"WHEN THE ANGELS LEFT AND RETURNED TO THE HEAVENS, THE SHEPHERDS SAID, ‘LET US GO TO BETHLEHEM AND SEE THIS THING THAT HAS HAPPENED, WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE KNOWN TO US.’ SO WITH HASTE THEY WENT AND FOUND MARY AND JOSEPH, AND THE CHILD LYING IN A MANGER. WHEN THEY SAW THIS, THEY REVEALED WHAT HAD BEEN TOLD TO THEM ABOUT THIS CHILD; AND ALL WHO HEARD WERE AMAZED AT WHAT THE SHEPHERDS SAID. BUT MARY SIMPLY TREASURED ALL THESE THINGS, AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART."
LUKE 2:15-19
Sunday, December 30, 2018
RussiaGate In Review with Aaron Mate - Unreasoned Fear is Neoliberalism's Response to the Credibility Gap
From Jesse's Cafe:
At the inception of this entire RussiaGate spectacle I suggested that it was a political distraction to take the attention away from the rejection by the people of neoliberalism which has been embraced by the establishments of both political parties.
And that the result of the investigation would be indictments for perjury in the covering up of illicit business deals and money laundering. But that 'collusion to sway the election' was without substance, if not a joke.
Everything that has been revealed to date tends to support that.
One thing that Aaron overlooks is the evidence compiled by William Binney and associates that strongly suggests the DNC hack was no hack at all, but a leak by an insider who was appalled by the lies and double dealing at the DNC.
In general, RussiaGate is a farcical distraction from other issues as they say in the video. And this highlights the utterly Machiavellian streak in the corporate Democrats and the Liberal establishment under the Clintons and their ilk who care more about money and power than the basic principles that historically sustained their party. I have lost all respect for them.
But unfortunately this does open the door for those who use this to approve of the Republican establishment, which is 'at least honest' about being substantially corrupt servants to Big Money who care nothing about democracy, the Constitution, or the public. The best of them are leaving or have already left, and their party is ruined beyond repair.
This all underscores the paucity of the Red v. Blue, monopoly of two parties, 'lesser of two evils' model of political thought which has come to dominate the discussion in the US.
We are heavily propagandized by the owners of the corporate media and influencers of the narrative, and a professional class that has sold its soul for economic advantage and access to money and power.
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2018/12/russiagate-in-review-with-aaron-mate.html
At the inception of this entire RussiaGate spectacle I suggested that it was a political distraction to take the attention away from the rejection by the people of neoliberalism which has been embraced by the establishments of both political parties.
And that the result of the investigation would be indictments for perjury in the covering up of illicit business deals and money laundering. But that 'collusion to sway the election' was without substance, if not a joke.
Everything that has been revealed to date tends to support that.
One thing that Aaron overlooks is the evidence compiled by William Binney and associates that strongly suggests the DNC hack was no hack at all, but a leak by an insider who was appalled by the lies and double dealing at the DNC.
In general, RussiaGate is a farcical distraction from other issues as they say in the video. And this highlights the utterly Machiavellian streak in the corporate Democrats and the Liberal establishment under the Clintons and their ilk who care more about money and power than the basic principles that historically sustained their party. I have lost all respect for them.
But unfortunately this does open the door for those who use this to approve of the Republican establishment, which is 'at least honest' about being substantially corrupt servants to Big Money who care nothing about democracy, the Constitution, or the public. The best of them are leaving or have already left, and their party is ruined beyond repair.
This all underscores the paucity of the Red v. Blue, monopoly of two parties, 'lesser of two evils' model of political thought which has come to dominate the discussion in the US.
We are heavily propagandized by the owners of the corporate media and influencers of the narrative, and a professional class that has sold its soul for economic advantage and access to money and power.
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2018/12/russiagate-in-review-with-aaron-mate.html
Canadian Household Debt-to-Income Ratio Near Record High
From Zero Hedge:
Total household debt relative to disposable income has been trending higher as indebtedness has been rising faster than incomes, with mortgage debt being a major contributor, counting for two-thirds of all outstanding household debt in Canada.
Total household debt relative to disposable income has been trending higher as indebtedness has been rising faster than incomes, with mortgage debt being a major contributor, counting for two-thirds of all outstanding household debt in Canada.
"Households with elevated levels of debt are more vulnerable to increases in interest rates", the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation redundantly observes in its latest bulletin and warns that "with interest rates on the rise, highly indebted households could see their increased required payments exceed their budgets."
Naturally, this increased debt payment burden usually come at the cost of reduced consumption, decreased savings or opting to make lower repayments on principal amounts. Some households might even default on their loans if their incomes are not sufficient to cover higher expenses and credit charges.
And, as the CMHC ominously warns, if an increasing number of borrowers begin to default on their loans, financial institutions may decrease lending activities in response...
The composition of debt influences how quickly changing interest rates impact households. Line of credit loans and mortgages with variable interest rates would be the first to feel the impact of higher interest rates. Consumers holding existing credit products with fixed interest rates, such as auto loans, would not be affected at all on these items. Given that three quarters of mortgages have fixed rate terms, rising rates would not impact these loans until renewal. A rise in the mortgage rate would impact about half of all mortgage loans within the first year following an increase.
The effect on household finances following a hike in interest rates is a function of how quickly debt service charges increase. Analysis of debt composition by metropolitan area provides comparisons on how quickly various shares of household debt are impacted by a change in interest rates. Segmenting the DTI ratio by debt product provides the share of each product’s debt burden relative to income....
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-30/canadian-household-debt-income-ratio-near-record-high
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Rick Steves' European Christmas
From Jesse's Cafe:
"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home.”
Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers
"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."
Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express
"This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas every body invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather. I was snowed up at a friend's house once for a week. Nothing could be pleasanter."
Jane Austen, Emma
의사고시 드디어 합격"…'톤즈의 아이' 의사가 되다
Fr. Lee, it has been already 9 years. I miss you.
머니투데이로부터:
아프리카 남수단 톤즈에서 온 토마스 타반 아콧씨(33)가 한국 의사국가고시 합격 소감을 전했다. 토마스씨는 아프리카 남수단의 작은 마을, 톤즈 출신이다. 멀지만 익숙한 이름의 '톤즈'는 고 이태석 신부의 삶을 그린 다큐멘터리 '울지마, 톤즈'(2010년9월 개봉)의 배경이 된 곳이다.
그는 2009년 겨울 '한국에서 공부를 해 보지 않겠느냐'는 이 신부의 권유로 한국에 왔다. 그리고 9년이 흐른 올해 1월15일 인제대 의과대학을 졸업하고 지난 21일 꿈에 그리던 의사가 됐다. 아프리카 출신으로 한국 의대를 졸업해 의사가 된 이는 토마스씨가 처음이다.
한국에 온지 9년 만에 의사가 된 토마스씨는 한국 땅을 처음 밟은 그날을 기억한다. 당시 내전 중이던 남수단 톤즈에서 학교와 병원을 세우고 톤즈의 사람들과 함께하던 이 신부는 휴가차 한국이 왔다가 말기암 판정을 받았다. 자신이 가지 못하는 대신 톤즈의 아이들을 한국에 데려와 공부를 시키고 싶다는 이 신부의 요청에 수단어린이장학회는 후원을 결정, 토마스씨와 존 마옌 루벤(31)씨를 한국에 초청했다.
이들이 한국에 온지 한 달도 채 안됐던 2010년 1월14일 이 신부는 끝내 이들을 남겨둔 채 떠났지만, 이들은 이 신부의 부름에 담긴 뜻을 잊지 않았다. 의사가 되는 길은 누구나 예상하듯 쉽지 않았다. 이 신부의 모교인 인제대 의과대학에 12학번으로 입학해 학과과정을 따라가는 것부터 의사고시를 치르기까지 고비는 여러 차례 찾아왔다. 토마스씨는 지난 1월 치른 의사고시 실기시험에서 한 차례 고배를 마시기도 했지만 지난 10월 두 번째 실기시험을 치른 끝에 최종 합격장을 받아들었다.
톤즈에서는 여전히 이 신부가 문을 연 '톤즈 돈보스코 병원'이 '이태석 신부 기념 병원'으로 이름을 바꿔 운영 중이다. 토마스씨는 "이번에 병원에 방문해 수녀님과 병원 책임자 등을 만나고 왔다"며 "잘 운영되고 있다"고 전했다.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
THERE WILL BE A TIME OF DISTRESS SUCH AS HAS NOT HAPPENED FROM THE BEGINNING OF NATIONS UNTIL THEN. BUT AT THAT TIME YOUR PEOPLE—EVERYONE WHOSE NAME IS FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK—WILL BE DELIVERED. MANY WHO SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH WILL AWAKE: SOME TO EVERLASTING LIFE, OTHERS TO SHAME AND EVERLASTING CONTEMPT. THOSE WHO ARE WISE WILL SHINE LIKE THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEAVENS, AND THOSE WHO LEAD MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, LIKE THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER."
DANIEL 12:1-3
DANIEL 12:1-3
Bernie Sanders: Concentrated Wealth Is Concentrated Power
From Naked Capitalism:
Bernie Sanders discusses how concentrated economic power is distorting American politics and society.
Bernie Sanders discusses how concentrated economic power is distorting American politics and society.
Yves here. This Real News Network interview with Bernie Sanders shows him in top form.
PAUL JAY: Welcome back to The Real News Network. I’m Paul Jay. We’re in Burlington, Vermont at the Sanders Institute Gathering. And once again, we’re joined by Senator Bernie Sanders. Thanks for joining us.
BERNIE SANDERS: My pleasure.
PAUL JAY: In one of the panels yesterday you said it’s not just about concentration of wealth and how the inequality, how unfair that is, the suffering it causes. But concentration of wealth means concentration of power. How do you challenge that power?
BERNIE SANDERS: This is not easy stuff. But we are certainly not going to deal with it if we don’t discuss it. And one of the crises that we face right now is that you’ve got a media that will not talk about this issue. And you’ve got, essentially, two parties that don’t talk about it very much. And I think one of the things that I wanted to do in my presidential campaign is kind of bust this whole thing open. Let’s talk about the real issues. You know, whether CBS likes it or not.
So what you have here is, first of all, massive income and wealth inequality. And as a nation we have got to think from a moral perspective and an economic perspective whether we think it is appropriate that three people, one, two, three, own more wealth than the bottom half of the American society. You know, that’s really quite outrageous, and it’s appropriate that we take a hard look at that. But it is not just that the one tenth of 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. They don’t put their wealth underneath their mattresses, right. They use that wealth to perpetrate, perpetuate their power. And they do that politically. So you have the Koch brothers and a handful of billionaires who pour hundreds of millions of dollars into elections, because their Supreme Court gutted the campaign finance laws that were in existence, and now allow billionaires quite openly to buy elections.
So wealth equals power, politically. Wealth means that if I own a company in the United States, I own a GE plant, where there may be hundreds or thousands of workers, and that plant may be making money, but not as much money as it could make if I took it to China or to Mexico, I have the power to do that. Because politicians are not going to stop me. Because we have disastrous trade laws. If I am a billionaire, it is likely that I will have control over media, as well. So you have a handful of media conglomerates owned by some of the wealthiest people in this country and in the world determining what the news is; what is appropriate for the American people to discuss and not to discuss.
Now what–my wife Jane, she put this thing together, I’m a guest here. But what she understood is that when we deal with climate change, when we deal with the economy, when we deal with housing, when we deal with criminal justice or immigration issues, we have got to deal with those in a holistic way, and understand why all of that is happening. Not see them as separate issues. And a lot of that has to do that we live in a nation owned and controlled by a small number of multi-billionaires whose greed, incredible greed, insatiable greed, is having an unbelievably negative impact on the fabric of our entire country.
PAUL JAY: The process of financialization that’s taken place over the whole 20th century, especially since World War II, where finance, Wall Street is so dominant in the economy. And this concentration of ownership and concentration of power is, nowhere is that more important than in the financial sector, because it permeates everything.
BERNIE SANDERS: Yes...
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2018/12/bernie-sanders-concentrated-wealth-concentrated-power.html
What Do China and Goldman Sachs Have in Common?
From Jesse's Cafe:
Gold is not only flowing from West to East.
It is also flowing into the house account at Goldman Sachs. Or at least the paper claims for it in New York.
Below is the monthly report showing the large amounts of physical gold which have been steadily flowing through the Shanghai markets into strong hands in China.
Few commentators are talking about this.
What is less familiar, and what I have not read about much, is the very large amount of gold that Goldman Sachs has been taking delivery on the Comex this month.
Attached are a few of the clearing reports below.
Notice that the big takers are the house account at Goldman, and some presumably large customer at JPM.
What's up with that?
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2018/12/what-do-china-and-goldman-sachs-have-in.html
Gold is not only flowing from West to East.
It is also flowing into the house account at Goldman Sachs. Or at least the paper claims for it in New York.
Below is the monthly report showing the large amounts of physical gold which have been steadily flowing through the Shanghai markets into strong hands in China.
Few commentators are talking about this.
What is less familiar, and what I have not read about much, is the very large amount of gold that Goldman Sachs has been taking delivery on the Comex this month.
Attached are a few of the clearing reports below.
Notice that the big takers are the house account at Goldman, and some presumably large customer at JPM.
What's up with that?
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2018/12/what-do-china-and-goldman-sachs-have-in.html
Saturday, December 1, 2018
General Motors And General Electric Highlight The Ponzi Scheme That Is The US Economy
I worked at
both companies. It is disheartening to
see these companies sinking.
From Zero Hedge:
.. GE and GM are both telling us the US economy is in huge trouble.
America’s twin economic
“generals” are both in very deep trouble.
General Electric was founded in 1892, and it was
once one of the most powerful corporations on the entire planet. But now it is
drowning in so much debt that it may be forced into bankruptcy.
General Motors was
founded in 1908, and at one time it was the largest automaker that the world
had ever seen. But now it is closing a bunch of factories and laying off
approximately 14,000 workers as it anticipates disappointing sales and a
slowing economy.
If the U.S.
economy really was “booming”, both of these companies
would probably be thriving. But as you will see below, both of them have
been victimized by the exact same Ponzi scheme, and both firms are sending us
very clear signals that the U.S. economy is heading for troubled waters…
Combined, General Electric and
General Motors have blown more than 53 billion dollars on stock buybacks, and
now both companies are in huge trouble.
The executives that gutted
the finances of both firms by engaging in these sorts of Ponzi tactics should
all be fired and should never be hired by anyone else in the corporate world.
For years, big
corporations have been borrowing massive amounts of money to fund reckless
stock buybacks, and that has helped to fuel an amazing bull market run.
But now the game is imploding, and the unraveling of this massive Ponzi
scheme is not going to be pretty.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-28/general-motors-and-general-electric-highlight-ponzi-scheme-us-economy
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