World Politics

[Cobblestones]

Berlusconi's wet dreams aside, Palestine has achieved full membership in the UNESCO. Predictably, the US threatens to stop payments to the UNESCO, and the EU countries were divided in their vote. Next stop: the general assembly.

 

[ramjambunath]

Berlusconi's wet dreams aside, Palestine has achieved full membership in the UNESCO. Predictably, the US threatens to stop payments to the UNESCO, and the EU countries were divided in their vote. Next stop: the general assembly.

Just saw that now and it makes me wonder, are the Palestinians (particularly Gazans) not humans. There never seems to be a word about human rights from the establishment.

Good job by UNESCO for taking what would have been a very difficult decision.

Any idea why Germany voted against Palestinian membership? They were the only member of the UNSC (temporary member of course) from Europe (apart from Russia) to abstain from voting on resolution 1973 about the no fly zone.

 

[Cobblestones]

Just saw that now and it makes me wonder, are the Palestinians (particularly Gazans) not humans. There never seems to be a word about human rights from the establishment.

Good job by UNESCO for taking what would have been a very difficult decision.

Any idea why Germany voted against Palestinian membership? They were the only member of the UNSC (temporary member of course) from Europe (apart from Russia) to abstain from voting on resolution 1973 about the no fly zone.

I don't know, but my guess is that Germany will think twice and thrice before stepping on Israel's toes.

On the other hand, I believe there were quite a few of business interests in Libya.

 

[ramjambunath]

I don't know, but my guess is that Germany will think twice and thrice before stepping on Israel's toes.

On the other hand, I believe there were quite a few of business interests in Libya.

Makes sense considering some politicians' statements about being historically indebted to Europe and helping in the Eurozone debt crisis. Same may be done in this case.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

10 Year Government Bonds! Exciting huh? You Bet.

Italy's latest yield is 5.99%. That is how much in interest per year they'll have to pay someone who loans them money for 10 years.

...

It's 6.16% now, a massive increase since Friday. I know you don't care but the eighth largest economy appears to be hurtling towards disaster.

An interesting article from AEP.

"...Are such changes to be decided by Italy’s elected parliament by proper process, or be pushed through by foreign dictate when the country is on its knees? “Political ownership” is of critical importance. The EU is crossing lines everywhere, forgetting that it remains no more than a treaty organization of sovereign states. Democratic accountability is breaking down..."

It sure is and not just in the EU.

 

[redtreviso]

Just made up=LIE

""WASHINGTON -- Key proposals from the Republican presidential candidates might make for good campaign fodder. But independent analyses raise serious questions about those plans and their ability to cure the nation's ills in two vital areas, the economy and housing.

Consider proposed cuts in taxes and regulation, which nearly every GOP candidate is pushing in the name of creating jobs. The initiatives seem to ignore surveys in which employers cite far bigger impediments to increased hiring, chiefly slack consumer demand.

"Republicans favor tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, but these had no stimulative effect during the George W. Bush administration, and there is no reason to believe that more of them will have any today," writes Bruce Bartlett. He's an economist who worked for Republican congressmen and in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

As for the idea that cutting regulations will lead to significant job growth, Bartlett said in an interview, "It's just nonsense. It's just made up..."""

 

[Anonymous]

Just made up=LIE

""WASHINGTON -- Key proposals from the Republican presidential candidates might make for good campaign fodder. But independent analyses raise serious questions about those plans and their ability to cure the nation's ills in two vital areas, the economy and housing.

Consider proposed cuts in taxes and regulation, which nearly every GOP candidate is pushing in the name of creating jobs. The initiatives seem to ignore surveys in which employers cite far bigger impediments to increased hiring, chiefly slack consumer demand.

"Republicans favor tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, but these had no stimulative effect during the George W. Bush administration, and there is no reason to believe that more of them will have any today," writes Bruce Bartlett. He's an economist who worked for Republican congressmen and in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

As for the idea that cutting regulations will lead to significant job growth, Bartlett said in an interview, "It's just nonsense. It's just made up..."""

Apple announced Monday that orders for the iPhone 4S already broke records for previous iPhone sales. The company said it processed more than one million orders for the iPhone 4S in the first 24 hours it was on sale.

Surprise, surprise.

Indeed (at $750.00 per).

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/apple-breaks-pre-sale-records-with-iphone-4s/

Brewers Association Reports 2011 Mid-Year Growth for U.S. Craft Brewers

Brewers Association Reports 2011 Mid-Year Growth for U.S. Craft Brewers
Dollar growth up 15% in first six months of 2011; U.S. sees rapid growth in breweries in planning

http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/media/press-releases/show?title=brewers-association-reports-2011-mid-year-growth-for-u-s-craft-brewers

What gas spike? Americans still hungry for SUVs, pickups

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/01/news/companies/gas_price_hike_impact_on_february_auto_sales/index.htm

Fitness fiends in China, U.S. drive Adidas sales

The German group said it now expects sales this year to be up 10 percent and earnings per share up by 15 percent, with demand in North America also remaining strong.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-adidas-idUSTRE77319Q20110804

Even Marked Up, Luxury Goods Fly Off Shelves

Nordstrom has a waiting list for a Chanel sequined tweed coat with a $9,010 price. Neiman Marcus has sold out in almost every size of Christian Louboutin “Bianca” platform pumps, at $775 a pair. Mercedes-Benz said it sold more cars last month in the United States than it had in any July in five years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/business/sales-of-luxury-goods-are-recovering-strongly.html


Lies?

 

[VeloCity]

has anyone ever been arrested at a tea party protest?

Completely different demographics. TP'ers are generally older folks, OWS'ers are generally quite young - not surprising that OWS participants and events might be a bit more, let's say, energetic. But it's also why OWS'ers are going to be more effective at raising attention, even if imo it's ultimately going to be counterproductive.

 

[Anonymous]

Completely different demographics. TP'ers are generally older folks, OWS'ers are generally quite young - not surprising that OWS participants and events might be a bit more, let's say, energetic. But it's also why OWS'ers are going to be more effective at raising attention, even if imo it's ultimately going to be counterproductive.

The public masturbation in Madison was a nice touch.

 

[rhubroma]

Berlusconi's wet dreams aside, Palestine has achieved full membership in the UNESCO. Predictably, the US threatens to stop payments to the UNESCO, and the EU countries were divided in their vote. Next stop: the general assembly.

PARIGI - "Voglio augurare il benvenuto alla Palestina". Così la direttrice generale dell'Unesco, l'organo delle Nazioni Unite per l'educazione, la scienza e la cultura, Irina Bokova, ha salutato l'ingresso del Paese nell'organizzazione. ("I would like to give my welcome to the Palestinians." Thus spoke the UNESCO general director, Irina Bokova...")

Un'adesione a pieno titolo, approvata questa mattina dall'Assemblea generale dell'Unesco di Parigi con 107 voti a favore, 14 contro e 52 astenuti. Hanno votato sì Francia, Cina e India. Contrari Stati Uniti, Germania e Canada. Italia e Gran Bretagna figurano tra i paesi che non si sono espressi. Perchè l'ammissione diventi operativa, la Palestina dovrà ora ratificare la carta dell'Unesco.

"Questo è davvero un momento storico che restituisce alla Palestina alcuni dei suoi diritti", ha detto rivolgendosi alla Conferenza generale dell'Unesco il ministro degli Esteri palestinese Riyad Al Maliki. ("This is truly a historic moment that gives back to the Palestinian's some of their rights." said Palestinian foreign affairs minister Riyad Al Maliki) "Un giorno di festa", ha aggiunto Sabri Saidam, consigliere del presidente dell'Autorità palestinese Mahmoud Abbas, sottolineando: "Per noi si tratta di uno dei pilastri nella nostra lotta per l'indipendenza".

Opposto il parere di Israele, fortemente critica con il voto di Parigi. "Si tratta di una tragedia", ha detto un rappresentante del Paese, secondo cui la manovra "non porta alcun cambiamento nei rapporti" tra Israele e Palestina, semmai "allontana la possibilità di un accordo di pace". (Of the opposite thinking was Israel, strongly critical of the Paris vote. "It's a tragedy," a representative of the country said "it doesn't change a thing about the relations" of Israel and Palestine, if anything "it makes a peace accord a long way off.")

Come previsto il via libera di oggi ha creato una spaccatura con gli Stati Uniti, il cui commento non si è fatto attendere. "Non possiamo accettare l'adesione della Palestina all'Unesco", ha dichiarato David Killion, ambasciatore Usa, intervenendo alla sessione plenaria dell'Unesco dopo il voto favorevole ai palestinesi. Ora i finanziamenti americani all'organizzazione potrebbero essere a rischio. Un grave colpo visto che gli Stati Uniti sono il principale finanziatore dell'Unesco e contribuiscono al suo bilancio per il 22%. (As predicted, today's pro-Palestinian vote has created a break with the United States. "We can't accept the adhesion of Palestine to UNESCO," declared US ambassador David Killion, intervening at the plenary session of UNESCO after the favorable vote toward the Palestinians. Now the US financial contributions to the organization could be at risk. A major blow given that the United States is the principal financier of UNESCO, contributing 22% of its budget.)

Now the diametrical differences of opinion and mood here are not, of course, in the least bit surprising; however, what does resonate between statements of joy and those of indignant dejection and rage, are the ideas among some heads between what constitutes someone's rights, and how their recognition is an effrontery to the prerogatives of another.

But to state that the Palestinians have somehow furthered the distance between a lasting peace with Israel, simply because they have been given a few of their (long overdue) rights after 80 or so years of being lied to, ignored or conquered, while the US (and international community) sat back and watched, is merely a grotesque political parody and a misuse of sovereignty.

Now Israel will fear the Palestinians taking recourse to the International Court for the crimes they have sustained by the colonies.

 

[frenchfry]

Indeed (at $750.00 per).

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/apple-breaks-pre-sale-records-with-iphone-4s/

http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/media/press-releases/show?title=brewers-association-reports-2011-mid-year-growth-for-u-s-craft-brewers

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/01/news/companies/gas_price_hike_impact_on_february_auto_sales/index.htm

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-adidas-idUSTRE77319Q20110804

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/business/sales-of-luxury-goods-are-recovering-strongly.html

Lies?

The obvious benchmark for the success and well being of mankind is how many SUVs are on the roads.

Of course my anti-consumption philosophy excludes beer.

 

[VeloCity]

If the sexual harassment issue doesn't bury Cain, surely this will:

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/no...each-federal-campaign-tax-laws-132898423.html

I'd never heard of Mark Block until that smoking ad came out, but the guy seems to be a political slimeball of the highest order.

 

[VeloCity]

The public masturbation in Madison was a nice touch.

Right up there with TP'ers spitting on Emanuel Cleaver (African American, btw). Or shouting "f****t" at Barney Frank. Or calling John Lewis "n****r".

 

[VeloCity]

This bit from Ed Rogers' piece on Sunday made me laugh:

"Even though Cain won’t be the nominee, his candidacy tells us a lot about the psychology of GOP activists. Our team wants someone authentic, creative, fresh, bold and likeable. And we don’t have much tolerance for too many facts or too much information."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...op-nomination/2011/10/20/gIQAPfGEAM_blog.html

At least he's honest.

 

[Cobblestones]

Now the diametrical differences of opinion and mood here are not, of course, in the least bit surprising; however, what does resonate between statements of joy and those of indignant dejection and rage, are the ideas among some heads between what constitutes someone's rights, and how their recognition is an effrontery to the prerogatives of another.

But to state that the Palestinians have somehow furthered the distance between a lasting peace with Israel, simply because they have been given a few of their (long overdue) rights after 80 or so years of being lied to, ignored or conquered, while the US (and international community) sat back and watched, is merely a grotesque political parody and a misuse of sovereignty.

Now Israel will fear the Palestinians taking recourse to the International Court for the crimes they have sustained by the colonies.

How someone could think that membership in the United Nation's organization on Education, Science and Culture constitutes an obstacle to peace is beyond me.

 

[Amsterhammer]

How someone could think that membership in the United Nation's organization on Education, Science and Culture constitutes an obstacle to peace is beyond me.

Uh, the foot in the door, the thin end of the wedge, the domino effect, obstacle to peace, etc and so on........

 

[Anonymous]

Right up there with TP'ers spitting on Emanuel Cleaver (African American, btw). Or shouting "f****t" at Barney Frank. Or calling John Lewis "n****r".

Except some of these claims may not have happened quite the way the left would like to spin the story;

Emanuel Cleaver;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/28/congressman-spit-on-by-te_n_516300.html

Huffington Post Story;

Where is the video??

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/20/tea-party-protests-nier-f_n_507116.html

 

[Anonymous]

Things that make you go Hmmmmm.

Smoking-Gun Document Ties Policy To Housing Crisis

But what if government encouraged, even invented, those "abusive practices"?

Rewind to 1994. That year, the federal government declared war on an enemy — the racist lender — who officials claimed was to blame for differences in homeownership rates — and launched what would prove the costliest social crusade in U.S. history.

At President Clinton's direction, no fewer than 10 federal agencies issued a chilling ultimatum to banks and mortgage lenders to ease credit for lower-income minorities or face investigations for lending discrimination and suffer the related adverse publicity. They also were threatened with denial of access to the all-important secondary mortgage market and stiff fines, along with other penalties.

The threat was codified in a 20-page "Policy Statement on Discrimination in Lending" and entered into the Federal Register on April 15, 1994, by the Interagency Task Force on Fair Lending. Clinton set up the little-known body to coordinate an unprecedented crackdown on alleged bank redlining.

The edict — completely overlooked by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and the mainstream media — was signed by then-HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, Attorney General Janet Reno, Comptroller of the Currency Eugene Ludwig and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, along with the heads of six other financial regulatory agencies.

"The agencies will not tolerate lending discrimination in any form," the document warned financial institutions.

Ludwig at the time stated the ruling would be used by the agencies as a fair-lending enforcement "tool," and would apply to "all lenders" — including banks and thrifts, credit unions, mortgage brokers and finance companies.

The unusual full-court press was predicated on a Boston Fed study showing mortgage lenders rejecting blacks and Hispanics in greater proportion than whites. The author of the 1992 study, hired by the Clinton White House, claimed it was racial "discrimination." But it was simply good underwriting.

It took private analysts, as well as at least one FDIC economist, little time to determine the Boston Fed study was terminally flawed. In addition to finding embarrassing mistakes in the data, they concluded that more relevant measures of a borrower's credit history — such as past delinquencies and whether the borrower met lenders' credit standards — explained the gap in lending between whites and blacks, who on average had poorer credit and higher defaults.

The study did not take into account a host of other relevant data factoring into denials, including applicants' net worth, debt burden and employment record. Other variables, such as the size of down payments and the amount of the loans sought to the value of the property being bought, also were left out of the analysis. It also failed to consider whether the borrower submitted information that could not be verified, the presence of a cosigner and even the loan amount.

When these missing data were factored in, it became clear that the rejection rates were based on legitimate business decisions, not racism.

Still, the study was used to support a wholesale abandonment of traditional underwriting standards — the root cause of the mortgage crisis.

For the first time, Washington's army of bank regulators put racial lending at the top of their checklist. Banks that failed to throw open their lending windows to credit-poor minorities were denied expansion plans by the Fed in an era of frenzied financial mergers and acquisitions. HUD threatened to deny them access to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which it controlled. And the Justice Department sued them for lending discrimination and branded them as racists in the press.

"HUD is authorized to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to undertake various remedial actions, including suspension, probation, reprimand or settlement, against lenders found to have engaged in discriminatory lending practices," the official policy statement warned.

The regulatory missive, which had the effect of law, advised lenders to bend "customary" underwriting standards for minority homebuyers with poor credit.

"Applying different lending standards to applicants who are members of a protected class is permissible," it said. "In addition, providing different treatment to applicants to address past discrimination would be permissible."

To that end, lenders were directed to "make changes in marketing strategy or loan products to better serve minority segments of the market." They were also advised to "change commission structures" to encourage brokers and loan officers to "lend in minority and low-income neighborhoods" — a practice Countrywide Financial, the poster boy of the subprime scandal, perfected. The government now condemns the practice it once encouraged as "predatory."

Confronted with the combined force of 10 federal regulators, lenders naturally toed the line, and were soon aggressively marketing subprime mortgages in urban areas. The marching orders threw such a scare into the industry that the American Bankers Association issued a "fair-lending tool kit" to every member. The Mortgage Bankers Association of America signed a "fair-lending" contract with HUD. So did Countrywide.

HUD also pushed Fannie and Freddie, which in effect set industry underwriting standards, to buy subprime mortgages, freeing lenders to originate even more high-risk loans.

"Lenders should ensure that their loan processors and underwriters are aware of the provisions of the secondary market guidelines that provide various alternative and flexible means by which applicants may demonstrate their ability and willingness to repay their loans," the policy statement decreed.

And it's still alive today. Obama is building on the fair-lending infrastructure Clinton put in place.

As IBD first reported in July, Attorney General Eric Holder has launched a witch hunt vs. "racist" banks.

"It's a more aggressive fair-lending enforcement approach now," said Washington lawyer Andrew Sandler of Buckley Sandler LLP in a recent interview. "It is well beyond anything we saw during the Clinton administration."

Tom Perez, assistant attorney general for civil rights, recently testified that his division "continues to participate in the federal Interagency Fair Lending Task Force." And he and the task force are working with the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to "enhance fair-lending enforcement."

The fair-lending task force's original policy paper undercuts the notion the financial crisis was all about banker "greed," though it certainly played a role after the fact. Rather, it offers compelling evidence that the crisis evolved chiefly from government mandates and threats to increase lending to applicants who could not afford them.

http://news.investors.com/Article.aspx?id=589858&p=3

But more regulations are a good thing, right?

 

[VeloCity]

Except some of these claims may not have happened quite the way the left would like to spin the story;

Emanuel Cleaver;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/28/congressman-spit-on-by-te_n_516300.html

Huffington Post Story;

Where is the video??

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/20/tea-party-protests-nier-f_n_507116.html

And this is what the video shows: "One man is yelling with his hands cupped over his mouth as Cleaver walks by, and as Cleaver passes him, he recoils as if he has been hit in the face with spit. What is probably unknowable is whether the protester spit on Cleaver by accident or on purpose."

I'll take Cleaver's word for it, thanks.

And the other incidents of gay and racist epithets were confirmed by numerous observers, including several TP'ers themselves.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/02/dem-now-downplaying-tea-party-spitting-allegation/#ixzz1cOJL7cqL

 

[redtreviso]

Things that make you go Hmmmmm.

Smoking-Gun Document Ties Policy To Housing Crisis

http://news.investors.com/Article.aspx?id=589858&p=3

But more regulations are a good thing, right?

That's a bunch of fairy tale....Do I have to find its Cato or Heritage source?

edit
http://www.teapartynation.com/profiles/blogs/banksters?xg_source=activity

 

[Cobblestones]

Scott: the derivatives market in 2008 was about 200 trillion dollars, about 150 trillion of it was in interest contracts. The volume of all residential mortgages originating in this year was, I believe, below 2 trillion dollars. A small fraction of that went to minorities.

Just based on the simple numbers, the claim that 'forced lending to minorities caused the 2008 collapse' doesn't pass the smell test.

 

[Anonymous]

And this is what the video shows: "One man is yelling with his hands cupped over his mouth as Cleaver walks by, and as Cleaver passes him, he recoils as if he has been hit in the face with spit. What is probably unknowable is whether the protester spit on Cleaver by accident or on purpose."

I'll take Cleaver's word for it, thanks.

And the other incidents of gay and racist epithets were confirmed by numerous observers, including several TP'ers themselves.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/02/dem-now-downplaying-tea-party-spitting-allegation/#ixzz1cOJL7cqL

I'll take Cleaver's word for it, thanks.

Of course. It's how you are hard-wired.

And the other incidents of gay and racist epithets were confirmed by numerous observers, including several TP'ers themselves.

In these days of video cameras on every cell phone it's curious that there's no corroboration. I mean, if numerous people heard it, saw it, etc...

BTW, What's going on with Cain (sex harrasment, to dumb to spell IRAQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jpKh18UV_E) wouldn't happen to be because he's black, would it??

More;

Goldie Taylor, writer for a website called The Grio, said if given the chance, Herman Cain would "shed" his skin color to appease conservative white voters. Taylor and other contributors to TheGrio.com appear frequently on MSNBC to discuss issues dealing with race.

http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/10/14/msnbc_guest_if_cain_could_become_the_color_of_water_he_would_do_it.html

and more;

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/10/21/bill_maher_panel_discusses_racism_and_how_stupid_herman_cain_is.html

 

[Anonymous]

That's a bunch of fairy tale....Do I have to find its Cato or Heritage source?

edit
http://www.teapartynation.com/profiles/blogs/banksters?xg_source=activity

Nope. Investors Business Daily.

 

[VeloCity]

http://www.teapartynation.com/profiles/blogs/banksters?xg_source=activity

"...and allow free markets to cleanse the economy of its bad actors..."

Do these people not understand why regulations are needed in the first place??

 

[Anonymous]

Scott: the derivatives market in 2008 was about 200 trillion dollars, about 150 trillion of it was in interest contracts. The volume of all residential mortgages originating in this year was, I believe, below 2 trillion dollars. A small fraction of that went to minorities.

Just based on the simple numbers, the claim that 'forced lending to minorities caused the 2008 collapse' doesn't pass the smell test.

By collapse I believe they are talking about residential housing and the mess with Fannie & Freddy.

Here's the Title of the article; Smoking-Gun Document Ties Policy To Housing Crisis.