This Blog is created to stress the importance of Peace as an environmental directive. “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” – Harry Truman
(I receive no compensation from any entry on this blog.)
The issue is leadership in the USA. The current administration and the past Republican majority that facilitated the beginnings of messes like 'the bailout' and 'the Korean missile' issue are all due to an Executive Branch making mischief instead of engaging peace. At every turn, the Bush White House has BEEN A PROBLEM throughout the globe. The entire mess with economics with allies, abandonment of allies in Afghanistan and instigating hostilities globally by making statments like 'Axis of Evil.' That is a group of words one might expect from Steven King but not the president of the USA.
We need new leadership in a very big way and we need it now !! India should be ashamed of itself for escalating tensions with China. And if China is 'steamed' about something, you know darn well North Korea will be, too.
China and India leading Asian missile buildup (click here) ...Kimball, the arms control analyst, said the availability of cruise missiles with greater range and destructive power was a growing concern after being belatedly added to the agenda of nonproliferation initiatives....
Koreas set to hold military talks (click here) By John Sudworth BBC News, Seoul North and South Korea are set to hold military talks, renewing official lines of contact between the two governments that have been frozen for months....
Mike ! I found a whole directory of them. This is getting easier.
Now I am no horse trader, but, according to this chart we have not only 'been there' before with Subprime lending, but, we actually faired through the mess okay.
It seems all to obvious to me, that the way Paulson structured the "Mark the Market" restrictions on investment firms is what CREATED this mess, not the market itself.
This is indictable. Paulson deliberately manipulated the circumstances that disaffected these firms to enhance Goldman-Sachs share of the market.
NO BAILOUT. Mike's got the right idea (click here), let the wealthy bail themselves out and they might even have to do it from indictment hearings. The 'rich' might have to get 'REAL' jobs and live like the rest of us. Gee, what a shame. The Democrats have to take over otherwise this will all be covered up.
The International Community might want to file a class action suit against those responsible. The problem is how do other country's get the records without the assistance of the USA? They don't. They will be in court forever.
This is from the Federal Reserve
For Immediate Release September 15, 2005 Data Show Continued Improvement in Credit Quality, Slight Increase in Credit 1 Commitment Volume (click here) The quality of syndicated bank credits showed continued improvement this year, according to the Shared National Credit (SNC)2 review released today by federal bank and thrift regulators. The review, which encompassed credits of at least $20 million that are shared by three or more financial institutions, also found that most industries exhibit much improved credit quality from peak problem levels experienced only a few years ago. The results--reported by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of Thrift Supervision--are based on analyses prepared in the second quarter of 2005 and reflect business and economic conditions at that time. Total classified credit commitments (those rated as either substandard, doubtful or loss) fell by $21.5 billion, or 29 percent, from the previous year, compared with a net decrease of $78.2 billion, or 51 percent, the year before. Commitments rated special mention decreased by $7.0 billion, or 21 percent, in contrast to 2004 when they fell by $22.4 billion, or 41 percent. None of these figures includes the effects of hedging or other techniques that organizations often employ to mitigate risk. The ratio of classified credit commitments to total commitments fell to 3.2 percent, the lowest level since 1999. Total adversely rated credits 3 (classified and special mention combined) also fell considerably, to 4.8 percent of total commitments (see Chart 1 below)....
The world is facing a global crisis and Thomas L. Friedman is scared. Maybe Republicans are nothing but scared most of the time. They shoot from their hip internationally and back up every word diplomatically with 'ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE.' So, it would appear Republicans are 'genetically scared.' Inbred ! You know, 'Second Amendment' mess, too.
Scared of losing their money all the time, but, not scared enough to regulate. No, no, nothing like that kind of scared. No, Republicans are scared they won't have the opportunity to EXPLOIT every possible 'idea' for 'cashing in' on others naivety. As a matter of fact, they are so scared of not having the USA Treasury to bail them out of their fiscal irresponsibility all the time, they'll do ANYTHING, including invading countries illegally and irrespectively of the national security of the USA, while telling 'tales' of Weapons of Mass Destruction to scare the USA citizens silly.
Let's see, the last time it was George H. W. Bush and Silverado and dear sonny, Neil that launched a bailout while sapping the FDIC. So, the question is when will this chronic misuse of the USA infrastructure STOP?
Well, Thomas you are a lucky man today, because, I AM NOT ! I believe I haven't been scared most of my life, and especially when Bush was scared of NOT invading Iraq. I knew the USA was "W"rong and I stated over and over again, right there on the OLD NY Times Message Boards.
The Global Crisis I face has dearly little to do with Paulson's fiscal needs. It is about Human Induced Global Warming and we are running out of time before Climate Change causes conditions on Earth to be unbearable or worse.
If Thomas Friedman along with all the spineless have their way, they'll sink the chance of the USA to rebuild its infrastructure. There is NO GUARANTEE to the 'rush to debt' that Paulson advocates. He has no balance sheets, no proof and NO ANALYSIS of what this fiscal consequence of DE-REGULATION has done.
Not only did Paulson forget about producing the facts, not long ago Alan Greenspan testified that all the 'factors' that played into this idiocy (my words, not his) weren't fully understood. So for Paulson to state he has the best approach to any circumstance that PRIVATIZED INVESTMENT BANKING has caused, is flatly "W"rong.
Hm. Imagine that, spending $700 billion blindly for the sake of a 'lark into fiscal rescue' when no one even knows what exactly they are rescuing.
No, I'm not scared. There is little that does scare me. I know my world. I know the facts as they present themselvse and I know where I stand. Its a darn shame Friedman and those like him, don't !
The insistence by the current Executive Branch to enforce false value of financial holdings were a very real part of the collapse of the investment banking infrastructure.
Legislators of the House must regroup and go forward with reforms, but, without the blanket $700 billion free for all funding.
It would be helpful to the national security of the USA, if the House would give special consideration to funding the agricultural needs of the nation, by bolstering the funds available through 'steadfast' agricultural lenders such as Farmers' Home Administration (click here). There should be a blanket understanding that our farmers and their well being are paramount to this nation without a second thought to their fiscal needs.
By supporting our farm sector unconditionally, it expresses "Nation First" and "We are taking our country back." Of PRIMARY focus to our nation's agriculture; is the need to be the empowerment of Family Farms and NOT the corporate mess that exists today in majority.
Thank you !
...The $US700 billion bailout bill rejected by Congress earlier in the week contained sections giving SEC the power to suspend mark-to-market accounting for any company, and launch a study on how the accounting changes have affected financial institutions. Mark-to-market valuing, where financial institutions are forced to put a fair value on their assets or liabilities each quarter based on what price those assets could attract in the current marketplace, was introduced in the US last November....
PGG Wrightson can’t settle Silver Fern deal (click here) by Sarah McDonald Wednesday October 1 2008 - 09:31am PGG Wrightson has delayed its $220 million purchase of meat company Silver Fern Farms, citing problems with funding arrangements due to market turmoil. It is still wanting to settle the deal but PGG Wrightson chairman Craig Norgate says the delay will probably be "weeks rather than days". Mr Norgate says a number of banks that had committed to participate in funding the transaction had since been unable to finalise their credit approvals in time for today's part-settlement. "This is entirely a function of the extreme financial market conditions and their impact on banks' lending capacity in the current environment,” he said....
The movement to return the agricultural sector to Family Farm units will become overwhelming within a few short years. California's demand to treat animals humanely is only the beginning to the demise of the factory farm and feedlot operations that are shameful to the landscape of the USA.
I encourage everyone that loves their country to support this initiative by California and make it grow across the country and return farm operations to ENERGY EFFICIENT and humane Family Farms.
New Poll Shows California Proposition 2 on Treatment of Farm Animals Leading 72% to 10% Finance Reports Also Reveal Strong In-State Support (click here) By Jennifer FearingChief Economist Humane Society of the United States As the quarterly campaign finance period closed today, the YES! on Prop 2 campaign reports a tidal wave of voter and donor support from Californians backing the effort to stop the cruel and inhumane treatment of animals on industrial factory farms. In contrast, the donations raised by the No on Prop 2 campaign have come from a handful of corporate factory farming interests—most from out of state and many which are embroiled in a national price-fixing scandal.The results of a new statewide poll by KSFN-Fresno/SurveyUSA shows overwhelming support from voters, with Prop 2 commanding a 62-point lead: 72-10 (18 undecided). Prop 2 is a November ballot measure that seeks to prohibit the most abusive factory farming practices in California and ensure modest animal welfare standards for farm animals by allowing them simply to turn around and stretch their limbs. Thousands of Californians who care about preventing animal cruelty and promoting food safety have thrown their support behind Prop 2. The opponents of this modest reform are just a handful of miserly corporate interests that put their profits ahead of consumers and animals. But real people understand that all animals deserve humane treatment, including animals raised for food. As of September 30, the YES! on Prop 2 campaign has raised approximately $6.6 million. The donations include funds from The Humane Society of the United States and nine other animal protection organizations, as well as nearly 17,000 gifts from individual donors, with an average gift of $134. Of the individuals who have donated, 63 percent are Californians. On the other side, the No campaign has reported 172 donations from factory farming corporations, totaling $6.9 million for an average gift of $40,285. Only 36 of these donations, or 21 percent, came from California companies. The contributions come from some of the most disreputable factory farms throughout the nation that have a sordid history of abusing animals, damaging the environment, and misleading and gouging consumers. Prop 2 is supported by The Humane Society of the United States, the California Veterinary Medical Association, the Center for Food Safety, the ASPCA, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the United Farm Workers, Farm Sanctuary, the Cesar Chavez Foundation, California Council of Churches IMPACT, Republican and Democratic elected officials, hundreds of California veterinarians, family farmers, religious leaders, and many others. Jennifer Fearing is chief economist for the Humane Society of the United States. She received a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from the University of California at Davis.
Edible herbs and flowers at one of Jacobs Farm's four California locations (Photo courtesy Jacobs Farm)
SANTA CRUZ — In a victory for the state's organic farmers, a Santa Cruz County jury has awarded a North Coast grower $1 million in damages after deciding a pesticide company violated the farmer's rights when its chemicals drifted with the fog onto his organic crops. Jacobs Farms, which raises culinary herbs on about 120 acres in Wilder Ranch State Park, was preparing to leave the property if the chemical drift continued. Instead, the operation will stay, knowing area farmers will need to be much more careful or risk paying big fines, and organic farmers statewide now have a stronger case to seek redress should pesticides, even those applied properly, end up on their plants....
29 September 2008 The world's largest tidal power farm could be built in Scotland and Northern Ireland, following successful testing of the technology.ScottishPower Renewables has announced plans to install up to 60 turbines in three locations, to generate 60 megawatts (MW) – enough to power 40,000 homes.The Lanstrom tidal devices rest on the sea floor on three legs and have blades that are 20 metres long.They turn at least ten metres below the surface and are "predictable" because of the regularity of tides.According to ScottishPower Renewables director Keith Anderson, the Pentland Firth – one of the three sites – has enough tidal power to meet one third of Scotland's energy needs....
Scottish Power unveils plans to serve 40,000 homes with tidal energy (click here) Proposed £100m project will be the largest of its type in the world Tom Young, BusinessGreen, 29 Sep 2008 Scottish Power today confirmed that it is looking at three coastal sites for the development of the world's largest tidal power project, valued at £100m. The company said the three sites – two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland – will each install up to 20 Lànstrøm tidal turbines that have been specially developed by Hammerfest Strøm AS, a company jointly owned by ScottishPower Renewables, StatoilHydro and Hammerfest Energi. The rapid technological advancement of tidal power has enabled the company to accelerate its marine renewables plans, according to Keith Anderson, director of Scottish Power Renewables....
Study eases fear about wind farm threat to birds (click here) Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:01pm EDT LONDON (Reuters) - Wind turbines do not drive birds from surrounding areas, British researchers said on Wednesday, in findings which could make it easier to build more wind farms. Conservation groups have raised fears that large birds could get caught in the turbines and that the structures could disturb other species. But scientists found only one of the 23 species studied, the pheasant, was affected during their survey of two wind farms in eastern England. The findings published in the Journal of Applied Ecology could help government and business efforts to boost the number of wind farms as a way to increase production of renewable energy. "This is the first evidence suggesting that the present and future location of large numbers of wind turbines on European farmland is unlikely to have detrimental effects on farmland birds," Mark Whittingham, whose team from Newcastle University carried out the research, said in a statement....
