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While there was little macro news to report overnight, the most notable development was yet another USDJPY-driven crash in the Nikkei 225 which plunged by a whopping 576 points, or 4%, to 13825, while the Yen soared to under 96.80 in the longest series of gains since mid-June before recouping some of the losses on pre-US open program trading. The reason attributed for the move were reports that Japan would adhere to pledge to cut its deficit which is the last thing the market wanted to hear, as it realizes that boundless QE is only possible in a context of near-infinite deficit spending.  The index, which has now become a volatility joke and woe to anyone whose "wealth effect" is linked to its stability, pushed not only China's Shanghai composite lower by 0.7% but led to losses across the board and as of this moment is seen dragging US equity futures lower for the third day in a row.

It seems I arrived in New Zealand just in time to see the country implode over a bit of botulism and bad PR. Good thing I haven't converted all my dollars into kiwis just yet!

• Washington Post Company Chairman and CEO Donald Graham talks about the sale, what it means for the future of The Post (WaPo)
• Private-equity firms are adding debt to companies they own to fund payouts to themselves at a record pace (WSJ)
• U.S., U.K. Urge Citizens to Leave Yemen (WSJ)
• India Names Rajan Central Bank Governor as Rupee Plunges (BBG)
• Family Offices Chasing Wealthy’s $46 Trillion in Assets (BBG)
• UK 'bad bank' repays $2.9 billion to taxpayers in first half (Reuters)
• Sony rebuffs Daniel Loeb’s push for entertainment spin-off (FT)
• Public Pensions Up 12% Get Most in 2 Years as Stocks Soar (BBG)
• Hidden Billionaire Found With Food Fortune in California (BBG)
• Fonterra under fire over milk scare; more product recalls (Reuters)
• Crédit Agricole Profit Rises After Greek  (WSJ)

Jeffrey P. Bezos to purchase Washington Post, Express, Gazette, other Greater Washington, DC papers -- deal valued at $250 million #breaking

— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) August 5, 2013

In 2001, the Patriot Act opened the door to US government monitoring of Americans without a warrant. It was unconstitutional, but most in Congress over my strong objection were so determined to do something after the attacks of 9/11 that they did not seem to give it too much thought. Civil liberties groups were concerned, and some of us in Congress warned about giving up our liberties even in the post-9/11 panic. But at the time most Americans did not seem too worried about the intrusion. This complacency has suddenly shifted given recent revelations of the extent of government spying on Americans. What is even more important, though, is for more and more and more Americans to educate themselves about our precious liberties and to demand that their government abide by the Constitution. We do not have to accept being lied to – or spied on -- by our government.

• Botulism toxin? There's an apology for that - Fonterra CEO apologizes, sees China dairy curbs lifted within days (Reuters)
• Patent troll-In-Chief strikes again: Veto of Apple Ruling Likely to Upend Big Patent Battles (WSJ)
• Because scapegoating means justice FTW - SEC Gets ‘Shot in the Arm’ With Victory in Tourre Case (BBG)
• Insider-Trading Probe Caught in a Washington Knot (WSJ)
• Miners return to hedging as gold  (FT)
• Toyota’s $37 Billion Cash Pile Means Turning Point for Abenomics (BBG)
• Inside the battle at Germany's Siemens (Reuters)
• ‘One million’ UK workers on zero hours contracts (FT)
• Wag the dog, part 1984: Iran Seen Trying New Path to a Bomb (WSJ)
• Tokyo Cheap to Hong Kong Luring Asian Bargain Hunters (BBG)

When one examines the impending disaster in Egypt, it is important to avoid using a narrow lens and take into account the bigger picture. An Egyptian civil war will not ultimately be about Egypt. Rather, it will be about catalyzing the whole of the Middle East towards breakdown and drawing in larger nations in the process, including the United States. It will also be about triggering energy price increases designed to give cover to the collapse of the dollar's world reserve status. If globalists within our government and within central banks allow the dollar to die today, THEY will be blamed for the collapse that follows. THEY will be painted as the villains. But, if they can create a crisis large enough, that crisis becomes the scapegoat for all other tragedies, including dollar debasement. Egypt is just one of many regions in the world where such a crisis can be fabricated. Right now, it seems to be the most opportune choice for the elites.

On August 6th, the small town of Deer Trail, Colorado is set to vote on an ordinance that will permit the hunting of unmanned surveillance drones. The author of the ordinance, Phillip Steel, claims the gesture is “symbolic.” A handful of other American states are pursuing measures to limit the spying operations of Uncle Sam’s unmanned aerial vehicles. One has to be either lying or painfully ignorant to believe government will not abuse surveillance drones. State officials have rarely failed to use their capacity to terrify the populace. The prospect of around-the-clock surveillance is a chilling thought and one that should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately the only means to achieve some semblance of privacy requires a luddite approach to technology and a hermit’s approach to community. Otherwise, you avail yourself to the terror of visibility in what should otherwise be, in Thomas Paine’s words, the blessing of society.

In short, pretty much everything.

Just when you believed that the last you were going to hear about Edward Snowden was that he was holed up in the airport in Moscow, living off borscht and blini (obviously topped with caviar) all washed down with the potato drink, the outside world will be gearing itself up to go to the foot of their stairs in exclamations of ‘well, blow me down!’.

“Intentional ignorance” undermined in a targeted manner the principle of political responsibility

With the case for the next Fed chairman having devolved to the most ridiculous of decision trees, such as Nancy Pelosi's "it would be great to have a woman", because apparently gender diversity trumps everything in the eyes of the California democrat, the choice of Bernanke's successor is now more nebulous than ever. It has certainly not been aided by the periodic floating of the Larry Summers trial balloon, especially as originating from the Fed's WSJ mouthpiece who one week presents Summers as the favorite and the next skewers his chances. However, one person for whom the Summers vote is essentially a done deal with 90% odds, is Scotiabank's Guy Haselmann. Here is his logic.

While Edward Snowden can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief at being abale to avoid the humdrum beat of airport food for a while, he will be stepping out into the 2nd most expensive city in the world. Based on a survey of over 200 items, Moscow ranks 2nd in the world (with $8 cups of coffee and $4,600 average apartment rental costs), and Tokyo 3rd (with $5 newspapers and $7 coffees). But the most expensive city in the world will come as a surprise to most and likely create the need for a Google Maps search. With 40.5% of the population of this nation living in property and the average monthly rent a sky-high $6,500, this southern African country's capital is the most expensive city in the world (it would seem the Chinese arrival in resource-rich African nations - N'Djamena, Chad is 4th - has had its hot-money inflationary effects).

Over 99% of “analysts” are missing this, but it is a fact. If you ignore the ridiculous GDP numbers (which even China’s Premiere has admitted are a joke in the past) and look at more accurate metrics, it’s clear China is collapsing at an alarming rate. Case in point, Electrical consumption rose by just 2.9% in the first quarter of this year.

• Biggest Banks Face Fed Restoring Barriers in Commodities (BBG)
• SAC to Employees: Cohen Didn't Read Dell Email at Heart of SEC's Case (WSJ)
• Second (and Third) liens are back, and so is 2005: As Banks Retreat, Hedge Funds Smell Profit (WSJ)
• Singapore funds benefit from Asian wealth (FT)
• 2 years later the lies haven't changed one bit - Tepco hit over slow admission of radioactive leak (FT)
• How big tech stays offline on tax (Reuters)
• Hilton Leads Rush to Africa in Fastest Boom (BBG)
• U.S. and UK fine high-speed trader for manipulation (Reuters)
• Key witness takes stand in SEC case against Goldman's Tourre (Reuters)
• Boomer Sex With Dementia Foreshadowed in Nursing Home (BBG)
• Bentley SUV gives £800m boost to UK car industry (FT)