25 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi

MUSLIMS IN OXFORD RAPED 12-YEAR-OLD WHOM THEY CONSIDERED PROPERTY

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Photograph of the future of Britain
From Avi Green at the Astute Bloggers:
The UK Guardian won't get into clear details about the religious mindset that led to this shocking crime, but they do acknowledge the names of the perpetrators:
A young woman has told the Old Bailey that when she was 12 years old she was branded with the initial of a man so other men who raped her would know she "belonged" to him.

The jury was earlier told that the woman, now 19, had been sold to the man as an 11-year-old. She told the court that until she was 15 he repeatedly and brutally raped her, organising for other men to have sex with her.

The woman, known as girl D for legal reasons, said on several occasionsMohammed Karrar and his brother Bassam Karrar forced her to have sex with one of them while performing a sex act on the other.

The woman is the fourth witness to give evidence at the Old Bailey in the trial of nine men accused of offences including rape, trafficking and child prostitution against children as young as 11 in Oxford.
If you have the stomach for this, read more, but be forewarned that it's as repulsive as you can expect.

HAGEL ADVOCATED DEPLOYING US TROOPS TO ISRAEL TO ENFORCE 'PALESTINIAN' TERROR STATE

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From Atlas Shrugs:


Op-Ed: Hagel’s $160 Billion 'West Bank' US Troops Deathtrap, Mark Langfan, February 23, 2013 Hagel, at Obama's bidding, plans to send troops to Judea and Samaria (the "West Bank") where they would soon be victims of Hamas terror. It's in writing. An investigative report. There is only one reason that Chuck Hagel was picked by President Obama to be US Defense Secretary, and why Obama will go nuclear to get him confirmed: Hagel is the only person alive now dumb enough to deploy US “peacekeeping” troops to what is surely a "West Bank" deathtrap. Don’t believe me??! Well, in early 2009, two years after Hamas violently took over Gaza, Hagel along with a ragged has-been crew of “Israel Lasters” had some strong “recommendations” for the incoming President Obama. I will let Hagel’s 2009 “recommendations” speak for themselves. But to lend a note of rationality, Florence Gaub, a NATO researcher, in 2010 published a NATO Research paper outlining some of the problems of such a deployment. (I.e. it would need about 60,000 US/Nato troops and about 160 billion Dollars over 10 years) I and I will excerpt her report as well. Obama’s determination in confirming Hagel is based on Obama’s belief that Hagel will cripple Israel at any price: including the deaths of  thousands of US soldiers at the hands of Hamas suicide bombs in the Palestinian Authority.
START OF HAGEL’S 2009 REPORT: “A Last Chance for a Two-State Israel-Palestine Agreement,” April 2009. “Submitted to the administration of President Barack Obama” by Zbigniew Brzezinski, Chuck Hagel, et al. The U.S. parameters should reflect the following fundamental compromise: [A] non-militarized Palestinian state, together with security mechanisms that address Israeli concerns while respecting Palestinian sovereignty, and a U.S.-led multinational force to ensure a peaceful transitional security period. This coalition peacekeeping structure, under UN mandate, would feature American leadership of a NATO force supplemented by Jordanians, Egyptians and Israelis. We can envision a five-year, renewable mandate with the objective of achieving full Palestinian domination of security affairs on the Palestine side of the line within 15 years. Page 6 III. Substantive Issues to be Resolved: Israel-Palestine Security. The borders between the two states must be physically secure and fully controlled for their entire length. A U.S.-led multinational force would likely be essential for a transitional period once a peace agreement is concluded. Palestine would likely be non-militarized. No doubt Jerusalem will require a special security and administrative regime of its own and special arrangements will be needed for the use and regulation of Palestinian airspace. Page 12 Israel-Syria Security. Demilitarization of the Golan Heights and limited forces zones on both sides – all likely to be supervised by multinational forces featuring American leadership – will be mandatory. Page 13
Annex: Addressing Israel’s Security Challenges Beyond the current efforts we expect that, upon the full agreement of the parties, there will be a robust international effort involving outside armed forces for a period of indeterminate length assisting Palestinian authorities in executing their responsibilities in the security sphere and helping them build capacity in order eventually to act without outside assistance. Page 14 Naturally, the U.S. will play a large and perhaps decisive role. Yet it should not act alone – there should be broad participation reflecting international consensus on the importance of supporting the emergence of a truly sustainable two-state outcome. Page 14 Although General Jones’ mandate has focused exclusively on the Israel-Palestine track, clearly there would also be a robust American role in implementing the security-related aspects of any Israel-Syria accord. Beyond helping the IDF with improving capabilities designed to compensate for full withdrawal from territory occupied on the Syrian front since 1967, the U.S. would undoubtedly play a vital role in monitoring a demilitarized Golan Heights and providing early warning services to both parties. Page 16 In our view there is no avoiding a central U.S. role in helping the parties (especially the Palestinian side) meet their security-related responsibilities to each other in the context of two states. Page 16

Cracks in The Liberal Wall?

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Kirsten Powers: Obama Is “The Puppet Master of the Media” Who Doesn’t Want Tough Questions 


From Gateway Pundit: Speaking truth to power…
Liberal pundit Kirsten Powers agreed with POLITICO’s assessment that President Obama is a “puppet master” who “only wants to talk to people who aren’t going to give him tough questions.” For that reason, Powers said Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace,
“Should be be proud that the president won’t go on his show at this point. What it says, is he only goes on shows of people that go easy on him and so that means these other people who call themselves journalists should start asking ‘why is the president so willing to come on my show so often?’”
Via FOX News News Watch:

THEN THERE'S THIS:

MSNBC, With Ex-Obama Aides, Now Almost ‘A Bona Fide Organ of State Propaganda


From Daily Download:
MSNBC has long been as bad as Fox News when it comes to ideological bias. But with the hiring of longtime Team Obama loyalists David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs, it’s official: MSNBC is worse. The cable channel that flies under the banner of NBC News is now all but a bona fide organ of state propaganda, an information channel that speaks in the same dominant voice as the folks running the government–and tries to mask what it is up to. I didn’t plan on getting all free-press-and-democracy amped up about the hirings until I saw Axelrod with Andrea Mitchell last week in his first appearance on MSNBC. It was Echo Chamber Politics 101 with Axelrod characterizing some Republicans in Congress as irrationally wanting the draconian cuts of the sequester –as “dangerous” as that thinking is. Mitchell starts out a remote interview with Axelrod, who was in Chicago, by asking about the sequester set to take effect Friday. “Remember,” he says, “the cuts put into place were so odious it was thought no rational legislator, no rational government official, would allow it to happen.” As Mitchell starts to pivot to another issue with a new question, Axelrod interrupts her with, “One more thing, Andrea. There is a belief among some Republicans in Congress that maybe this sequester’s all right. Maybe this is another way of shrinking government in a dramatic way. That’s a dangerous idea, but it’s not uncommon in some quarters on Capitol Hill.” “No doubt,” Mitchell says, placing a cherry atop this propaganda sundae. Rhetorical Criticism 101:  Republican members of Congress are not rational, they have “dangerous” thoughts and they do “odious” things to the American people. What is this if not exactly the spin Team Obama seemed to be working on all week? And the White House doesn’t even have to bring in a bunch of out-of-town anchormen for quickie interviews with Obama so that they can carry his message back to their local audiences in the heartland. Now the message can go forth from the president’s mouth straight to our ears–via Axelrod, the so-called analyst, and MSNBC, the so-called news channel.
AND THIS:

Is Juan Williams closer to switching sides?

Juan Williams is a bit of a conundrum; he makes ridiculous left-wing arguments that make you want to scream but he somehow maintains a characteristic of likability and gets along quite well with those whom he disagrees with. At some point, one would think he would wake up and free himself from the grips of left-wing ideology. Perhaps the best case in point was when he was fired by NPR for expressing an opinion about how he felt with sharing a plane with passengers that consisted of men in Muslim garb.

Fox News didn't fire him; it embraced him.

That leads to this very interesting interview between Williams and Ginni Thomas (wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas). As I watched Williams in this interview, I found myself asking one simple question:
How is it that you can have this perspective and yet still be liberal?
For some reason, Juan has identified and acknowledged the groupthink dynamic in the liberal media while not seeing the corresponding flaws in all of liberalism's premises. He doesn't seem to understand that the reason groupthink exists is because liberalism can't exist without it.

One interesting takeaway from the interview happens at the beginning when Williams makes an Archie Bunker reference, admitting that he used to believe that character represented conservatives. As an example of Williams not connecting one more dot, the man who created Archie Bunker's character (Norman Lear) is a hardcore liberal, which makes Bunker a caricature (not just a character) of the right, created with left-wing bias and preconceptions.

It would seem that Williams isn't far from an awakening. Then again, I thought the same thing after he was fired by NPR.

Via Daily Caller:


la comedie est finie - Biden: Americans ‘No Longer Worried’ About Economy

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In remarks today at the White House, Vice President Joe Biden said that Americans don’t have the same economic worries they did when President Barack Obama came into office: “The are no longer traumatized by what was a traumatizing event, the great collapse of 2008,” said Biden. ”They are no longer worried, I think, about our economy being overwhelmed either by Europe writ large, the EU, or China somehow swallowing up every bit of innovation that exists in the world. They are no longer, I think, worried about our economy being overwhelmed beyond our shores. But, and I don’t think … there is very little doubt in any circles out there about America’s ability to be in position to lead the world in the 21st century. Not only in terms of our foreign policy, our incredible defense establishment, but economically.”
I suppose to those of us who have to live real lives, this kind of thing is now a boring long denouement of a finale which will last another 1300 days of them and their minions in the so called critical press telling us things are getting better while we manage with a new normal of one economic Khe Sanh after another until they are no longer responsible for committing acts. And here is the BEST THING history can ever say about this administration .. as Barney Frank put it: THEY MADE IT SUCK LESS But we all out here leading real lives know the truth. They were and are too busy executing their ideology of fundamental transformation of America too even find the truth, tell the truth, and then formulate practical steps to solve the difficulties of the middle class, the lower class, or any class they can make a difference to irrespective of ideology and their eternal war on Republicans. And in their hearts, and in the moments before they fall asleep, and in the shower in the morning, THOSE PEOPLE DON’T EVEN KNOW THIS TRUTH

Wanna know why Zero Dark Thirty didn't make it at the Oscars?

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Fox:

'Zero Dark Thirty' stars support release of jailed doctor who helped U.S. find Usama Bin Laden 





"Zero Dark Thirty" actress Jessica Chastain has thrown her support behind the effort to free the jailed Pakistani doctor who was integral in helping the U.S. track down and kill Usama Bin Laden.

"[It ] breaks my heart he's still in prison," Chastain told Fox News on Sunday on the red carpet of the 85th annual Academy Awards, referring to Dr. Shakil Afridi.

Chastain played a C.I.A. agent who directed the operation to find Bin Laden, but told Fox news "there are hundreds of unsung heroes" in the successful operation and she didn't think there was "one person who should be credited."

Fellow actor Jason Clarke, who played an agent who used enhanced interrogation methods in the film, agreed with Chastain on the plight of Dr. Afridi, saying "it's wrong that he's being held."

The actors responded to questions following an ad placed by activists in the trade publication The Hollywood Reporter that urged the “Zero Dark Thirty” cast and crew -- as well as the teams behind all of the Best Picture-nominated films -- to draw attention to the jailed doctor.

Bob and Kira Lorsch and their RHL Group took out a full-page ad with the headline: “Oscar, Help Free Afridi. America’s Abandoned Hero.”

The ad, part of the group's “Free Dr. Afridi” campaign, read in part: “Dr. Shakil Afridi is the man who verified Usama bin Laden’s location in Pakistan for the United States. Without Dr. Afridi’s sacrifice, we may not have pinpointed the location of the world’s most dangerous terrorist. His Reward… he was abandoned, captured and is still being tortured by Pakistan ever since Bin Laden was killed in May 2011. After all, who will stand up to help America next time if this is how we treat our friends?”

The advertisement also acknowledged a number of individuals and organizations it says have championed the issue, including Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), the cast and crew of "Zero Dark Thirty," and Fox News Correspondent Dominic DiNatale and Producer Sib Kaifee, whose exclusive reporting has helped shed light on the Afridi case.

It also gently asked those nominated for Best Picture to use the spotlight that the Academy Awards provides to inform the public about Afridi’s heroism and subsequent incarceration: “As you celebrate the Oscars, please consider spending a few moments of your limelight to draw attention to Freeing Dr. Afridi. Since the real star of 'Zero Dark Thirty' is not here to accept his award for best True American Hero, perhaps you can accept yours partially on his behalf."
Dominic DiNatale contributed to this report.

24 Şubat 2013 Pazar

Who is (or isn't) Counted as Unemployed?

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This little 2 minute video does a good job in explaining how the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures who is Unemployed, who is not in labor market, who is marginally in the labor market and who is working part time for economic reasons.

Only people who are "Unemployed" are counted in the (10%) unemployment rate. The other 3 categories may or may not be included in the U-6 Broader measurement of unemployment (~17%). The video pokes fun that the government would rather have the public and media focus on the smaller number in order to keep optimism high.

What's the Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit?

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If you're recently unemployed, you may be wondering what the maximum weekly amount of money that you may be getting from the government. Fortunately, MSN Money published a comparison of how much your UI benefits could be... Note: The amount you get depends on the state in which you worked, not the state that you may move to during your jobless time.

Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit By State
  1. Alabama - $255
  2. Alaska - $370
  3. Arizona - $240
  4. Arkansas - $409
  5. California - $450
  6. Colorado - $475
  7. Connecticut - $519
  8. Delaware - $330
  9. District of Columbia (Washington DC) - $359
  10. Florida - $275
  11. Georgia - $330
  12. Hawaii - $545
  13. Idaho - $362
  14. Illinois - $385
  15. Indiana - $390
  16. Iowa - $443
  17. Kansas - $423
  18. Kentucky - $415
  19. Louisiana - $284
  20. Maine - $496
  21. Maryland - $380
  22. Massachusetts - $628
  23. Michigan - $365
  24. Minnesota - $566
  25. Mississippi - $230
  26. Missouri - $320
  27. Montana - $407
  28. Nebraska - $308
  29. Nevada - $362
  30. New Hampshire - $427
  31. New Jersey $584
  32. New Mexico - $455
  33. New York - $405
  34. North Carolina - $494
  35. North Dakota - $385
  36. Ohio - $372
  37. Oklahoma - $392
  38. Oregon - $482
  39. Pennsylvania - $539
  40. Rhode Island - $528
  41. South Carolina - $326
  42. South Dakota - $285
  43. Tennessee - $275
  44. Texas - $378
  45. Utah - $444
  46. Vermont - $409
  47. Virgina - $378
  48. Washington - $541
  49. West Virginia - $424
  50. Wisconsin - $363
  51. Wyoming - $387
The amount of money received during Tier 2 and Tier 3 payouts are the same as what is received during the first phase of unemployment. The numbers above do not include the extra $25/week that Obama approved, so your checks may actually be slightly higher, as long as the stimulus plan is still in affect.

California's UI Fund To Run Huge Deficits

To contact us Click HERE
Click on Chart for a Larger Image

How bad are things in the state of California?

Well according to an Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund forecast issued by California's Employment Development Department (EDD), the fund which is currently about $8 billion underfunded will be over $27 billion in the red by 2011!

That's almost $1,000 for every man, woman and child in the state of California---Or almost $2,000 for every worker in the state---It will likely be many many years before CA is able to dig out of this hole.

Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi's US Economist on the Unemployment Picture

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On February 5th, Bloomberg interviewed Ellen Zentner, Senior US economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. to discuss the January unemployment rate and the outlook for the US Labor Market.

Ellen's views include:
  • "the labor market is definitely improving, we got a bigger downward revision to payroll data, leading up to today... No we lost 8.4 million jobs vs over 7 million... And this contraction in jobs correlates more to the decline in consumer spending."
  • In january's report the comments are suspicious because jobs aren't being created, yet the unemployment rate drops. Looking at labor force participation, you see that household employment has increased. But you also need to know how many people dropped out of the labor market all together.
  • We have record numbers of discouraged workers and many of them are permanently lost---but thousands will come back into the labor market.
  • The data is showing some job gains in some areas---but it isn't happening in all sectors of the economy. January saw the first increase in manufacturing jobs in over 3 years.
  • Forward looking indicators show that part-time and contract jobs should improve in the next few months---This isn't as good as landing higher paying full time jobs.
  • The labor market will wadddle along for a little bit, because you have create jobs for the previously displaced and the teenagers that are becoming working aged adults---this isn't going to happen for some time.

What's the employment situation?

To contact us Click HERE
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION – SEPTEMBER 2010
Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-95,000) in September, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.6 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Government employment declined (-159,000), reflecting both a drop in the number of temporary jobs for Census 2010 and job losses in local government.

Household Survey Data
The number of unemployed persons, at 14.8 million, was essentially unchanged in September, and the unemployment rate held at 9.6 percent. (See table A-1.)
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (9.8 percent), adult women (8.0 percent), teenagers (26.0 percent), whites (8.7 percent), blacks (16.1 percent), and Hispanics (12.4 percent) showed little or no change in September. The jobless rate for Asians was 6.4 percent, not seasonally
adjusted. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over), at 6.1 million, was little changed over the month but was down by 640,000 since a series high of 6.8 million in May. In September, 1.7 percent of unemployed persons had been jobless for 27 weeks or more. (See table A-12.) In September, both the civilian labor force participation rate, at 64.7 percent, and the employmentpopulation
ratio, at 58.5 percent, were unchanged. (See table A-1.) The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary
part-time workers) rose by 612,000 over the month to 9.5 million.

Over the past 2 months, the number of such workers has increased by 943,000. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. (See table A-8.) About 2.5 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in September, up from 2.2 million a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months.

They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. (See table A-16.)

Among the marginally attached, there were 1.2 million discouraged workers in September, an increase of 503,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.3
million persons marginally attached to the labor force had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.

23 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi

What's the Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit?

To contact us Click HERE
If you're recently unemployed, you may be wondering what the maximum weekly amount of money that you may be getting from the government. Fortunately, MSN Money published a comparison of how much your UI benefits could be... Note: The amount you get depends on the state in which you worked, not the state that you may move to during your jobless time.

Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit By State
  1. Alabama - $255
  2. Alaska - $370
  3. Arizona - $240
  4. Arkansas - $409
  5. California - $450
  6. Colorado - $475
  7. Connecticut - $519
  8. Delaware - $330
  9. District of Columbia (Washington DC) - $359
  10. Florida - $275
  11. Georgia - $330
  12. Hawaii - $545
  13. Idaho - $362
  14. Illinois - $385
  15. Indiana - $390
  16. Iowa - $443
  17. Kansas - $423
  18. Kentucky - $415
  19. Louisiana - $284
  20. Maine - $496
  21. Maryland - $380
  22. Massachusetts - $628
  23. Michigan - $365
  24. Minnesota - $566
  25. Mississippi - $230
  26. Missouri - $320
  27. Montana - $407
  28. Nebraska - $308
  29. Nevada - $362
  30. New Hampshire - $427
  31. New Jersey $584
  32. New Mexico - $455
  33. New York - $405
  34. North Carolina - $494
  35. North Dakota - $385
  36. Ohio - $372
  37. Oklahoma - $392
  38. Oregon - $482
  39. Pennsylvania - $539
  40. Rhode Island - $528
  41. South Carolina - $326
  42. South Dakota - $285
  43. Tennessee - $275
  44. Texas - $378
  45. Utah - $444
  46. Vermont - $409
  47. Virgina - $378
  48. Washington - $541
  49. West Virginia - $424
  50. Wisconsin - $363
  51. Wyoming - $387
The amount of money received during Tier 2 and Tier 3 payouts are the same as what is received during the first phase of unemployment. The numbers above do not include the extra $25/week that Obama approved, so your checks may actually be slightly higher, as long as the stimulus plan is still in affect.

California's UI Fund To Run Huge Deficits

To contact us Click HERE
Click on Chart for a Larger Image

How bad are things in the state of California?

Well according to an Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund forecast issued by California's Employment Development Department (EDD), the fund which is currently about $8 billion underfunded will be over $27 billion in the red by 2011!

That's almost $1,000 for every man, woman and child in the state of California---Or almost $2,000 for every worker in the state---It will likely be many many years before CA is able to dig out of this hole.

Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi's US Economist on the Unemployment Picture

To contact us Click HERE


On February 5th, Bloomberg interviewed Ellen Zentner, Senior US economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. to discuss the January unemployment rate and the outlook for the US Labor Market.

Ellen's views include:
  • "the labor market is definitely improving, we got a bigger downward revision to payroll data, leading up to today... No we lost 8.4 million jobs vs over 7 million... And this contraction in jobs correlates more to the decline in consumer spending."
  • In january's report the comments are suspicious because jobs aren't being created, yet the unemployment rate drops. Looking at labor force participation, you see that household employment has increased. But you also need to know how many people dropped out of the labor market all together.
  • We have record numbers of discouraged workers and many of them are permanently lost---but thousands will come back into the labor market.
  • The data is showing some job gains in some areas---but it isn't happening in all sectors of the economy. January saw the first increase in manufacturing jobs in over 3 years.
  • Forward looking indicators show that part-time and contract jobs should improve in the next few months---This isn't as good as landing higher paying full time jobs.
  • The labor market will wadddle along for a little bit, because you have create jobs for the previously displaced and the teenagers that are becoming working aged adults---this isn't going to happen for some time.

What's the employment situation?

To contact us Click HERE
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION – SEPTEMBER 2010
Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-95,000) in September, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.6 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Government employment declined (-159,000), reflecting both a drop in the number of temporary jobs for Census 2010 and job losses in local government.

Household Survey Data
The number of unemployed persons, at 14.8 million, was essentially unchanged in September, and the unemployment rate held at 9.6 percent. (See table A-1.)
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (9.8 percent), adult women (8.0 percent), teenagers (26.0 percent), whites (8.7 percent), blacks (16.1 percent), and Hispanics (12.4 percent) showed little or no change in September. The jobless rate for Asians was 6.4 percent, not seasonally
adjusted. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over), at 6.1 million, was little changed over the month but was down by 640,000 since a series high of 6.8 million in May. In September, 1.7 percent of unemployed persons had been jobless for 27 weeks or more. (See table A-12.) In September, both the civilian labor force participation rate, at 64.7 percent, and the employmentpopulation
ratio, at 58.5 percent, were unchanged. (See table A-1.) The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary
part-time workers) rose by 612,000 over the month to 9.5 million.

Over the past 2 months, the number of such workers has increased by 943,000. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. (See table A-8.) About 2.5 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in September, up from 2.2 million a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months.

They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. (See table A-16.)

Among the marginally attached, there were 1.2 million discouraged workers in September, an increase of 503,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.3
million persons marginally attached to the labor force had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.

Learning from China's rise to escape the middle-income trap : a new structural economics approach to Latin America

To contact us Click HERE
This paper discusses the causes of the middle-income trap in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifies the challenges and opportunities for Latin America that come from China's rise, and draws lessons from New Structural Economics and the Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework to help Latin America escape the middle-income trap. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are caught in a middle-income trap due to their inability to structurally upgrade from low value-added to high value-added products. 
Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean should intervene in industries in which they have a comparative advantage, calibrating supporting policies in close collaboration with the private sector through public-private sector alliances. Through continuous structural upgrading in sectors intensive in factors such as natural resources, scientific knowledge, and unskilled labor, the region could achieve dynamic growth. This would require investments in education, research and development, and physical infrastructure. 
Therefore, industrial upgrading and diversification would be essential to avoid further de-industrialization arising from the competitive pressures of the rise of China, broaden the base for economic growth, and create the basis for further sustained reduction in unemployment, poverty and income inequality. Failure to do so would lead to a loss of competitiveness and risks of further de-industrialization.
Learning from China's rise to escape the middle-income trap : a new structural economics approach to Latin America

22 Şubat 2013 Cuma

Hezbollah agent in Cyprus gathered info on Israeli flights

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A potential disaster of a terrorist attack in Cyprus was thwarted, and the investigation led to the capture of a Hezbollah agent who'd collected data on Israeli flights to the island:
Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, one of the suspects in a thwarted terrorist attack against Israelis in Cyprus in July, said on Friday that he was sent to record the time of arrival of flights from Israel, Army Radio reported.

According to the report, Yaacoub testified in court on Thursday that he was told by his superiors to document the landing times of flights from Israel.

The New York Times reported the Cyprus bomb-plot suspect was payed "$600 per month since 2010" by Hezbollah.

The Times quoted a written testimony read before the court where Yaacoub described acting as a courier for the group in Turkey, France and the Netherlands.

Providing a rare insight into the operations of the Lebanese militant group, Yaacoub said that if his handler wished to contact him, he would send a message "about the weather," The Times reported.

“I work for my party,” Yaacoub said. “Whenever they asked me to do something, I delivered,” The Times quoted his testimony as stating.

Yaacoub was also given the code name "Wael," The Times reported, quoting the bomb-plot suspect as saying that "in general, the party is based on secrecy between members. We don’t know the real names of our fellow members."

The bomb-plot suspect said that as a member of Hezbollah, he had the right to refuse to participate in terrorist operations, The Times reported. "If I was asked to participate in attacks, I had the right to refuse," he said.
There might be a bit of taqqiya involved in that last statement there: what if he thinks he doesn't "because it is Allah's will" that he does take part in the attacks?

It's very fortunate that the attack was prevented. And if these agents can be exposed, that would help prevent future disasters too.

LISTS OF JEWS COMPILED AT HUNGARY’S LARGEST UNIVERSITY

To contact us Click HERE

Europe has not fundamentally changed since it went on it's Jew-killing binge. The only difference is, now, they believe they have found someone else (Muslims) to do their dirty work for them.

From Atlas Shrugs:

NEWS ALERT: Lists Of Jews Compiled At Hungary’s Largest University February 20, 2013

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Budapest, Hungary
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- There was an outcry in Hungary on Wednesday, February 20, over revelations that the country's largest university has been involved in compiling lists of presumed Jewish students at a time of growing antisemitism in this nation of some 10 million people.

The files were compiled annually on freshmen by the student council of the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), according to a list obtained by Hungarian television network ATV and seen by BosNewsLife.

Referring to Jewish origins, the 2009 list shows the letters I of the Hungarian word Igen ("Yes") and N for Nem ("No").

The practice resembled prewar Hungary, which introduced Europe's first antisemitic legislation as early as 1920.

CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION

Known as the 'numerus clausus law' it limited the number of Jewish students in universities, prompting intellectuals to emigrate, including scientist Edward Teller who left Hungary in 1933.

Critics say the legislation contributed to an atmosphere of hatred in Hungary, which eventually became a close ally of Nazi Germany during World War Two, when 600,000 Hungarian Jews were killed.

It was not immediately clear how the ELTE lists would be used, but the student council that compiled them has ties to the influential far-right Movement For a Better Hungary (Jobbik) party, investigators said.

Recently, a prominent legislator of Jobbik suggested to draw up lists of Jews "who pose a "national security risk".

Jobbik's Marton Gyöngyösi said the lists were needed following the brief conflict in Gaza and should include members of parliament.

HUNGARIAN JEWISH ANCESTRY 

"I know how many people with Hungarian ancestry live in Israel, and how many Israeli Jews live in Hungary," he told parliament in November. "I think such a conflict makes it timely to tally up people of Jewish ancestry who live here, especially in the Hungarian Parliament and the Hungarian government, who, indeed, pose a national security risk to Hungary."

Jobbik has also supported several paramilitary groups, wearing uniforms and waving flags resembling the Nazi-era.

The Action and Protection Foundation -- a new Jewish watchdog on anti-Semitism in Hungary -- said it was concerned about reports that lists are already compiled at ELTE university over a period of at least six years.

Hagel Refused To Sign Schumer Letter In 2007 Asking Arab Allies To Recognize Israel

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Former Sen. Chuck Hagel declined to sign a letter circulated by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in 2007 calling upon then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to press Arab allies of the U.S. to recognize Israel’s right to exist “and not use such recognition as a bargaining chip for future Israeli concessions.” 
Seventy-nine Senators eventually signed the letter, which was sponsored by Schumer and by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). 
The Schumer-Graham letter “concerning the Responsibilities of Friendly Arab States” has not, apparently, been cited yet in the debate over Hagel’s potential confirmation as Secretary of Defense. The letter also calls upon Arab allies to “take meaningful steps” to assist the Palestinian Authority, to stop supporting terror groups, to end the Arab states’ boycott of Israel, and to push Hamas to recognize Israel and past peace agreements. 
The most charitable explanation for Hagel’s refusal to sign might be that the letter differs from the terms of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which Hagel has praised, and which offered Israel recognition in exchange for full withdrawal to its 1967 borders.
Keep reading…
But remember, he can't be an anti-Semite, because he cried ... well, nearly:

Chuck Schumer: Chuck Hagel Didn't Know That Jews Had Been Subject to Discrimination and Suspicions About Their Loyalty, and When I So Informed Him, He Nearly Cried




Report: Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Running Its Own Militia, Intelligence Service

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SS
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi speaks publicly of firsthand knowledge of a meeting where opponents allegedly plotted against him. A few months earlier, the most powerful man in his Muslim Brotherhood group, Khairat el-Shater, says he has access to recordings of former military rulers and electoral officials engineering his disqualification from last year’s presidential race. 
In Egypt, those statements are seen by security officials, former members of the Islamist group and independent media as strong hints that the Brotherhood might be running its own intelligence-gathering network outside of government security agencies and official channels. 
Such concerns dovetail the Brotherhood, which has a long history of operating clandestinely, to suspicion that it remains a shadowy group with operations that may overlap with the normal functions of a state. 
Brotherhood supporters also demonstrated militia-like capabilities at anti-Morsi protests in December. 
Another oft-heard charge comes from the Foreign Ministry, where officials complain that the president relies more on trusted Brotherhood advisers than those inside the ministry in formulating foreign policy. 
The Brotherhood emerged from Egypt’s 2011 uprising as the country’s dominant political group and Morsi was elected president in June of last year as the group’s candidate.
READ THE REST. 

Barack and Michelle in Their Living Room, Circa 1996

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Will from THE OTHER NEWS sent this to me.

It came with the following caption:
The Obamas from a 1996 New Yorker magazine article..On the table next to him is a voodoo-Santeria demon idol..Right above his head is a lithograph of the devil. To the left is some Indonesian false deitys...Above Michelle is some Masonic symbolism...
I know nothing of these artifact. Does anyone else know anything.

I am blowing it up to unusual proportions so you can see it better.


CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ORIGINAL PHOTO AND ARTICLE.

The "interview" itself is worth reading. The New Yorker claims,

"On May 26, 1996, Mariana Cook visited Barack and Michelle Obama in Hyde Park as part of a photography project on couples in America. What follows is excerpted from her interviews with them."

You see, Barack and Michelle were just another couple in America. The New Yorker just happened to find them, somehow, some way.

To conclude, since I know nothing of the "lithographs" in the background of this photograph, I do not know if the one in the middle depicts Satan. I also have no idea if the icon on the table is a voodoo demon idol. The lithograph on the left does look Indonesian. The one of the right could be anything. I seriously doubt it is "Masonic."

Maybe it's from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Sheesh.

People and their equation of Satanism and the Masons. Ridiculous.


21 Şubat 2013 Perşembe

Learning from China's rise to escape the middle-income trap : a new structural economics approach to Latin America

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This paper discusses the causes of the middle-income trap in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifies the challenges and opportunities for Latin America that come from China's rise, and draws lessons from New Structural Economics and the Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework to help Latin America escape the middle-income trap. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are caught in a middle-income trap due to their inability to structurally upgrade from low value-added to high value-added products. 
Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean should intervene in industries in which they have a comparative advantage, calibrating supporting policies in close collaboration with the private sector through public-private sector alliances. Through continuous structural upgrading in sectors intensive in factors such as natural resources, scientific knowledge, and unskilled labor, the region could achieve dynamic growth. This would require investments in education, research and development, and physical infrastructure. 
Therefore, industrial upgrading and diversification would be essential to avoid further de-industrialization arising from the competitive pressures of the rise of China, broaden the base for economic growth, and create the basis for further sustained reduction in unemployment, poverty and income inequality. Failure to do so would lead to a loss of competitiveness and risks of further de-industrialization.
Learning from China's rise to escape the middle-income trap : a new structural economics approach to Latin America

The U.S. Constitution is filled with “archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil provisions,” and we must “extricat[e] ourselves from constitutional bondage”

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So argues Louis Michael Seidman, tasked with teaching constitutional law at the Georgetown University Law Center . Hmmm..... Mr. Seidman. You may be right. I mean, why should we be burdened with rules and laws that were written by old men hundreds of years ago that have little understanding of the problems we face today. In fact, why should we be burdened with laws created by an old man a few thousand years ago . What laws? Why the Ten Commandments.  If we chuck the Constitution based on what Mr. Siedman says, we should chuck the Ten Commandments, too. Think about it. Any true blue Progressive who say we have different problems than societies have had in the past, can see that the Ten Commandments are archaic and have little place in our society today. I mean, what’s this about not converting they neighbors goods.  If someone has more than me then that’s not fair. If I want to have an abortion any time at any week, that’s good by me. And what’s this about there being only one God. The God of the Bible. Phooey.  Gaia is my god and environmentalism is my religion. And let’s not even discuss the graven image thing. Let’s not go there. And if I want to take the Lord’s name in vain, how can I be a successful standup comic? And if I want to shop on Sunday, the stores better damn be open. Thou shall not commit adultery. Yeah that’s a good one. What century are you living in? Don’t restrict my promiscuity. If I want to bad mouth someone – hey – that’s free speech - even if it’s a lie. And as far as stealing goes – don’t do it. It’s the government’s job to re-distribute the wealth. So you see, if the Constitution is an archaic and irrelevant document, why do we need the Ten Commandments? Just asking.

Chuck Hagel Smells Like Money To Me

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I think this guy's bought and paid for.

Fuck Chuck.

Documents obtained by The Daily Caller show that staffers for then-Sen. Chuck Hagel met repeatedly with a controversial pro-Iran lobby group, and some met with the organization’s president. 
Hagel is President Barack Obama’s choice to be the next secretary of defense. Arizona Sen. John McCain and other Republicans have conceded that a vote — and likely confirmation — will take place during the week of Feb. 25. 
Iranian state-run media have referred to the National Iranian-American Council (NIAC) since at least 2006 as “Iran’s lobby” in the U.S. 
It portrays itself in the media as an independent group of Iranian expatriates. But Sam Nunberg, director of the Legal Project at the Middle East Forum project, describes the NIAC as an Iranian “front group.”
Keep reading…

A Columbine Survivor's Letter To Obama

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Mr. President,
As a student who was shot and wounded during the Columbine massacre, I have a few thoughts on the current gun debate. In regards to your gun control initiatives:
Universal Background Checks
First, a universal background check will have many devastating effects. It will arguably have the opposite impact of what you propose. If adopted, criminals will know that they can not pass a background check legally, so they will resort to other avenues. With the conditions being set by this initiative, it will create a large black market for weapons and will support more criminal activity and funnel additional money into the hands of thugs, criminals, and people who will do harm to American citizens.
Second, universal background checks will create a huge bureaucracy that will cost an enormous amount of tax payers dollars and will straddle us with more debt. We cannot afford it now, let alone create another function of government that will have a huge monthly bill attached to it.
Third, is a universal background check system possible without universal gun registration? If so, please define it for us. Universal registration can easily be used for universal confiscation. I am not at all implying that you, sir, would try such a measure, but we do need to think about our actions through the lens of time.
It is not impossible to think that a tyrant, to the likes of Mao, Castro, Che, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and others, could possibly rise to power in America. It could be five, ten, twenty, or one hundred years from now — but future generations have the natural right to protect themselves from tyrannical government just as much as we currently do. It is safe to assume that this liberty that our forefathers secured has been a thorn in the side of would-be tyrants ever since the Second Amendment was adopted.
Ban on Military-Style Assault Weapons
The evidence is very clear pertaining to the inadequacies of the assault weapons ban. It had little to no effect when it was in place from 1994 until 2004. It was during this time that I personally witnessed two fellow students murder twelve of my classmates and one teacher. The assault weapons ban did not deter these two murderers, nor did the other thirty-something laws that they broke.
Gun ownership is at an all time high. And although tragedies like Columbine and Newtown are exploited by ideologues and special-interest lobbying groups, crime is at an all time low. The people have spoken. Gun store shelves have been emptied. Gun shows are breaking attendance records. Gun manufacturers are sold out and back ordered. Shortages on ammo and firearms are countrywide. The American people have spoken and are telling you that our Second Amendment shall not be infringed.
10-Round Limit for Magazines
Virginia Tech was the site of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Seung-Hui Cho used two of the smallest caliber hand guns manufactured and a handful of ten round magazines. There are no substantial facts that prove that limited magazines would make any difference at all.
  Second, this is just another law that endangers law-abiding citizens. I’ve heard you ask, “why does someone need 30 bullets to kill a deer?”
Let me ask you this: Why would you prefer criminals to have the ability to out-gun law-abiding citizens? Under this policy, criminals will still have their 30-round magazines, but the average American will not. Whose side are you on?
Lastly, when did they government get into the business of regulating “needs?” This is yet another example of government overreaching and straying from its intended purpose.
Selling to Criminals
Mr. President, these are your words: “And finally, Congress needs to help, rather than hinder, law enforcement as it does its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns with the express purpose of turning around and selling them to criminals. And we should severely punish anybody who helps them do this.”
Why don’t we start with Eric Holder and thoroughly investigate the Fast and Furious program?
Furthermore, the vast majority of these mass murderers bought their weapons legally and jumped through all the hoops — because they were determined to murder. Adding more hoops and red tape will not stop these types of people. It doesn’t now — so what makes you think it will in the future? Criminals who cannot buy guns legally just resort to the black market.
Criminals and murderers will always find a way.
Critical Examination
Mr. President, in theory, your initiatives and proposals sound warm and fuzzy — but in reality they are far from what we need. Your initiatives seem to punish law-abiding American citizens and enable the murderers, thugs, and other lowlifes who wish to do harm to others.
Let me be clear: These ideas are the worst possible initiatives if you seriously care about saving lives and also upholding your oath of office. There is no dictate, law, or regulation that will stop bad things from happening — and you know that. Yet you continue to push the rhetoric. Why?
You said, “If we can save just one person it is worth it.” Well here are a few ideas that will save more that one individual:
First, forget all of your current initiatives and 23 purposed executive orders. They will do nothing more than impede law-abiding citizens and breach the intent of the Constitution. Each initiative steals freedom, grants more power to an already-overreaching government, and empowers and enables criminals to run amok.
Second, press Congress to repeal the “Gun Free Zone Act.” Don’t allow America’s teachers and students to be endangered one-day more. These parents and teachers have the natural right to defend themselves and not be looked at as criminals. There is no reason teachers must disarm themselves to perform their jobs. There is also no reason a parent or volunteer should be disarmed when they cross the school line.
This is your chance to correct history and restore liberty. This simple act of restoring freedom will deter would-be murderers and for those who try, they will be met with resistance.
Mr. President, do the right thing, restore freedom, and save lives. Show the American people that you stand with them and not with thugs and criminals.
Respectfully,
Severely Concerned Citizen, Evan M. Todd ------------------ story at The Blaze

More Gun Makers Stop Selling To Law Enforcement In Anti-Gun States

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YES!

From The Blaze:
  • Olympic Arms, Inc
  • La Rue Tactical
  • EFI, LLC – Extreme Firepower
  • York Arms
  • Templar Custom
  • Cheaper Than Dirt
  • Bullwater Enterprises
  • Westfork Armory
  • Smith Enterprise
  • Alex Arms
  • Spike’s Tactical
  • Quality Arms
  • Liberty Suppressors
  • Doublestar Corp
  • American Spirit Arms
  • Trident Armory
  • Head Down Products
  • J&G Sales
A few days ago we reported that gun manufacturers were beginning to refuse to sell to state governments who "hold themselves to be “more equal” than their citizens."

Is this is the beginning of a war between the people and the government? I hope so. It needs to happen.

It's up to the government how bloody this will get.

The choice lies with our government agents. If they follow the Constitution, they will be fine. 

If not, they're fucked.

20 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba

The one where I cannot hold back the rising gorge

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This is a RFI notice issued for informational and planning purposes only. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and it does not commit the Government to solicit or award an order now or in the future. The purpose of this notice is to solicit participation in the Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS) project from the small unmanned aerial systems (SUAS) for transition to its customers. Any information provided to the Government is strictly voluntary and will be provided at no cost to the Government. 

Please submit response to both emails, amalia.rodezno@hq.dhs.govand at RAPS_RFI@hq.dhs.gov.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to have a fleet of ‘PUBLIC SAFETY DRONES’Y’know when the Patriot Act was first passed under W I remember hearing it’s intent was to nail terrorists who wanted to kill the unsuspecting american people sitting at their desks at work having coffee, or beneath car lifts working on engines, or alingment, or in their classrooms.The first conviction made using Patriot Act tools was of some WISE GUY. Now I have no love for wise guys. But…So when I hear and read that the dept of homeland security is buying enough bullets for a war (and WHO are they empowered to fight?), and that they need DRONES for PURELY domestic use … every cynical hair on my body stands on end.WIRED from last October:
There was a time when the Department of Homeland Security wasn’t enthusiastic about its drone fleet. Unmanned flying surveillance ‘bots had the potential to freak out the public, top DHS science and technology officials worried. That time has evidently passed — particularly for smaller flying spies.In the coming months, Fort Sill, Oklahoma will become a proving ground to learn what small surveillance drones can add to “first responder, law enforcement and border security scenarios,” according to a recent solicitation to the country’s various drone manufacturers. Each selected drone wil undergo five days’ worth of tests as part of a new program from DHS’ Science and Technology directorate, called Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety or, gloriously, RAPS.Like many in the militaryexperimenting with drone miniaturization, DHS is thinking small. The drones it wants to bring to Fort Sill will ideally be launched by hand, like the Army and Marines’Raven. They should weigh under 25 pounds. Assembly should take a matter of minutes, and training for their remote pilots and technician a matter of days. DHS isn’t looking for drones that can loiter over an area for a long time: just 30 minutes to two hours, a hint that the department doesn’t foresee drones becoming a primary surveillance tool. “Law enforcement operations, search and rescue, and fire and hazardous material spill response” are some of the potential drone missions the RAPS program envisions.Still, it’s something of a turnaround for DHS. Back in January 2011, Ruth Doherty, a DHS science & tech official, expressed skepticism about using drones to patrol for signs of terrorism or to protect big public events like the Super Bowl. “A case has to be made that they’re economically feasible, not intrusive and acceptable to the public,”
They are no more acceptable, but now, significantly, that the election is over DHS does not seem to be much concerned about that. Now they are going to do PRECISELY what the founders warned against, and what human weakness compels.ACCRUE POWER.Is it over, here?It is hard not to think so. It is hard to imagine firm loyalty to a govt which seeks more means to spy on its own people. I can muster as much loyalty to that kind of govt as I would for the general idea of some general lackadaisy non specific kind of western ideal set.These people have got to be stopped.But of course, they are firm in their belief that the majority would vote for their man and his ideas again.And thus act with untrammeled vigor.

History Rhymes!

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This is from a financial advisor friend of mine, Baron Benham. I edited it down for space.
This is my first Briefing of 2013. I hope you are off to a good start this year!
I've been wrestling with how to go about keeping you informed without depressing you and frankly that's a tall order when the subjects are economics and politics! So rather than struggle to sugar coat my essays I really have no choice but to let the information speak for itself.
Let's look back to a similar period in history and ask ourselves what happened. This time let's use the Prime Rate as our example since most people are pretty familiar with that. Back on March 10, 1966 the Prime Rate was 5.5%. By Dec. 19, 1980 the Prime Rate topped out at 21.5 Ask yourself what happened to the stock market during that period? What happened to prices (inflation) during that period? What was happening politically during that period? What were the winning investments of that time?
Someone once said history doesn't repeat but it rhymes! The rhyming going on is unbelievable!  First we had the Vietnam War which we didn't pay for. Instead we deficit spent to cover it. Then President Lyndon Johnson instituted the "Great Society and War on Poverty". His solution? Massive government spending on the poor but did he pay for it? No, he borrowed massive amounts of money. Did we eliminate or even reduce poverty? NO! Poverty increased! Prices (inflation) lit up! In 1971 Nixon instigated wage and price controls and inflation was 4%! What investments were the winners? The stock market? NO! Hard assets such as real estate and gold and silver and commodities were the winners.
Ok, so how did we right the ship? First we elected a cowboy named Ronald Reagan. What did Reagan do? He hired a new Federal Reserve Chief Named Paul Volker. Prior to Volker we had a very accommodating Federal Reserve. Accommodating meaning artificially keeping interest rates down by borrowing massive amounts of money from the Treasury and buying our debt. Sound familiar! Volker had a different take on things. He told our politicians to go ahead and spend all you want but you are going to pay market interest rates! Volker allowed rates to float and seek their natural level. The Prime Rate hit 21.5%! The result? The voters got extremely angry and voted out a huge proportion of the incumbents. Throughout the 60's and 70's politicians were spending our money to buy our votes! Sound familiar? ... What happened to interest rates and prices and gold and silver and commodities? What happened to the stock market? The result was a twenty-year ongoing reduction in inflation and the mother of all bull stock markets. Gold and silver and commodities and real estate took it on the chin.
So let's fast forward to 9-11-2001. What happened? We were attacked. What was our response? War! Seems reasonable. Both parties overwhelmingly voted for it despite the revisionist history of the Democrats who were for it before they were against it. Did we pay for it? No! We borrowed massive amounts of money. What else was happening? Bush (the socialist) went along with the Democrats (socialists and communists) and Congress went on a spending spree. Bush and Kennedy created the first new entitlement since Johnson's Great Society failure. The Prescription Drug bill. The cost was put forth at $400 million. Real cost is now greater than social security! Both parties also went hog wild at the pork barrel. Our deficit began to soar! Then along comes Barrack Hussein Obama who, like Johnson, believes that socialism is the answer to poverty. Did he pay for it? NO! The result? Rocketing Deficits and the highest poverty rate since the Great Depression. Who is at the Federal Reserve? Bernanke. What's he been doing? Borrowing money from the Treasury and buying our debt. Last year the Federal Reserve bought 61% of our debt! Up from about 40% the year before. The reasons are many.
1. To keep interest rates artificially low (sound familiar)
2. To keep a good face on our problems. By this I mean our country cannot afford to have a bad day at our debt auctions. We cannot risk having a weak auction. To do so would be risking the damn breaking and a complete meltdown of our dollar as the world runs to dump our debt.
3. Japan and China have stopped buying and adding our debt to their balance sheets. They are merely rolling over what they already have. Ditto for many other countries.
Several years ago I read an economic report showing that by such and such a year at our current rate of debt expansion there would not be enough money in the world to buy it all even if all countries bought all they could. We are very close to that day. If the Federal Reserve stopped buying our debt (monetizing the debt) today our dollar would immediately collapse!
4. Political reasons. Got to keep the shell game going so the encumbents don't lose their jobs. 
5. To keep civil unrest from growing. (Ask yourself why our Department of Homeland Security has purchase something like 1.5 billion rounds of ammunition. More ammunition than used in all of WWII.) Why do you think they want to disarm us now. The powers in charge are very afraid, very, very, very afraid. Since Obama took office American's have purchased 60 million guns! There must be a reason!
You get the picture. Interest rates and inflation are on their way back up and will probably trend up for the next two decades! So do you buy stocks? NO! You buy gold and silver and commodities.
The economy is facing major headwinds over the next twenty years. I think we all need to get used to 2-3% growth rates and be thankful for that if we can even get that. I also foresee all sorts of political turmoil in the years ahead that this country has never had to face before and I continue to see our poverty rate increasing along with taxes and inflation. The result is we all make more money that is worth less and taxed more. Ever creeping poverty as the middle class continues to get squeezed.
Finally, I see our government getting progressively more evil. Again all you need to do is look at history. As the economic wheels come off, governments turn on their own people. The U.S. population has one ace in the hole and that's our Second Amendment Rights and even now the very, very scared politicians are trying to take that away from us. Keep in mind that in the 20th century 280 million people were butchered at the hands of their own mostly fascist socialist governments. These people were unarmed and I guarantee you that they wished they had guns to defend themselves! So what sort of government do we have now? I would say we are closer to a fascist socialist communist government than we are to a true Republic free enterprise model. It is what it is.
So I hope this helps you all see and understand the cycles. Today's events are right out of the 60's and 70's. We survived that because our national debt when we started was high but relatively low compared to today.
Governments are always trying to bend or break the laws of economics and it is impossible. Eventually the pressure builds until the damn breaks and equilibrium is restored. I believe we are beyond the tipping point politically and possibly economically. So I hope you all take this seriously and get your economic house in order and prepare for an economic collapse and all that will entail. Social unrest will be very high and the heavy hand of government will be coming down on everyone.