Sunday, July 31, 2011

Libyan TV still on air despite NATO bombing

Reuters
In a video statement titled "NATO silences Gaddafi's terror broadcasts," NATO official Colonel Roland Lavoie said NATO had disabled the ground-based satellites in a precision airstrike.

Libyan state television continued to broadcast, however, and the Libyan Broadcasting Corporation issued a statement saying three employees were killed and 15 wounded in the strike.



"It's absolutely plausible that what NATO is concerned about is the dissemination of propaganda exploiting Younes's death, particularly now that there's more information suggesting it was an Islamist-orientated group that committed the killing," said Shashank Joshi, of London's Royal United Services Institute.



Update 00:01 1 Aug Guardian
The attempt to silence the government's TV broadcasts comes at a sensitive time for the rebels, who appear to be in disarray after the mysterious death of their military chief[Younis].

Comment section to Reuters article:
victorious11 wrote:
IS THIS THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH THEY TRYING TO CONVINCE THE OTHER NATIONS OF HELL AND THEN THE WORLD WILL SET AROUND TABLES WONDERING ” WHY TERRORISM SPREADING AROUND?” NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW WHY …..

Jul 30, 2011 12:22pm EDT -- Report as abuse
oxen wrote:
AFRICA needs to send forces to help Libya chase out the colonizers. They came in guise on UN limited mandate to protect civilians and now changed to full war to grab oil wealth. In the past they came as missionaries and changed to colonizers. For how long will Africa suffer from imperialism? Hauge , Cameroon and Sarkozy are ganging up to again to grab Africa resources using the bandits of Benghazi who are fooling innocent youth that this is a revolution and leading them to death in the process. If it is a revolution why should your own commander? NATO resorting to scorched earth policy show all they care for is OIL-even if all Libya infrastructure and people are destroyed in the process,oil will still be there. Libyans need to talk to each other and choose own leaders–it is not up to NATO to impose the bandits of Benghazi to Libyans

Jul 30, 2011 12:54pm EDT -- Report as abuse
jimmyfaber wrote:
the media has become completely hawkish now.
why isn’t any1 reporting about the nato bombing
of the water facility that provides water to
70% of libyans? that is a direct violation of
the geneva convention to attack a facility
used for civilians to survive. obama is more of a
war monger than bush and he didn’t even consult
congress. every1 is turning a blind eye.

Jul 30, 2011 5:29pm EDT -- Report as abuse
PrettyGoy wrote:
Bombing TV stations and satellite dishes to ‘protect civilians’. And stop ‘terror broadcasts’. We’ve become fascists.

Jul 30, 2011 5:31pm EDT -- Report as abuse
jimmyfaber wrote:
every1 knows this nato attack is all for oil. if libya’s #1 export was rice do u think nato would be there? kaddafi was making alliance with china, russia and others that scared the west. plus he demanded more $ for the oil. the media is complicit in spreading the lies of obama and europe. why did nato bomb installations that deliver water to 70% of libyans. isn’t that a war crime just by itself?

Jul 30, 2011 5:32pm EDT -- Report as abuse
US bond auction and debt ratings this week.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Libyan civil war being fought amongst rebel factions

Al-Jazeera reporter Tony Birtley
Now at the press conference today Jalil inferred that this was the work of pro-Gaddafi agents seeking to create divisions within the opposition. So still we're no nearer to the truth at the moment. He said that there is investigation ongoing, he also said that there's going to be a clampdown on militias and groups who do not come under the umbrella of the opposition armed forces, and if they did not agree and come under the umbrella, they would be dealt with according to the law here. [...]





Tarpley.net

Thursday, July 28, 2011

A Thousand Pictures Is Worth One Word: Worthless



Jeff Clark at Casey Research posted on Zerohedge:
So, will a similar fate befall the U.S. dollar? The common denominator that led to the downfall of each currency above was the two big Ds: Debts and Deficits.

With that in mind, consider the following:

Morgan Stanley reported in 2009 that there’s “no historical precedent” for an economy that exceeds a 250% debt-to-GDP ratio without experiencing some sort of financial crisis or high inflation. Our total debt now exceeds GDP by roughly 400%.

Investment legend Marc Faber reports that once a country’s payments on debt exceed 30% of tax revenue, the currency is “done for.” On our current path, analyst Michael Murphy projects we’ll hit that figure by October.

Peter Bernholz, the leading expert on hyperinflation, states unequivocally that “hyperinflation is caused by government budget deficits.” This year’s U.S. budget deficit will end up being $1.5 trillion, an amount never before seen in history.

Since the Federal Reserve’s creation in 1913, the dollar has lost 95% of its purchasing power. Our government leaders clearly don’t know how – or don’t wish – to keep the currency strong.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

US Treasuries seen as a "mirage"

Former Chinese central bank adviser Yu Yongding
repeated his call for China to reduce its Treasury holdings amid an impasse among policy makers on raising the U.S. government’s debt limit.
“U.S. bonds are not safe, but people think they are safe,” Yu, a researcher at a Beijing institute under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told reporters at a briefing in Mumbai, India, today. “That is a mirage.”

Research in Motion cuts 2000 jobs


Yesterday BlackBerry maker Research in Motion announced that it was cutting 2,000 jobs, or 11% of its work force. A chief operating officer has also left the company.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Monday, July 25, 2011

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Gold hits record as US deficit talks stall


Gold hit a record high above $1,620 an ounce on Monday, while the dollar steadied and Asian stocks slipped as investors piled into bullion over fears of a possible U.S. debt default as the debt ceiling talks in Washington stalled.

Spot gold, which has risen nearly 14 percent so far this year, climbed more than 1 percent to a record of $1,622.49 an ounce, before easing to $1,613.04 by 0301 GMT. U.S. gold also hit a record at $1,624.30. It was last quoted at

$1,613.30.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hillary pwnage: Gaddafi may be staying


France suggests plan for Gaddafi to stay in Libya

Playing the waiting game has paid off for Muammar Qaddafi. After conducting four months of daily bombings, the NATO-led allies are willing to make a concession to persuade him to give up power: Let him stay in Libya.

Malawi press arrested for covering unrest and held without charge


Malawi cracks down on media covering protests
New York, July 21, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns sweeping arrests and attacks on journalists, as well as censorship by the administration of Malawi President Bingu Wa Muthiraka against media outlets reporting on nationwide antigovernment protests that erupted on Wednesday.

In response to the unrest, today the state-run Malawi Communications Regulations Authority (MACRA) switched off the signals private broadcasters Joy Radio, Capital Radio, and MIJ FM, for about four hours, Joy lawyer Ralph Kasambara told CPJ.


Police arrested a contributor to Nyasa Times, a U.K.-based online news site critical of the government, journalist Collins Mtika, today as he covered protests in the northern city of Mzuzu, according to local journalists. Mtika remains held without charge on anti-government accusations. Vitima Ndovi, a freelance journalist in the capital, Lilongwe, was also arrested today and remains in custody. Police assaulted and briefly detained reporter Kingsely Jassi of private media group Blantyre Newspaper Limited after he took photos of officers beating a man, according to Independent Nation reporter Kondwani Munthali.


D[emocratic] P[rogressive]P[arty] Youths Turn Violent

Malawi protests of fuel shortages and exchange restrictions


Reuters


Protestors take to the streets of Malawi"s commercial capital Blantyre, July 20, 2011.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Riot on Monday in China's Xinjiang, in the worst street clash since two years in the remote northwest province bordering Central Asia

Many in the region,such at the Uighurs, of Xinjiang are unhappy with what they say has been decades of repressive rule by Beijing
Longstanding tension divides Xinjiang's eight million Turkic-speaking, Muslim Uighur minority from the dominant influx of Han migrants.

Beijing has pumped funds to develop the oil-rich region on a goal of bringing its GDP on par with the national average in five years.



Discontented Uighurs complain that their cultural freedom is restrained and they claim that the region's economic policies mainly benefit the Hans.

Beijing has in the past blamed sporadic attacks in Xinjiang on fringe extremists seeking an independent Turkestan. Last year, seven paramilitary personnel died in a bomb attack in Xinjiang.


The situation in Hotan, an ancient trading post oasis on the famed Silk Road, remained tense after the attack, with police sealing off roads in and out of the city and "large numbers" of anti-Chinese flyers circulating, Raxit said in an emailed statement.

Xinjiang -- a vast, arid but resource-rich region bordering Central Asia -- is home to more than eight million Turkic-speaking Uighurs.
Many are unhappy with what they say has been decades of repressive rule by Beijing and unwanted Han immigration.

Steve Wynn Annihilates Barack Obama: "This Administration Is The Greatest Wet Blanket To Business And Job Creation In My Lifetime"




Zerohedge quotes the latest Wynn [casino properties] earnings conference call:


I believe in Las Vegas, I think its best days are ahead of it, but I'm afraid to do anything in the current political environment in the United States. You watch television and see what's going on on this this debt ceiling issue. And what I consider to be a total lack of leadership from the President, and nothing will get fixed until the President himself steps up and wrangles both parties in Congress. But everybody is so political, so focused on holding their job for the next year, that the discussion in Washington is nauseating.

And I'm saying it bluntly that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business and progress and job creation in my lifetime. And I can prove it and I could spend the next three hours giving you examples of all of us in this marketplace that are frightened to death about all the new regulations, our health care costs escalate. Regulations coming from left and right. A President that seems, you know -- that keeps using that word redistribution.

Well, my customers and the companies that provide the vitality for the hospitality and restaurant industry, in the United States of America, they're frightened of this administration. And it makes you slow down and not invest your money. Everybody complains about how much money is on the side in America. You bet. And until we change the tempo and the conversation from Washington, it's not going to change.

GOLD breaks 1600 USD

Silver breaks 40 USD


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Don't worry

zerohedge comment:




by TheFourthStooge-ing
on Sun, 07/17/2011 - 22:19
#1465247

Don't worry, they will fix everything. They always do.

I'll just watch some more television, and everything will be fine.

Swiss Franc update:


1 CHF = 1.2305 USD +0.00182 (0.148%)
Jul 18, 5:00AM GMT+00:00

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Swiss Franc Update


1 CHF = 1.2048 USD +0.00722 (0.603%)
Jul 12, 8:00PM GMT+00:00

Swiss Franc update: record in GBP and EUR


1 CHF = 1.2002 USD +0.00259 (0.216%)
Jul 12, 4:00PM GMT+00:00



The Swiss Franc The Swiss Franc is among the best performers on Monday supported by risk aversion triggered by concerns over debt problems in the Eurozone. The Yen is also rising in the market and both currencies remains near session highs.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Cisco To Fire 7,000 by end of August


From zerohedge:
A year after the outgoing secretary of the treasury top ticked the economy and ushered in QE 2 with his abysmal NYT op-ed "Welcome to the Recovery" it is only appropriate that we get news that Cisco is preparing to fire 10,000, or 14% of its entire workforce, over and above the number of people that the company said was going to be let go in May. "The cuts include as many as 7,000 jobs that would be eliminated by the end of August, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t final.

Assad loyalists attack U.S., French embassies in Syria



Protesters loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad broke into the U.S. embassy compound in Damascus on Monday, according to diplomats, while other reports say French embassy guards have opened live fire on protesters trying to enter the compound.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Putin's take on NATO attacks on Libya

Putin, during official visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, comments on NATO aggression against Libya, covered on RT News 26 April, 2011:

Australia Estate Agents Withholding Price Information from Buyers

Agents withhold house price data

Real estate agents and vendors have been accused of deliberately omitting auction information to conceal poor results and create a more positive perception of Melbourne's ailing property market.



From the comments:
So the state government has no plans to intervene, and believes the onus is on the real estate agents to self regulate. Since when did real estate agents have potential cleints' interests in mind? Deliberately misleading the public and selectively reporting their own data surely has to be stamped out. For all the rhetoric of wanting to help first home buyers, such a head-in-the-sand attitude by the state government is ridiculous.
Since when were real estate agents able to self regulate? - July 10, 2011, 9:20AM

Self-regulate = poor excuse for 'do nothing'.
FC | OZ - July 10, 2011, 9:29AM


Friday, July 8, 2011

State Budget Costing Central Coast Cities Millions

From the article:
Sacramento, Calif.-Since Governor Jerry Brown signed a state budget into law, cities across the Central Coast are losing millions of dollars.

Monterey's Assistant City Manager Fred Cohn says the city lost $3.5 million when the state eliminated redevelopment funds.

Now projects like revamping Cannery Row aren't going to happen.

The city of Seaside says it's set to lose $9 annually, which could lead to layoffs.

Salinas will also lose at least $3 million and for now projects in Oldtown Salinas are stalled.

Santa Cruz expects to be out $4.6 million, which will hurt efforts to bring in new businesses through financial incentives.

Finally, Watsonville is missing out on $3.6 million because of the loss of redevelopment funds.

Swiss Parliament to discuss gold franc


Switzerland, which in 2000 became one of the last countries to decouple its currency from gold, is not the only place to contemplate a change in the precious metal’s role amid controversy over government involvement in the economy. In March, Utah became the first state in the U.S. to legalize gold and silver coins as currency, while similar legislation was considered in Montana, Missouri, Colorado, Idaho and Indiana.

“I want Swiss people to have the freedom to choose a completely different currency,” said Thomas Jacob, the man behind the gold franc concept. ”Today’s monetary system is all backed by debt — all backed by nothing — and I want people to realize this.”

Gaddafi speech 17 June 2011


Why am I posting this? Because it has not been reported in the U.S.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Wall Street braces for new layoffs as profits wane

Bankster layoffs
Faced with weak markets and uncertainty over regulations, many of the biggest firms are preparing for deep cuts in jobs and other costs.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

African Union calls for ceasefire in Libya

Tanzania and other African Union (AU) members have called for
immediate cease fire and resumption of peace talks between the Libyan government and rebels.
The minister said that the AU members formed a committee of officials from five countries to meet and hold talks with the Libyan government and rebels. “They passed a declaration for the international community to end the no-fly zone rule to Libya to enable easy travel to the country,” he noted.Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe revealed this before journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam when briefing on the heads of state summit held in Equatorial Guinea between June 30 and July 1, this year.