might Use on You”?

A Congregation of Liars: The U.S. Government

"Put aside for a moment that this massive, secret surveillance of all of our emails, phone calls and financial records violates our constitutional rights. I have commented about that before. I want you to consider what a government of lies means to each of us, and to America’s future, when our government officials, led by the president of the United States, routinely lie to us, intentionally and repeatedly. At worst, this destroys whatever trust we have in a government that now controls much of our lives. It engenders fear, disrupting our personal ability to plan our lives, our businesses and to move forward. Living under lies means we can never be certain about our future." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Congregation of Liars: The U.S. Government

Clapper On Clapper Off

"James Clapper from the National Security Agency (NSA) lied to Congress and the American people when he testified before Congress that the NSA doesn't spy on millions of American citizens. As a result of the actions of whistleblower Ed Snowden, we know now that the NSA does indeed illegally and unconstitutionally spy on millions of American citizens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingClapper On Clapper Off

Accelerate a Complete Withdrawal From Afghanistan

"Isn’t it shocking that Obama has threatened to change American policy just because Karzai is being difficult? Should a policy that allegedly has fulfilled US vital security interests be drastically altered because of mere personal animosity? Yet we have been down this erratic policy road before. The Obama administration argued that keeping a residual postwar US military force in Iraq was vitally necessary, only to nix a settlement when the Iraqi government refused to exempt US soldiers from Iraqi law in the event they committed crimes—a rather imperial request to say the least. We can thus surmise that perhaps such residual occupation forces were never very vital to US security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAccelerate a Complete Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Bernanke backpedals, says Federal Reserve stimulus still needed

"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday that the Fed’s easy-money policy is still necessary, throwing cold water on fresh market expectations that the Fed’s stimulus would soon be ended. Bernanke told an audience of economists in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that the jobs market remains too weak and inflation remains too low for comfort. He also warned that the full impact of steep government spending cuts initiated in March was yet to be seen. Together, the evidence underscored the need for the Fed to keep in place its highly accommodative monetary policy, he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBernanke backpedals, says Federal Reserve stimulus still needed