Monday, October 31, 2011
Sheikh Imran Hosein - The Gold Dinar, Islam & The Future of Money
Gold slides 2% on Japan FX intervention
(Reuters) - Gold prices dropped about 2 percent on Monday, after Japan's intervention in the currency market triggered a rapid rally in the dollar, spooking precious metals investors. Japan intervened unilaterally in the foreign exchange market on Monday to curb the yen's strength, sending the dollar up more than 1 percent against a basket of currencies.
A stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for buyers holding other currencies.
"The huge spike in the dollar is pressuring gold prices," said Ong Yi Ling, an analyst at Phillip Futures. "But so long as gold stays above $1,700, the sentiment should remain pretty bullish."
Other precious metals weakened in tandem. Spot silver dropped as much as 2.7 percent to $34.28, and the most-active U.S. silver futures contract also lost more than 2 percent to $34.21.
Spot platinum suffered its worst one-day loss in a month with a 2.7-percent slide. Spot palladium fell 1.8 percent to $651.99.
"From here people will play the wind," said a Hong Kong-based gold dealer, "Last week gold rose too quickly and we may see a correction coming." .......read in full
Why did the West glorify Gaddafi's death?
For those more casual visitors to this blog who are wondering why a "Gold" blog is featuring a well reasoned discussion about Gaddafi's death, well let me give you an explanation.
US Foreign Policy
From: | Oct 30, 2011
US Foreign Policy
- If the perception of the US is tarnished then this feeds back (amongst a myriad of other factors) into the country's international standing which can be reflected in the value of it's currency. As Gold and other precious metals are traded internationally in US$ if the US$ falls over time this feeds back into the price of Gold.
- Which was to be based on a Gold Dinar and to start trading oil directly for gold, a video on this topic can be viewed here (in regards to the trading of Gold for Oil the House of Saud has been doing this since the 70's oil shock, but they have the common sense not to bite the hand of their master and trade Oil for US$ then trade the US$ for gold, related post here)
From: | Oct 30, 2011
On the Edge - Mortgage fraud & Housing market
http://www.presstv.com/Program/207260.html
In this edition of On the Edge, Max Keiser interviews Catherine Austin Fitts from Solari.com.
She talks about the systemic fraud in the mortgage sector and how it affected the housing market.
In this edition of On the Edge, Max Keiser interviews Catherine Austin Fitts from Solari.com.
She talks about the systemic fraud in the mortgage sector and how it affected the housing market.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Inside Story - Buying time in the eurozone
Will the deal
reached by European leaders ease the continent's woes or is it just an
attempt to buy more time? Inside Story discusses with guests: Raoul
Ruparel, Thomas Klau and Yohen Moebaert.
Keiser Report: Bring down Bernanke Gaddafi style
By RussiaToday on Oct 29, 2011
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, discuss Occupy London art that may be from Banksy... or Keiser Report? They also look at the skyrocketing cost of new oil supply as Tony Blair sets up office in Kazakhstan. In the second half of the show, Max Keiser interviews Gail Tverberg about the 65 year debt bubble now bursting as resources and credit hit their limit.
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, discuss Occupy London art that may be from Banksy... or Keiser Report? They also look at the skyrocketing cost of new oil supply as Tony Blair sets up office in Kazakhstan. In the second half of the show, Max Keiser interviews Gail Tverberg about the 65 year debt bubble now bursting as resources and credit hit their limit.
James Dines - 'Silver is the most under priced commodity on the planet'
We need The Truth in order to Heal
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Pepe Escobar: NATO is the global Robocop
According to some
reports NATO dropped approximately 40 thousand bombs in the pasted seven
months. This played a big part in capture and death of Gaddafi. Many
believe showing the lifeless body of Gaddafi was tasteless and the media
has ignored the real issues. Who's to gain from the fall of Gaddafi?
Pepe Escobar, correspondent for the Asia Times, gives us his take on the
media coverage and much more.
Where ever I land my plane that's my home
Qantas will lock out all its employees covered by the agreements that are currently in dispute.
And it has grounded its entire domestic and international fleets indefinitely.
‘‘We are locking out until the unions withdraw their extreme claim and reach agreement with us,’’ Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told a press conference today.
“This course of action has been forced upon us ... by the actions of three unions,” Mr Joyce said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/qantas-grounds-all-flights-20111029-1mpao.html#ixzz1c9JwyLwO
Reggie Middleton: Is Bank of America going Bust?
Description: European leaders reach a deal to deal with the debt crisis. Then stocks surge, especially US financial stocks. But are US banks off the hook for the Eurozone debt crisis? Not according to independent analyst Reggie Middleton of Boom Bust blog, who predicted the crash of Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns. He still predicts a "Lehman Brothers times four" scenario in the European banking system. And he says US banks such as Bank of America are on-the-hook, too.
Come and see the violence inherent in the system!
Matthis Chiroux, a
US veteran and anti-war activist, tells us how he felt when he heard
about Olsen. Many US vets are furious that that Olsen being a US vet was
attacked in his homeland. After serving two tours in Iraq many believe
it is a shame this happened to him at a peaceful protest.
CrossTalk: Euro Haircut
Can these Eurozone
summits achieve something more than just calming down the markets? Is
there any scenario that can help Greece stay in the Eurozone, or should
it leave it for the sake of other member-states? Can Brussels envision
any viable exit scenarios? And what is more expensive, burying the
Eurozone or sustaining it for as long as possible?
Friday, October 28, 2011
HOW WALL STREET FLEECES AMERICA: Stephen Lendman
My interview with
author Stephen Lendman. We discuss the fleecing of America by Wall
Street and the associated private banking cartel.
Steve's Blog:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/
Steve's Blog:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/
Weekend Chillout
With this week dominated by the Euro rescue summit I have chosen a song apt for the French farce and German comedy. I must admit I agree with Max Keiser's assessment of this week's decisions, the fixes come up with are akin to fixing a flat tyre by just re-inflating it, or in the case with Greece 50% inflating it. The clowns are defiantly on centre stage. I suppose it could be worse, at least the fat woman hasn't started singing yet.
Sally Ann Howes ~ Send in the Clowns
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.
Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here.
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here.
Portugal enters 'Grecian vortex'
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard:
Data released by the European Central Bank show that real M1 deposits in Portugal have fallen at an annualised rate of 21pc over the past six months, buckling violently in September.
"Portugal appears to have entered a Grecian vortex and monetary trends have deteriorated sharply in Spain, with a decline of 8.4pc," said Simon Ward, from Henderson Global Investors. Mr Ward said the ECB must cut interest rates "immediately" and launch a full-scale blitz of quantitative easing of up to 10pc of eurozone GDP.
The M1 data - cash and current accounts - is watched by experts as a leading indicator for the economy six months to a year ahead. It has been an accurate warning signal for each stage of the crisis since 2007.
A mix of fiscal austerity and monetary tightening by the ECB earlier this year appear to have tipped the Iberian region into a downward slide. "The trends are less awful in Ireland and Italy, suggesting that both are rescuable if the ECB acts aggressively," said Mr Ward.
A shrinking money supply is dangerous for countries with a high debt stock. Portugal’s public and private debt will reach 360pc of GDP by next year, far higher than in Greece.....read on
Bank of America Derivatives Transfer Draws Lawmaker Scrutiny
From Bloomberg.com:
Congressional Democrats are asking regulators whether they explored possible risks connected to Bank of America Corp. (BAC)’s moving of derivatives from Merrill Lynch into its deposit-taking unit after a credit downgrade.
Eighteen lawmakers signed onto letters from Representative Brad Miller and Senator Sherrod Brown seeking information about whether agencies consulted on the transfer considered the potential impact on the bank’s health and customer accounts.
“Because of the favored treatment of derivative contracts in receivership, it appears highly likely that losses on derivatives would result in losses to insured deposits ultimately borne by taxpayers,” Miller wrote in his letter, which was signed by eight House Democrats. The transfers were first reported by Bloomberg News on Oct. 18.
Democratic lawmakers, many of whom sought Dodd-Frank Act amendments to wall off banks’ customer deposits from risky businesses such as derivatives trading, are pressing the Financial Stability Oversight Council for information on its role and oversight of the transaction.
Bank of America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, transferred derivatives after a September downgrade by Moody’s Investors Service spurred some partners of the bank’s Merrill Lynch brokerage unit to ask that contracts be moved to the higher-rated retail bank, according to people familiar with the transactions....read on
Ross Beaty - Silver the Schizoid Metal
By CaseyResearchFAN on Oct 27, 2011
http://bit.ly/whenmoneydies Ross Beaty, Executive Chairman of Alterra Power Corp. speaks at the Casey Research/Sprott Summit When Money Dies.
http://bit.ly/whenmoneydies Ross Beaty, Executive Chairman of Alterra Power Corp. speaks at the Casey Research/Sprott Summit When Money Dies.
The little Aussie battler hits $1.07
The Australian dollar hit US$1.075 in overnight trading as the "risk on" trade resumed with the announcement of the latest (doomed) rescue plan for the Euro Zone and Greek debt haircuts (perhaps the rioters in Athens could become skinheads and call for 100% haircuts on Greek debt).
chart from xe.com
Silver rises 10.5% over 3 days
You have to love this plucky volatile metal, with all the attention on the EU debt summit and Gold's reaction to the outcome silver has been overlooked as usual. Whilst Gold has gained an impressive 5.5% over the last 3 days it's lunatic little sister has risen 10.5%...Nice.
chart from silverprice.org
Gold gains for fifth day as greenback drops
chart from goldprice.org
From The Sydney Morning Herald:
Gold gained for a fifth day, the longest streak in two months, as a drop in the US dollar may spur demand for precious metals as an alternative asset.
The US dollar fell to a record against the yen and declined against the euro after European leaders agreed to expand a bailout fund by four or five times, to about 1 trillion euros. Gold has climbed 23 per cent this year as the dollar fell 5.7 per cent against the euro.
"The dollar's weakness and inflationary fears because of Europe's actions are making people move towards gold," Frank Lesh, a trader at FuturePath Trading in Chicago, said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/gold-gains-for-fifth-day-as-greenback-drops-20111028-1mmny.html#ixzz1c18NSrzp
Max Keiser: Debt slash - a debt hike, collapse guaranteed!
By RussiaToday on Oct 27, 2011
With the euphoria over the deals reached at Brussels dying down, the numbers are now being pored over by economists and experts to see if they add up. One of them is RT's Max Keiser who believes nothing's changed - the EU's still fighting debt with debt.
With the euphoria over the deals reached at Brussels dying down, the numbers are now being pored over by economists and experts to see if they add up. One of them is RT's Max Keiser who believes nothing's changed - the EU's still fighting debt with debt.
Will Europe's 'big bazooka' hit its target?
From: EUXTV | Oct 27, 2011
European leaders achieved a breakthrough early on Thursday to write off half of Greece's debt and seek foreign capital to double the eurozone's bailout fund to around €1 trillion. But crucial details on the fund's size were left for finance ministers to decide end of November.
Two weeks ago, British Prime Minister David Cameron called on his eurozone colleagues to make use of a "big bazooka" to quickly end the euro crisis.
After Sunday's inconclusive summit, eurozone leaders very early on Thursday agreed on what French President Nicolas Sarkozy described as "a global, an ambitious and a credible answer" to the eurozone crisis.
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France:
I believe the results will be received with relief by the entire world that is waiting for strong decisions in the eurozone.
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany:
We Europeans have demonstrated this night that we
can make the right decisions. We have named and indentified the causes of this crisis and we have moved a step closer to a solution.
Eurozone leaders agreed on a new €100-billion package to save Greece from default, with the participation of the private sector that requires banks and others who hold Greek government debt to give up 50% of their investments. As a result, it becomes feasible to bring down its total debt to manageable proportions by the end of this decade.
Giorgos Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece:
"We can claim that a new day has come for Greece, and let's hope that this day is not only for Greece but also for Europe."
Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank:
"It is good that these decisions are taken and orientations are taken which I trust are going in the right direction. But again: no complacency. Hard work now. Hard work for all those that have to implement those decisions of the heads."
The second big decision was to increase the financial capacity of the European Financial Stability Facility, the EFSF, from its initial €440 billion to €1 trillion. This increase will be achieved by turning the EFSF into an insurance company, which means no additional money needs to be put into the fund. The fund will also be opened up to foreign investors such as Brazil and China.
Barroso, President of the European Commission:
"We have agreed two options for leveraging the EFSF. Together this will allow us to more effectively prevent contagion."
"Look. Don't ask me at this time for exact figures."
Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council:
"We took a further step last night in agreeing that for Euro area member states in an excessive deficit procedure, the commission and the council will be able to examine national budgets and adopt an opinion on them before their adoption by the relevant national parliaments."
Financial markets on Thursday welcomed the agreement. That also happened after the July agreement to save Greece, which during the summer proved not strong enough. The initial enthusiasm with which this deal may be received may be short-lived if EU leaders don't follow up on their promises.
After all, even a big bazooka can fail.
Raymond Frenken. EUX.TV
European leaders achieved a breakthrough early on Thursday to write off half of Greece's debt and seek foreign capital to double the eurozone's bailout fund to around €1 trillion. But crucial details on the fund's size were left for finance ministers to decide end of November.
Two weeks ago, British Prime Minister David Cameron called on his eurozone colleagues to make use of a "big bazooka" to quickly end the euro crisis.
After Sunday's inconclusive summit, eurozone leaders very early on Thursday agreed on what French President Nicolas Sarkozy described as "a global, an ambitious and a credible answer" to the eurozone crisis.
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France:
I believe the results will be received with relief by the entire world that is waiting for strong decisions in the eurozone.
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany:
We Europeans have demonstrated this night that we
can make the right decisions. We have named and indentified the causes of this crisis and we have moved a step closer to a solution.
Eurozone leaders agreed on a new €100-billion package to save Greece from default, with the participation of the private sector that requires banks and others who hold Greek government debt to give up 50% of their investments. As a result, it becomes feasible to bring down its total debt to manageable proportions by the end of this decade.
Giorgos Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece:
"We can claim that a new day has come for Greece, and let's hope that this day is not only for Greece but also for Europe."
Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank:
"It is good that these decisions are taken and orientations are taken which I trust are going in the right direction. But again: no complacency. Hard work now. Hard work for all those that have to implement those decisions of the heads."
The second big decision was to increase the financial capacity of the European Financial Stability Facility, the EFSF, from its initial €440 billion to €1 trillion. This increase will be achieved by turning the EFSF into an insurance company, which means no additional money needs to be put into the fund. The fund will also be opened up to foreign investors such as Brazil and China.
Barroso, President of the European Commission:
"We have agreed two options for leveraging the EFSF. Together this will allow us to more effectively prevent contagion."
"Look. Don't ask me at this time for exact figures."
Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council:
"We took a further step last night in agreeing that for Euro area member states in an excessive deficit procedure, the commission and the council will be able to examine national budgets and adopt an opinion on them before their adoption by the relevant national parliaments."
Financial markets on Thursday welcomed the agreement. That also happened after the July agreement to save Greece, which during the summer proved not strong enough. The initial enthusiasm with which this deal may be received may be short-lived if EU leaders don't follow up on their promises.
After all, even a big bazooka can fail.
Raymond Frenken. EUX.TV
Keiser Report: Clowns Run World
By RussiaToday on Oct 27, 2011
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, discuss David Cameron, STFU going viral, Riot Granny in Athens and Gaddafi's alleged net worth. In the second half of the show, Max interviews John Perry Barlow about financial activism, capitalism, Marxism and a plutocratic cancer on the economy.
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, discuss David Cameron, STFU going viral, Riot Granny in Athens and Gaddafi's alleged net worth. In the second half of the show, Max interviews John Perry Barlow about financial activism, capitalism, Marxism and a plutocratic cancer on the economy.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
UN urges urban planning for 7 Billion people
A population of 7 billion results in these amazing figures...There is only about 22 grams of Gold bullion and 4.5 grams of Silver bullion per person in the world. How can gold and silver not go up over time as population increases.
From: Euronews | Oct 26, 2011
http://www.euronews.net/
A new United Nations report counting the world's population at now seven billion is serious grounds for brainstorming, the organisation says. More and more cities may reach the proportions of Mong Kok, in Hong Kong, said to be the most densely populated, with some 130,000 people per square kilometre.
From: Euronews | Oct 26, 2011
http://www.euronews.net/
A new United Nations report counting the world's population at now seven billion is serious grounds for brainstorming, the organisation says. More and more cities may reach the proportions of Mong Kok, in Hong Kong, said to be the most densely populated, with some 130,000 people per square kilometre.
Shares soar despite 'bedlam'
From The Sydney Morning Herald:
In a remarkable day, described by one of Australia's biggest options traders as "bedlam", Australian shares have closed at their highest level in three months. A technical glitch just minutes after the market opened at 10am AEDT stopped all trade until 2pm, leaving investors unable to respond to the deal reached in Europe to solve the continent's debt crisis.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/markets-live-shares-soar-despite-bedlam-20111027-1mkuj.html#ixzz1bxmdeFNB
Debt deal elusive as euro zone summit heads into night
http://www.euronews.net/ Europe's leaders intend to multiply their rescue fund fourfold to one trillion euros, according to reports emerging from the emergency euro zone summit in Brussels.
Euro summit faces splits on rescue fund, Greek haircut
With only hours to go before one of the most important summits in European history, observers in Brussels believe that the talks will not provide the "comprehensive agreement" initially promised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
A definitive agreement to rescue the euro may still take days to finalise.
According to Euractiv, diplomats report a lack of progress on the expansion of the EU rescue fund. That slowdown has already caused a last-minute cancellation of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers.
Banking recapitalization also remainsi a troubling issue. EU leaders have agreed that banks need more capital but they still have to say how much and how the banks will get this.
Banks say they could live with a 40% haircut on Greek debt but some EU leaders, including Merkel are pushing for 60 percent.
The same muddle goes for the EFSF. There is still no exact figure for a bigger fund, with figures ranging between 1000 and 2000 billion euro. It remains unclear how that bigger firepower would be achieved.
To boost the fund, EU leaders have two options: an insurance option and an investment option. They can also consider sing a combination of these.
The investment option would raise money from governments and possibly tap investors on capital markets.
Diplomats, talking to EurActiv on condition of anonymity, said creating clarity on the role of this investment option in handling the growing debt problem is the most important part of the talks at the moment.
It's clear that a comprehensive deal is not in sight yet, but parts of the solution are likely to be made public in the next 24 hours. It remains to be seen if that will renew the confidence in the euro on the international financial markets. Ray Frenken. EUX.tv
A definitive agreement to rescue the euro may still take days to finalise.
According to Euractiv, diplomats report a lack of progress on the expansion of the EU rescue fund. That slowdown has already caused a last-minute cancellation of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers.
Banking recapitalization also remainsi a troubling issue. EU leaders have agreed that banks need more capital but they still have to say how much and how the banks will get this.
Banks say they could live with a 40% haircut on Greek debt but some EU leaders, including Merkel are pushing for 60 percent.
The same muddle goes for the EFSF. There is still no exact figure for a bigger fund, with figures ranging between 1000 and 2000 billion euro. It remains unclear how that bigger firepower would be achieved.
To boost the fund, EU leaders have two options: an insurance option and an investment option. They can also consider sing a combination of these.
The investment option would raise money from governments and possibly tap investors on capital markets.
Diplomats, talking to EurActiv on condition of anonymity, said creating clarity on the role of this investment option in handling the growing debt problem is the most important part of the talks at the moment.
It's clear that a comprehensive deal is not in sight yet, but parts of the solution are likely to be made public in the next 24 hours. It remains to be seen if that will renew the confidence in the euro on the international financial markets. Ray Frenken. EUX.tv
Debt dilemma deepens as euro summit stalls
From The Sydney Morning Herald:LONDON: Hopes for a grand plan to solve the European debt crisis at the emergency summit of political leaders in Brussels have faded, with France and Germany continuing to be at odds over the rescue package.
Fears of a double-dip global recession rose as hopes for the rescue deal fell, with shares plunging in Europe and New York as negotiations continued late into Tuesday night.
The deadlock forced the cancellation of a meeting of the European Union's 27 finance ministers that had been planned for the start of the summit yesterday morning. But two other meetings were set to go ahead. The 27 EU countries were to discuss rescue proposals - non-euro countries such as Britain are keen to ensure they are not disadvantaged by any deal - and then the 17 members of the single-currency euro zone were to vote on final measures.
The prolonged hand-wringing over the 18-month crisis produced near-despair among some EU diplomats, with one telling The Guardian: ''Everybody realises we are on the brink of such a total catastrophe that anything that prevents it and a huge recession must be grasped.
''The markets will kill us if they haven't laughed themselves to death.'' The rescue proposals have three pillars: persuading creditors to give up hope of being repaid a large proportion of Greek debt (known as a write-down or a ''haircut''); injecting more money into Europe's banks so they can withstand the shock waves of a Greek default; and increasing the euro zone's bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, so it can cope if larger debt-ridden economies such as Spain or Italy need to call upon it.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/debt-dilemma-deepens-as-euro-summit-stalls-20111026-1mk46.html#ixzz1bvn3eKoD
European summit opens in Brussels
http://www.euronews.net/ The European Council opened its doors again to the political elite the 14th crisis summit in 21 months. Sunday's meetings failed to come up with concrete solutions when the leaders said resolutions could be expected on Wednesday.
Perth Mint Issues World's Largest Gold Coin
Um no, at approx $53 million ABC Bullion wont be taking any pre-orders for this coin :-)
Although we do have it's little sister 10oz 99.99% gold coin and the 2012 99.99% Gold Kangaroo in 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz & 1/10oz
By perthmintbullion on Oct 25, 2011
Although we do have it's little sister 10oz 99.99% gold coin and the 2012 99.99% Gold Kangaroo in 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz & 1/10oz
By perthmintbullion on Oct 25, 2011
The Perth Mint has made the biggest,
heaviest gold coin in the world. Cast from 99.99% pure gold and issued
as Australian legal tender, the monumental gold coin weighs one tonne.
This video shows how The Perth Mint made the world's first one tonne
gold coin, which features an iconic kangaroo design. More: http://www.1tonnegoldcoin.com
RT as Public Enemy?
I nice retort from RT. Actually to be balanced one should never take anything the BBC,VOA / CNN, RT and Press TV say about their own countries interests at face value. For example it is rare to see an anti-Putin comment on RT but that doesn't mean that their reporting on other topics need not be fair and balanced, just us it would be rare to see VOA or CNN reporting on the systemic corruption on Wall St affecting the US political system.
My advice is to take on board multiple viewpoints about any major issue and determine your take on the matter yourself as all media outlets have their own agenda, regardless of their country of origin.
By RussiaToday on Oct 6, 2010
My advice is to take on board multiple viewpoints about any major issue and determine your take on the matter yourself as all media outlets have their own agenda, regardless of their country of origin.
By RussiaToday on Oct 6, 2010
The Chairman of the Broadcasting Board
of Governors - the organization overseeing U.S. media directed at
foreign audiences - says his organization needs to fight its enemies.
And among those are Iran's Press TV, China's CCTV and RT. Political
commentator Peter Lavelle says the chairman's statement puts him beyond
real journalism
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Cracking EUp: UK MPs want to buck Brussels
From:
|
Oct 24, 2011
The British Parliament is preparing to vote on whether to hold a referendum on its continued membership of the European Union. The debate was forced after more than 100 thousand people signed a petition demanding a say. Nigel Farage, MEP from the UK Independence Party, believes that far from being a uniting force, the EU is quickly becoming a catalyst for conflict between members.
The British Parliament is preparing to vote on whether to hold a referendum on its continued membership of the European Union. The debate was forced after more than 100 thousand people signed a petition demanding a say. Nigel Farage, MEP from the UK Independence Party, believes that far from being a uniting force, the EU is quickly becoming a catalyst for conflict between members.
James Turk interviews Ralf Flierl
Ralf Flierl, Editor of Smart Investor Magazine, and James Turk, Director of the GoldMoney Foundation, talk about investing in today’s uncertain world. They talk about precious metals, stocks, real estate, commodities and how tangible assets are the best protection in a currency crisis.
They explain how people feel that something is wrong with our financial and monetary system, but can’t explain what or how. Ralf Flierl explains that without understanding how our fiat money system works, it is difficult to know how to protect your wealth, let alone find solutions to the monetary troubles ahead. They talk about the Austrian economics content of Smart Investor Magazin. They talk about the Cantillon effect and how the monetary system affects distribution of wealth, increasing the divide between rich and poor.
This interview was recorded on October 1st 2011 in Vienna.
They explain how people feel that something is wrong with our financial and monetary system, but can’t explain what or how. Ralf Flierl explains that without understanding how our fiat money system works, it is difficult to know how to protect your wealth, let alone find solutions to the monetary troubles ahead. They talk about the Austrian economics content of Smart Investor Magazin. They talk about the Cantillon effect and how the monetary system affects distribution of wealth, increasing the divide between rich and poor.
This interview was recorded on October 1st 2011 in Vienna.
Gold above $1700 - Regains Haven Status
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Gold futures settled at a one-month high as the precious metal returned to its role as a safe haven amid uncertainty over the upcoming European Union debt summit.
Investors traditionally view gold as maintaining its value during times of financial turmoil, but for the past two months, the metal has risen and fallen in line with riskier assets such as stocks and commodities. Worries that a euro-zone member could default on its debt and create another global credit crunch have had investors selling gold to hold cash since September.
The link between gold and riskier assets appeared to snap after European finance ministers canceled a meeting set for Wednesday. Gold futures climbed above $1,700 a troy ounce for the first time in more than a month, while equity and commodity prices fell.
"The catalyst was the finance ministers' meeting cancellation ... that really just unleashed a very strong wave of safe-haven buying," said Jim Steel, a precious-metals analyst with HSBC in New York.
The cancellation unveiled simmering discord in the currency bloc, as officials wrangle over how best to beef up the region's rescue fund, recapitalize its banks and set the writedowns necessary for Greece's sovereign debt. The euro zone's main Wednesday summit remains as scheduled.
"This is a crucial day for gold," said Adam Klopfenstein, a senior market strategist with MF Global. "It's moving up with bonds, the dollar and the yen, and that tells me the 'flight-to-quality' money is back in."
The contract for October delivery rose $48.10, or 2.9%, to settle at $1,699.60 a troy ounce, its highest settlement since Sept. 22. The more actively traded December contract settled at $1,700.40.
Gold also got a boost Tuesday from falling treasury-bond yields, which eased in response to the euro-zone worries and a sharp decline in U.S. consumer confidence.
"We've seen long-term bond yields fall, and that reduced the opportunity cost of holding gold," said Bart Melek, senior commodity strategist with TD Securities. Lower bond yields augment gold's allure because the yellow metal doesn't earn interest.
The rest of the precious metals complex followed gold's cues, with December-delivery silver rallying 4.5% to settle at $33.052 a troy ounce. Nymex palladium for December delivery rose $13.60, or 2.1%, to settle at $652.10 a troy ounce........orginal source
Gold and Silver surge over 3% as haven bid restored
From Reuters:
Gold prices roared to one of the biggest one-day rallies in years on Tuesday, as euro zone jitters and gloomy U.S. consumer data rekindled a dormant safe-haven bid and triggered a flurry of technical buying.
After several months of trading largely in sync with riskier assets, gold raced more than 3 percent higher even as stock markets sank, cruising toward its best three-day run since a sharp fall in early August and reaching its highest price in more than a month. Silver soared 4 percent.
The rally coupled with the apparent return of gold's allure as a haven from uncertainty, instability and economic weakness emboldened some bulls, who have been sidelined through a month of range-bound trading. Strong buying related to a technical breakout and options expiry on Wednesday also aided bullion.
"Today is the first day since September that we are seeing real good technical and safe-haven buying," said Frank McGhee, head precious metals trader at Integrated Brokerage Services LLC.
Flight-to-quality buying reemerged after a flare-up over the European Central Bank and political turmoil in Italy kept the euro zone on edge on the eve of a European Union summit. But gold also appeared poised to win if leaders agree to "throw a load of money on the table", McGhee said.
Spot gold was up 3.2 percent at $1,705.24 an ounce by 2:38 p.m. EDT.
U.S. December gold futures settled up $48.10 at $1,700.40 an ounce. Trading volume was in line with its 30-day average.
Analysts said Tuesday's action was aided by a technical breakout as sizable buy orders from new investors emerged with heavy volume following a breach of strong resistance at around $1,660 an ounce.
More than 170,000 ounces changed hands for the December contract within a 10-minute timespan around 10 a.m. EDT after data showed U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly fell this month to its lowest since March 2009.
McGhee said futures short-covering by option sellers also boosted prices ahead of Wednesday's COMEX November option expiration. The $1,700 November call has been a popular bullish option play, traders said.
"A lot of today's rally was new buying, and $1,668 was the breakout point that brought more bullish momentum in gold," McGhee said. "Short-sellers ended up with futures that they never thought they would have to worry about."......read on
Keiser Report: Fecal Alchemy
By RussiaToday on Oct 25, 2011
This week Max Keiser and co-host Stacy Herbert discuss the message from Sirte, "Today Libya, Tomorrow Wall Street", and fecal alchemy and its two-tiered justice system. In the second half of the show, Max Keiser interviews Stephen Leeb, author of Red Alert: How China's Growing Prosperity Threatens the American.
This week Max Keiser and co-host Stacy Herbert discuss the message from Sirte, "Today Libya, Tomorrow Wall Street", and fecal alchemy and its two-tiered justice system. In the second half of the show, Max Keiser interviews Stephen Leeb, author of Red Alert: How China's Growing Prosperity Threatens the American.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Hole in Europe’s Bucket
From The New York TimesBy Paul Krugman
If it weren’t so tragic, the current European crisis would be funny, in a gallows-humor sort of way. For as one rescue plan after another falls flat, Europe’s Very Serious People — who are, if such a thing is possible, even more pompous and self-regarding than their American counterparts — just keep looking more and more ridiculous......read in full
Martin Armstrong - Is the Zurich Alleged Global Super-Entity Real?
click on the image to go thru to the report
Lest we Forget
I went to Martin Place today to see if there were any signs that the Occupy Sydney protest had ever existed. What I found was a wind and rain swept area devoid of any signs that a democracy movement had ever been there. The only visual reminders were 2 uniformed NSW police officers outside the front doors to The Reserve Bank and 60 Martin Place, the HQ of Westpac.
I took photos of the Commando Memorial (where the Occupy Sydney protest had been centered). Made me think what the commando's died for in WWII if not to uphold the right of the Australian people to take issue with the bank that financed the war they died in.
I took photos of the Commando Memorial (where the Occupy Sydney protest had been centered). Made me think what the commando's died for in WWII if not to uphold the right of the Australian people to take issue with the bank that financed the war they died in.
Commando Memorial in foreground, RBA behind
CrossTalk: Revolt Dot Com
by RussiaToday on Oct 24, 2011
Would there have been an Arab Spring without social media? How much do Egyptians owe to Facebook and Twitter? Have we seen a Twitter revolution or a people's revolution? And is calling it a Facebook revolution a good way to discredit people's ability to mobilize and push for reforms?
Would there have been an Arab Spring without social media? How much do Egyptians owe to Facebook and Twitter? Have we seen a Twitter revolution or a people's revolution? And is calling it a Facebook revolution a good way to discredit people's ability to mobilize and push for reforms?
Jim Rickards - The Fed Manipulates Perceptions
Gold Climbs for Second Day as European Debt Crisis Concern Stokes Demand
From Bloomberg: By Debarati Roy and Nicholas Larkin - Oct 25
Gold rose for a second straight session, tracking gains in others commodities, as renewed optimism for growth in China boosted prospects for raw-material demand.
The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Index of 24 raw materials climbed as much as 2.7 percent after reports showed China’s manufacturing may rise in October for the first time in four months. Gold also advanced on concern that U.S. monetary policy aimed at shoring up growth will spur inflation. Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Janet Yellen said on Oct. 21 that a third round of large-scale securities purchases may become warranted to boost the economy.
“Optimism about Chinese growth is pushing all commodities higher, including gold,” Fred Schoenstein, a trader at Heraeus Precious Metals Management in New York, said in a telephone interview. “Some people are also looking at it as a safe-haven investment.”.......read on
Monday, October 24, 2011
Bill Gross & Mohamed El-Erian interviewed
Two of the
investment world?s biggest stars! Bill Gross and Mohamed El-Erian,
Co-Chief Investment Officers of money management powerhouse PIMCO, sit
down together for an exclusive WealthTrack two part series.
Spenditol
Back by popular demand........
By concernedwomen on Jul 20, 2011
By concernedwomen on Jul 20, 2011
This video is brought to you by
Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC). Find
out more at Spenditol.com.
Paul Craig Roberts - What next for Libya?
By Paul Craig Roberts:
If Washington’s plans succeed, Libya will become another American puppet state. Most of the cities, towns, and infrastructure have been destroyed by air strikes by the air forces of the US and Washington’s NATO puppets. US and European firms will now get juicy contracts, financed by US taxpayers, to rebuild Libya. The new real estate will be carefully allocated to lubricate a new ruling class picked by Washington. This will put Libya firmly under Washington’s thumb.
With Libya conquered, AFRICOM will start on the other African countries where China has energy and mineral investments. Obama has already sent US troops to Central Africa under the guise of defeating the Lord’s Resistance Army, a small insurgency against the ruling dictator-for-life. The Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, welcomed the prospect of yet another war by declaring that sending US troops into Central Africa “furthers US national security interests and foreign policy.” Republican Senator James Inhofe added a gallon of moral verbiage about saving “Ugandan children,” a concern the senator did not have for Libya’s children or Palestine’s, Iraq’s, Afghanistan’s and Pakistan’s.
Washington has revived the Great Power Game and is vying with China. Whereas China brings Africa investment and gifts of infrastructure, Washington sends troops, bombs and military bases. Sooner or later Washington’s aggressiveness toward China and Russia is going to explode in our faces.
Where is the money going to come from to finance Washington’s African Empire? Not from Libya’s oil. Big chunks of that have been promised to the French and British for providing cover for Washington’s latest war of naked aggression. Not from tax revenues from a collapsing US economy where unemployment, if measured correctly, is 23 percent.
With Washington’s annual budget deficit as huge as it is, the money can only come from the printing press.
Washington has already run the printing press enough to raise the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) to 3.9% for the year (as of the end of September), the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) to 4.4% for the year, and the producer price index (PPI) to 6.9% for the year.
As statistician John Williams (shadowstats.com) has shown, the official inflation measures are rigged in order to hold down cost of living adjustments to Social Security recipients, thus saving money for Washington’s wars. When measured correctly, the current rate of inflation in the US is 11.5%.
What interest rate can savers get without taking massive risks on Greek bonds? US banks pay less than one-half of one percent on FDIC insured savings deposits. Short-term US government bond funds pay essentially zero.
Thus, according to official US government statistics American savers are losing between 3.9% and 4.4% of their capital yearly. According to John Williams’ estimate of the real rate of inflation, US savers are losing 11.5% of their accumulated savings.
As retired Americans receive no interest on their savings, they are having to spend down their capital. The ability of even the most prudent retirees to survive the negative rate of interest they are receiving and the erosion by inflation of any pensions that they receive will come to an end once their accumulated assets are exhausted.
Except for Washington’s favored mega-rich, the one percent that has captured all of the income gains of recent years, the rest of America has been assigned to the trash can. Nothing whatsoever has been done for them since the financial crisis hit in December 2007. Bush and Obama, Republican and Democrat, have focused on saving the 1 percent while giving the finger to the 99 percent.
Finally, some Americans, though not enough, have caught on to the flag-waving rah-rah “patriotism” that has consigned them to the trash bin of history. They are not going down without a fight and are in the streets. Occupy Wall Street has spread. What will be the fate of this movement?
Will the snow and ice of cold weather end the protests, or send them into public buildings? How long will the local authorities, subservient to Washington as they are, tolerate the obvious signal that the population lacks any confidence whatsoever in the government?
If the protests last, especially if they grow and don’t decline, the authorities will infiltrate the protestors with police provocateurs who will fire on the police. This will be the excuse to shoot down the protestors and to arrest the survivors as “terrorists” or “domestic extremists” and to send them to the $385 million dollar camps built under US government contract by Cheney’s Halliburton.
The Amerikan Police State will have taken its next step into the Amerikan Concentration Camp State.
Meanwhile, lost in their oblivion, conservatives will continue to bemoan the ruination of the country by homosexual marriage, abortion, and “the liberal media.” Liberal organizations committed to civil liberty, such as the ACLU, will continue to rank a woman’s right to an abortion with defense of the US Constitution. Amnesty International will assist Washington in demonizing its next target for military attack while turning a blind eye to the war crimes of President Obama.
When we consider what Israel has got away with, being as it is under Washington’s bought protection--the war crimes, the murders of children, the eviction in total disregard of international law of Palestinians from their ancestral homes, the bulldozing of their houses and uprooting of their olive groves in order to move in fanatical “settlers,” the murderous invasions of Lebanon and Gaza, the wholesale slaughter of civilians--we can only conclude that Washington, Israel’s enabler, can get away with far more.
In the few opening years of the 21st century, Washington has destroyed the US Constitution, the separation of powers, international law, the accountability of government, and has sacrificed every moral principle to achieving hegemony over the world. This ambitious agenda is being attempted while simultaneously Washington removed all regulation over Wall Street, the home of massive greed, permitting Wall Street’s short-term horizon to wreck the US economy, thus destroying the economic basis for Washington’s assault on the world.
Will the US collapse in economic chaos before it rules the world?
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Occupy Sydney broken up in dawn raid
Reuters -
Police broke up a Sydney protest camp inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement in an early morning raid on Sunday, making dozens of arrests, police and protesters said.
The 'Occupy Sydney' protest against corporate greed and economic inequality in the Martin Place business district had been going on for a week, with a small group sleeping out in the square despite seizure of camping equipment, setting up solar panels to charge mobile phones.The raid by about 100 officers came two days after police in Melbourne broke up a parallel protest there in violent scenes. New South Wales state police said they had made 40 arrests in Sydney on Sunday.
Police broke up a Sydney protest camp inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement in an early morning raid on Sunday, making dozens of arrests, police and protesters said.
The 'Occupy Sydney' protest against corporate greed and economic inequality in the Martin Place business district had been going on for a week, with a small group sleeping out in the square despite seizure of camping equipment, setting up solar panels to charge mobile phones.The raid by about 100 officers came two days after police in Melbourne broke up a parallel protest there in violent scenes. New South Wales state police said they had made 40 arrests in Sydney on Sunday.
Occupy Sydney : The Experience
On the Edge with Ed Harrison
by PressTVGlobalNews on Oct 22, 2011
http://www.presstv.com/Program/205983.html
In this edition of the show Max interviews Ed Harrison from Creditwritedowns.com.
In this edition of the show Max interviews Ed Harrison from Creditwritedowns.com.
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