April 11, 2011 posts

Business / Economic / Financial

[ This link to a somewhat more cumulative blog posts page will precede current days news since most all topics remain current in terms of impact and longer-term effect and can be searched by topical index term more easily. The same is provided since the blog site http://alpeiablog.blogspot.com has just been censored as to size by google which is typical for google as nsa / cia / gov’t shill as more are becoming aware of. The same is true for microsoft, another co. that’s seen their best days and relies on the government to maintain their monopoly. Up to now the better page http://www.scribd.com/alpeia is provided for ease of formatting and clarity thereby while the Washington Post page is the real deal but without formatting http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- srv/community/mypost/index.html?plckPersonaPage=PersonaComments&plckUserId=alpeia&newspaperUserId=alpeia (Only up to 3-11-11-you must be logged in - (Washington Post) [ Comments COMMENTS ARE CLOSED WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR SYSTEMS ] the comments are no longer archived on their site ) . The following is the cumulative archive of blog posts / topics for 2010 as the new year starts anew (and archived by quarter): http://albertpeia.com/December312010postsarchive.htm or PDF formatted version
http://albertpeia.com/December312010postsarchive.pdf ]

Cuts will affect vast spectrum of priorities (Washington Post) [ Drudge was reporting that the new focus will be trillions, not as just passed, the billions in cuts, which I did not include / highlight because that's not news! Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . ] More than half of the $38 billion in spending cuts that lawmakers agreed to last week in the 2011 budget compromise that averted a government shutdown would hit education, labor and health programs. [The Return of the Carry Trade? [ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org 'What Does Currency Carry Trade Mean? A strategy in which an investor sells a certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates, which can often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage used. - The carry of an asset is the return obtained from holding it (if positive), or the cost of holding it (if negative) (see also Cost of carry).For instance, commodities are usually negative carry assets, as they incur storage costs or may suffer from depreciation, but in some circumstances, appropriately hedged commodities can be positive carry assets if the forward/futures market is willing to pay sufficient premium for future delivery. This can also refer to a trade with more than one leg, where you earn the spread between borrowing a low carry asset and lending a high carry one; such as gold during financial crisis, due to its safe haven quality. Carry trades are not arbitrages: pure arbitrages make money no matter what; carry trades make money only if nothing changes against the carry's favor. ]

ETF News Update: Theater of the Absurd Nyaradi 'This week’s soap opera in Washington, D.C. was truly the “theater of the absurd” as Congress and the President wrangled over an “historic” $39 billion budget cut that pales sadly in comparison to the $189 billion deficit that the Federal Government ran up in March alone.We’ll discuss this in greater detail in a moment, but for today, we are content with our positions in gold, oil and inverse exchange traded funds and we remain in the defensive mode, anticipating stronger headwinds ahead. On My Radar

http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/11/saupload_spxpf040911.png …’ ]

China shows small trade deficit (Washington Post) [ Result leads some to suggest more “balance” in the economy. Japan to raise nuclear crisis alert level to 7, equal to Chernobyl event Japan media reports move from level 5 to level 7, the highest, at tsunami-stricken nuclear plant. Japan quake may lead to more seismic trouble Evacuees struggle to leave shelters Toshiba proposes to scrap 4 nuke reactors at Fukushima plant [ Am I missing something here … some failed attempt at (Japanese) humor … Wow! … remind me not to buy a Toshiba computer [ I’ve also just eliminated dell and apple’s just not worth it (way over-priced)( I previously eliminated SONY Vaio – In 2000 it was probably more of a windows millennium problem but owing to SONY ‘proprietary’ I wasn’t even able to install new operating system ) And, on top of the viral barrage and typical windows problems, I had some problems with the dell, and when I opened the 'case', though not displayed on the outside, this 'dell' computer as displayed in the inside was 'made in china'. With few exceptions, so were the components. So much for the 'american' company … I think the same to be true of apple, etc.. Then quite some time ago, a compaq (now owned by hp) and more recently a hewlett packard, respectively were eliminated – computers didn’t even work – how pathetic. ]. The only explanation is that the radiation must be eating at their brains. Was this proposal ever in doubt … even necessary? I’m at a loss for words! I really am! ] TOKYO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Toshiba Corp. submitted a proposal to Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to decommission four troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, ...Previous: City withers in shadow of reactors (Washington Post) Japan dumps radioactive water into ocean [ Japan will never be viewed nor be quite the same again; somewhat hapless, if not hopeless, they have indeed become. Drudgereport: JAPAN TRIES 'SHREDDED NEWSPAPER' TO STOP NUKE LEAK (Well, there you go … a nostalgic throwback to yesteryear … paper maché … who woulda' thunk it … or remembered it … riiiiight … sounds like a plan!) 4 of 6 Daiichi reactors can’t be fixed (WP) [ I continue to believe this to be a far more serious catastrophe with further reaching consequences, economically, financially, and otherwise than are being sloughed off by markets, pols, and media. It truly is sad to even think about what seem likely to be 'suicide jobs' but I must say I was incredulous regarding the $5,000 / day offer of recruitment for such workers (short-term? … for as long as they live?... Wow! … I immediately thought of skid row, the bowery, and admit to being somewhat ashamed for having done so.) Fukushima Nuke Plant Now in Full Meltdown Kurt Nimmo | Smoke was reported at a second nuclear power plant in Japan today. Japan’s Nuclear Rescuers: ‘Inevitable Some of Them May Die Within Weeks’ Workers at the disaster-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan say they expect to die from radiation sickness as a result of their efforts to bring the reactors under control, the mother of one of the men tells Fox News.Smoke Rises from DIFFERENT Nuclear Complex … 7 Miles from the Leaking Reactors The same nuclear power plant operator that runs the Daiichi complex – Tepco – runs a separate nuclear complex 7 miles away, called Fukushima Daini. There are 4 reactors located at the Daini complex.Japan Considers Entombing Nuclear Plant as Workers Fight to Stop Radiation Bloomberg | Japan will consider entombing its crippled atomic plant in concrete. Reactors now leaking plutonium into soil New York Post | “The situation is very grave,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said today. ]Workers continue to endure soaring radiation levels as they work to stave off a full-scale meltdown. ] In area that survived quake and tsunami largely intact, nuclear fears have created a ghost town.

The shrinking alliance (Washington Post) [ I think in the final analysis, the inverse relationship between the size of the hu / hah, gung ho, nato alliance / participation in these military adventures abroad and the size of the respective members' deficits will become 'clear as an unmuddied lake'. Globalists Coming Full Circle Tony Cartalucci | Long before the verified lies of Qaddafi’s “door-to-door” genocide, Libya was already marked for destabilization and regime change. From Ivory Coast to Libya And Beyond: The Conquest of Africa Rick Rozoff | Two of only five African nations not partnered with the Pentagon through AFRICOM are the targets of violent uprisings aimed at toppling their governments. Leahy: Obama Needs Congressional Approval to Put Troops in Libya CNS News | Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy said President Obama needs congressional approval to send U.S. troops into Libya. Permanent Occupation: Gates Admits US Troops To Remain In Iraq Beyond 2011 The world’s media reacted with a collective shrug of the shoulders today as Defense Secretary Robert Gates admitted that US troops are likely to stay in Iraq beyond 2011, making another scheduled withdrawal date nothing more than an empty meaningless promise. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . ] Blink, and you might miss NATO’s disappearance.

Gerson: Obama’s tap dance on a tightrope (Washington Post) [ What an understatement … wobama the b (for b*** s***)Yeah! An appropriate word picture straight out one of the old Roach ' Our Gang' comedies … and I'm not going say which characters are which, according to wobama we must share the sacrifice, which means you because we all know how the wobamas sacrifice, ie., $500 sneakers, lavishly expensive vacations, etc., which means we have a buck, we eat! Obama turns to deficit panel (WP) The president plans this week to call for “balance” and shared sacrifice in tackling the rocketing national debt. { Obama vs. Trump: A Circus Sideshow on the Road to Feudalism [ Even if you don't buy the 'feudalism' characterization of pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt america, there is no question but that america is in an intractable and regressive state of decline. Nimmo |

Roche 'The worst part of it ...Obama, who vowed change, has done almost nothing to fix any of it and in fact continues most of the policies that helped get us here in the first place’ ‘INSIDE JOB’ Ferguson wins Oscar for Documentary on the unprosecuted massive extant fraud in the (many) TRILLIONS by the frauds on wall street ( and declares with oscar in hand that not one high level wall street exec has been prosecuted … despite ‘earning’ billiions from the fraud ), the commentator / experts recommend getting rid of the corrupt eric holder ( what do holder and wobama have in common … wall street money? … a proclivity for jive-talking / b*** s*** ?...all/some of the above … or is it something else ... a hint - UPDATE: MORE CLAIMS OF RACE BIAS AT JUSTICE... ‘In emotional and personal testimony, an ex-Justice official who quit over the handling of a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party accused his former employer of instructing attorneys in the civil rights division to ignore cases that involve black defendants and white victims ' Cases against Wall Street lag despite Holder’s vows to target financial fraud WP | Obama has promised to hold Wall Street accountable for the meltdown.

Obama’s Dismal Approval Numbers

Drudgereport: OBAMA MAN: TRUMP HAS 'ZERO CHANCE' [ Hard to believe, or maybe because this particular factual reality is so easy to believe because it's so obviously true, but wobama finally got something right, not that it changes anything for him! http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]
Despite Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [ Pelosi finally gets something right! ] [ wobama, pelosi finally uncharacteristically correct, albeit once each in their lifetime ... ]
RASMUSSEN: President hits new low 'strongly approve' – 19%... } ]

IMF chief says work remains on economy How well do you know the world’s currencies? (Washington Post) [ Duh! Ya think? Another crisis? How 'bout the other crisis that never ended … got 'obfuscated' with those over-active printing presses and worthless currencies ala the 'no-recession fed'. Soros: Dollar ‘no longer’ reserve currency Aaron Dykes | Soros says the Dollar has fallen, the U.S. ‘Could Absorb More Debt’ and that China is the ‘big winner’ of the financial crisis. Un-reserve Dollar? US thinkers up for world order reshape RT | “Bretton Woods II” convenes to debate the future of the global economy. The Return of the Carry Trade? [ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org 'What Does Currency Carry Trade Mean? A strategy in which an investor sells a certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates, which can often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage used. - The carry of an asset is the return obtained from holding it (if positive), or the cost of holding it (if negative) (see also Cost of carry).For instance, commodities are usually negative carry assets, as they incur storage costs or may suffer from depreciation, but in some circumstances, appropriately hedged commodities can be positive carry assets if the forward/futures market is willing to pay sufficient premium for future delivery. This can also refer to a trade with more than one leg, where you earn the spread between borrowing a low carry asset and lending a high carry one; such as gold during financial crisis, due to its safe haven quality. Carry trades are not arbitrages: pure arbitrages make money no matter what; carry trades make money only if nothing changes against the carry's favor.

IMF Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg | Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

A Militarized Economy Cannot Balance the Budget John Perkins | We can’t afford our bloated military budget and still have democracy.

US to delay China currency report AFP

Peter Schiff: Government Counterfeiting and Economic Terrorism

A Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China

Oil prices hit highest level since 2008

Debt Jumped $54.1 Billion in 8 Days Preceding Obama-Boehner Deal to Cut $38.5 Billion for Rest of Year

Economists Shocked, Shocked: We Really Are Losing Jobs to China! Fletcher

Soros and friends reorder global finance at new Bretton Woods

IMF Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg ] As economic recovery continues, Dominique Strauss-Kahn says more aggressive oversight is still needed to lower the risk of another crisis.

Markets fall on earnings caution, energy selloff (Reuters) - Reuters - Stocks mostly fell on Monday as energy shares sold off on lower oil prices and the onset of earnings season was clouded by concern company outlooks may fall short of expectations.

China Goes American, Registers First Trade Deficit Since '04 Rapoza 'The Chinese economy registered a trade deficit in the first quarter of 2011, it’s first negative trade balance since 2004. A growing middle class and a stronger local currency has more Chinese businesses buying abroad. Higher priced commodities — especially soy from the Americas and iron ore from Brazil — didn’t help the trade figures either.

The General Administration of Accounting (GAC) said in their report this weekend that, a “strong and rapidly growing domestic economy, plus international markets and the sharp rise in commodity prices and the Spring Festival holiday this year all led to a cumulative deficit of $1.02 billion in the first quarter.” According to the GAC, China imports in the first three months of the year reached $400.66 billion, up 32.6%, while exports totaled $399.64 billion, an increase of 29.5%.

China’s economy is in fifth gear, with the Asian Development Bank in Manila forecasting growth of at least 8.2% in 2011, higher than the official growth estimate of 7%.

Last year, China trade registered the kind of surplus the US only dreams about, a modest $13.9 billion, according to the GAC. By comparison, the U.S. trade deficit in January was around $46 billion.

For March, China’s total trade value rose 31.4% to $304.3 billion compared with March 2010. Export values for the month totaled $152.2 billion, while import values were $152.06 billion. March’s monthly import data was yet another record, beating January 2011’s historical import record of $144.3 billion, the GAC said.

In bilateral trade, China and the European Union trade rose 22% to $123.7 billion. China-US trade totaled around $97 billion, up 25%. In third place, Chinese-Japanese trade hit $80.78 billion in the first, up 27.1%.

Multinationals accounted for nearly half of China’s import and export value in the first quarter with a total of $415.4 out of around $800.3 billion in trade. The multinationals saw an increase of 24.9% in trade out of China so far this year. Of the total, the MNCs exported $217.5 from China, 24.6% more than the first quarter of 2010, and imported $197.8 billion worth of goods and services, an increase of 25.2%, according to the GAC.

China’s state owned enterprises, or SEOs, exported $172.95 billion in the first quarter, an increase of 27.8%. Of the total, exports were around $57.58 billion, up 16.4%, and imports were $115.38 billion, up 34.5%.

What Was Exported
China’s leading exports were electromechanical products, accounting for $232.03 billion, up 22.8% from the same period in 2010 and accounting forr 58.1% of first quarter exports. Exports of electrical and electronic products was $6.9 billion, an increase of 27.8%. Machinery and equipment exports rose 15.5% to $74.6 billion. Traditional Chinese exports like apparel exports rose 18.4% to $28.5 billion; textiles jumped 32.7% to $20.2 billion; footwear up 22% to $8.8 billion and furniture sales rose 19.3% to $8.4 billion.

What Was Imported
China imported 180 million tons of iron ore in the first quarter, an increase of 14.4%. Average iron ore prices were $156.5 per ton, up 59.5%; soybean imports declined marginally by 0.7% to 10.96 million tons, but the cost of importing soy from the US and South America rose by an average of 25.7% to $573.90 per ton. In addition, imports of machinery and electronic products rose 25.6% to $172.92 billion.

Guangdong continues to lead China as the nation’s trade hub, accounting for $201.2 billion in foreign trade (export + import value). Jiangsu, Shanghai and Beijing came in third with $121 billion, $98 billion and $91 billion in trade values, respectively.

Martin Schulz, Managing Director of International Equity at PNC Capital Advisors was in China last month and said one of the things that surprised him most was that Chinese clothing manufacturing was starting to move to countries like Vietnam. “Chinese clothes are starting to be made in southeast Asia because the wage rates are growing so fast that a lot of manufacturers are simply moving into the rural areas in the interior of China, or across borders,” he says.

China’s growing domestic demand could make the country an inflationary force in the global economy, Shulz said. “The growth there has been a deflationary force in the world for some time, but now it is going to be an inflationary one.”

Want to make money trading with China? Honestly, become a soy farmer or work in agribusiness, at Boeing, or in the organic chemicals space. Because pretty much everything we sell to China, they sell to us. And apparently at cheaper prices. Whether its electrical machinery, power generation equipment, medical devices, or iron and steel, the US registered a trade deficit on them all with the big C.

US-China Trade Statistics

2009 Top US Exports to China

1. Electrical machinery & equipment: $9.5 billion
2. Oil seeds & other oleaginous fruits: $9.3 billion
3. Power generation equipment: $8.4 billion
4. Air and spacecraft: $5.3 billion
5. Plastics: $4.4 billion
6. Optics and medical devices: $4 billion
7. Iron and steel: $3.5 billion
8. Pulp and cardboard: $2.5 billion
9. Organic chemicals: $2.4 billion
10. Vehicles, excl. railway: $1.9 billion

2009 Top US Imports From China

1. Electrical machinery and equipment: $72.9 billion
2. Power generation equipment: $62.4 billion
3. Apparel: $24.3 billion
4. Toys: $23.2 billion
5. Furniture: $16 billion
6. Iron and steel: $8 billion
7. Footwear: $13.3 billion
8. Plastics: $8 billion
9. Leather and travel bags: $6 billion
10: Optics and medical devices: $5.6 billion

Source: US International Trade Commission. '

The Return of the Carry Trade? [ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org 'What Does Currency Carry Trade Mean? A strategy in which an investor sells a certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates, which can often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage used. - The carry of an asset is the return obtained from holding it (if positive), or the cost of holding it (if negative) (see also Cost of carry).For instance, commodities are usually negative carry assets, as they incur storage costs or may suffer from depreciation, but in some circumstances, appropriately hedged commodities can be positive carry assets if the forward/futures market is willing to pay sufficient premium for future delivery. This can also refer to a trade with more than one leg, where you earn the spread between borrowing a low carry asset and lending a high carry one; such as gold during financial crisis, due to its safe haven quality. Carry trades are not arbitrages: pure arbitrages make money no matter what; carry trades make money only if nothing changes against the carry's favor. ]

ETF News Update: Theater of the Absurd Nyaradi 'This week’s soap opera in Washington, D.C. was truly the “theater of the absurd” as Congress and the President wrangled over an “historic” $39 billion budget cut that pales sadly in comparison to the $189 billion deficit that the Federal Government ran up in March alone.We’ll discuss this in greater detail in a moment, but for today, we are content with our positions in gold, oil and inverse exchange traded funds and we remain in the defensive mode, anticipating stronger headwinds ahead.

On My Radar

http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/4/11/saupload_spxpf040911.png

Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com, click to enlarge.

In the chart above we can see that the S&P500 remains in a bearish signal mode with a price objective of 1160. Strong overhead resistance is at 1330 which held this week and support lies at the 1250 level.We have been in this range for the last 25 trading days but, as always, this sideways action will be broken one way or the other. Based on current fundamental and technical elements, we expect this break to be on the downwards side of the range.

The View From 35,000 Feet

The big news this week was the 11th hour “resolution” of the bill to keep the government open which resulted in an “historic” cut of $39 Billion. As mentioned at the outset, this is truly the theater of the absurd because the deficit in March alone was $189 Billion, and so far for this fiscal year, we have racked up a budget deficit of $830 Billion according to the Congressional Budget Office, up $113 Billion compared to the same period last year. Of course what went largely unsaid is that this fiscal year is already half way over and the discussion of the 2012 budget is about to get underway along with the horse trading that is about to ensue over raising the Federal debt ceiling of $14.3 Trillion that is set to be exceeded in mid May. So it should be good entertainment as the second and third installments of the “theater of the absurd” get underway...

In geopolitical news, Palestinians and Israelis continued their hostilities in the Gaza Strip, protesters in Syria and Egypt persisted with their demonstrations, and the war in Libya has reached what everyone is now recognizing to be a stalemate with a fire doing unknown damage to that country’s Sarir oil field.

All of this unrest resulted in West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil hitting a 2 1/2 year high of $113/bbl and Brent Crude hitting $126/bbl, its highest level since July, 2008.

In Europe, the ECB raised interest rates, an action that is sure to put more pressure on the already struggling peripheral nations and Portugal is being squeezed for more cuts as they are now a ward of the European Central Bank. Greece is in recession and everyone wonders if Spain, often thought of as too big to save and too big to fail, is next on the chopping block.

U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. Dollar continued their slide while gold set a new nominal record of $1476/oz and silver hit a 30 year high of $40/0z.

Finally another earthquake hit Japan on Thursday and the Japanese government said that Japan’s economy was in “severe condition.”

What It All Means

We continue to live in historic times fraught with challenges, danger and uncertainty. Rising oil prices are never good for Western economies and the looming fight over raising the debt ceiling and the 2012 budget proposal put forth by U.S. Representative Paul Ryan will set the economic tone for the rest of this year and next. Dr. Bernanke and his colleagues at the Federal Reserve say that inflation is “transitory,” however, the precious metals and oil markets seem to be literally screaming otherwise.

The Week Ahead

1. Major Issues/Themes: This week brings significant economic reports and the kickoff on Monday of earnings season with Alcoa (AA) reporting after the bell.

Important reports to watch are Alcoa on Monday, JP Morgan (JPM) and March Retail Sales on Wednesday, Google (GOOG) earnings on Thursday and manufacturing and industrial production reports on Friday.

· Monday: Alcoa Earnings Report

· Wednesday: JP Morgan earnings, MBA Mortgage Index, March Retail Sales, February Business Inventories, April Fed Beige Book

· Thursday: Initial Unemployment Claims, Continuing Claims, March Consumer Price Index, Fairchild Semiconductor and Google earnings reports

· Friday: March Consumer Price Index, April Empire Manufacturing, March Industrial Production, April Michigan Consumer Sentiment

Sector Spotlight

1. Leaders: (NYSEArca: SLV) iShares Silver (NYSEArca: EPOL) iShares Poland

2. Laggards: (NYSEArca: EWJ) iShares Japan Index (NYSEArca: IYT) iShares Transportation

This week I was in Germany where it was unseasonably warm in Frankfurt with lovely spring days and warm evenings by the Main River. The restaurants and bars were full as soccer played on the televisions and I couldn’t help but wonder how much longer the Germans will be willing to carry their weaker neighbors in the European Community...'

IMF Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg | Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

A Militarized Economy Cannot Balance the Budget John Perkins | We can’t afford our bloated military budget and still have democracy.

US to delay China currency report AFP | The US Treasury said it would delay a report labeling China a currency manipulator until at least May.

Peter Schiff: Government Counterfeiting and Economic Terrorism Financial guru and Austrian economics sage Peter Schiff discusses how the federal government has no place labeling private citizens who make gold and silver coins economic terrorists.

IMF Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union The International Monetary Fund has received a financial aid assistance request from Portugal and will work on a bailout plan with European Union authorities, Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said.

A Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China While America’s labor force struggles to regain employment and reclaim real wages, the prices of necessary products are preparing to surge, creating the uncomfortable prospect of stagflation, that dour economic phenomenon of rising prices and falling wages last seriously confronted three decades ago.

Oil prices hit highest level since 2008 World oil prices jumped on Friday to their highest levels in more than two years as the market was driven by simmering political tensions in the Arab world and concerns over elections in Nigeria.

Debt Jumped $54.1 Billion in 8 Days Preceding Obama-Boehner Deal to Cut $38.5 Billion for Rest of Year The federal debt increased $54.1 billion in the eight days preceding the deal made by President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio) to cut $38.5 billion in federal spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which runs through September.

Economists Shocked, Shocked: We Really Are Losing Jobs to China! Ian Fletcher | There’s a nice new academic paper with hard data to back up everyone’s suspicion that the U.S. is losing jobs to China.

Soros and friends reorder global finance at new Bretton Woods Washington Examiner | It’s no accident they’re meeting on the very same site as Bretton Woods– formally UN Monetary and Financial Conference.

IMF Will Work on Portugal Bailout Plan With European Union Bloomberg | Portugal has requested IMF assistance, according to Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Ex-PBOC Official Wakes Up From The Acid Trip: “U.S. Treasury Market Is A Giant Ponzi Scheme” After years of being the primary supplier of funding to the US credit-money shell game, one more ex-PBoC member wakes up from the “great normalization” acid trip, and in a Caixin editorial says what virtually everyone now understands all too well: the Treasury market is one “giant Ponzi scheme.”

Gold hits record on euro, silver jumps to 31-year top Gold jumped to a record high for a fifth straight trading day on Monday as the prospect of more declines in the U.S. dollar drove investors into the precious metal, with record exchange traded fund holdings helping silver to its highest in more than three decades.

Pentagon Budget Cuts are Possible Americans can begin to hope that the current recession, coupled with the politics of debt reduction in Washington, may yet result in cuts in that runaway Pentagon budget, The Nation magazine says in its April 11th issue.

Britain sues Iceland for £3.5billion for refusing to pay back bailout cash Iceland is to be sued by Britain and the Netherlands to recover £3.5billion lost when its banking system collapsed.

Goldman Sachs: “The Margins Are Not What They Seem” And for today’s exercise in surreality, in your best Agent Cooper voice repeat after us: “The margins are not what they seem.”Durden Zero Hedge April 10, 2011 'Here is how Goldman resolutely refuses to change its margin forecast for 2011-2012 despite crude now 30% higher than where it was when this chart was first conceived. To be honest, we haven’t flipped to the risk factors but we assume the first one would read: “Goldman may and will, in addition to trading against its clients, make the assumption that said clients are all bloody idiots.”And in some news actually based on a Euclidean reality, here is something that is oddly enough factual: the Earnings Calendar as earnings month is now upon us.

[chart http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/bernanke/margins.jpg ]

[chart http://www.prisonplanet.com/goldman-sachs-the-margins-are-not-what-they-seem.html ] …'

Iceland rejects hostile takeover attempt in national referendum John Stratton | Iceland is the only country where the people have been allowed to have a say in the matter.

Five Things You Didn't Know About Ben Bernanke Breslin 'You know Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, but how much do you really know about the guy? The "most powerful nerd on the planet” became a household name during the Great Recession, and yet the real man behind that bearded, calm exterior remains something of a mystery.

Born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Dillon, South Carolina, Bernanke was the son of a pharmacy owner and a schoolteacher. He went on to become an economics professor and chaired the Department of Economics at Princeton. In 2002, he landed at the Federal Reserve as a governor, and in 2006, President Bush appointed him chairman. He’s been criticized for failing to foresee the nation’s financial crisis and for bailing out Wall Street. What you might not know: The 57-year-old used to be a theme-park waiter.

May I Take Your Order, Please?
If you’ve ever crossed the border between North Carolina and South Carolina along Interstate 95 and seen a giant Sombrero Tower, you’ve spotted where Young Bernanke worked as a waiter. During the summers between semesters at Harvard, the Fed-in-Chief returned to his hometown and slaved at “tourist mecca” South of the Border to pay his way through college. At the Mexican-themed roadside attraction, which features an amusement park and a mascot named Pedro, Bernanke served diners at the Sombrero Restaurant and wore a poncho. In a 60 Minutes interview, Bernanke revealed that his summer jobs taught him that “work is hard.”

A Man of Many Nicknames
“Helicopter Ben” is Bernanke’s most popular nickname. He earned the title after a 2002 speech, “Deflation: Making Sure ‘It’ Doesn’t Happen Here,” in which he referenced Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman’s “helicopter drop” theory that says deflation is best combated by a direct infusion of cash to the people. For this, Bernanke was rewarded with artistic renderings of himself dropping money over the country from a helicopter. Subsequently, he was crowned “Bearnanke” by the Wall Street Journal : “By harping on his worries about inflation and tight labor markets, Bernanke has implied there will be no cut in interest rates any time soon, and bond investors […] risk losing money as they come to grips with that.” Most recently, he has been rechristened “Bernie Mac," “Banana Ben,” "the Ben Bernank," and “He Who Sees No Bubbles.”

Foreclosure Crisis Hits Home
In 2009, Bernanke’s ranch-style childhood home in economically hard-hit Dillon was sold at a foreclosure sale to Travis Jackson, a 27-year-old loan officer. Bernanke declined to comment on the record specifically about his foreclosed-upon boyhood residence (the Bernanke family had sold the property over a decade prior), but he stated, “We believe that getting the credit markets going, getting banks lending again, increasing the demand for all products—including those made in Dillon—are part of economic recovery. […] That's what the Fed's trying to do."

Richard Schafer, who owns South of the Border, says post-recession revenue at the park is down 10% and he wishes he’d kept a photo of Bernanke as a serape-wearing server: “I'd probably get some economic-bailout money if I did.”

A Private Faith
Bernanke, almost didn’t go to Harvard because his family was concerned that he would “lose his Jewish identity.” At the time, Harvard grad student and former fellow Dillon resident Kenneth Manning, who is African-American and now an M.I.T. professor, reassured the Bernanke family “there were Jews in Boston.” When it comes to religion, says a friend, Bernanke “keeps his feelings and beliefs private … but it’s really embedded in who he is.” Bernanke learned Hebrew from his maternal grandfather, Harold Friedman, a professional hazzan and Hebrew teacher.

Upon his arrival in Washington, Bernanke’s leadership experience as chair of the economics department at Princeton was so limited that “he liked to joke that his major decisions involved what type of bagels to order for faculty meetings.”

Nice Beard
“Has Ben Bernanke's beard gotten significantly whiter since he started as Fed Chairman or is it just me?” tweeted @The Analyst of Bailout Ben. In terms of facial hair, Bernanke’s now-snowy iconic beard is the yang to Giants’ pitcher Brian Wilson’s yin. In fact, Mr. Chairman’s beard even has its own Facebook page. “I hate everything Ben Bernanke stands for,” the Info page reads, “but his beard is an epic win.”...'

(4-11-11) Dow 12,381 +1 Nasdaq 2,780 -9 S&P 500 1,324 -4 [CLOSE- OIL $108.96 (-54% for year 2008) (RECORD TRADING HIGH $147.27) GAS $3.67 (reg. gas in LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS $4.07 REG./ $4.14 MID-GRADE/ $4.22 PREM./ $4.27 DIESEL) / GOLD $1,462 (+24% for year 2009) / SILVER $40.11 (+47% for year 2009) PLATINUM $1,780 (+56% for year 2009) Metal News for the Day / DOLLAR= .69 EURO, 85 YEN, .60 POUND STERLING, ETC. (How low can you go - LOWER)/ Interest Rates: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield 10 YR NOTE YIELD 3.60% …..… AP Business Highlights ...Yahoo Market Update... T. Rowe Price Weekly Recap – Stocks / Bonds / Currencies - Domestic / International This Is a Secular Bear Market and The End of Buy and Hold … and Hope MARKET MANIPULATION AND HOW THE LATEST BUBBLE-FRAUD PRE-COMING CRASH IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED 3-11-10 The bull market that never was/were beyond wall street b.s. when measured in gold Property Values Projected to Fall 12% in 2010 Jan 31, 2010 THE COMING MARKET CRASH / CORRECTION 1-28-10 Maierhofer (01-15-10) 11 Clear Signs Economy Sinking Economic Black Hole 1-22-10: 20 Reasons Why The U.S. Economy Is Dying And Is Simply Not Going To Recover 1-7-10 Crash is coming! ‘WORST ECONOMIC COLLAPSE EVER’ Must Read Economic / Financial Data This Depression is just beginning The coming depression… thecomingdepression.net The Next Wave of Collapse is Coming Sooner than you think Sliding Back Into the Great Depression ABSOLUTELY, ABSURDLY, RIDICULOUS! SELL / TAKE PROFITS WHILE YOU CAN SINCE MUCH, MUCH WORSE TO COME!

National / World

Soros: Dollar ‘no longer’ reserve currency Aaron Dykes | Soros says the Dollar has fallen, the U.S. ‘Could Absorb More Debt’ and that China is the ‘big winner’ of the financial crisis.

Un-reserve Dollar? US thinkers up for world order reshape RT | “Bretton Woods II” convenes to debate the future of the global economy.

Radiation Detected In Drinking Water In 13 More US Cities, Cesium-137 In Vermont Milk Jeff McMahon | Radiation from Japan has been detected in drinking water in 13 more American cities.

Iceland Rejects Bankster Shakedown Kurt Nimmo | Icelanders serve as inspiration for other people attempting to get out from under the criminal banksters.

Another Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan ABC News | A 6.6-magnitude aftershock rattled Japan today on the one-month anniversary of the twin disasters.

Industry’s war on nature: ‘What are the bees telling us?’ Rady Ananda | A sure way to collapse an ecosystem is to decimate a keystone species.

No end in sight for Fukushima disaster as bureaucrats battle the laws of physics Mike Adams | Readings coming out of Fukushima are admittedly “immeasurable.”

Fukushima Gov. Slams TEPCO, Govt for ‘Betrayal’ Yomiuri Shimbun | “We feel we were betrayed [by the central government and TEPCO,” Sato said during an interview.

Exposing the International Arbiters Tony Cartalucci | The corporate funded exploitation of freedom, democracy, and human rights.

Regime Change Libya: Privatization of their Central Bank and the Theft of their Nationalized Oil Profits Scott Creighton | Obama’s intervention was not designed to protect the people but to ensure that they too are enslaved just as we are enslaved.

Last-minute budget deal narrowly avoids the Big Government shutdown Mike Adams | Drop in the bucket cuts won’t aid America’s desperate need to balance its budget.

Debt Jumped $54.1 Billion in 8 Days Preceding Obama-Boehner Deal to Cut $38.5 Billion for Rest of Year Terence P. Jeffrey | The debt was $14.2101 trillion as of March 30.

Globalists Coming Full Circle Tony Cartalucci | Long before the verified lies of Qaddafi’s “door-to-door” genocide, Libya was already marked for destabilization and regime change.

From Ivory Coast to Libya And Beyond: The Conquest of Africa Rick Rozoff | Two of only five African nations not partnered with the Pentagon through AFRICOM are the targets of violent uprisings aimed at toppling their governments.

Leahy: Obama Needs Congressional Approval to Put Troops in Libya

CNS News | Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy said President Obama needs congressional approval to send U.S. troops into Libya.

Permanent Occupation: Gates Admits US Troops To Remain In Iraq Beyond 2011 The world’s media reacted with a collective shrug of the shoulders today as Defense Secretary Robert Gates admitted that US troops are likely to stay in Iraq beyond 2011, making another scheduled withdrawal date nothing more than an empty meaningless promise.

$5 Gas by Memorial Day CBS | At one time, $5 per gallon gas seemed like a farfetched idea.

Obama vs. Trump: A Circus Sideshow on the Road to Feudalism [ Even if you don't buy the 'feudalism' characterization of pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless, defacto bankrupt america, there is no question but that america is in an intractable and regressive state of decline. ] Kurt Nimmo | Obama’s wranglers know the American spectator does not elect presidents.

Obama’s Dismal Approval Numbers Rasmussen Reports | There has been a sharp decline in enthusiasm among liberal voters.

Drudgereport: $5 GAS BY MEMORIAL DAY
Thermal Cameras On Boston Streets Can Show Activity Inside Homes...
Pump prices less than 10% below record high...
San Fran highest at $4.13...
OBAMA MAN: TRUMP HAS 'ZERO CHANCE' [ Hard to believe, or maybe because this particular factual reality is so easy to believe because it's so obviously true, but wobama finally got something right, not that it changes anything for him! ]
Despite Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [ Pelosi finally gets something right! ] [ wobama, pelosi finally uncharacteristically correct, albeit once each in their lifetime ... must be the japanese radiation ... ]
9th Body Found In NY Serial Killer Probe, Possibly A 10th...
Obama regrets HIS vote against raising debt limit...
RASMUSSEN: President hits new low 'strongly approve' – 19%...
UPDATE: Egyptians turn anger on army in Cairo protest...
New Clashes in Tahrir Square...
Gaza-Israel violence rages...
'West wants war'...
'Mideast Without Israel and America Now Possible'...
Despite Vote, We're Keeping FCC Internet Rules! [ Pelosi finally gets something right! ]
US Debt Jumped $54 Billion in Week Preceding Deal to Cut $38 Billion...
11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Obama: 'Americans of different beliefs came together'...
Takes credit for 'biggest annual spending cut in history'...
'LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS'...
FLASHBACK: Deficit Forecast Nears $1.5 Trillion...
SURPRISE: Government shutdown averted...
Spending cuts total nearly $40 billion...
$78 billion below Obama request...
Deal bans DC from spending funds for abortion, continues school voucher program...
BOEHNER: 'As good a deal as we could get'...
REPORT: Oprah won't endorse Obama for re-election...
Poll: Obama Struggling With Whites...
Even black voters slip...
OIL JUMPS 2% -- IN A DAY...
Fever for Gold, Silver Grips Investors...
Biden daughter trashes Trump...
Bill Cosby slams: 'He's full of it!'...
Trump Takes On NYT, Gail Collins...
Admires her for surviving 'so long with so little talent'...
NBCWSJ POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily Caller ... Milbank: Donald trumps CPAC | Gibbs gone (Washington Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ] He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie., bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss … trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade, quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)

Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in mob-infested jersey!

Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)] earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE... PONDERING PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3^rd circuit ( also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]

Deal will cut $37.8 billion from federal budget (Washington Post) [ US Lawmakers Reach Budget Agreement Voice of America/ Drudgereport: 11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A DEAL [ Hopes of the people dashed with last-minute budget deal avoiding shutdown – This may seem 20/20 hindsightish but I always thought the probabilities were against a shut-down, if only because of the additional 'paperwork' that would be engendered thereby, and the relatively small, insignificant budgetary amounts involved in separating the two parties. Some are totally skeptical and correctly so: Hoyer: “No Budget Deal Yet But 70% Agreement” Means Soap Opera Almost Over Zero Hedge Government Shutdown “Equivalent of Bombing Innocent Civilians” Kurt Nimmo | Democrats have worked themselves into a lather over the absurd circus sideshow billed as a government shutdown. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . Previous: White House talks fail to produce budget deal (WP) [ Hope is still alive say the people who hope they're prayers for a government shutdown are answered ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... then, they're plenty to spare … More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). Defacto bankrupt america the new marxian dream … eh, comrade ? Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (WP) The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (WP) ] To keep the government running through Friday, lawmakers approve a short-term spending measure and say the final agreement will be approved next week. If that happens, the measure will cut $37.8 billion from the federal budget through the end of September.

Sinking together in hostile embrace (Washington Post) [ This, of course, is the correct headline for what has now literally become a 'Titanic' (you may recall the oft heard quips analogizing the washington process to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic; and the scenario has only gotten much worse, not better, in that intervening time) of a nation. 'Washington is still broken' … duh! … ya think? And, that the ultimate understatement. Smart people are hearing none of that self-serving rhetoric, propaganda in noting the insurmountability of this debt debacle. 'Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . Moreover, the amounts here don't even cover interest on the debt, and soon borrowing to pay just the interest will take on a life and end of its own. It might very well be that they've actually thrown in the towel on what their approach has made and now is recognized as unsolvable by them if they are to maintain their own stipends. How tragic and pathetic at once! ] THE TAKE | This should have been the easy battle. Instead, it turned from confrontation to stalemate.

SEC to study private trading rules (Washington Post) [ Now tell me … how does the SEC shirk their responsibility, mission, purpose when dealing with a security and fraud together? What is a security? … hornbook law and the first thing you learn in Securities Law. That they along with the DOJ shirked their responsibilities, mission, and purpose in the last and continuing financial crisis / debacle in favor of the biggest, too big to fail perpetrators, there is no question. There are loads of worthless paper qualifying as securities being churned and foisted off every day which this one, big cottage (cheesey) industry (including enforcement) tends to indulge rather than prosecute, fine, jail and seek digorgement from (they would really help the budget scenario by doing the opposite; as per their responsibilities, mission, and purpose). Overvalued paper at best, fraudulent securities at worst: Selling In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding [ { April Is a Good Time to Sell ( I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new manipulated bubble … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ) Adler , see infra, immediately after Harding } 'It’s that time of year again when I always remind you of the market’s seasonality, its proven tendency to make most of its gains between November and May, and experience most of its losses in the opposite period.

I get a kick out of people who dismiss it as an interesting theory that doesn’t always work. It’s not theory. It’s proven fact. In spite of the few years when it has not worked, investing over the long-term based on the market’s seasonality significantly outperforms the market, and with much less risk.

Don’t take my word for it. Academic studies provide clear evidence...' ] As investors seek shares in shadow markets, agency seeks reduced regulatory burden on small business.

Shutdown theatrics (Washington Post) [ Well, here I am again, somewhat implausibly (we're so … opposite) agreeing with at least the tenor of Mr. Milbank's article; and at the least, the trillions part. More show than substance … sure … but that's just unfortunately the devolution of american politics in the most negative sense, regardless of party. Politics of decline? … Absolutely. New? … Not at all … the history books are replete with the carcasses of such failed nations as pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america. [ US Lawmakers Reach Budget Agreement Voice of America/ Drudgereport: 11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A DEAL [ Hopes of the people dashed with last-minute budget deal avoiding shutdown – This may seem 20/20 hindsightish but I always thought the probabilities were against a shut-down, if only because of the additional 'paperwork' that would be engendered thereby, and the relatively small, insignificant budgetary amounts involved in separating the two parties. Some are totally skeptical and correctly so: Hoyer: “No Budget Deal Yet But 70% Agreement” Means Soap Opera Almost Over Zero Hedge Government Shutdown “Equivalent of Bombing Innocent Civilians” Kurt Nimmo | Democrats have worked themselves into a lather over the absurd circus sideshow billed as a government shutdown. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . Previous: White House talks fail to produce budget deal (WP) [ Hope is still alive say the people who hope they're prayers for a government shutdown are answered ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... then, they're plenty to spare … More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). Defacto bankrupt america the new marxian dream … eh, comrade ? ] It was an absurd dispute over crumbs.

NATO regrets deadly strike on Libya rebels (Washington Post) [ Regrets? Not really. After all, just yesterday they were talking 'no apologies!' 'Nuff said … or, in new american lingo, 'snuff's said'. Yet, all this as the NATO members sink deeper and deeper into debt, if not as america, defacto bankruptcy. Regrets, they've had a few … Now how does that song go … what is it 'Their Way' …
And now, the end is here
And so they face the final curtain
Their friend, they'll say it clear
they'll state their case, of which they're certain
they've lived a life that's full
they traveled each and ev'ry highway
And more, much more than this, they did it their way

Regrets, they've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
they did what they had to do and saw it through without exemption
they planned each uncharted course, each reckless step along the byway
And more, much more than this, they did it their way …

Well, you know the real song … sung distinctively by the great singers, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra … But people should be reminded, they're both dead …

Congress Delivered Articles of Impeachment for tyrant Obama Bruce Fein | A prominent libertarian constitutional lawyer and civil libertarian has drafted an article of impeachment against President Obama. Article II, Section IV of the United States Constitution provides: “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Libya rebels unlikely to oust Kadhafi: US general Western allies have stepped up “non-lethal” aid to Libyan rebels hours after a rebel armoured unit was hit by apparent NATO ‘friendly fire’, sources said.

Obama Successfully Demobilized the Anti-war Movement

Why Is NATO Really In Libya?


A test of Obama’s leadership style (Washington Post) [ Leadership style? Are you kiddin'? What leadership? 'Wobama's been a failed president since his first broken campaign promise; and there've been plenty more since then. The man's a total fraud!
Obama says shutdown would be ‘inexcusable’ (WP) [ What is totally inexcusable is 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) continuing in the office of the Presidency. He is an abject failure and a total fraud. He should be impeached and removed from office. Time for clichéd, stereotypical, 'mr. for a nickel he will' to go! GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...

Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level 10 Reasons Obama is Just As Bad or Worse Than Bush AP 4-5-11 ] NATO officials grudgingly express regret for mistakenly bombing rebel forces in Libya and killing at least five people the previous day.

Selling In May Is Very Good Advice This Year Harding [ { April Is a Good Time to Sell ( I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new manipulated bubble … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ) Adler , see infra, immediately after Harding } 'It’s that time of year again when I always remind you of the market’s seasonality, its proven tendency to make most of its gains between November and May, and experience most of its losses in the opposite period.

I get a kick out of people who dismiss it as an interesting theory that doesn’t always work. It’s not theory. It’s proven fact. In spite of the few years when it has not worked, investing over the long-term based on the market’s seasonality significantly outperforms the market, and with much less risk.

Don’t take my word for it. Academic studies provide clear evidence.

For instance, a 27-page study published in the prestigious American Economic Review in 2002 concludes, “We found that this inherited wisdom of Sell in May to be true in 36 of 37 developed and emerging markets” It went on to say that, “A trading strategy based on this anomaly would be highly profitable in many countries. The annual risk-adjusted outperformance ranges between 1.5% and 8.9% annually depending on the country being considered. The effect is robust over time, economically significant, unlikely to be caused by data-mining, and not related to taking excess risk.”

Another study in 2008 at the New Zealand Institute of Advanced Study, which focused solely on the U.S. stock market, concluded that “All U.S. stock market sectors, and 48 out of 49 U.S. industry sectors performed better during the winter months than summer months in our sampling from 1926-2006.”

Let’s put the fact that it doesn’t work every year in context.

To begin with, no strategy, particularly buy and hold, works every year. And that is also true of seasonality. For instance, it underperformed in 2003 and 2009. In those years the market made gains in the winter months, and then, fueled by massive government stimulus programs, continued still higher during the summer months when a seasonal investor would have been invested in something other than stocks.

But the seasonal investor did not lose money by being out of the market in the unfavorable season in those years. He or she merely missed further gains. But when an investor is in the market in unfavorable seasons in which the market experiences the serious declines that most often take place in unfavorable seasons, that investor actually loses money. Those losses can be substantial, with investors giving back much, if not all of the gains made in the previous favorable season. For instance, from May 1st to its low during the summer months, the S&P 500 lost 22% of its value in 2001, 24% in 2002, 38% in 2008, and even 16% in the early summer correction in the positive year last year. Those are the experiences that created the ‘lost decade’ that buy and hold investors experienced but which seasonal investors avoided.

Why might seasonality be even more important this year than in other years?

Negatives are piled up against the economy and market to a degree not seen in a number of years. They include rising inflation; global central banks raising interest rates to ward off inflation, which is also likely to slow their economic growth; signs of the U.S. economy slowing again (sharp declines in home sales, durable goods orders, and consumer confidence); the coming end of the Federal Reserve’s QE2 stimulus efforts in June; and the austerity measures Congress will be forcing on the country in efforts to bring the record budget deficit under control.

Then there is the high level of investor bullishness usually seen near market tops. For instance, the Investors Intelligence Sentiment survey shows bullishness has jumped up to 57%, while bearishness has fallen to just 15.7%. That spread of 41.6% is considered to be in a danger zone. The last time it reached 40% was in October, 2007, as the market topped out into the 2007-2009 bear market.

So, fair warning. Seasonality is liable to be even more important this year than in most years.

The traditional seasonality maxim, ‘Sell in May and Go Away’, calls for buying November 1 and selling on May 1 of the following year. Those dates were the basis for the academic studies mentioned earlier.

But obviously a positive market move does not begin and end on the same day each year. So in my 1999 book Riding the Bear – How to Prosper in the Coming Bear Market, I introduced my Seasonal Timing Strategy. It uses a technical indicator that tracks market momentum reversals to better identify the entries and exits. Over the last 40 years, its exit signals have been as early as April 20, and as late as June 20.

The modification significantly improved the already impressive performance of the basic ‘Sell in May and Go Away’ seasonal strategy. In a recent article on MarketWatch, Mark Hulbert wrote that the Hulbert Financial Digest has only been tracking the performance since mid-2002, and since then “Harding’s modification of the Sell In May and Go Away indicator produced an 8.2% annualized return . . . with 37% less risk.” That significantly beat the performance of the S&P 500.' April Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new manipulated bubble … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ] Adler 'Both banks and foreign central banks [FCB] have normal buying cycles, and last week’s evidence suggests that both are just past the peak of those cycles. In addition, because of Japan’s predicament, FCB buying is for the foreseeable future, likely to be well below the necessary levels to keep levitating stocks. Add to that, the loss of the 2 month long, $25 billion weekly stipend from the Treasury on March 24, and we have the conditions for a rough patch.

With less help from the Treasury, the banks, and FCBs, the Fed would have its hands full keeping all its balls in the air. Some would be likely to hit the ground, but not this month. That’s because of the light Treasury supply that I covered in the Treasury update. That makes the job much easier this month, even without the banks and the FCBs.This week is one of those easy weeks, with lots of Fed pumping and no new Treasury supply ...

The evidence shows that banks are again out of the Treasury buying game. It also shows that they lost money in the first quarter, which is insane considering that their cost of funds is zero. It’s an indication of just how dire the circumstances are. Banks continue to accumulate cash at a frantic rate in their accounts at the Fed. The last time reserves rose this fast was in the midst of the crisis in 2008.
...These elements essentially neutralize the Fed’s pumping. ..

In the meantime I would not wait to "sell in May and go away." April looks like a good time to scale out of all equity longs, including in particular broad based ETFs, like SPY (SPY), DIA (DIA), QQQ (QQQ), and IWM (IWM). Aggressive traders and hedgers can use strength to establish short positions probably around mid-month and after ...' ]

FLASHBACK: MM Gameplan Recap: 3/11/11 - Mad Money HomegamerMar 11, 2011... Cramer said it's recently been hit by higher oil prices. ... Cramer is interested for its comments on whether $100+ oil has ... Cramer: I'm Not a Bull at $110 Oil … Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Oil Key to Game Plan (Final) – TheStreet [ Wall Street shock jock and perma bull cramer eats his words … somewhat … since being not as bullish is a far cry different from being 'not a bull' … but words are cheap, in pervasively corupt, defacto bankrupt america generally and wall street particularly. 'They' must have given him a 'talkin' to' for not being a fraud team player.]

Apr 8, 2011 ... NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- 'With the price of oil breaching the $110 a ... time oil surged this high, and they're likely to hit the brakes yet again. ... NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- With the price of oil breaching the $110 a barrel level, Jim Cramer told the viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show Friday that we've officially "entered the danger zone" where the price of oil will matter more than corporate earnings. Cramer said he simply cannot be as bullish on the markets as he once was, and advised investors to begin using strength to raise cash. "Take a lesson from 2008," Cramer told viewers as he outlined his game plan for next week's trading. He said the markets faltered the last time oil surged this high, and they're likely to hit the brakes yet again. "I'm going to become more bearish as oil continues to climb," Cramer told viewers frankly. ...'

Keep it Simple - Here's What's Really Driving Stock Prices

Toshiba proposes to scrap 4 nuke reactors at Fukushima plant [ Am I missing something here … some failed attempt at (Japanese) humor … Wow! … remind me not to buy a Toshiba computer (I’ve also just eliminated dell and apple’s just not worth it). The only explanation is that the radiation must be eating at their brains. Was this proposal ever in doubt … even necessary? I’m at a loss for words! I really am! ] TOKYO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Toshiba Corp. submitted a proposal to Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to decommission four troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, ...

Stocks End Lower Friday, Mixed for Week Midnight Trader 4:24 PM, Apr 8, 2011 --

2. NYSE down 5.39 (-0.1%) to 8,483.94

3. DJIA down 29.44 (-0.2%) to 12,380

4. S&P 500 down 5.34 (-0.4%) to 1,328

5. Nasdaq down 15.73 (-0.6%) to 2,780

GLOBAL SENTIMENT

· Hang Seng up 0.47%

· Nikkei up 1.85%

· FTSE down 0.81%

US Lawmakers Reach Budget Agreement Voice of America Drudgereport: 11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A DEAL [ Hopes of the people dashed with last-minute budget deal avoiding shutdown – This may seem 20/20 hindsightish but I always thought the probabilities were against a shut-down, if only because of the additional 'paperwork' that would be engendered thereby, and the relatively small, insignificant budgetary amounts involved in separating the two parties. ] Hoyer: “No Budget Deal Yet But 70% Agreement” Means Soap Opera Almost Over Zero Hedge | Supposedly 30% disagreement on a binary issue is good news. White House talks fail to produce budget deal (Washington Post) [ Hope is still alive say the people who hope they're prayers for a government shutdown are answered ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... then, they're plenty to spare … More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). Defacto bankrupt america the new marxian dream … eh, comrade ? ... Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (WP) The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (WP) Proposal represents GOP’s most comprehensive philosophical statement since midterm wins.(and then there's all that funny money)}. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . With deadline near, spending accord is elusive (WP) [ If only their spending was as elusive as accords. Oh, there's no question but that they really know how to spend your money at the further expense of children … yet, elusive in this context is a good thing as hope still remains … House GOP leaders turn to Dems for deal (WP) [ Of Dees, Dems, Does, and Gops … Sounds like a plan … Not! … The people are still hoping, praying … will their dream come true? … Government shutdown looms- (WP) [ Shutdown? ... One can only hope, and pray ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... ] After back-to-back meetings at White House and on the Hill, Obama and congressional leaders remain billions of dollars apart as the first federal government shutdown in more than 15 years draws closer. ] President Obama and congressional leaders met again Thursday night to try to negotiate a deal on a spending bill that would avert a looming federal government shutdown. ”Differences have been narrowed,” Obama said.

Congress Delivered Articles of Impeachment for tyrant Obama Bruce Fein | A prominent libertarian constitutional lawyer and civil libertarian has drafted an article of impeachment against President Obama.

A test of Obama’s leadership style (Washington Post) [ Leadership style? Are you kiddin'? What leadership? 'Wobama's been a failed president since his first broken campaign promise; and there've been plenty more since then. The man's a total fraud!
Obama says shutdown would be ‘inexcusable’ (WP) [ What is totally inexcusable is 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) continuing in the office of the Presidency. He is an abject failure and a total fraud. He should be impeached and removed from office. Time for clichéd, stereotypical, 'mr. for a nickel he will' to go! GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill... Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level 10 Reasons Obama is Just As Bad or Worse Than Bush AP 4-5-11 George W. Bush was clearly a mentally-challenged puppet of the military/banking/oil elite. The policies put it in place at breakneck speed after 9/11 were provably predetermined by think tanks well in advance... but there was a noticeable in-your-face quickening of corporate-government tyranny under Bush.

These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.

After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...

There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not worse than Bush:

1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...

2) Betrayal of the Poor...

3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade” agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. … the government moves forward with many new similar agreements.

4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...

5)Internet Rights Eroding...

6) Finally, the DHS has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly unconstitutional … Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the corporate information cartel...

7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...

9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ]

From Egypt to Libya and now the budget, the questions on leadership style have followed a consistent pattern.

A Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China Jason Kaspar | If inflation is to hit home in the heartland of America, it will certainly begin at Wal-Mart.

Portugal defaults, America on the waiting list? RT | Prime Minister of Portugal asked the European Union for a bailout.

Two George Soros Events Aim to Remake Financial Order and Media Dan Gainor | His flunkies want to “Change the world. Change the media.”

The Dollar Is Getting Crushed As Oil Hits $111, Gold Hits $1470, Silver Hits $40, And Euro Hits $1.44 It’s not too surprising, since we’re seeing one of these classically “risk on” type of days that have defined this whole rally, but the dollar is getting killed against everything.

Wild And Crazy 2011: 10 History-Shattering Events That Have Shaken The Financial World To The Core 2011 has already had more history-shattering events than almost any other year since World War 2.

ECONOMIC CRISIS ARCHIVE

National / World

Lyndon LaRouche Exposes the Face of Evil Infowars | Alex Jones interviews political activist and former presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche.

Congress Delivered Articles of Impeachment for tyrant Obama Bruce Fein | A prominent libertarian constitutional lawyer and civil libertarian has drafted an article of impeachment against President Obama. Article II, Section IV of the United States Constitution provides: “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Socialist Leader Calls for Revolution (video) Naked Emperor News | American Socialist Leader Calling For Revolution Says ‘We Are Not Pacifists, Violence Sometimes is Necessary’

Government Shutdown “Equivalent of Bombing Innocent Civilians” Kurt Nimmo | Democrats have worked themselves into a lather over the absurd circus sideshow billed as a government shutdown.

The Future Expansion of Unmanned Drones Over The U.S. Michael Edwards | The goal is 24-hour eye-in-the-sky surveillance by predator drones within civilian airspace from coast to coast.

Libya rebels unlikely to oust Kadhafi: US general Western allies have stepped up “non-lethal” aid to Libyan rebels hours after a rebel armoured unit was hit by apparent NATO ‘friendly fire’, sources said.

Obama Successfully Demobilized the Anti-war Movement It is more evidence the antiwar movement is largely a left-vs-right distraction. A new studyby U-M’s Michael Heaney and colleague Fabio Rojas of Indiana University shows that the antiwar movement in the United States demobilized as Democrats took over Congress and the White House.

Why Is NATO Really In Libya? Is NATO failing with its attempts in Libya? Former Regan Administration official Paul Craig Roberts thinks the situation with Gaddafi is much different than the other recent protests in the Arab world. “Why is NATO there?” has become to real question, says Roberts, who fears that risky involvement stemming from American influence could lead to catastrophic breaking point.

Drudgereport: 11TH HOUR: LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Obama: 'Americans of different beliefs came together'...
Takes credit for 'biggest annual spending cut in history'...
'LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS'...
FLASHBACK: Deficit Forecast Nears $1.5 Trillion...
SURPRISE: Government shutdown averted...
Spending cuts total nearly $40 billion...
$78 billion below Obama request...
Deal bans DC from spending funds for abortion, continues school voucher program...
BOEHNER: 'As good a deal as we could get'...
REPORT: Oprah won't endorse Obama for re-election...
Poll: Obama Struggling With Whites...
Even black voters slip...
OIL JUMPS 2% -- IN A DAY...
Fever for Gold, Silver Grips Investors...
Biden daughter trashes Trump...
Bill Cosby slams: 'He's full of it!'...
Trump Takes On NYT, Gail Collins...
Admires her for surviving 'so long with so little talent'...
NBCWSJ POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily Caller ... Milbank: Donald trumps CPAC | Gibbs gone (Washington Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ] He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie., bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss … trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade, quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)

Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in mob-infested jersey!

Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)

] earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3^rd circuit ( also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]

White House talks fail to produce budget deal (Washington Post) [ Hope is still alive say the people who hope they're prayers for a government shutdown are answered ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... then, they're plenty to spare … More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). Defacto bankrupt america the new marxian dream … eh, comrade ? ... Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (WP) The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (WP) Proposal represents GOP’s most comprehensive philosophical statement since midterm wins.(and then there's all that funny money)}. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . With deadline near, spending accord is elusive (WP) [ If only their spending was as elusive as accords. Oh, there's no question but that they really know how to spend your money at the further expense of children … yet, elusive in this context is a good thing as hope still remains … House GOP leaders turn to Dems for deal (WP) [ Of Dees, Dems, Does, and Gops … Sounds like a plan … Not! … The people are still hoping, praying … will their dream come true? … Government shutdown looms- (WP) [ Shutdown? ... One can only hope, and pray ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... ] After back-to-back meetings at White House and on the Hill, Obama and congressional leaders remain billions of dollars apart as the first federal government shutdown in more than 15 years draws closer. ] President Obama and congressional leaders met again Thursday night to try to negotiate a deal on a spending bill that would avert a looming federal government shutdown. ”Differences have been narrowed,” Obama said.

A test of Obama’s leadership style (Washington Post) [ Leadership style? Are you kiddin'? What leadership? 'Wobama's been a failed president since his first broken campaign promise; and there've been plenty more since then. The man's a total fraud!
Obama says shutdown would be ‘inexcusable’ (WP) [ What is totally inexcusable is 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) continuing in the office of the Presidency. He is an abject failure and a total fraud. He should be impeached and removed from office. Time for clichéd, stereotypical, 'mr. for a nickel he will' to go! GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...

Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level 10 Reasons Obama is Just As Bad or Worse Than Bush AP 4-5-11 George W. Bush was clearly a mentally-challenged puppet of the military/banking/oil elite. The policies put it in place at breakneck speed after 9/11 were provably predetermined by think tanks well in advance... but there was a noticeable in-your-face quickening of corporate-government tyranny under Bush.

These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.

After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...

There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not worse than Bush:

1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...

2) Betrayal of the Poor...

3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade” agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. … the government moves forward with many new similar agreements.

4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...

5)Internet Rights Eroding...

6) Finally, the DHS has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly unconstitutional … Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the corporate information cartel...

7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...

9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ]

From Egypt to Libya and now the budget, the questions on leadership style have followed a consistent pattern.

Would Trump pass a budget? (Washington Post) [ You have to be pretty low on the 'evolutionary food chain' to be taken in by a fraud like trump. Yet, total b*** s*** and fraud that he is, as the flip side of the same coin as fraud and failed president wobama the b (for b*** s***) it would represent the ultimate match-up in the 'new' failed and fallen america. Gaming is an economic win (WP)“Gold farmers” and other online workers in Asia are benefitting, according to a World Bank report. [ Well, I don't know about online, but offline certainly has been a big win for Wynn, Steve Wynn, who was 'chased' from mob infested jersey by mental case mobster trump et als. Drudgereport: NBCWSJ POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Milbank: Donald trumps CPAC (WP) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ] He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie., bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss … trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade, quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go down).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)

Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year

Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail

http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]

Chain stores post increased sales (Washington Post) [ The mall? If they can find one with stores … Drudgereport: Malls hit highest vacancy in 11 years... Reality paints a different picture ... You're going to see some very large bankruptcies / foreclosures soon … This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . A Trading System That Challenges the Efficient Market Hypothesis [ I haven't included the body of this article because it's not worth your time. What parallel universe is McCurdy operating in? Even in the heyday of that so-called hypothesis, close examination of the data indicated that if you weren't timing the market you were, in a somewhat 'Charlie Sheenish' manner of speaking, duh! … losing! (my MBA Thesis, 1977, NYU GBA, Finance – which required study / mastery of such math intensive theory which wasn't for the faint of heart.) Said 'hypothesis' wasn't true then and certainly isn't true today where complex computer-programming can and does artificially produce the various criteria / buy / sell / signals alluded to in the article (they're widely known / followed) creating the rigged / fraudulent trading game geared to maximized the 'churn-and-earn' commission profits (net negative in economic terms) and enabling the passing of 'those hot potatoes'/paper shares in a manner that resembles a game of musical chairs with those not in the loop winding up holding the bag (including pension funds, etc.); all the while funding those lavish lifesyles / over-compensation of the frauds on wall street along with the direct / indirect bribes inuring them from stigma and as well, insulating them from proper scrutiny and prosecution. Fundamentals, fundamental rational analysis has become virtually irrelevant to these now fraud-prone markets like never before in history facilitating frauds of magnitudes that have made the rationalization 'too big to fail' a byword of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american failed finance; which frauds continue unabated, unprosecuted even as you read these words. In retrospect, one might say of such theory, in reality, that famed snoopy(ish - the dog) aphorism, 'baffling them with b*** s*** '. The frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed. Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer money-- … an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! ]

Zeroing in on giant insider trading ring (Washington Post) [ Just don't bring the case in new york (or the 2^nd or 3^rd circuits for that matter); the bribes have already been paid, one way or another. Bonds show little concern about U.S. fiscal health WP/Bloomberg (they call that the 'dumb money', you know, your money; while the smart money, ie., PIMCO, sold their entire portfolio of u.s. bonds. April Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' Adler ]

Twilight Zone Investing

Whistling Past the Expanding Graveyard as Spain Goes 'On the Clock 'Inflation Trader 'For some time now, the markets have been ‘whistling past the graveyard,’ impressively ignoring and/or shrugging off a fair pile of news that ought definitely to be negative for equities and probably somewhat negative for bonds as well. I’ve detailed these things previously and they don’t really need much repeating.

But it’s one thing to go whistling past the local church graveyard, something else entirely to keep whistling when the graveyard stretches on for miles. Yesterday, Portugal formally asked the EU for a bailout. “I tried everything but we came to a moment that not taking this decision would bring risks we can’t afford,” said Prime Minister Jose Socrates. A day or two ago, there had been talk that Portugal wanted a short-term loan to float it past a big slug of bond redemptions that is approaching; the EU said ‘it doesn’t work that way,’ so Portugal was forced to throw itself on the mercy of the Union.

Well, this is something less than a total surprise, and indeed Portuguese bond yields rallied 17bps, along with Ireland’s 32bp rally and Spain’s 6bp rally. I don’t know how Portugal seeking aid improves the lot of Ireland, but there it is. Now, I don’t really care about a one-day rally but the significance of Portugal succumbing is that the market’s crosshairs will now be trained on Spain, Italy, or Belgium. Judging from market yields, it would appear Spain is likely to be the next one ‘on the clock.’ And that’s really the main event, because Spain’s economy is much larger than Portugal’s, Greece’s, or Ireland’s.

The graveyard stretches onward. How long can markets keep whistling?

U.S. 10y note yields reached 1-month highs at 3.55%, and I will not be at all surprised to see them keep going higher. .. ] The SEC says Matthew Kluger passed tips on corporate deals to a middleman, who then talked to a Wall Street trader, for 17 years.

A Trading System That Challenges the Efficient Market Hypothesis [ I haven't included the body of this article because it's not worth your time. What parallel universe is McCurdy operating in? Even in the heyday of that so-called hypothesis, close examination of the data indicated that if you weren't timing the market you were, in a somewhat 'Charlie Sheenish' manner of speaking, duh! … losing! (my MBA Thesis, 1977, NYU GBA, Finance – which required study / mastery of such math intensive theory which wasn't for the faint of heart.) Said 'hypothesis' wasn't true then and certainly isn't true today where complex computer-programming can and does artificially produce the various criteria / buy / sell / signals alluded to in the article (they're widely known / followed) creating the rigged / fraudulent trading game geared to maximized the 'churn-and-earn' commission profits (net negative in economic terms) and enabling the passing of 'those hot potatoes'/paper shares in a manner that resembles a game of musical chairs with those not in the loop winding up holding the bag (including pension funds, etc.); all the while funding those lavish lifesyles / over-compensation of the frauds on wall street along with the direct / indirect bribes inuring them from stigma and as well, insulating them from proper scrutiny and prosecution. Fundamentals, fundamental rational analysis has become virtually irrelevant to these now fraud-prone markets like never before in history facilitating frauds of magnitudes that have made the rationalization 'too big to fail' a byword of pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt american failed finance; which frauds continue unabated, unprosecuted even as you read these words. In retrospect, one might say of such theory, in reality, that famed snoopy(ish - the dog) aphorism, 'baffling them with b*** s*** '. (Which as it stands today particularly, remains an american financial / economic strategy, albeit a now widely known failed strategy.) - Lawyer charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [ Come on! Just enough for a few headlines so people think they're actually doing something. They could (but don't) bring a case as this or other wall street crime against a different wall street liar (sic lawyer) / fraud in that corrupt sinkhole new york (metro, ie., jersey, conn., etc.) every single day and bearly touch the tip of the iceberg. Is anybody foolish enough to think what goes on there is legitimate? Remember, still no pros for the huge debacle / fraud precipitating the last and continuing economic / financial crisis. Chemist charged with insider trading (WP) [ This remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! The frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed. Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer money-- … an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). SEC: Wachovia cheated investors (WP) I truly can see decreasing the apple weighting (formerly 20%), and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google (ubiquitous) weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't think so … something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt to circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz., over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story (apple), and manipulate when that 1-stock story falls to earth! April Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' Adler ]

Twilight Zone Investing

Whistling Past the Expanding Graveyard as Spain Goes 'On the Clock 'Inflation Trader 'For some time now, the markets have been ‘whistling past the graveyard,’ impressively ignoring and/or shrugging off a fair pile of news that ought definitely to be negative for equities and probably somewhat negative for bonds as well. I’ve detailed these things previously and they don’t really need much repeating.

But it’s one thing to go whistling past the local church graveyard, something else entirely to keep whistling when the graveyard stretches on for miles. Yesterday, Portugal formally asked the EU for a bailout. “I tried everything but we came to a moment that not taking this decision would bring risks we can’t afford,” said Prime Minister Jose Socrates. A day or two ago, there had been talk that Portugal wanted a short-term loan to float it past a big slug of bond redemptions that is approaching; the EU said ‘it doesn’t work that way,’ so Portugal was forced to throw itself on the mercy of the Union.

Well, this is something less than a total surprise, and indeed Portuguese bond yields rallied 17bps, along with Ireland’s 32bp rally and Spain’s 6bp rally. I don’t know how Portugal seeking aid improves the lot of Ireland, but there it is. Now, I don’t really care about a one-day rally but the significance of Portugal succumbing is that the market’s crosshairs will now be trained on Spain, Italy, or Belgium. Judging from market yields, it would appear Spain is likely to be the next one ‘on the clock.’ And that’s really the main event, because Spain’s economy is much larger than Portugal’s, Greece’s, or Ireland’s.

The graveyard stretches onward. How long can markets keep whistling?

U.S. 10y note yields reached 1-month highs at 3.55%, and I will not be at all surprised to see them keep going higher. I believe the economic data is going to be flattening out a bit here, but not quickly enough to get investors champing at the bit to take up the slack once the Fed stops buying in a couple of months. Real yields are back to 0.96% on the 10y – still too expensive for my tastes but it is easy to say that; harder it is to find good alternatives. Even OSM, which I wrote about a year ago when it was trading at 16, only sports a yield of CPI+4.8% or so. After accounting for the credit risk of the issuer, that’s not particularly cheap (although probably better than many alternatives – I am not selling mine yet).

Energy markets continue to ooze slowly higher. The impacts of the Japanese disaster are continuing to spread and be felt. The financial impacts won’t be measured by Geiger counter readings, but by guidance from companies whose supply chains have been disrupted by the crisis. That guidance and those calls will start to happen when earnings announcement season gets kicked off on Monday (although the companies affected probably aren’t those that report next week but in the week or two thereafter).

And the money spigot the Fed has turned on will be turning off in only a few months.

Some people would say that this is all part of the “market climbing a wall of worry.” But that’s not right. A “wall of worry” is when investors are timid because of the possibility that things might go wrong, and they’re worrying about what might go wrong. That’s not the situation here. These things are not possibilities; they are things that are actually going wrong, right now. It’s whistling past the graveyard (frankly I picture it more like Michael Jackson’s Thriller, with lots of ghouls and ghastly things reaching out to clutch at the passersby).

Today, there are two main events on schedule. The first is the announcement by the ECB of the results of the monetary policy meeting. There is total unanimity among economists (at least, the 57 polled by Bloomberg) that the ECB will hike rates by 25bps even as Portugal, Greece, and Ireland are foundering on high rates. I think that will be a colossal error, although if they stop after one tightening or indicate that there will be a pause of some length to let the policymakers evaluate the effect of the move then it may not be as big of an error. But tightening policy now, given what is happening in MENA, given what is happening in Japan, and given what is happening with oil (which price rise is already contractionary), is a mind-boggling decision. And, as I have said before, it clearly points out that the EU doesn’t care much about the periphery countries and that policy is being run for the core. That’s fine, unless you’re a periphery country! We will see, I suppose, how willing the consumers of Europe are to take slower growth or a return to recession in order to restrain inflation.

This was always going to be the battle. Inflation, given the scale of central bank response to crisis, was always doomed to turn higher long before the “economic slack” (which is to say, jobs for the people) had evaporated. In the U.S., I have long assumed that the Fed would be very slow to hike rates for this reason and because the institution – despite its apparent independence – isn’t insulated from public rancor or from the brickbats of Congressional blowhards.

The other report is the weekly Initial Claims data (Consensus: 385k from 388k), which is unlikely to have a major impact unless it spikes well above 400k. A 410k print would get people wondering whether Claims are turning higher again, but a better-than-expected number has a high hurdle because the presumption is that Claims are in a downtrend.

For my money, I’m watching the ECB, listening to the press conference afterwards, and wearing a garlic necklace.'

Obama says shutdown would be ‘inexcusable’ (Washington Post) [ What is totally inexcusable is 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) continuing in the office of the Presidency. He is an abject failure and a total fraud. He should be impeached and removed from office. Time for clichéd, stereotypical, 'mr. for a nickel he will' to go! Drudgereport: Obama: 'I Remember What It Was Like To Pump Gas'...
Get used to high prices...
GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...

Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level 10 Reasons Obama is Just As Bad or Worse Than Bush Activist Post April 5, 2011 George W. Bush was clearly a mentally-challenged puppet of the military/banking/oil elite. The policies put it in place at breakneck speed after 9/11 were provably predetermined by think tanks well in advance... but there was a noticeable in-your-face quickening of corporate-government tyranny under Bush.

These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.

After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...

There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not worse than Bush:

1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...

2) Betrayal of the Poor...

3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade” agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. In contrast to being “opposed” to such agreements, the government moves forward with many new similar agreements.

4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...

5)Internet Rights Eroding...

6) Finally, the DHS has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly unconstitutional. Given that Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the corporate information cartel, you can bet he will show his support for these endeavors even if only by remaining silent as they are debated then implemented.

7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...

9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism... ] After an evening meeting with congressional leaders at the White House, the president said the two sides are divided over “relatively narrow numbers.”

Damage would increase with duration (Washington Post) [ But think of the longterm benefits for the nation and the world. Indeed, if only because 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) was against the shutdown is reason enough to do exactly that, so failed a president and fatally flawed man and total fraud he is (although there are innumerable reasons for the shutdown). Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (Washington Post) [ The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (Washington Post) Proposal represents GOP’s most comprehensive philosophical statement since midterm wins.(and then there's all that funny money)}. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . With deadline near, spending accord is elusive (Washington Post) [ If only their spending was as elusive as accords. Oh, there's no question but that they really know how to spend your money at the further expense of children … yet, elusive in this context is a good thing as hope still remains … House GOP leaders turn to Dems for deal (Washington Post) [ Of Dees, Dems, Does, and Gops … Sounds like a plan … Not! … The people are still hoping, praying … will their dream come true? … Government shutdown looms-Paul Kane (Washington Post) [ Shutdown? ... One can only hope, and pray ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... Government shutdown looms Paul Kane (Washington Post) ] ] After back-to-back meetings at White House and on the Hill, Obama and congressional leaders remain billions of dollars apart as the first federal government shutdown in more than 15 years draws closer. ] The economic effects of a government shutdown could be significant in the Washington region and nationally if the impasse continues for several weeks, some economists said.

A Crack in the Great Wall-mart: Watch Out for Rising Prices from China Jason Kaspar | If inflation is to hit home in the heartland of America, it will certainly begin at Wal-Mart.

Portugal defaults, America on the waiting list? RT | Prime Minister of Portugal asked the European Union for a bailout.

Two George Soros Events Aim to Remake Financial Order and Media Dan Gainor | His flunkies want to “Change the world. Change the media.”

The Financial System Designed To Self Destruct As each day passes the US dollar loses prestige and its status as a world reserve currency. Washington and Wall Street pay little attention to its slide and the changes a lower dollar and loss of reserve status will bring.

Markets Fall On Second Major Earthquake Near Fukushima Following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of northeastern Japan today, the major stock market indexes fell after rising all morning.

“We Don’t Need A Bailout… We Don’t Need A Bailout…Uh, We Need A Bailout”: Portugal Admits To Needing EU Rescue In the biggest shocker to come out just hours before the ECB’s announcement tomorrow, which many see is a guaranteed rate hike, Journal de Negocios has just announced that according to the Portuguese Finance Minister, the country needs a bailout, after weeks and weeks of Greece-style denials. And yes, nobody could have foreseen this, and all that jazz.

Bank of England Holds Rates Despite High Inflation The Bank of England held interest rates at a record-low 0.5 percent on Thursday despite a surge in inflation, ceding the limelight to the European Central Bank, which was expected to raise borrowing costs less than an hour later.

US Going Same Route as Greece, Portugal: Economist The US is going down a similar road as that taken by Greece and Portugal with regard to its budget decisions, John E. Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo, said on Wednesday.

National / World

Our Immune System: Nature’s Perfect Machine Ben Fuchs | Suppression of the immune system is serious business.

U.S. General: Ground Troops to Invade Libya Kurt Nimmo | Troops to be sent despite assurances by Obama and Def. Sec. Gates to the contrary.

Onagawa Nuclear Plant Loses Power After Earthquake Kurt Nimmo | Japanese power companies have a less than sterling record in reporting nuclear accidents.

New Earthquake Off Japanese Coast Accompanied By Strange Blue Light Show Infowars.com | Onagawa nuclear power plant lost power.

Markets Fall On Second Major Earthquake Near Fukushima Kurt Nimmo | Major stock market indexes fell after rising all morning.

Obama vows to veto short-term bill The White House has vowed to veto the short-term spending bill House Republicans will vote on this afternoon, taking away the safety net that could have given both sides another week to avert an immediate government shutdown.

Obama props up corporate media with tax payer money The Daily Caller is reporting that two crown jewels in the CIA’s long-standing corporate media propaganda effort – the Washington Post and CBS – are receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars each from hoodwinked taxpayers in order to twist coverage of Obamacare.

Obama Remembers Pumping Gas During an appearance before Al Sharpton’s shake down organization, the National Action Network, the comedian Obama said he was a gas station attendant before he decided to serve his country as a teleprompter reader. Barry Obama was a regular Joe with student loans to pay off and other hardships suffered daily by the boobeoisie.

Jesse Ventura: Enough Government Cover-ups! It’s time for a Revolution! On the heels of the release of his latest book, 63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You Know, former governor of Minnesota, talk show host and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura talks with RT’s Anastasia Churkina to discuss his latest effort. In this sit-down, Ventura shares his thoughts on the recent decision to bring alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed before a military tribunal and how Democrats and Republicans have “sold their soul to rock and roll.”

‘CIA involved in Yemen repressions’ Al-Qaeda in Yemen has not been held responsible for the death of even one American for the past five years, yet the US continues to play the al-Qaeda card and provide the country’s regime with military aid.

Sudan Accuses Israel Of Long-Range Attack Sudan has accused Israel of carrying out a long-range assassination mission from the air that has killed two people.

Drudgereport: Obama: 'I Remember What It Was Like To Pump Gas'...
Get used to high prices...
GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...
FAA sets 'no-fly zone' over Williamsburg...
'Long-planned family trip'...
'Rest and relaxation'...
Malls hit highest vacancy in 11 years...
General: U.S. may consider ground troops in Libya...
DEM: WH 'dramatically underestimating' cost of war...
NATO Fears War without End...
NATO Airstrike Kills Libyan Rebels -- again...
OIL SPIKES PAST $110...
Traders prepare for oil at $175...
Ryan: Debt On Track To Hit 800% Of GDP...
Oklahoma sees driest 4 months since Dust Bowl...
'CBO Can't Conceive of Any Way' Economy Can Continue Past 2037...[that's awfully optimistically close to if not beyond the 'decades at best scenario']...
REPORT: Saudis 'So Unhappy' With White House They Sent Emissaries to China, Russia Seeking Enhanced Ties...
Cash-Strapped NYC To Close 20 Fire Companies...
NBCWSJ POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Lawrence O'Donnell insists parent company NBC consider firing Donald Trump Daily Caller ... Milbank: Donald trumps CPAC | Gibbs gone (Washington Post) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ] He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie., bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss … trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade, quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go down…..riiiiight!).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)

Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed – What else would you you expect from a mobster’s casino in mob-infested jersey!

Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)

] earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3^rd circuit ( also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ]

Obama says shutdown would be ‘inexcusable’ (Washington Post) [ What is totally inexcusable is 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) continuing in the office of the Presidency. He is an abject failure and a total fraud. He should be impeached and removed from office. Time for clichéd, stereotypical, 'mr. for a nickel he will' to go! Drudgereport: Obama: 'I Remember What It Was Like To Pump Gas'...
Get used to high prices...
GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...

Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level 10 Reasons Obama is Just As Bad or Worse Than Bush Activist Post April 5, 2011 George W. Bush was clearly a mentally-challenged puppet of the military/banking/oil elite. The policies put it in place at breakneck speed after 9/11 were provably predetermined by think tanks well in advance... but there was a noticeable in-your-face quickening of corporate-government tyranny under Bush.

These policies like wars of aggression, illegal surveillance of Americans, torture of detainees indefinitely held without formal charges, unfair “free trade” agreements, and bank bailouts ... these policies accelerated under Obama, even more of the draconian playbook is unfolding.

After 8 years of Bush’s reign that ended with a record low presidential approval rating in the low 20s, Obama’s promise of hope and change ...Although policies being implemented under Obama’s leadership exhibit the continuation of Bush’s tyrannical agenda, his stunning betrayal of populist and Constitutional principles in support of these actions makes him the ultimate hypocrite...

There have been many articles written about Obama’s unkept promises and outright lies, but here are 10 actions that prove Obama is just as bad if not worse than Bush:

1) Bank/Corporate Bailouts...

2) Betrayal of the Poor...

3) Expansion of Free Trade: Obama excoriated NAFTA, GATT and other so-called “Free Trade” agreements that were put in place under Clinton and Bush (with CAFTA)...These free trade agreements are designed to only help the multinational corporations who wrote them, and who Obama now works for. In contrast to being “opposed” to such agreements, the government moves forward with many new similar agreements.

4) Escalating Wars of Aggression...

5)Internet Rights Eroding...

6) Finally, the DHS has been arbitrarily seizing domain names, which is clearly unconstitutional. Given that Obama is completely in bed with Google and others in the corporate information cartel, you can bet he will show his support for these endeavors even if only by remaining silent as they are debated then implemented.

7) Free Speech Restrictions...
8) Illegal Domestic Surveillance...

9) Rule of Law is Dead...
10) Obamacare Fascism...

]

After an evening meeting with congressional leaders at the White House, the president said the two sides are divided over “relatively narrow numbers.”

Constitutional Problems with the Libyan War Ron Paul | The costs of this terrible mistake cannot be ignored. Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level Paul Craig Roberts | Gadhafi is being demonized while Bush/Cheney/Obama are sitting on their high horse draped in cloaks of morality. Reuters: Obama Signs Secret Order Authorizing Covert CIA Support For Libyan Rebels Obama has signed secret order authorizing covert US govt support for rebel forces in Libya, officials tell Reuters. Poll: Obama’s approval hits new low President Barack Obama’s approval rating and prospects for reelection have plunged to all-time lows in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Americans worried about Libya conflict: poll A new poll published on Wednesday found nearly half of Americans were opposed to US military involvement in Libya, ]

Damage would increase with duration (Washington Post) [ But think of the longterm benefits for the nation and the world. Indeed, if only because 'wobama the b' (for b*** s***) was against the shutdown is reason enough to do exactly that, so failed a president and fatally flawed man and total fraud he is (although there are innumerable reasons for the shutdown). Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (Washington Post) [ The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (Washington Post) Proposal represents GOP’s most comprehensive philosophical statement since midterm wins.(and then there's all that funny money)}. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . With deadline near, spending accord is elusive (Washington Post) [ If only their spending was as elusive as accords. Oh, there's no question but that they really know how to spend your money at the further expense of children … yet, elusive in this context is a good thing as hope still remains … House GOP leaders turn to Dems for deal (Washington Post) [ Of Dees, Dems, Does, and Gops … Sounds like a plan … Not! … The people are still hoping, praying … will their dream come true? … Government shutdown looms-Paul Kane (Washington Post) [ Shutdown? ... One can only hope, and pray ... after all, they can't muck up what they're not in session to f*** up ... Government shutdown looms Paul Kane (Washington Post) ] ] After back-to-back meetings at White House and on the Hill, Obama and congressional leaders remain billions of dollars apart as the first federal government shutdown in more than 15 years draws closer. ] The economic effects of a government shutdown could be significant in the Washington region and nationally if the impasse continues for several weeks, some economists said.

Lawyer charged with insider trading (Washington Post) [ Come on! Just enough for a few headlines so people think they're actually doing something. They could (but don't) bring a case as this or other wall street crime against a different wall street liar (sic lawyer) / fraud in that corrupt sinkhole new york (metro, ie., jersey, conn., etc.) every single day and bearly touch the tip of the iceberg. Is anybody foolish enough to think what goes on there is legitimate? Remember, still no pros for the huge debacle / fraud precipitatin the last and continuing economic / financial crisis. Chemist charged with insider trading (WP) [ This remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! The frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed. Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer money-- … an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm . Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). SEC: Wachovia cheated investors (WP) [ I truly can see decreasing the apple weighting, and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google (ubiquitous) weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't think so … something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt to circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz., over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story, and manipulate when that 1-stock story falls to earth! April Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' Adler ]

Gaming is an economic win (Washington Post)“Gold farmers” and other online workers in Asia are benefitting, according to a World Bank report. [ Well, I don't know about online, but offline certainly has been a big win for Wynn, Steve Wynn, who was 'chased' from mob infested jersey by mental case mobster trump et als. Drudgereport: [1] NBCWSJ POLL SHOCK: TRUMP #2 GOP [ NBC where t_rump has his Jerry Springer derivative shock-jock show and sinkhole new york's fraud street journal … poll? … Don't make me laugh … Milbank: Donald trumps CPAC (WP) [ Trump’s a loser, dressed up and propped up by and to shill for a declining, fallen nation in the most corrupt regions (ie., new york, jersey, etc.) of the country (every fallen nation has such); of that there is no question …"Over the years I've participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time," the Donald said. (Except for the bankruptc[ies], that is. [ trump’s never won a battle that wasn’t fixed in advance (including the ‘pre-packaged bankrupcies’ crammed down the throats of objecting creditors – jersey general ] He also with his corrupt mob ilk 'chased' Steve Wynn out of jersey – Steve Wynn's doing extremely well in Macau and Vegas.) "I've beaten many people and companies, and I've won many wars," he added. (Though he didn't serve in the military.) "I have fairly [according to mobster rules; ie., bribery, money laundering, etc.] but intelligently [ as any other mob boss … trump is total b*** s***, a fraud, and lightweight … and, despite the façade, quite insecure … trump’s a total mental case … He truly is the ‘poster-boy’ of american decline and part of the problem, not the solution! …trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … NEWS FLASH: Direct from Lost Angeles Learning Annex – Presenting mobster t_rump of new yoke, new joyzey, and now caleefornia mob fame with his continuing message for the past several years: buy real estate (and watch the values go down).
Bank sues Trump over Chicago tower loan...
Trump casino to miss interest payment...
trump’s fired (from ‘his own company’)

Gunfire Erupts Inside trump Taj Mahal Casino, 1 Dead - Second Such Incident In A Year At N.J. Mainstay Ends With Employee Killed

Trump luxury resort folds, leaving buyers defrauded…litigation has commenced…send for sister maryanne, the corrupt federal judge to preside, coverup, etc., she’s in n.y./n.j./pa 3rd circuit ct appeals, understands drug money laundering/fraud and handles her own motions to recuse her and like mobster trump should be in jail ... (see RICO Case)

http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ] earned many billions of dollars [ at whose expense ], which in a sense was both a scorecard and acknowledgment of my abilities [ to fool most of the people, all of the time. ] ." TRUMP DRAWS CHEERS, BOOS AT CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE...
PONDERING PRESIDENTIAL RUN... [Don’t make me laugh! … Donald T_rump Would Impose 25% Tax on China Imports if President [ trump also said america’s become the laughingstock of the world … true enough … and trump the biggest joke … Indeed, that trump even posits the possibility of a run when he should be in jail is a testament to just how big a laughingstock pervasively corrupt, defacto bankrupt america’s become! [ If he was mobster in chief, mobster and scoundrel trump wraps himself in populist american flag and offers up an (too little too late – typical lightweight) implausible solution to keep ‘the juice’ flowing though he’d already be in jail in a rational, non-declining nation with meaningful laws. All China has to do is dump (and not prospectively buy) their ever more and declining in value day-by-day (from dollar debasement policies) u.s. paper / bonds and overnight and the u.s. economy consequently thereby collapse. [ When you come right down to it, this has been america’s most significant export. Indeed, this irrevocable structural shift, hailed by cia men hw bush and clinton (clinton couldn’t have survived with them) by way of NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread was indeed in no uncertain terms condemned and warned against by Perot, a man of honor who, unlike his opponents, could not be bought, which is the reason, in pervasively corrupt america, he could never have been elected. Interestingly, you may have noticed the good (but not great, other than the spotlight on pervasive bribery including judges, police, politicians, etc., being far too light) the film ‘The Untouchables’ getting a wide re-airing of late, purporting to be a significant part of american folklore / history / culture. However, the reality is that in america, and certainly today, the real story with impact is that of ‘The Touchables’. The reality is that Elliot Ness died a broken man; bankrupt, unable to even win election to the mayoralty of his then current hometown. He was incorruptible; and hence, in the real america, unelectable at the least if not also all but unemployable (he and his are among those few genetic anomalies in america as I’ve previously alluded to. How far america has fallen from even false perception! Pervasively corrupt, meaningfully lawless america can’t even fake it anymore. See, for example, http://albertpeia.com/CIAAgentAffidavit1.jpg http://albertpeia.com/FBIAgentAffidavit11.jpg , and of course, corrupt legal / judicial processes, etc., Defacto bankrupt, fraudulent america also spends more on offensive (defensive a misnomer / propaganda) military spending than all the nations of the world combined, and by a large margin at that. Do you see a pattern emerging here [ I unfortunately only belatedly did, and the feds, fed employees, cia, all 3 branches of the u.s. government, etc., are included in this evolved american trait of inherent criminality in the most nefarious sense … The pervasively corrupt american illegal system … corrupt u.s. courts / (lawyers) / judges: Their lifetime plush appointments should be abolished, which corrupt entities are unheard of in productive societies as China, Japan, etc.. Time to abolish these drags on society and eliminate their lifetime stipends and costly bureaucracies. Rules of law mean nothing to these typically corrupt americans. Most, including sam alito of the u.s. supreme court, concerning drug money laundering and obstruction of justice in the 3^rd circuit ( also maryanne trump barry who covered-up drug money laundering through her brother’s casinos in a civil RICO case) should have gone to or belong in jail. Contrary to popular belief, they do it for the money, personal money, big, cash, untraceable money. The fog of war is great for such things (360 tons $100 bills flown into Iraq and missing, etc.). [ http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/ricosummarytoFBIunderpenaltyofperjury.pdf http://www.albertpeia.com/112208opocoan/PeiavCoanetals.htm ]. america’s just a fraudulent and failed defacto bankrupt nation. ] “I would announce, without equivocation, a 25% tax increase on anything purchased from China.” ]
CHENEY HECKLED... 'DRAFTDOGER!' 'WHERE'S BIN LADEN?' ] ]

U.S. pledges money to jump-start peace program in Afghanistan (Washington Post) [ Well, there you go … peace in our time … now where's neville chamberlain's hologram when you need it … just make sure those hundred dollar bills to be flown in are untraceable and delivered directly to the 'peace profiteers' … seems we've heard this one before (Iraq-that 360 tons of missing $100 bills … didn't come close to ending that conflict but made a lot of 'peace profiteers' very wealthy at the taxpayers' / treasury's / nation's expense.) ... boy, that peace is comin' cheap … new war and all … the smart thing to do … that $50 mil will go far … riiiiight! … The Peace Program or stated another way, a piecw of the action program… Drudgereport: Obama: 'I Remember What It Was Like To Pump Gas'...
Get used to high prices...
GOP lawyer circulating wobama impeachment article on Hill...
Ryan: Debt On Track To Hit 800% Of GDP...
Oklahoma sees driest 4 months since Dust Bowl...
'CBO Can't Conceive of Any Way' Economy Can Continue Past 2037...[that's awfully optimistically close to if not beyond the 'decades at best scenario']...
REPORT: Saudis 'So Unhappy' With White House They Sent Emissaries to China, Russia Seeking Enhanced Ties...
Cash-Strapped NYC To Close 20 Fire Companies... ] A program to lure Taliban fighters from the battlefield is set to get $50 million.

Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ .

Fed sees recovery on track (Washington Post) [ Yeah … that's indeed what THEY saw, as the blind no-recession fed took their hammer and saw ... or, by the new reality of things, their hammer and sickle … and, that increased asset inflation plan of theirs seems to be making headway (grains, meat, metals, oil, commodities, etc.) and when your loaf of bread's a cool $100, they'll claim victory. Of course, as planned, inflated stock prices are not immune from their 'plan' since all along was the plan within a 'plan' which is great for the churn-and-earn frauds on wall street though margins will begin to suffer even with the 'plan within the plan' which, of course, is not a plan at all but another scam, at best, and at worst, this 'no-recession' fed hasn't the slightest idea what (damage) they're doing. Wages not keeping pace with prices (WP) [ Yes , there is a substantial cost to 'no-recession, helicopter ben' b. s. bernanke's attempt at new age alchemy in trying to spin worthless currency / paper securities / toxic assets into gold for the sake of fraudulent wall street only; which of course, not only does not work, but invariably ends quite badly. The more recent your trip to the grocery store, gas station, etc., the more pronounced the evidence. There is no modern day alchemy that 'spins more paper into gold'. That value has to come from some place; viz., you! Chemist charged with insider trading (WP) [ This remains incredulous to me. Everyone but the big boys / frauds! The frauds on wall street et als should be criminally prosecuted, jailed, fined, and disgorgement imposed. M&A, Ben Resuscitate Bulls: Dave's Daily 'If you can keep interest rates this low this long, its inevitable cheap financing can allow companies to start cobbling each other up. Further Ben's policies allow companies like IBM to sell bonds at 1% and buy back shares with the proceeds (total paper bubble-scam). POMO is occurring almost daily and Primary Dealers can buy back their shares and pay dividends with what essentially is taxpayer money--nifty trick eh? With all the geopolitical and nuclear events going on little noticed was Fed "stress tests" of financial institutions to see if they were healthy enough to buy back shares and pay dividends. Making the matter sinister and less transparent is their gag order on the entire process. The Fed also has some toxic waste they'd like to sell you… Come on! What total b*** s***! … an especially great opportunity to sell / take profits while you still can since there's much worse to come! Fed to hold regular news conferences (WP) [ Wow! Just what everyone needed - more spoon-fed b*** s*** . This is the grim economic reality [ http://albertpeia.com/grimreality.htm ]. Looking Like A Good Time To Sell Into Strength - Harding BOB PRECHTER: We're Still In A Massive Bear Market And Stocks Will Crash To New Lows Talks to avert shutdown make no headway (Washington Post) [ The people are sayin' there's still hope as no way as in no headway is the right way. After all, the Dems are playin' political pretend here given the magnitude of defacto bankrupt america's insurmountable debt {GOP’s plan for 2012 budget comes in at $6.2 trillion less than Obama’s (Washington Post) Proposal represents GOP’s most comprehensive philosophical statement since midterm wins.(and then there's all that funny money)}. Davis ‘… This is how we pay off our current debts and I think bondholders are simply happy to get anything out of a country that admits it owes $15Tn (1/4 of global GDP) but probably owes closer to $60Tn (entire global GDP) in the form of unfunded liabilities. The funniest thing about this (and you have to laugh) is to see Conservative pundits get on TV and talk about how we need to cut $100Bn worth of discretionary spending to "fix" this (while continuing to spend $1Tn on the military and $1Tn on tax cuts for the top 1% each year). There is no fixing this and even a Republican said you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. THIS HOUSE OF CARDS IS TEETERING FOLKS – PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ‘ . SEC: Wachovia cheated investors (Washington Post) [ Excuse me for sounding a bit sarcastic but is that not SOP, viz., standard operating procedure on fraudulent and certainly ubiquitous through the last crash and even now? This latest nasdaq stunt takes the cake: Top 3 Reasons were Flat While Gold Set Another Record [ I truly can see decreasing the apple weighting, and increasing the oracle (open office, etc.), google (ubiquitous) weighting, but increasing dyingosaur microsoft weighting … I don't think so … something's gone awry here that smacks of desperation and an attempt to circumvent the visual effects on the nasdaq of a post-jobs apple, viz., over-priced apple sauce. Isn't that just like the frauds on wall street … to pad the nasdaq bubble based on a 1-stock story, and manipulate when that 1-stock story falls to earth! April Is a Good Time to Sell [ I quite agree … overvalued to the hilt in this new manipulated bubble … at the least a 'sell in May and go away', but 'don't be mentally ill, sell in April!' ] Adler 'Both banks and foreign central banks [FCB] have normal buying cycles, and last week’s evidence suggests that both are just past the peak of those cycles. In addition, because of Japan’s predicament, FCB buying is for the foreseeable future, likely to be well below the necessary levels to keep levitating stocks. Add to that, the loss of the 2 month long, $25 billion weekly stipend from the Treasury on March 24, and we have the conditions for a rough patch.

With less help from the Treasury, the banks, and FCBs, the Fed would have its hands full keeping all its balls in the air. Some would be likely to hit the ground, but not this month. That’s because of the light Treasury supply that I covered in the Treasury update. That makes the job much easier this month, even without the banks and the FCBs.This week is one of those easy weeks, with lots of Fed pumping and no new Treasury supply ...

The evidence shows that banks are again out of the Treasury buying game. It also shows that they lost money in the first quarter, which is insane considering that their cost of funds is zero. It’s an indication of just how dire the circumstances are. Banks continue to accumulate cash at a frantic rate in their accounts at the Fed. The last time reserves rose this fast was in the midst of the crisis in 2008.
...These elements essentially neutralize the Fed’s pumping. ..

In the meantime I would not wait to "sell in May and go away." April looks like a good time to scale out of all equity longs, including in particular broad based ETFs, like SPY (SPY), DIA (DIA), QQQ (QQQ), and IWM (IWM). Aggressive traders and hedgers can use strength to establish short positions probably around mid-month and after ...' ]

Bad News for Cisco is Good: Dave's Daily 'This is the Alice in Wonderland world we live in. Cisco CEO John Chambers admits that all is not well ("we suck!") and investors bid the stock up 5%. Maybe the thinking is his confession will force his ouster. Maybe investors will think a government shutdown is a good thing since that's one way to cut spending. Across the pond, Portugal is bust (another bad news item) but the euro and stocks rally. Elsewhere Fed Governor Lockhart stated he didn't see any reason to abandon "QE2" early or raise interest rates before the end of the year. Was that bad or good news? The best news item of the day came from part one of a David Stockman op-ed calling out "Crony Capitalism" as our major problem. It's a great read and the conclusions within will ring true for many people...'

Go to following pages for above links:
http://www.albertpeia.com/currentopics2ndqtr10108.htm
http://www.albertpeia.com
http://www.albertpeia.com/alresume.htm

http://www.albertpeia.com/wallstreetlunacy2ndqtr10108.htm

http://www.scribd.com/alpeia

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