Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Wall Street blames China for meltdown - What is the truth?

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Chinese President Xi Jinping
Here we go again, when anything goes wrong in the world Obama, our politicians, and now Wall Street, blame China.  As I have written several times, maybe we should not rush to judgement until the facts have arrived.  In the meantime there are some truths that might suggest our economic experts continue to be wrong.

For example, ever since the second greatest stock market crash in history when President Obama took office, America has been struggling to regain an economic foothold.  In the past six years we have had one of the slowest recoveries in history and many people wonder if anything really did recover.


Well everyone on Wall Street certainly recovered including those nasty banks who manipulated the market and nearly destroyed the nation.  The greatest beneficiary was Goldman Sachs who also happened to be the largest contributor to the Obama campaign.


So great was their influence that Rahm Emanuel of Goldman became the first Obama White House Chief of Staff. A CBS News analysis of the revolving door between Goldman and government reveals at least four dozen former employees, lobbyists or advisers at the highest reaches of power both in Washington and around the world.


One would think after the loss of trillions of dollars of middle class wealth, home values, retirement funds, etc., Obama would have us prepared to manage another financial crisis. Yet in the most current economic crisis there is silence from the White House.  Come to think of it, after all these years since the last crisis, there has been virtually no prosecutions, no fat cats in jail, no banks dissolved, nothing considering the degree of the crime.


So here we are, six years later blaming China for our stock woes.  What happened to all the financial reforms?  Here is a list of  government agencies and congressional committees and subcommittees, the executive and legislative branch resources, to maintain our economy.


U.S. Government Executive Branch Financial Regulators

Bank and Market Financial Regulators
US Department of Treasury
US Department of Justice
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Office of Thrift Supervision
Securities and Exchange Commission
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
National Credit Union Administration

Non-Bank Financial Regulators
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Regulatory Umbrella Groups
Financial Stability Oversight Council
Federal Financial Institution Examinations Council
President’s Working Group on Financial Markets
Non-Bank Capital Requirements
Federal Housing Finance Agency
The SEC’s Net Capital Rule
CFTC Capital Requirements
Foreign Exchange Markets
Treasury Securities
Private Securities Markets

Federal Reserve System

CFTC Is Next Agency To Consider Regulating Algorithmic Trading
By Jenny E. Cieplak on June 9, 2015



U.S. Government Legislative Branch Financial Oversight


The House of Representatives


The House of Representatives

The Senate


The Senate
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Trade
Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing and Agricultural Security
Subcommittee on Nutrition, Speciality Crops and Agricultural Research
Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Defense
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Subcommittee on the Financial Services and General Government
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Senate Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Airland
Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
Subcommittee on Seapower
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Subcommittee on Economic Policy
Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection
Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance
Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment
Senate Committee on the Budget
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet
Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security
Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness
Subcommittee on Tourism, Competitiveness, and Innovation
Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Energy
Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining
Subcommittee on National Parks
Subcommittee on Water and Power
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife
Senate Select Committee on Ethics
Senate Committee on Finance
Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth
Subcommittee on Health Care
Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy
Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight
Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development
Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy
Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy
Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation
Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy
Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism
Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women's Issues
Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight
Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights
Subcommittee on Bankruptcy and the Courts
Subcommittee on The Constitution
Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest
Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts
Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

So far no word from any of these groups as to what they are going to do regarding market manipulations from the kings of Wall Street.


Ironically, when it comes to the Chinese, they are all over the news with their crackdown on corruption, unfair business practices, and market manipulations.  Why is it the Chinese are going after the American companies who are introducing American crooked business practices to the Chinese market, assuming the Chinese will never figure out what went wrong.

Of course it is a safe assumption since the dozens and dozens of American regulators seem to have no interest in stopping the practices here.  Look at the headlines the Chinese have generated around the world while we sit on our butts and cast stones.


Leadership is the first requirement for fixing things and Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched one of the largest and most aggressive anti-corruption campaigns in the world. First he took on those throughout the government and now he is focusing on those who have undermined the Chinese efforts to improve the quality of life for the people.
  
As for the stock market, in China, it only takes one agency to do what the dozens of US agencies cannot do and that is the China Securities Regulatory Commission.  Once again President Jinping has attacked the problem where it is needed.  Maybe they can come here and show us what to do.


These are the headlines around the world concerning the Chinese effort to drive the crooks out of the financial markets.


Beijing scraps large-scale stock buying

Authorities to step up crackdown on those ‘destabilising’ market

China says 197 punished in crackdown on online rumors

China stocks slide as crackdown on speculators spreads, lose 11 percent in August

SHANGHAI

China warns securities industry as crackdown on stock market irregularities expected to intensify


Securities regulator orders industry to step up supervision after brokerage staff, officials and journalist are detained over unethical trading

China arrests nearly 200 in stock market crackdown


Shadow lending crackdown looms over China’s stock market


China stock exchanges step up crackdown on short-selling

China’s (Renewed) Crackdown on Insider Trading


Avic Units Targeted In China's Crackdown On Sell-Offs

China accuses brokers of manipulating share prices during stock market crisis

Beijing’s police ministry said it has launched a criminal investigation into unlicensed companies that financed speculative trading

China accuses trading firms of manipulating stocks

Wall Street Breakfast: China Heightens Curbs In Market Crackdown
Aug. 4, 2015 7:06 AM ET
   
China has unveiled more rules that make it harder for speculators to profit from hourly changes in stock prices. Under the new guidelines, short sellers must wait at least one day to cover their positions and repay loans used to buy shares.

Behind enemy lines - foreign hedge funds thrive in China

China stock exchanges are stepping up a crackdown on short-selling
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Carly Fiaona Conquers CNN with Surge in Polls, Class, and Confidence

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Ever since 2010, I have been writing about the qualities and qualifications of Carly Fiorina, as a newcomer to American politics and potential superstar in the future.  I noted she was smart, savvy, cultured, intelligent, and very aware of the issues both domestically and abroad.

This spring she announced for president, but it was not until her dominating performance in the pre-debate against the other men that she dominated the night and surged in the polls.  Ever since she has been the ideal candidate compared to the street brawlers leading the GOP polls.


CNN is moderating the second GOP debate and adopted bizarre rules to determine which candidates would be on the main debate and who would be in the secondary shuffle.  One wonders what CNN will do to top the Fox News Kelly and Trump controversy and record ratings.

Before the debate even began, however, CNN created a firestorm of controversy by saying that it did not matter that Carly Fiorina won the first debate and catapulted from near the bottom of the polls to number 3 in Iowa out of sixteen candidates, she would not be on the main stage.


It seems the CNN gang had established rules that only the top ten in the average of polls from June 1 to September 2 would make the center stage.  Carly, who surged to the top three after the debate, had no chance to be in the final because, according to CNN, there were not going to be enough polls run after the first debate to bring her into the top ten.

Then CNN went so far as to say there was no way to change the rules.  Carly was disappointed but had too much class to get into mudslinging.  Of the other 15 candidates only Ben Carson commented saying she earned the right to be on the stage and RNC chair Reince Priebus also called for a rules change.  CNN said no.


Suddenly there was a public backlash against CNN for blocking the only female candidate for president on the GOP side from the debate.  Lo and behold, CNN figured out on September 1 they could change the rules to make the debate fair and they did.  It will be a great opportunity for America to learn about the other female candidate for president besides Hillary, and I think people might be impressed.

In the meantime, the newest poll in Iowa had quite startling results showing Ben Carson had tied Donald Trump at 23% each while Carly was alone in third with 10% of the vote.  All the other familiar names were behind the three outsiders to politics.  In other words, 56% of the GOP voters in Iowa want someone with NO political experience.

US News and World Report September 1


Some cracks are beginning to appear in The Donald's armor as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.

The latest Monmouth University poll shows billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump is now in a statistical tie in Iowa with retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, whose support is surging. Each has the backing of 23 percent of likely Iowa GOP caucus goers. It's the first time in six weeks that Trump hasn't been the clear leader in a major poll in Iowa, the first state to hold a nominating event in 2016, CNN reports.

Both Trump and Carson are non-politicians who promise to shake up Washington. Former business executive Carly Fiorina still another Washington outsider, has moved up into third place with 10 percent. The combined support in Iowa for these three outsider candidates – Trump, Carson, and Fiorina – is 56 percent, but Carson and Fiorina are far less blustery and less inclined to lob one-liners and insults than Trump.

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Black Lives Matter latest social movement hijacked by troublemakers and anarchists?

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Are we ever going to learn our lesson?  The playbook for socialism, playbook for communism, and playbook for anarchism - all discuss how the establishment of citizen groups in support of popular causes should be encouraged.  Once they are established, committed anarchists will infiltrate them, and efforts will be undertaken to destroy both public institutions and support for the social causes they represent.


Such were the teachings of Karl Marx all the way back in the middle of the 19th century, then Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky in the early 20th century, and finally Hitler and Himmler in the mid-20th century.  Other despots and dictators have advocated the same infiltration methods.



Perhaps that is what happened in the Civil Rights and anti-war riots of the 1960's, the American Indian Movement of the 1970's, and now such efforts as the Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter movement of the 21st century.


In each case people had a right to protest, a right to hold peaceful demonstrations, and a right to point out flaws in our system of society.  Yet each movement saw incendiary efforts evolve that undermined the public support for the causes, divided the nation, and contributed to the cause of spreading hatred throughout the nation.


Police were assaulted, inflammatory language surfaced in crowd chants and music lyrics, and suddenly any hope for peaceful protests went up in flames along with the very neighborhoods where suffering was most obvious.  The pattern repeated itself in Ferguson, Missouri, New York City, and Baltimore, Maryland the past year.


Peaceful marches by Black Lives Matter suddenly broke out in provocative and threatening chants when they marched past police officers sent to protect them and all citizens, chants screaming, "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon" in Minneapolis.


In New York City is was, "How do you spell racist? N-Y-P-D."

Black Lives Matter claims to be "a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of black people by police and vigilantes" and that "Black Lives Matter affirms the lives of black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, black undocumented folks, folks with records, women and all black lives along the gender spectrum."


Toward that end protesters and protest organizers have met with President Barack Obama, and other prominent leaders to demand an end to what they view as racial profiling, police brutality, mass incarceration of African-Americans, and the militarization of many police departments in the USA.


As noted earlier, it is unfortunate that what began as peaceful protects was hijacked by radicals and militants.

In New York City protests turned into anti-police chants like - "NYPD - KKK" and "Murdering Pigs."

   
Protesters marching in Cleveland shouted anti-police slogans they march behind a large banner that said, "Stop murder by police."

In Houston Texas protests began chants including, "The revolution is on… Off the pigs," and "Oink Oink… Bang Bang."


Demonstrators chanting "killer cops" carry a mirrored coffin through the streets of Ferguson as 100 police in riot gear form a line to face them down.

At the same protest were heard shouts, "Killer cops, KKK, how many kids did you kill today?"


People stood in the middle of the street screaming out: "My hands on my head. Please don't shoot me dead" and "Who shuts it down? We shut it down!"

Whether it is a matter of cause and effect or something much more sinister, the result is the following:


Preliminary 2015 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities

January 1 through September 2, 2015
 vs.
January 1 through September 2, 2014

2015
2014
% Change
Total Fatalities
85
73
+16%
Firearms-related
26
30
-13%
Traffic-related
38
28
+36%
Other Causes
21
15
+40%
Please note: These numbers reflect total officer fatalities comparing
January 1 through September 2, 2015 vs. January 1 through September 2, 2014


This is according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, generally considered the most reliable database on police in the nation.  The NLEOMF also has determined there are over 900,000 state and local law enforcement officers in America.


As you can see, since the 2015 data is only through September 2, 2015, nearly four more months of data is yet to come.  Already the number of deaths is increasing from year to year.  With the murders of police in New York, Texas, Mississippi, Illinois, Nebraska, and throughout the nation, the anarchists seem to have the upper hand.


Those few high profile murders of citizens, which must be prosecuted to the fullest extent, have resulted in a higher level of risk to all 900,000 police who go about their jobs with dignity, respect for all citizens, and compassion.

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Monday, August 31, 2015

The Secret to Secure Borders - Redeploy American Troops from Overseas

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Pay attention presidential candidates, - here is an alternative to the fence in Mexico!


Why not relocate US Troops to new US Bases along the Mexican border?  We could help stop the senseless killing, 160,000 Mexican citizens since Obama took office, caught in the middle of a drug war.  At the same time, a series of a dozen or more bases stretched out along the border would move thousands of trained military into the vicinity of the human trafficking of illegal immigrants along with the drug dealers.  Right now the US pays the highest costs possible to foreign governments to post our troops overseas for the purpose of defending their foreign lands.


If we had a series of military bases along the border, we would reduce foreign costs for defense, provide thousands of trained soldiers to help with immigration and drug trafficking, and be able to use the bases to monitor high-tech electronic monitoring of the border rather than build a giant wall. It would also help stimulate the local economies where the bases would be built and soldiers and families housed.


Redeployment of overseas forces

Here is what I wrote in an article June 3, 2010:


We have over 2.5 million defense soldiers and civilian employees but only 1.1 million are in the USA. Since a few thousand remain in both Iraq and Afghanistan that leaves 1.2 million DOD employees all over the rest of the world. There are over 735 American military bases outside the USA including 38 large and medium size facilities.


At the height of the British Empire in 1898 they had 36 bases spread out around the world and at the height of the Roman Empire in 117 AD they had 37 major bases. Of course they were both trying to conquer the world. We aren't supposed to be conquering the world so get rid of the excess bases.



Maybe the president should stop playing world policeman and close the majority of the overseas bases, leaving only those absolutely needed for national security, and set up a network of domestic bases along the border with Mexico. We already have the troops and are paying to keep them outside the country. Why not set up border bases in Arizona, New Mexico, a couple in Texas and maybe one more in Southern California?



Perhaps the presence of thousands of American troops might help stop the flow of illegal drugs and the human trafficking of illegal immigrants? It might even help Mexico reduce the massive death rate from the drug war along the border that has cost 160,000 Mexican lives, men, women, and children, since 2007.


This is one of the darkest elements of the border traffic and is a plague to Arizona and the other states.  Here is a solution that saves money and lives while reducing costly foreign expenditures that can no longer be justified.
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Multidrug Resistant Cells - the Achilles Heel of Modern Medicine

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Destroy the multidrug resistant disease before it destroys us.

Today, after all our years of medical advancement and our treatment with pharmaceutical wonder drugs, disease after disease attacks us because of multidrug resistant cells forming in our bodies.

Ironically, the cause of this evolution of drug resistant cells was our excessive use of various prescription drugs given to us by our own health providers.  Of course, the drugs received approval from the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, who knew better and did nothing for years.

Multidrug resistant cells evolved from our greed to pump more and more medicine into the patients.  The next trend was to create prescription medication needed for life by the patient, thus guaranteeing more cash flow for the doctor, dentist, hospital, clinic, health diagnostic centers, drug companies, and insurance companies.


When humans started dying from overdoses and then from multidrug resistant diseases, the moneychangers shifted tactics and started prescribing the same antibiotics for animals when kept in confined quarters.  Well that included cows, chickens, and pigs.


Today more antibiotics sell for animal feed than to treat humans.  However, the saturation of animals with antibiotics has now made animals a greater source of the dangerous antibiotics entering the human body, than treatment from our doctors.

These are recent headlines this year.


Multidrug-resistant Shigellosis Spreading in the United States

Indian Woman Being Treated in U.S. for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Outbreak of drug-resistant infection could kill 80,000 in UK, report warns

Understanding CRE, the 'nightmare' superbug that contributed to 2 deaths in L.A.

Nations Failing to Combat 'Global Threat' of Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs: WHO

Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general for health security. "All types of microbes—including many viruses and parasites—are becoming resistant to medicines. Of particularly urgent concern is the development of bacteria that are progressively less treatable by available antibiotics. This is happening in all parts of the world, so all countries must do their part to tackle this global threat."


These are some of the multidrug resistant diseases now in circulation.

The Original Superbug: Staphylococcus Aureus - MRSA

Almost everyone's heard of MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, yet few people understand just how pervasive the original superbug has become.

Roughly one in 50 people carries a strain of staph resistant to common antibiotics, according to the National Institutes of Health. If the bug invades a wound, it can cause an infection that is minor and localized, as in a pimple, or serious and widespread, involving the heart, lungs, blood and bones.

"MRSA continues to be the biggest threat because it could become more widespread," said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of prevention at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
MRSA infections usually strike elderly hospital inpatients or nursing home residents. But the number of MRSA cases out in the community is on the rise, according to the NIH.  The disease spreads between people working out at the gym through contaminated towels or equipment, and passed between children at day care facilities.


Most forms of cancer

Ebola

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes HIV infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Flu (Influenza)

Malaria

Meningitis

Pneumonia

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Women (STDs)

Gonorrhea and Chlamydia

Tuberculosis (TB)

Diarrhea

The Food Borne Bugs: Escherichia Coli and Salmonella

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Micrograph of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA, brown) surrounded by cellular debris

Antimicrobial resistance: A growing health issue

The emergence of drug-resistant microbes is not new or unexpected. Both natural causes and societal pressures drive bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other microbes to continually change in an effort to evade the drugs developed to kill them.

Natural causes

Like all organisms, microbes undergo random genetic mutations, and these changes can enhance drug resistance. Resistance to a drug arising by chance in just a few organisms can quickly spread through rapid reproduction to entire populations of a microbe.

Societal pressures

Antimicrobial resistance is fostered by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs in people as well as animals; a lack of diagnostic tests to rapidly identify infectious agents; and poor hand hygiene and infection control in healthcare and community settings.

Together, these forces contribute to the problem of drug-resistant infections that are increasingly difficult and costly to treat. 


Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, increasingly seen not only in hospitals and healthcare settings (hospital acquired or HA-MRSA) but also in the wider community, especially among people in close contact such as athletes (community associated or CA-MRSA).

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) bacteria are resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic regarded as a drug of last resort.

Microbes increasingly resistant to drugs

SOURCE: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance.

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So why am I trying to upset you about the dangers in your life?  Two reasons drive me.  First, you need to be aware of how your respected institutions have poisoned you, maybe not intentionally, but the result is just as fatal.

Second, there are innovative projects underway across the nation to address the dangerous multi-drug resistant cells using natural herbs first used by the Chinese thousands of years ago.


Just as important, researchers at a health clinic in Texas and at the Massachusetts General Hospital have recently announced results using a Chinese herbal compound to stop Ebola, and experiments are underway in other labs as well.  American patients and the medical world need to know the compound is in capsule form and seems to have been effective in treating many multi-drug resistant diseases.

If, in fact, the runaway multi-drug resistant diseases have become the Super Diseases of the 21st century, we must arm our medical community with the most effective tools possible to save lives in spite of the mutation capability of the disease.