sound money

FATCA: The end of financial privacy

"Financial privacy isn’t typically considered as sexy as other forms of privacy, like our right to private beliefs, health care, property, and communications. Infringement of financial privacy doesn’t evoke the kind of outrage as other violations, because most overlook the vital role it plays in preserving human rights and protecting individuals from governmental abuse. Just as supporters of the police and surveillance state argue that individuals with nothing to hide should be willing to forfeit their right to privacy, those obsessed with collecting taxes think that the vast majority of Americans who do not engage in evasion should be willing to relinquish their financial privacy rights." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFATCA: The end of financial privacy

McCain says he feels ‘lonely’ on Syria stance

"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said his role as one of the few vocal advocates for a U.S. military strike against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria left him feeling isolated by his peers. 'It has felt a little lonely from time to time,' McCain said Monday on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe.' But McCain said he was advocating for a noble cause, and pointed to former President Harry Truman, who endured a low public approval rating during the Korean War. 'If Harry Truman had bowed to public opinion the world would be a very different place had we lost to Korea,' McCain said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMcCain says he feels ‘lonely’ on Syria stance

Janet Yellen On The Financial Crisis: “I Didn’t See Any Of That Coming”

"'For my own part,' Ms. Yellen said, 'I did not see and did not appreciate what the risks were with securitization, the credit ratings agencies, the shadow banking system, the S.I.V.’s — I didn’t see any of that coming until it happened.' Her startled interviewers noted that almost none of the officials who testified had offered a similar acknowledgment of an almost universal failure." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJanet Yellen On The Financial Crisis: “I Didn’t See Any Of That Coming”

Elizabeth Warren says Janet Yellen a ‘terrific’ choice to succeed Bernanke

"Rebel Democrats on Monday threw their weight behind a growing campaign for Janet Yellen to take over the US Federal Reserve, as their successful revolt against White House pick Larry Summers emboldened those calling for tougher policy toward Wall Street. Investors were betting that Yellen would look more favorably on the continuation of the Fed’s massive financial stimulus programme, known as quantitative easing (QE). Yellen has backed Bernanke in his plans to extend the $85bn-a-month bond-buying programme that is aimed at stimulating the economy and keeping interest rates down. Summers had been perceived as being more critical." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingElizabeth Warren says Janet Yellen a ‘terrific’ choice to succeed Bernanke

What Happens When You Can’t Believe A Thing The President Says?

"These are only a few of the many, many instances where Obama or his minions have been caught in false, deceiving or misleading statements — even under oath. It has become so pervasive that people have grown very skeptical of the president’s assertions. Yet amazingly, some of those same skeptics now defend Obama’s claim that U.S. troops will not be used in Syria. Would that be like his absolute denial to Russert? Maybe Obama means it, or maybe he’ll change his mind. No one can know for sure. The country needs to be able to trust a president and his staff and believe what they say. But that’s not the case anymore." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Happens When You Can’t Believe A Thing The President Says?

Shield Law Defines Journalism So That It Leaves Out Wikileaks & Bloggers

"The new amendment, brokered by Sen. Chuck Schumer, significantly expands on that definition. Now, a journalist would be defined as someone employed by or in contract with a media outlet for at least one year within the last 20 years or three months within the last five years; someone with a substantial track record of freelancing in the last five years; or a student journalist. In addition, the law would protect a person deemed appropriate by a federal judge, so long as their newsgathering practices have been consistent with the law." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingShield Law Defines Journalism So That It Leaves Out Wikileaks & Bloggers

Bruce Schneier: Surreptitiously Tampering with Computer Chips

"The paper talks about several uses for this type of sabotage, but the most interesting -- and devastating -- is to modify a chip's random number generator. This technique could, for example, reduce the amount of entropy in Intel's hardware random number generator from 128 bits to 32 bits. This could be done without triggering any of the built-in self-tests, without disabling any of the built-in self-tests, and without failing any randomness tests. I have no idea if the NSA convinced Intel to do this with the hardware random number generator it embedded into its CPU chips, but I do know that it could. Yes, this is a conspiracy theory. But I'm not willing to discount such things anymore." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBruce Schneier: Surreptitiously Tampering with Computer Chips

Bill Bonner: Ike’s Warning

"In a modern context, America’s wars seem silly, stupid and counterproductive. But they are as popular as the Super Bowl. Both of those explanations have merit. But Ike understood it differently. He saw how powerful internal forces drive a military machine to become an empire… and to make war. An educator will try to aggrandize himself by insisting on more education. A butcher will want more meat on the menu. And a man with a gun in his hands will declare – with a straight face and in solemn sincerity – that we need to kill someone in Syria to protect our manhood!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: Ike’s Warning

The 7 Choices Left to the Military-Industrial Complex

"Since 2002 the US government has presided over one of the most dramatic financial bubbles of all time: the bubble of the military-industrial complex. This bubble, like all others, will pop, and it looks to be deflating right now. The amounts of money that have been spent in the past decade can only be characterized as obscene. In addition to the military complex, we have a massive intelligence complex. Not only that, but we also have a massive law enforcement complex. The Department of Homeland Security has given them at least $34 Billion in the past several years, on top of their take from local taxes, state taxes, fines, seizures, and other Fed money." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe 7 Choices Left to the Military-Industrial Complex

Now That Hybrids Have Become Popular…

"First, egg-on the production of hybrids and electrics via artificial inducements and special perks (such as being able to drive in those High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, even if it’s just you in the car). Wait for these unconventional cars to become pretty got-damned conventional. Then whine about the 'lost revenue' which must be recovered. Meanwhile, pass laws that double (and soon, will triple) the fuel economy of the average non-hybrid car – knowing that will provide even more excuse to whine about all the 'revenue' lost. Then hit them up with the notion of a tax-per-mile. It will not even be necessary to discuss the means by which it’ll be implemented. That will follow almost automatically." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNow That Hybrids Have Become Popular…