White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is absolutely correct about all his questions.

He is not manipulating the truth, he is not bating the press, he is not evading his responsibility. Now, I don't know what the press wants, but, I want the truth. I don't care about the spin, I want to come to understand the actions of my government and the brevity of the decisions being made.

The Associated Press did not know there was any investigation of their phones until after the fact when the Justice Department lawfully notified them when the investigation was concluded. That tells me a couple of things. The investigation was necessary enough to carry it out regardless of the Press Protocol of being notified first. Evidently, the agency involved felt strongly enough that they wanted normal traffic at the AP and the phones involved. 

Additionally, it tells me there was no suspicion by the Press about the activities of the government, so their work was not interrupted.

I will say this. The Obama Administration might be the first time in forty years the Press has had contact with a legitimate President involved with the people of the nation to bring about change that works for them rather than other priorities. I love President Obama. I don't think he is up for sainthood, but, he received a Nobel Peace Prize because of the priorities he set for his administration. The Press is not going to take him away from us in any way shape or form including his governing style.

Quite frankly, the 'timing' of the investigation of the AP phones would have been met with outrage and everyone knows it would have been if it was at a sensitive time in relation to elections. It would have been construed as being manipulative in electioneering and oppressive of the Press and on and on. So, there are times when notifying the Press during delicate political times is simply not conducive to a free and open election.

I already know the Obama Administration has done nothing wrong. Scandalous is the point of view of the Right Wing. Whatever.

The USA government is allowed to investigate the Press if there is suspicion of wrong doing or in having information that is vital to National Security.

It is unbecoming to demand the same exact answer from the White House Press Secretary over and over because the Press is having a hissy fit. I mean. Don't they get it? Carney has no other answers for them. Torture works sometimes I suppose.

There are no complicating factors about sources UNTIL the Associated Press decided to scream bloody murder over the letter they received. The Press needs to take up any compromise of their sources to the AP, not the government!

AG Holder stated the administration was concerned about a  VERY SERIOUS LEAK. End of discussion. Attorney General Holder stated the leak was compromising the safety of the people of the USA. There isn't anything else to know. I suggest the Press do some peer review and find out why the Associated Press phones were considered an appendage to a threat of the national security of the people of the USA. Seriously.

The Press might want to begin their peer review with Ed Henry.

This is the signing statement by the Late President Ronald Reagan.

It lays out a very clear understanding to the importance of the State Department in national security and not just promoting economic benefits.

This focus increases the danger to the USA foreign service. But, the interesting aspect is Reagan wanted recognition for this capacity to our national security. Why is that important? Because it would demand Congress to provide plenty of funding to the State Department to carry out this directive. 

We have witnessed the decreases in funding to the State Department do to priorities of Republicans. In the Bush Administration the State Department took a back seat to the military. Today, there is no regret by House Republicans in cutting funding to The State Department.

This proves to me the 'new age' Republicans are grossly out of step with the priorities of Reagan while calling them 'father.' It also proves beyond a doubt why the 'new age' Bush Republicans focus on military intervention over any attempt to use diplomatic relations and building peace initiatives. The Bush Republicans want to 'rush to arms' and justify high amounts of military spending for war than any other measure by this country.

In the case of Benghanzi, the Republicans see a reason to scream about sending in military assets to rescue the foreign mission when in fact that was never possible. These Republicans still aren't interested in spending money on diplomatic missions, but, only "We should have invaded," as if that is the answer to every ripple in the global fabric.

The American people need to appreciate the sincere sacrifice the USA foreign services carry out everyday for this country. They need to demand secure facilities abroad that actually serve the State Department and are not simply pork barrel project for Republican cronies as the Baghdad facility was. The State Department personnel over the decades since this signing statement have complained ad nauseam about the lack of sincere purpose for the facilities built abroad. 

If we are to believe the Late President Reagan and place a high priority on this capacity of the USA, there is absolutely no excuse for lack of funding or wasteful spending for our State Department.

Statement on Signing the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (click here)

August 27, 1986

I have signed into law H.R. 4151, the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986. This marks yet another step forward in our bipartisan effort to eradicate international terrorism. I would like to recognize the valuable contributions to this legislation by the Vice President and his Task Force on Combatting Terrorism; Secretary [of State] Shultz and Admiral Inman and their Panel on Diplomatic Security; and the work of Senator Richard Lugar and Representatives Dante Fascell, Bill Broomfield, Dan Mica, and Olympia Snowe, as well as many other distinguished Members of the Congress for bringing the various parts of this act together. This is truly a bipartisan piece of work.

This act once again puts those who would instigate acts of terrorism against U.S. citizens or property on notice that we will not be deterred from carrying out our obligations throughout the world. I am committed to ensuring the safety of our diplomats, servicemen, and citizens wherever they may be. This historic act provides the organization and authorities necessary to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Panel on Overseas Security. It also establishes within the Department of State a new Bureau of Diplomatic Security and a Diplomatic Security Service to increase the professionalism and effectiveness of our security personnel. Another important piece of this act that I am particularly pleased to have supported is the victims of terrorism assistance program. This, for the first time, will provide for the care and welfare of the victims of terrorism and their families.

At the same time, I continue to urge cooperation with all nations, on both a bilateral and multilateral basis, to seek ways to work together to end the continuing onslaught of international terrorism against civilized society. Seeking international cooperation is vital in the struggle against terrorism, and that effort will remain a top foreign policy priority for me. Within the Government, cooperation and coordination between all departments and agencies is also essential in protecting our vital national security interests from the terrorist threat.

We can never legislate an end to terrorism. However, we must remain resolute in our commitment to confront this criminal behavior in every way -- diplomatically, economically, legally, and, when necessary, militarily. First-rate intelligence remains the key element in each of these areas. We will continue to improve our ability to predict, prevent, and respond to threats of terrorism with an expanded intelligence-gathering capability. We will continue to work with the Congress to identify legislative gaps in our ability to combat terrorism. This act adds to our capabilities and further demonstrates our resolve. I congratulate those responsible for this historic act.

Note: H.R. 4151, approved August 27, was assigned Public Law No. 99 - 399.

The issues stated to be scandals in the past week don't really seem like 'all that.' It seems more like distractions to me. There are far more important matters.

There is plenty of room for the truth regarding Benghazi, IRS and the AP. While the truth can be boring and is not a popular idea in political circles there is a place for it.

Benghazi is mostly settled. The American people already have the truth. You know what I find interesting about the investigation by the Blue Ribbon Panel? I find the Law under which the investigation was conducted more than interesting.

Pursuant to Title III of the Omnibus Diplomatic and Antiterrorism Act of 1986, 22 U.S.C. § 4831 et seq., (the “Act”),...

The Omnibus...Act of 1986 was signed into law by Ronald Reagan. It was based in the NEED for additional security of the State Department missions. It was about BUILDING secure facilities. The result of Congress to act on this law from 1986 is abysmal.

This is the act by the President to convene an advisory panel before the law was drawn up and written.

June 1985

INTRODUCTION

In convening (click here) the Advisory Panel on Overseas Security, the Secretary of State outlined the scope and dimension of the security problems that confront the United States in continuing to do diplomatic business overseas as well as in providing adequate reciprocal protection for foreigners stationed or visiting the United States on diplomatic business. With the cooperation of a wide range of U.S. Government domestic and foreign affairs agencies, the Panel has examined the issues that relate to diplomatic security in the U.S and overseas....

...The Panel recommends that the Secretary ask for legislation that would establish a Board of Inquiry or, alternatively, using existing authorities, put in place such board to undertake investigations into major security incidents in the future....

The significant part of this Advisory Panel is the fact in 1986 counterterrorism measures were recognized in increasing importance and that fact The State Department facilities were very valuable in understanding the networks within other nations. The one true way of understanding the elements in the country was to build an assessment of the security needs of the facilities.

...Future of the Threat

There is a consensus within the government and among private scholars that terrorism will be with us for a long time. The approach and kind of specific attacks will constantly change as defensive measures are taken to meet them. The United States will be a principal target of this assault. The evolution of terrorist groups from single issue elements -- such as the PLO, IRA and Basque Separatists -- to state-sponsored terrorism will ensure continued attacks against the United States....

There are many recommendations by the panel in 1986, but, to validate the high priority of the needs of the State Department is the paragraph above. In 1986, the Advisory Panel to Ronald Reagan knew the importance of a well funded State Department. In many ways, the foreign service was the forefront of understanding the networks throughout the world that could bring attacks to the USA. This is almost and in some ways more important than the military, yet The State Department continues to be underfunded with insufficient facilities.

That said, the truth about the IRS is still forthcoming in an Inspector General's report. This is more about Karl Rove than the Right Wing wants to admit. Rove was found to be violating the law. He had to disclose this donors. So, such insults to the IRS process will carry brevity with those in responsibility for the political integrity of the USA. This is going to damage the RNC. The Tea Party will become more popular because of this. I don't see this as an issue for Democrats actually.

The AP complaints are mostly mute. The government did not interfer with the operations of the media. There are no investigations of the media due to the findings of the government and this is more about intelligence gathering. This isn't about intimidation or oppression or the First Amendment.

Unfortunately, 2013 is looking like 365 days of "Friday the 13th" for the Obama Administration. It isn't easy being the guy with all the power of the Executive Office for eight years, ya know?

The Associated Press had problems, no? Sometimes the streams cross. I don't think the First Amendment is in trouble.

I hate to rain on the 'poor me' story of the AP, but, I assume the news community wanted their journalists returned and safe when possible, no? One of the statements made by Andrea Mitchell was, "One of the numbers is a phone we all use." Oh. 

I know it is noteworthy for every issue to be a scandal, but, there are reasons for the USA government to tap the lines of those with information captured, missing or imprisoned. One might recall Secretary Clinton was exceptionally successful in having Americans rescued from their own actions abroad. Hello? 

I find it interesting how the news media immediately wants to scream, "The sky is falling." Did the Associated Press not take into consideration the real purpose of the government for two months? 

Given the business, I hardly think a two month wiretap when the government interfered in the functions of journalists is a sincere issue. The best the news community can do is state "paranoia." Really? Anyone want to try that again?

NBC News (click here) chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel has gone missing in Syria, according to Turkish news reports. The reports also say that Aziz Akyavaş, a Turkish journalist working with Engel, is unaccounted for. NBC News has been successfully keeping Engel's status subject to a news blackout—one to which Gawker agreed until now—for at least the past 24 hours. ...

All this wasn't sensitive material even after the fact? You mean to tell if the USA government could garner information about Syria by tapping a news organization it wasn't going to do it? Whom exactly does the AP think they are? 

By DAVID BAUDERDec. 18, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC was able to keep (click here) the abduction of chief Middle East correspondent Richard Engel in Syria largely a secret until he escaped late Monday because it persuaded some of this country's most prominent news organizations to hold back on the story. 

Otherwise, the disappearance of Engel — probably the most high-profile international television reporter on a U.S. network — would have been big news. 

Engel and three colleagues, producers Ghazi Balkiz and Aziz Akyavas and photographer John Kooistra, escaped during a firefight between rebels and their captors, forces sympathetic to the Syrian government. The journalists were dragged from their cars, kept bound and blindfolded and threatened with death. 

NBC said it did not know what had happened to the men until after their escape. The first sign of trouble came last Thursday, when Engel did not check back with his office at an agreed-upon time....

And the records included Yemen. Get for real.

Journalists are often considered 'agents' abroad by some governments. It makes sense why sometimes.

The 'idea' this is oppressive of 'leakers' is nonsense. There are such things as Whistleblower Laws protecting those that bring information to the public that compromises them. So, that idea can take a hike.

The Second Amendment is being abused by a minority of Americans and the cities are victimized because of it.

There is no moral content in the violence of Mother's Day in New Orleans. It was not just a single person acting out in anger composing that immorality. It was a nation that permits it all. 

No one's rights are violated with a background check law. It is a method to reduce the incidence of these events while making a strong statement we are all concerned the tone in the country has been less vigilant than it should have been.

By Andrew Rafferty and Daniel Arkin, NBC News

New Orleans police (click here) have identified a 19-year-old man as a suspect in the  Mother’s Day shooting that wounded 19 people marching in a parade.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said at a press conference late Monday that an arrest warrant has been issued for Akein Scott. He was positively identified by more than one person, Serpas said.

Authorities searched three different addresses Monday night but were unable to find Scott, NBC New Orleans affiliate WDSU reported.

“We will be looking for Akein Scott for the rest of the night and tomorrow until we find him, and I would strongly recommend that Akein turn himself in,” said Serpas....

No more public education in Michigan. "Break the backs of the cities and it will happen."

Snyder won't 'bail out' the school system because it would create precedent to bailout the school where there are emergency managers now.

Snyder rather assign another emergency manager than have the students finish the school year.

Snyder is actively defunding education in Michigan, including university education. The state legislature has just added $50 million to the Michigan Rainy Day Fund to further deprive education of needed funding.

Apr. 27, 2013

...Business Leaders for Michigan, (click here) which includes executives at prominent Michigan companies, has called for annual $100 million funding increases to help reverse a roughly one-third cut to its support for higher education in the past decade.

“What this budget really represents is a dismantlement of public schools and the assurance that our college graduates will suffer from a lifetime of debt,” Sen. Morris Hood III, D-Detroit, said Thursday after voting against the Senate’s university budget.

House Democrats have proposed pulling $158 million from savings as part of a plan to reinstate individuals’ tax exemptions and credits eliminated by Republicans, raise funding for education and local governments, and keep movie-making incentives intact....

The Michigan Rainy Day fund has been used to bailout the State's cities and schools under the previous governor. But, Snyder wants to defund public education at all levels so he and the Republican Congress skim off monies into the Rainy Day Fund to create a shortage in funding in the state budget.

The rainy day fund has absolutely nothing to do with the state's financial rating. The rating is based on the GDP, not a savings account.

Snyder is a piece of work. He has recently authorized the lumbering of the state's forests and he is over riding a ballot initiative to prevent a hunt for wolves in the state. The state legislature and Snyder has systematically looked into any electorate referendum and legislate it's failure before it makes the ballot. This is their reaction to the ballot initiative that passed in November 2012 to end the emergency manager provision in the state. He is a dictator. He and his Republican House buddies.

(U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan (click here) and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder read “The Rainbow Fish” book to a pre-kindergarten class at Thirkell Elementary School in Detroit on Monday, May 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Detroit News, David Coates)


Snyder's "My Pet Goat" is "The Rainbow Fish." Crooked politician - yes, Governor - no. Snyder goes fishing for Wall Streets profits.

Yum, ain't so yum, yum.

But, deaths are not associated with cooked foods are they? I thought most of the H7N9 infections were from live animals and not cooked or processed foods. Did I get that wrong?

I mean it is better for the people to be cautious and maybe it is better to be safe than sorry, but, I don't remember seeing a link to processed or cooked foods. Does the virus die when heated?

SHANGHAI, MAY 13

Sales of fast food giant KFC (click here) in China slumped an estimated 36 per cent last month, according to parent Yum! Brands, as consumers shunned chicken due to the H7N9 bird flu outbreak in humans.

For Yum overall, which includes other restaurant chains such as Pizza Hut, Chinese same-store sales — a measure of turnover in established outlets — fell an estimated 29 per cent in April, according to an exchange filing on Friday.

An outbreak of H7N9 avian influenza, found in humans for the first time, has killed 35 people in China since the government began reporting figures in late March, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

The ministry today said that four new deaths had occurred in the past week.

Chinese cities have shut live poultry markets in response to the outbreak.

“Beginning the first week of April, publicity surrounding avian flu in China has had a significant, negative impact on KFC sales,” Yum said....

April 17, 2008
New vaccine may give long-term defense against deadly bird flu and its variant forms (click here)

A scientist named Suresh Mittal, a professor of comparative pathobiology in Purdue's College of Veterinary Medicine, has created a novel immunization procedure that includes genes from multiple strains of the virus and offers protection that could continue to exist through different mutations.

"Fortunately, avian influenza in humans tends to replicate deep in the lungs where it can't easily get out through coughing. However, the more people this virus infects, the more chances it has to evolve. It is important to keep a close watch on this outbreak."

S. Amendment 711 - continued - legal guns

``Howa Bolt Action Rifles(below-$400 for pink camo - click here)

       ``Howa Lightning Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Howa Realtree Camo Rifle
       ``H-S Precision Bolt Action Rifles(below - click here)



This was part of a statement about some kind of gun crime online, but, the ad is the ad. I don't really care what it was suppose to represent it is immoral and simply wrong. This belongs nowhere in an advertisement anywhere in the media. I hope it is criminal to display such atrocities. I doubt it is, Palin got away with her crosshairs. But, I don't care what kind of image is placed in gun crosshairs it needs to be criminal to do it. That picture is seriously disturbed content.
``Interarms Mark X Bolt Action Rifles(below-sold online for $1300.00-click here)


       ``Interarms Mark X Viscount Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Interarms Mark X Whitworth Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Interarms Mini-Mark X Rifle(below)


       ``Interarms Whitworth Express Rifle
       ``Iver Johnson Model 5100A1 Long-Range Rifle
       ``KDF K15 American Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Kenny Jarrett Bolt Action Rifle
       ``Kimber Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Krico Model 600 Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Krico Model 700 Bolt-Action Rifles
       ``Magnum Research Mount Eagle Rifles(below-Mount Eagle (click here) is a gun distributor - this rifle was manufactured by SAKO of Finland-click here).


``Marlin Model XL7
       ``Marlin Model XL7C
       ``Marlin Model XL7L
       ``Marlin Model XL7W
       ``Marlin Model XS7(below)


       ``Marlin Model XS7C
       ``Marlin Model XS7Y
       ``Marlin XL-7/XS7 Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Mauser Model 66 Bolt-Action Rifle (below-sold online $1300.00


``Mauser Model 99 Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``McMillan Classic Stainless Sporter
       ``McMillan Signature Alaskan
       ``McMillan Signature Classic Sporter(below)


       ``McMillan Signature Super Varminter
       ``McMillan Signature Titanium Mountain Rifle
       ``McMillan Talon Safari Rifle
       ``McMillan Talon Sporter Rifle
       ``Merkel KR1 Bolt Action Rifle
       ``Midland 1500S Survivor Rifle
       ``Mossberg Model 100 ATR (All-Terrain Rifle)(below)

...I requested a test rifle in a new chambering for the 100ATR. This year the 7mm-08 joins the .243 and .308 in the short mechanism (the .270 and .30-06 are cataloged for the long receiver). You can pick a walnut stock or a synthetic with one of four finishes: black, Mossy Oak Brush or Breakup Infinity, and Realtree AP. You can get a black-synthetic rifle with iron sights. The walnut stock is available only in the short-action version. It hikes weight about four ounces, to seven pounds, or the heft of a synthetic-stock long-action rifle. Mossberg lists both long and short models in packages with 3-9×40 scopes....

Link: http://www.gunsandammo.com/reviews/mossberg-100atr-review/

       ``Navy Arms TU-33/40 Carbine
       ``Nosler Model 48 Varmint Rifle
       ``Parker Hale Bolt Action Rifles
       ``Parker-Hale Model 81 Classic African Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 81 Classic Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 1000 Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 1100 Lightweight Rifle(below)


  ``Parker-Hale Model 1100M African Magnum
       ``Parker-Hale Model 1200 Super Clip Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 1200 Super Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 1300C Scout Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 2100 Midland Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 2700 Lightweight Rifle
       ``Parker-Hale Model 2800 Midland Rifle
       ``Remington 700 ADL Bolt-Action Rifle(below)


       ``Remington 700 BDL Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Remington 700 BDL European Bolt-Action Rifle
       ``Remington 700 BDL Left Hand
       ``Remington 700 BDL SS Rifle
       ``Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special
       ``Remington 700 Camo Synthetic Rifle
       ``Remington 700 Classic Rifle
       ``Remington 700 Custom KS Mountain Rifle
       ``Remington 700 Mountain Rifle
       ``Remington 700 MTRSS Rifle
       ``Remington 700 Safari
       ``Remington 700 Stainless Synthetic Rifle
       ``Remington 700 Varmint Synthetic Rifle
       More tomorrow - thank you your interest.

Meet Eric Boehlert. He pronounces his name BOW-LERT. Not BAY-LERT.

Cameron: "...has to realize there is no military victory..."

A Syrian boy sits in the rubble of house which was destroyed during a military operation by the Syrian pro-Assad army in April in the town of Taftanaz, Syria.

June 07, 2012 6:17 PM
By Deborah Amos

..."The army controls in daylight, (click here) the Free Syrian Army controls the night," as one activist explained....

Exactly. Russia and The West is finally getting on the same page about Syria. It looks hopeful. Prime Minister Cameron stated there has to be a realization there is no military victory in Syria. It will be best to bring all the parties to negotiations. This is mostly ethnic violence.

13 May 2013 Last updated at 14:41 ET

The US and the UK (click here) say they will work to strengthen the moderate opposition in Syria and create a transitional body to replace President Bashar al-Assad.

US President Barack Obama said such a body would be be the goal of a meeting in Geneva in "the coming weeks".

The US recently won Russian support for the conference.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, in Washington for talks, said there was an "urgent window of opportunity before the worst fears are realised" in Syria.

Since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule began more than two years ago, at least 70,000 people are believed to have been killed and more than 1.2 million are living outside Syria as refugees.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at the weekend that more than 80,000 people had died, a figure cited by Mr Cameron on Monday....

Russia wants a benevolence for the Syrian people and has stated through this entire episode in the Middle East there needs to be talks. It looks as though it will happen. With Russia seeking stability and The West supporting the opposition there should be good movement.

What the heck is going on with the EU. There is some controversy about the British Sterling and Scotland.

I think Europe is grasping at straws rather than confronting their wayward engagement of austerity.

The UK has brought about a great deal of success by bolstering the Euro. I doubt breaking up that relationship would be a good idea right now. I question what is driving that focus.

Page last updated at 13:43 GMT, Monday, 13 May 2013 14:43 UK
By Tom Martienssen
Newsbeat reporter

Back in the UK (click here) there's a row going on about our role in the European Union.

Tory MPs could force a Commons vote on an EU referendum on Wednesday with former defence secretary Michael Portillo calling for the UK to leave the EU.

David Cameron has accused the group of Conservatives of "throwing in the towel" before negotiations have even started.

What would leaving the EU mean in reality?...

...Last year the UK handed more than 11bn euros (£9bn) to the EU and received about 6.5bn euros (£5.5bn) back - aimed mainly at helping British farms.

However, if the UK ever needed extra money then the amount we gave and received would change.

Leaving Europe would mean that security would be gone....

Currency isn't the problem with the economies of Europe. The currencies are a symptom of the economies and assets of a country. It is not the integrity of the sovereign state of the money supply that is the problem. I find myself wondering if The Fed's programs are adversely effecting global currencies, actually. I find myself thinking Secretary Jack Lew was meeting with Chairman Bernanke for a review of the European currencies.

Thu Apr 18, 2013 4:37pm BST

* Sterling recovers vs dollar but outlook fragile (click here)

* Weak retail sales for March keeps BoE easing bets alive* Rebounds in sterling will be sold into

By Anooja Debnath

LONDON, April 18 (Reuters) - Sterling recovered from early losses to rise against the dollar on Thursday but it remained vulnerable after date kept alive the prospects of further monetary easing by the Bank of England.

Retail sales for March fell broadly in line with expectations, keeping the jury out on whether poor domestic demand and consumer spending pushed the British economy into recession in the first quarter.

Markets were forecasting a 0.8 percent fall in retail sales in March due to the unusually cold weather, so a 0.7 percent drop did little to support the currency, which fell to $1.5223, not far from the day's low of $1.5218....

Scotland seeking independence from the UK would transfer their sovereign worth to the Euro. Unless Scotland was thinking about developing their own currency. But, the independence of Scotland has to be realized first before the currency could be decided.

By David Milliken

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro zone's experience of countries (click here) sharing a currency but not a government shows there is no clear case for an independent Scotland to use sterling, Britain's finance ministry said on Tuesday.

The nation of 5 million will hold a referendum on September 18 next year to decide whether to split from the United Kingdom, at the instigation of the Scottish National Party that runs the country's devolved government.

Pro-independence campaigners want Scotland to keep sterling, at least in the early years of independence, and then to decide later whether to switch to its own currency.

But in a report on Tuesday, Britain's finance ministry said there was no clear case for the United Kingdom to agree to a formal currency union with an independent Scotland, which would have an economy of a similar size to New Zealand's.

"The economic rationale for the UK to agree to enter a formal sterling union with a separate state is not clear," said the report, which was prepared by non-partisan civil servants.

"The recent experience of the euro area has shown that it is extremely challenging to sustain a successful formal currency union without close fiscal integration and common arrangements for the resolution of banking sector difficulties," it added....

I think it is correct in that Scotland abandoning the Sterling would be negligible to the Brits. Scotland actually would have a leg up on any currency transfer because it have been solidly linked to the Sterling, a stable currency. So, there would be less problems for the Scots than say Spain when they were converting to the Euro.

It looks as though Secretary Lew is assessing the global currency in relation to the overall picture of the USA. It is one thing to assess the currencies in relation to each other without prejudice of impact, but, Lew needs to have a pow-wow with Bernanki.

Bernanki and Lew need to examine the effect of The Fed's policies on global currency and NONE of it should be planned adversity to any nation. But, they also need to discuss the issue of inflation, too. The Fed and the USA Treasury better have a darn good handle on where inflation will occur and when they have to counter it.

The Brits and Europe have to stop their austerity measures. That isn't getting them anywhere. Europe and the Brits should not be blaming currency stability for their troubles, it is the other way around. The troubles they face effect their currencies. If the currencies are stable but delicate now is the time for Europe to begin reversing the austerity trend. I think austerity might have served a purpose for awhile for Europe, but, reversing austerity will better serve their countries and end the fluctuation in their currencies.



May 10, 2013 at 8:00 AM ET

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew (click here) told CNBC on Friday that the U.S. debt ceiling would not be reached until September, though he said it was not an excuse for Congress to relax.

"The debt limit will be reached in just a few days when it expires on May 18 but because of the cash flows we can predict that we will be okay until Labor Day," Lew told CNBC in an interview in London.

"People shouldn't relax, Congress should deal with this right away. The uncertainty caused by putting this off is not good. The anxiety caused to the U.S. and world economy by putting this off until the last minute is not good," Lew said on the sidelines of a meeting of G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors.

The two-day meeting, which began on Friday, is expected to address whether policymakers can do more to encourage a fragile global recovery .

Lew forecast that in the coming 12 months the global economy would continue its recovery but, he said, it required a global, concentrated effort.

"The economy is healing—certainly in the U.S., I think that there are many challenges ahead and in a meeting like this [G-7] one, it's an important time to ask the question what we can all do to create more growth and more jobs."...

It was important for the USA to expand and stabilize it's economy. It is a huge global economy and a stable USA is a strong springboard for other nation's rebuilding. The USA's economy is doing better and the President has lead a valiant recovery. In only a few more years the USA will again have a national debt that is manageable.

The USA had a stagnant economic content before the global economic collapse. The job growth was very sluggish. President Obama has moved mountains to increase small business opportunity while spurring infrastructure spending. He and his administration has done remarkable work. The EU and the Brits need to take their stand on reversing austerity. Reversing austerity will capture marginal growth and build on it. 

We know now the Middle Class of The West is the real economic engine to growth. The more currency in the hands of the Middle Class and the facilitating of the Poor to upward movement is the real picture for economic stability. The UK and Europe are in good position to harness that economic engine and begin to regrow their economies. At that point, the recovery of The West will be exponential as Europeans have more money to spend and grow their own cottage business industries. The US and Europe can then begin to trade and encourage tourism that will benefit the economies of each continent.

Basically, it is time Europe to catch the tailwind of the recovering United States. It will begin to counter the drag on both continents economy.

I hope the Tea Party takes over the GOP.

It is going to be great. Shulman needs to go. He has an agenda. He was involved with the sale of the stock exchange and then slid into the position with the IRS. Now, the IRS is instituting the Affordable Care Act. Between he and Sebelius the law doesn't have a chance.

But, the GOP primaries should be very interesting, ya think? The IRS has the institution of the new law because of the tax penalty. That's a no brainer. 

By LINDSEY BOERMA / 

CBS NEWS/ May 13, 2013, 6:00 AM

...An apology Friday (click here) by the IRS conceding the "inappropriate" practice of singling out groups with keywords like "Tea Party," "Patriot" and "9/12 Project" in their names to flag for heightened, typically burdensome, scrutiny is "not sufficient reparation for violating the constitutional rights of United States citizens," said Jenny Beth Martin, national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots.

"The Tea Party Patriots rejects the apology from the Internal Revenue Service," Martin said in a statement. "The IRS lied. They lied before Congress in 2011, and they lied again [in the agency's apology]. We must know how many more lies they have been telling, and how high up the chain the cover-up goes."...

The lastest political rant from FOX is about the crash of a Navy Helicopter in Afghanistan in 2011. It is a back drop to the Massachusetts Senate race.

Posted: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 9:51 pm

...Gomez is a newcomer to politics. (click here) He's the son of Colombian immigrants and learned English in kindergarten. He became a Navy pilot and SEAL, earned an MBA at Harvard and launched a private equity career.

Kerry resigned from the Senate to become U.S. secretary of state....

Here again FOX has the families of the dead all revved up and screaming Anti-Obama as if the Commander and Chief was part of a conspiracy. Here we go again. FOX has a methodology that is very anti-government when it suits them. The helicopter crash is another issue like Benghazi and they are demanding hearings. I mean hearings about Secret Ops? Give me a break, that is a guaranteed CONSPIRACY theory to benefit elections.

...The Associated Press (click here) is reporting that a rocket attack took down the Chinook (probably a MH-47) , quoting an unnamed source in Washington D.C., but this has yet to be confirmed officially. The Taliban, of course, has taken credit, saying it shot down the helo during a special forces raid on a home. 

For now, let's assume the Chinook was shot down, and by a rocket. Chinooks are American forces' preferred helicopters in Afghanistan because they are powerful enough fly over mountains while carrying a full complement of troops. They are also pretty tough; the only comparable loss to this one was a Chinook shot down in 2005. But Chinooks are at their most vulnerable while hovering in place during raids like the one this team is thought to have been conducting. They have to slow down to land or allow troops to rappel to the ground. However, it would be a very lucky shot to hit a moving Chinook with an RPG and they typically fly high to avoid such dangers as well as small arms fire....

This is where it gets really bizarre. According to FOX propaganda the helicopter was a Chinook and not a 'real' Seal Team helicopter. The families carry on about the fact there were six or seven Afghan soldiers changed out at the last minute which is counter to Seal Team policy. And they state there was no pre-fire laid down to insure the safety of the team. The pre-fire was not carried out because of concern for the Afghan people in the area.

At least one of the families are really angry and resent not receiving information to their questions. 

Now, supposedly the change in Afghan military compromised the mission, but, there were no soldiers killed by gun fire. The 38 people dead on the mission were killed in the crash that supposedly the Taliban succeeded.

The complaints by the families don't track. This was not the first helicopter to crash or to be shot down in Afghanistan. Helicopters are always targets, that was true in other USA wars. Why this crash is receiving attention is because of the Seal Team status. In other words, this was the same unit that carried out the raid on the Osama bin Laden's compound and killed him. The families believe the commanders compromised the safety of the soldiers and this was retribution from within the Afghan forces.

So, because FOX needs still another uptick to the Benghanzi hearings they are beginning this mess. There is no resolving this to the public. This was more than likely a training mission and that is something else, the families state these Americans should not have been training Afghans. Who is going to? 

...Special Forces are expected to keep the pressure on the Taliban, working closely with Afghan forces to maintain control as U.S and Coalition troops depart. That means more raids, more targets and more reliance on Afghan competence—all of which add up to more special forces casualties.... 

The entire complaint by FOX is irresolvable. The rant is guaranteed to be still yet another conspiracy by the Obama Administration to hide facts and 'the truth.' The very fact FOX News is seeking 'the truth' reveals an election campaign to bring leverage. There is little to no truth at FOX. This might be a first though. It isn't enough they have made a fool of Issa, now they want more on their Ship of Fools.

...DevGru is an emblem of U.S. military power, known worldwide. This crash is incredibly demoralizing. Could an enemy have specifically targeted the U.S. special forces team that took down bin Laden? It's certainly possible. Just last week the Afghans arrested an Army officer for aiding Taliban suicide bombers through checkpoints, and doing so under employ by Pakistan.

Special forces are very selective on who they partner with, but any collaboration with Afghans opens up U.S. Forces to the threat of spying. Several Afghans were on board and were killed, but trust is in short supply in Afghanistan. Add in the fact that more sophisticated foreign intelligence agents are on the ground, with signals intelligence assets and deep pockets, and you have a recipe for a plot....

This stuff happens. These nations are conflicted over religious loyalty and that of their government. Where infidels exist there is a higher opportunity to disloyalty and the Taliban infiltrate the ranks. That is a problem in the Middle East. There is no loyalty to NATO or the USA within these countries when it comes to military engagements. The infiltration that occurs in Afghanistan in Green on Blue attacks is unprecedented.

So, now the conspiracies by the Obama Administration is getting longer with every day of 'talk television and radio.' So far, going into 2014, it is Benghazi, the IRS and now Seal Team Six. We can only wait with bated breath to see what tomorrow brings from FOX.

The President needs to reread his job description, it doesn't include spending hours on end with conspiracies against the people of the USA.

"Morning Papers" - It's Origins (click here)

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

"Good Night, Moon"

Waxing Crescent

9% Full

By Megan Gannon, Space.com

NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg (click here) is launching on a six-month mission to the International Space Station this month, so she's making sure to savor this Mother's Day with her 3-year-old son and her husband, who also happens to be an astronaut.

Nyberg and her husband, NASA astronaut Doug Hurley, are in Moscow for Mother's Day and she described the challenges of balancing life as astronaut and a mom to Parenting Magazine while counting down to a May 28 launch to the International Space Station. 

Nyberg first flew in space in 2008, launching on the shuttle Discovery and spending two weeks at the space station. But that was before her son Jack, now a toddler, was born. Now she is preparing for her first long-duration mission in space, which can be tough for any parent, Nyberg said....