Month: June 2012

US And European Regulators Are Essentially Forcing Banks To Buy Government Debt

by

– Banks Pressured to Buy Government Debt (CNBC, May 31, 2012):

??US and European regulators are essentially forcing banks to buy up their own government’s debt—a move that could end up making the debt crisis even worse, a Citigroup analysis says.

Regulators are allowing banks to escape counting their country’s debt against capital requirements and loosening other rules to create a steady market for government bonds, the study says.

While that helps governments issue more and more debt, the strategy could ultimately explode if the governments are unable to make the bond payments, leaving the banks with billions of toxic debt, says Citigroup strategist Hans Lorenzen.

Read moreUS And European Regulators Are Essentially Forcing Banks To Buy Government Debt

Choosing Your Survival Retreat Location

by

– The Realities Of Choosing Your Survival Retreat Location (ZeroHedge, June 1, 2012):

Unfortunately, having a ‘Plan B’ just isn’t the modern American way.  The great and diabolical misfortune of having two to three solid generations of assumed prosperity in one’s culture is the side-effect it has of lulling the populace into comfortable apathy.  “Prepping” becomes a kind of novelty; a lifestyle that people joke about while planning out their next vacation or their next suburban home purchase.  It’s something that others consider in that fleeting moment in front of the television while witnessing the news of a catastrophe on the other side of the world, only to be forgotten minutes after changing the channel.  Such things do not happen here.  Not in the United States…

I am a child of an age laden with illusory wealth, and have benefitted (for a short time at least) from the financial fakery of our economic system, as have many Americans.  Most of us have not had to suffer through the unmitigated poverty, hopelessness, and relentless fear that are pervasive in harsher days.  All our problems could be cured with money, especially government money, and as long as the greenbacks were flowing, we didn’t care where they came from.  Ultimately, though, the ease of our well-to-do welfare kingdom has set us up for a cultural failure of epic proportions.  Anytime a society allows itself to be conditioned with dependency, its fate is sealed.

Read moreChoosing Your Survival Retreat Location

NASA: Fukushima Quake/Tsunami Disturbed Upper Atmosphere

by

– Fukushima quake/tsunami disturbed upper atmosphere – NASA (Chicago Tribune/Reuters, May 30, 2012):

WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) – The massive earthquake and
tsunami that hit Fukushima, Japan, last year wreaked havoc in
the skies above as well, disturbing electrons in the upper
atmosphere, NASA reported.

The waves of energy from the quake and tsunami that were so
destructive on the ground reached into the ionosphere, a part of
the upper atmosphere that stretches from about 50 to 500 miles
(80 to 805 km) above Earth’s surface.

Read moreNASA: Fukushima Quake/Tsunami Disturbed Upper Atmosphere

20,000 Bq/Kg Of Radioactive Cesium Detected In School’s Swimming Pool

by

– 20,000 Bq/Kg from school pool (Fukushima Diary, June 2, 2012):

Communist Party of Japan reported 20,000 Bq/Kg of cesium was measured from the water of school pool. A school teacher reported it to Communist Party of Japan.

According to the study of Pathological anatomist, Yury Bandazhevsky from Belarus, 90% of the children in Homyel to have 37 – 74Bq/kg of cesium measured from their cardiac muscle showed abnormal electrocardiogram.

Schools in Fukushima are going to have swimming class this summer.[Link]

Source 12

Top Mitt Romney Donors: Update

by

George Carlin sums it up best:

– George Carlin: The Illusion Of Freedom – ‘This Country Finshed!’ (Video)

– George Carlin: The American Dream (Video)

– Top Mitt Romney Donors: Update (ZeroHedge, June 1, 2012):

As Mitt Romney speaks on TV, we thought it may be prudent to present an update of the key donors to the Romney presidential campaign.

Then again, here is Obama:

Report: Bank Runs Have Spread To China’s Industrial And Construction-Heavy City Of Wuyishan

by

– A Chinese Bank Run? (ZeroHedge, June 1, 2012):

The balance sheet recession that seems to have correctly diagnosed the problem facing Japan (and now Europe and the US)  – explicitly causing debt minimzation as opposed to profit maximization – seems to be taking hold. However, it appears this death-knell for credit-created growth is now being seen in China – as AlsoSprachAnalyst interprets “people are not borrowing, but selling assets to pay down debts, and/or holding cash“. What is most worrisome is that while the focus of the world has been on European bank runs (for fear of bank failure and redenomination risk), 21st Century Business Herald now notes that these bank runs have spread to China’s industrial and construction-heavy city of Wuyishan. Queues were seen on various branches of China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

more from AlsoSprachAnalyst:

The reason which triggered the bank run was that there was a company that has just gone bust, with the founder and other executives ran away, brining probably RMB1 billion or more away with them.  The company in question looks like a Ponzi scheme.  It has set up an online shopping site which, on top of selling stuff, asks people to sign up and pay a certain among of money (e.g. RMB1,600), then the company will pay people back at a rate of RMB20 a day (a fee of 5% out of this RMB20 is deducted).  It sounds like a pretty good deal for the members, as far as it is working.  Based on the bank statement of the members obtained by 21st Century Business Herald, the company did pay back quite a fair amount, but, of course, the company has sucked up more than it has ever had a chance to pay back.

As the company went bust and the boss disappeared, the members of the website who have paid quite a lot of money in hope to be paid back even more became rather angry, and went to the office of this company in Fuzhou (which is actually not at all near Wuyishan) to protest and smash things.  However, as a lot of members of the website came from Wuyishan, people are worried.  On late 30 May, there was apparently some chatter that the government is dealing with the case, and will need to freeze personal bank accounts (presumably for investigations).  As a result of this, people started queuing up at virtually all banks the next day.  One local resident told the reporter that the city “has gone crazy”.

Read moreReport: Bank Runs Have Spread To China’s Industrial And Construction-Heavy City Of Wuyishan

Ikea Products Made From 600-Year-Old Trees

by

See also:

– Ikea Used East German Political Prisoners As Slave Labour To Make Furniture

– Former Senior Ikea Executive: The Truth About Ikea

– Ikea Products Made From 600-Year-Old Trees (IPS, May 29, 2012):

STOCKHOLM, May 29, 2012 (IPS) – The home furnishing giant Ikea, founded in Sweden in 1943, is facing heavy criticism for the logging and clear-cutting of old-growth forests in the north of Russian Karelia by its wholly owned subsidiary Swedwood.

According to leading environmental organisations, such logging is destroying ancient and unique forests that have a high conservation value.

Read moreIkea Products Made From 600-Year-Old Trees

‘THE END GAME’: ‘It Is The Big Reset’ – ‘2012 And 2013 Will Usher In The End’ – The Scariest Presentation Ever?

by

‘The Scariest Presentation Ever?’

It is just what I told you since the beginning of Infinite Unknown.

The greatest financial/economic/social collapse in world history is coming.

This is the ‘GREATEST DEPRESSION’!

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
– Benjamin Franklin

A MUST-READ!

– “The End Game: 2012 And 2013 Will Usher In The End” – The Scariest Presentation Ever? (ZeroHedge, May 31, 2012):

If Raoul Pal was some doomsday spouting windbag, writing in all caps, arbitrarily pasting together disparate charts to create 200 page slideshows, it would be easy to ignore him. He isn’t. The founder of Global Macro Investor “previously co-managed the GLG Global Macro Fund in London for GLG Partners, one of the largest hedge fund groups in the world. Raoul came to GLG from Goldman Sachs where he co-managed the hedge fund sales business in Equities and Equity Derivatives in Europe… Raoul Pal retired from managing client money in 2004 at the age of 36 and now lives on the Valencian coast of Spain, from where he writes.” It is his writing we are concerned about, and specifically his latest presentation, which is, for lack of a better word, the most disturbing and scary forecast of the future of the world we have ever seen….

And we see a lot of those.

Consider this:

  • We are here…

  • We don’t know exactly what is to come, but we can all join the very few dots from where we are now, to the collapse of the first major bank…
  • With very limited room for government bailouts, we can very easily join the next dots from the first bank closure to the collapse of the whole European banking system, and then to the bankruptcy of the governments themselves.
  • There are almost no brakes in the system to stop this, and almost no one realises the seriousness of the situation.
  • The problem is not Government debt per se. The real problem is that the $70 trillion in G10 debt is the collateral for $700 trillion in derivatives…
  • Yes, that equates to 1200% of Global GDP and it rests on very, very weak foundations
  • From an EU crisis, we only have to join one dot for a UK crisis of equal magnitude.
  • And then do you think Japan and China would not be next?
  • And then do you think the US would survive unscathed?
  • That is the end of the fractional reserve banking system and of fiat money.
    • It is the big RESET.

    It continues:

    • Bonds will be stuck at 1% in the US, Germany, UK and Japan (for this phase).
    • The whole bond market will be dead.
    • Short selling on bonds – banned
    • Short selling stocks – banned
    • CDS – banned
    • Short futures – banned
    • Put options – banned
    • All that is left is the Dollar and Gold

    It only gets better. We use the term loosely:

    • We have around 6 months left of trading in Western markets to protect ourselves or make enough money to offset future losses.
    • Spend your time looking at the risks of custody, safekeeping, counterparty etc. Assume that no one and nothing is safe.
    • After that…we put on our tin helmets and hide until the new system emerges

    And the punchline

    From a timing perspective, I think 2012 and 2013 will usher in the end.

    Enjoy:

    The End Game

    Collapse: Foreclosures Made Up 26 Percent Of U.S. Home Sales In First Quarter Of 2012

    by

    See also:

    – Collapse: 100 Million Americans Don’t Have A Job!

    – Foreclosures made up 26% of U.S. home sales in first quarter (CNNMoney, May 31, 2012):

    NEW YORK — Homes in some stage of foreclosure accounted for more than one in four home sales during the first three months of the year, according to a report released Thursday.

    Distressed properties that were either in default, scheduled for auction or bank-owned accounted for 26% of all residential sales during the first quarter, up from 22% in the previous quarter and 25% a year earlier, RealtyTrac said.

    Altogether, 233,299 distressed properties were purchased during the quarter, an 8% increase from the previous quarter. Those homes sold for an average of $161,214, 27% below the average price of a home not in foreclosure.

    Read moreCollapse: Foreclosures Made Up 26 Percent Of U.S. Home Sales In First Quarter Of 2012

    Moody’s Downgrades Credit Rating Of 9 Danish Banks

    by

    – Moody’s downgrades nine Danish banks (AFP, May 31, 2012):

    MOODY’S has downgraded the credit rating of nine Danish banks, citing the impact of the rolling eurozone crisis on bank loan quality and on their fund-raising ability.

    The nine, along with the Finnish subsidiary of one of the banks, saw their ratings cut one to three notches, with one of them, DLR Kredit, pushed three steps down into the junk-bond realm at Ba1.

    “Danish financial institutions face sluggish domestic economic growth, weakening real estate prices and higher levels of unemployment, as well as the risk of external shocks from the ongoing euro area debt crisis,” Moody’s said.

    “Asset quality is deteriorating, and these pressures are expected to continue.”

    Read moreMoody’s Downgrades Credit Rating Of 9 Danish Banks

    ECB Chief Mario Draghi: Eurozone Is ‘Unsustainable’

    by

    – Mario Draghi (Wikipedia):

    Draghi was then vice chairman and managing director of Goldman Sachs International and a member of the firm-wide management committee (2002–2005). A controversy existed on his duties while employed at Goldman Sachs. Pascal Canfin (MEP) asserted Draghi was involved in swaps for European governments, namely Greece, trying to disguise their countries’ economic status.

    See also:

    – How To Lose All Your Money With Goldman Sachs

    And now: How to take down Europe with Goldman Sachs!

    – Eurozone is ‘unsustainable’ warns Mario Draghi (Telegraph, May 31, 2012):

    The head of the European Central Bank hit out at the political paralysis gripping the region as he warned the eurozone’s set-up was “unsustainable”.

    Mario Draghi said the central bank could not “fill the vacuum” left by member states’ lack of action as it was claimed the zone is on the point of “disintegration”.

    Amid escalating talk of a potential bail-out for Spain, the president of the ECB said the central bank was powerless to stop the debt tornado. “It’s not our duty, it’s not in our mandate” to “fill the vacuum left by the lack of action by national governments on the fiscal front,” he said.

    Luis de Guindos, Spain’s Economy Minister, urged Berlin to “assume its part” in restoring the health of the eurozone. He said: “The battle of the euro is being fought right now in Spain and Italy. The future of the euro is at stake in the next weeks.”

    Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, last night denied that an IMF bail-out of Spain was being prepared.

    Read moreECB Chief Mario Draghi: Eurozone Is ‘Unsustainable’

    CNN: Japanese say gov’t “will simply flat out lie” about Fukushima — Adviser to Prime Minister Kan: People can not trust gov’t (VIDEO)

    by

    – CNN: Japanese say gov’t “will simply flat out lie” about Fukushima — Adviser to Prime Minister Kan: People can not trust gov’t (VIDEO) (ENENews, May 31, 2012):

    Kept in the Dark
    CNN International
    May 25, 2012

    Grief is turning to anger in Japan.

    Japanese people feel they’ve been kept in the dark about the extent of the damage.

    And can no longer trust their government.

    If you talk to people here they’ll tell you… the government will withhold information or the government will simply flat out lie.

    […]

    Now I spoke with a nuclear engineer, a man who was inside the Prime Minister’s office, a special adviser to the Prime Minister in those early days right after the triple meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

    And he says government failed the people back then and is continuing to fail the people today.

    Hiroshi Tasaka: “[…] People can not trust government.”


    Massive protest against gov. to stop burning… von hero_9

    FDA Tests Adya Clarity, Confirms High Level Of Aluminum, Multiple Label Violations

    by

    – FDA tests Adya Clarity, confirms high level of aluminum, multiple label violations (Natural  News, June 1, 2012):

    Late last year, NaturalNews went public with an explosive story about a fraudulently marketed dietary supplement product called “Adya Clarity.” Made from a combination of sulfuric acid and a mineral / metallic ore mined out of the ground near Fukushima, Japan, the substance was marketed online with a bewildering array of absurd health claims. Furthermore, its label was intentionally altered to deceive consumers about its aluminum content, which happens to be the second most common element in the product.

    Read moreFDA Tests Adya Clarity, Confirms High Level Of Aluminum, Multiple Label Violations

    US Special Ops Commander: We’ve Sent Troops Into North Korea? – US Military Denies Parachuting Into N.Korea

    by

    – US Special Ops commander: We’ve sent troops into North Korea? (StratRisks, May 28, 2012):

    Source: Diplomat

    U.S. Special Forces have been parachuting into North Korea to spy on Pyongyang’s extensive network of underground military facilities. That surprising disclosure, by a top U.S. commando officer, is a reminder of America’s continuing involvement in the “cold war” on the Korean peninsula – and of North Korea’s extensive preparations for the conflict turning hot.

    In the decades since the end of the Korean War, Pyongyang has constructed thousands of tunnels, Army Brig. Gen. Neil Tolley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Forces in South Korea, said at a conference in Florida last week. Tolley said the tunnels include 20 partially subterranean airfields, thousands of underground artillery positions and at least four tunnels underneath the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. “We don’t know how many we don’t know about,” Tolley said.

    “The entire tunnel infrastructure is hidden from our satellites,” Tolley added. “So we send [Republic of Korea] soldiers and U.S. soldiers to the North to do special reconnaissance.” Tolley said the commandos parachute in with minimal supplies in order to watch the tunnels without being detected themselves.

    Tolley outlined new equipment he said would boost the spies’ capabilities without giving them away to North Korean troops. For starters, he said his men could use a lightweight sensor able to “characterize what’s in a facility from standoff distance.” In addition, the commandos would benefit from a high frequency radio whose signal can’t be tracked back to its origin. Finally – and most dramatically – Tolley said a wireless power transmission system would allow his troops to jump into North Korea without heavy loads of batteries for their radios and other gear.

    – US military denies parachuting into N.Korea (AFP, May 29, 2012):

    The US military Tuesday vehemently denied a media report that special forces had been parachuted into North Korea on intelligence-gathering missions, saying a source had been misquoted.

    Current affairs magazine The Diplomat quoted Brigadier General Neil Tolley, commander of special forces in South Korea, as saying soldiers from the US and South Korea had been dropped across the border for “special reconnaissance” missions.

    But Colonel Jonathan Withington, public affairs officer for US Forces Korea, said some reporting of the conference had taken Tolley “completely out of context”.

    “Quotes have been made up and attributed to him,” he said, denying that any US or South Korean forces had parachuted into the North.

    Read moreUS Special Ops Commander: We’ve Sent Troops Into North Korea? – US Military Denies Parachuting Into N.Korea

    Osteoporosis Drug Treatment Causes MORE Bone Fractures, Not Less

    by

    – Bisphosphonate drug treatment for osteoporosis causes MORE bone fractures, not less (Natural News, June 1, 2012)

    Natural medicine is, of course, much better for your overall health, but when you have to take something Big Pharma manufactures, you should at least be able to expect that it will do what it’s supposed to do.

    Not so with bisphosphonates, drugs that are supposed to improve bone strength in patients at risk of or saddled with osteoporosis. They, instead, seem to worsen it.

    Read moreOsteoporosis Drug Treatment Causes MORE Bone Fractures, Not Less

    Soldier Acquitted In AIDS Assault Case After HIV Tests Shown To Be Completely Bogus

    by

    – Soldier acquitted in AIDS assault case after HIV tests shown to be completely bogus (Natural News, June 01, 2012):

    An Army sergeant who was falsely accused of being HIV positive, and who spent 240 days in pretrial custody as a result, has officially been acquitted of the charges levied against him. Thanks to the efforts of the Office of Medical and Scientific Justice (OMSJ), a private investigative agency that focuses on medical and scientific fraud, Sgt. “TD,” who was arrested in 2011 for HIV-related criminal charges, has been vindicated of his HIV-positive status, which has also caused the legitimacy of HIV tests to once again be called into question.

    Read moreSoldier Acquitted In AIDS Assault Case After HIV Tests Shown To Be Completely Bogus

    Morgan State University Student Admits To Eating Man’s Body Parts

    by

    See also:

    – Zombie Apocalypse In Miami As Police Shoot Naked, Mindless Man Literally Eating The Face Off Another Man

    – Morgan Student Admits To Eating Joppatowne Man’s Body Parts; Charged With First-Degree Murder (CBS, May 31, 2012):

    JOPPATOWNE, Md. (WJZ)— A chilling story unfolds in Harford County where family members find the chopped up body parts of a missing man. And now, the suspect admits to committing acts of cannibalism on that body.

    Both the suspect and the victim were students at Morgan State University. But it was inside a Joppatowne home they shared where police say an unimaginable crime occurred.

    Read moreMorgan State University Student Admits To Eating Man’s Body Parts