Global News Update: Dec 02, 2014

Politicians at work:

your politicians at work
Source: Grant Williams @TTMYGH (Click on image to enlarge.)

With Its Gold “Vaporized”, A Furious Ukraine Turns On Its Central Bankers (ZeroHedge):

As reported two weeks ago, following to a stunning announcement by the head of Ukraine’s central bank, Valeriya Gontareva, we learned that (virtually) all of Ukraine’s gold was gone, or – in the parlance of Jon Corzine – had “vaporized.” And as we also predicted two weeks ago, it was only a matter of time before Ukraine’s people – the vast majority of whom are innocent pawns in a vast game of realpolitik between the west and east – finally got angry and demanded some answers. That time came earlier today when as Interfax.ua reported “a Kyiv-based court has instructed Kyiv prosecutors to bring an action against National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Governor Valeriya Gontareva on charges of abuse of power or misuse of office to obtain illegal profit, the Vesti newspaper reported on Tuesday.”

 …

Putin-Obama

Tensions Between the U.S. and Russia Are Worse Than You Realize – Remarks by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Liberty Blitzkrieg):

Many reasonable analysts understand that there is a widening gap between the global ambitions of the US Administration and the country’s real potential. The world is changing and, as has always happened in history, at some point somebody’s influence and power reach their peak and then somebody begins to develop still faster and more effectively. One should study history and proceed from realities. The seven developing economies headed by BRICS already have a bigger GDP than the Western G7. One should proceed from the facts of life, and not from a misconceived sense of one’s own grandeur.

‘Worst Case Scenario’ has happened at US nuclear site — Robert Redford film predicted 2014 WIPP disaster: Plutonium release due to chemical reaction in burst nuclear drum is ultimate catastrophe… Most significant issue is combustible waste exposed to high heat, everyone understands that (VIDEO) (ENENews):

The WIPP Trail, narrated by Robert Redford, 1989 (at 17:00 in):

  • Robert Redford: We now know that 40% of the [WIPP] hazardous waste is combustible, thus posing a more serious and immediate threat.
  • Bruce Throne, New Mexico State Attorney: I think the combustible waste is perhaps the most significant because even a layman can understand that when combustible waste is exposed to high levels of heat, there may be some effect inside the TRUPAC [containers].
  • Redford: Wind is a critical factor that must be considered. The worst case scenario would be if a fire occurs within a breach of a container. The wind could then carry plutonium particles through the atmosphere, traveling considerable distances.
  • Oxford Dictionary’s definition of fire: “Combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke”

French parliament votes to recognize Palestinian state (RT):

France’s Socialist-led parliament has passed a symbolic vote to recognize Palestinian statehood, despite staunch objections from Israel. MPs in Britain and Spain have already passed similar motions.

The Abenomics Devastation: Japanese Real Wages Decline For Record 16 Consecutive Months (ZeroHedge):

Those seeking proof that Abenomics is working are advised to look elsewhere.

Retail-Apocalypse

The Retail Apocalypse Accelerates: Collapsing Holiday Sales Are A Signal That A Recession Is Coming (Economic Collapse):

Retail sales during the four day Thanksgiving weekend were down a whopping 11 percent from last year.  This is a “make or break” time of the year for many retailers, and if things don’t turn around during the coming weeks we could see a tsunami of store closings in January and February.  As you read this article, there is already more than a billion square feet of retail space sitting empty in the United States.  Many have described the ongoing collapse of the retail industry as an “apocalypse”, and this apocalypse appears to be accelerating.  Yes, the shift to online retailers is a significant factor, but as you will see below even online retailers struggled over the holiday weekend.  The sad truth of the matter is that U.S. consumers are tapped out and are drowning in debt at this point, so they simply do not have as much money to spend as they once did.

The coming nuclear crisis: All but one of Britain’s ageing reactors ‘will need to close in 15 years’ (Independent):

All but one of Britain’s ageing fleet of nuclear reactors will have to be closed down within 15 years due to concerns over their economic viability or safety, a panel of experts has warned.

Only Sizewell B power station will still be operating beyond 2030, which would leave a shortfall of about 20 per cent in the UK’s power demands unless replacement nuclear reactors come on-stream in the 2020s, they said.

Britain’s existing nuclear reactors apart from Sizewell B are operating beyond their original lifetime specifications, but they are still working as safely as they were designed to be, said Professor Laurence Williams, a former chief inspector of nuclear installations.

Sure!

oil-china

And The Biggest Winner From The OPEC Price War Is… (ZeroHedge):

“This is a golden time window to acquire more strategic oil at lower costs,” notes one Hong-Kong based analyst, as Bloomberg confirms what we have noted here and here, that China is emerging as the winner from OPEC’s battle with rival oil producers as the world’s biggest energy consumer stockpiles crude.

ISIS claims to have developed dirty bomb – reports (RT):

So-called Islamic State militants claim to have developed a crude nuclear weapon using materials seized from Mosul University, Iraq. A British extremist boasted of the damage the dirty bomb would do if detonated in Iraq, UK media reports.

One of the militants bragging about the device online was Hamayun Tariq, fighting under the nom de guerre of Muslim-al-Britani, the Daily Mirror reports. Britani, a Briton who claims to be a bomb expert, tweeted:

“O by the way, Islamic State does have a dirty bomb. We found some radioactive material from Mosul University.”

isis-dirty-bomb

Lebanese Army detains wife, son of ISIS leader (RT):

A wife and a son of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi have been arrested by the Lebanese Army, Beirut security officials said. They were detained in coordination with “foreign intelligence apparatus,” reported the local press.

The woman was described by officials as one of al-Baghdadi’s wives, Safir daily newspaper reported. However, they didn’t provide any details on her nationality or name.

The woman, who was accompanied by her son, was arrested while crossing the border from Syria. According to the officials, she was using a fake ID.

SURE!!!

mossadISISmeme

ISIS-leader-Al-Baghdadi-Mccain

2014 Is Now The Worst Year For US Macro Data Performance Since 2008 (ZeroHedge):

Once again the cyclical patterns in US macro data are re-emerging as extrapolated hopes fade into mean-reverting credit-impulse-hangover-driven realities. Despite all the hopes and dreams of escape velocity, cleanest-dirty-shirt-wearing economic enthusiasts, year-to-date performance of Citi’s US Macro Surprise index is at its lowest level since 2008. Whether this is absolute weakness or relative weakness (versus yet more over-enthusiastic expectations) is unclear though, the Midterm election results and NFR Black Friday spending data may be a hint.

Putin Kills “South Stream” Pipeline, Will Build New Massive Pipeline To Turkey Instead (ZeroHedge):

Earlier today, in a stunning announcement, Putin revealed that the South Stream project is now finished. As the WSJ reports, “Putin said Moscow will stop pursuing Gazprom’s South Stream pipeline project that would supply natural gas to Europe with an underwater link to Bulgaria, blaming the European Union for scuttling the project.” Putin is right: Europe – Austria excluded – had seen rising resistance to the South Stream in recent months. The EU is concerned that the project would cement Russia’s position as Europe’s dominant supplier of natural gas. Russia already meets around 30% of Europe’s annual needs. So what does Putin do? He signs a strategic alliance with NATO member Turkey, the only country in Europe that is anything but European and which lately has been increasingly anti-Western, to build a new mega-pipeline to Turkey instead. And the exclamation point:

TURKEY, RUSSIA AGREE TO USE LOCAL CURRENCIES IN TRADE: TRT

Or, as Obama would put it, Russia just got even more “isolated.”

Haunting Drone Footage of Chernobyl Town (Smithonian):

“Postcards from Pripyat, Chernobyl” shows a drone’s-eye view of the city nearly three decades after nuclear disaster

The World’s Largest Stock Market Index Is Flashing Red (ZeroHedge):

With a market capitalization of around $16 trillion, the NYSE Composite Index is a massively broad equity indicator less affected by the day to day gyrations of AAPL, TSLA, BABA, or NFLX. As NewEdge’s Brad Wishak remarks, the world’s largest market cap equity index is painting a very different picture than that of the Dow or S&P 500

WTF: Canada family keeps father’s corpse for 6 months, praying for resurrection (RT):

A small community of Christians in Canada left the body of a deceased member for six months trusting God to resurrect him from the dead. The Crown found no criminal intent and the grieving widow was ordered to seek public health counseling.

Escape From Detroit

Images From A Dark Detroit: “Major Cable Failure” Sparks Widespread Power Outage (ZeroHedge):

Just 15 months after Detroit’s Black Out 2013 debacle, spokespeople for the city and DTE Energy confirmed at around 11:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday that most of Detroit’s municipal grid is offline:

*DETROIT CITES ‘MAJOR CABLE FAILURE’ FOR POWER OUTAGE
*DETROIT: OUTAGE IS AFFECTING ALL CUSTOMERS ON THE PLD GRID

The outage is preventing power from being delivered to police stations, schools, traffic lights and other city-run facilities and services.

muppets-kermit-dead

It’s Muppet-Slaughtering Time – Goldman Unveils 2015 Global Equity Themes (ZeroHedge):

Goldman Sachs’ 2015 global equity views and themes note is out and its title “The Long Grind Higher Continues” says it all… it’s muppet slaughtering time…

Mexicans march against president as fresh graves discovered (PHOTO, VIDEO) (RT)

Ex EU President Van Rompuy “Hit The Jackpot”, Paid Almost $1Million “For Doing Nothing”  (ZeroHedge):

It’s good to be king (or Europe). Former European Council President Herman van Rompuy, derided for “damp rag” ineptness by UKIP’s Nigel Farage, will receive around $900,000 over the next 3 years as a “transition allowance” for doing absolutely nothing in retirement. What is even more egregious, as The Telegraph reports, Van Rompuy will pay a reduced “EU Community” tax rate, considerably lower than the Belgian income tax rate on his ill-gotten gains. As Farage exclaims, having driven millions of Europeans into poverty and unemployment during his reign, Van Rompuy “hit the jackpot.”

?9yo Australian girl forced into MidEast wedding – report (RT)

Almost 9000 Daily record cold temps in November alone (Ice Age Now):

8977 Record Cold temps in November vs 2022 Record Warm Temps

Intense cold continues across central U.S. (Ice Age Now):

Temperatures as much as 25 degrees or more below normal will be common across much of the central U.S. on Monday, from Texas to the Canadian border.

Michigan ski area opens with record snow (Ice Age Now):

WAKEFIELD — Indianhead Mountain opened to skiing on Friday after record snowfall has fallen this year.

Significant winter storm unfolding in eastern Europe (Ice Age Now):

Romania to be hardest hit


Parts of southern and eastern Romania will face severe disruptions to travel and daily routines, while bordering areas of Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine will have some impacts from a significant winter storm, says meteorologist Eric Leister.

The cities of Craiova, Bucharest and Bacau are in the area that will be hardest hit.

Eastern Turkey – Heavy snowfall reduces visibility to 16 feet (5 m) (Ice Age Now):

1 Dec 2014  – Due to heavy snowfall, the city of Bitlis soon took on white blanket.

In particular, blizzard conditions in the locality Rahvan between Bitlis and Tatvan reduced visibility to 5 meters, catching many unprepared many vehicles on the road.

The Fed’s Biggest Nightmare: Consumers Are “Losing Faith” Their Cost Of Living Won’t Keep Rising (ZeroHedge):

Filed under “insane paragraph of the year,” Reuters pens one of the most-telling sentences of the year/decade/century, suggesting – as per the existential threat to the Fed’s meme – that consumers are worried that their cost of living won’t go up more?

20141201_Fed

via Reuters

Translation: Please dont lose faith that your cost of living will stop soaring: the Fed’s very existence depends on it.

Obama appoints Ashton Carter as Pentagon chief (RT):

President Barack Obama is expected to announce Ashton B. Carter as his nominee to be the next secretary of defense, the Associated Press reports. Carter served as the Pentagon’s second-in-command from October 2011 to December 2013.

7 thoughts on “Global News Update: Dec 02, 2014”

  1. Lack of forward thinking.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/047865_mega-cities_water_supply_human_civilization.html

    “The sobering truth is that nearly everyone who lives in Las Vegas doesn’t think about this. By definition, anyone who realized the truth about the disappearing water throughout Nevada, Arizona and California would have already sold their property and moved away. Those who still inhabit regions with unsustainable water supplies — such as Sao Paulo — are choosing to make believe the problem doesn’t exist.”

    It was obvious from the start that if Vegas grew, its existence would be based on greed not logic, and now it hangs by a thread.

    Reply
  2. The fools who claim the falling oil prices are killing Russia do not understand the game.
    1. Saudis kept the supply as it was, working against US desires and interests…..they now work with and soon will be part of Putin’s basket of currencies……BRICS. Russia has more natural resources than any other country in the world, and oil is not their only resource. The US has been building up oil production to the point the US is now the world’s biggest producer of oil…..

    So, this move is against the US, not Russia. The US (hopefully) will now cut out the fracking that destroys our water and causes earthquakes in areas of the US that never had them before. This was for the few at the cost of everyone else, and this has to stop. An economist once told me the US needs a good depression to restore sanity to its leadership. I thought we were in one, but if what I have read is true, and the EU as well as Japan is moving into deflation, the US is next. Perhaps falling oil prices is a signal.

    I read yesterday that hedge funds that closed over the last twelve months have just reached 1000…….things are not good in Dodge, regardless of the rigged stock market numbers. Fading hedge funds are a good example.

    Putin moved his gas line. Good for him. Why the EU leaders are putting sanctions on a country that added $120 billion E a year to their economy is beyond me. Nothing can beat Putin, he has his people behind him.

    I read a post by a Russian shopkeeper this morning. He said things are not good right now, but he will hang in for the future. They (unlike us) have a leader in whom they have trust, and a leader working for the benefit of their country, not a few greedy guts like the US.

    Canada is De-industralizing as the US did, and why is beyond me. Canada is sliding into 12th place for new ideas and inventions, and greedy guts are gaining control of their nation. They are in trouble, and why the people do not rise up and toss these bums out is beyond me. Don’t they have a parliamentary system such as the UK enjoys? Why follow the terrible example of the US?

    I read that Japan and the EU are moving into deflation. If so, the US will follow, and this is one more example of Putin’s isolation of the EU and US. Regardless of the lies told on US media, Russia is not being isolated by the US……..the US and EU are both deeply in debt, and with no economic growth.

    Putin’s sister economy is doing great, most of the world is doing fine. We are the ones being screwed. The oil prices by the Saudis is only one more example……..

    Reply
  3. The hidden debt in bonds. When I was young, bonds were issued by the US government, and they were like gold. You could take a bond into the bank, and cash it for it’s face value. Then, junk bonds were created, and now, the US has hidden much of its debt in bonds. The FED has kept rates low to hide the painful truth from all……..and their biggest fear is deflation…….read the attached article, and the picture is made very clear.

    Deflation is happening in the EU, and the US is too closely tied with its economy to avoid falling into deflation as well. The forced drop in oil prices (to hurt the US) might be the trigger, I don’t know, I am no economic prophet. I do know that the time is upon us.

    Greedy gut irresponsible swine we have in power have made it much worse. They eliminated tried and true accounting practices to hide their fraud, and nothing was done to stop or fix it. The empty suit in power has just made it worse by proving to the world the US no longer has any interest in restoring any of its former credibility, honor or trustworthiness. It is all gone, the US is now a nation of liars and crooks. Men who caused entire nations to go bankrupt walk free here while a youth smoking pot on a street corner goes to jail and is put to work for greedy gut corporations at 70 cents a day.

    I could go on. But here is the article.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-03/forget-stocks-real-crisis-thats-coming

    Reply
  4. Did all the countries that voted to support a ‘Palestinian’ state describe the geographic boundaries that they support for that entity?

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Len Kurtz Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.