Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
$hitiGroup CEO Pandit Gets Giant Pay Raise
Successfully completed probation, now earning more than $1 per year; http://www.marketwatch.com/story/citi-ceo-pandit-gets-giant-pay-raise-2011-01-21
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
After a Flash of Wins, Stocks Slip
After its longest winning period since 2007 in the S&P 500 index, U.S. stocks dipped. Goldman Sachs Group and Citigroup did not meet analysts’ estimates. Housing failed to meet forecast too;
http://www.financialfeed.net/after-a-flash-of-wins-stocks-slip/851729/
http://www.financialfeed.net/after-a-flash-of-wins-stocks-slip/851729/
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Old Lady Writes Letter of Complaint to Her Bank
TRUE ! 98 year old lady writes to her BANK ! MUST READ!!!
Subject: Senior moment - A 98 year old woman in the UK wrote this to her bank.
The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the Times.
Dear Sir,
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement, which, I admit, has been in place for only thirty eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, but when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope.
Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof. In due course, I will issue your employee with PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required.
A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorized Contact.)
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through to 8.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.
Your Humble Client
(Remember: This was written by a 98 year old woman; DOESN'T SHE MAKE YOU PROUD!)
What are your comments?
SEE BEYOND THIS REALITY, AND INTO THE NEXT GALACTIC REALITY WITH INDIAN IN THE MACHINE http://soundclick.com/indianinthemachine
Subject: Senior moment - A 98 year old woman in the UK wrote this to her bank.
The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the Times.
Dear Sir,
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement, which, I admit, has been in place for only thirty eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, but when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope.
Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof. In due course, I will issue your employee with PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required.
A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorized Contact.)
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through to 8.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.
May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.
Your Humble Client
(Remember: This was written by a 98 year old woman; DOESN'T SHE MAKE YOU PROUD!)
What are your comments?
SEE BEYOND THIS REALITY, AND INTO THE NEXT GALACTIC REALITY WITH INDIAN IN THE MACHINE http://soundclick.com/indianinthemachine
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
US and State Judges Likely among Swiss Bank Accounts Holders
Los Angeles, January 17 – in view of the pending WikiLeaks release of Swiss banking data, Human Rights Alert (NGO) and Joseph Zernik, PhD, suggest that significant number of US and state judges are likely to be among US citizens holding numbered bank accounts in Switzerland.
Review of numerous cases in the US and state courts shows a tight alliance between judges and large financial institutions, in disregard of the judges’ oaths of office, through the conduct of alleged Fraud on the Courts in litigations involving financial institutions. Such conduct undermines the stated US government efforts to establish honest and effectual banking regulation.
Growing body of evidence suggests that both US and state judges have accepted financial benefits from large financial institutions. In 2008 Dr Zernik filed requests with California Judge Terry Friedman (Los Angeles Superior Court), US Judge Virginia Phillips, and US Magistrate Carla Woehrle (US District Court, Central District of California) for statements on the record regarding financial benefits to them or family members residing with them from such institutions (pursuant to the California Code of Judicial Ethics). All three refused to provide such statements.
In 2009 whistle-blower Bradley Birkenfeld led to the discovery that an estimated 40,000 US wealthy citizens were holding Swiss numbered accounts with UBS-AG. Birkenfeld was swiftly sentenced by a US court to years in federal prison. He was never able to collect rewards provided by the False Claims Act and stated US policies, which could have amounted to billions of US dollars. The criminal prosecution of the culprits - banking executives - was never materialized, and the US government negotiated an agreement with the Swiss government, according to which the names of the vast majority of the offenders were never released by UBS-AG.
Regardless of mounting credible evidence of racketeering by Bank of America and its senior executives, including Brian Moynihan, US banking regulation agencies refuse to take action. It is claimed that conduct of such agencies is caused, at least in part, from the realization that under conditions that prevail today in the US courts, there is no way to prosecute banking executives.
Human Rights Alert suggests that US officials in general, and state and US judges, in particular, are likely to be among the Swiss accounts holders. Moreover, a Swiss law, which would prohibit deposits by US government officers while in office in Swiss bank accounts, is likely to materially affect restoration of US government and US financial markets integrity and stability.
Through the pending release of both US and Swiss banking records WikiLeaks is therefore likely to support effective banking regulation in the United States, where US agencies and the US courts are acting in disregard of the law.
LINKS:
[i] 11-01-17 Swiss Whistle Blower Hands Bank Data to WikiLeaks
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47052191/
[ii] Zernik, Joseph: Securities and Exchange Commission v Bank of America Corporation - Pretense Litigation and Pretense Banking Regulation in the United States
http://www.scribd.com/doc/44663232/
[iii] 11-01-10 Request for investigation/impeachment proceedings, in re: US Judge JED RAKOFF and Clerk RUBY KRAJICK, US District Court, Southern District of New York, Conduct of Securities and Exchange Committee v Bank of America Corporation (1:09-cv-06829) s
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46616530/
[iv] 09-08-25 UBS AG Whistle Blower Birkenfeld Imprisoned
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47053350/
[v] 10-05-05 Countrywide, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), and its President Brian Moynihan - Compilation of Records - Evidence of Racketeering
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30975368/
[vi] 10-06-11 Complaints Filed with Office of Comptroller of the Currency and SEC against Countrywide, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), and Brian Moynihan - alleging fraud on shareholders, on banking regulators, and on the US taxpayer
http://www.scribd.com/doc/32907453/
[vii] 10-05-05 Chairs of US Congress Committees of the Judiciary and Banking Are Requested to Join Senator Feinstein’s Inquiries on Comptroller of the Currency and US Dept of Justice Inspector General
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30979882/
Review of numerous cases in the US and state courts shows a tight alliance between judges and large financial institutions, in disregard of the judges’ oaths of office, through the conduct of alleged Fraud on the Courts in litigations involving financial institutions. Such conduct undermines the stated US government efforts to establish honest and effectual banking regulation.
Growing body of evidence suggests that both US and state judges have accepted financial benefits from large financial institutions. In 2008 Dr Zernik filed requests with California Judge Terry Friedman (Los Angeles Superior Court), US Judge Virginia Phillips, and US Magistrate Carla Woehrle (US District Court, Central District of California) for statements on the record regarding financial benefits to them or family members residing with them from such institutions (pursuant to the California Code of Judicial Ethics). All three refused to provide such statements.
In 2009 whistle-blower Bradley Birkenfeld led to the discovery that an estimated 40,000 US wealthy citizens were holding Swiss numbered accounts with UBS-AG. Birkenfeld was swiftly sentenced by a US court to years in federal prison. He was never able to collect rewards provided by the False Claims Act and stated US policies, which could have amounted to billions of US dollars. The criminal prosecution of the culprits - banking executives - was never materialized, and the US government negotiated an agreement with the Swiss government, according to which the names of the vast majority of the offenders were never released by UBS-AG.
Regardless of mounting credible evidence of racketeering by Bank of America and its senior executives, including Brian Moynihan, US banking regulation agencies refuse to take action. It is claimed that conduct of such agencies is caused, at least in part, from the realization that under conditions that prevail today in the US courts, there is no way to prosecute banking executives.
Human Rights Alert suggests that US officials in general, and state and US judges, in particular, are likely to be among the Swiss accounts holders. Moreover, a Swiss law, which would prohibit deposits by US government officers while in office in Swiss bank accounts, is likely to materially affect restoration of US government and US financial markets integrity and stability.
Through the pending release of both US and Swiss banking records WikiLeaks is therefore likely to support effective banking regulation in the United States, where US agencies and the US courts are acting in disregard of the law.
LINKS:
[i] 11-01-17 Swiss Whistle Blower Hands Bank Data to WikiLeaks
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47052191/
[ii] Zernik, Joseph: Securities and Exchange Commission v Bank of America Corporation - Pretense Litigation and Pretense Banking Regulation in the United States
http://www.scribd.com/doc/44663232/
[iii] 11-01-10 Request for investigation/impeachment proceedings, in re: US Judge JED RAKOFF and Clerk RUBY KRAJICK, US District Court, Southern District of New York, Conduct of Securities and Exchange Committee v Bank of America Corporation (1:09-cv-06829) s
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46616530/
[iv] 09-08-25 UBS AG Whistle Blower Birkenfeld Imprisoned
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47053350/
[v] 10-05-05 Countrywide, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), and its President Brian Moynihan - Compilation of Records - Evidence of Racketeering
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30975368/
[vi] 10-06-11 Complaints Filed with Office of Comptroller of the Currency and SEC against Countrywide, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), and Brian Moynihan - alleging fraud on shareholders, on banking regulators, and on the US taxpayer
http://www.scribd.com/doc/32907453/
[vii] 10-05-05 Chairs of US Congress Committees of the Judiciary and Banking Are Requested to Join Senator Feinstein’s Inquiries on Comptroller of the Currency and US Dept of Justice Inspector General
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30979882/
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Lets Make Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z66gCiT7sCY&feature=related"I thought this was going to be a whimpering thing about fiat currency, but I was totally wrong. This is a complex narrative which really seeks to stab at the heart of the issues it confronts. The imagery is portrayed in a stark manner, you ...get the sense that the auteur behind the lenses is interested in letting the pictures explain the circumstances rather than relying entirely on dialogue or talking heads. The interviewees are also well selected. There a conscious effort to place experienced people at the heart of the story rather that critics or other people indirectly associated with the issues. Whatever your politics this is worth watchin"
-Anthony
In this 1 1/2 hr. documentarty you will learn just a few of the tough tactics multinational corporations use to bully third world countries who are desperate and are willing to accept slave wages and appallingly poor working conditions that are dangerous and deadly for employees.
Children are also sold to homes where they work and are often sexually abused. Construction of civil projects is another area where children work.
Children are seen working on the streets as vendors, shoe shiners, beggars, prostitutes and pimps. Nepalese children are trafficked into India and sold to work in the carpet making industry and sex industry.
In part 2 they discuss rising costs and the comparison of wages between workers in India and Europe. The reality is that these large multinational corporations make billions in profits while the poor worker works longer hours for less money. These corrupt corporations falsely claim they cannot afford to pay workers more money when the truth is that they take advantage of the poor to their great advantage.
Bonded labour is a serious issue in Nepal. Bonded labour occurs when a child is left with a debt from their parents or is used as collateral for a loan by their parents that they cannot repay. The exploited child is then forced into working for the lender to pay their parent's debt.
More than 43 per cent of all cocoa beans are harvested from this area and the Ivory Coast. More than one third of the Ivory Coast's economy is acquired from cocoa bean exports and child slave labour.
It is estimated that there are 2.6 million child workers in Nepal. Children are forced to work in sweatshops for long hours and in horrible conditions that can cause serious injury and death.
Child slave labour is a severe problem on cocoa farms. Slave traffickers steal children from third world countries and sell them to countries like Cote d'Ivoire. Most children are stolen from Mali, South Africa. These children are tricked into cooperating with traffickers and are deceived into believing they will be better off. In Africa, nearly 200,000 children are trafficked every year. They are under fed, live in poor conditions and are forced to work day and night.
Many industries use cheap child slave labour in third world countries to make larger profits. Children are forced to work as prostitutes and street vendors, on farms, and in homes, mines and sweatshops producing shoes, clothing and toys. 22,000 children die by labour related disasters each year.
Children earn about six cents per hour in Bangladesh.
Sweatshops in Bangladesh are notorious for fires and poor safety.
Slavery is a form of forced labour in which people are considered to be, or treated as, the property of others. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to receive compensation such as wages.
In 2003, there were 246 million child slave labourers worldwide, including Bangladesh, China, India, Mali, Nepal, Salvador, Thailand, the Philippines and countless other countries.
The Canadian government has a choice and can borrow interest free money from the Bank of Canada. The Bank of Canada can offer provincial and municipal governments funding at rates that are well below private bank rates.
All countries, on behalf of their citizens, borrow as debt at substantial interest from private banks. More than half of your income tax dollars service the interest on the debt.
In just three years (2007-2009), all federal debt repayment in Canada since 1997 was wiped-out.
The Bank of Canada creates 5% of the money supply in Canada. The private banking system creates 95% as debt at substantial interest. The private banking system has succeeded in privatizing the money supply in Canada. Banks create money out of nothing.
From 2005 to 2009, Canadian taxpayers paid $350+ billion in interest on the national debt.
In fiscal year 2008-2009 the Canadian federal debt was $463.7 billion.
On March 31, 2010, Canada's federal debt increased to $519.6 billion or $15,000+ for every man, woman and child.
The Canadian federal debt grows by $153 million every day.
Queen Elizabeth II is the legal owner of one sixth of the land on the Earth's surface, more than any other individual or nation. This amounts to a total of 6.6 billion acres (27 million km²) in 32 countries.
37.5% of the Earth is owned by 147 states.
21% of the Earth is owned by 26 people.
41% of the Earth is owned by 1% or less of the population on Earth.
85% of the Earth's population own nothing.
Source: Kevin Cahill, "Who Owns the World: The Hidden Facts Behind Landownership"
This is the prime reason why those living in western nations' economies, and standards of living, are plummeting so severely. Western economies will not improve. Globalization, as indicated here, is a race to the bottom for the working classes.
- hplaserjet2001
Friday, January 7, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
How Many Millionaires in Congress?
In comparison to the rest of US,.....ALL of them !!
http://marketplace.publicradio.org//display/web/2010/09/07/am-how-many-millionaires-are-in-congress/
http://marketplace.publicradio.org//display/web/2010/09/07/am-how-many-millionaires-are-in-congress/
Ethics Committe Lets Dodd Off the Hook: Dismisses Charges
Washington (CNN) -- The Senate Ethics Committee has dismissed a complaint of alleged corruption by retiring Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, according to statements Wednesday from Dodd and the group the filed the complaint.
Judicial Watch, which describes itself as a conservative public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, said it was notified on December 20 by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, known as the Ethics Committee, about the dismissal of its complaint.
According to the Judicial Watch statement, the complaint filed in April 2009 alleged that Dodd helped Edward Downe Jr. "obtain a reduced sentence and ultimately a full presidential pardon for tax and securities crimes" from former President Bill Clinton in exchange for a below-market sales price on a property in Ireland co-owned by Downe.
The statement said the Senate ethics panel responded that "there is not sufficient substantial credible evidence of improper conduct or violation within its jurisdiction to warrant further action."
In his statement, Dodd said the Judicial Watch complaint was "nothing but a baseless, politically motivated accusation."
"Even during a Congress when Republicans and Democrats did not agree on much, the Senate Ethics Committee -- made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats -- dismissed this complaint after a careful 20-month review of the facts." Dodd's statement said. "After this lengthy review, we appreciate the Ethics Committee's conclusion that this attack was wholly without merit."
Tom Fitton, the Judicial Watch president, called the Senate panel's decision "shameful."
"The Senate Ethics Committee sat on our complaint for nearly two years, and then dismissed it out of hand days before Dodd's Senate career ends," Fitton said in the group's statement.
Members of the Senate Ethics Committee are Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-California; Vice Chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia; Democrats Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Republicans Pat Roberts of Kansas and James Risch of Idaho.
CNN's Ted Barrett and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/29/senate.dodd.ethics/index.html
Judicial Watch, which describes itself as a conservative public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, said it was notified on December 20 by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, known as the Ethics Committee, about the dismissal of its complaint.
According to the Judicial Watch statement, the complaint filed in April 2009 alleged that Dodd helped Edward Downe Jr. "obtain a reduced sentence and ultimately a full presidential pardon for tax and securities crimes" from former President Bill Clinton in exchange for a below-market sales price on a property in Ireland co-owned by Downe.
The statement said the Senate ethics panel responded that "there is not sufficient substantial credible evidence of improper conduct or violation within its jurisdiction to warrant further action."
In his statement, Dodd said the Judicial Watch complaint was "nothing but a baseless, politically motivated accusation."
"Even during a Congress when Republicans and Democrats did not agree on much, the Senate Ethics Committee -- made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats -- dismissed this complaint after a careful 20-month review of the facts." Dodd's statement said. "After this lengthy review, we appreciate the Ethics Committee's conclusion that this attack was wholly without merit."
Tom Fitton, the Judicial Watch president, called the Senate panel's decision "shameful."
"The Senate Ethics Committee sat on our complaint for nearly two years, and then dismissed it out of hand days before Dodd's Senate career ends," Fitton said in the group's statement.
Members of the Senate Ethics Committee are Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-California; Vice Chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia; Democrats Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Republicans Pat Roberts of Kansas and James Risch of Idaho.
CNN's Ted Barrett and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/29/senate.dodd.ethics/index.html
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