Man On Fire: 11/26/11

26 Nov 2011

Global Debt for Dummies

Pakistanis Protest Corruption, Pro-US Policies

Tens of thousands of Pakistanis gathered in the suburbs of metropolis Peshawar for a massive rally called by opposition politician and Chief of Tehreek-e-Insaf political party, Imran Khan, against the government and its alliance with the U.S.

Marc Faber - Bloomberg Radio Interview 26 Nov 2011

Uploaded by DoomBoomGloom

"Prepare for riots in euro collapse" UK Foreign Office warns

By James Kirkup

As the Italian government struggled to borrow and Spain considered seeking an international bail-out, British ministers privately warned that the break-up of the euro, once almost unthinkable, is now increasingly plausible.

Diplomats are preparing to help Britons abroad through a banking collapse and even riots arising from the debt crisis.

The Treasury confirmed earlier this month that contingency planning for a collapse is now under way.

A senior minister has now revealed the extent of the Government’s concern, saying that Britain is now planning on the basis that a euro collapse is now just a matter of time.

“It’s in our interests that they keep playing for time because that gives us more time to prepare,” the minister told the Daily Telegraph. Source

NASA's Curiosity Blasts Off - Is There Life On Mars?

appropriate for our times: It's on Amerikas tortured brow. That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow. Now the workers have struck for fame. 'Cause Lennon's on sale again. See the mice in their million hordes From Ibeza to the Norfolk Broads. Rule Britannia is out of bounds. To my mother, my dog, and clowns. But the film is a saddening bore. 'Cause I wrote it ten times or more. It's about to be writ again. As I ask you to focus on. Sailors fighting in the dance hall. Oh man! Look at those cavemen go. It's the freakiest show. Take a look at the Lawman. Beating up the wrong guyOh man! Wonder if he'll ever know. He's in the best selling show. Is there life on Mars?

Unemployed Wall Street - Danny Schechter - Keiser Report

Unemployed Wall Streeters looking for financial firms that practice 'integrity and honesty' and hedge fund managers crying 'boohoo' that JP Morgan has seized their MF Global funds. In the second half of the show, Max talks to Danny Schechter about plunder, the crime of our time, inspiring an economic justice movement.

NATO Gangsters: U.S. plays with fire infuriating nuclear Pakistan

NATO admits it's probably to blame for a deadly helicopter raid on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, that killed up to 28 Pakistani soldiers and injured over a dozen others. Islamabad responded by cutting off the flow of vital NATO supplies to Afghanistan. The incident may deal a serious blow to their already-strained relations over lethal incursions in Pakistani territory. John Rees, a political analyst from the British-based 'Stop the War Coalition', told RT that the U.S. and its allies are creating an explosive situation in the volatile region.

Additional:

Pakistan has closed a key Afghan border crossing to NATO supplies after the US-led coalition's helicopters allegedly fired on a checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing 28 soldiers and wounding around fourteen.

Pakistan’s state TV quoted the military as saying the helicopter attack occurred on Friday night in the Mohmand tribal area near the Afghan border.

A customs official has confirmed that he received a verbal order to stop all NATO supplies from moving across the border through the Torkham crossing, reports the Associated Press. Source

Palestinian Journalist - Israel & Saudi Hidden Hands

Sammi Ibrahem a Palestinian journalist when asked about controlled opposition - Explains The Middle east, The Saudis, Palestinians acting as agents and more.

Second revolution in Egypt - News Analysis Updated

This past Friday seemed like another Friday of protests for Egyptians: A million man march scheduled to take place with Tahrir Square the heartbeat of the gathering, but no one would have guessed what followed, 6 days later, violence would continue, with 41 lives claimed so far, and over 2000 wounded.

In this news analysis, we ask why SCAF and the security apparatus has exercised such harsh tactics, in which many have said their role is just an extension of Mubarak's regime, and the political implications both within and the region, and the future of Egypt, while it is experiencing what's been called a 2nd revolution. Source
Additional update:

Revolution reality-check. West to reap fruit of Arab Spring

Political analyst William Endgdahl believes that powerful interest outside the Middle East want to bring discontent and chaos to bear to pave the way for a NATO militarisation of the region so that“the oil resources of those oil-rich countries can be put directly into private hands,” he says. It is clear to anyone with eyes to see that the so-called “transition to democracy” in the wake of the Arab Spring is faltering. More blood is being shed. We are looking at an Arab Winter, and maybe another Arab Spring around the corner. As tensions rise and as certain global powers push for regime change in more Arab countries, it looks as if the wave of revolutions is set to turn into an ocean of chaos. Source
Additional update:

Egyptian protesters are demanding that the military rulers transfer power to a civilian government.

The first uprising which led to the fall of Hosni Mubarak was successful after the death of hundreds of people. Does this new uprising need more blood and more sacrifices to finally witness civilian rule in Egypt?At first the Army was welcomed by the people and was declared to be there merely to see the implementation of the transition period. Has the Army transformed into the new dictator and US ally? Source

Additional update:

BlackRock Sees Write-Downs Of 75-80% For Greece, Portugal And Ireland

Submitted by Tyler Durden

There's that name again: BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, and the firm that was forced to deny last Wednesday it is in any trouble courtesy of accumulating unknown amounts of Italian bonds (how about a nice little Cusip list there Rick Reider?), just made the news following a report in Reuters that the firm anticipates massive haircuts in 3 of the 5 PIIGS. From Reuters: "Debt restructuring in Greece, Portugal and Ireland with write-downs for private creditors of 75 percent to 80 percent are needed to help stop Europe's debt crisis turning into a global meltdown, said BlackRock, one of the world's largest asset managers. "Governments are falling, bond yields are zig-zagging by whole percentage points and markets around the world are locking up: the euro zone turmoil risks turning into a global crisis," BlackRock said in a research note on Monday." So, let's see: Greece, Portugal and Ireland... But not Italy of course? The country that has the second largest amount of debt in Europe is somehow excluded from a very conflicted BlackRock's "objective" analysis. Why is that? "BlackRock also said the European Central Bank should buy more bonds and that policymakers should provide more details on the rescue fund and implement fiscal discipline without hurting growth, according to the note." Is BlackRock betting the farm that the ECB will bail it out? That didn't work too well for MF... Seriously, Rick, some CUSIP level breakdown of your Italian exposure would be terrific. Even if it is at the "net" level. We can wait. So can the market.

Grand Canyon Pamphlet Teaches Kids to Report on Their Parents

Are There Any Disadvantages To A Second Passport?

Are There Any Disadvantages To A Second Passport?

I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am to be back in the land of the free… and yes, I’m talking about Chile.

I arrived a few days ago to beautiful summertime weather (remember, the seasons are flipped down here in the southern hemisphere). As usual, the customs officials at the airport were speedy, courteous, and efficient. From plane to cab I was out of there in 20-minutes– with luggage. This is par for the course in Chile.

It’s so nice to be in a place where you’re treated like a human being and agents of the government don’t go around robbing, molesting, and pepper-spraying peaceful citizens.

This is one of the many, many reasons why we’ve selected Chile as the home for our resilient community, and I’m happy to be back in-country so that I can dedicate myself to furthering this effort over the next several months.

When you step back and think about it, it’s extraordinary that we’re even talking about such a thing. Just five years ago, anyone who talked about a global economic slowdown was laughed out of the room. Today we are facing an all-out collapse of the fiat system. How quickly things change.

One of the best books on the subject that I’ve read lately is John Mauldin’s appropriately titled Endgame; John is one of the most accomplished and knowledgable financial writers on the planet, and he clearly explains why the end of the global debt supercycle is a foregone conclusion.

(FYI, the book is an easy read and I highly recommend picking up a few copies to give as gifts to all of your friends who still don’t get it…)

Last weekend, John and I had the chance to share a bowl of chips and salsa in an uptown Dallas bar and trade views about which governments might collapse and which have a shot at survival.

It was simultaneously depressing and hilarious… and I was certainly glad to be heading off to our farm in Chile afterwards. More on that next week– first, a few questions:

Trisha asks, “Simon- you probably heard that the Anonymous group posted the pepper-spraying policeman’s personal contact information on their website. What do you think of that approach?”

Hey, you know what they tell criminals– if you do the crime, you do the time. In this case, if you spray a peaceful crowd with a ‘less-than-lethal’ lachrymatory agent at point blank range, you get publicly shamed.

Police generally go unpunished for such actions. Whenever a cop is caught on tape tormenting peaceful protestors, the politicians and administrative officials always say that they’ll conduct a ‘full investigation’.

And then nothing happens. Months go by and the incident is forgotten. This is the unwritten rule between police thugs and the state– you protect my interests, and I’ll let you get away with brutalizing citizens to your heart’s content.

Assault is assault. We go to jail. They go on paid administrative leave. It’s a broken system, and Anonymous simply circumvented it. Outing the guy online to billions of people isn’t exactly Hammurabi’s code, but it’s a good start.

Next, Doug asks, “Simon, what’s the downside to obtaining a second citizenship? Obviously there’s some cost and time involved, but what else should I be concerned about?”

The advantages of having a second passport are extraordinary– more freedom, more opportunity, more options; most of all, it’s a great insurance policy against sovereign calamity.

Most North Americans and Western Europeans are blind to these advantages. They don’t understand why they’d ever need another passport because they already live in the pinnacle of civilization… or so they think.

Russians, Chinese, Argentines… these sorts of folks have personally experienced the ramrod fist of government. And they’re not taking chances.

Slowly, the developed West will begin to understand that their home government is their greatest threat. Unfortunately most of the second passport opportunities will be closed by then.

To address ‘disadvantages’, there may be some depending on the country. For example, if you obtain US citizenship as your second passport, you’re signing up for taxation on your worldwide income. Congratulations.

If you obtain Israeli citizenship, you (and/or your kids) may be obligated to military service. If you obtain Dutch citizenship, you may have to renounce your other one.

Taxes, conscription, and dual nationality limitations are generally the three big categories to watch out for, though most issues can be sidestepped with some planning.
Submitted by Simon Black of Sovereign Man

HAARP, Secret Sciences & High Tech Mind Control - Dr. Nick Begich

Dr. Begich the eldest son of US Congressman Nick Begich Sr. and political activist Pegge Begich.

During this interview conducted by prisonplanet.tv, Dr. Begich talks about many controversial science experiments, including HAARP, Mind Control technology, compartmentalization within the science community, and how these technologies, which might be used for the progress of all mankind, is currently controlled by secret military industrial complex interests putting all of humanity at risk.

Dr. Begich talks about Alaska as a strategic location that can be utilized by the United States as way to stimulate the economy and put America back on the map as the world's economic leader.

Finally, Dr. Begich spends some time telling us his perspective of the plane crash that killed his father, Congressman Nick Begich sr. and US House Majority leader, Hale Boggs. Dr. Begich recalls out the historical election that faced the U.S. immediately after this tragic plane crash. An almost forgotten event in American history, one that not only changed the course of U.S. history, but the history of the world as well.

CIA Secret Wars Killed 6 Million People Government, Coverup Attacks on 3rd World Nations

Banks Attack Germany "Failed Bond Auction was Orchestrated" Paul Craig Roberts

"...everything directed towards making the european citizens bear the cost."

What's the biggest impediment to Western economies, is it debt? Growth? Political leadership? We see the leaders of Germany, France and Italy pushing for a fiscal crackdown to solve the Eurozone crisis. As they push for fiscal union, is more Europe the problem or the solution? And in the US we see GOP hopefuls taking the stage in debate after debate to vie for the top spot in this country against current President Barack Obama. Could any of them steer the US economy in right the direction? Former Reagan assistant secretary of the Treasury, Paul Craig Roberts, says not a chance.