A grumpy old bathplug raves

[masalai]

A man with a house AND a boat - capitalist! or is it a house-boat? - so where did you go on your aeroplane ride?

[masalai]

Fiscal markets have gone stupid/nuts/mad or is Bernanke playing with the levers again/still????? US$ up on nothing but ******** and Gold down on naked short selling - - - If, for arguements sake, China uses this opportunity to buy up the short positions in gold, using up some of its soon to be worthless USTreasuries etc, and demand settlement in bullion, That could lead to slavery of the American people as gross defaulters and unable to meet their international obligations - If the disgruntled buyer was N Korea USA could expect something stupid like another test firing???? - - - - Is that rabid enough to get several equally rabid responses from an apathetic brain dead once great nation? - - - - The ONLY way to get out of debt is to get off your fat overfed arses and do some productive work, One does not get out of debt by getting more into debt..... USA had some international obligations, and the poor citizens are going to end up paying for the idiocy and stupidity of the money controllers - Your doom is almost a foregone conclusion usanians, are you going to wake up?

This might explain the situation calmly http://financialsense.com/fsu/editor...2009/0605.html

[masalai]

Jeees do I have to regularly kick arse around here? Has no one got something to grizzle about such that they can earn the title of being called a "grumpy old bastard" by posting it in this thread.... Pushing the same barrow gets a bit tedious, so it is about time you lazy mob got your fingers tapping on the keyboard and refrain from scratching dags from near your arses for a while

[Bamby]

In my opinion this country has been sold out to as Mass would say to the money controllers, wall street greed, corrupt self centered politicians out for their own self centered greed. They've got all the rails lined up and the trains are running full tilt toward each other, and we as individual citizens are helpless to somehow apply the breaks and are helplessly sidelined waiting and watching for the crash .

What is normal or is going to be considered normal in the future. With so much of our manufacturing capability and base now gone forever overseas for more favorable tax base and cheaper labor available there. With many of our industries now controlled by foreign owners who may actually have some patriotic pride in their own country. And now have the ability to idle or close plants here to keep their own countrymen working at America's working class expense or sacrifice. I'm really wondering how we as a country are going to recover to a viable country with jobs enough to go around for everyone even low paying ones. WM only needs so many people to stock their shelf's, and retail can only keep so many people employed. Where are the rest supposed to work.

You go get them Mass I've been reading your work for months and they deserving everything you've ranted about plus some. But always remember their are still some good Americans left, but I think we are defiantly now a minority.

[masalai]

I thank you Bamby, My bitch is NOT towards the mostly good citizenry of USA, and never has - - - except - - - to incite some action/reaction/response - You can hold a community "tea-party" and invite your local member to "please explain"... Get several suburbs/streets together and have stalls selling tea, cookies, cordial, seedlings of herbs & vegetables all HOME PRODUCED and NOT from a shop a sort of home made swap meet, then invite the local media or organise to have highlights of the local parliamentary member being grilled with embarrassing questions about the economy he cannot answer to be posted on twitter/ - Do what the Chinese students did to ?Geitner? when he attempted to assure one questioner of the strength of the US$ and that the US would honour the value of the debts in treasury bonds held overseas by LAUGHING at the naivety of the man... also start petitions to send to congressmen...
* fix the illegal/immoral trading,
* stop pork-barreling and spend on NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE,
* pay back the set aside funds for pensions/medical etc that the government has borrowed and has not paid back,
* legislate to stop corporations from exporting jobs for profit margins,
* Close the FED and make the mint a FULLY owned by the US Govt operation and NOT as it is now, owned by a few banks for their profit,
* Make the regulators regulate and prosecute illegal/immoral/unethical/antisocial etc acts
* Fix the business regulations so that normal business activities are not burdened with "redtape" and illegal/etc acts are heavily penalised and prosecuted
* Link the dollar to the cash value of the precious metals and that the metals were not manipulated by unethical manipulation of paper hedges

You live there, refine that list and get politically involved - even if you just organise to deluge your local member with issues and complaints and publicly "out" any tardiness or lack of thoroughness at responding to the deluge of mail/email through local media to ensure he does not get elected next time. - - Sponsor and support aspiring candidates to take an independent stance and stand for election... GET EVERYONE TO VOTE and get off their respective fat lazy arses...

Make your "social trading/tea parties", regular events (weekly/fortnightly/monthly) as the trading will help the community to come together by growing their own vegetables, eggs, herbs, live chicken meat and boycott Wall-mart which only sells cheap **** from elsewhere and does not benefit the productivity of your community.... an extension of, "think globally, ACT LOCALLY"

[Bamby]

Mass they would then label us terrorists I'm really beginning to think another Hitler is coming to power big time here.


Pentagon Exam Calls Protests 'Low-Level Terrorism,' Angering Activists

Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By James Osborne

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A written exam administered by the Pentagon labels "protests" as a form of “low-level terrorism” — enraging civil liberties advocates and activist groups who say it shows blatant disregard of the First Amendment.

The written exam, given as part of Department of Defense employees’ routine training, includes a multiple-choice question that asks:

“Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorism?”

— Attacking the Pentagon

— IEDs

— Hate crimes against racial groups

— Protests

The correct answer, according to the exam, is "Protests."

“Its part of a pattern of equating dissent and protest with terrorism," said Ann Brick, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which obtained a copy of the question after a Defense Department employee who was taking the test printed the screen on his or her computer terminal.

"It undermines the core constitutional values the Department of Defense is supposed to be defending,” Brick said, referring to the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble.

She said the ACLU has asked the Defense Department to remove the question and send out a correction to all employees who took the exam.

“There were other employees who were unhappy with it and disturbed by it,” Brick said.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Les Melnyk said the Defense Department is looking into the matter and expects to provide more information later Wednesday.

“We need to determine if it’s something we’re currently doing,” Melnyk said. “A lot of the information in this exam is intended for people stationed abroad. We counsel those people to avoid demonstrations.”

Anti-war protesters, who say they have been targets of federal surveillance for years, were livid when they were told about the exam question.

“That’s illegal,” said George Martin, national co-chairman of United for Peace and Justice. “Protest in terms of legal dissent has to be recognized, especially by the authorities.

"It’s not terrorism or a lack of patriotism. We care enough to be active in our government.”

Bill Wilson, president of the Americans for Limited Government, which supported the Tea Party demonstrations earlier this year, agreed.

"Groups like Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, paramilitary orgainzations that are striking at out at something they oppose or hate, that's terrorism," Wilson said.

"To equate that in any degree with citizens being able to express themselves seems to me to be headed down a road where all dissent is suspect and questionable."

Ben Friedman, a research fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, said the U.S. government has a long history of infringing upon citizens’ civil liberties in the name of domestic security.

“It’s the kind of thing that happens when you have large security bureaucracies, which is why they need to be kept in check,” Friedman said. “These things tend to occur in times of panic, like after Sept. 11.”

The ACLU, in a letter of complaint it sent to the Defense Department, catalogued a list of what it said were recent civil liberties violations by federal authorities, including the monitoring of anti-war protests and the FBI’s surveillance of potential protesters at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York.

Martin said getting information on the extent of the FBI and National Security Agency’s surveillance programs is nearly impossible.

“I have been arrested within 100 yards of George W. Bush and spoken out against the policies of our government in more than 100 countries," he said. "But they said they have no record on me. I don’t believe that.”

During Bush's presidency, the Defense Department was criticized for infringing on citizens’ civil rights through surveillance programs designed to protect the nation against terrorist attacks. Brick said she has seen no indication that there will be a change in policy under President Obama.

“We need to see what they do,” she said. “In a number of areas the Obama administration has not backed off and kept the Bush administration line.”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526972,00.html

Ain't figured the link feature on this site yet.

[masalai]

Not if the WHOLE community acts in a "social networking" manner and "invites the local member to "officiate" (and get thrown questions from the floor) - this illustrates some of the "crimes of Governance" http://financialsense.com/fsu/editor...2009/0618.html and read between the lines (ignore China, as it is only protecting its loans to USA from being watered down by ILLEGAL behaviour of US markets/FED/Govt instrumentalities) and you will see plainly the major problems facing you the good citizens of USA... Learn from Iran, the art of fixing a corrupt bureaucracy...

Obama cannot do a thing as the senators and many other politicians have been bought by the money-controllers represented by & through the FED (a private for profit bank owned by other key banks - NOT the USA Govt...) - Dillegently go through http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/ope...tml#post281449 as many of the links remain relevant to the US fiscal/economic situation... Start by organising "social swap-meets" as you will need these venues for daily sustenance and stuff for survival in the intervening 10 or so years, and will help establish networks for inter-community support when fuel supply runs out, which it surely will inside 15 years - think back to the use of horse & cart lifestyle - less hectic, lots more peaceful and develops a sense of community and social good.... Basically "go hippy"

[Bamby]

Here's one for you mass. Hope It Works I think you'll like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbWRfBZY-ng

[masalai]

Bamby, thanks - your link worked a treat, I hope you survive, and the best way is through developing a community spirit, and make yourselves as totally independent as possible (solar panels, single wire open community phone, grow your own food - the full hippy thing (that is what the 60's and 70's were for, so us 'boomers' could know how to survive...

Gold storage dilemma for usanians? one suggestion ? here http://financialsense.com/editorials...2009/0618.html but I feel the better option is to buy the ACTUAL metal (US$50000 minimum start up account) and about as safe as one can find anywhere http://www.perthmint.com.au/investment.aspx and read through all the links :-
Investing in Gold
Investing in Gold
Investing in Precious Metals
Government Guarantee
Allocated & Un-allocated Storage
FAQ's
Precious Metal Prices
Contact Us
Certificate Programs
Bullion Bars and Coins
Depository Services
Perth Mint Gold (ASX)

The staff are very helpful and the process is easy and secure... I use it....

[Bamby]

Welcome to America, Do you have state run news in Australia Mass it's now soon coming to the USA of China or whatever.

Dear Mr. Westin:

As the national debate on health care reform intensifies, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with ABC's astonishing decision to exclude opposing voices on this critical issue on June 24, 2009. Next Wednesday, ABC News will air a primetime health care reform “town hall” at the White House with President Barack Obama. In addition, according to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” This does not include the promotion, over the next 9 days, the president’s health care agenda will receive on ABC News programming.

Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party's views to those of the President's to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party's opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers.

In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime.

Respectfully,
Ken McKay
Republican National Committee
Chief of Staff

MORE

ABCNEWS Senior Vice President Kerry Smith on Tuesday responded to the RNC complaint, saying it contained 'false premises':

"ABCNEWS prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers -- of all political persuasions -- even when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both ends of the political spectrum. ABCNEWS is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue.

"ABCNEWS alone will select those who will be in the audience asking questions of the president. Like any programs we broadcast, ABC News will have complete editorial control. To suggest otherwise is quite unfair to both our journalists and our audience."

Developing...

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashaot.htm

[masalai]

I have a few regular podcast services, for usa I find "Financial Sense" has lots of reasonable links, put any of these in your favourites if you like their tone... they are a sample of my "News" directory favourites in my web browser http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/ , http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/default.stm , http://english.aljazeera.net/ , http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/default1.cms , our local church http://www.burpengary.com/Joomla_RT_...page/Itemid,1/ , Pacific Islands employment http://www.pacificislandjobs.com/jobsearch.php

In Australia it is the "Australian Broadcasting Corporation" which we taxpayers brag of its autonomy and cost of 8 cents a day... The first link should also open all other services provided by Australias ABC and Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) is now separated http://www.sbs.com.au/

Most locally produced stuff is available via podcast - TV & radio - enjoy... Most of these sites are telling it like it is - of course there is always "political bias" in opinion or analysis, but mostly factual truth.. more reliable and less distorted than your own internal mass media which has sold out to corporate objectives.... USA seems to have retired all the respected investigative journalists...

[masalai]

Bamby, read this, http://financialsense.com/fsu/editor...2009/0619.html carefully,

then encourage the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate, and other community members to lend pressure on their parliamentary representatives to support & endorse Ron Paul’s (excellent, if one may say so) ‘Audit The Fed’ bill (H.R. 1207) and a companion bill (S. 604), - - - - -

and the House Committee that has finally had the guts to issue a Subpoena to The private for-profit Fed to produce documents and emails relating to the AIG matter.
AIG was used as a funnel to channel billions of U.S. Taxpayer provided Funds to the Mega-Banks (e.g. $11.9 billion to Goldman Sachs) (See “Opportunities & Threats in Derivatives Shocker”, 5/29/09 in the ‘Articles by Deepcaster’ cache at www.deepcaster.com), some of whom are likely shareholders of the private for-profit Fed.

[Frosty]

Oh No --Oh Geeeezuz --god damn it --Oh!!!!!!!!!

I was slagging this bloke off to my mate on E mail, he was buying this boat So I told him of all the things he could do to steal it off him.

I sent the fking e mail to the wrong bloke,!!!!!!---Oh ****!

Its ok I think I got away with it. he e mailed me back and he understands.

Actually we might be on a better footing now than we were before,--such is telling the truth!!

[masalai]

"Go in peace my son" sayeth the man.... "Not, go to pieces"....

[Frosty]

Hey mas why don't you get an avatar, it would suit you.

Blessed are the meek, Ive never seen a meek!! what do they look like -have you got some meek in Aus mas.

Apparently they dont have a lot of money.

I never meant to go to war.