Tag Archives: u.s.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Revised GDP report; what the mainstream media doesn’t tell you, inflation up, military spending up, non-military spending down, workers producing more but not being paid more

On November 22, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released another revised Real GDP report.  It says the second revision of GDP for the third quarter 2011 was a stagnant 2%.

Gross Domestic Product is the “the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States”.   Real GDP means it’s been adjusted for inflation, specifically: “‘Real’ estimates are in chained (2005) dollars.”

The BEA report has some other important information, that the mainstream media rarely reports.

Inflation: Overall prices increased 1.9% in the third quarter, and 3.3% in the second quarter.

Expenses: Overall consumption expenditures increased 2.3% in the third quarter, 0.7% in the second quarter.

Property Investment: Non-residential property investment increased 14.8% in the third quarter, 10.3% in the second quarter.  Residential property investment increased 1.6% in the third quarter, 4.2% in the second quarter.

Exports: Products made in the U.S. and shipped to other countries increased 4.3% in the third quarter,  3.6% in the second.

Imports: Products brought into the U.S. increased 0.5% in the third quarter, 1.4% in the second quarter.

Government: Federal spending on the military increased 4.7% in the third quarter,  7.0% in the second. Federal spending on non-military decreased 3.8% in the third quarter, decreasing 7.6% in the second. State and local spending decreased 1.4% in the third quarter, decreasing 2.8% in the second.

Production: Real Gross National Product increased 2.1% in the third quarter, and 2.2% in the second.

Value of Products Produced: Market value increased 4.6% in the third quarter, 4.0% in the second quarter.

Income: Real Gross Domestic Income increased 0.4% in the third quarter, and 0.2% in the second.

To be significant the amount of change should be 3% or greater. Between 0% and 3% should be considered stagnation, below 0% is retraction.

Notice the huge jumps in property investment.

Notice that U.S. exports are above 3%.  This corresponds to the increase in production.  The value of products produced are more than 4%!  Yet look at the income of U.S. workers, a 0.4% pittance!  Some reward for making more products and providing more service!

The BEA’s data on production and income shows you that Corporate America views labor as slave wage workers. After all it’s obviously not the workers who’re benefiting from the increased production, and the increased value of their products and services!

What about government spending of your tax dollars? The BEA report shows what many are dealing with, a drop in State and local government spending (social services and education are the big ones), and a huge drop (more than 7% in the 2nd quarter, more than 3% in the 3rd) in Federal non-military spending (again, social programs, education, etc).  But look at the huge jump in military spending, it almost matches the cuts in non-military spending!

The BEA’s data on government spending is a real indicator of who the government really cares about!

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Netflix says 2012 will be so bad they will not make any profits. Looking to investors to float them. Blame competition & inflation

Netflix announced on November 21, that they do not expect to make a profit in 2012.  The on demand movie service went from having $366 million in cash, to almost nothing predicted for 2012.

Netflix officials blame it on several things; a huge subscriber loss, increased competition and a huge jump in licensing fees (inflation).

Like most of Corporate America, Netflix thought it could trick its customers into paying more for less. It backfired, company officials now estimate they will lose one million subscribers as a result.

Netflix says it’s seeing a jump in competition, not just from Hulu and Redbox, but from Amazon and Google.

Now comes the licensing fees.  In 2010 Netflix paid $180 million, now that’s jumped to $2 billion for 2012!!!  Company officials say they can not pay the fee upfront and will have to spread payments out over several years.

Under text book economic rules Netflix should pass on the increased licensing fees to its customers, but they already tried that and lost a huge amount of customers.  Netflix will try to ride out 2012 by issuing a crap load of stocks and bonds.  They hope they can get investors to buy at least $400 million worth of stocks and bonds, even though they admit they’re not going to make any profit for 2012.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: British MF Global following in footsteps of Japanese Olympus?

“I’m flabbergasted. The bottom line is, there’s going to be a haircut involved. It’s devastating, what this has done to the industry.”-Tom Ward, retired Chicago Board of Trade member whose two sons have been blocked from accessing their money

Officials with MF Global, formerly Man Financial, are now admitting that they lost much more money than first reported. They’re now saying they lost $1.2 billion!

“What did the CFTC know three weeks ago and what do they know now?  If the amount has changed that much over three weeks, where did the money go? What were (regulators) looking at before?”-Tim Butler, attorney representing group of MF Global customers

MF Global originated in England, but after several moves, ended up in New York City in 2009.  They were a primary trader of U.S. sovereign debt (bonds).

Regulators have taken over the company, and are now liquidating it. The process has frozen $5.45 billion of customers’ money!

MF Global says they lost the money making a bad trade deal with the very bonds they deal with!  The latest reports say that MF Global may have used its customers’ investment money to make the deals for itself, a violation of regulations.

Investors are trying to get their money back, so far it takes hiring an attorney, but not everyone can do that: “Unlike the big banks, the average farmer who lost money in this fiasco can’t afford to hire an attorney and attend proceedings in a Manhattan courtroom.”-Chuck Grassley, U.S. Senator from Iowa

MF Global filed bankruptcy on October 31.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Israel says the time is now, for war with Iran. Says Obama “excelling” at supporting Israel’s military

“Let me tell you, we recommend for a long time to all players to act sincerely and intensively to…deprive them or prevent them from turning nuclear.  And we have kept recommending to all to leave no option, not to remove any option from the table.”-Ehud Barak, Defense Minister of Israel

The Chinese media is quoting Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, as pushing for war with Iran right now, because of the implications of the questionable IAEA report: “But I can tell you that the IAEA report has a sobering impact on many in the world leaders, as well as the publics, and people understand that the time had come.”

Days before the official release of the IAEA report, Israeli media stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were pushing for a military strike on Iran.

The leaders of Israel are now telling the world that Iran must be stopped: “People understand now that Iran is determined to reach nuclear weapons.  No other possible or conceivable explanation for what they have been actually doing. And that should be stopped.”-Ehud Barak

In an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Barak was asked how supportive the Obama administration is of Israeli policies. Barak says Obama’s support surpasses all other U.S. Presidents:  “He’s extremely strong supporter of Israel in regard to security. Traditionally Presidents will support Israel in keeping its quality military aids, and taking care of its security, but this administration is excelling in this.”


International, U.S.

World War 3: Ron Paul says Iran has no nukes! CBS News reveals its ignorance, or its intentional covering up of issues involving U.S. foreign policy

“Iran doesn’t have a bomb. There’s no proof. There’s no new information regardless of this new report [IAEA report], and for us to overreact and to talk about bombing Iran, that’s much more dangerous.”-Ron Paul, U.S. Representative from Texas

Presidential candidate Ron Paul made that statement on CBS’s Face the Nation.  But the interviewer, Bob Schieffer, tried his darnedest to make Ron Paul look unAmerican, and the interview really came across as Ron Paul bashing.

Schieffer stated: “No one has suggested, in the U.S. government, that we are going to bomb Iran. What they have said is we’re going to impose very tough sanctions. You have said you’re against sanctions.”

Paul replied: “Yeah, because sanctions are the initial steps to war…”

If you take political science courses on war then you’ll learn that sanctions are the first step towards war.

Ron Paul then questioned Schieffer’s statment that “no one” in our government wants to bomb Iran: “…if your saying that nobodies suggesting it why don’t you listen to the debates, I mean listen to some of the other candidates…” At that point Schieffer cuts Paul off, claiming that he is listening to the debates.

A great example is another Republican candidate, Newt Gingrich, who, on November 12, called for the assassination of Iranian scientists (something the Israeli Mossad has already done).

Schieffer admits that candidates, including Mitt Romney, has made such suggestions, but he says “the government” hasn’t made such statements.

Paul then blasts Schieffer: “Obviously they [U.S. government] haven’t said that, but the implication is that nothing is off the table.  You’ve heard them say that!”

Schieffer replies: “Well yes, alright, lets move on then.”

Yes, people of the Untied States, lets move on away from the mainstream, entrenched, warmongering, working class enslaving Elites!  Vote against any candidate that sounds mainstream, and Ron Paul sure isn’t mainstream!

 

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy America! Corporate Lobbyists present plan to shut down OWS & Tea Party, more proof that the elites want turn the U.S. into a Prison Planet

MSNBC revealed a memo, written by former employees of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, which basically asks for money to research ways to shut down the OWS and Tea Party movements.

Part of its goal is to prevent Democrats from joining the OWS movement, because that would threaten Corporate America: “This would mean more than just short term political discomfort for Wall Street…It has the potential to have very long lasting political, policy and financial impacts on the companies in the center of the bullseye.”

The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to the American Bankers Association. It asks for more than $850,000 to conduct a 60 day study, which would include identifying Democratic candidates that are anti-Corporate America.

The Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford proposal also suggests that members of the Tea Party are close to joining forces with the OWS movement, and that upcoming end of year bonuses for corporate officials could result in Tea Party and OWS becoming one powerful movement: “Well known Wall Street companies stand at the nexus of where OWS protestors and the Tea Party overlap on angered populism…This combination has the potential to be explosive later in the year when media reports cover the next round of bonuses and contrast it with stories of millions of Americans making do with less this holiday season.”

The Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford proposal strongly suggest making examples of anyone who goes against Corporate America: “A big challenge is to demonstrate that these companies still have political strength and that making them a political target will carry a severe political cost.”

You need any more proof that Wall Street/Corporate America runs this country?




Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy America! What Economic Recovery? Detroit to lay off thousands more city employees, impose more cuts, Detroit is Ground Zero for Corporate America’s attack on the working class

“The mood in Detroit is grim. The workers are very angry. They’ve given concessions over and over and over again without striking. We haven’t struck since 1896.”–Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit

In 1983 there were 21,000 Detroit City union employees, now it’s down to about 11,000 and will drop at least another thousand by next year.  After more than 100 years, it looks like the City’s employee union might finally go on strike!

In 2010, Detroit officials legally imposed drastic cuts upon the City employees’ pay and benefits, now they’re threatening more cuts!  In the past two years 2,000 City employees have lost their jobs, now the Detroit Mayor, Dave Bing, wants another 1,000 layoffs.

But, union officials say the Detroit City Council wants to one up the Mayor: “The City Council is competing with him to represent Big Business, apparently, they’re threatening 2,300 layoffs!”-Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit

This is part of a sinister plot to privatize Detroit, and the United States: “Detroit has a long history as a leader of the Civil Rights movement, we’re still a 85% Black city.  We have a long history as a leader of the Labor Movement, and I suppose that Big Business figures if they can attack us in Detroit, and get away with it, than they can do it anywhere in the nation, and lower the living standards of the entire population.”-Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit





Business/Economics, International, Opinion, U.S.

United Police States of America: More proof that Uncle Sam is THE terrorist Mastermind; FBI behind most “terrorist” plots, it’s another way to round up poor black men for slave labor prisons

“The target, the motive, the ideology and the plot were all led by the FBI.”-Karen Greenberg, FBI tactics specialist, Fordham University

More and more evidence is coming forth, showing that for the past 10 years most “foiled terrorist plots” actually were masterminded by the FBI!  It’s a case of taking entrapment to a whole new level.

“Most of these suspect terrorists had no access to weapons unless the government provided them. I would say that showed they were not the biggest threat to the U.S.”-Mike German, American Civil Liberties Union and former FBI counter terrorism agent

Most of those arrested and convicted of recent terrorist plots were illegal drug users and/or sellers, or illegal immigrants.  Most of them say what happened was they were in dire straights financially and the undercover FBI agents (who’re posing as big time drug dealers) would offer them huge amounts of money to blow something up.  Sometimes they were promised that their debts would be cleared.  Illegal immigrants would be promised legal status.

“Most terrorists have links to foreign terrorist groups and have trained in terrorism training camps. Perhaps FBI resources should be spent finding those guys.”-Mike German, American Civil Liberties Union and former FBI counter terrorism agent

Most recently the FBI tried their drug dealer turned terrorist sting on some Iranians living in Mexico.  The Iranians smelled a rat and tried to get out.  One made it back to Iran, the other was arrested.  The U.S. government tried to present the failed ‘sting’ operation as a sinister plot to assassinate a Saudi Arabian official.  Never mind that it was the FBI who masterminded the sinister assassination plot.

But that’s not the only case the FBI bungled.  For some reason the FBI likes to use former convicted felons as their undercover agents.  In one case the potential ‘terrorists’ became so afraid of the FBI undercover agent that they succeed in getting a court to issue a restraining order against him.  They did not know the guy was an FBI undercover agent, or a former felon.

Bottom line, most of these cases involve poor men, mainly black and mainly Muslim.  There have been cases where they appeal their convictions, yet, even when the judge admits the FBI screwed up, their convictions are upheld.

It sounds to me like this is just another way our Corporate America controlled government is filling up slave labor prisons, especially the for profit Corporate America controlled prisons.  It has nothing to do with terrorists out to get us!

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghan government allows U.S. troops to stay until 2024, U.S. led NATO promptly kills Afghan cops, other Afghan cops then kill U.S. troops in retaliation

At the end of a four day Loya Jirga, the Afghan government said that if the U.S. military stops its night raids it can stay until 2024.

After the announcement thousands of Afghans hit the streets to protest their government.

Meanwhile, NATO aircraft bombed an Afghan police checkpoint, in the eastern province of Ghazni, killing three cops.  According to local police officials, other Afghan cops retaliated by attacking nearby U.S. ground troops, they claim they killed several U.S. soldiers.

In southern Afghanistan a U.S. soldier by insurgents.

After 10 years of occupation by the United States, Afghanistan is no better off.  In fact, in the past year, U.S. led NATO and ISAF forces have increased their attacks, including assassination drone attacks, which have killed mainly Afghan civilians.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Welcome the new World Trade Organization contender; the Eurasian Union, just one more move towards One World Government

“The creation of a Eurasian Union will provide a boost to the European Union, which will have an overland bridge to China and other rising Asian markets.”-Kirill Koktysh, Moscow State University

On November 18, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed the Declaration on Eurasian Economic Integration, and the Agreement on the Eurasian Economic Committee (EEC), creating the new Eurasian Union.

“The structure of the (Eurasian Union) is very different from the EU as Russia is an absolute leader, while in the EU even Germany is strong but not completely overshadowing other members. So it will be easier to overcome problems through Russia’s leading role.”-Boris Makarenko, Center of Political Technologies

Don’t think this is a revival of the Soviet Union, it’s actually a spawn of the WTO (World Trade organization).  Before becoming a member of the new Eurasian Union each candidate country must swear allegiance to the WTO!