G-7 May Break With Currency Tradition as Status Fades

Bloomberg.com

By Simon Kennedy and Matthew Brown

Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) — Group of Seven finance officials meet this weekend in Istanbul debating whether to surrender the weapon that helped shape currency markets for three decades.

One week after the Group of 20 anointed itself the world economy’s main policy forum, G-7 finance ministers and central bankers may break with tradition and choose not to release a statement on the global economy and currencies, said officials who declined to be identified. That would deprive traders of the commentary that policy makers frequently use to influence exchange rates.

The debate over the G-7’s role comes as European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney signal concern about the U.S. dollar’s slide over the past seven months and Japan’s new government struggles to find a clear line on the yen. The diversity of the G-20, which includes China and India, means investors may have to deal with conflicting signals as its members seek common ground. …

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=avizU3XyiGBo

On the G-7’s watch, the world’s economy crashed. A reason for the crash now appears to center on the economic“policies” of America’s neocons.

A reaction to that catastrophe has produced the G-20.  Rather than see the “death of capitalism” the G-20 wants to present a broader view of the world’s economy. Hopefully that will prevent a single man from wrecking the economy of the world. The world has responded to the problem of a crashed economy. It remains to be seen, how this will work out.

However, another world organization needs the attention of the world. That organization is the United Nations.

The concept of the United Nations’ Security Council ought to be revisited. A very narrow vision of the world seems to come from that body. A good example of how that vision seems to be impaired is the difference in its treatment of Israel and the Arab world.

Israel was once called Palestine. But the United Nations, using its “enforcement power”, set up conditions that caused the Palestinians to flee Palestine. The new Jewish “land owners” established what would have made Adolf Hitler smile – a model of his Aryan nation – a country made especially for a race of people – a Zionist nation. Israel is a country made possible by the action of terrorists – NOT of the Arab type.

The crashed world economy provoked a review of world economic policy. A crashed Middle East policy ought to provoke a review of that world organization on whose watch the crashed happened – the United Nations. If it is not possible to impact the UN’s Security Council then one must wonder about the future of the United Nations. Perhaps the “League of Nations” beckons.

It makes no sense to let-live a policy that is as biased as the United Nations Middle East policy. It makes no sense to have, on the UN’s watch, a policy that permits the creation and expansion of a nuclear arsenal for a favorite nation while “hounding” any attempt to produce a nuclear deterrent by those whose land was stolen in 1948.

Perhaps those 150 nations, who do see a bias, will not let up on their effort to “transform” the United Nations. If “what ails the United Nations” can’t be transformed, then serious thought out to be given to finding out what grave-yard the League of Nations was buried in.

***

Can This Black Box See Into the Future?

RedOrbit

February 11, 2005

DEEP in the basement of a dusty university library in Edinburgh lies a small black box, roughly the size of two cigarette packets side by side, that churns out random numbers in an endless stream.

At first glance it is an unremarkable piece of equipment. Encased in metal, it contains at its heart a microchip no more complex than the ones found in modern pocket calculators.

But, according to a growing band of top scientists, this box has quite extraordinary powers. It is, they claim, the ‘eye’ of a machine that appears capable of peering into the future and predicting major world events.

The machine apparently sensed the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre four hours before they happened – but in the fevered mood of conspiracy theories of the time, the claims were swiftly knocked back by sceptics. But last December, it also appeared to forewarn of the Asian tsunami just before the deep sea earthquake that precipitated the epic tragedy.

Now, even the doubters are acknowledging that here is a small box with apparently inexplicable powers.

‘It’s Earth-shattering stuff,’ says Dr Roger Nelson, emeritus researcher at Princeton University in the United States, who is heading the research project behind the ‘black box’ phenomenon.

‘We’re very early on in the process of trying to figure out what’s going on here. At the moment we’re stabbing in the dark.’ Dr Nelson’s investigations, called the Global Consciousness Project, were originally hosted by Princeton University and are centred on one of the most extraordinary experiments of all time. Its aim is to detect whether all of humanity shares a single subconscious mind that we can all tap into without realising.

And machines like the Edinburgh black box have thrown up a tantalising possibility: that scientists may have unwittingly discovered a way of predicting the future. …

…But then on September 6, 1997, something quite extraordinary happened: the graph shot upwards, recording a sudden and massive shift in the number sequence as his machines around the world started reporting huge deviations from the norm. The day was of historic importance for another reason, too.

For it was the same day that an estimated one billion people around the world watched the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales at Westminster Abbey. …

…The Eggs also regularly detect huge global celebrations, such as New Year’s Eve.

But the project threw up its greatest enigma on September 11, 2001.

As the world stood still and watched the horror of the terrorist attacks unfold across New York, something strange was happening to the Eggs.

Not only had they registered the attacks as they actually happened, but the characteristic shift in the pattern of numbers had begun four hours before the two planes even hit the Twin Towers. …

http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=126649

It has been awhile since the above article was posted. I don’t know the current status of the “black box” detection system. Hopefully, and I suspect it is – still functional.

***

RNC Suggests Dems May Deny GOP Health Care

A Survey Sent in the Mail by the Republican Party Suggests Democrats May Restrict Care to Republicans

CBS News

POLITICS

Aug. 28, 2009

(AP) The Republican national party has mailed a fundraising appeal that suggests Democrats might use an overhaul of the health care system to deny medical treatment to Republicans.

A questionnaire accompanying the appeal says the government could check voting registration records, “prompting fears that GOP voters might be discriminated against for medical treatment in a Democrat-imposed health care rationing system.”

It asks, “Does this possibility concern you?”
Katie Wright, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said the question was “inartfully worded.”

She said, however, that people should worry because government officials would have access to personal financial and medical data. …

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/28/politics/main5272000.shtml?tag=stack

Now lets go over this one again – S-L-O-W-L-Y:

“A S-u-r-v-e-y S-e-n-t in the M-a-i-l by the R-e-p-u-b-l-i-c-a-n P-a-r-t-y   s-u-g-g-e-s-t-s D-e-m-o-c-r-a-t-s M-a-y R-e-s-t-r-i-c-t C-a-r-e to            R-e-p-u-b-l-i-c-a-n-s”

How low can they go?

Now they want you to believe that Republicans will be subject to “bias” if Democrats are able to overcome their stonewalling of health care for all America. Let us revisit the definition of PROPAGANDA.

Noun: Propaganda

1. Information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause

WordWeb

The cause is the derailing of health care for Americans. Neocons want to derail health care for America. The health care industry also wants to derail health care for America. It is not unusual for Republicans to oppose health care for America’s citizens. They have provided opposition to Democrat’s efforts at health care since 1945 – 64 years.

So, if the Republicans continue “stonewalling” health care for America, and Democrats attempt to pass health care over their stonewalling,  then the Democrats  “may try to deny health care to Republicans” RIGHT?.

So, how will health care detect Republicans. It would be too clumsy to just come out and have an application form ask: “ARE YOU A REPUBLICAN”? That would surely raise a ruckus.

The neocons know or should know that an application will or should need to be filled out. You can’t manage what you can’t measure. The government should be asking questions to confirm citizenship and other details of the applicant. Knowing this, the Republicans have come up with another one of their “mind teasers” – how will the government form “detect” Republicans.

By now, every American ought to know  “NEVER TO TAKE REPUBLICAN’S RHETORIC AT FACE VALUE”. As few as “16 words” of rhetoric, taken at face value,  were helpful in steering America into a war with Iraq. The document that those “16 words” referred to were bogus. By now, every American ought to know “NEVER TO TAKE REPUBLICAN’S RHETORIC AT FACE VALUE”.  If necessary, “queue up the rhetoric” for later validation. That should help one “separate the wheat from the chaff”

***

Technorati Tags: rnc,dems,deny gop health care,voting registration records,care rationing system,inartfully worded

In defence of the NHS: I’m glad I didn’t break my leg in the US | Society | The Guardian

Stephen Bates’ intensive treatment after a serious fall has left him bewildered by attacks on the NHS in
America

guardian.co.uk

Stephen Bates

The Guardian, Wednesday 19 August 2009

Stephen Bates’ bill for fixing his broken leg would have been upwards of £47,000 in the US.

Of all the thoughts that flashed through my mind as I fell from 15ft up a ladder one morning last May, the potential financial cost of my unexpected descent was not one. I had been trying to paint the weatherboard above the bedroom windows of our house; a whim that had occurred to me in the middle of the night (as these things do) while working out chores for my week’s holiday. Unfortunately, I reached just a little too far on a ladder just a little too short, and suddenly felt it slide from under me. Bouncing off the wall, knocking off the guttering and a carriage lamp in the process, I eventually collapsed in an inelegant heap on top of the ladder. …

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/19/nhs-healthcare-america

***

Technorati Tags: stephen bates,intensive treatment,serious fall,bewildered by attacks on nhs in america,broken leg,£47,000

Germany bans cola after drug test

 

BBC NEWS

May 26 2009

The authorities in six German states have ordered retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after traces of cocaine were found in it.

The recall came after a sample analysis conducted in North-Rhine Westphalia found one litre of the drink contained 0.4 micrograms of the banned substance.

Officials said the cocaine levels were too low to pose a health threat but were not permitted in foodstuffs.

Red Bull said its cola was "harmless and marketable" in both the US and EU.

The company said coca leaf extracts were used worldwide as a natural flavouring, and that its own tests had found no traces of cocaine. …

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8067970.stm

Technorati Tags: red bull cola,cocaine,banned substance,harmless and marketable,us,eu

Where Did All the Birds Go?

A few years ago, Spring weather brought out many different varieties of birds. The bird-songs would start in the early hours of the morning.

And spiders were on the move. And park grass was being cut. And bird families were noisily feasting on insects that cutting the park grass produced. The little ones were forever hungry and chirping. What happened to them?

There was even an expanding parakeet family(possibly released out of their natural habitat) that appeared to be thriving. I rarely see them anymore. Their habit of building their nests among power lines of utility poles did not set well with power companies because those nests could sometimes catch fire.

But it seems that, across the board, there has been a significant decrease in the bird population. Maybe they are not dead. Maybe they moved on to other locations – maybe.

Technorati Tags: where did the birds go,spiders,park grass,insects,parakeet family,significant decrease in bird population

Whatever Happened to the Word “Monopoly”?

You don’t hear the word “monopoly” much anymore.

One American company, that controlled much of America’s telecommunications was impacted by America’s monopoly laws but has since regained much, if not all of its previous strength.

A possible reason that the word “monopoly(business)” has diminished in the business world is that today, business is global.

Global means American companies sell and compete with companies – globally. And in order to stay competitive American companies need “business friendly” conditions. Labor is one of the “utmost” business concerns. And “business friendly” labor is generally a goal of businesses of all persuasions.

Even before the idea of global business took hold, America’s  businesses, most impacted by the minimum wage, seemed to be proud of the “stability” of the minimum wage. The minimum wage was “anchored in concrete”. The minimum wage did not move.

While one segment of America’s business was focused on minimum wage employees, another segment of America’s business was focused on high-tech employees. House Bill H-1B(business friendly) helped businesses bring foreign employees into America to  compete with America’s home grown labor. Remember, today’s market is global in scope and it is business friendly to allow business to seek out the most competitive labor prices – so as to stay competitive.

But seeking out competitive labor prices by business must be “way different” from seeking out competitive product prices by the American consumer.

The American consumer’s attempt to seek out the most favorable prescription drug prices pointed them to CANADA.

That must not have been “business friendly”. It appeared that America’s pharmaceuticals intended products shipped to Canada be consumed in Canada. It appeared that “global” did not apply to the purchase of the pharmaceutical’s products – only to the creation of the pharmaceutical’s products. Advantage – pharmaceuticals.

But if the creator of the product could reach globally while developing the product, why was it so undesirable for the product’s sale to be so restricted.

Welcome to the world of BUSINESS FRIENDLY.

Business fights for what it wants – not necessarily what the consumer wants. There is the possibility of conflicting desires – which, in a civilized country, ought to be addressed by rules that are as fair as can be. When the top “leadership” of a country “looks the other way” as any major entity in the country operates, undesirable results are likely to follow. And why adults wouldn’t know this is a mystery.

Is there such a thing as a business “monopoly” in a global economy? If a company can control a product’s price no matter where, in the global economy it is sold, how would one describe that? Fair trade?

Technorati Tags: monopoly,business,global,business friendly,labor,minimum wage,product prices,american consumer,pharmaceuticals

Neocons and Name Calling

Neocons and their supporters have a way with “name calling”. Name calling is efficient. When you call someone a name, generally you are not required to give supporting information. The name called is generally sufficient.

An early name that I saw aimed at “liberal types” was “TREE HUGGER”. That is a simple two-word name that requires no explanation. I had never heard that name applied to people before but I understood a meaning instantly.

Back during the time when the Bush team was trying to make the Judicial Branch of America’s government more like the Legislative Branch(pre 2006 joined at the hip) the “TELL AMERICA” press had many columnists calling their readers(suspected liberals) names.

Central to many of the names called was the words “BIBLE THUMPER”. With “BIBLE THUMPER” as the core name, additional words could be linked thus making a very long name to call a liberal type. The longest “called name” that I saw required four hyphens for word linkage. That name was called in response to liberal types asking for discussion before seating a Bush team judge on the United States’ Supreme court. And no, this wasn’t Mr. Bush’s personal attorney.

Still, it is not too much of a surprise to “hear” name calling from columnists, who after all are allowed their OPINIONS in print. But eyebrows are likely to be raised when name calling is used in high levels of government.

When Scott McClellan,  first publicized his book about his days in the White House, one of the President’s advisors responded to concerns voiced by Scott McClellan by directing attention to Scott McClellan. That is a classic way to rebut something that, for whatever reason, you are not ready to rebut. Name calling “fills the bill” here:

Instead, Rove told FOX News’ “Hannity & Colmes” it sounded more like “a liberal blogger.”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358881,00.html

“It sounded more like a liberal blogger”. Was a Presidential advisor reduced to name-calling? Does sounding like a “liberal blogger” mean the content published by the blogger is suspect?

LIAR

Over the years, I have visited a number of neocon websites. And I have been called names. The name that I was called the most number of times is LIAR.

One neocon supporter called me LIAR, LIAR, LIAR. We were discussing the Bush team’s “pre-requisites” to the Iraq war. At that time a Niger-Iraq yellowcake connection was a “pre-requisite”.

Attempting to focus on what Joseph Wilson, Ex-Ambassador to Niger, found or did not find slipped into a focus on Joseph Wilson, his wife, Valerie Plame and the neocon – heavy pre-2006 American Congress.

That neocon did not want to talk about a Niger-Iraq yellowcake link. That neocon used name calling in defense of his position. And I discovered that name calling was a much used tool of the neocons.

America is fortunate to have survived twenty-four years of “leadership” by the neocons. And the neocons continue to prove they are more about RHETORIC than PERFORMANCE. Try as you might, you are not likely to find a neocon atta-boy during all those years of neocon “leadership”.

Technorati Tags: neocons,name calling,tree hugger,bible thumper,liar,valerie plame,joseph wilson,liberal blogger

Hearsay Vs Cherished Belief?

 

Gaza soldier accounts ‘hearsay’

‘Holocaust bishop’ told to recant

 

Technorati Tags: hearsay,cherished belief

FTC Warns Against Deceptive DRM

 

Slashdot

Posted by kdawson on Friday March 27, @01:31PM
from the we’ll-come-calling dept.

Jane Q. Public writes "At the Federal Trade Commission’s Seattle conference on DRM, FTC Director Mary Engle started off by referencing the Sony rootkit debacle, and said that companies are going to have to get serious about disclosing DRM that may affect the usability of products. She also said that disclosure via the fine print in a EULA is not good enough, and ‘If your advertising giveth and your EULA taketh away, don’t be surprised if the FTC comes calling.’ Transcripts and webcasts are available from the FTC website."

usa government awesome news government story

http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/27/152205

It has been a long time in coming but finally an agency of the US government may be ready to take a look at some of the “business friendly” capers that were ignored/overlooked by the previous administration?

And besides, it may have been difficult for the previous administration  – “knee deep” in spying on all its “charges” to reprimand an entity for such a narrow focus.

Technorati Tags: federal trade commission,deceptive drm,slashdot,sony rootkit