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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Good Night

Vegetable Drought

Vegetable farming in Wisconsin hit hard by the drought.

The Chippewa Herald: Drought in state doing a number on vegetables

Steve King Promoting Animal Fighting

Apparently there is no such thing as free will and consciousness. Not only that but there is no difference between animals and humans. Thanks for clearing that up Steve.

DOW Closes Lower

The DOW closed at 13,008.68 dropping 64.33 points.

CNN: Top 10 consumer complaints

The Daily Show - London Galling

TRNN - What A Single Payer Health Insurance Plan Looks Like

Highly recommended discussion on why health insurance is so costly in the USA, the role of big insurance in determining treatment and prescriptions, a comparison between the USA and Canada - hint Canada does a better job of health care than the USA and Canadians live longer than Americans.

Watch this and you will get much more up to speed on Obamacare as well.

More at The Real News

DOW Lower At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 13,034.79 down 38.22 points.

CNN: Stocks: Investors hit pause ahead of Fed, ECB

Blackout Two

WP: India blackout, on second day, leaves 600 million without power

Have A Good Morning

Dali

The Onion - The Week In Review

Muller Flips Sides

We posted this story two days ago but it's definitely worth another look. Here's one to wave around in the face of your many global warming denying family members and acquaintances.

Live Science: Former Global Warming Skeptic Makes a 'Total Turnaround'

The Toxic Aberration Party

One suspects that the decent old time GOPers are not quite clued into the very ugly changes that have occurred in their party. Historians know the answer but I cannot recall a period in my lifetime when the GOP has been so utterly brutal. The rhetoric makes one cringe. The Democrats on the other hand, instead of seizing on an opportunity to unite and advance, merely play into the GOTP hands and act out catch up scenarios in the news. They are playing defense and one has to ask why.

AlterNet: GOP’s Three Biggest Fears in 2012
"...the Republican Party, has become an insurgent outlier—ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence, and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.”

Al Jazeera - Spain Grapples With Recession

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Tuesday

Good morning. It is 69 degrees and overcast here in Upstate NY. We are closing out another month today, it seems like the Summer is flying by, slow it down please. People are already planning out the Fall, yikes. I have mentioned it on this blog a few times but for those interested in learning check out Coursera. Someone has put together teachers from very good universities and colleges to offer free online college level courses on a variety of topics. I am presently working through a course on finance and I must say it is very well done, the teacher is very joyful and organized, plus the information so far comes at you in decent increments. Basically I am watching video segments and taking notes, then I get tested when I complete a week's worth of information. It's good.

At 8:20 a.m. futures are modestly higher, the dollar is mostly down against major world currencies, and the price of oil is up per barrel. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

Yesterday's market reasoning remains for today, investors are awaiting the results of a meeting between the European Central Bank and the Fed on how to 'stimulate' the economy. As I mentioned yesterday this probably means some type of quantitative easing or literally the pumping of fresh cash into the banking system. Seriously what else can be determined in a few days - some sort of detailed plan on how to create jobs in the E.U., not going to happen. Europe is in a tough spot, with an 11.2% unemployment rate and a 2.4% inflation rate. Relatively speaking we have it better in the USA.

CNN: Stocks: Investors await central bank meetings
...readings on consumer confidence, spending and income.


...(on Wednesday) whether the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank will take new stimulus measures to boost the economy.


...all three indexes are poised for mild gains for the month (July).


The S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for 20 cities will also be released before the opening bell...

'Super Bon Bon'

Soul Coughing

Monday, July 30, 2012

Good Night

Why Be Subtle...

Raw Story: Limbaugh: Don’t tell ‘people on welfare when the election is’

DOW Closes Flat

The DOW closed at 13,073.01 dropping 2.65 points.

Reuters: Wall Street ends flat after year's best 2-day run

Ebola In Uganda

BBC: Uganda's Yoweri Museveni warns of Ebola threat
Uganda has seen three major outbreaks over the past 12 years.

TRNN - Quebec Students Continue Resistance


More at The Real News

DOW Flat At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 13,069.68 down 5.98 points.

CNN: Stocks: Investors cautious ahead of Fed, ECB

Environment Gets Short Breather

Reuters: India blackout leaves 300 million without power

Russian Outrage

The Russian punk band - 'Pussy Riot' performs 'Punk Prayer'



The song is utterly horrible, in my opinion, and it caused great distress among the Russian powers that be mostly for its anti-Putin message. Consequently band members were arrested and face up to 7 years in jail for hooliganism. Although I am not fond of the song, I do like the manner and method of protest. There is something admirably poignant in all this.

Enceladus

Raw Story: Saturn’s moon Enceladus holds promise of alien life

Have A Good Morning

work by Willy Verginer

The Onion - England Finalizes Selection Of Children To Hold Apples On Heads For Olympic Archery Competition

Sleep

Live Science: Lack of Sleep Slows You Down

Creating The Economy

AlterNet: Beyond Throwaway Cities: How To Build An Export-Proof Local Economy

Al Jazeera - Millions Spent On Negative Ads In US Presidential Campaign

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Monday

Good morning. It is 66 degrees and cloudy here in Upstate NY. The logo is spelling out sunshine later on, we shall see. Out walking earlier I was thinking about this week coming up. Let's hope that this week is a little less intense than recent previous weeks - no mass killings please, let's have some good news. Maybe the Olympics can help with that. I was pleased to see that Richard A. Muller, University of California, Berkeley physics professor, has finally acknowledged humanity's contribution to global warming. Apparently he recognized that there is a price to pay for pumping billions of tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. What on Earth are these FOX News people thinking? Do they really think you can endlessly pump carbon monoxide into the atmosphere and that it magically goes away. What is the physics of that magic thank you, can you please explain that.

At 8:10 a.m. futures are slightly lower, the dollar is mostly up against major world currencies, and the price of oil is down per barrel. The market is poised to open lower.

Besides the continued batch of second quarter corporate results, investors are concerned about an upcoming Fed meeting which involves the Euro Central Bank, all with the intent to boost the economy - presumably the economies of Europe and the US and consequently the globe. Tired of the eurozone financial crisis, investors want to see action to somehow resolve the mess. As we have seen, lengthy step by step plans never seem to enter into these kinds of equations. Instead one would suspect they go for a mass infusion of money quantitative easing, along with austerity. Austerity measures are fundamentally determining that there are sick yet sweet spots in a country's economy, usually sectors that were up to this point publicly held, and announcing that these sectors will be privatized. Get used to it.

CNN: Stocks: Investors on central bank watch
Expectations are high for the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank to announce new measures to boost the economy when they meet later this week.


Spain's economy continued to shrink for a third straight quarter.

'Circles'

Soul Coughing

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Good Night

'The And'

The And from Juriaan Booij on Vimeo.

Converted Skeptic

MSNBC: Ex-climate change skeptic: Humans cause global warming

LIBOR Scandal

The LIBOR scandal is probably the largest banking scam of all time and the effects do impact you and me and everybody else make no mistake.

Guardian UK: RBS faces huge fine over Libor scandal, says Stephen Hester

TRNN - LIBOR - Insider Trading On A Massive Scale

more on LIBOR - 'London Interbank Offered Rate'


More at The Real News

Romney Backing Iran War

Romney remaining true to form, accepts the policy of his ultra right wing neocon advisers and flaunts his hopeful war time presidency to the Israelis.

FOX News (of course): Romney would back Israeli strike against Iran, senior adviser says

Have A Good Morning

Banksy

The Onion - Horrible Couple Really Wants Wedding To Reflect Their Personalities

Summer Game Heat

Illustration with interesting facts about the Summer Games.

While hosting the 2008 games the Chinese were so concerned about smog in Beijing that they banned traffic and closed down factories in the city in preparation.

Live Science: Extreme Weather at the Summer Games

Drought Facts

The drought is affecting more than 50% of the lower 48 states and it also affects Hawaii and Alaska. We are in a record year for high temperatures, again. There is a major price to pay for pumping billions of tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere year and year, in fact we are increasing the number of billions of tons year after year, and we are planning to pump even more carbon emissions into the atmosphere through the future.

Here's a formula you might need to know -> F = 1.8*degrees_C +32

(Degrees in Fahrenheit equals 1.8 times Degrees in Celsius + 32.)

Let's do the math and see what a 2 degree Celsius increase in temperature equals in Fahrenheit.

F = 1.8 X 2 + 32 = 35.6 degrees

AlterNet: Drought, Blistering Temperatures and Raging Fires: Are We Screwed? 5 Facts You Should Know

Al Jazeera - 3D Printing Adds New Dimensions To Old Ideas

Al Jazeera - Hepatitis C Scare Hits The US

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

'How Insensitive'

Metheny and Jobim

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Good Night

Romney's Foreign Policy

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

'The Campaign'

trailer

The Daily Show - Bad Habit

Paying For Climate Change

Notice that the article makes little mention of the effects of climate change on the human body as in surviving severe weather and severe temperatures. People are the "collateral damage" here, objectified in a matter of fact way. I'm not objecting to the article simply pointing out the most relevant and important cost which tends to get ignored in matters of business.

Reuters: Analysis: Evidence for climate extremes, costs, gets more local

Have A Good Morning

work by David Jay Weiner

The Onion - Computer Virus May Be Blasting AC/DC In Iran

The Onion: Computer Virus May Be Blasting AC/DC In Iran

Greenland In Focus

Live Science: Melting Ice Floods Greenland River, Satellite Photo Shows

Live Science: The Reality of Climate Change: 10 Myths Busted

It's Cool

AlterNet: 10 Mind-Blowing Discoveries This Week

Al Jazeera - HIV Co-Founder Doubts Over Imminent Cure

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

'Bowling For Columbine'

Michael Moore's film from 2002 -

'Minor Swing'

All the great euro-swing guitarists.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Good Night

'Mineapolis'

MINEAPOLIS from NIETO on Vimeo.

Carville Taunts Romney's Foreign Policy Silence

He's always good for a laugh.

DOW Closes Higher

The DOW closed at 13,075.66 gaining 187.73 points.

CNN: Dow hits 13,000 as stocks rally

Mitt's Foreign Policy Facility On Display

I am convinced that the Romney administration will completely outdo Bush 2 on all levels. I maintain Romney wins in November.

Headline in the London Sun -

Cantor Defends Bachmann

Watch it and weep, he talks the talk but when push comes to shove he capitulates on every issue. He essentially says nothing.

The Daily Show - Jon Stewart Fingers Some A**holes And Then Gives Them A Vigorous Tongue-Lashing

TRNN - Georgia Prisoners’ Hunger Strike At Critical Stage


More at The Real News

DOW Higher At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 12,996.76 up 108.83 points.

Just as we thought, the 2nd Quarter GDP at 1.5% beats the 1.4% expectation. Depending on the political inclinations and allegiances, the 1.5% will be viewed as good or bad. At the moment Wall Street sees it as good.

CNN: Stocks gain after GDP report

1.5%

I believe financial managers were expecting 1.4%. We will see throughout the day how this is regarded as many will comment.

From CNN:
U.S. economy grows at a 1.5% annual rate in the second quarter of 2012, government says.

Have A Good Morning

Monet

The Onion - Anaheim Police Chief John Welter: 'Look, Our Job Is To Shoot People'

The Onion: Anaheim Police Chief John Welter: 'Look, Our Job Is To Shoot People'

Arrogance Proven!

Live Science: Scientific Proof Your Boss is a Jerk

The New Migration Into Cities

AlterNet: How Millennials Are Driving the Great Migration of the 21st Century

Al Jazeera - ECB To 'Do Whatever It Takes' To Save Euro

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Friday

Good morning and welcome to the weekend. It is 70 degrees and very lightly raining here in Upstate NY. Many of us were expecting a wild storm last night and late yesterday afternoon, and by wild I mean very strong winds. Many places in the Northeast got those strong winds but we fortunately did not. We did make preparations taking things that would blow around in the yard inside and closing windows, etc. But that did not materialize. I see that two people died from this storm, tragic and so traumatic. I think many of us are catching on to the reality that stronger weather is here to stay, this is global warming, and it's not going to get lighter either.

At 8:20 a.m. futures are mildly higher, the dollar is mostly down against major world currencies, and the price of oil is up per barrel. The market is poised to open slightly higher except...

The government will release it's first estimate of the second quarter GDP at 8:30 a.m., ten minutes from when I am writing this. It's simple, the GDP number will be the meat and potatoes of the day. Yes lots of reports are coming through and investors will parse them accordingly but the GDP is the GDP.

CNN: Stocks: Investors await U.S. GDP data
...investors await the government's reading of U.S. economic growth during the second quarter...


...new report due on consumer sentiment...

'Only You'

The Platters

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Good Night

Colbert - Romney's Anglo-Saxon Connection

'The Championships At Wimbledon'

The Championships at Wimbledon from The Seventh Movement on Vimeo.

It Gets Worse

phys.org: Researchers find link between climate change, ozone loss and possible increase in skin cancer incidence
...water vapor injected into the stratosphere by powerful thunderstorms converts stable forms of chlorine and bromine into free radicals capable of transforming ozone molecules into oxygen. Recent studies have suggested that the number and intensity of such storms are linked to climate changes, Anderson said, which could in turn lead to increased ozone loss and greater levels of harmful UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface, and potentially higher rates of skin cancer.

DOW Closes Higher

The DOW closed at 12,887.93 gaining 211.88 points.

Daily Finance: Is 'Globesity' the Next Big Thing in Investing?

Must Read

This article is required reading for all.

Rolling Stone: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
"The new data provide further evidence that the door to a two-degree trajectory is about to close," said Fatih Birol, the IEA's chief economist. In fact, he continued, "When I look at this data, the trend is perfectly in line with a temperature increase of about six degrees." That's almost 11 degrees Fahrenheit, which would create a planet straight out of science fiction.

Arctic Ice Melting

Guardian UK: Loss of Arctic sea ice '70% man-made'

Food Prices

NYT: Severe Drought Seen as Driving Cost of Food Up

The Daily Show - Joseph Stiglitz Extended Interview Pt. 1

TRNN - Africa And The War Against Offshore Finance


More at The Real News

DOW Higher At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 112,839.26 up 163.21 points.

CNN: Mortgage rates hit another record low

Extreme Weather And Infrastructure

NYT: Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling

353,000

This should add a boost to the stock market opening.

From CNN:
Number of people filing for initial jobless claims falls 35,000 to 353,000 in the latest week, U.S. government says

Have A Good Morning

work by Sally Weare

The Onion - Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, And Daniel Day-Lewis Come Out As Gay, Also Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Brian Williams, Meryl Streep, And LeBron James

The Onion: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, And Daniel Day-Lewis Come Out As Gay, Also Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Brian Williams, Meryl Streep, And LeBron James

Anger Net

Live Science: Why Is Everyone on the Internet So Angry?

Sustain

AlterNet: 5 Critical Actions That Really Can Put Us on a Sustainable Path

Al Jazeera - Outrage Over Police Shootings In Anaheim

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Thursday

Good morning. It is 66 degrees, cloudy, and raining on and off here in Upstate NY. As I write it is not raining. I was quite taken by the story of the three young men in Aurora who shielded their girlfriends from the line of fire and consequently lost their own lives. We tend to think of the world as being full of greed and selfishness but when push comes to shove basic human decency and intense compassion comes forward. Decency and humanity truly prevails. It's quite remarkable and we will remember these three young men - Jon Blunk, Alex Teves, and Matt McQuinn.

At 8:15 a.m. futures are significantly higher, the dollar is down against major world currencies, and the price of oil is up per barrel. The market is poised to open higher.

What could interfere with that opening is the weekly first time layoff number due out at 8:30.

Investors are stoked to hear that the eurozone managers will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of the euro in light of the tremendous eurozone financial crisis. Who knows what this means, but it sure sounds good.

Meanwhile investors will continue to parse through second quarter corporate results with newbie Facebook scheduled to reveal it's first ever quarterly report, after the closing bell, as a fresh publicly owned corporation. Now let's not get too sentimental here.

Otherwise more data on the housing market comes through today and apparently the trend is still weak but improving in that sector. Party on.

CNN: Stock futures surge on Draghi comments
...European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said the central bank would do whatever it takes to preserve the euro.


... the country's (Spain) borrowing costs remain unsustainably high.


Recent weakness in economic data has revived the debate over whether the Federal Reserve will take steps soon to stimulate the economy.

'Fools'

The Dodos

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Good Night

'Rachel's Mom Visits Ethiopia'

Stunning - 4 stars- Sande - ****

Rachel Beckwith's Mom Visits Ethiopia. from charity: water on Vimeo.

Finance

Check it out, started this week, a free online course - Intro To Finance.

And yes, you can get in it if you want to. Coursera has other courses as well.

Coursera: Intro To Finance

DOW Closes Higher

The DOW closed at 12,676.05 gaining 58.73 points.

CNN: Spain on the brink

The Presidential Race And Climate Change

So where are Romney and Obama anyhow on the most important issue we are facing?

Answer: AWOL as in not even lightly mentioned in the presidential "debate/accusation/commercial assassination" activity.

Chicago Sun Times: Editorial: Climate change goes AWOL
A poll set to come out this week, conducted by the University of Texas, shows that a strong majority of Americans — 70 percent — now believe we are going through a period of climate change. That’s 87 percent of Democrats, but also a majority, 53 percent, of Republicans.

The Daily Show - Back In Black - Campaign Fibs

TRNN - Bill Black Reports: LIBOR And HSBC


More at The Real News

DOW Higher At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 12,653.76 up 36.44 points.

CNN: Stocks: Caterpillar boosts Dow, Apple drags tech

Have A Good Morning

1910 self portrait by composer Arnold Schoenberg

The Onion - Uncle Ben's To Compete Against Apple With Brand-New Smartphone

The Onion: Uncle Ben's To Compete Against Apple With Brand-New Smartphone
...a Nov. 23 launch date for its new "Basmati" phone...

Iceberg

Live Science: Massive Greenland Iceberg Heads for Open Waters

Stupidity In The Face Of Violence

AlterNet: The 6 Most Offensive Things Said in the Wake of the Aurora Shooting

Al Jazeera - Guatemala Shelters HIV Positive Orphans

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Wednesday

Good morning. It is a pleasant 66 degrees and sunny here in Upstate NY. Kudos to Christian Bale for visiting Aurora, that was a top notch gesture. It's hard to imagine the level of trauma that someone sitting in that theater is now experiencing. It's traumatic simply knowing about it, but to be in there and witness that or perhaps even to have gotten shot, that is very difficult. A tragic event that may have lasted only minutes will take years to work through and even then some may not be able to shed that suffering, but we want them to shed it.

At 8:20 a.m. futures are flat, the dollar is mostly up against major world currencies, and the price of oil is slightly up per barrel. The market is poised to open in the mixed territory.

Apple has produced a poor second quarter report and consequently the tech sector is in trouble. On the other hand Ford came through better than expected so there is a struggle or perhaps a negative/positive balance occurring. We shall see which wins out, but the market has been on a downward slide this week.

Investors will be parsing data on the weak housing market along with more second quarter reports. Looming in the background and foreground is the tumultuous economic upheaval occurring in Europe. Investors are watching the developments in Spain, Greece is out on the perimeter of the solar system lost, and now even stalwart Germany is showing signs of stress. Essentially the global economy rides on consumer buying and with Europe in distress, Europeans are not buying.

CNN: Apple, Ford set stocks up for choppy day
... Apple's disappointing earnings...


...the automaker's (Ford) earnings and sales topped Wall Street forecasts...


Fears that Spain is moving closer to needing a full-blown bailout -- like those granted to Greece, Ireland and Portugal -- continued to build...


...Germany's business confidence index declined for a third straight month in July...

'Done Got Old'

Robert Belfour

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Cool It

Article on some common fruits and vegetables that help cool the body in the oppressive heat.

fruitguys.com: Foods that Cool

From Ani Pema Chodron

Something to staple to the forehead -
"The next time you lose heart and you can't bear to experience what you are feeling, you might recall this instruction: change the way you see it and lean in. That's basically the instruction that Dzigar Kongtrul gave me. And now I pass it on to you. Instead of blaming our discomfort on outer circumstances or on our own weakness, we can choose to stay present and awake to our experience, not rejecting it, not grasping it, not buying the stories that we relentlessly tell ourselves. This is priceless advice that addresses the true cause of suffering- yours, mine and that of all living beings."

350.org

350 PPM, particles per million, of CO2 in the atmosphere is the "good" number for Earth. As you know scientists have recently recorded over 400 PPM in the Arctic region, a number unheard of over the last 800,000 years.

Chomsky And Bill McKibben On Global Warming

This is from 2 years ago.

Greenland Ice Melt

NASA: Satellites See Unprecedented Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Melt
On average in the summer, about half of the surface of Greenland's ice sheet naturally melts. At high elevations, most of that melt water quickly refreezes in place. Near the coast, some of the melt water is retained by the ice sheet and the rest is lost to the ocean. But this year the extent of ice melting at or near the surface jumped dramatically. According to satellite data, an estimated 97 percent of the ice sheet surface thawed at some point in mid-July.

Good Night


Traleg Rinpoche 1955 - 2012

'Belly'

Belly from Julia Pott on Vimeo.

More University Violence

MSNBC: Gunman on UConn campus commits suicide

DOW Closes Lower

The DOW closed at 12,617.32 dropping 104.14 points.

CNN: Stocks deep in the red

The Daily Show - Aurora And Gun Control

TRNN - The Death Of Evidence In Canada


More at The Real News

DOW Lower At Noon

At 1:15 the DOW is at 12,569.03 down 152.43 points.

CNN: AT&T, Cisco lead stock sell-off

Romney Will Win

The country wants change. Romney is change of course, he is also the worst possible choice. Perhaps there is a hope out there that by the time the next GOTP president is elected that somehow the extremeness in the GOTP can be modified and that we can get back to more centrist GOTP presidents. That is not going to happen. The GOTP has already sawed through the legs under the democracy table and the sturdy kick is loaded, ready to go, and waiting for its turn.

Reuters: Obama attacks on taxes and Bain hit Romney ratings

Letting The Flying Monkeys Loose

Bachmann in her own words...

Have A Good Morning

work by Georgia O'Keeffe

The Onion - Iron Dumped In Ocean Might Slow Global Warming

The Onion: Iron Dumped In Ocean Might Slow Global Warming

Surviving

Live Science: Colorado Survivors: How Do People Survive Gunshot Wounds?

The Great Recession Wiped Out Black Americans Wealth

AlterNet: Black Americans Have Suffered an Historic Wipeout of Their Wealth, With Few Signs It's Coming Back

Al Jazeera - Returning US Veterans Struggle To Adjust

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Tuesday

Good morning. It is 69 degrees, slightly breezy, and hazy cloudy here in Upstate NY. The weather logo is indicating rain for later on. Out doing my morning walk a short time ago I bumped into a few neighbors. The talk is all about last night's severe thunderstorms, and yes they were severe. The house was literally shaking from the thunder booms, quite amazing. Still I managed to fall asleep however the new dog did not, at least right away that is. She is very sensitive to sounds and gets jumpy when something out of the ordinary makes noise, could even be a sudden car door slamming. Anyhow as the booms struck the poor dog laid on the bathroom floor, was curled up head down, and she was shaking from nervousness. So we tried to soothe her and I'm happy to say that this morning she was in great wagging spirits. Some dogs get freaked out in thunderstorms, others don't even notice.

At 8:15 a.m. futures are flat, the dollar is mostly up against major world currencies, and the price of oil is up per barrel. The market is poised to open in the flat to slightly higher range. One suspects energy stocks might do a little better.

Investors are pleased to see data out of China indicating that the manufacturing behemoth is holding it's own - manufacturing did not contract in China last month. This is investor good news. On the other hand, top tier economic power Germany is facing a challenge to it pristine credit rating from Moody's. So we have dramatic good and bad news which appears to be equaling out to a flat opening. After the opening, who knows. Investors are still parsing through second quarter data and that could push the indexes.

CNN: Stocks: China lessens the gloom
The HSBC China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index...came out at 49.5 in July...it is the highest number reported since February and shows significant improvement.


...recent (Chinese) policy stimulus is working...


...rating agency Moody's cut the outlook on Germany's prized Aaa credit rating from "stable" to "negative"...


The Federal Housing Finance Agency will release its Housing Price Index for May at 10 a.m. ET.

'Mattress'

Fela Kuti

Monday, July 23, 2012

Good Night

Krugman On Climate Change

NYT: Loading the Climate Dice
It’s happening now.

Bailey Ballou Takes Top Honors At LMA's 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

Bachmann Losing GOTP Support

You mean to say that the bar can't go any lower. Bachmann apparently has slid below that low bar.

The Maddow Blog: Bachmann is losing friends fast

Reuters - Artificial Jellyfish Shocked Into 'Life'

Stunning - here is the future for heart disease repair.

DOW Closes Lower

The DOW closed at 12,721.46 dropping 101.11 points.

CNN: Skittish investors hold stocks lower

400 PPM and Higher Carbon Gas Levels Found In The Arctic

Sobering news on carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere.

MIT: Warming gas levels hit 'troubling milestone' - Thursday, May 31, 2012
It’s been at least 800,000 years — probably more — since Earth saw carbon dioxide levels in the 400s (parts per million), Butler and other climate scientists said.


Until now.


But political dynamics in the United States mean there’s no possibility of significant restrictions on man-made greenhouse gases no matter what the levels are in the air, said Jerry Taylor, a senior fellow of the libertarian Cato Institute.

Global Change Science

The MIT Center For Global Change Science

The Declaration

The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth "was adopted by the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, in Bolivia. The Bolivian government has submitted it to the United Nations for consideration."

This is from 2010.

Climateandcapitalism.com: Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth
Article 3. Obligations of human beings to Mother Earth


(1) Every human being is responsible for respecting and living in harmony with Mother Earth.


(2) Human beings, all States, and all public and private institutions must:


(a) act in accordance with the rights and obligations recognized in this Declaration;


(b) recognize and promote the full implementation and enforcement of the rights and obligations recognized in this Declaration;


(c) promote and participate in learning, analysis, interpretation and communication about how to live in harmony with Mother Earth in accordance with this Declaration;


(d) ensure that the pursuit of human wellbeing contributes to the wellbeing of Mother Earth, now and in the future;


(e) establish and apply effective norms and laws for the defence, protection and conservation of the rights of Mother Earth;


(f) respect, protect, conserve and where necessary, restore the integrity, of the vital ecological cycles, processes and balances of Mother Earth;


(g) guarantee that the damages caused by human violations of the inherent rights recognized in this Declaration are rectified and that those responsible are held accountable for restoring the integrity and health of Mother Earth;


(h) empower human beings and institutions to defend the rights of Mother Earth and of all beings;


(i) establish precautionary and restrictive measures to prevent human activities from causing species extinction, the destruction of ecosystems or the disruption of ecological cycles;


(j) guarantee peace and eliminate nuclear, chemical and biological weapons;


(k) promote and support practices of respect for Mother Earth and all beings, in accordance with their own cultures, traditions and customs;


(l) promote economic systems that are in harmony with Mother Earth and in accordance with the rights recognized in this Declaration.

Chomsky On Privatization

Another detailed article from Chomsky.

ZNET: Destroying the Commons - How the Magna Carta Became a Minor Carta
In 1989, President Bush I even invited Iraqi nuclear engineers to the U.S. for advanced training in weapons production -- more information that must be kept from the eyes of the “ignorant and meddlesome outsiders.”

Police Officer Mistakenly Kills Son

UticaOD.com: Officials: Police officer mistakenly kills son at Old Forge motel

TRNN - Romney Will Bring Far Right To Power At All Levels Of His Administration


More at The Real News

DOW Lower At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 12,681.84 down 140.73 points.

CNN: Stocks tumble on Spain bailout fears

Graphic

Have A Good Morning

Caravaggio

The Onion - NRA: 'Please Try To Remember All The Wonderful Things Guns Do For Us Every Day'

The Onion: NRA: 'Please Try To Remember All The Wonderful Things Guns Do For Us Every Day'

The Drought To Date

Live Science: Impacts of 2012 Drought, Heat Thus Far

The Romney Administration

AlterNet: Romney Campaign's Race-Baiting Strategy Could Have Dire Consequences for America

Al Jazeera - Colorado Police Piece Together What Led To Shooting

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

The Market On Monday

Good morning. It is 69 degrees and overcast here in Upstate NY. We are hoping for more rain. Although we are not technically in a drought like many parts of the country, we are experiencing below normal rainfall. It's dry here.

At 8:15 a.m. futures are significantly lower, the dollar is mostly up against major world currencies, and the price of oil is down per barrel. The market is set to open much lower.

Investors are following the lead of the earlier opening global markets which have reacted negatively to Spain's financial crisis. Right now the focus is on Spain's economy and the possibility that Spain will require a complete bailout. So in a word, the eurozone crisis continues with virtually country after country in an economic free fall. In addition there is a fear that Greece may leave the euro behind. If you haven't been following Greece is now in a severe depression which Greek officials liken to the Great Depression of the 1930s.

All of this of course reflects back on the American corporate economy which sells goods and services to the eurozone. When that leg of the economy is short especially during an election year, look for a change in administrations. I am predicting Romney wins.

CNN: Spanish bailout fears to spark stock sell-off
...observers fear that...the country (Spain) may require a full sovereign bailout similar to those taken by Greece, Ireland and Portugal.


With no major data due (Monday) on the U.S. economy, investors will likely take a majority of their cues from Europe.


... just 45% of companies that have reported have topped revenue expectations, the lowest percentage since the first quarter of 2009...

'La Máquina De Escribir'

The music of L. Anderson

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Good Night

'A Day In The Life Of A Syrian Citizen Journalist'

A Day in The Life of a Syrian Citizen Journalist from Storyhunter on Vimeo.

Extreme Weather In China

Reuters: Heaviest rains in 60 years kill 37 in Beijing

Bachmann On The Money

The lady is onto something, I smell a mole.

Raw Story: Report cited by Bachmann claims Norquist linked to Muslim Brotherhood

Have A Good Morning

Work by Nils-Udo

The Onion - Commanding General In Afghanistan Has No Idea How War Is Going, Just Trying To Ignore It At This Point

The Onion: Commanding General In Afghanistan Has No Idea How War Is Going, Just Trying To Ignore It At This Point

37.5 Billion-Tons Of Man Made Carbon Monoxide In 2011

Man made carbon emissions continue to rise from year to year. We are not containing our fossil fuel waste fuming into the atmosphere. As the percentage of these emissions rises the globe will continue to get hotter and hotter and humanity as we know it can only survive in a narrow range of temperatures. Once that range is exceeded, we go.

Live Science: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Continue to Climb in 2011

BP Spill Killing Off Dolphins

MSNBC: BP spill, cold water tied to dolphin deaths, study finds

Defining Terrorism

In my opinion, the individual shooting massacre people in the USA are equivalent to the "terrorist" suicide bombers in the Middle East. The USA's terrorist shooters use the weapon of choice in our country, the gun, and they act out the terrorism in the American way as the delusional independent super figure warrior further crazed with unbearable and unconscious anxiety. These people are the sole product of America, and that's hard to admit. Also it must be pointed out that there clearly is a threshold that the American media holds in order for the violent activity to reach national attention. For example most are unaware of the Alabama shooter from July 17 who goes into a bar and shoots 17 people. His victims did not die, but one must assume that many of the 17 are now debilitated for the rest of their lives. Last week there was a shooter in a mall in Tulsa who randomly killed 2. I know about this one because it involved an acquaintance's brother. This man was a perfectly fine decent human being and he was randomly killed while shopping in a mall.

AlterNet: Understanding the Colorado Shooting: Terrorism, Politics, Mental Illness and the Superhero Complex

Al Jazeera - Wealthy French Angry Over Tax Hikes

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

'Minor Swing'

The Rosenberg Trio

Saturday, July 21, 2012

By The Numbers

Good Night

Ted Talks - Mina Bissell: Experiments That Point To A New Understanding Of Cancer

Some are saying that this is it - this is the solution to cancer.

'All Consuming Love'

All Consuming Love (Man In A Cat) from Dice Productions on Vimeo.

Unter

Welcome to the Unternet

The Daily Show - Recap - Week Of 7/16/12

TRNN - Interest Rate-Fixing Scandal Swindles Baltimore, Other Municipalities Out Of Millions Of Dollars


More at The Real News

In A Word

Have A Good Morning

work by Erin Finley

The Onion - The Week In Review

Lying Cheating Robbing Violent Gossip Bully

Not sure we will ever understand these behaviors, but it's interesting information.

Live Science: Understanding the 10 Most Destructive Human Behaviors
People who espouse high moral standards are among the worst cheats, studies have shown.

Pay Attention

AlterNet: An Age-Old Secret to Losing Weight

Al Jazeera - Aboriginal Youth At A Greater Risk Of Suicide

Al Jazeera - The Main Headlines

Mass Shooting In Alabama

This is from July 17.

LA Times: Alabama bar shooting: Suspect surrenders; 17 were hurt

Chris Hedges On Capitalism’s ‘Sacrifice Zones’

Watch this clip. Hedges has put it together, all of it.
"The average worker at Walmart worked 28 hours a week but their wages put them below the poverty line which is why when you work at Walmart they give you applications for food stamps. So we can have the government subsidize the family fortune of the Walton family. These corporations know only one word and that's more and because the mechanisms of governance can no longer control them, there is nothing now within the formal mechanisms of power to stop them from creating essentially a corporate oligarchic state."

'Les Yeux Noirs'

Bireli Lagrène, Angelo Debarre, and Stochelo Rosenberg

Friday, July 20, 2012

Good Night

CNN - 'The Guy Beside Me Was Shot'

Aurora Aftermath

Raw footage from the scene of the massacre.

Colbert - Fred Willard's Arrest For Lewd Conduct

DOW Closes Lower

The DOW closed at 12,822.57 dropping 120.79 points.

CNN: Guitar manufacturer Fender cancelled its IPO after its stock was deemed overvalued by some investors.

The Daily Show - Smear And Loathing

The Daily Show - E.J. Dionne Extended Interview Pt. 1

TRNN - Obama And The 'March Of Folly'


More at The Real News

DOW Lower At Noon

In the noon hour the DOW is at 12,821.78 down 121.58 points.

CNN: U.S. stocks pressured by financial shares

Drought Gets Worse

Philly.com: Drought tightens its grip on U.S.

Have A Good Morning

work by Anne Lene Løvhaug

The Onion - Christian Bale Glad To Be Done With Most Humiliating Experience Of Professional Life

The Onion: Christian Bale Glad To Be Done With Most Humiliating Experience Of Professional Life

Antioxidant Distribution

Live Science: Why Gray Hair Can Be a Good Thing

The 1% American Dream

AlterNet: The Elites Are Unanimous: Lower Everyone's Wages and Standard of Living -- Except They Don't Say it Out Loud

Al Jazeera - Spain Police Clash With Austerity Protesters