MONEY: Who will buy GM’s IPO? The voters

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/30/general-motors-ipo-elections-opinions-columnists-shikha-dalmia.html

Uncommon Sense
Obama’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ Moment At GM
Shikha Dalmia, 08.30.10, 12:21 PM EDT
The company’s politically motivated IPO could jeopardize taxpayer ”investment.”

*** begin quote ***

The General Motors IPO, the second largest ever, is arguably this decade’s most hyped financial event. But it might also turn out to be this decade’s biggest financial fiasco. Its timing is driven not by the financial needs of the company– or the interests of taxpayers who are poised to get royally screwed–but the election-year needs of the Obama administration.

*** end quote ***

And, we still got screwed as the GM bond holders.

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RANT: The bad conduct just keeps on coming

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=7392

Belgian cardinal disappointed that meeting with victim was taped
August 31, 2010

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A spokesman for Cardinal Godfried Danneels said that the cardinal regretted what transpired at a meeting with a now-retired bishop and the nephew whom the bishop abused.

During an April 8 meeting, Cardinal Godfried Danneels urged the man abused by Bishop Roger Vangheluwe of Brugges to remain silent about the abuse until the bishop retired, according to a tape secretly made by the victim. Transcripts of the tape were published in the Belgian press over the weekend.

The cardinal “realizes that the whole approach, as it was, was not the right one,” said his spokesman. “It was improvisation.”

*** end quote ***

Just like I’d never talk to a politicians and bureaucrats without my lawyer. (See example of “talking to politicians” results for Roger Clemens faux pas! See example of “talking to bureaucrats” results for Blago’s fate.), so to I’d never talk to any criminal without recording it.

The cardinal is now in a cover up.

And, as we are instructed by the “Rules of Thumb”, and Martha Stewart learned the hard way, “it’s not the crime but the cover up that gets you”!

Why would anyone suggest covering up any crime? Money!

We’ll have to see how this unwinds.

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GOVERNACIDE: FIVE dead!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100831/D9HUEJ000.html

5 American troops killed in latest Afghan violence
Aug 31, 7:37 AM (ET)
By RAHIM FAIEZ

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Five U.S. troops were killed by roadside bombs and insurgent fire in southern and eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the latest casualties in a particularly bloody spell that has left 19 service members dead since Saturday.

*** end quote ***

Exit strategy?

Just leave.

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INSPIRATIONAL: Chinese should embarrass us into action

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/08/29/135221/China-Plans-To-Mine-the-Yellow-Sea-Floor

News: China Plans To Mine the Yellow Sea Floor on Sunday August 29, @09:33AM
Posted by timothy on Sunday August 29, @09:33AM

*** begin quote ***

eldavojohn writes “Details are limited but state media is reporting on $75 million being put into a new research facility in Qingdao, Shandong Province that will conduct research into mining the sea floor. From the article: ‘Scientists believe sea beds at a depth of 4,000 to 6,000 meters hold abundant deposits of rare metals and methane hydrate, a solidified form of natural gas bound into ice that can serve as a new energy source.’ The research center’s first goal is to do surveying and exploration with a new submersible named ‘Jiaolong’ (a mythical aquatic Chinese dragon). Hopefully these quests yield energy resources to meet growing demand for resources like liquefied coal in China.”

*** end quote ***

So, why should this be “inspirational”?

It should be inspirational, because we should be embarrassed that we are so far behind. And, out of touch with reality.

Why aren’t we DOING the big things?

Venial leaders, lazy people, and an economy that is suppressed by the Gooferment!

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INSPIRATIONAL: John Taylor Gatto “schooling and education”

Monday, August 30, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/64305.html

John Taylor Gatto: Here he is on the difference between schooling and education.

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Stunning!

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What gets taught in schools:

  1. confusion — everything is interrupted
  2. class position evy fear – contempt — rigged competition
  3. indifference — lesson of bells — nothing is permitted to upset routine
  4. emotional dependency — surrender to the chain of command
  5. intellectual dependency — told what to think
  6. evaluation of experts of what you are worth
  7. you have no privacy — closely watched

Taught to be an Egyptian slave —- stones in a pyramid

Argh

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POLITICAL: End “benefits” now

Monday, August 30, 2010

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/08/one_payoff_to_pass_obamacare_n.html

August 29, 2010
One payoff to pass Obamacare not paying off
Ed Lasky

*** begin quote ***

We know about the backroom deals made to get Congressmen to vote for ObamaCare but there were also favors cut out for unions, drug makers, and even small business to get them to support the program.

Guess what? The “credit” offered to small business to help them pay for the increased health care costs-due to ObamaCare mandates- turns out to be not much help at all.

*** end quote ***

Make a deal with the devil and don’t be surprised when you get cheated.

Not much to say, but dealing with the Gooferment for “special favors” isn’t what business is supposed to be all about.

Remember this whole benefits mess was created by FDR’s wage and price control in WW2. And, generations later we are still screwed by it.

Time to take some bitter medicine.

Phase out “benefits”.

Businesses should pay their workers their full wage. Allow people to buy “health insurance” like car insurance. THen it would be “portable”.

Perhaps then credit unions to offer group insurance to its members?

Argh!

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TINFOILHAT: BHO44’s certificate

Sunday, August 29, 2010

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41575.html

Obama blasts lies, disinformation

By GLENN THRUSH | 8/29/10 7:11 PM EDT Updated: 8/29/10 9:17 PM EDT

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Williams, sitting under a tent in a rain-soaked New Orleans, where the First Family commemorated the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, asked Obama why so many people were uncertain about something so fundamental as his faith.

“I can’t spend all of my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead,” quipped Obama, who took a deep breath to gather his thoughts when asked if the poll reflected his inability to communicate with voters.

*** end quote ***

Excuse me, we didn’t ask for him to go around with his “birth certificate plastered” anywhere!

We’d like to see the REAL document. And all the other papers that have been deliberately concealed.

No wise cracks. Just release them.

Real simple. Ten minutes. We either have the Truth, or not!

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RANT: My market outlook; catch that falling knife?

Sunday, August 29, 2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908704575433670771742884.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance

* RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
* AUGUST 21, 2010

Rethinking Gold: What if It Isn’t a Commodity After All?

*** begin quote ***

For investors convinced U.S. lawmakers and central bankers will successfully manage the budgetary woes and the massive unfunded liabilities of Social Security and Medicare, then gold is overvalued in the long term. Righting America’s national balance sheet would explicitly raise the dollar’s value as investors with money abroad move assets into a more-sound American economy. The selling of euro, yen and pounds would push the dollar higher—and gold lower.

If, however, you worry the U.S. balance sheet is irreparably damaged, then gold currently reflects the likelihood that a weak-dollar trend still has years to run as the U.S. struggles with its financial mess. Investors—and consumers—looking to preserve their purchasing power will gravitate toward gold, since its quantity isn’t easily manipulated.

Invest in gold, then, according your beliefs about the future of the greenback. Just don’t invest based on the idea that gold is a proxy for inflation. You are likely to be played for a fool.

*** end quote ***

Yeah, trust that politicians and bureaucrats can put us back on the right track? And, the tooth fairy will leave “We, The People” a few trillion dollars under our pillow tonight.

No, this is going to get very ugly.

Just watch the politicians and bureaucrats get gold plated pensions and lifetime healthcare, and see that the serfs get? Obamacare and the proverbial iceberg for old people. Sarah was right about “death panels”. When the livestock is uneconomic what do you do with it? Off to the slaughter hose called healthcare. The State needs the young vigorous workers. The soldiers for its endless wars. Dumbed down by Gooferment education so they won’t object to being led by the elite. (Where do politicians send their children to school?)

At the first hint that the 2010 elections are not going to sweep the D’s out, the market will tank as EVERYONE, including me, tries to hit the exits.

Even if we dodge that bullet, at the first hint that the then Lame Duck is going to do bad things, again the “eject button” gets hit.

And, even if we dodge those two, at the first hint that the New “Tea Party” driven Congress is not going to: defund Obamacare, roll back spending in a big way, and reduce taxation / regulation on small businesses. Again, hit the “eject me from this market” button. Where that wealth goes is problematical: gold, overseas, into real assets like farmland?

And even if we dodge that, at the first hint that BHO44 isn’t a one termer, exit stage left. Wealth will again leave the playing field before it gets stolen. Better to bury your gold coins in your back yard than let your IRA be stolen for an “enhanced Social Security benefit”.

For your own good of course, the stock market is too risky. Never let a good crisis go to waste. The returns on your wealth that was stolen under the guise of Social Security Insurance are so superb; throw your IRA and 401K on the same bonfire.

Argh! Not looking too good for the future generations.

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GOVERNACIDE: Seven!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100829/D9HT5OJ80.html

7 US troops killed in latest Afghanistan fighting
Aug 29, 9:10 AM (ET)
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

*** begin quote ***

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Seven U.S. troops have died in weekend attacks in Afghanistan’s embattled southern and eastern regions, while officials found the bodies Sunday of five kidnapped campaign aides working for a female candidate in the western province of Herat.

*** end quote ***

Sadly reported.

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MONEY: DC eyes the IRA and 401k pots of gold

Sunday, August 29, 2010

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=196173

WND Exclusive
Government wants your 401(k)
Hearings set on plan to require Treasuries in ‘automatic IRA’
Posted: August 26, 2010 11:03 pm Eastern
By Jerome R. Corsi

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON – AUGUST 17: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner speaks during a Conference on the Future of Housing Finance at the Treasury Department on August 17, 2010 in Washington, DC. Secretary Geithner hosted the future of housing finance conference with industry experts, leading academic experts and other stakeholders. The Obama administration appears to be proceeding with a novel way of financing trillion-dollar budget deficits by forcing IRA and 401(k) holders to buy Treasury bonds by mandating the placement of government-structured annuities in their investment accounts. The requirement to invest private retirement assets has been cleverly buried within plans to create “automatic IRAs” that would mandate employer groups enroll all employees in 401(k) or IRA plans.

*** end quote ***

When the Gooferment needs trillions, where can it find it?

The retirement savings of the workers.

Think it can’t happen here?

Think again.

Remember FDR and the gold confiscation?

And all “they” have to do is tell the less than 2,000 “custodians” to send it in.

What Congress gives; it can take away. And, one should NEVER trust a politician. EVER!

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