Reuters has China warning the US that a treasury default would be playing with fire. The Republicans are using it to strong-arm Obama into serious social budgetary cuts.
Had I the billions in treasuries that the Republicans are ready to default upon I would offer, "If you are unable to manage things, and meet your obligations as and when they fall due, I will help you. I will take over the administration of the USA, on behalf of the people, will tax the rich, continue the Social Security programs, begin new infrastructure works and make sure all treasury obligations are also met." I dare say there would be a media furore, I would be public enemy number one, I might even find myself assassinated, but surely the American people would prefer that to China making a similar move, saying, "We have agreements with you, our system works, we prosper, pay our debts and grow. You and your Capitalism must have grown too old - died! It is time to live under our rules"?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
bone-headed demonisation
Richard Glover has published in the smh recently, "The dangers of bone-headed beliefs" (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/the-dangers-of-boneheaded-beliefs-20110602-1fijg.html)and many another good mind shares such concerns. There seems more to the picture, some of which you can trace below,..
Who would doubt the changing of the climate? None I know, but why are we so content to demonise Carbon-dioxide? There are so many things working against climate stability; 200years of soot on the glaciers, 66 years of radioactive fallout too, let alone what that radiation does to clouds and upper air strata, 30 years of chemtrails, and 30yrs of haarp - electrowhooping the atmosphere, add recent swiss ion guns in Arabia forcing rain in the desert (with simultaneous weather stasis in adjacent russia-heatwave and india-floods). Meanwhile csm frackers drain US aquifers-leaving no borewater and desertified ranches over dry hot US summers, 200 years of whaling to decimate the iron rich whale turds ocean wide - no iron - less algae - total ecosystem destabilisation, generations of increasingly culpable agriprofiteers transforming deep stable forests into two dimensional monoculture ranches. Whyfore demonise CO2? Easy, dumbed down, suits our big brother age, gives us something to focus our hate/fear upon. The nuclear lobby keep pushing with wall street traders and "we'll save you" politicians.. Easier to demonise carbon dioxide it would seem,..and turn it into another plunder the public wealth for plutocrat profit marketplace?
The more shocking thing society wise is that we dont think/associate over timeframes. At seventeen or twenty four it can be "three strikes and you're out", while in kindergarten or primary school the innocents can run riot and develop monstrous behavior year upon year leading to the drug induced end of the road social/moral writeoff.
More intimately, the extreme barrenness - the inhumanity - electric, sterile, dead, lifeless - of our modern world, lifestyle and education program produces an emerging society, bone headed, and longing for psychic and moral liberation - at any price. There is an impending end-of-the-world (as we know it) apocalypse that fuels our climate change fears, but the apocalypse is individual, its personal, moral even,
too hard!
demonise CO2, easy, then blame someone else when both the climate and our moral integrity fall apart,..
We first might lay claim to our mutual humanity and broaden our outlooks and initiatives if we would like to stabilise our future - climate included.
Who would doubt the changing of the climate? None I know, but why are we so content to demonise Carbon-dioxide? There are so many things working against climate stability; 200years of soot on the glaciers, 66 years of radioactive fallout too, let alone what that radiation does to clouds and upper air strata, 30 years of chemtrails, and 30yrs of haarp - electrowhooping the atmosphere, add recent swiss ion guns in Arabia forcing rain in the desert (with simultaneous weather stasis in adjacent russia-heatwave and india-floods). Meanwhile csm frackers drain US aquifers-leaving no borewater and desertified ranches over dry hot US summers, 200 years of whaling to decimate the iron rich whale turds ocean wide - no iron - less algae - total ecosystem destabilisation, generations of increasingly culpable agriprofiteers transforming deep stable forests into two dimensional monoculture ranches. Whyfore demonise CO2? Easy, dumbed down, suits our big brother age, gives us something to focus our hate/fear upon. The nuclear lobby keep pushing with wall street traders and "we'll save you" politicians.. Easier to demonise carbon dioxide it would seem,..and turn it into another plunder the public wealth for plutocrat profit marketplace?
The more shocking thing society wise is that we dont think/associate over timeframes. At seventeen or twenty four it can be "three strikes and you're out", while in kindergarten or primary school the innocents can run riot and develop monstrous behavior year upon year leading to the drug induced end of the road social/moral writeoff.
More intimately, the extreme barrenness - the inhumanity - electric, sterile, dead, lifeless - of our modern world, lifestyle and education program produces an emerging society, bone headed, and longing for psychic and moral liberation - at any price. There is an impending end-of-the-world (as we know it) apocalypse that fuels our climate change fears, but the apocalypse is individual, its personal, moral even,
too hard!
demonise CO2, easy, then blame someone else when both the climate and our moral integrity fall apart,..
We first might lay claim to our mutual humanity and broaden our outlooks and initiatives if we would like to stabilise our future - climate included.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Michael West (SMH Business Editor) published a piece on Macquarie Airports last Sunday. It showed how the Danes, recieving no corporate tax from their airport (run by MAp) were madder than the prince of Denmark. Sydney Airport too, is funded to make no money, but to pay a heavy interest bill to an associated offshore Macquarie entity.
Well its a wonder our government doesnt learn some innovative policy also, like getting round tax loopholes? Are we, the tax paying public going to be afraid of extracting a just corporate tax from as powerful an entity as Macquarie? Or cow over as governments do, (consider Kevin 07, dead 11)?
Well my proposal goes towards making loan interest taxable. It might eventually be part of the goods and services tax economy.
Consider, were there a levy of 10% on loan interest (adjusted/moderated for inflation/cpi/reserve bank cash rate), with most (90%?) of the moneys raised going to subsidise losses (say up to 33%?) on defaulted and failed loans then we would be reducing the risk and (likely consecutively) the interest rates asked.
It could even be a more hefty charge and have a balancing clause where the company or entity has paid fair corporate tax.
Comments anyone?
Well its a wonder our government doesnt learn some innovative policy also, like getting round tax loopholes? Are we, the tax paying public going to be afraid of extracting a just corporate tax from as powerful an entity as Macquarie? Or cow over as governments do, (consider Kevin 07, dead 11)?
Well my proposal goes towards making loan interest taxable. It might eventually be part of the goods and services tax economy.
Consider, were there a levy of 10% on loan interest (adjusted/moderated for inflation/cpi/reserve bank cash rate), with most (90%?) of the moneys raised going to subsidise losses (say up to 33%?) on defaulted and failed loans then we would be reducing the risk and (likely consecutively) the interest rates asked.
It could even be a more hefty charge and have a balancing clause where the company or entity has paid fair corporate tax.
Comments anyone?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
TARP = FED FUNDING FOR GLOBAL CORPORATE RAIDING
TARP = FED FUNDING FOR GLOBAL CORPORATE RAIDING
Crash the markets, daddy fed says heres the $ clean up!
And they did!
Check out the assets under management for the banks before and after the GFC!
2009 was a bumper year for bank profits and for bonuses!
TARP , supposedly to save the markets, effectively just another wall street tool to plunder the unwitting globally and scoop up stressed assets at cents in the dollar.
p.s. To clearly state it, TARP was a funding lifeline, credit when no-one else could get it, even as life support, allowing the Banksters to buy up big at GFC terrorised pricing for all the asset classes in the World. It was inconceivably profitable, all Wealth for Wall Street!
Crash the markets, daddy fed says heres the $ clean up!
And they did!
Check out the assets under management for the banks before and after the GFC!
2009 was a bumper year for bank profits and for bonuses!
TARP , supposedly to save the markets, effectively just another wall street tool to plunder the unwitting globally and scoop up stressed assets at cents in the dollar.
p.s. To clearly state it, TARP was a funding lifeline, credit when no-one else could get it, even as life support, allowing the Banksters to buy up big at GFC terrorised pricing for all the asset classes in the World. It was inconceivably profitable, all Wealth for Wall Street!
fukashima
At what stage would all the waters of the ocean be radioactive, to the point of being toxic to eat fish, crustacean or seaweed?
Friday, March 25, 2011
Powers Broken and Trojan Horses
As we said, the (NSW ALP) powers broken are just that! But it has taken some years to realise it, and, yes, they have satisfactorily jumped ship, with various wheels, mates deals and self interests leaving NSW with shocking accounts, large liabilities and infinitely corruptible development proceedures. Will Rees be that disposed Kleenex or re-emerge today to finally wipe them out? I hope so!
Meanwhile, monsanto gets its trojan horse into Australian agriculture via GM canola. Another organic farmer finds GM RR canola seeds have flooded his fields, but no its not a contaminant. Strangely, RRcanola's glyphosate addiction is a recognised contaminant with 30 year soil half life but who dare publish it? We each only get one career. Meanwhile the USDA has deregulated (allowed) GM RR alfalfa (despite its 27% less mineral nutrients), seemingly because the original non GM strains of alfalfa cannot survive the glyphosate buildup (toxicity) in most all rounded up american soils. Yes, monsanto has coraled the best part of the Americas in an emerging stranglehold, not just under the USDA, but spreading to our quarter of the globe too! Glyphosate poisoning. Woe!
Meanwhile, monsanto gets its trojan horse into Australian agriculture via GM canola. Another organic farmer finds GM RR canola seeds have flooded his fields, but no its not a contaminant. Strangely, RRcanola's glyphosate addiction is a recognised contaminant with 30 year soil half life but who dare publish it? We each only get one career. Meanwhile the USDA has deregulated (allowed) GM RR alfalfa (despite its 27% less mineral nutrients), seemingly because the original non GM strains of alfalfa cannot survive the glyphosate buildup (toxicity) in most all rounded up american soils. Yes, monsanto has coraled the best part of the Americas in an emerging stranglehold, not just under the USDA, but spreading to our quarter of the globe too! Glyphosate poisoning. Woe!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Nature's Bounty and a Woman Scorned
Ah, isnt Nature bountiful and mysterious.
Take this latest letter from Huber, a researcher into American fields, He was so struck by the details and consequences that he has written a letter to Secretary Vilsack to share the mystery!
(Via FARFA)
One of the American nation’s senior scientists alerted their federal government to a newly discovered organism that may have the potential to cause infertility and spontaneous abortion in farm animals, raising significant concerns about human health. Dr. Don Huber, professor emeritus at Purdue University, believes the appearance and prevalence of the unnamed organism may be related to the nation’s over reliance on the weed killer known as Roundup and/or to something about the genetically engineered Roundup-Ready crops. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the professor called on the federal government to immediately stop deregulation of roundup ready crops, particularly roundup ready alfalfa.
Below is the full text of the letter. FARFA received an electronic copy of the letter from Dr. Huber and they have spoken with him directly to confirm its authenticity. I am reposting that correspondence with some comments following.
January 16, 2011
Dear Secretary Vilsack:
A team of senior plant and animal scientists have recently brought to my attention the discovery of an electron microscopic pathogen that appears to significantly impact the health of plants, animals, and probably human beings. Based on a review of the data, it is widespread, very serious, and is in much higher concentrations in Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans and corn—suggesting a link with the RR gene or more likely the presence of Roundup. This organism appears NEW to science!
This is highly sensitive information that could result in a collapse of US soy and corn export markets and significant disruption of domestic food and feed supplies. On the other hand, this new organism may already be responsible for significant harm (see below). My colleagues and I are therefore moving our investigation forward with speed and discretion, and seek assistance from the USDA and other entities to identify the pathogen’s source, prevalence, implications, and remedies.
We are informing the USDA of our findings at this early stage, specifically due to your pending decision regarding approval of RR alfalfa. Naturally, if either the RR gene or Roundup itself is a promoter or co-factor of this pathogen, then such approval could be a calamity. Based on the current evidence, the only reasonable action at this time would be to delay deregulation at least until sufficient data has exonerated the RR system, if it does.
For the past 40 years, I have been a scientist in the professional and military agencies that evaluate and prepare for natural and manmade biological threats, including germ warfare and disease outbreaks. Based on this experience, I believe the threat we are facing from this pathogen is unique and of a high risk status. In layman’s terms, it should be treated as an emergency.
A diverse set of researchers working on this problem have contributed various pieces of the puzzle, which together presents the following disturbing scenario:
Unique Physical Properties
This previously unknown organism is only visible under an electron microscope (36,000X), with an approximate size range equal to a medium size virus. It is able to reproduce and appears to be a micro-fungal-like organism. If so, it would be the first such micro-fungus ever identified. There is strong evidence that this infectious agent promotes diseases of both plants and mammals, which is very rare.
Pathogen Location and Concentration
It is found in high concentrations in Roundup Ready soybean meal and corn, distillers meal, fermentation feed products, pig stomach contents, and pig and cattle placentas.
Linked with Outbreaks of Plant Disease
The organism is prolific in plants infected with two pervasive diseases that are driving down yields and farmer income—sudden death syndrome (SDS) in soy, and Goss’ wilt in corn. The pathogen is also found in the fungal causative agent of SDS (Fusarium solani fsp glycines).
Implicated in Animal Reproductive Failure
Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of this organism in a wide variety of livestock that have experienced spontaneous abortions and infertility. Preliminary results from ongoing research have also been able to reproduce abortions in a clinical setting.
The pathogen may explain the escalating frequency of infertility and spontaneous abortions over the past few years in US cattle, dairy, swine, and horse operations. These include recent reports of infertility rates in dairy heifers of over 20%, and spontaneous abortions in cattle as high as 45%.
For example, 450 of 1,000 pregnant heifers fed wheatlege experienced spontaneous abortions. Over the same period, another 1,000 heifers from the same herd that were raised on hay had no abortions. High concentrations of the pathogen were confirmed on the wheatlege, which likely had been under weed management using glyphosate.
Recommendations
In summary, because of the high titer of this new animal pathogen in Roundup Ready crops, and its association with plant and animal diseases that are reaching epidemic proportions, we request USDA’s participation in a multi-agency investigation, and an immediate moratorium on the deregulation of RR crops until the causal/predisposing relationship with glyphosate and/or RR plants can be ruled out as a threat to crop and animal production and human health.
It is urgent to examine whether the side-effects of glyphosate use may have facilitated the growth of this pathogen, or allowed it to cause greater harm to weakened plant and animal hosts. It is well-documented that glyphosate promotes soil pathogens and is already implicated with the increase of more than 40 plant diseases; it dismantles plant defenses by chelating vital nutrients; and it reduces the bioavailability of nutrients in feed, which in turn can cause animal disorders. To properly evaluate these factors, we request access to the relevant USDA data.
I have studied plant pathogens for more than 50 years. We are now seeing an unprecedented trend of increasing plant and animal diseases and disorders. This pathogen may be instrumental to understanding and solving this problem. It deserves immediate attention with significant resources to avoid a general collapse of our critical agricultural infrastructure.
Sincerely,
COL (Ret.) Don M. Huber
Emeritus Professor, Purdue University
APS Coordinator, USDA National Plant Disease Recovery System (NPDRS)
So, Nature again has an answer to those who would tyrranise and bastardise Her. To those who would treat her as a factory mechanism, or a brutalised slave wife, look, see what emerges, 45% miscarriage rate is a pretty good response!
It would seem likely to play into CCD too?? Imagine such pathogens all over our cotton sheets, shirts and tampons! Well maybe its only the BT pesticide thats woven into our sheets, shirts and tampons! It reminds one of Deianeira and Heracles! And that quip,
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
Still a very significant issue to follow. Either some Wall Street flukeys are mounting a significant fear mongering front to scare investors out of Monsanto stock in droves at soon to be shocking prices or else we are likely to have enquiry after ugly enquiry, as to how all these GMO safety assessments were fabricated, sterilised and regurgitated through compliant bureaucracies at the behest of powerful peoples to infect GM on greedy eyed farmers, and the unwitting but easily dupable World.
I suspect the latter.
ps It needs be noted GMalfala was deregulated by Vilsack some ten days after recieving Huber's letter. Whether Vilsack's deregulation was in utter disregard or in malevolent one eyed defiance remains to be seen. There are rumours the complications of roundup use have long been known but that the researchers were gagged. These same researchers are now said to be retiring and speaking out (with wall street having crumpled their retirement savings). But, there are many ways to silence opposition, it seems the new world is the same as the old world in this regard. Perhaps Vilsack expects this to be gagable also. Business as usual.
To think of the wave of struggle for better rulers succeeds in Egypt and Tunisia while in America malevolent greed still rules but from behind the mask of corporatism - free trade - government, and we cant get the better of it. A most serious problem.
Take this latest letter from Huber, a researcher into American fields, He was so struck by the details and consequences that he has written a letter to Secretary Vilsack to share the mystery!
(Via FARFA)
One of the American nation’s senior scientists alerted their federal government to a newly discovered organism that may have the potential to cause infertility and spontaneous abortion in farm animals, raising significant concerns about human health. Dr. Don Huber, professor emeritus at Purdue University, believes the appearance and prevalence of the unnamed organism may be related to the nation’s over reliance on the weed killer known as Roundup and/or to something about the genetically engineered Roundup-Ready crops. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the professor called on the federal government to immediately stop deregulation of roundup ready crops, particularly roundup ready alfalfa.
Below is the full text of the letter. FARFA received an electronic copy of the letter from Dr. Huber and they have spoken with him directly to confirm its authenticity. I am reposting that correspondence with some comments following.
January 16, 2011
Dear Secretary Vilsack:
A team of senior plant and animal scientists have recently brought to my attention the discovery of an electron microscopic pathogen that appears to significantly impact the health of plants, animals, and probably human beings. Based on a review of the data, it is widespread, very serious, and is in much higher concentrations in Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans and corn—suggesting a link with the RR gene or more likely the presence of Roundup. This organism appears NEW to science!
This is highly sensitive information that could result in a collapse of US soy and corn export markets and significant disruption of domestic food and feed supplies. On the other hand, this new organism may already be responsible for significant harm (see below). My colleagues and I are therefore moving our investigation forward with speed and discretion, and seek assistance from the USDA and other entities to identify the pathogen’s source, prevalence, implications, and remedies.
We are informing the USDA of our findings at this early stage, specifically due to your pending decision regarding approval of RR alfalfa. Naturally, if either the RR gene or Roundup itself is a promoter or co-factor of this pathogen, then such approval could be a calamity. Based on the current evidence, the only reasonable action at this time would be to delay deregulation at least until sufficient data has exonerated the RR system, if it does.
For the past 40 years, I have been a scientist in the professional and military agencies that evaluate and prepare for natural and manmade biological threats, including germ warfare and disease outbreaks. Based on this experience, I believe the threat we are facing from this pathogen is unique and of a high risk status. In layman’s terms, it should be treated as an emergency.
A diverse set of researchers working on this problem have contributed various pieces of the puzzle, which together presents the following disturbing scenario:
Unique Physical Properties
This previously unknown organism is only visible under an electron microscope (36,000X), with an approximate size range equal to a medium size virus. It is able to reproduce and appears to be a micro-fungal-like organism. If so, it would be the first such micro-fungus ever identified. There is strong evidence that this infectious agent promotes diseases of both plants and mammals, which is very rare.
Pathogen Location and Concentration
It is found in high concentrations in Roundup Ready soybean meal and corn, distillers meal, fermentation feed products, pig stomach contents, and pig and cattle placentas.
Linked with Outbreaks of Plant Disease
The organism is prolific in plants infected with two pervasive diseases that are driving down yields and farmer income—sudden death syndrome (SDS) in soy, and Goss’ wilt in corn. The pathogen is also found in the fungal causative agent of SDS (Fusarium solani fsp glycines).
Implicated in Animal Reproductive Failure
Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of this organism in a wide variety of livestock that have experienced spontaneous abortions and infertility. Preliminary results from ongoing research have also been able to reproduce abortions in a clinical setting.
The pathogen may explain the escalating frequency of infertility and spontaneous abortions over the past few years in US cattle, dairy, swine, and horse operations. These include recent reports of infertility rates in dairy heifers of over 20%, and spontaneous abortions in cattle as high as 45%.
For example, 450 of 1,000 pregnant heifers fed wheatlege experienced spontaneous abortions. Over the same period, another 1,000 heifers from the same herd that were raised on hay had no abortions. High concentrations of the pathogen were confirmed on the wheatlege, which likely had been under weed management using glyphosate.
Recommendations
In summary, because of the high titer of this new animal pathogen in Roundup Ready crops, and its association with plant and animal diseases that are reaching epidemic proportions, we request USDA’s participation in a multi-agency investigation, and an immediate moratorium on the deregulation of RR crops until the causal/predisposing relationship with glyphosate and/or RR plants can be ruled out as a threat to crop and animal production and human health.
It is urgent to examine whether the side-effects of glyphosate use may have facilitated the growth of this pathogen, or allowed it to cause greater harm to weakened plant and animal hosts. It is well-documented that glyphosate promotes soil pathogens and is already implicated with the increase of more than 40 plant diseases; it dismantles plant defenses by chelating vital nutrients; and it reduces the bioavailability of nutrients in feed, which in turn can cause animal disorders. To properly evaluate these factors, we request access to the relevant USDA data.
I have studied plant pathogens for more than 50 years. We are now seeing an unprecedented trend of increasing plant and animal diseases and disorders. This pathogen may be instrumental to understanding and solving this problem. It deserves immediate attention with significant resources to avoid a general collapse of our critical agricultural infrastructure.
Sincerely,
COL (Ret.) Don M. Huber
Emeritus Professor, Purdue University
APS Coordinator, USDA National Plant Disease Recovery System (NPDRS)
So, Nature again has an answer to those who would tyrranise and bastardise Her. To those who would treat her as a factory mechanism, or a brutalised slave wife, look, see what emerges, 45% miscarriage rate is a pretty good response!
It would seem likely to play into CCD too?? Imagine such pathogens all over our cotton sheets, shirts and tampons! Well maybe its only the BT pesticide thats woven into our sheets, shirts and tampons! It reminds one of Deianeira and Heracles! And that quip,
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
Still a very significant issue to follow. Either some Wall Street flukeys are mounting a significant fear mongering front to scare investors out of Monsanto stock in droves at soon to be shocking prices or else we are likely to have enquiry after ugly enquiry, as to how all these GMO safety assessments were fabricated, sterilised and regurgitated through compliant bureaucracies at the behest of powerful peoples to infect GM on greedy eyed farmers, and the unwitting but easily dupable World.
I suspect the latter.
ps It needs be noted GMalfala was deregulated by Vilsack some ten days after recieving Huber's letter. Whether Vilsack's deregulation was in utter disregard or in malevolent one eyed defiance remains to be seen. There are rumours the complications of roundup use have long been known but that the researchers were gagged. These same researchers are now said to be retiring and speaking out (with wall street having crumpled their retirement savings). But, there are many ways to silence opposition, it seems the new world is the same as the old world in this regard. Perhaps Vilsack expects this to be gagable also. Business as usual.
To think of the wave of struggle for better rulers succeeds in Egypt and Tunisia while in America malevolent greed still rules but from behind the mask of corporatism - free trade - government, and we cant get the better of it. A most serious problem.
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