The chequeing scheme, where micro meets macro

This is about as a rounded and admittedly loose connection as one can make but a connection nonetheless. Let me get straight to the back story.

My lady friend of 18 years & counting refuses to use a debit card. She despises credit. She also prefers to not use cash either. She's still the mindset of 20 years ago when everything revolves around cheques. Now, in her defense there is a practical reason behind it. She feels if you really want to buy something that added step of writing it out reduces impulse buying and judging by her sterling accounting of our finances; I offer no debate.

A few weeks ago she unexpectedly ran out of cheques. Unfortunately this coincided with the long Martin Luther King Day weekend thus the banks were closed. So with no ability to access her money, she had two choices: use credit or dont buy what she needed until the next day. As we were just one day from our annual winter getaway to Florida... I enter with option three: me picking up the tab. And being the loving spouse I am, I chose to use my cheques. One part out of respect for her and partly because I just haven't written one in so long. At the same time, I felt it would make it an interesting exercise to practice my cursive. 

So a few transactions and a few chicken scratches later, we were on our way. When we got back home is when it got interesting. It seems due to inactivity and I moving my direct deposit out of that bank, my account was closed. Unbeknownst to me, I had written three cheques without having an account at all. I quickly made contact with the vendors and paid in cash the amount + fees. This suddenly made me remember why I stopped using cheques over a decade ago: overdrafts.

Now at this point It was behind us. One week later came the letters from collection agencies demanding the funds to cover said cheques. So, I called to explain to them the situation. A manager on duty of the collection service then hit me with this...

"Sir, if you dont have proof you made good on these cheques we require a payment to take care of that. We except two forms of payment. Western Union and Cheque by phone."

Cheque by phone, I asked? I told her I wrote a bad cheque, why would they accept another cheque? She then begins to tell me it happens all the time. That people knowingly write bad cheques and then make payments to the collection agencies with more bad cheques. If this process seems completely irrational and made up; its only the same exact thing that our government does (and gets away with) regarding the dollar.

Now I did say it was a loose connection and you made it this far so bare with me.

We effectively print dollars with no tangible backing whatsoever, just "confidence" that the dollar will not crash and that in turn will not lead to a run on the bank. Remember, due to the modern practice of fractional reserve banking, bank's tend to only keep a small fraction in liquid reserves. Thus any major fluctuation of withdrawals in a one day period can make things very interesting for a bank.

Now with that said, after the banks make these monopoly based dollars, they just sit back and operate the biggest shakedown modern civilization has ever seen.

By way of OPEC taking only US dollars for its oil (thank you President Nixon and King Faisal), it forces oil buying nations (read the entire world) to naturally obtain US dollars so they can obtain the OPEC oil (which holds about 2/3 of the worlds oil supply). OPEC then takes those US dollars and reinvests them into US banks further strengthening our place as the preferred empire of the world over.

So, like a guy armed with a closed chequing account and a fistful of cheques, you too can play the game of tangible assets/commodities for nothing too. Buy the goods and services with cheques that, like our dollar, are essentially worthless paper backed by nothing; THEN use the same cheques to pay off the creditors! You come out with goods and everyone else is stuck holding worthless paper. Then rinse & repeat.

The difference between the guy running that scheme with a closed chequing account is eventually the jig will be up. Unless you’re real slippery and willing to constantly move and change your name quite often; it will all come to an end. But what about the US petrol-dollar scheme? How long before that hustle is over? When you think about it, from the US point of view, it’s paramount that the US remains the reserve currency for oil. For if not, we can expect a lot of dollars coming back home and when I say a lot, I am talking the SHIT-TON of quantities.

If that happens our standard of living (even at a declining rate) will all but disappear. This will create instant hyperinflation and eventually a sell-off so large that the immigration issues on the borders wont be commonly known from Mexican people trying to get as they are today but instead it will be American citizens trying to get out.

Its pretty obvious the lengths our leaders will go to keep this asset bubble propped up. So, what happens if you don't agree with this petrodollar recycling scheme? What if you are in favor of, say a more "open competition" regarding how to pay for oil? As I stated last year in this piece; it usually doesn’t end well for you.

Now with Iraq and Afghanistan wrapping up, all the sabers are waving towards Iran and they are running out of time. Friday, President Obama put them on notice Friday saying:

"Right now, we think it would take over a year or so for Iran to actually develop a nuclear weapon"

Then eloquently added:  "but obviously we don’t want to cut it too close.”

The President then went on to call a nuclear Iran "a red line". You have less than a year Iran. Less then a year before you continue or end your nuclear program. But remember, the nuclear program is a guise. The real threat remains the precedent you are making with disrespect for the dollar. So, close your oil bourse and fall back in line or else.

Now picture that guy again with the cheques and the false chequing account. Hes cashing cheques and receiving goods and when you want to collect or end the scheme he shows up at your place of business with an army and guns and tells you if you dont change your ad's or paint your store Tropicana yellow hes gonna shoot the place up and remove you. You like your job dont you? Your kids eat waffles dont they? You need money to buy waffles. The American hegemony alive and well; Tony Soprano don’t have nothin’ on us. 

The Droning of America

  

“The condition that an operational leader present an ‘imminent’ threat of violent attack against the United States does not require the United States to have clear evidence that a specific attack on U.S. persons and interests will take place in the immediate future.”

This was a quote from a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo landed by NBC’s Michael Isikoff last month. In this white paper memo it’s clear the backdrop has been set; completely trampling over the 4^th, 5^th & 14^th amendments in one fell swoop. The Executive branch will wage its war on your freedoms under the guise of “terror” not just in your backyard in the Middle East but your front yard and everywhere in between.

Per the FAA’s website, they have granted over 1,400 licenses or better known as Certificates of Authorization (COA) to some corporations but mostly government agencies to allow unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to occupy US airspace. Congress, despite its miserable record of futility and utter failure managed to pass a bill that set a September 2015 deadline for “full integration” of UAS into the national airspace.

When the powers that be want to torture and cannot do so because it’s the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, they get “creative”. They just rename it. So "torture" becomes "enhanced interrogation techniques". That’s what these politicians think of your intellect. They just rename an act like your mom used to do when you were four; calling cabbage apple pie.  

When they want to take away your 1st amendment right of free speech and assembly they deem you a terrorist or an enemy combatant. 

The 2011 drone strike in Yemen that killed two alleged al-Qaida operatives Samir Khan and Anwar al-Awlaki were both U.S. citizens. Lest not forget al-Awlaki’s 16 year old son also an American who was also killed in the attack. Neither men (and of course neither was a minor) were indicted nor charged by the US Government for any crimes. Instead they were put onto a list without due process and executed by a remote control airplane in a desert thousands of miles away; the same remote control airplanes we will have patrolling our skies here in the states.  

Some of you might say, but both men were al-Qaida, but how do we know? How do we know what they did if there was no charges or trial? If they are American citizens they are guaranteed their rights by our constitution. The same constitution that each elected representative is sworn to uphold and protect. So how can these elected representatives by the people for the people have the audacity to kill American citizens without a trial or even charge? 

The answer is simple. Americans are too quick to trade freedom for security.

Isikoff also notes a speech from Attorney General Eric Holder in March of 2012 where he endorsed the constitutionality of targeted killings of Americans. Just like seen in the recently discovered DOJ white paper, the narrative is consistent, as Holder states they (those on the kill list) could be legal and justified kills if government officials determine the target poses “an imminent threat of violent attack.”

There is that pesky phrase again: “an imminent threat of violent attack”. How do you go about deciding how imminent a threat is? This falls into the hands of a judge or a jury of ones peers, right? Normally, yes, but in today’s brave new world, it’s just not the case.

No, the President and his appointed Attorney General play both jury and judge. While they give the thumbs up or down on who is to be killed; the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and an army of drones play executioner. This wording is very vague and ambiguous (i sense a trend here) thus the interpretation of these words and how they apply to citizens must be dealt with accordingly. Allowing this power to rest in one mans hands and his attorney general is the way of a monarch or dictatorship not a republic.

If this sounds like something out of communist Russia or Nazi German; it's only because it is.

This JSOC falls under the command of the President making in nothing more than a Gestapo. A force that's militarily superiority is only matched by its geo-political carte blanche. Bound not by borders, sovereignty, neither international nor domestic laws but simply the decision then subsequent command of one man. This is not democracy. This is why we have a constitution. Is it any wonder those in power go at lengths to undermine it?

So, when Rand Paul in epic fashion brings about a filibuster last week to protest the nomination of war monger & drone whore John Brennan, to head the CIA, you can bet he was met with considerable disdain. And this was not just from the usual suspects (namely the President and his minions) but from the likes of none other than neo-con hawks John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Two career politicians dressed up as republican senators who sold their soul long ago to K-Street and two mouth breathers who will do anything to defend their corporate masters in the military industrial complex.

Your rights via the constitution get in the way of those in power. War’s and chasing bogeymen in the sands of Arabia funnel obscene profits to those in power both at the elected and private level. Anyone and I mean ANYONE who defends drones strikes on American soil while promoting endless wars against an “enemy” that’s about as dangerous as street gang in Omaha… is the enemy. They are an enemy to our republic and they are an THE “imminent threat” to our natural born rights as American citizens. Know thy enemy.

Another positive gun story. Shhhhhhhhh

Yesterday, much to the delight of certain types of businesses that profit off of school shooting tragedies (read media), there was another school shooting, this one occurring in Atlanta. As of today the two victims were said to be a student who was shot in the back of the neck and teacher who had minor injuries from being trampled during the melee. The student, a 14 year-old, was not seriously injured and was remarkably released from the hospital the same day.

Now, there appears to be a motive regarding the shooter and the victim as there was said to be a dispute. So the likelihood of this becoming a massacre was unlikely. With that said, there were steps taken into consideration by the school beforehand to keep these things from escalating. First, they had metal detectors, obviously they weren't affective here but a barrier nonetheless. Secondly and most important, there was an off-duty Atlanta police officer stationed at the school as a resource officer; something I have advocated before. 


According to ABC, Atlanta PD Chief George Turner stated that an armed off-duty Atlanta officer was able to disarm the suspect MOMENTS after the shooting. Without even using his gun to do so. Kind of makes the point of a trained officer vs a kid with a gun, statistically speaking, its overwhelmingly in the officers favor. What if there is no officer there? We can assume because this was targeted it wouldn't have gotten worse but if he wasn't there... does this 14 year old kid walk up and "finish" off a obviously defenseless classmate?

Now, where is the coverage of this? Where is the ABC special edition where they cancel programming to fit it on-air in a timely fashion? Now obviously these are rhetorical questions, because there will be no extended coverage. There will be no interviews with family and neighbors nor will there be any candlelight vigils. All because tragedy was avoided. 

Seems backwards but the reality is we often celebrate tragedy and push to the back burner or simply just ignore situations when tragedy is averted. This isn't some "agenda" by the media, it's simply an indictment of what put's eye balls on the tube. Its a clear indicator of the average Americans tabloid love affair with sentimentalization, drama and tragedy. And to top it off, the likelihood of your child becoming a victim (0.00003% probability) of such an attack is about as likely as Jim Cook puts it:

As earth being hit by asteroid 2012 VE77 between the years 2033-2035.

 

As you can see, the homicide rate is actually falling considerably while school shooting's stay relatively the same and have never reached over 40 per year (with no disrespect to those effected of course). Yet here we sit, a large portion of the public using this terrible, yet extremely remote possibility as a pretext to start restricting gun ownership while ignoring the benefits of a gun in a school that just yesterday possibly prevented a massacre. I understand the American public for the most part is dumbed down and distracted but we are reaching all time lows for common sense collectively and the media is right there out in front like the Pied Piper.

Amerikan Stasi has a vital mission but whos the threat?

Has any weapon garnered as much attention in memory as the AR-15 has the last month? I can’t think of any weapon more demonized and we are talking about a weapon that only fires .22 caliber bullets. Well, the Ar-15 is in the news again this week and no, I’m not talking about the daily jib-jab about banning it. What I am talking about is the Department of Homeland Security’s recent request for 7,000 of these “assault rifles” that are supposed to be so dangerous.

Now let’s get one thing straight before we continue. Any gun in the wrong hands is dangerous but the gun isn’t what makes it dangerous per se, it’s the person holding it. An AR-15 is no more dangerous then a bottle of whiskey unattended; the whiskey isn’t going to consume itself and the gun isn’t going to shoot itself. So the common denominator… ah yes, humans are. Imperfect, emotional, crazy and often foolish humans are the problem not the inanimate object.  

So, the Department of Homeland Security puts in a large order for guns that are not fit for public use (personal defense weapons suitable for personal defense use in close quarters) or at least that is what those advocating #guncontrol would lead you to believe. My question or comment on this piece of news isn’t the hypocrisy because it’s rather obvious. No, my question is what exactly is the Department of Homeland Security up to? Let’s take a look at their mission statement taken right off their website:

The Department of Homeland Security has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, but our goal is clear - keeping America safe.

Seems rather ambiguous to me does it not to you? So they want to keep us safe from the many threats we face, presumably here in the homeland. Sounds about as clear a statement as the Navy’s slogan they been pumping out for the last few years:

“A global force for good”

Words like “good, safe many threats” all these are pretty loose terms and for good reason, what these agencies are doing is being as broad as possible. Why you say? To keep their options open. Who is an enemy and keep “us” safe from whom is about ambiguous as it is chilling. Now strap on your tin foil hats for a second, I don’t do this often but lets just look at a few more things regarding the DHS and play connect the dots.

Last year the DHS ordered 450 Million rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Just a few months later there was an order placed for 750 million additional rounds but then after questioning it was deemed to be classified information. We also have Tim Brown from Freedomoutpost.com who reported last year about the DHS buying 700 pounds of High Density Ammonium Nitrate and 700 pounds of A-5 Flake RDX used to create “dirty” bombs. If that wasn’t enough even the Social Security Office is stalking up, buying 174,000 hollow point rounds. Hollow point rounds are made for maximum damage, expanding in the body thus no exit wound. Not exactly what you expect granny to see when going to get her check now is it?

Mass purchases of AR-15’s, billions of rounds, explosives… one has to ask himself what is Homeland Security getting ready for because it appears they are stock piling to wage war not just protect the border. Remember DHS’s slogan opening line: “to secure the nation from the many threats we face” With illegal immigration actually trending down whom is left to pose a threat? Now that you got your tin foil hat on nice and tight the answer is clear is it not? It’s you.

Rights are being infringed upon in the name of security. Entire sectors in business are being shipped overseas. College students are now going to school taking on debt and having no place to work to obtain money to pay back said debt. Income inequality like we have today hasn’t been seen since the 1920’s. 

Corporations are getting richer while wages continue to fall. The poorest live like the middle class without lifting a finger (to keep them occupied with their Obama phones and free housing and not in the streets rioting). The richest live like kings siphoning off obscene profits that would make Rockefeller blush. And who makes it happen for both?

The middle class. They just keep running on the hamster wheel afraid to become poor wanting to become rich while the poor are content and not too rowdy to cause a disturbance in the matrix. To top it off, while all this is going on... Inflation is building in reserves waiting to unleash like a tsunami as purchasing power is erodes with every dollar we flush into the system to prop up this pig economy that is nothing short of a mirage.
 

Call it what you will, class warfare. Crony capitalism. Tell me its not real and you looked outside and the sky isn't falling. Say what you will, but remember one thing. Civil unrest is the biggest threat to any power structure and this isnt going unnoticed by our government.

We are seeing the inevitable happen. It’s a game of musical chairs and the music is coming to an end. How soon it ends depends on how fast we lose confidence in that filthy dollar. I would love to quote Marilyn Manson here and end it with the line: “get your gun’ but it appears someone has beat me to the punch. But don't worry... their goal is clear "to keep America safe".