News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

[flintlock]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

I'm leaning towards Ash's wife's theory. Fake bonds designed to get "discovered" and manipulate the market. I'm also intrigued by the North Korean connection. This would make for a good movie.

I want to add that my thoughts on Obama are very much the same as EJs. He's a well meaning but in over his head President. Just like Carter. I also thought McCain would be even worse, so I voted for Barr as a protest. Normally I don't do that, I try to pick the lessor of the two evils, but in this case, I KNEW either one would be a disaster.

[Jim]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

I came here for the foresight this site brings to a complex world. The neon "Socialist" sign was large, bright, blinking, and hanging proudly around this man's neck. Are any of you really suprised at the result? Unbelievable!

[c1ue]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

I expected a man who ran such a tight campaign to run a tight administration, but it's over-stretched and floundering, already taking on Jimmy Carter administration qualities. Partly that is due to his underestimation of the economic trap he let himself be pulled into. Still, I'm certain McCain would be handing it immeasurably worse.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree here.

While I absolutely agree McCain is the original FIRE boobie, on the other hand with McCain at least there would have been divided government.

If TARP was a challenge with both a Presidential and Congressional mandate, I think it would have been even more challenging with someone as confrontational and gung-ho as McCain.

Certainly Pelosi and others would have gone out of their way to insert sticks into McCain's bicycle tires.

Thus in this path not taken - the worst qualities of both sides could have cancelled out with only the most pressing resolutions pushed through.

Certainly I do not see how McCain could possibly have chosen a worse Sec. Treasury or economic advisor - that Summers/Rubin would return was absolutely no secret given the pre-election Obama team.

[sn1p3r]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

in the words of SouthPark...a giant douche and a turd sandwich...we def need a 3rd party but more than that we need Americans to realize that we need a 3rd party...the only thing I'm hopeful for is that Obama will bring about that realization by...dare I say it...."failing" :eek:

[sn1p3r]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

can't have a reference without a video

[metalman]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

I came here for the foresight this site brings to a complex world. The neon "Socialist" sign was large, bright, blinking, and hanging proudly around this man's neck. Are any of you really suprised at the result? Unbelievable!

mccain = right wing fire/oligarch man

obama = left wing fire/oligarch man

paul = right wing libertarian anti-fire/oligarch

kucinich = left wing libertarian anti-fire/oligarch

remember this?

Forget the Fed - Part II: Politics of FIRE

During the first six months of 2007 presidential candidates raised more than $277 million. The left and right wing Anti-FIRE Economy
candidates have raised a total of $4 million, with Ron Paul raising $3 million to Kucinich's $1 million. The Anti-FIRE Economy
candidates have together raised 1.5% of the total for all bought and paid for FIRE Economy candidates.

[Jim]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

Thanks for the link Metalman. And I thought Pres. Bush was the first to suggest we have to destroy capitalism in order to save it. Truly a site ahead of its time . I think I'll stick around for a while.

[strittmatter]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

Long before his first 100 days were up, Obama's choices of Geithner and Summers, and the pushing aside of Paul Volcker, were a dead giveaway that we were in trouble. These decisions reflected poorly on his judgment.

This was the point where I felt I had been duped/played, etc.

Fell for the rhetoric? Yes. Maybe I wanted it too much.

[Sharky]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

The Italian press release describes the bonds as "Federal Reserve Bonds." Those are not the same as US Treasury bonds. For an idea of what they look like, check out this video:



Notice that some of the bonds shown there look like the ones in the photos.

The Fed themselves clearly say that they have never issued bonds:

http://www.federalreserve.gov/boardD...003/sr0314.htm

There is certainly precedent for forging Federal Reserve Bonds. $2 trillion worth of forgeries were confiscated in the Philippines in 2001:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...on-692676.html

[Chris Coles]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

The U.S. is in dire need of a viable 3rd party.

Then form one dear Eric, dear Eric, dear Eric, then form one dear Eric, dear Eric; form one! (based upon the song; There's a hole in my bucket).

All joking aside; you need much more than a new third party. First and foremost, you need the rules we have here in the UK which make it impossible to raise large sums of money for TV or radio advertising. Plus you absolutely need a complete change of rules about funding.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance

Here, all political parties are limited to strictly applied rules.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.u...ction-spending

For example, they get a five minute slot on the TV on all channels and then the next day "The political slot" is taken by the next party and so on and even that is restricted to those that already show they have sufficient support. Again, I have said this before, you need a completely new and completely independent news organisation set up with the same ethos as the BBC.

You need a US version of the good old BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Programs such as Question Time on BBC TV http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...me/default.stm

Last nights show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...me_11_06_2009/

More of the same: http://search.bbc.co.uk/search?go=ho...&Search=Search

and the remarkable record of forceful interviewing by the likes of John Humphreys on the morning BBC radio program Radio 4 Today, http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/about_today/default.stm

Finally there is Panorama http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/default.stm

Then add the input of our newer channel Channel 4 TV http://www.channel4.com/

with Channel 4 News http://www.channel4.com/news/ being by far the best straight news program on TV at the moment and add in Dispatches http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches and you get a very heady mix of unbiased news coverage of a sort you never ever see in the US.

Just making these initial changes will go a long way towards keeping the debate firmly centred upon getting at the facts rather than being constantly presented with "guided by the money" debate as we see on the US TV.

Turning to the debate about the White House Team, EJ, you need much more than a third party and limiting your aiming point to that single aim will not bring you the changes you desire. Turning to your new President Mr Barack Obama; it is no good arguing that he is making the wrong choices for the team that surrounds him. What everyone must do is set about arguing directly with him that he needs to establish a new team made up from a much better list of candidates.

So that starting point requires we all of us outside of the political elite start to debate who he should have on board. I take you back to the re-start of iTulip EJ, you set up a debate on the Federal Reserve by establishing a Shadow Fed Committee. Now I challenge you to set up a new, shall we title it... Shadow White House Team debate which will be set up to openly debate the existing teams shortcomings and who you all think should replace them.

If you do the business, as they say, then the results of that debate should be sufficiently public as to have the essential element of an open page for Mr President himself to use as an aid memoir for his long term team building.

Your new team will have to produce detailed debates about the shortcomings of the present team, while at the same time, to provide balance, give heads up to any success.

I am British and have already been advised by the US State Department that they have refused me US citizenship, so you must not include me in that new team. I only have the right to suggest that you take these courses of action. And that is in the end the only way forward, you must stop thinking about the changes you require and act to make them happen.

[ThePythonicCow]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

I will also say that I believe that Obama is essentially honest

still

Still, I'm certain McCain would be handing it immeasurably worse.

Ah ... the ever popular "the other side sucks worse" defense. As usual, at least half right. McCain is certainly clue deficient in economic matters.

The U.S. is in dire need of a viable 3rd party.

I am afraid it will take more than that.

[metalman]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

Then form one dear Eric, dear Eric, dear Eric, then form one dear Eric, dear Eric; form one! (based upon the song; There's a hole in my bucket).

All joking aside; you need much more than a new third party. First and foremost, you need the rules we have here in the UK which make it impossible to raise large sums of money for TV or radio advertising. Plus you absolutely need a complete change of rules about funding.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance

Here, all political parties are limited to strictly applied rules.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.u...ction-spending

For example, they get a five minute slot on the TV on all channels and then the next day "The political slot" is taken by the next party and so on and even that is restricted to those that already show they have sufficient support. Again, I have said this before, you need a completely new and completely independent news organisation set up with the same ethos as the BBC.

You need a US version of the good old BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Programs such as Question Time on BBC TV http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...me/default.stm

Last nights show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...me_11_06_2009/

More of the same: http://search.bbc.co.uk/search?go=ho...&Search=Search

and the remarkable record of forceful interviewing by the likes of John Humphreys on the morning BBC radio program Radio 4 Today, http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/about_today/default.stm

Finally there is Panorama http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/default.stm

Then add the input of our newer channel Channel 4 TV http://www.channel4.com/

with Channel 4 News http://www.channel4.com/news/ being by far the best straight news program on TV at the moment and add in Dispatches http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches and you get a very heady mix of unbiased news coverage of a sort you never ever see in the US.

Just making these initial changes will go a long way towards keeping the debate firmly centred upon getting at the facts rather than being constantly presented with "guided by the money" debate as we see on the US TV.

Turning to the debate about the White House Team, EJ, you need much more than a third party and limiting your aiming point to that single aim will not bring you the changes you desire. Turning to your new President Mr Barack Obama; it is no good arguing that he is making the wrong choices for the team that surrounds him. What everyone must do is set about arguing directly with him that he needs to establish a new team made up from a much better list of candidates.

So that starting point requires we all of us outside of the political elite start to debate who he should have on board. I take you back to the re-start of iTulip EJ, you set up a debate on the Federal Reserve by establishing a Shadow Fed Committee. Now I challenge you to set up a new, shall we title it... Shadow White House Team debate which will be set up to openly debate the existing teams shortcomings and who you all think should replace them.

If you do the business, as they say, then the results of that debate should be sufficiently public as to have the essential element of an open page for Mr President himself to use as an aid memoir for his long term team building.

Your new team will have to produce detailed debates about the shortcomings of the present team, while at the same time, to provide balance, give heads up to any success.

I am British and have already been advised by the US State Department that they have refused me US citizenship, so you must not include me in that new team. I only have the right to suggest that you take these courses of action. And that is in the end the only way forward, you must stop thinking about the changes you require and act to make them happen.

...and get gordon brown and tony blair? bwah ha ha!

[we_are_toast]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

EJ, WDCRob, Chris C, you're all correct in your assessments.

Until we get the money out of this corrupt political system, it doesn't matter what issue you are concerned about, the lobbyists and campaign contributors will get what they want. Public financing is the only way out of this mess. We've got a far better chance of fixing the corrupt campaign contribution system we have now, than of starting a 3rd party that can be equally corrupted when the big money starts flowing in.

I still hold some hope that Obama will wake up. Summers and Geithner get regular criticism from all ends of the political spectrum. The sooner the green shoots dry out and start burning, the sooner the President will have to make major economic changes, even if it's for political purposes.

I fully agree that the President is honest and naive, but he is still far better than the alternative. Rob's observation that the President is constantly trying to reach compromise on every issue, exactly the opposite of the ideological stubbornness of the past administration, is a good one. The Republican party is now completely controlled by the very extreme, and to believe you can put your head in the oven and your feet in the freezer to reach a legitimate compromise, is absurd. The President will have to show some spine on some issues. When he does, I'll feel more confident he is ready to take on the FIRE interests.

[metalman]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

world press scooped by sapiens!

Italian Police Ask SEC to Authenticate Seized US Treasuries

Bloomberg - 2 hours ago
By Sonia Sirletti and John Glover June 12 (Bloomberg) -- Italy's financial police said they asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission to authenticate ...


Japan Probes Report Two Seized With Undeclared Bonds

Bloomberg - 13 hours ago
By Shunichi Ozasa and Makiko Kitamura June 12 (Bloomberg) -- Japan is investigating reports two of its citizens were detained in Italy after allegedly ...



2 Japanese carrying $134 bil worth of US bonds detained in Italy

Japan Today - Jun 10, 2009
Two Japanese nationals were detained by Italian financial police last week after trying to enter Switzerland with $134 billion worth of undeclared US bonds, ...


Bogus Bonds?

MyFoxOrlando.com - 2 hours ago
Italian Investagators recently have detained two Japanese nationals at the Swiss border. They have siezed over $130 billion in US bonds and other securities ...


Italian customs may have stumbled on largest smuggling attempt ever

Earthtimes (press release) - 5 hours ago
Chiasso, Italy - Italian finance police on Friday reportedly arrested two men crossing into Switzerland carrying what looks to be around 135 billion dollars ...




Italian border police snag $135 Billion in US bonds

Gadling - 5 hours ago
by Scott Carmichael on Jun 12th 2009 at 1:30PM Border police are always on the lookout for the next big catch. I'm sure every border cop dreams of being the ...



Seizure of US government bonds from two Japanese men in Italy ...

AsiaNews.it - 5 hours ago
Seized US bonds are worth US$ 134.5 billion. The whole affair touches a number of economic and political issues. For some the resignation of Japan's ...



2 Japanese w/ $134 BILLION in US Bonds Busted at Swiss Border

OpEdNews - 6 hours ago
by Max Respect Page 1 of 1 page(s) 249 bonds of the Federal Reserve of the United States, each with nominal value of 500 million dollars, ...



Italian Police Hold Japanese With "Bonds Worth $134 Billion"

EasyBourse.com - 6 hours ago
ROME (AFP)--Italian financial police said Friday they were holding two Japanese men stopped on the Swiss border with US bonds allegedly worth $134 billion, ...



Billions in US bonds seized in smuggling operation

Hot Air - 7 hours ago
For those who love a mystery, this story has more than one. Italian authorities seized more than $130 billion in bonds from two Japanese nationals as they ...




Customs Finds $134 Billion in a Suitcase

Spiegel Online - 8 hours ago
It is either the biggest smuggling operation in history -- or a fraud of equally impressive proportions. Italian customs officials stopped two men at the ...



$134 billion in US bonds found in Italy

Examiner.com - 8 hours ago
Two Japanese nationals were detained in northern Italy last week by Italian police. These men were found with "249 US Treasury bonds each worth $500 million ...



Who was Smuggling $134bn in US Bonds into Switzerland?

GlobalPost - 9 hours ago
Sometimes a bizarre event seems to capture the madness of the times, and this news from Bloomberg fits the bill. A couple of Asians carrying Japanese ...



Two Japanese citizens arrested for carrying $134 billion of bonds

International Business Times UK - 4 hours ago
A pair of Japanese citizens have been detained by Italian financial police in Chiasso on the Swiss-Italian border after being found with $134 billion of US ...



Quantitative stealing?

FT Alphaville - 11 hours ago
An odd little story this - or perhaps an absolutely massive one - that's been largely overlooked. We picked it up from the blog Cryptogon, ...



Japanese TV Discovers The Case Of The $134.5 Billion In Seized ...

The Business Insider - 11 hours ago
We're still fascinated and intrigued by the seizure of $134.5 BILLION in (probably counterfeit) US bearer bonds in Italy this week. ...



Italy seizes $135B of US bonds from two Japanese citizens

International Business Times - 22 hours ago
Two Japanese citizens carrying $134 billion worth of US bonds were detained last week by Italy's financial police at Chiasso (40km from Milan) on the border ...



Is it all funny money?

Daily Kos - Jun 11, 2009
by gjohnsit Bonds worth US$ 134.5 billion are seized. This is the largest financial smuggling case in history. But are they real? Concern over 'funny money' ...



Italy Seizes A Ridiculous $135 BILLION Worth Of Smuggled US Bonds

The Business Insider - Jun 11, 2009
Asia Times: Italy's financial police (Guardia italiana di Finanza) has seized US bonds worth US 134.5 billion from two Japanese nationals at Chiasso (40 km ...



Italian border guards seize $134 billion in US bonds at Swiss border

Wikinews - Jun 11, 2009
Italian police of the Guardia di Finanza have seized US$134 billion (€96 billion) of United States bearer bonds at the border with Switzerland at Chiasso. ...

[leegs]

Re: News of the Weird: June 10, 2009 - Eric Janszen

EJ, WDCRob, Chris C, you're all correct in your assessments.

Until we get the money out of this corrupt political system, it doesn't matter what issue you are concerned about, the lobbyists and campaign contributors will get what they want. Public financing is the only way out of this mess. We've got a far better chance of fixing the corrupt campaign contribution system we have now, than of starting a 3rd party that can be equally corrupted when the big money starts flowing in.

.

This topic was discussed at length in EJs thread regarding a third party. One opinion that I adopted as a result of that discussion is that campaign finance reform is probably impossible, if perhaps not even bad in some ways. I think that term limits on Congress would be a more powerful impediment to the development of corruption that we are now seeing.