MONEY: Uncontrolled government debt and unfunded liabilities!

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/02/no_author/are-you-ready-for-total-war/

Are You Ready For Total Currency War?
By Ron Holland
The Daily Bell
February 19, 2015

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“Are you ready for total war?” “Sind Sie bereit für totalen Krieg?” – Joseph Goebbels

On February 18, 1943, German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels delivered a rousing speech at the Berlin Sportpalast, asking the German people, “Sind Sie bereit für totalen Krieg?” or “Are you ready for total War?” Germany had planned for Blitzkrieg and a short war and was unprepared for a world war as the combined military forces of the United States, England and the Soviet Union crushed the Reich relentlessly and systematically. Although the people and economy rallied in defense of Germany, total war only prolonged the horrors of war and delayed their inevitable defeat.

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Personally I don’t plan on defending American politicians in Washington from foreign or domestic assault or the central banking cartel and Wall Street investment bankers who ultimately will destroy the world in a sea of debt. But emergency presidential executive orders guarantee we will not be able to protect our retirement funds, savings and investment portfolios from confiscation when the chickens come home to roost on the Washington Empire.

If we have some wealth or property left when the dollar fails, we cannot stop the future “means testing” of our Social Security and Medicare benefits. Much of our domestic real estate holdings may well be stolen by favored groups and individuals when we can’t pay the exorbitant annual property taxes just like much property in the defeated South was taken by northeastern “carpet baggers” after the War Between the States – or lost during the Great Depression, which is a more likely scenario for comparison of what all productive Americans will face in the future.

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Americans should take advantage of recent dollar strength to diversify into gold, investments, real estate and safe haven locations outside the US dollar and the United States. Better to be early than too late because eventually the consequences of aggressive military actions, central banking manipulation and uncontrolled government debt and unfunded liabilities will come home to the American people.

*** end quote ***

While I’m a tin foil hat, I do think that this nails two concerns of Joe / Jane Sixpack, every retiree or soon to be retiree, and anyone on a fixed income, poor, or with a family.

DEBT

18T$ that can never be repaid. Unless some Star Trek / Star Wars / Deus Ex Machina arrives to save us.

What’s worse, that level of debt can not be serviced at any historical rate of interest. If we assume 5%, then the debt service is 900M$ a year. Assuming you can keep rolling it over. (It’s called counterparty risk. Who will want the other side of that stinky IOU and at what price?)

LIABILITIES

Gooferment pensions, social security, unsecured bonds are wildly underfunded.

There’s a reason that corporations are dumping defined benefit pension plans and moving to defined contribution plans. No one wants to be on the hook for that “benefit” with the risk of going broke or to jail if it’s not met.

The politicians and bureaucrats that underfunded these liabilities will be long gone when these very ugly big chickens come home to roost.

ACTION

  • Better save more and differently
  • Get “prepared” like the Amish — for hard times. Think the Great Depression on steroids
  • Demand political accountability for spending, deficits, debts, and “entitlements” aka welfare 
  • Diversify and keep a lot in reserve

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POLITICAL: Keystone XL Pipeline Bill

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Pipeline Bill

President Barack Obama Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that is a top priority for congressional Republicans and a touchstone issue for environmentalists and the nation’s booming energy industry.

The bill would have authorized Canadian company TransCanada Corp. to construct the 1,179-mile pipeline, which has been under review by the Obama administration for more than six years. The bill, which declared the pipeline to have satisfied environmental laws, passed the GOP-controlled Congress earlier this year.

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Not unexpected.

Too bad since not only is it jobs and energy. It’s a safer way to transport the stuff.

Dumb!

Now the battle lines are drawn.

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INSPIRATIONAL: The Art of Intelligent Waiting

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/patience-the-art-of-intelligent-waiting.html

Patience, The Art of Intelligent Waiting
Sara, from Institute of HeartMath
February 15, 2015

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Impatience, it is clear, is not an emotion that befalls only an unfortunate few. It may be true that there is a lot of impatience in some people, but there is a little impatience in all people.

Institute of HeartMath Founder Doc Childre characterizes patience as “the art of intelligent waiting” – waiting with purpose, positive intention and a sincere belief that waiting is an important element in the unfolding of all things.

“Patience is the practice of maintaining a state of inner ease and resilience when you are tempted to be impatient,” Doc says, “especially when the mind wants to force results, rather than remain in flow.

“Impatience is an invitation to frustration, shallow discernment, and faulty choices. With a little heart-focused intention and practice, we can effect a makeover by replacing impatience with patience – the secret sauce in the recipe for flow. When our hearts truly commit to becoming patient, then our minds will cooperate, surrender their resistance and take purposeful steps to manifest it.”

*** end quote ***

What an excellent inspirational meme.

I’ve been told that I am a good “wait-er”.

Probably my Mom’s training — “we” go “shopping” it seemed like all the time — I used to call it “inventorying” cause she rarely bought anything — and I always had a sci fi pocket book to pass the time. Maybe she was just making sure I read a lot? What do nerds do otherwise?

In any event, that was not what this describes.

I have to think about this more since it seems I’m waiting a lot more.

Argh!

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RANT: ‘BIRDMAN’ over ‘SNIPER’

Monday, February 23, 2015

‘Birdman’ Wins Best Picture at Academy Awards

“Birdman” won best picture and best original screenplay at the 87th annual Academy Awards. The movie’s director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, won best director. Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne took top acting honors, and J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette won the Oscars for best supporting roles.

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You have to be kidding. I saw both in the movies. BIRDMAN was a giant non-sequitur of non-sense.

Guess fat old white guy injineers don’t understand “art”, the problems of an aging actor, or the angst of the creative process.

Waste of money imho.

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POLITICAL: Scrap the tax code

Monday, February 23, 2015

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/232688-rand-paul-scrap-the-tax-code

Rand Paul: Scrap the tax code
By Kevin Cirilli – 02/12/15 04:52 PM EST

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“The IRS is too big, too powerful, and we absolutely should scrap the code,” Paul, a prospective 2016 presidential candidate, answered. “Look for my tax plan later this spring.”

Paul was touting his “Audit the Fed” proposal, which has 30 co-sponsors and would allow the comptroller general to audit the Federal Reserve. Fed officials oppose the policy, saying that it’d politicize monetary policy.

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First thing is to change the incentives from “taxing work” to “taxing consumption”. On the way to not taxing at all.

All Gooferment “services” should be on a take it / pay for it or leave it / don’t pay for it basis.

Education is a classic example of a corrupt boondoggle.

Teachers are represented by “unions” who “bargain” with politicians and bureaucrats. The “unions” contribute money and labor to the politicians. And, everyone, except the taxpayer, gets rich.

First step to disassembling this is to END Gooferment defined benefit plans. Can’t find one in industry any more. Why are they in the “public sector”?

Argh!

We need a “Hercules” to clean the Aegean Stable!

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INTERESTING: Alecia Faith Pennington “identification abuse”

Sunday, February 22, 2015

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2015/0212/Alecia-Pennington-can-t-prove-she-s-an-American-or-even-exists.-What-would-you-do

USA SOCIETY
Alecia Pennington can’t prove she’s an American – or even exists. What would you do?
To the government, Alecia Pennington doesn’t exist. She has been unable to get a driver’s license, get a job, go to college, get on a plane, get a bank account, or vote. What can she do?
By Samantha Laine FEBRUARY 12, 2015

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On Sep. 24, 2014, 18-year-old Alecia Faith Pennington left her family and childhood home with the help of her grandparents. Having been raised in a staunchly Christian, homeschooled family in Texas, she was ready to set off and pursue a new life.

But she quickly realized that would not be possible. While she claims that she was born on Nov. 26, 1995, there is no actual proof of her age or identity, when it comes to the United States government.

Ms. Pennington, who says she’s now 19, has launched a campaign via YouTube and Facebook called “Help Me Prove It.” In the video, she explains her strange circumstance: she was born at home, after which her parents neglected to file for a birth certificate or a social security number; she was homeschooled and therefore has no school records; she has never been to a hospital and is without medical records. Furthermore, she says that her parents have been refusing to help her.

She appears caught in a Kafkaesque bureaucratic web – one that’s been dubbed “identification abuse,” which a small percentage of homeschooled children and adults sometimes experience, often due to the unconventional views held by their parents.

*** end quote ***

It seems that any court of competent jurisdiction could solve this quickly.

*** begin quote ***

For Alecia, Stollar suggests that her best option is to find a lawyer who will be willing to represent her pro bono. Her campaign has at least shed light on a situation that a small but sometimes desperate group of homeschooled children face. And the easiest solution, he notes, would be for Alecia’s parents to cooperate.

*** end quote ***

Shame on the Texas Bar association for not stepping up to the plate?

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probono@texasbar.com

TO: Legal Access Division Pro Bono Department

I’d hope that this prompts your organization to step up to the bar for her.

fjohn

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FUN: George Carlin “Safe at home”

Saturday, February 21, 2015

http://youtu.be/qmXacL0Uny0

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RIP George. 

You always made me laugh!

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GUNS: Loaded weapons BEHIND people on the firing line?

Friday, February 20, 2015

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/02/12/american-sniper-chris-kyle-never-had-chance-to-draw-gun-texas-ranger-says/?intcmp=latestnews

REGIONS
‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle never had chance to draw gun, Texas Ranger says
Published February 12, 2015
FoxNews.com

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The body of Chris Kyle, the former sniper killed at a rural Texas gun range in 2013, was located by rangers wearing a loaded 1911-style semiautomatic pistol that was still holstered and with its safety on, a Texas Ranger testified on Thursday.

*** and ***

Tim Moore, an attorney for Routh, said Kyle and Littlefield’s text exchange shows how Routh was spiraling out of control. He told jurors that Routh was suffering from severe mental strain that day and thought he needed to kill the two or they would turn on him.

*** end quote ***

In another earlier report, it was asserted that both men were shot from behind.

I don’t know how the range worked there, but I know how some ranges in NJ and VA operate.

There is a range safety officer, who’s watching what happens. And loaded weapons are NOT allowed BEHIND people on the firing line.

There’s no doubt that is NOT a perfect solution.

But a loaded weapon BEHIND two experienced shooters would have not gone unnoticed.

Just an observation.

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RANT: I’ll have a farmed fish with a hook in it?

Thursday, February 19, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/woman-bit-fish-hook-suit-article-1.2111121

Woman bit down on fish and discovered hook was still inside at swanky Central Park South restaurant: suit
Aliona Russo said in Manhattan Supreme Court papers that she ‘felt something unusual’ after taking a bite of the seafood at Villagio’s on Central Park South last August. But a co-owner of the restaurant said she’s lying and trying to extort money from the business. The restaurant plans to file a countersuit.
BY BARBARA ROSS , CORKY SIEMASZKO NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2015, 1:21 PM Updated: Wednesday, February 11, 2015, 10:57 PM

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Interesting.

Could a farmed fish have hook in it?

And a 3 inch hook is pretty big not to notice.

Should be a fun jury to be on!

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JOBSEARCH: The illusion of employment

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/02/burton-s-blumert/burt-blumerts-life/ 

My Life
By Burton S. Blumert
February 12, 2015

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After years of working for Reed’s in the South, there was an opening in the company’s California territory. Moving to a suburb south of San Francisco in 1958 was irresistible. My base was in San Mateo County’s new regional shopping center and nearby was a Coin Shop geared toward collectors. I soon befriended the owner. Within three months I evolved from a coin-collecting customer to becoming his partner. For a while I split my time between both businesses, but I knew I would have to decide upon one or the other. It wasn’t easy deciding between the security of the old-line retail firm or the risk of going on my own. I chose to go out on my own. I never had time to suffer any remorse. Incidentally, the security of Reed’s was an illusion. Two years after I sold my first gold coin, they were out of business.

*** and ***

Burt Blumert (1929-2009) was owner of Camino Coins, president of the Center for Libertarian Studies, chairman of the Mises Institute, publisher of LewRockwell.com, and the author of Bagels, Barry Bonds, & Rotten Politicians.

*** end quote ***

Note the illusion of security by being an “employee” as opposed to “being in your own business”.

It’s a akin to saving your money in bank CD as opposed to investing it in the market (in, of course, a well diversified set of asset classes).

I’ve often pontificated that having 10 ½ day “part time jobs” is much more secure than on better paying full time job. 

And, I’ve warned to income families, where both spouse work for the same firm or are even in the same line of work, about the risk they are taking.

So forewarned is forearmed, and start finding those “part time jobs”.

You never know how things will change.

Especially when your “secure job” goes “bye bye”.

Argh!

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