How The Feds Got All That Western Land (and Why It's A Problem)
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 22:00
Government owned and subsidized lands in the American West have been a source of conflict among competing interest groups since the 19th century. Since the very beginning of white settlement, lands have been used by the federal government as part of a political scheme to subsidize and reward certain groups while punishing others. The current standoff between ranchers and federal officials in Oregon is simply the latest chapter in a long contentious and sometimes bloody history of groups competing for control over government-owned lands in the West, and by ensuring that lands continue to be allocated by political means rather than through the market, government ownership of lands simply perpetuates conflict in the region.
Visualizing The Most Valuable Substances By Weight
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 21:15
While gold is undoubtedly one of the most traded substances on earth, it also happens to be one of the most valuable substances by weight. Although prices fluctuate, one gram of gold will cost you on average around $35. This got us thinking about how much other primarily naturally occurring substances out there cost.
The Looming Recession & The Muted Delight Of Janet Yellen's Epic Failure
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 20:30
Perhaps weak manufacturing, construction, and trade data are mere outliers. Maybe the Fed can see beyond the fog to clearly capture the big picture. Or maybe the Fed has lost its marbles. Their outlook doesn’t jive with that of the regular working stiff.
Texas Governor Calls For Constitutional Convention To "Wrest Power" From Obama
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 19:42
"The increasingly frequent departures from Constitutional principles are destroying the Rule of Law foundation on which this country was built... The cure to these problems will not come from Washington D.C. Instead, the states must lead the way. The irony for our generation is that the threat to our Republic doesn’t come just from foreign enemies, it comes, in part, from our very own leaders."
- Texas governor Greg Abbott
Gold In 2016: "Economic Power Is Shifting"
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 18:15
An unseen bubble at the heart of the financial system is deflating with unknown consequences. When bubbles deflate, and here we are talking about one in the hundreds of trillions, bad debts are usually exposed. Even though much of the reduction in outstanding OTC derivatives is due to consolidation of positions following the Frank Dodd Act, much of it is not. When free markets reassert themselves, and they always do, the disruption promises to be substantial. We appear to be in the early stages of this event. If so, demand for physical gold can be expected to escalate rapidly as a financial crisis unfolds.
Caught On Tape: Iran Conducts Live-Fire Rocket Drill Next To US Carrier
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 17:45
Late last month, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, Iran conducted a live-fire exercise in the Strait of Hormuz in close proximity to the USS Harry Truman, one of Ash Carter’s fleet of aircraft carriers. On Saturday, the US released a video of the incident.
What The Charts Say: "US Stocks Are In Riskiest Position In Seven Years"
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 17:15
"After suffering the worst start to a new year in history, the U.S. stock market has entered correction territory which is defined by a drop of 10% from its old high. The following "hateful eight" charts pretty much speak for themselves... This doesn't bode well for U.S. stocks which are now in the riskiest position since the bull market started seven years ago."
Newsflash From The December 'Jobs' Report - The US Economy Is Dead In The Water
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 15:45
Here’s a newsflash that CNBC didn’t mention. According to the BLS, the US economy generated a miniscule 11,000 jobs in the month of December.
Angry Bond Insurers Sue Puerto Rico Over "Clawback" Boondoggle
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 15:15
“The commonwealth has committed itself to a ‘scorched earth’ strategy of blaming its fiscal and structural problems on lenders, Congress and others, in an effort to deflect responsibility and obtain retroactive application of bankruptcy laws.”
The Bankers' India Gold Grab: An Update
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 14:30
In the eyes of Western bankers, it was the perfect “scheme” – hence their label for the plan. In the eyes of any sane, rational, human being, it was/is the most naked, clumsy fraud that one could possibly imagine. But the corporate media assured us there was considerable enthusiasm amongst India’s population for this scam. However, in two weeks, out of a population of more than one billion people, holding an estimated 40 million pounds of gold, the Conspirators managed to steal less than 0.000002% of India’s privately held gold. So we’re now told that India’s government sees “temple gold” as its best/easiest target for stealing.
One Map That Explains The Dangerous Saudi-Iranian Conflict
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 13:17
To the degree that the current crisis has anything to do with religion, it’s much less about whether Abu Bakr or Ali was Muhammad’s rightful successor and much more about who’s going to control something more concrete right now: oil.
North, South Korea "At The Brink Of War" As Loudspeaker Dispute Spirals Out Of Control (Again)
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 12:15
South Korea - which Kim Jong-Un says is "jealous" of the North's "H-bomb" test - has resumed blaring anti-Pyongyang propaganda over loudspeakers installed on the two countries' border, a move the North says has once again brought the Korean Peninsula "to the brink of war."
Americans' Positive Perception Of NRA Soars As Obama Escalates Gun-Control Agenda
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 11:30
Love guns or hate guns, one thing is becoming perfectly clear. The American public’s perception of guns and the NRA is moving in the exact opposite direction of Barack Obama’s message and agenda.
46 Months Of Accelerating Deflation Mean Beijing Is Now Trapped
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/09/2016 - 10:47
At this point, the longer China does nothing, the greater its problems will become. As such Beijing needs to choose: either collapse the economy in a deflationary wave, leading to a debt crisis and widespread social unrest, or devalue massively overnight in hopes of stimulating inflation, leading to collapsing profit margins, and even more widespread social unrest.In short, our condolences China: having decided to adopt Western neo-Keynesian economics, with the typical monetarist bent, you too are now trapped with no way out. But don't worry: so is everyone else. Good luck.
Americans Can't Wait To Get Out Of These Five States
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/08/2016 - 23:30
A low cost of living, no sales tax, and beautiful scenery (oh, naked bike rides, more strip clubs per capita than any other US city, and legalized weed) means Oregon is the "top moving destination" for Americans for the third year running, according to United Van Lines, with 69% of moves inbound. But, which states are Americans leaving in droves?
