Andy Schectman - "Silver is a Powder Keg Waiting To Explode"

Moody's warns could cut 5 states tied to U.S. credit

(Reuters) - Texas and nine other states could end up with a higher credit rating than the United States.

That is what Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday said could happen if lawmakers in Washington fumble debt talks so badly the rating agency is forced to cut the U.S. rating to Aa1 from its current triple-A level.

Ten states, including Texas, Missouri and Iowa, are not heavily dependent on federal aid and therefore will keep their triple-A ratings even if the United States is downgraded a notch, the rating agency said.

However, the remaining five states rated Aaa by Moody's -- Maryland, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia -- are likely to lose their top rating as their ties to the U.S. government in terms of high federal employment levels or Medicaid exposure put them in jeopardy should the United States' rating be cut to Aa1 or lower, according to the rating agency.....read on

Inside Story - Will America default?

By AlJazeeraEnglish on Jul 19, 2011

Gold and cash are the most popular asset classes in Asia

Foam Opera

From: RussiaToday | Jul 19, 2011

Rupert Murdoch and his son have spent three hours facing angry lawmakers over phone-hacking and police bribery claims at the now axed News of the World. Events took a dramatic twist when two protestors broke in to the Westminster committee chamber. The hearing has resumed, and RT's Laura Emmett is following it from London.

Saudi Arabia alarmed by US intentions

Press TV talks with Webster Griffin Tarpley, author, journalist and lecturer from Washington who considers the Egyptian revolution and other colored revolutions as US-sponsored events to weaken Saudi Arabia. He reveals startling information about the CIA and al-Qaeda and summarizes the 'divide and conquer' strategy of the US in the Middle East. Following is a transcript of the interview.

Suspicious minds

From: PressTVGlobalNews | Jul 19, 2011

Police in the United Kingdom say the death of the whistleblower reporter, who alleged widespread hacking at the News of the World, is not suspicious.

Sean Hoare, who was found dead, was quoted as saying that phone-hacking was widely used and even encouraged at the News of the World.

Press TV talks with Ian Williams, Foreign Policy in Focus in New York, to discuss the issue.

Gold bullion versus gold stocks and Europe's continuing debt problems

Geoff Candy of Mineweb discusses Gold, Silver, Carbon taxes and inflation with John Licata of Blue Phoenix......listen here

Keiser Report: Debts & Ratings Theater

By RussiaToday on Jul 19, 2011

This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, look at the political theatre of America's AAA rating in a land where gold is not money and shoplifting is a sign of a strong economy. In the second half of the show, Max talks to Amir Taaki, founder of BitcoinConsultancy, about the peer to peer currency, Bitcoin, and its recent trials and tribulations.