Now, CASH is a realy interesting concept. Because I strongly believe Alan Greenspan never intended to hurt people.

WASHINGTON

Mon Apr 23, 2007 2:54pm EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. spending may have been lifted (click title to entry - thank you) by close to 3 percent a year in recent years as owners tapped the enhanced values of their homes for cash, according to a paper coauthored by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan....

When 'the idea' of expanding the ability of the average American homeowner to 'great wealth' was explored by Greenspan, I really believe he was sort of like Einstein creating the nuclear reaction.  He never intended it for methods of war.  But, it was applied there by someone else.

I think the exploitation by Wall Street has a lot to do with folks that 'train' to work not just for Wall Street, but, to be loaned out to government to 'work the inside.'  The Treasury Departments. 

I also believe Paulson is directly responsible for abandoning the American economy..  Because, I honestly don't believe the Investment Banks were suppose to 'get out of Dodge.'  At least they weren't 'a first glance.'

Step 1 followed by Step 2 followed by Step 3

Assets held by single home owners.

Wow.

How can Wall Street turn it into equity for itself? 

Liquid equity.  Not just 'holdings' in Real Estate Speculation, but, CASH.

See. This is how institutions like the US Chamber of Commerce works.

Commandment 10:  Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods.

Ah, yes. 

But, that is exactly what this graph shows and if anyone believes it was drawn up for the sake of showing how SMART American homebuyers are, think again.

Because, you see, that 'wealth' the average American calls "The American Dream," doesn't really belong to the owner of the property.  It belongs to the US Chamber of Commerce and ultimately Wall Street.

They covet everything.  They covert every aspect of a person's life.  If there is a way to make a buck, they know about it. 

And you see having all that money as assets to Americans as a retirement fund was simply a waste of money to folks at the US Chamber of Commerce. 

So, how to they move Americans to HAND OVER their 'American Dream?' 

...The rise in the market value of homes (click title to entry - thank you) since the early 1990s has led to a substantial increase in the level of housing wealth (figure 1). However, since the mid-1980s, mortgage debt has grown more rapidly than home values, resulting in a decline in housing wealth as a share of the value of homes (figure 2).


There is broad agreement in the literature that housing wealth supports consumption; however, there is considerable disagreement as to the magnitude of the effect and much debate as to whether the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of housing wealth differs from the MPC from financial wealth. There also is disagreement as to whether home equity extraction adds to PCE beyond the traditional wealth effect....

So, Wall Street ended up taking a bath on its own 'risk.'

Basically, after the laws that controlled this entire mess were removed, the 'Egos/CEOs' of Wall Street thought they could handle anything. 

They knew if they became 'to big to fail' the country would have to do something about them.

They were 'eyeing' a bailout the entire time. 

So, while these firms were riding high on nothing but ego, AIG was insuring them to prevent collapse IF the entire 'speculative' mess fell apart.

Now, I am no Wall Street genius.  But, the 'idea' of supply and demand seems relatively simple.  When there is 'a lot' of a product the price comes down and when there isn't enough of a product the price goes up. 

Relatively simple concept.  So, now that ANYONE could 'speculate' by using their home equity as a CREDIT LINE, the 'game began.'  No constraints.  No shoulds or shouldn't.  Simply 'gaming the system' and KNOWING the entire time the worse their 'SPECULATION RATIO' (In some circles called "Margin.") became the more chance existed they would fail. 

And guess what?  It became time for 'Margin Call.'  When the investment banks, except Morgan, couldn't make 'margin call' they turned to AIG to 'pay off on their insurance.'  What a convenience that was.  To simply ride rough shod over the entire system of finance on a global scale and figure if it all feel apart they had their own bailout ready. 

Wow.  No holds barred Wall Street.  How sweet it is.

Well, AIG didn't have enough money.  After all they were speculating too, but, their 'Leverage Ratio' was worse than those they insured.

But we all remember that, right? 

The USA Treasury came riding to the rescue.  The Fed came riding to the rescue.  $700 billion bailout so they could MANAGE their toxic assets (AND NOT ABANDON THEM) and a $1 Tillion 'petty cash' fund so there was no barrier to any recovery.

Hm.

So.  Like.  What happened?

Ah, yes. Now, two years later there is a real ponderance of what actually happened when Paulson gave $350 billion to his own corporation and his cronies. Isn't there?

...Attorneys general (click title to entry - thank you) in about 40 states may announce as early as this week a joint investigation into potentially faulty foreclosures at the largest banks and mortgage firms, Bloomberg News reported on Oct. 8, citing a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The investigation may center on claims that employees at home lenders and loan servicers signed court documents without ensuring the information was accurate....

This action by the State Attorney Generals is fairly easy to understand.  The paperwork to reprocess mortgages was so complicated that people applying for them were losing their homes before the process could be completed.  Basically, the bankers that defrauded the 'process' designed by Lawrence and Giethner failed to bring about real results.

It wasn't like the ORIGINAL corporate bailout of the banks that had NO terms attached to them.  Not at all.  People were allowed to suffer the consequences of failure that the investment banks never did.  Just that simple.  The process to refinance failing mortgage borrowers was so complicated many lenders participating 'ON THE GROUND' with people attempting to save their homes, couldn't get everything processed in time, so the lenders simply undercut the process.  Does that mean the refinancing went to borrowers able to handle the new loans?  No.  It meant PERHAPS the people refinancing their home(s) MIGHT be able to handle it.

Has everyone forgotten there are Christians in the USA that have strong values mired in Democracy and Free Market?

That isn't really the point.  I remind in 2008 the populous of the USA was lead to believe that a bank bailout WOULD prevent any economic downturn. 


No to Fast Track Banking Bailout:
Let free market capitalism run its course. (click title to entry - thank you)



Published by Publisher September 22nd, 2008 in Breaking News and Culture.

Sec. 8. Review. Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

It's Sunday Night

"The Way We Were" sung by Barbara Streisand. Witten by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Marvin Hamlisch

Mmm. Mmm.
Memories
Light the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories
Of the way we were




Scattered pictures
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were


Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me - Would we? Could we?


Memories
May be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget


So it's the laughter
We will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were


So it's the laughter
We will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were

I know what I want to present tonight.

However.  I believe I mentioned my Father is very ill.  We have out of town guests at the house and I don't want to be rude and excuse myself.

So.

I'll compose what I want to present, but, it will be after things settle down around here.

Until later.

See, for me it is all about money. Wall Street money.

So, let's see.  Bush ignites the flame that burned in the housing market by a bill passed in ? 2001 ? that appropriated $8.1 billion.  I think that was the deal.  The bill was to finance first time home  buyers that were paying rent and employed in one way or another.  It was supposed to take a 'rental lease' and turn it into a 'mortgage payment.'

Hm.

So, fast forward to 2008.

The Wall Street investment banks eventually bought BUNDLES of mortgages without really documenting their purchase, that translated to an understandable partner with the person paying the monthly mortgage. 

They basically gave each other permission to break the law and streamline transactions only to have "Hank," Treasury Secretary, cut a 'real deal' in DC to get them off the hook so they couldn't be FINED or IMPRISSONED. 

Not bad.

The idea was to somehow 'bailout' all the investors that were watching the housing market grow in leaps and bounds, knowing appraised values would eventually plummet.  In bundling the mortgages the investment banks thought they could shield themselves from financial hardship. 

You know, so what if a few of every 100 mortgages failed, the profit would still 'be there' so long as they all didn't fail.

Right.

Sorry, I am a little tardy.

I heard the most astounding statement today.

Ready?

It came from Mr. Rush Limbaugh. 

He stated, "...I don't know why she recused herself.  After all (their entire administration) it is about taking over the government...."

He was talking about the fact that the former Solicitor General has recused herself from 25 of the 50+ cases this session at the Supreme Court.  New Justice Kagan was the former Solicitor General and she has particpated in nearly half of all the cases the Supreme Court will listen to this year.

She is correct to do it.  And everyone whom wants to know ? somewhat ? of how she might have voted on any of those cases can look to her position when she tried them.

That is not the point.

The point is that Mr. Lame-baugh passed judgement on her for doing the correct and best thing she could do.

You see, he was rhetorically stating, he was surprised Justice Kagan was not taking part in the decision making anyway because she and others are to be suspected in all their decisions, because, the Left Wing of the Supreme Court wants to remove control of the country from the people.  Socialists, you know?

In other words, there is a segment of the Supreme Court that CONSPIRES agasint the people of the USA.

Mr. Rush Limbaugh is PARANOID.  The FCC let's a paranoid maniac on the airwaves of the country.  I wonder whom is more crazy.

There is nothing else to say.

Tomorrow is 'Digital Day,' 1-0-1-0-1-0.

Until then.

All surface holes have to be filled in immediately. No Halliburton or Bechtel either. There is a reason why their work is shoddy.

Manholes and storm grates have to be filled in immediately before more sludge enters the water drainage into nearby rivers and streams.  Kindly use   And kindly use competent help.  Companies as large as Halliburton and Bechtel ALWAYS produce cost overruns and shoddy work because they are TOO BIG and there expertise is lacking for the dynamics they operate in.  They underbid and then worry about the rest later.  It is far better to have a general manager competent in handling such projects and employ many small companies to service the project.  There will realistic costs given at the beginning of a project and cooperation among MANY to get it done well and on time.

I want people to think about this.  If there are many small construction contractors to produce a product, the final outcome can be maintained by many experts and the less productive and incompetent companies will be weeded out.  Large projects are simply completed well and on time when many are carrying the responsitliby and the outcome rather than one huge company that will abuse their power when their contract is issue.

The way I see this is there needs to be an excavation at 'a' terminal end of the sludge.  In other words a SECOND containment hole.  The path of the sludge is somewhat known although another rupture might prove different.  A path where the MOST sludge traveled needs to be sandbagged to create a 'pathway' for the sludge to travel to a new containment hole.  I don't really see any other choice.  To allow the sludge to travel by gravity in any direction is a huge folly.  The sludge has to be managed to contain it soon.

The other variable to placement of the second containment hole can be based on weakening regions of the current containment area and the 'potential' path the sludge may travel.  At any rate, if a collapse of the entire sludge pond is eminent then there needs to be plans to manage it and not simply reek havoc and kill more people.

The GROUND Water - LEACHING

Bus drivers (click title to entry - thank you) wait beside their buses on a highway to pick up evacuees outside Kolontar, Hungary, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. The Hungarian town of Kolontar near the toxic red sludge reservoir that flooded the area and killed at least seven people is under evacuation over fears of a new leak of the dangerous heavy metal waste, officials said. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)


Toxic waste was never suppose to be in the streets of a city.  The contaminated city is a NO GO ZONE, at this point and for some time into the future no different then Chernoby.  The citeis where toxic waste has turned their beautiful green lawns and yards into a 'univision' orange sci-fi flick, need to be considered permanently condemned.

ALSO.

It cannot be understated the potential for further contamination by leaching.  Stopping the movement of the sludge down the Danube is a must, but, there needs to be specialists, including geologists, to evaluate the potential for sludge leaching into any aquifer or potable water source.

I am sorry to be so starkly aware, but, human health is paramount to issues like this and all measures to understand the EXTENT to which contamination has occurred is vital, both now and twenty years from now.  Children and pregnant women are especially important to isolate from these toxins.  For all I know these toxins could alter the integrity of male seman as well.  So, protecting the genetic integrity of people is important from all aspects.

The analysis of the sludge will help a great deal to know exactly how toxic this is and how much it will impact human health.  Rescue workers need protective clothing and they need to be watched as well. 

Get all the animals out of the area and DO NOT use any livestock for milk or meat.  Consider it an agricultual loss if such commodities were in the area.

There is a vast number of connections to John Lennon.

It is interesting to realize how one man was embraced for so long with a consistent theme in his honor.  The link at the title and the video were randomly selected to illustrate the way Lennon is remembered.  The choice could have been a thousand other sites and videos and the message would be the same.  The very same.

The Sixties.

We lost many great leaders during that period of war and peace.  John was one of them.

A simple idea of "Peace" was such a threat to the establishment of the USA. 

What is it about Peace that is so threatening that some political figures don't even say the word?

Happy Birthday, John.  Thank you, Yoko.

So where is all this Big Government the Republicans are complaining about?

Cuts in Government Led U.S. Economy to Lose 95,000 Jobs (click title to entry - thank you) 

By CATHERINE RAMPELL 

Published: October 8, 2010 

The economy shed 95,000 nonfarm jobs in September, the Labor Department reported Friday, with most of the decline the result of the layoffs by local governments and of temporary decennial Census workers.... 

This is part of the slippery slope of neglecting the growth of Small Business in the USA.  Incomes to necessary government through taxes paid by an expanding and growing private sector ARE LOST.  The effectiveness of government will diminish, there will be dirty water, poor quality air, unfunded and underfunded schools and universities, loss of essential services and the list goes on and on. 

Government is NOT the enemy.  The CONTRACTION of the USA economy due to obstuction by Republicans in the Senate is the enemy.  They abused their power to satisfy cronies in attempting to undermine the infrastructure of the state and federal governments and this is the result.  Who are you trusting with your children's future, IF, they are to have one.

The Republican 'idea' of an economy is a 'void' that continues to spin out of control and causes huge problems, not just small ones.  A bridge to nowhere is only an icon to a far greater problem.  

Let's put the blame where it truly belongs in the Sherrod incident. THE BECK EFFECT.

When liars such as the commentators of the Murdoch network are as successful as these are, the entire structure surrounding a heroic President is in reaction to that reality.  Make no doubt about it, the lies of Murdoch that EFFECTIVELY manipulates the electorate are very real.  While the issue surrounding Sherrod were sad, it did not lack immediate resolve to stand with JUSTICE.  There is nothing that happened here that cannot be blamed on Murdoch.  NOTHING.  It is why media research is needed to identify the adverse effects of such dynamics on a democracy that is suppose to protect citizens from it.

USDA emails show rush to judgment in firing Sherrod  (click title to entry - thank you)

October 08, 2010 9:30 AM

The Los Angeles Times and Associated Press both have stories today providing a detailed anatomy of the firing of Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod, based on hundreds of pages of emails they obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

The emails prove both a rush to judgment on the part of the department and an earnest attempt of the part of Sherrod herself to warn her bosses that a speech she gave at an NAACP event had been misconstrued and taken out of context by conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart....

Despite the lies by BP that only 1000 gallons of oil and natural gas was spewing into the Gulf, President Obama made the right decisions.

As everyone recalls, UNLESS one wants to embrace lies, the information regarding the Deepwater Horizon was under the control of BP at the beginnings of the disaster.  Why?  Because the Bush/Cheney Energy policy has NO regulations in place to regulate the Petroleum Industry.  The USA was completely compromised until the USA military was in place and controlling the outcomes.  The preliminary information coming from the investigation of this incident is being used to blame the administration for underestimating the disaster to control the political backlash.  That is NOT correct.  There were eleven people dead and the Gulf Coast was in harms way, no one was playing politics, it was a matter of getting enough Executive Branch action 'in place' to begin to come to terms with the huge neglect by a multinational company that completely comprised safety. 

Originally published October 02, 2010

Obama Moves Gulf Recovery Plan Forward  (click title to entry - thank you)
 
by AFRO Staff
 
The Obama administration unveiled plans Sept. 28 for a large-scale Gulf Coast recovery effort, aimed at providing long-term financial assistance, to improve the regions environment, economy and health.
Work by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are at the heart of the plan of the administration to bring relief to Gulf coast residents.
The plan, unveiled by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus includes a restoration plan and a call for dedicating to the Gulf Coast Recovery Fund “significant” amounts from civil penalties gathered from those responsible for the crisis.
“I am honored to have been asked by the president to put together this plan, and am pleased to present him a plan which meets the goals he set in June,” Mabus said in a statement. “The plan is the result of listening to the people of the gulf coast. It balances the needs of the people, the environment and the economic livelihood of the region.”
Obama also named EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to head the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. The task force was commissioned to help create and maintain gulf coast ecosystems while providing economic support and addressing possible long-term health issues of residents.
“President Obama has said many times that our commitment to the families and environment in the gulf extends far beyond capping the well,” said Jackson in a statement. We’re sending that message loud and clear today: our work is not complete until the people and the environment they rely on are on the path to restoration and recovery.”
There’s also been a help line launched by HHS and one of its smaller agencies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The helpline will provide information, support, and counseling for families affected by the spill. The toll-free line will route callers to the nearest Gulf Coast crisis center where staff will provide assistance. The program is expected to expand its support to text messages later this fall....

 
It is always a shock to realize how ruthless and negligent Wall Street is to people that find all that occurred unconscionable.  The Gulf Diaster has been a real awakening to the 'will' of Wall Street to put profits 'at any cost' before the decency of protecting even human life from harm. 
 
I am confident until the final investigation is completed 'the process' will 'be gamed' to cast dought on the Obama Administration.  I was knee deep in this disaster.  The administration has acted in the only ways availabe to them.  As far as measuring the discharge from the BP well accurately.  The robots and cameras had to be put in place with a 'constant' in the way of streaming sea water to measure what the well was doing.  That didn't happen overnight so what haters of President Obama will state is his administration was negligent or manipulative to information coming to the public.  NOT.  Operating a rescue operation of the Gulf Coast from one mile below sea level was no easy task, but, the USA military did it admirably.  The cap they created was nothing short of genius. 

Kindly remember...

...the longer Small Businesses are postponed from growth due to insufficient funding, the longer the recovery will take and the more contraction of the economy will occur.

We can't keep putting draconian Republicans into office.  Controlling the USA deficit and debt is important, but, growing the economy will handle that better than any FURTHER CONTRACTURE of government size.

Government is NOT the enemy unless one is living off the dividends of Wall Street. 

The greater the income of the treasuries of State and Federal government the less debt there is. 

It is immoral to conduct the USA economy to allow exploitation of our Brain Trust without returning that investment to the people.

Michigan's HandyLab is a Case Study in the draconian nature of the Wall Street Bush Republicans' Economy.

Why would a Wall Street firm such as BD want HandyLab to succeed?  Small business is where the USA Job growth is going to occur.  We all know that.  The Republicans are running on that.  It is the method to growing Small Business that is in debate.  We know for a fact that providing good health care options to Small Businesses helps grow their firms so they can compete with large Wall Street frims.  Okay?  Now, about why the anticipated job numbers are 'ARTIFICALLY' low.

We have witnessed with Michigan's HandLaby their largest hurdle was marketing.  It isn't that big of a deal.  When contracts are made, the funding is forthcoming, BUT, the banks have to be WILLING to lend to a company like HandyLab with solid contracts 'On the Table.'

The Investment Banks are out of the business of lending to Small Business in the USA.  We know that for a fact. They took their bailout funds and outsourced their interests without regret or without the loyalty to the people that had the ability to create a Bailout for them.

If anyone believes the job rate is artifically low going into the 2010 elections, then you are about hte most naive person in the country.  The Republicans have been obstructing any movement forward of the legislation necessary to 'further' the development of Small Businesses such as HandyLab.  It was only recently the legislation was passed to fund Small Business lending.  THAT, my friends was solidly Pre-Meditated by the Republican Party's "No Initiatiove." 

So, why did 'expanding' HandyLab becotme so difficult that it had to sell out to Wall Street?  You know this answer.

There is actually two reason why HandyLab sold to Wall Street to be absorbed into the Plutocracy so HandyLab would case BD problems. 

1.  There was a conflict of interest being 'managed' by the CEO of the company and its financing source.  Snyder was playing the 'growth' of HandyLab very close to the vest.  He knew he had a Gold Mine and wanted to manage it for SHORT TERM returns for his own wealth.  The people of Michigan was not on his Short List of "Important To Do" and the genius of the women that perfected the PRODUCTS of HandyLab were not important to Snyder because as far as he was concerned, they had delivered his fortune, so further R&D of HandyLab was completely absent on his agenda.

2.   The Republcians were 'playing the strategy' in DC to obstruct any movement forward of legilation that would grown Small Businesses.  Literally the CRONIES of the Republicans and Tea Party (same thing by 75% of known statistics) BENEFIT from depriving Small Businesses of GROWTH.  We know that by the example of HandyLab alone.  If Small Business is the place where Wall Street gets 'booted' out of the majority GDP of the USA then the CEOs don't get their bonuees.  Small Businesses in the USA is where all the innovation and job creation is occurring.  So while the American Innocation Genius is at work, BUT, constrained from GROWTH, eventually critical 'fiscal' mass will enter into the picture with a company such as HandyLab and the Wall Street wealth will take over the dynamics of THAT GROWTH. 

So, the Small Business Administration has needs a great deal of vigilance in order to understand where the 'deficit' is for Small Business GROWTH.  And the definiton of Small Business has to be really clarified with the Small Business Administration so our fiscal investments are sincerely going into job growth for the people of the USA and not multinational companies that will CONTINUE to deprive the USA of that job growth while outsourcing 'our genius' AFTER THE FACT.

Snyder is typical of the Republican running for office.  They are business people that care little about 'the citizen' AFTER the 'genius' has delivered from the brain trust.  He will go into office and remove any and all constraints on exploitation of Small Businesses to facilitate Wall Street buyouts.  And Natural Resources, such as forests, are simply a 'BONUS' to the 'idea' of creating wealth. 

To the public Repubicans look great because 'on paper' it looks as though things are improving, however, 'on the street' the circumstances are completely different.  It is why the USA has no job growth since the Stimulus.  All the Small Businesses are in limbo while Wall Street is harvesting the genius of USA innovation.

DO NOT VOTE REPUBLICANS INTO OFFICE.  They won't deliver a SUSTAINABLE economy, but, only more hardship for the citizens. 

The Wall Street exploitation of the USA is real.  Don't deny it.  HandyLab is a prime example of it.  The CORRUPTION of the USA economy is highly visible when looking at the HandyLab INCIDENT.

Good luck.