The Official Thread for Open Comments
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I’ve heard that plain popcorn without salt and of, course, no butter works very well. They say mice and rats won’t eat it plain.
“If there is a more appropriate section for this post, please point it out to me.”
how about the Money section of USA Today?
“Glennda” post=1145]I’ve heard that plain popcorn without salt and of, course, no butter works very well. They say mice and rats won’t eat it plain.”
I’d suggest you find a new “they” to listen to. 🙂 As a biologist/farmer/ and person with a business that ships stuff- I can assure you mice and rats will definitely eat it plain.
It’s a very common fallacy in biology- you put cake; and ice cream, in front of the gerbil. The gerbil eats only the cake. It’s incorrect to assume it won’t eat ice cream, however; you just need different circumstances.
gezelle post=1084 wrote: I am in NY, in an area which has one of the largest large Greek populations
out side of Athens. In the past few years, as children and grandchildren “made good” and moved to greener pastures and their Mc mansions elsewhere, the population has declined somewhat……this has recently changed.
My immediate area has seen a very recent influx of older to very old new Greek arrivals. Local residents are bringing their relatives, who were formerly content to remain in Greece over, and in large numbers. They apparently cannot make it any longer on reduced pensions and soaring food and fuel prices.
After a trip to the local cheese and olive emporium today, a chat with the owner
revealed that the young people are still staying away despite record unemployment numbers in Greece because we have so little available in the way of jobs for the educated young ones, and even family jobs, ie restaurants and small businesses here cannot accomodate their sheer numbers. Some are choosing to stay and fight, others are heading to Europe, hoping for some employment and life. When I see them starting to arrive here. it will be clear that the end is very near for the status quo.Gotta be Astoria, Queens around Steinway Street.
I’ll be interested to hear the on the ground reports from Little Athens.
Ahh, another urban legend gone bust.
Well, I never wanted to test it, when we send out mail orders from my retail shop in Oakland. While I spent about 15 years on and off teaching biology and working in Bio-research, I was mostly in the ethanol and antibiotics side of research. So I guess I’m still prone to urban legends at heart.
There is an open letter to Jamie Dimon penned by James Koutoulis making the rounds on the web. Read it here:
https://prudent-speculation.blogspot.com/2012/03/but-of-course-its-not=one-giant-cess.html
Koutoulis asks Dimon why he operates the way he does. I can answer that why. Dimon’s behaviour is classic psychopathy.Scandia,
The prime directive of the ruling banking Cabal is that people outside of their very select group should be treated as animals, to be raised and slaughtered for their benefit. While any decent person would agree that whether one chooses to eat animals or not, or use them as beasts of burden, they should always be treated as “humanely” as possible. But most people would agree that to treat people as an agricultural crop is psychopathic. Dimon is a top global manager for the Cabal. They must also be psychopaths. It’s a primary requirement on the job application, as primary as an IQ over 85. Each of these guys has their individual quirks and repulsive style which one can focus on and use for a personal loathfest, but it’s a good idea to keep your eye on the whole field of play.
@ El G…on further thought I realized that Koutoulis, in his letter, reveals the response of all victims of psychopaths. He once so admired Dimon. Psychopaths are good at creating a following, admiration. I have been stung by a psychopath once. I hope only once. I feel for Koutoulis’s awakening.
Perhaps you or others on the board might contribute to an enquiry? I am now wondering how to discriminate between a role model and a psychopath? It is increasingly important to know the difference, especially for the young. I really don’t know where to start.
Scandia,
This is far from an original thought, but the legal basis of corporations, as passed down from the time of the British East India Company is intrinsically psychopathic. For example, if a CEO earns the shareholder only $5 instead of $10 on the quarter, because he noticed that too many of his workers’ children were being born with two heads, so he invested in anti-pollution devices above the bogus, minimal standards required by the goobermint, then he could be “rightfully” sued by the stockholders for breaking his fiduciary responsibility. Maybe even criminal charges.
Koutoulis is like most of the middle class managers. He is stuck in the middle as a non-psychopath working for psychopaths in a cultured brainwashed since the womb into buying into the bullshit and drinking the Kool Aide. A few break out of it cognitively, and only a very few of those break out of it spiritually. To put it succinctly, that Koutoulis admired Dimon so greatly before his last spectacular hoist just shows how fucked up his values are despite the fact that he regards himself as an honest and decent fellow.
We don’t have anything as exciting as hydroponics, but we do get all our eggs from 4 hens in a backyard coop. We’ve also planted a variety of berries and have a few fruit trees and a vegetable garden on our 1/3 acre lot. I know that’s not enough to survive on, but every year we put in more food bearing plants, and the plan is to keep increasing our home grown food production. The scary part is wondering what might happen if emplyment dries up in my area (the Pacific Northwest.) The only debt we have is the mortgage which is way less than the current value of the house, but way more money than we have. things keep chugging along in our pretend world, but the sense of forboding grows all the while.
Susan,
1/3 acre could actually feed 4 of you if you make a few dietary and lifestyle sacrifices. Eggs, Vegies and Salad. – Yum, Fish if you can make the investment. Need to nuture that soil for a while.
@Reverse Engineer … Oh no! I’ve been outed!
Wow, ‘youse guys’ have to be the only people interested in my museings on neighborhood demographics.
This is an interesting place to watch global economic and political happenings at work…a heavily populated area of approx 5 square miles representing a bit over 130 countries/ethnic groups and speaking 120 plus different languages. Nobody leaves their country of origin if they can feed themselves well and avoid the local stormtroopers, so everyone here has a story.Since we are all packed in together, conversations will eventually start up and, if you ask the right questions, all sorts of interesting info comes out. The backlash of global unrest and economic turmoil starts to be evident here some months after they appear …. in the case of Egypt and Greece even sooner.
Hi All,
I’ve been coming to TAE daily for the last 5 years. Many thanks to Stonleigh, Illargi and Ash for the education.
I also enjoy the company of the commentariat who, have brought me closer to what is going on in the world. I enjoy the discussions immensely. The highlights for me are: Everything El G-Spot writes; the Major discussion with Dr. Tom; Scandia’s great question: ‘What is the right question?’, which is strangely it’s own answer; Updates from Beedom by Snuffy; Nassim’s insight into the Egyptian/Arab Spring, priceless;The Goldbugs and OWS crowd; And who could forget the epic battle with the many faces of Cheryl, the same Cheryl who pulled out his gigantic clock daring us not to be impressed. And yet still unable to tell the time. You couldn’t write this! Only TAE Summary could make better poetry out of what was already there…
One of the best features of the conversations is that they carried over many posts. Topics were cooked under the gaze of many eyes. Many voices contributing from many points of view. Another is the immediacy of knowing what people are responding to.
On the new website I find it exhausting trying to find THE conversation. Quite frankly I’m not sure there is one (1).
Is it possible to set up a simple time based thread of whatever is being talked about right now? Call it ‘Latest Posts’. They could still link to their appropriate category, without so much futile searching to find out what’s going on. And of course TAE Summary would again have a raison d’etre.
The fact that there are 1000 views of this ‘open comment’ thread tells me that it’s a sure hit. 😛
BB
Dear Goldman Client:
By now, many of you have probably read the regrettable resignation letter published in today’s New York Times by former Goldman executive Greg Smith, explaining why he is leaving the firm after twelve years.
In the letter, in which he excoriates Goldman and his practices, Mr. Smith comes across as a man of conscience, ideals, and high moral standards. And as you read his words, you no doubt asked yourself this troubling question: how could Goldman have hired such a person?
At Goldman, we pride ourselves on our ability to scour the world’s universities and business schools for the finest sociopaths money will buy. Once in our internship program, these youths are subjected to rigorous evaluations to root out even the slightest evidence of a soul. But, as the case of Mr. Smith shows, even the most time-tested system for detecting shreds of humanity can blow a gasket now and then. For that, we can only offer you our deepest apology and the reassurance that one good apple won’t spoil the whole bunch.
As to those of you who were serviced by Mr. Smith, it’s understandable that you would be concerned about who will be taking his place going forward. On that front, I have some exciting news: today, Goldman is pleased to announce that our new executive director and head of the United States equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be Mr. Joseph Kony. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Kony’s resume, let me assure you that he has the character and moral standards you have come to expect from Goldman, and like the rest of us here at the bank, he has dedicated his life to doing the Lord’s work.
Sincerely,
Lloyd Blankfein
CEO, Goldman Sachs
(Writing of this letter was assisted by Andy Borowitz)
El G, Love your Goldman response letter to Smith’s resignation!!!One has to wonder if bird’s of a feather flock together in the sense that the client may prefer a sociopathic advisor, someone who understands their needs and goals:)
Did you see the 50 page list of wealthy tax evaders?
European MF Global Clients Furious After KPMG Releases Their Home Address, Holdings Details
scandia post=1288 wrote: El G, Love your Goldman response letter to Smith’s resignation!!!One has to wonder if bird’s of a feather flock together in the sense that the client may prefer a sociopathic advisor, someone who understands their needs and goals:)
Wish I could take credit for it, state of the art, but it was written by Andy Borowitz as mentioned in the last line of the posting.
el g Thanks for the post on Goldman’s letter to clients, no matter who wrote it. Cannot stop laughing, just hilarious!!
WaWaWa!
They stole our money and nothing is happening!
Karl, at market ticker, made a link to the following
https://deadlyclear.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/securitized-distrust/
“… we ran a random audit on WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Mortgage Loan Trusts. One loan was found in 6 different trusts, another loan was found in FIVE trusts’ original SEC loan level data, 39 were listed in 3 trusts, and 503 were listed in two separate trusts.
The winner so far is a NEW YORK condo, loan number WaMu loan # 714934858, appeared in 6 DIFFERENT trusts from May through November 2006…”Something to read from CHS
https://www.oftwominds.com/blogmar12/no-choice3-12.html
We Have No Other Choice (March 15, 2012)… Actually, the entire fraudulent tapeworm could be killed with a single page of legislation, or more correctly, a single five-point paragraph: To wit:
1. Commercial banks cannot conduct any investment banking, and investment banks cannot conduct any commercial banking. Any financial institution that accepts deposits or issues loans or financial instruments of any nature will be regulated as a bank.
2. All assets of any nature must be listed at the close of business daily marked to market, as in the futures and options markets. If there is no regulated market for a class of financial instruments, the Treasury is instructed to establish and regulate a market for that class of financial instruments. Holding assets off-balance sheet is a criminal offense with a minimim fine of $10 billion per asset. If the fine cannot be paid in full, the FDIC is instructed to seize the bank and liquidate its assets in an orderly and timely manner.
3. No bank will be permitted to have assets or liabilities in excess of the smallest gross domestic product (GDP) of the 50 states.
4. No private banks may create any money through debt. All loans must be made out of existing deposits and equity. (via David V.)
5. No exceptions or exemptions are allowed to these statutes.
That would pretty much do it. Separate commercial from investment banking, require all assets to be marked to market every day, and limit banks from expanding to the point of being able to blackmail the nation, i.e. “too big to fail.”
Instead, by one count, Dodd-Frank requires regulators to create 243 rules, conduct 67 studies, and issue 22 periodic reports. Does anyone seriously believe this complexity will “fix” anything?Zeus Y. writing in Of Two Minds gives a nice capsulation of current macroeconomic events. I don’t think there is anything in his analysis that the staff position of TAE would negate. Makes a nice primer to those new to the field.
https://www.oftwominds.com/blogmar12/money-from-nothing-pt2-3-12.html
Also a poster for the upcoming resource invasion of Africa.
reposting here RE’s disallowed attempt at linking to today’s blog article at DD. a message redirected one to The Official Thread. link below, followed by an excerpt:
“So for a while there while the American and French Revolutions were being fought, the Japanese more or less were not involved in Global battles for control anywhere. However, around 1858 or so it was determined by our policy makers here in the FSofA that Japan simply HAD to be opened up for Trade. Now, do you think J6P here in the FSofA who was just about ready to get going on a Civil War really gave a shit about whether Japan was open for trade or not? They didn’t make Mitsubishis and Toyotas back then, about the only thing Japan directly had for Trade was some Silver in their own mines. Japan however wasn’t the REAL prize, China was, and it wasn’t J6P who was making these decisions. The FSofA Navy was being built up on EXACTLY the same lines as the British Navy was, primarily geared toward projecting Force to enable Trade. In the years leading up to the Civil War, most of the people in the country were in a period of extreme hardship, you don’t GET something like a Civil War without that occurring. Nevertheless, our Federal Goobermint had enough Money to build some State of the Art Steam Powered Frigates with the best Guns available at the time to send to Japan under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry. Where do you suppose they GOT the money to do that? It wasn’t from Taxation, the IRS didn’t even exist at the time. No, that shit was financed by our good old friends, the Illuminati. It’s a continuation of the very same paradigm run from the beginning of the British and Dutch East India companies, the foundation of what Eisenhower called the “Military-Industrial Complex”. Just as Commodore Matthew Perry was part of this in the mid 1800s, so also was General Smedley Butler a part of it at the turn of the century. It is the Raison d’Etre of the FSofA Military, always has been.
Now I am going to do a little Speculation not in the History books. China was too large and too well organized a country to try to control from half a world away, even with the invention of the Steam Engine and Frigates driven by steam. Along the British Model of controlling world economy from a small island by virtue of a powerful Navy, what the Illuminati needed over in Asia was a small island to Industrialize and run their fleets out of. Japan was PERFECT for this by virtue of its geographical position and its pretty large population for that time of well organized people under a consolidated Feudal system the Illuminati were very familiar with in Europe. All the Anglo-Amerikan Illuminati had to do to was to get the damn Feudal Lords of Japan to buy into their system for Global domination. Sadly, said Feudal Lords wouldn’t even TALK to them, and they kept whatever trade they needed limited to a couple of small ports. Japan was Isolationist to the EXTREME from the period between 1600 and 1850.
So to break this Isolationism, in 1858 we sent Commodore Matthew Perry with few steam powered Frigates with our very biggest Guns on them in a show of FORCE to convince the Nipponese Leaders that they better open up for Trade or we would shell them back to the Stone Age. Sound familiar? We had Big Guns, they still had Samurai fighting with Bow and Arrow and Swords (albeit with some very good Steel they were making themselves).
Now, faced with the two choices here of fighting against an enemy with FAR superior weaponry or getting into bed with him, those smart Nip Feudal Lords chose the latter of the two options. As a result, in the 50 or so years between Perry’s visits and WWI, the little island of Japan Industrialized just about as quickly as England, Germany and the FSofA did. You think Japan magically developed all the machines and factories to become an industrial powerhouse all by their lonesome? Not. They were LOANED these things with the idea that the payoff would come when they had enough power to access the Chinese market. Once strapped up with all this POWER, the Japanese now go on their own adventures of Conquest, taking on China in the Post WWI period. This is not exactly the plan the Anglo-Illuminati envisioned when they Industrialized Japan, although in WWI Japan was an “Ally” while they went on their campaign brutalizing the Chinese. The Anglo-American branch of the Illuminati figured they would be running the show, but the Nips weren’t staying in their place as a Vassal State.
Post WWI though as the Credit system began to further fall apart, it is likely the Anglo-Illuminati started to call in their Markers on all the equipment they fronted to the Japanese enabling them to build their own Steam Ships and Guns and Ammo to Rape Chinese girls. The Nips can’t pay up, but instead of just forking over control of the country to the Banksters who loaned them the money to build this infrastructure, they Nationalize it all under the Empire of Japan and say FUCK YOU to the Banksters.”
Why can’t the CIA psyops shoot straight?
First you have the purportedly aborted Zeta Mexican drug cartel hit on the Saudi ambassador to DC and now this:
Man behind ‘Kony 2012′ arrested in San Diego- for masturbating in public
RT
March 16, 2012
The blonde-haired, blue-eyed, Christian filmmaker behind the Internet’s most recent famous activism campaign, “Kony 2012,” has been arrested. For masturbating. And being drunk. And vandalizing cars. In public. In the morning.Jason Russell, 33, was arrested Thursday morning by the San Diego Police Department in Southern California and the earliest reports detailing the incident suggest it was one hell of a day already for the Invisible Children co-founder and proclaimed “mastermind” behind the Kony 2012 viral video.Police say he was described as “in his underwear” when the first 911 calls were made.”
https://rt.com/usa/news/kony-2012-arrested-masturbating-777/
Jeez. I’m a taxpayer and I expect quality disinformation to incite me to support the invasions other countries. Aren’t there any professional spooks left? What’s the world coming to?
Still struggling to learn how to communicate here… wanted to share the current “Tom The Dancing Bug” strip; very relevant. I see others inserting videos, etc…
hm; well; not what I expected; but you can click on it; then enlarge it… sort of…
Regarding Zero Hedge:
I know the TAE crowd is well-aware of the characteristics of the typical ZH commenter, which put me off their threads very soon after I found the site. Also, Tyler’s integrity has been called into question due to distortions, especially when it comes to gold. I would submit an item from today which is almost unbelievable:
“Instead, the Democrats favor the Buffett rule, which seeks to further widen the class divide by making the wealthy pay progressively more, in the process funding even greater bailouts of TBTF financial institutions, and the even greater encroachment of the insolvent welfare state.” [from the post about the GOP budget proposal]
He’s actually saying that “the class divide” is that rich people pay more tax! Hilarious? I’m actually wondering whether he’s on some GOP-aligned payroll, as opposed to before when I just assumed he was your typical libertarian goldbug.
el G,
Your brethren are back for the summer. Since we seem to be on the flyway to Labrador, it’s annoyingly noisy. The turkeys are having hysterics, and the dogs are explaining to each buzzard individually just how yummy it is.
They’re a few weeks early this year (Hi, Nassim) so we don’t have lambs or baby birds on the ground. Still, the sooner the Canuckistan-bound ones move on, the happier we’ll all be. The ones that stay for the summer soon figure out what their actual chances of living to brag about grabbing a live baby are, and everything calms down.
I don’t think the Western governments who sent people to Syria to be tortured (which other ones besides the U.S. did that?) will care if the Syrian rebels take over their former torture chambers. In the first place, the existence of that horror has long been known. Maher Arar has been talking publicly for years. The average sheeperson doesn’t give a rat’s ass. It’s just one more “yackety-yak” in the newsnoise babble of hideous events. Abuses by governments are seen as normal now by the masses who barely pay attention anyway. Unless it happens to them or to a celebrity, it’s meaningless.
Another thing is that the news media aren’t going to pump this story if it ever comes out. How much have you heard about the torture chambers and summary executions of Gadhafi supporters after NATO’s insurgents took over? It was a one- or two-day middle-of-the-page story, then nothing.
Finally, the Syrian rebels are most likely puppets of the West and Israel. Not likely they will highlight the U.S.’s outsourced torture. There will be plenty of nasty facts to show about the Assad government’s (father and son) savagery. The latter will generate enough revulsion to go around.
A couple of good posts from ZH today:
Is The Chinese Stock Market About To Crash?
After reading these, I thought it was peculiar that the word “deflation” was in neither post. Seems to me that both posts point to this.
Then for giggles, I checked out the baltic dry index (stockcharts.com). The $BDI has made an impressive bounce recently…but if you expand the range to a 3yr chart – not so much. Dead cat?
“I believe that young people with no future will one day take up arms and hang the traitors of this country at Syntagma square, just like the Italians did to Mussolini in 1945″
suicide note found on dimitris christoulas, 77, who shouted that he didn’t want to leave debts to his children before he shot himself in the head in syntagma square.
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