Hedge-fund manager Paul Singer recognized the risks of subprime mortgages and bet against them. Now he warns that monetary policy could cripple American banks again.
James Freeman, The Wall Street Journal, 19 March 2011
Phi Beta Iota: Absolutely worth a full read. Here's the bottom line: US Government is simply not serious about regulation; the Federal Reserve in assuming faith in the dollar and printing money so fast inflation is inevitable and a total collapse of the dollar possible; the big banks are still over-leveraged; and a mega-meltdown is a virtual certainty. We assume the “elite” think they can stave off the melt-down until after November 2011 so as to have four more years of a compliant complacent government.
Have you seen this? Passing off DoD-sponsored “sock puppets” as Information Operations (IO) is ridiculous on its face, as it is a waste of time, tax-payer dollars, and once again represents a one-off, niche contractor hardware/software solution that will show not only no ROI, but is likely to hurt our engagement efforts from the mere mention of this article in some foreign venues.
It ticks me off that DoD is investing in these types of programs instead of actually educating and training its personnel/forces on international conditions and realities through open media avenues. If done properly and consistently such an effort could well produce a cadre of ad-hoc IO proponents who may be inclined to engage foreigners via social media on a variety of hot-button issues (among which extremism is likely to be a part, although not necessarily the primary issue) as the natural outgrowth of their developing awareness and own
personal concern, not as part of some elaborate, pre-planned information campaign.
In fact, I am willing to bet such an investment in our folks would produce more straightforward and meaningful dialog that would contribute to future stability, peace, and trend towards understanding and shared ideals — vice trying to manipulate foreign media through fake personas managed by remote operators.
I mean really, who comes up with this stuff?
Phi Beta Iota: It breaks our heart to see the new two and three star generals following in the “go along to get along” careerist footpaths of the four-star generals and their predecessors who created this mess in the first place by not listening in the 1990's when the independent of mind had this nailed. We wish every happiness for these young generals–they are at a fork in the road: be all you can be, or not. Education and culture, multinational open source everything, are the key. To ignore that is to betray every young American, in uniform or not.
Tesla Scalar Wave billion watt generator arrays exist and are used for earthquake generation and weather control. People on the ground, before the earthquake event, see ionization in the sky (like the aurora borealis, but visible in the daytime). Then they see what looks like ball lightning striking the ground, then they experience the earthquake or natural disaster. Watch 9:51 Video.
Phi Beta Iota: As with 9/11, this is part of a growing body of public information that calls into question the integrity of all named parties, and suggests the need for weapons of mass destruction inspections in depth (not a phony open house). We regard this video as an earnest personal effort that is very informed but also very incomplete. We include electromagnetic weaponry and neutralization measures in Advanced Cyber/Information Operations. It also qualifies for the IO Idiocy label–the lunacy continues.
Almost 65 percent of Americans now believe that the war in Afghanistan is not worth fighting. The number is up 20 points from results in 2009 when 44 percent did not think the war worth fighting, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Phi Beta Iota: Afghanistan, like Iraq, is an elective war founded on hundreds of lies to the public by a pair of Administrations who have substituted ideology for intelligence and profiteering for public service. The seismic change occurring today is centered on what can the public know, when. Public intelligence in the public interest is destined to kick in sooner with each passing year. One day, elective wars will be impossible.
Hacker Group Anonymous Brings Peaceful Revolution To America: Will Engage In Civil Disobedience Until Bernanke Steps Down
The world's most (in)famous hacker group – Anonymous – known for effectively shutting down their hacking nemesis security firm (with clients such as Morgan Stanley and, unfortunately for them, Bank of America)- HBGary, advocating the cause of Wikileaks, and the threat made by one of its members that evidence of fraud by Bank of America will be released on Monday, has just launched communication #1 in its Operation “Empire State Rebellion.” The goal – engage in “a relentless campaign of non-violent, peaceful, civil disobedience” until Ben Bernanke steps down and the “Primary Dealers within the Federal Reserve banking system be broken up and held accountable for rigging markets and destroying the global economy effective immediately.”
Phi Beta Iota: Bernanke, like Obama, is a front. As long as Goldman Sachs occupies the Secretary of the Treasury and the National Security Advisor positions, as long as no one goes to jail starting with Rubin, Summers, and Gaither, one can salute their intentions, but question their intelligence (as in decision support). They can start by reading Matt Taibbi's Griftopia–Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America.
On the evening on March 24, 2011, EFF staff activists will discuss the state of government surveillance and privacy in the United States at “Government Surveillance in a Digital World,” an event hosted by San Francisco Intersection for the Arts, with a live video stream by BAMM.tv.
One of the many topics to be discussed is the PATRIOT Act. For nearly ten years, EFF has fought to reform or repeal the overbroad authority granted to law enforcement through the PATRIOT Act, and this year, we have a chance to introduce significant reforms. Thanks to bipartisan opposition and the efforts of grassroots activists, Congress rejected a rubber-stamp reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act and instead vowed to spend three months debating reforms to this law. This gives us an incredible opportunity to speak out against the PATRIOT Act and tell Congress that we don’t want any laws that trample on our civil liberties.
Join the EFF activism team in person or online for a a wide-ranging discussion on privacy in the digital world, online free expression, and how we can work together to stop Congress from reauthorizing a PATRIOT Act that enables excessive government surveillance.
By the end of the attack, Barr's iPad was reputedly erased, his LinkedIn and Twitter accounts were hijacked, the HBGary Federal website was defaced, proprietary HBGary source code was stolen and with over 71,000 private emails now published to the internet, HBGary was laid bare.
In this, was our first lesson: The asymmetry of cyber warfare.
