Archive - Aug 11, 2014

Here is a video of what the alleged Russian convoy, that is about to enter east Ukraine, looks like: some ~300 military vehicles, all repainted "Humanitarian White."

UPDATE: As darkness falls once again in Ferguson, Police are out en masse and ordering people back to their homes, using tear gas and rubber bullets...

A day of protests and vigils Sunday over the death of Michael Brown, a black teenager who was killed (allegedly shot 8 times) following an altercation with a Ferguson police officer, turned violent overnight with reports of riots and looting... and the violence is continuing today. As the following images suggest, there was a lot more bubbling under the surface of middle America than concern about one young man's death as Ferguson's full SWAT team is in force. As one young protester screamed, "the revolution will not be televised."

"The U.S. government has grown strangely quiet on the accusation that it was Russia or her allies that brought down the Malaysian airliner with a buk anti-aircraft missile... When evidence contradicts our government’s accusations, the evidence is never revealed to the public—for national security reasons, of course... Too bad we can’t count on our government to just tell us the truth and show us the evidence. I’m convinced that it knows a lot more than it’s telling us."

"Ich bin ein Sanctioneer..."

Forget London's Mayfair, ignore New York's Central Park West; the world's most expensive home (on a square-foot basis) is at the exclusive Victoria's Peak neighborhood in Hong Kong. No. 1 Twelve Peaks is a 4,661 square foot home that, if sold for list, is valued at a stunning $22,675 per square foot... As WSJ notes, those interested in the latest listing will be encouraged to act fast: A buyer will be offered a 3% discount if a deal is made within five months.

We now know the devastation that the Polar Vortex 1.0 caused on a fragile US economy in Q1 - because, it must be the weather, right? and not stagnating wages and over-leveraged consumers. So, it is woth great concern that we report, Accuweather states that Polar Vortex 2.0 will trurn early in the Northeast, "The vortex could slip at times, maybe even briefly in September for the Northeast," crushing the hopes of v-shaped recoveries in US GDP (or will it be different this time?)

According to yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, the bailed out financial criminals at Goldman Sachs are set to launch the latest and greatest toxic derivative product directly into the portfolios of willing muppets the world over... and it all starts this September. Yes, it’s called the “Fixed Income Global Structured Covered Obligation,” (ironically close to the acronym FIASCO) and no, you will not have a clue what’s in it. No seriously, you won’t have a clue.

Gosh, isn’t that what we spent eight years, 4,500 lives, and $1.7 trillion doing? And how did that work out? The Iraq war is just like the US financial system. The people in charge can’t imagine writing off their losses. Which, from the policy standpoint, leaves the USA pounding sand down so many rat holes that there may be no ground left to stand on anywhere.

"You give me this office, and in turn, my fears, doubts, insecurities, foibles, need for sleep, family life, vacations, leisure is gone. I am giving myself to you. The American people should have no patience for whatever is going through your head because you have a job to do. You don't make that decision unless you are prepared to make that sacrifice, that tradeoff. Those who make mistakes in the president's office make them because they haven't fully thought through the dimensions of that choice."

- Barack Hussein Obama

"The US government's decision to apply more sanctions on Russia is a grave mistake and will only escalate an already tense situation, ultimately harming the US economy itself. While the effect of sanctions on the dollar may not be appreciated in the short term, in the long run these sanctions are just another step toward the dollar's eventual demise as the world's reserve currency."

While Hillary explains that Obama is “thoughtful” and “incredibly smart,” the unannounced 2016 Presidential candidate had a few less than supportive words for the current Iraq-bomber-in-chief. In an interview in The Atlantic magazine, Bloomberg reports Clinton warns Obama lacks a specific doctrine, adding "great nations need organizing principles, and "don't do stupid stuff" is not an organizing principle."

At the start of the year, Russia said 'nyet' to 132 Japanese cars imported through Vladivostok due to high radiation levels. Fast forward seven months and as AutoWeek reports, it appears the Japanese are up to their old tricks - desperate to make Abenomics look like it's working by jamming exports higher - a total of 70 used cars imported from Japan and found to have increased levels of radiation are being stored in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The import of used Japanese cars is big business in Central Asia, especially in Mongolia and the Russian far-east regions, but several batches of cars have been seized by the government during the last three years - despite 'agreements' from Japan.

Last week we noted the 'exponential' nature of the cases (and deaths) from Ebola. This week, according to the latest death and case counts from the WHO - the trend has got exponential-er - with 69 new cases and 52 new deaths in the last 2 days. With health workers dying at a fast clip too, it is little surprise that rumors of an outbreak in France were quickly denied by the government. As FranceTV reports, Patrick Balkany, citing "reliable medical sources" claimed that that "several cases [Ebola] have been reported on the French territory." The Ministry of Health rapidly denied any cases of infection in France.

As of today, the forecast of fall/winter rain is in doubt.

Despite 30% general unemployment, the majority of youths jobless, GDP forecasts already disappointing, and government asset sales at rock-bottom prices, Greek leaders are preparing to blame any missed growth expectations on Russia. As Bloomberg reports, hopes of a 2014 exit from its deepest recession in a half-century may hit a stumbling block after Russian sanctions last week. "The impact could be quite damaging for industries such as tourism and agriculture amid the fragility of a slowly recovering economy," warns one think-tank as tourist arrivals from Ukraine are expected to drop by 50% and the 'fruit-and-vegetable' embargo will "send prices falling across Europe, hitting both the volume and value of Greek exports towards other countries." Is it any wonder the Greeks are so vociferously slamming "blind obedience to the Cold War strategies of Brussels and Washington."