Month: January 2014

JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Gets 74 Percent Raise After Billions in Fines

by

Jamie Dimon cufflinks - The seal reads Seal of the President of the United States and includes the arrow-carrying eagle
In more than one picture, Dimon was seen with the seal cufflinks visible. The seal reads “Seal of the President of the United States” and includes the arrow-carrying eagle.

– Dimon Gets 74 Percent Raise After Billions in Fines (Bloomberg, Jan 24, 2014):

After agreeing to pay $23 billion in penalties and settlements in 2013, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Chief Executive Jamie Dimon was rewarded today by the board he chairs, receiving a 74 percent pay raise to $20 million.

Dimon has presided over a series of costly settlements with government investigators, including paying $13 billion for mortgage activity that helped lead to the financial crisis and $2 billion for failing to do anything about signs that client Bernie Madoff was running a Ponzi scheme. But in the amoral logic of the stock market, each payout has been met with gains in the company’s stock price, as investors see one fewer uncertainty looming over future profits.

Read moreJPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Gets 74 Percent Raise After Billions in Fines

Are We On The Verge Of A Massive Emerging Markets Currency Collapse?

by

– Are We On The Verge Of A Massive Emerging Markets Currency Collapse? (Economic Collapse, Jan 26, 2014):

This time, the Federal Reserve has created a truly global problem.  A big chunk of the trillions of dollars that it pumped into the financial system over the past several years has flowed into emerging markets.  But now that the Fed has decided to begin “the taper”, investors see it as a sign to pull the “hot money” out of emerging markets as rapidly as possible.  This is causing currencies to collapse and interest rates to soar all over the planet.  Argentina, Turkey, South Africa, Ukraine, Chile, Indonesia, Venezuela, India, Brazil, Taiwan and Malaysia are just some of the emerging markets that have been hit hard so far.  In fact, last week emerging market currencies experienced the biggest decline that we have seen since the financial crisis of 2008.  And all of this chaos in emerging markets is seriously spooking Wall Street as well.  The Dow has fallen nearly 500 points over the last two trading sessions alone.  If the Federal Reserve opts to taper even more in the coming days, this currency crisis could rapidly turn into a complete and total currency collapse.

Read moreAre We On The Verge Of A Massive Emerging Markets Currency Collapse?

Obama To Bypass Congress In 2014, Rule By Agency Decree

by

– Obama to bypass Congress in 2014, rule by agency decree (Daily Caller, Jan 26, 2014):

White House officials say President Barack Obama will aggressively use his control of federal agencies to impose his progressive agenda on the economy and society throughout 2014.

He’ll largely ignore GOP legislators, except to push them to accept an amnesty for at least 12 million Democrat-leaning illegal immigrants, according to several White House officials who outlined the strategy to The Washington Post.

Read moreObama To Bypass Congress In 2014, Rule By Agency Decree

White House Warns Obama Ready To ‘Bypass’ Congress On 2014 Agenda

by

– White House warns Obama ready to ‘bypass’ Congress on 2014 agenda (Guardian, Jan 26, 2014):

White House officials are setting the scene for a confrontational state of the union address on Tuesday night, claiming that President Barack Obama is preparing to “bypass” Congress with executive action on divisive issues such as economic inequality.

However, in a flurry of last-minute appearances, advisers also hinted at a growing sense within the administration that the president’s chances of securing more ambitious legislative reform before November’s midterm elections may already have passed.

Read moreWhite House Warns Obama Ready To ‘Bypass’ Congress On 2014 Agenda

White House Warns Obama Could Go Around Congress

by

– White House warns Obama could go around Congress (AP, Jan 26, 2014)

President Barack Obama will work with Congress where he can and circumvent lawmakers where he must, his top advisers warned Sunday in previewing Tuesday’s State of the Union speech.

Obama faces a politically divided Congress on Tuesday and will use his annual address to demand expanded economic opportunity. Absent legislative action, the White House is telling lawmakers that the president is ready to take unilateral action to close the gap between rich and poor Americans.

Read moreWhite House Warns Obama Could Go Around Congress

Bundesbank’s Stunner To Broke Eurozone Nations: First ‘Bail In’ Your Rich Citizens

by

20140127_buba_0

– Bundesbank’s Stunner To Broke Eurozone Nations: First “Bail In” Your Rich Citizens (ZeroHedge, Jan 27, 2014):

In what is sure to be met with cries of derision across the European Union, in line with what the IMF had previously recommended (and we had previously warned as inevitable), the Bundesbank said on Monday that countries about to go bankrupt should draw on the private wealth of their citizens through a one-off capital levy before asking other states for help. As Reuters reports, the Bundesbank states, “(A capital levy) corresponds to the principle of national responsibility, according to which tax payers are responsible for their government’s obligations before solidarity of other states is required.” However, they note that they will not support an implementation of a recurrent wealth tax in Germany, saying it would harm growth. We await the refutation (or Draghi’s jawbone solution to this line in the sand.)

Via Reuters,

Germany’s Bundesbank said on Monday that countries about to go bankrupt should draw on the private wealth of their citizens through a one-off capital levy before asking other states for help.

Read moreBundesbank’s Stunner To Broke Eurozone Nations: First ‘Bail In’ Your Rich Citizens

Working-Age People Make Up Majority Of Food Stamp Recipients

by

– Working-Age People Make Up Majority Of Food Stamp Recipients (AP, Jan 26, 2014):

In a first, working-age people now make up the majority in U.S. households that rely on food stamps — a switch from a few years ago, when children and the elderly were the main recipients.

Some of the change is due to demographics, such as the trend toward having fewer children. But a slow economic recovery with high unemployment, stagnant wages and an increasing gulf between low-wage and high-skill jobs also plays a big role. It suggests that government spending on the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program — twice what it cost five years ago — may not subside significantly anytime soon.

Read moreWorking-Age People Make Up Majority Of Food Stamp Recipients

Chilean Farmer Defeats Monsanto In Landmark Legal Victory

by

Chilean Farmer Defeats Monsanto In Landmark Legal Victory
José Pizarro Montoya, a 38-year-old landless farmer from Melipilla (Santiago, Chile), and ex GMO producer (season 2009-2010) is the first and perhaps the only Latin American who has won a lawsuit against Monsanto/ANASAC for breach of contract.

– Destitute Chilean Farmer Defeats Monsanto in Landmark Legal Victory (Sustainable Pulse, Jan 23, 2014):

A landless Chilean farmer has won a landmark lawsuit against Monsanto and thus exposed the dangers posed by the transnational corporation to the whole country.

Chilean farmer wins lawsuit against Monsanto and exposes the company at Chilean Government’s GMO seminar 
By Lucía Sepúlveda Ruiz
Lucía Sepúlveda Ruiz: periodismo sanador, January 22 2014
periodismosanador.blogspot.com/2014/01/agricultor-chileno-gano-demanda.html
Translation: Ignacia Guzmán Zuloaga
Slightly edited by GMWatch

He tried and failed to break the news at a GMO Seminar which took place on January 22 and was organized by Chilean Agriculture Secretary, Luis Mayol. There, international and national speakers preached about the goodness of GMO crops. Pizarro only wanted to speak out to the audience and share that he did not recommend any farmer to work for Monsanto growing GMO seeds for export, because they could end up ruined as he did, besides damaging the soil.

Read moreChilean Farmer Defeats Monsanto In Landmark Legal Victory

TV: After seeing that map with massive amount of nuclear waste headed to West Coast… There’s going to be impacts — Reporter: And radioactive water still hasn’t stopped flowing from Fukushima into Pacific (VIDEO)

by

– TV: After seeing that map with massive amount of nuclear waste headed to West Coast… There’s going to be impacts — Reporter: And radioactive water still hasn’t stopped flowing from Fukushima into Pacific (VIDEO) (ENENews, Jan 26, 2014):

WGBH News (PBS Boston), Jan. 16, 2014:

Emily Rooney, executive editor: How radioactive are our oceans? That question has been top of the mind for many West Coast residents since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan nearly 3 years ago […]

Heather Goldstone, reporter: It left a growing plume of radioactive water off the Japanese coast. Now 3 years later, ocean currents have carried some of that water to the West Coast.

Read moreTV: After seeing that map with massive amount of nuclear waste headed to West Coast… There’s going to be impacts — Reporter: And radioactive water still hasn’t stopped flowing from Fukushima into Pacific (VIDEO)

Major Chinese Banks Raise Deposit Interest To 10%

by

china-yuan

– Major Chinese Banks Raise Deposit Interest To 10% (Wealthy Debates, Jan 26, 2014):

To attract deposits, many state banks in China have recently raised their deposit interests to a level 10% higher than the official rate, the maximum permitted by the floating-rate scheme, according to the Chinese-language Beijing Times.

China Construction Bank delegated in mid-January their first-tier provincial branches to hike the interest rates under the floating-rate scheme, even allowing the latter to further delegate the power to their subordinate city-level branches. In the past, only the head bank could raise deposit interest under the floating scheme for specific clients.

Read moreMajor Chinese Banks Raise Deposit Interest To 10%

Peace In 2014? Stranger Than Fiction: Papal Peace Dove Viciously Attacked By Crow & Seagull (Photos & Video)

by

Flashback:

– DHS Insider Gives FINAL WARNING!

– Remote Viewing UPDATE: Major Ed Dames On … The ‘Kill-Shot’, Solar Flares, Safe Zones, Fukushima, Gold & Silver, Economic Collapse, Mad Max, ‘Obama Is The Last President’, Martial Law & Chaos

– Stranger Than Fiction: Papal Peace Dove Pounced On By Capitalist Crow & Swooping Seagull (ZeroHedge, Jan 27, 2014):

Amid calls to spread the wealth (among the elites in Davos) and for an end to violence in Ukraine, the Pope released his “peace” doves today to send a message of hope to the world. However, the callous claws of capitalism (in the form of a black crow) and the sullen shape of social unrest (in the form of a seagull) decided to send their own message. As the sad images below show, the peaceful dove had his feathers ruffled following the callous attack by the winged avengers… As one wit noted, rumors that the end is nigh are as yet unconfirmed (although if Nomura loses control of the USDJPY levitation, and it breaches the 102 support, all bets are off).

Pope talks peace and prosperity…

20140126_crow2

and his little helpers release two white “peace” doves…

20140126_crow5

When the unthinkable happened…

20140126_crow1

What’s the opposite of eating crow?

20140126_crow6

And a seagull!?

20140126_crow3

As CTV reports,

Via AP,

Two white doves that were released by children standing alongside Pope Francis as a peace gesture have been attacked by other birds.

As tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, a seagull and a large black crow swept down on the doves right after they were set free from an open window of the Apostolic Palace.

One dove lost some feathers as it broke free from the gull. But the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove.

It was not clear what happened to the doves as they flew off.

A message from above (or below) that wealth is better off in the hands of the 1%? You decide…

Caption Contest…

20140126_crow4

Forbes Pulls Down China Hoax Story; Even As Dennis Gartman Is Completely Fooled

by

– Forbes Pulls Down China Hoax Story; Even As Dennis Gartman Is Completely Fooled (ZeroHedge, Jan 27, 2013):

Earlier, we debunked an alarmist Forbes story about halted cash transfer by PBOC decree, which was erroneous along various lines all explained previously, not in the least that the actual announcement had first appeared some three weeks ago. And despite the kneejerk reaction of some of our more fatalist readers and not to mention the general public, the reality is that China has more than enough real problems (Trust Equals Gold being at the forefront) and certainly does not need to add imaginary, made up ones, conceived only with the intention of generating conflated ad revenues through click-baiting headlines. Which is why we commend Forbes for, better late than never, pulling the story even without providing an explanation of how this story appeared in the first place. Because where the article once was, there is only a 4-0-Forbes now:

Forbes Pulls Down China Hoax Story; Even As Dennis Gartman Is Completely Fooled

Perhaps it is not too late for Forbes to salvage some credibility.

Read moreForbes Pulls Down China Hoax Story; Even As Dennis Gartman Is Completely Fooled

TransCanada Natural Gas Pipeline Explodes Near Winnipeg

by

TransCanada natural gas pipeline explodes near Winnipeg
This photo, provided by Royal Canadian Mounted Police, shows the TransCanada natural gas pipeline fire on Jan. 25, 2014.

– TransCanada natural gas pipeline explodes near Winnipeg (AL Jazeera, Jan 25, 2014):

A natural gas pipeline operated by TransCanada exploded and caught fire in a rural part of western Canadan early on Saturday, putting fresh focus on the firm’s safety record ahead of a crucial White House decision over a controversial cross-border project.

The explosion happened near Otterburne, Manitoba, about 15 miles south of the provincial capital, Winnipeg. The area was evacuated as a precaution, said the National Energy Board (NEB), which oversees parts of Canada’s energy industry. No injuries were reported but the fire burned for more than 12 hours.

Read moreTransCanada Natural Gas Pipeline Explodes Near Winnipeg

NO, … There Is No Stoppage Of Cash Transfers In China

by

China Halts Bank Cash Transfers - Forbes
The Forbes article has been removed. (Google screenshot)

– No, There Is No Stoppage Of Cash Transfers In China (ZeroHedge, Jan 26, 2014):

Earlier today, Forbes managed to spook readers with a bombastic report that China’s commercial banks had been instructed by the PBOC to halt cash transfers – something which would have dire implications on China’s banking system ahead of its new year holiday, and send the banking system into a tailspin just as China is desperate to avoid all turbulence ahead of a potential shadow banking default.

Leaving aside the fact that one should typically rely on official PBOC advisories, posted quite clearly on its website (where one finds no mention of this notice), one could simply keep track of interbank liquidity indicators such as repo and SHIBOR, both of which dropped, indicating that liquidity actually improved.

Anyway, here is what really happened, as reported by China Compass. “Forbes columnist Gordon Chang claimed in a much-quoted item today that the Peoples Bank of China had instructed commercial banks to halt cash transfers. Chang’s column, entitled “China Halts Bank Transfers,” specifically refers to Citibank’s Chinese branches. The report is entirely misleading.” Our advice – focus on the real “weakest links” in China’s banking system, of which there are many and are backed by facts, not the least of which is the potential upcoming shadow banking default. Ignore groundless rumors and speculation.

Read moreNO, … There Is No Stoppage Of Cash Transfers In China

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 (Video – Live 1978 – Vladimir Horowitz, Zubin Mehta, New York Philharmonic Orchestra)

by


YouTube

Alternative video:


YouTube

Description:

Vladimir Horowitz plays Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3

Vladimir Horowitz, Pianist / New York Philharmonic Orchestra / Zubin Mehta, Conductor

Live at Avery Fisher Hall, New York, 24.9.1978

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 (Video)

by


YouTube


YouTube

Pianist: Julius Katchen

Conductor: Sir Georg Solti

Description:

Powerful recording from 1958. This recording is a miracle.

Yes, this recording is a miracle, but part 3 is missing and I’ve already complained about this to the uploader.


Sergei Rachmaninoff plays his piano concerto No. 2

YouTube


YouTube

Description:

Pianist Jorge Bolet and conductor Paavo Berglund with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with a performance of the Rachmaninov 2nd Concerto.

This is the culmination of the Masterclass given by Mr Bolet for this Concerto.

The venue was the Usher Hall Edinburgh Scotland and the year was 1986

Eco Groups Challenge Canadian Government In Court Over GM Salmon

by

salmon-GMO

– Eco Groups Challenge Canadian Government in Court over GM Salmon (Sustainable Pulse, Jan 20, 2014):

Environmental groups want a court to decide if the federal government violated its own law by permitting the manufacture of genetically modified salmon in Canada.

“Canadians expect their government to implement, not ignore, the laws that protect our ecosystems from harm,” said Tanya Nayler, one of the Ecojustice lawyers representing Ecology Action Centre and Living Oceans Society. “By granting approval for this genetically modified species without obtaining all the legally required information, the government has once again failed the environment and Canadians.”

Read moreEco Groups Challenge Canadian Government In Court Over GM Salmon