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Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Challenges to the US Empire, International News Sites, and More

Over and over again in international media you hear about the strengthening and/or weakening of the US empire. It seems clear that in spite of a recovery from the GFC there are still problems
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics
Global Empire - What's Wrong with the USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atWpZ9PMHTc
POLICING THE COP Ft. Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTiS8MPban8
How the US should use its superpower status | Ian Bremmer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAbPIbGLUo
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-western-leadership-required-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/is-capitalism-collapsing-random.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/religious-conspiracies-is-capitalism.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/07/are-we-now-ussr-brexit-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/08/neo-colonialism-and-neo-liberalism.html

- as stated in my last post I'm surprised at the number of people on the other side of the fence (non-US or else just don't want anything to do with any global or regional power struggles)? The obvious question is what the heck do they gain from China that they can't from the US? The impression I'm getting is that a lot of them are just making the bet that the debt load of the US is just too heavy (which has the potential to lead to a whole bunch of other problems. If you're aware of how the international financial world is setup to favour the US then you'll understand that to a certain extent this risk can be mitigated to a certain extent)
Keiser Report - J is for Junk Economics (E982)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69aBdrx_ePk
http://www.dw.com/en/sierens-china-duterte-cozies-up-to-beijing/a-36126810
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/24/490451/US-Philippines-Duterte-Billington
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/24/490439/Iran-Intelligence-Minister-Mahmoud-Alavi
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/09/22/430248/Iran-Army-Chief-Ataollah-Salehi-Sacred-Defense-Week--Armed-forces-Hassan-Rouhani-
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/washingtons-global-economic-wars/ri17112
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-23/paul-volcker-explains-why-fed-cant-raise-rates
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/10/common-russian-media-themes-has-western.html
- weakness in partners and potential opportunities in alternative partners for countries even entire regions
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-philippines-relations-idUSKCN12K2RS
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-opec-gulf-idUSKCN12N094
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/24/shinzo-abe-to-play-mediator-during-dutertes-japan-visit-amid-us-tensions.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/25/490618/US-Saudi-Yemen-Votel-Salman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_the_United_States
NATO Commander: Russia Threat to US, Its Allies and Partners
http://www.voanews.com/a/nato-breedlove-russia/3214721.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yan-xuetong/china-us-competition-allies_b_8449178.html
- the great irony of free trade and liberalisation is that it has made the US as well as it's partners more vulnerable should problems occur up or down the line. It can provide strength but also weakness
https://www.rt.com/business/363618-venezuela-oil-company-us-refineries/
Ceta talks: EU hopes to unblock Canada trade deal
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37735968
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/top-defence-official-warns-of-big-mistake-of-questioning-us-alliance-over-donald-trump-20161124-gswog5.html
http://www.dw.com/en/protesters-jeer-as-orban-recalls-hungarys-1956-uprising/a-36129299
http://www.dw.com/en/a-look-at-pyongyangs-altering-architectural-landscape/a-36110449
http://www.dw.com/en/opinion-duterte-breaks-all-rules/a-36106415
http://www.dw.com/en/dutertes-move-is-a-massive-affront-against-the-us/a-36114417
China plenum: Looking for clues on China's economy
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37748277
http://www.dw.com/en/scotlands-sturgeon-fails-to-win-support-from-uk-pm-may-for-flexible-brexit/a-36137807
- international institutional framework that the US/West imposes is not realistic? (ironically, Duterte sounds quite reasonable when you listen to a complete interview with him). Assuming people in the Phillipines have looked at other alternatives?
https://www.corbettreport.com/interview-1229-nomi-prins-explains-the-central-bankers-game-of-thrones/
Rodrigo Duterte interview - Death, drugs and diplomacy - Talk to Al Jazeera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2KtLTXXej8
Rodrigo Duterte on US relations - 'No more military exercises' - Talk to Al Jazeera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77qewVIdo3c
The Stream - Duterte, Trump and Philippine-US relations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAnSYWommiA
Inside Story - Does the ICC target African states
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxhyGQpdVME
Should the US be the world's policeman - UpFront
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE3NBwrbB2Y
The Stream - South Africa tells International Criminal Court - 'We quit'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M54EBfiSfvk
http://www.euronews.com/2016/11/16/moscow-says-it-is-formally-withdrawing-its-signature-from-the-founding-statute-of-the-international-criminal-court-saying-the-icc-has-failed-to-live-up-to-the-hopes-of-the-international-community
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-africa-icc-idUSKCN12S1U3
http://www.voanews.com/a/un-resolution-calls-for-a-ban-on-nuclear-weapons/3569764.html
http://www.itwire.com/outsourcing/75496-us-charges-56-in-indian-call-centre-scam.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-presidential-elections-three-people-charged-with-voter-fraud-in-florida-virgina-20161029-gsdnbf.html
- internal dissent and external rivals. Sometimes, it's difficult to know whether they're doing more bad than good? International rhetoric can go over the top at times (by many countries). It feels like we're on the edge of a 'Cold War' sometimes?
NATO Secretary General - ‘We are not in a Cold War’ _ Conflict Zone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZsAflhBriw
Cyber deadlock WikiLeaks servers under targeted DoS attack since latest DNC leaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8llHtWXOyg
WikiLeaks, political hacks and the US election - The Listening Post (Lead)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qifJ1a-3C8s
WikiLeaks - Neutral reporter or political player - The Listening Post (Full)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN0yFEgtjG0
Keiser Report - J is for Junk Economics (E982)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69aBdrx_ePk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladislav_Surkov
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/hidden-author-putinism-russia-vladislav-surkov/382489/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_democracy
https://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-institutions_government/sovereign_democracy_4104.jsp
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/22/490223/Russian-embassy-London-shrinking
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-24/why-theres-no-economically-sustainable-price-oil-anymore
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-failure-of-us-democracy-chinas-strongmen-see-a-chance-to-get-stronger/article32562518/
http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-carbon-fiber-fuel-tank-ocean-ship-test-2016-10
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3866350/SpaceX-founder-Elon-Musk-wants-send-MILLION-people-live-glass-domes-Mars-40-100-years.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/24/cold-war-20-how-russia-and-the-west-reheated-a-historic-struggle
https://web.archive.org/web/20070129125831/http:/iq.org/conspiracies.pdf
http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2016/us-election-impact-australia/alliances/
http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2016/us-election-impact-australia/populism/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Whistleblowers_Coalition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veteran_Intelligence_Professionals_for_Sanity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_on_Government_Oversight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perestroika
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasnost
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratisation_in_the_Soviet_Union
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uskoreniye
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictions_of_the_dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union
http://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/10/duterte-us/505001/
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/world/asia/rodrigo-duterte-philippines-china.html?_r=0
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/09/diplomacy-russia-vs-usa-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/09/diplomacy-part-2-russia-vs-usa-part-2.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/09/inside-north-korea-russia-vs-usa-part-3.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/10/common-russian-media-themes-has-western.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_Party
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%93present_Spanish_protests
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Iranian_presidential_election_protests
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/donald-trump-vs-hillary-clinton-trump-made-clear-where-18111
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/last-nights-presidental-debate-warning-the-foreign-policy-18117
- loss of legitimacy? If you read through history most empires have a central idea of 'destiny' about them but once their reputation becomes tarnished they sort of lose their legitimacy? Reminds me of religion at times which has taken a less central role in society now
Should the US be the world's policeman - UpFront
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE3NBwrbB2Y
US envoy to UN tells France 24 Russia 'has walked away from diplomacy' on Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttsk2id1o4c
Keiser Report - Clinton 2.0 (E984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwQf9H2z8eo
US elections 'most personality driven campaign in my lifetime' Dr. Richard Haass - BBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YswnulN_q0w
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/23/is-there-anyone-in-asia-who-still-trusts-america/
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/we-need-to-clean-this-up-hillary-clinton-aides-concern-over-private-email-server-20161025-gsanvc.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-25/how-half-america-lost-its-fking-mind
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-25/secret-truth-about-russia-exposed
http://www.inquisitr.com/3629135/did-wikileaks-send-hidden-s-o-s-for-julian-assange/
http://www.dw.com/en/why-martin-luther-was-an-unsuspecting-revolutionary/a-36161020
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2016/10/22/wikileaks-hillary-clinton-julian-assange-paedophile-smear-campaign-separating-facts-fiction/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-26/over-80-groups-want-russia-un-human-rights-council-there%E2%80%99s-just-one-problem
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/read-barack-obamas-threatening-russophobic-letter-full-lies-hubris-and-aggression/ri17220
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/technology/302252-jullian-assanges-partisanship-brings-down-the-wikileaks-brand
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-24/project-veritas-video-3
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/russia-policy-listen-george-washington-not-obama-or-clinton-video/ri17175
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-55ce-Britain-votes-against-global-nuclear-ban
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/hillary-doesnt-play-michelle-obama-stumps-with-her-girl-hillary-clinton-20161027-gscls8.html
US election: The German comparing Trump's campaign to Hitler's
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37895601 
- ideological issues. Clear that throughout many parts of the world there is a rise in alternative narratives/visions for the future. Clear that some countries are looking at the current socio-economic model skeptically
Ceta talks: Last-ditch bid to save EU-Canada trade deal
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37735968
http://www.dw.com/en/belgium-not-in-a-position-to-sign-ceta-says-prime-minister/a-36133113
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La%C3%AFcit%C3%A9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_secularism
- long memories of other nations and individuals. Didn't realise that there are often not well known background issues to international politics?
Duterte in China - Will the Philippines pivot away from Washington (part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb7FoJT79Sc
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/744941/duterte-names-jesuit-priest-abuser
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/744824/duterte-names-priest-who-allegedly-molested-him-as-teen
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/26/national/politics-diplomacy/duterte-vows-not-abandon-japan-security-matters-philippine-china-ties-grow-cozy/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/10/24/commentary/world-commentary/guess-duterte-america-doesnt-need/#.WBFY_DHLd4Y
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Duterte
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/philippines-duterte-troops-years-161026153754948.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/10/26/is-there-value-in-valdai/?utm_term=.5bd1aae0a214
https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/215-press-releases-2016/1423-joint-dhs-odni-election-security-statement
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/365545-madeleine-albright-clinton-neocon/
https://www.rt.com/news/365485-russia-syria-national-security/
- financialisation of US/Western economies. It helps to maintain an artificially strong currency but it's clear that opportunities are drying up which means that debt builds up but growth doesn't necessarily do so as well?
Keiser Report - Clinton 2.0 (E984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwQf9H2z8eo
http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/hillary-clinton-wall-street-financial-industry-may-control-retirement-savings?google_editors_picks=true
- consolidation of US/Western economies which ultimately means that they are becoming less competitive over time. Think about the US military/intelligence industrial complex. There are people who are saying it's basically too big to fail (if the 'peaceniks' honestly want to help find another way for them to make money if they are honestly that heavily dependent upon defense spending for their economy to keep going)? Clearly, if there are others who can basically the undercut the US in the area the US will be in huge financial trouble (though it's clear that there aren't too many who want to step entirely into the breach or have the capability to do so. It will have to be a coalition of sorts)?
https://www.rt.com/news/365290-china-export-drone-reaper-rival/
Keiser Report - 'Chattel' on Corporate Balance Sheets (E988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63WBCaqUiCo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Shorrock
http://timshorrock.com/
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2005/01/spy-who-billed-me
http://standupfortruth.org/whistleblower-and-supporter-bios
The Never-Ending Wars of the United States of America
http://news.goldseek.com/GoldSeek/1479748562.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
- disconnect between political class and the general population (I guess this is a problem that all states have not just the US though)
http://www.dw.com/en/david-petraeus-the-washington-elite-have-lost-touch-with-a-lot-of-america/a-36415543
- I've never been certain of the link between economic growth and involvement in (cold or hot) wars. There are some 'challenges' that must be faced in order to sustain this particular method of growth (if is really the case). For instance, defense (once you factored in what you need versus what is superfluous to protect your country) as an industry isn't really that efficient. Once upon a time it could put a lot of people to work but with the advent of automation, robots, drones, etc... it means that per unit GDP a lot less people are employed. Moreover, the profit margins aren't that much different from other industries with the equipment having limited use in the meantime?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth-annual
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/militaryhistory/fl/American-Involvement-in-Wars-from-Colonial-Times-to-the-Present.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/368001-rt-western-dissidents-corporations/
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/15/493779/US-NATO-Russia-Daesh-Jatras
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/militarys-boy-toys-arent-worth-200-billion-a-year-20161027-gscj8m.html
[119] Proof Big Banks Knew 2008 Crisis Was Coming, War Is For Corporate Gains & More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2CcK8cRaVc
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-16/pyne-flags-immense-opportunities-if-trump-expands-us-military/8029466
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/12/07/a-rare-bit-of-good-news-for-lockheed-martins-f-35.aspx
http://fpif.org/warfare_vs_welfare_subsidies_to_weapons_exporters/
http://www.nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/americas-new-super-lethal-stealth-bomber-it-affordable-14231
https://www.rt.com/business/364138-nord-stream-opal-russia-eu/
https://www.rt.com/business/357176-nord-stream2-biden-us-russia/
https://www.rt.com/uk/364139-tanks-drones-estonia-nato/
https://www.rt.com/usa/364230-pentagon-failed-acquisitions-costs/
https://www.rt.com/news/364236-russian-aircraft-carrier-spanish-port/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-29/us-navy-screwing-taxpayers-and-defense-innovators
https://lobelog.com/the-impact-of-money-in-politics-on-national-security/
http://www.smh.com.au/world/philippine-leader-rodrigo-duterte-says-honouring-defence-pacts-with-friends-us-20161110-gsmwzq.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/01/491683/Iran-US-IRGC-Hossein-Salami
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611031047021373-us-empire-clinton-trump/
- management of size and complexity of US empire. It's obvious that the US is basically attempting to achieve regulatory homogenity. It would effectively lead to a superstate and possibly even a one world government one day. Not everyone's on board though and there are a lot of difficulties that need to be sought through before anything remotely like that can be achieved. There is one huge bonus to it. One single point source for all problems (even if it mightn't be able to provide the best solutions at all times)?
'Putin divides Europe'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlVwd6HzQmU
- overly dependent on particular sectors for economic growth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States_by_sector
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States
http://www.bea.gov/industry/gdpbyind_data.htm
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042915/5-industries-driving-us-economy.asp
- rise of alternate power groups/blocs
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-20/concerns-grow-over-chinas-soft-diplomacy-in-australia:-expert/7948178
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/china-threatens-nato-military-buildup/ri17746
- loss of control of supply chain and critical industries
http://www.news.com.au/technology/chinese-spy-fears-raised-at-defence-senate-estimates-hearing-as-adf-dress-uniforms-are-made-in-china/news-story/6511af95cabb2aba58be71640f0f5392
- mastery by others in hybrid (and conventional) warfare area
China scores WTO victories against some U.S. anti-dumping methods
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-usa-wto-idUSKCN12J1RP
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/04/hybrid-warfare-more-psyops-and-more.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States
NATO Commander: Russia Threat to US, Its Allies and Partners
http://www.voanews.com/a/nato-breedlove-russia/3214721.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yan-xuetong/china-us-competition-allies_b_8449178.html
- subversion
http://www.newsweek.com/russia-wages-information-warfare-us-520469
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/11/some-geo-politicsintelligence-some-jsf.html
- loss of educational, scientific, and technological gap
https://www.wired.com/2016/10/china-wants-moon-first-spend-month-space/
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2016/10/americas-innovation-crisis-000222
https://sputniknews.com/science/201611141047432094-china-outperforms-us/
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-western-leadership-required-more.html
- people just don't buy into the future that the US is presenting? It's clear that their are benefits to it but there are obvious problems with it. For instance, one of the major ones is that people don't necessarily feel that the private sector offers the best option for taking care of what they believe shold be state affairs (such a healthcare, education, public transport, etc... Problems that the public are well aware of and are frustrated with in many countries of the alliance in including Australia, Canada, UK, US, etc...). This is an obvious consequence of the nature of modern economics and capitalism though. It may require a re-think of this itself?
CETA and Russia dominate debate with Juncker and Tusk
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20161020IPR47876/
Why the Canada-EU trade saga is far from over
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37826855
https://sputniknews.com/us/201610271046778458-lockheed-pentagon-f-35-lots/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_PAK_FA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II
https://sputniknews.com/military/201610201046519355-f-35-budget-fy2017/
https://sputniknews.com/military/201610241046683140-pentagon-sixth-generation-jet/
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/russia-test-9th-fifth-generation-t-50-fighter-jet-prototype/ri17195
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/making-sense-russian-naval-task-force-coast-syria/ri17193
http://www.itwire.com/deals/75466-with-companies,-big-is-always-not-better,-says-accc-head.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-27/market-concentration-concern-accc/7970502
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empires
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_empires
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_imperialism
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-let-the-naysayers-fool-you-this-is-the-best-period-in-recent-us-history/2016/10/25/6ebf454c-9aae-11e6-9980-50913d68eacb_story.html?utm_term=.66fbc4a7f528
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/montenegro-elections-ends-inconclusively-161017100916651.html
http://www.globalresearch.ca/u-s-political-games-in-montenegro-and-proven-winning-approach-by-prime-minister-dukanovic/5553200
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/25/montenegro-investigating-russia-alleged-election-coup-plot
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/reuters/montenegro-targets-foreign-plotters--but-critics-suspect-a-set-up/42544992
http://www.globalresearch.ca/towards-nafta-eu-economic-integration-back-door-canada-eu-trade-agreement-ceta-sets-the-stage/5547556
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-attempts-to-shame-asia-for-caving-in-to-china/5552747
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-iran-nuclear-deal-debunking-a-myth/5552740
https://www.rt.com/news/363960-russia-us-asymmetric-sanctions/
http://www.smh.com.au/world/canada-and-eu-break-through-globalisation-gloom-to-sign-trade-deal-20161031-gsekf3.html
- ageing population. While it's said that China (and other countries) suffer from the same problem this isn't really a straight up comparison. China doesn't really have a social security system based on what I've heard. People in many parts of the world are different and basically have no 'safety net'. It's entrepreneurialism and stealing or starvation and death. It's a good thing and a bad thing. It's great as a safety net but it breeds complacency and as some governments have been discovering makes it difficult to get some people off of welfare. Other end of the scale is that the welfare system is too weak and people are never really able to find a way out
https://www.statista.com/statistics/241494/median-age-of-the-us-population/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-28/scott-morrison-criticises-proposed-welfare-changes/7974130
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/treasury/parental-welfare-pays-more-than-work/news-story/5f4d825e0957e954fea4e13e7ff2fe26
https://ourworldindata.org/life-expectancy/
Life Expectancy at Birth in China, Europe, USA and India: 1950-2100 (Both Sexes)
http://www.china-profile.com/data/fig_WPP2010_L0_Boths.htm
retirement age united states trend
http://www.gallup.com/poll/168707/average-retirement-age-rises.aspx
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/growing-older-america-health-and-retirement-study/chapter-2-work-and-retirement
- people have been saying that the signs have been there for a while now but it's clear that the have also been saying this for a long while. Would take this with a grain of salt
signs of end of empire
Seven Signs of a Falling Nation
https://realtruth.org/articles/070831-002-ssoafn.html
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/10/america-is-exhibiting-all-of-the-signs-of-a-failing-empire.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societal_collapse
https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/the-life-cycles-of-empires-lessons-for-america-today
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/29/cal-thomas-america-shows-decline-signs-of-empires-/
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/06/us-economy-decline-recovery-challenges
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2009/10/26/9-signs-of-america-in-decline
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-let-the-naysayers-fool-you-this-is-the-best-period-in-recent-us-history/2016/10/25/6ebf454c-9aae-11e6-9980-50913d68eacb_story.html?utm_term=.66fbc4a7f528
- general global competitiveness is dropping across the board
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2009/10/26/9-signs-of-america-in-decline
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2011/09/us-competitiveness-ranking-continues-to-fall-in-global-competitiveness-report-2011-2012
https://www.weforum.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=competitiveness+report&cx=005374784487575532108%3Azwr8u4lxoba&cof=FORID%3A11&op=Search
http://www.prosperity.com/#!/?aspxerrorpath=%2Frankings.aspx
- despite what they say MMT theory is just 'Fiat Money'. Throughout human history this has never worked over the long term. Based on what I've heard the average amount of time before a fiat currency expires is about 30 years
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_money
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-western-leadership-required-more.html
fiat currency average lifetime
http://georgewashington2.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/average-life-expectancy-for-fiat.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/31qrgk/the_average_life_expectancy_for_a_fiat_currency/
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-dollar-crisis-nine-mind-blowing-facts-about-money-debt-and-reserve-currencies/5354362?print=1
http://investmentwatchblog.com/we-all-know-there-have-been-3800-fiat-currencies-that-have-tanked-what-many-of-us-arent-up-on-is-that-the-average-life-span-of-a-fiat-currency-is-39-years-were-at-gold-minus-40-today/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-23/china-press-lashes-out-its-dollar-not-yuan-threatens-global-stability
- the US simply decides to 'tap out'
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/the-moment-china-overtook-the-us-as-leader-of-the-free-world-20161121-gsttke.html
Nikki Haley: Does it matter that a UN ambassador has no foreign policy experience?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38084081
- the funny thing is that prior to the other World Wars the world went down the exact same path as that we now find ourselves. Slowing economic growth, large currency/power blocks, etc... Ultimately, the world couldn't break out of it's problems without going to war with one another
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/is-capitalism-collapsing-random.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/religious-conspiracies-is-capitalism.html
China has much to offer world with open economy, official says
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2016-11/23/content_27477706.htm
http://www.herald.co.zw/africa-arab-pact-can-alter-global-economy/
- exposure (and nullification) of covert and overt economic/hybrid warfare programs. It's clear that despite what is said a lot of countries do the same thing. Anytime, there is widespread exposure it means countermeasures will be taken. In the case of the alleged work of Perkins basically what we're seeing instead of 'debt bombs' occurring external to the US empire, the US empire is basically becoming the debt bomb itself (http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/10/common-russian-media-themes-has-western.html). Based on what I've heard of the thinking of Greenspan and some of the US political class is that if they can maintain a relationship of dependencies MMT theory will work because people depend on these dependencies in order to make a living. The problem is this web of dependencies also increases inequality which means that confidence in that system is more likely to be broken over time. Moreover, it still doesn't deal with the issue of debt growing faster than growth which leads to a deflation, loss of public services, possible sovereign default, etc... It's clear that they know about these issues or else they would not have taken counter-measures to defend against this (regulations to govern bail-in/bail-out, capital controls, increased capital requirements in financial institutions, etc...)
Inside Story - US spying saga - Echoes of the Cold War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5xrTHANXDQ
http://michael-hudson.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hudson_(economist)
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/03/why-michael-hudson-is-the-worlds-best-economist/
https://www.quora.com/How-much-is-true-from-the-book-Confessions-of-an-Economic-Hitman
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26112-an-economic-hit-man-speaks-out-john-perkins-on-how-greece-has-fallen-victim-to-economic-hit-men
https://www.wired.com/2016/10/want-know-julian-assanges-endgame-told-decade-ago/
Poland and Hungary seek more control over companies
https://www.ft.com/content/417e4558-4525-11e6-9b66-0712b3873ae1
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-new-cold-war-economic-crisis-and-more.html
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/australians-are-ignoring-a-crisis-thats-bigger-than-brexit-chinese-debt-20161018-gs4ymj.html
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/blood-oil:-tyrants,-violence,-and-the-rules-that-run-the-world/7969152
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Whistleblowers_Coalition
https://www.rt.com/business/364186-linkedin-russia-possible-ban/
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-f-35s-latest-trick-might-change-warfare-we-know-it-18187
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/26/490849/russia-black-sea-fleet-stealth-submarine
http://russia-insider.com/en/us-army-chief-talks-war-russia-insists-us-will-win/ri17185
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/making-sense-russian-naval-task-force-coast-syria/ri17193
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-25/secret-truth-about-russia-exposed
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-britain-sending-planes-troops-to-deter-russia-in-the-east-20161027-gsc32g.html
http://www.smh.com.au/national/how-i-found-out-my-dad-was-a-mi6-spy-abcs-mark-colvin-20161018-gs52de.html
http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21709329-another-crypto-currency-born-known-unknown
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/04/hybrid-warfare-more-psyops-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/11/china-background-economic-warfare-and.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-western-leadership-required-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/is-capitalism-collapsing-random.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/06/religious-conspiracies-is-capitalism.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/10/common-russian-media-themes-has-western.html
- loss of defense superiority (allows for militaristic options if required)
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/22/trumps-america-first-is-the-twilight-of-american-exceptionalism-obama/
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/21/is-the-sun-setting-on-the-royal-navy-britain-russia-nato/
http://thediplomat.com/2016/11/a-us-navy-with-350-ships-but-what-for/
http://thediplomat.com/2016/11/the-end-of-american-world-order/
- the very nature of our economics itself. If Perkins is correct and our economics is partly based on the fact that value is at least partially inversely proportional to value then we basically have a 'death economy'. We need to literally destroy the planet in order to to earn a living. Clearly, we've gone into reverse slightly with the increase in 'green technologies' but one has to wonder. Will we destroy the planet first or will we finally come up with a different mode of living and economics? This leads me to my next point, a lot of our technology is clearly focused on destruction. Even manufacturing of goods requires destruction of our environment. The irony is that by restoring our environment we provide the basis for genuine, healthy, future for mankind without having to go 'off planet'
to support our current economic philosophy
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/60-percent-global-wildlife-species-wiped-161027151043413.html
https://www.thelocal.de/20161028/every-third-species-in-germany-endangered-wwf
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/10/common-russian-media-themes-has-western.html
- plain bad political policy (not saying any of the following are good or bad. Just stuff I've been reading through). Feel as though some are already testing to see how Trump will react and that some other countries may have already made pre-emptive moves in preparation for what Trump may be planning? At times, feels like there has already been a power shift? Either way, going to be an interesting next few years
President-Elect Trump - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rSDUsMwakI
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/a-donald-trump-presidency-could-bring-economic-disasters-20161026-gsbldd.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/15/493672/China-Liaoning-aircraft-carrier-Dalian-US-South-China-Sea-Soviet
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-16/labor-leaders-call-for-careful-rethink-of-us-alliance/8029106
http://thediplomat.com/2016/11/trumps-unlikely-rise-hints-at-shift-in-us-policy-on-north-korea/
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/11/11/Report-China-building-new-military-base-near-North-Korea-border/1451478925020/
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-to-maintain-commitment-to-allies-in-asia-admiral-says-20161115-gsq65n.html
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/trump-trade-policy-lead-to-global-recession-2016-11?r=US&IR=T
https://urbanwronski.com/2014/08/24/morrisons-moral-burden/
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/23/scott-morrison-australia-has-a-spending-problem-not-a-revenue-problem
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/11/14/u-s-political-expert-on-trump-i-doubt-kmart-would-hire-him/
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-election-2016-donald-trump-and-barack-obama-in-awkward-first-meeting-20161111-gsn241.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/presidentelect-donald-trump-bucks-protocol-on-press-access-20161111-gsn4xs.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/27/490976/US-Russia-Putin-Clinton-Trump-DeBar
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/10/27/490946/EU-NATO-Stoltenberg-Mogherini-Brussels
http://russia-insider.com/en/unipolar-no-more-americas-military-and-diplomatic-power-visible-decline/ri17092
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/thefeed/article/2016/06/20/comment-turnbulls-got-personality-shortens-bringing-policy
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-10-27/obamacare-could-be-heading-toward-an-expensive-meltdown?google_editors_picks=true
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/09/yes-we-did-russias-establishment-basks-in-trumps-victory/?tid=pm_world_pop_b
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/un-report-notes-minor-iranian-violation-of-nukclear-deal/2016/11/09/917e56c8-a692-11e6-ba46-53db57f0e351_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/with-trump-about-to-learn-the-nations-deepest-secrets-a-sense-of-dread-in-the-intelligence-community/2016/11/09/e4206810-a676-11e6-ba59-a7d93165c6d4_story.html?tid=pm_world_pop_b
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nearly-the-entire-national-security-establishment-has-rejected-trumpexcept-for-this-man/2016/08/15/d5072d96-5e4b-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html
https://www.cnas.org/files/documents/publications/AfghanIntel_Flynn_Jan2010_code507_voices.pdf
http://putintrump.org/
http://www.dw.com/en/world-split-on-trump-triumph/a-36320763
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7572627/china-reaction-donald-trump-election
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/paul-keating-says-cut-the-tag-with-the-us-after-donald-trumps-shock-win-20161110-gsms4e.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/donald-trumps-election-potentially-good-and-bad-news-for-china-20161110-gsmi3g.html
https://www.rt.com/news/366281-interpol-russian-chinese-head/
https://www.rt.com/news/366177-european-army-security-juncker/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-style/2016/11/10/138bbd8a-a761-11e6-ba59-a7d93165c6d4_story.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-08/election-fatigue-we-have-bad-news-you
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-09/nassim-taleb-explains-who-just-got-buried
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/the-consequences-of-a-donald-trump-win-are-disastrous-for-the-australian-economy-20161108-gsl5dj.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-election-europe-looks-across-atlantic-and-sees-a-familiar-story-of-rejected-elites-20161109-gslm4q.html
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/donald-trumps-triumph-rocks-canberra-20161109-gslqi2.html
http://www.dw.com/en/germany-to-pour-cash-into-mass-surveillance/a-19537549
http://www.dw.com/en/german-spy-agency-bnd-to-get-its-own-satellite/a-36350903
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-businesses-bet-on-which-trump-will-govern-1479165871
http://www.itwire.com/resellers/75732-china-threatens-tit-for-tat-if-trump-acts-on-trade.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/12/some-counter-terrorism-defense.html
- the obvious question is if the US situation is going so well why did people vote in Trump (who's been saying very different things about life in the US than the optimistic picture of life that politicians often portray)?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-on-earth-is-president-obama-smiling/2016/11/14/941fd5b0-aac4-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/14/one-of-hillary-clintons-top-aides-nailed-exactly-why-she-lost/?tid=pm_pop
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-10/us-election-results-how-the-president-won/8008448
- at the back of your mind you're wondering what exactly are there thing that he is getting from China that he isn't getting from the US?
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/philippines-president-a-worrying-wildcard-in-the-region-20161026-gsbq37.html
- the awkwardness of the US is that it's both strong and weak now. If it crashes it's likely others will have to try and support them because of the role that they play
http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/breaking-news/dollar-bond-yields-rise/news-story/bca0946f5a2d96563dd61974d37daf7e
- clear that states and municipalities are under 'stress'. Unlikely (and they have a preference) not to default though
historical trends united states bankruptcies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankruptcy_in_the_United_States
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bankruptcy-increase-insight-idUSKBN0N528K20150414
http://www.bankruptcyaction.com/USbankstats.htm
http://www.inc.com/peter-economy/top-10-states-for-bankruptcy-in-the-united-states.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/32-states-now-officially-bankrupt-378-billion-borrowed-treasury-fund-unemployment-ca-mi-ny-w
http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2010/05/32-states-have-borrowed-from-treasury.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-22/muni-massacre-leaves-bonds-most-oversold-ever
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/municipal-cities-counties-bankruptcies-and-defaults.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/07/18/detroit-isnt-alone-the-u-s-cities-that-have-gone-bankrupt-in-one-map/
http://www.governing.com/blogs/by-the-numbers/municipal-bankruptcy-rate-and-state-law-limitations.html
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-municipal-bankruptcy-laws-policies-map.html
http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Two-More-US-Oil-Company-Bankruptcies-Thats-Four-Since-Last-Week.html
- government Debt to GDP levels reaching historic highs (high as after World Wars)
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/government-debt-to-gdp
- collapse of other countries globally. Ultimately, it means that you can neither lend money to them or else procure something from them because they are in no position to be able to deliver either way
- countries have been anti-colonial, colonial, and other positions (neutral, alliance, etc...) as has been suitable over time
- clear that not everyone happy with direction of world otherwise we wouldn't have all the leaks that we're having coming into WikiLeaks (and various other channels). If you didn't consume from a wide variety of sources you'd believe one particular perspective. For me, if ultimately new solutions to our problems stem from WikiLeaks I'd think that it could prove to be a net positive. Would love to see young political science students in particular seeing whether they can come with with new ways of living without so many compromises
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-result-of-wikileakss-new-transparency-less-transparency/2016/10/24/0fe1fa60-9a0e-11e6-9980-50913d68eacb_story.html?utm_term=.67b3e28041a8
- complete, total, financial system failure. It's been said over and over again you can't be a superpower without being a economic power. It has had financial difficulties from time to time despite what has been said
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_default
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_debt_crises
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_debt_crisis
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-31/214-years-sovereign-defaults-one-chart
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-new-cold-war-economic-crisis-and-more.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-24/central-bank-austria-claims-have-audited-gold-boe-refuses-release-audit-reports-gold
- if you through the list of conflicts globally you become a bit leery of the argument the US/West has always been a 'stabilising element'. Moreover, having any of the traditional 'Great Powers' on your side (such as the nuclear powers like the US, UK, France, Russia, China, etc...) is no guarantee of success. It's clear that a lot of countries and regions can look after their own affairs?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_wars_by_date
- conflicting 'interests'. What I previously didn't understand is how critical the US is to it's allies and they are to it. On the other hand, this can lead to many awkward circumstances (look at the Middle East and you can see how awkward things are and can end up being. The most recent strangeness has been the Iranian nuclear deal and the US's strong support for Israel)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/turkey-justice-minister-gulen_us_57e84b2ee4b0e28b2b54a70c
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/29/middleeast/turkey-travel-warning-consulate/
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/turkey-sacks-10k-civil-servants-shuts-15-media-43171137
http://www.voanews.com/a/turkey-military-overstretched-some-ask/3601079.html
- I'd be doing the exact same as them
https://www.rt.com/business/364709-germany-china-european-takeovers/
- capital flow getting more volatile and worse over time
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/capital-flows
- balance of trade getting worse over time
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/balance-of-trade
- gold reserves stable for a long time but dropped off
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gold-reserves
- makes sense that exports and imports have increased but imports outracing exports
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/exports
- increasing tourism
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/tourist-arrivals
- relatively static energy consumption over time
energy consumption united states trends
https://www.statista.com/topics/833/energy-consumption/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/265571/primary-energy-consumption-in-the-united-states/
- from time to time it feels like some of their data isn't that much different from during the peak of the GFC or else really sluggish?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/redbook-index
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/food-inflation
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/core-inflation-rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/export-prices
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/import-prices
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/housing-starts
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/private-debt-to-gdp
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/interbank-rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/construction-spending
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/interest-rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/housing-starts
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/car-registrations
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/bank-lending-rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-credit
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gasoline-prices
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/foreign-direct-investment
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/weapons-sales
- if others aren't buying bonds, they have to buy up themselves. If they can't dig themselves out then that impacts on internal spending at some point. They need to find sources of 'growth'?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/foreign-bond-investment
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/central-bank-balance-sheet
- seems fine
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/loans-to-private-sector
- mining sector crash
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-from-mining
- the trend towards money going into corporate rather than wages makes sense if that is basically part of pension plans. Good and bad thing. Social security welfare net and early retirement effectively created our problem. People want to retire earlier?
http://www.valuewalk.com/2016/03/corporate-profit-margins-trends/
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/11/corporate-profit-margins-vs-wages-in-one-disturbing-chart.html
- increasing problems with pension funding
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-04-20/going-be-national-crisis-one-largest-us-pension-funds-set-cut-retiree-benefits
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/03/30/Outrageous-Public-Pensions-Could-Bankrupt-These-States
https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/13631.2.0.0/economy/the-suddenly-poor-life-millions-will-lose-their-pensions
US faces ‘disastrous’ $3.4tn pension funding hole
https://www.ft.com/content/c9966bea-fcd8-11e5-b5f5-070dca6d0a0d
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-26/twinkies-bankruptcy-raises-specter-of-u-s-pension-fund-failures
http://www.valuewalk.com/2016/06/pbgc-near-bankrupt/
- you wouldn't have increasing food stamps usage if there weren't problems (working poor or else just plain poor?)?
food stamp program statistics
http://www.trivisonno.com/food-stamps-charts
http://www.statisticbrain.com/food-stamp-statistics/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supplemental_Nutrition_Assistance_Program
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_stamp
https://web.stanford.edu/group/recessiontrends/cgi-bin/web/trend-data/sami/social-safety-net
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIC
http://frac.org/reports-and-resources/snapfood-stamp-monthly-participation-data/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-22/heres-where-food-stamp-use-has-increased-most
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/366639-us-election-citizens-elite/
- energy use trending downwards (could simply be down to them using more renewable energy sources)
https://www.google.com.au/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=eg_use_pcap_kg_oe&idim=country:USA:CHN:AUS&hl=en&dl=en#!ctype=l&strail=false&bcs=d&nselm=h&met_y=eg_use_pcap_kg_oe&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=region&idim=country:USA:CHN:AUS:BRA:VEN:DEU&ifdim=region&hl=en_US&dl=en&ind=false
- leery of colonialism/imperialism in general. On balance progress has been facilitated by many diffferent actors and sources. Despite significant casualties (indirectly and directly) caused by the world's major religions, it has helped us to make a bit more civil with one another though. "History shows that appeasing bullies never works. Maybe Comey has learned this lesson and will try to make amends in coming days." The Chinese seem to be thinking of less 'active measures' and feel that others will follow along via osmosis/diffusion? Don't think it's as clear as that though as it feels as though at times they're just as 'active' as the US have been?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/comey-gives-in-to-shameful-partisanship/2016/10/30/c31c714a-9ed8-11e6-8d63-3e0a660f1f04_story.html?utm_term=.a7f9ae2e4010
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/australias-wakeup-call-on-china-wakeup-isnt-just-hysterical-20161031-gsek21.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/business/world-business/19-billionaires-who-used-to-be-dirt-poor-20161030-gse8no.html
http://www.dw.com/en/opinion-on-reformation-day-we-need-another-luther/a-36199638
https://theconversation.com/university-china-centres-are-vulnerable-to-vested-interests-because-of-a-lack-of-funding-67554
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-20/concerns-grow-over-chinas-soft-diplomacy-in-australia:-expert/7948178
- housing occupancy/ownership stablish. Interesting thing is the home ownership rate which has trended downwards for 10Y and is only now starting to pick up. If I recall correctly this has something to do with Bush policy which was supposed to make it easier for potential home buyers to purchase a house? You have to admit there are some really strange countries leading the home ownership rate statistics globally? Strange home ownership graph. Strange real estate market overall actually. One very odd thing is the narrow band through which the US economy runs on home ownership?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/home-ownership-rate
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-19/housing-starts-crash-most-5-years-18-month-lows
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-19/america-youve-been-played
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-19/10-trillion-dollar-bye-bye-calm-storm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home-ownership_in_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_home_ownership_rate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_investment_in_the_United_States_real_estate
- not bad. Sluggish. Becomes obvious how and where the US is successful. It relies on people taking a gamble on starting up their own business (that is mostly where new people are employed and grown). Is this their culture or simply a consequence of their media which is constantly pushing people into entrepreneurship? At times, it almost feels like as though a huge amount of their economy is dependent on pure confidence? Economy seems to be consolidating over time, as larger and larger firms survive and smaller firms die off earlier which is leading to slower growth? As long as enough people can figure out how to make money, the finance sector stays in check, and the rest of it sort of holds up?
mergers and acquisitions united states statistics
https://imaa-institute.org/m-and-a-us-united-states/
business startups "united states" trends
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2015/02/12/the-decline-of-american-entrepreneurship-in-five-charts/
http://www.bls.gov/bdm/entrepreneurship/entrepreneurship.htm
https://www.sba.gov/managing-business/running-business/energy-efficiency/sustainable-business-practices/small-business-trends
http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/180431/american-entrepreneurship-dead-alive.aspx
https://www.brookings.edu/research/declining-business-dynamism-in-the-united-states-a-look-at-states-and-metros/
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/building-permits
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-28/homeownership-rate-in-the-u-s-tumbles-to-the-lowest-since-1965
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/04/28/u-s-homeownership-rate-falls-again-nearing-a-48-year-low/
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/05/installing-logic-9-under-mac-os-x-under.html
united states company size trends
https://webforms.ey.com/us/en/issues/governance-and-reporting/small-and-mid-sized-company-governance-trends
https://www.census.gov/topics/business/small-business.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States
consumer confidence index united states trend
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-confidence
https://data.oecd.org/leadind/consumer-confidence-index-cci.htm
- stable
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/wholesale-inventories
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/durable-goods-orders
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/factory-orders
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/changes-in-inventories
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-confidence
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/steel-production
https://www.thebalance.com/causes-of-economic-recession-3306010
- IPO market not going well. M&A not bad
ipos united states statistics
http://www.factset.com/insight/2016/02/the-ipo-market-slowdown#.WBmgtHhifQo
http://www.renaissancecapital.com/ipohome/press/ipofilings.aspx
https://www.quandl.com/data/RITTER/US_IPO_STATS-Historical-US-IPO-Statistics
m&a united states statistics
https://imaa-institute.org/m-and-a-us-united-states/
https://imaa-institute.org/statistics-mergers-acquisitions/
- dollar has obviously been losing relevance over time but not overly so
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2015/08/washington-china-and-the-rise-of-the-renminbi-are-the-dollars-days-as-the-global-reserve-currency-numbered
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/washington-plays-it-cool-but-rodrigo-dutertes-rhetoric-could-turn-into-tough-reality-20161102-gsg6ih.html
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/aussie-dollars-surge-may-signal-good-times-for-global-economy-20161101-gsfy92.html
- natural and un-natural (financial, economic, hybrid warfare, etc...) bankruptcies. Even if the shale oil thing is a charade (to keep energy prices low) it's still the same problem because you can't grow your way out of it
united states public company bankruptcies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankruptcy_in_the_United_States
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bankruptcy-increase-insight-idUSKBN0N528K20150414
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/bankruptcies
http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/469552/Insolvency+Bankruptcy/The+Year+in+Bankruptcy+2015
http://www.financierworldwide.com/fw-news/2016/1/26/bankruptcy-snapshot-reveals-us-filings-up-46-percent-in-2015-with-energy-a-big-loser
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/12/shale-oil-some-us-intelligencedefense.html
- clear that some other countries believe that fundamentally there isn't that much of a difference between the economy of the US and theirs (excluding obvious size difference. Quality and level of advancement is the primary consideration here). Hence, they spend a lot of time actually trying to reign it in by talking down the US economy and talking up their local economy?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-21/weekend-reading-time-be-contrarian
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-21/world-economy-wobbles-deep-state-shill-distracts
- financial stress and social security issues in general not great. Look at students and car loans in particular. Similar as during 2009/2009 levels (GFC period)
united states mortgage stress statistics
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/02/money-stress.aspx
us home foreclosure rate trend
http://www.statisticbrain.com/home-foreclosure-statistics/
loan delinquencies united states
http://www.wsj.com/articles/more-than-40-of-student-borrowers-arent-making-payments-1459971348
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/10/02/delinquency-rates-rise-riskiest-auto-loans/91427770/
https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/chargeoff/delallsa.htm
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/how-to-fix-the-budget-without-really-trying-20161105-gsipy5.html
http://qz.com/825081/no-matter-who-wins-the-election-social-security-loses/
united states bad loans
Bank nonperforming loans to total gross loans (%)
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/FB.AST.NPER.ZS
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/tag/statistics
% companies going bankrupt us historical trends
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/bankruptcies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_of_the_United_States
- one of the common themes in some alternative (and international) media outlets is that the US is 'unstable' (one thing I'm really confused about is how US citizens perceive their own country. Hard to know what they think of it (love or hate) at times?) and could be on the verge of a revolution (regardless of an internal or external push). Didn't realise until recently this may be the case (listen to media from any part of the world and look at the number of viewers hits. They can often have viewerships in the 7 to 8 figure range)? The other thing you'll be aware of (watch them closely enough) is that the US seems to have taken precautions in case of an internal uprising (drills being run by their internal security agencies such as the DHS and parts of the military. These drills and precautions are normal but not to the scale that has been mentioned by some members who have been involved). I honestly don't think Trump is going to go as far as he's said he will in the election campaign (already indications of this with his stance already changing on South Korea prior to and after election). It's also clear that he can 'act presidential' if need be. Look at enough footage and it becomes clear that he does have more self control than others give him credit for. Admittedly, has strange hand/body language at times though
We Just Gave America To A Fascist _ Election Day Coverage 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc-7qmEtFTQ
Larry King - Clinton is not a criminal & Trump is really not a buffoon, I know them for years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W-EAEudmwQ
RAW - Obama welcomes president-elect Trump at White House
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4C1287EJw
EU leaders rollback anti-Trump righteousness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQaC47c4X4k
President-Elect Trump - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rSDUsMwakI
Donald Trump's first 60 min. Interview_ Trump Tower Now A Fortress 11-11-16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z73H5urfx-c
RT's Peter Lavelle interviews Dr. Ron Paul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWrVJHtejkQ
Keiser Report - Future Made In China (E41)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvidWu6L0t0
Keiser Report - Banks! Bailout! Scandal! (ft. Jim Rogers) (E43)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWHCMaPb-J8
Keiser Report - Markets! Finance! Scandal! (E44)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMCupVRZPrA
Keiser Report - Meets Schiff Report (E39)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7aaIyAsBXA
Keiser Report - Social Fury builds up! (E46)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXNdtl9wnk
Keiser Report - The Politics of Rage (E989)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcKMOEzBntc
Economist and Author Richard D. Wolff Talks About How Capitalism IS Crisis [25]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGbC2nB9GqM
Hillary & Trump Are Making Sure No 3rd Parties Get To Debate Them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2SYHGNCJ_Y
[111] Lesser Of Two Evils Is A Lie, Shocking Police Ignorance, Global Arms Trade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz5tRnk3ENU
The Global Corporate Coup And Why The Media Supports It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYi2SW8bgH8
Negotiate with ISIS Labour leadership candidate suggests peace talks with jihadists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdKsjR-NpkA
Keiser Report - Special Greenspan Bubble edition (E33)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd02Ks-1LmU
CrossTalk - Bullhorns on Trumplash!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T28pzdHaPkI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_column
Deep Underground Military Bases? California Hit By Mysterious Clockwork "Booms" Daily For Years
http://www.zerohedge.com/node/567017/7876488
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-29/why-are-so-many-among-elite-building-luxury-bunkers-preparation-imminent-apocalypse
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/magazine/the-end-of-the-anglo-american-order.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/world/americas/western-liberal-democracy.html?_r=0
https://sputniknews.com/radio_by_any_means/201611231047732878-america-2017-powder-keg-ready-to-explode/
https://sputniknews.com/radio_by_any_means/201611241047771313-america-fake-news-problem-neo-cons-vs-libertarians/ 
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/366639-us-election-citizens-elite/
https://www.rt.com/usa/367683-election-poll-divided-america/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-white-house-win-promises-to-reshape-us-political-landscape/2016/11/09/62baa5e4-a66a-11e6-ba59-a7d93165c6d4_story.html
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/second-american-revolution-world-gulps-as-americans-opt-for-fateful-choice-20161109-gslhb4.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-09/italian-bonds-may-underperform-as-trump-edges-closer-to-victory
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-and-aides-hedge-on-major-pledges-including-obamacare-and-the-wall/2016/11/11/9196b364-a82f-11e6-8fc0-7be8f848c492_story.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-21/head-democratic-party-makes-stunning-admission-people-are-despair-about-how-things-a
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/elite-have-no-idea-society-near-breaking-point/ri17040
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-09/how-did-media-pollsters-get-election-so-wrong
http://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-transition-team-packed-with-washington-insiders-lobbyists/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-10/us-election-was-closer-than-you-think/8012392
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ticktock-how-the-donald-trump-bombshell-exploded-inside-parliament-house-20161110-gsm2mt.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/vitriol-only-intensifies-after-bitter-election/2016/11/11/3cc4ea42-a828-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-16/world-leaders-must-heed-peoples-economic-fears-obama/8028674
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/us-election-2016-malcolm-turnbull-banks-on-donald-trump-breaking-his-poll-promises-20161110-gsmeou.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-election-2016-protests-continue-as-donald-trump-prepares-to-visit-the-white-house-20161110-gsmswu.html
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/all-hail-compulsory-voting-our-buffer-against-an-australian-donald-trump-20161111-gsncvj.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/11/493138/Electoral-College-United-States-Hillary-Clinton-Presidentelect-Donald-Trump
https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201611091047256607-trump-wins-us-presidential-election-sigh-of-relief/
https://www.rt.com/usa/366919-sanders-trump-protest-electoral-college/
- there's a strange feeling that you get from a lot of US citizens now. Once upon a time they used to say that they believed in the US now their not so sure of it. Much of it seems to stem from the fact that the 'Social Contract' has not been maintained? You can't quite figure out whether they love or hate their country at times?
Max Keiser on Alex Jones Tv 3_6 -America's Good Name is No More !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JY9OmbjOFQ
Max Keiser on Alex Jones Tv 6_6 -America's Good Name is No More !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJjm6t3Th1c
Wall Street Jihadist Are Ready To Crash The Economy - Max Keiser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4fGWYiS47E
President-Elect Trump - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rSDUsMwakI
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/americas-predicament-is-a-wakeup-call-for-australians-20161124-gswf0t.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/05/more-psyops-social-systems-and-more.html 
- it's clear that the US could have a revolution on their hands at some point? What I don't get is this. If so much of their population is unhappy, there are protests all over the place, the US is a democracy, and there is more than enough to go around what exactly are we protecting and what will it take for the political class to make genuine change? Here's the other thing I think a lot of analysts are missing with regards to mass surveillance. Yes, it could lead to better things but what happens if the wrong laws are passed (has happened before in spite of what people say and this is clearly a proposition given the role that the corporate world is playing in politics now)? We end up enforcing a set of rules that people don't want. Something that is surely the opposite of democracy? The obvious thing is if Trump doesn't perform well the US could well end up going hard left at some point? The most bizarre thing in the world considering it's built much of it's history on capitalist ideas
ALMOST Everyone Was Wrong About The Election
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZhjp3hDIJQ
Media's ELITISM & IGNORANCE Post-Election Has No Bounds!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfxJXEV2-fk
Russia Brags About Influencing Election
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ-jdKMYOVo
Republicans Gloat Over Supressing Black Vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atheuaLLNqc
Billionaire Soros linked to anti-Trump protests - WikiLeaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14zszKEKz-I
Snowden Q&A on how US Election affects your privacy, his pardon (Streamed Live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3svbmlMALM
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-election-now-trump-is-president-what-next-for-us-liberals-and-progressives-20161111-gsn92r.html
http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/us-election-now-trump-is-president-what-next-for-us-liberals-and-progressives-20161111-gsn92r.html
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/13/493357/Trump-climate-change-quit-Paris-accord
- a lot of people are going defensive. The irony is that those further down the chain often don't have access to the defensive measures that can be acquired higher up the chain which leads to the inevitable problem of greater inequality during times of greater economic stress
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-03/investors-are-pouring-into-an-etf-that-protects-against-higher-inflation
- foreign bond investment becoming much more volatile
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/foreign-bond-investment
- personal savings decreasing over time
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/personal-savings
- bond yields seem to be collapsing to and sometimes below 2008/2009 levels (GFC period)
http://www.investing.com/rates-bonds/u.s.-30-year-bond-yield#
http://www.investing.com/rates-bonds/u.s.-10-year-bond-yield#
http://www.investing.com/rates-bonds/u.s.-5-year-bond-yield#
http://www.investing.com/rates-bonds/u.s.-2-year-bond-yield#
- oil prices (in particular) and some currency pairings similar to 2008/2009 levels (GFC period). Others (currency) quite out of kilter/abnormal (click on the M icon to zoom out)
http://www.investing.com/commodities/crude-oil
http://www.investing.com/commodities/brent-oil
http://www.investing.com/commodities/natural-gas
http://www.investing.com/currencies/eur-usd
http://www.investing.com/currencies/gbp-usd
http://www.investing.com/currencies/usd-jpy
http://www.investing.com/currencies/usd-chf
http://www.investing.com/currencies/eur-jpy
http://www.investing.com/currencies/eur-chf
http://www.investing.com/currencies/aud-usd
http://www.investing.com/currencies/gbp-usd
https://bitcoincharts.com/charts/bitstampUSD#tgSzm1g10zm2g25zv
- on top of this feels like people are trying to hedge out risk by falling back to commodities such as gold and silver. Once again similar to 2008/2009 (GFC period) levels (click on the M icon to zoom out)
http://www.investing.com/commodities/silver
http://www.investing.com/commodities/gold
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-05/central-banks-have-broadcast-what-about-hit
- everybody who knows (and frets) about the 'Deutsche Bank problem' which has the potential to cause a banking crisis once more. Once again similar to 2008/2009 (GFC period) levels (click on the M icon to zoom out)
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-22/forget-deutsche-bank-these-2-american-banks-are-now-most-systemically-dangerous-worl
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-02/dont-look-now-most-systemically-dangerous-bank-world-tumbling-again
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-02/us-economy-continues-weaken-warning-signs-flash-recession-ahead
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-02/oil-tanks-after-biggest-inventory-build-34-year-history
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/glance.htm  
http://www.investing.com/equities/deutsche-bank
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/db/stock-chart?intraday=off&timeframe=10y&splits=off&earnings=off&movingaverage=None&lowerstudy=volume&comparison=off&index=&drilldown=off
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/ubs/stock-chart?intraday=off&timeframe=10y&splits=off&earnings=off&movingaverage=None&lowerstudy=volume&comparison=off&index=&drilldown=off
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/gs/stock-chart?intraday=off&timeframe=10y&splits=off&earnings=off&movingaverage=None&lowerstudy=volume&comparison=off&index=&drilldown=off
- the country is effectively being bought by other countries
foreign asset ownership united states by country
http://www.cfr.org/united-states/quarterly-update-foreign-ownership-us-assets/p25685
http://www.ispyetf.com/view_article.php?slug=US_Assets_are_Falling_in_the_Hands_of_Foreign_Owne&ID=257
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-assets-falling-hands-foreign-002120574.html
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/chinese-ownership-of-agricultural-land-soars-above-3-million-hectares-20161022-gs8hk5.html
- if you read between the lines and can see through the everything there are a lot of defensive mechanisms in place to reduce the chances of a sudden collapse of the US economy. However, it's obvious that they are in place
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-new-cold-war-economic-crisis-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/04/hybrid-warfare-more-psyops-and-more.html
- it's been said that one of the reasons why the British Empire fell was because the overheads of managing an Empire became too high. They basically drove themselves mad trying to manage the complexities of the Empire. Look around enough and it's easy to see how this could have occurred (from time to time it feels like this is where the US is now). There are problems that are decades, centures, millenia old that people still haven't been able to figure out solutions for so they sort of just leave things untouched and/or ignore it for the time being (Israel is a good example of this. Technically, you could say that the land was promised to them by God or else it could also be interpreted as being mis-appropriated. What you choose to believe is up to you). You can see similar signs in the US and it's partners at times. Like I said, funny and interesting. You look around and it's interesting the way the world has formed? Not certain what to believe at times. Funny belief in 'Empire' seems to go back thousands of years (maybe even millions of years but I don't speak 'Caveman' and I don't have records from them regarding this particular issue). Thoughts regarding alternate social systems are along the same lines. Extremely strange in the Middle East and strange in the former USSR. Hybrid social systems? Not quite capitalism or anything else?
http://www.dw.com/en/voluntourism-whats-wrong-with-the-white-savior-complex/a-36225006
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-Balfour-Declaration-His-Majestys-gift-was-also-a-demand-471507
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration
http://www.ijs.org.au/The-Balfour-Declaration/default.aspx
http://www.dw.com/en/bulgarias-presidential-election-is-a-test-for-the-political-status-quo/a-36374269
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-10/in-trump-us-elites-face-consequences-of-their-own-attitudes/8011992
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism
http://www.dw.com/en/the-us-president-as-an-enterprise/a-36362097
https://www.rt.com/news/366671-german-movie-banned-ukraine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_East
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_dichotomy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North%E2%80%93South_divide
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/bishop-calls-for-indian-ocean-roadmap/news-story/9e43e2dc4d7a81f460a8a14ac8e58405?nk=93cb124d4715779d03f53758cd25ff4a-1477561552
- they've subsidised a lot of industries. Without their world reserve currency status (as chosen by it and others) they could get in a lot of trouble very quickly
http://www.itwire.com/data-centres/75350-top-tech-firms-get-us$2m-per-job-subsidy-report.html
- in reality there's an increase in working poor across the US. Drastic increase in part time employment over time
trends in part time work united states
http://www.businessinsider.com/ratio-of-part-time-employed-remains-substantially-higher-than-the-pre-recession-level-2014-11?IR=T
http://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/publications/economic-letter/2013/august/part-time-work-employment-increase-recession/
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/part-time-employment
- until very recently I didn't realise that wealth used to be distributed reasonably equally among countries globally. Basically, it was only with the advent of colonialism and imperialism that things really changed. The 'World Wars' effectively did the job of strengthening some empires and weakening others at which point the US (they were generally better strategically, better at warfare, were slightly cynical in the way they approached things, etc...) was left running things? Basically, wealth was shifted to the US for 'safe keeping' or else it was because other states were in trouble and needed equipment more than they needed wealth. Making more sense now. Gradients of growth are roughly similar otherwise once you factor this this stuff out. World Wars were absolute mayhem. Everyone seemed to declare war on everyone?
transfer gold between uk and us
https://www.quora.com/Did-the-UK-transfer-its-entire-South-African-gold-reserves-to-the-U-S-in-1940-to-pay-for-war-supplies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Fish
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/11/06/rod-culleton-compares-himself-to-jesus-in-senate-speech/?ncid=edlinkauhpmg00000004
https://www.rt.com/news/364520-us-china-thaad-sanctions/
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/06/492441/US-Russia-AbuMohammad-Asgarkhani-Middle-East-superpower
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/11/06/492410/Syria-Bashar-alAssad-West-weak-Takfiri-militants-terrorists-Daesh
http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/the-vote-that-tore-the-nation-apart/news-story/e7a87dbb3a9833c20f1777680342d6c0
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/sultan-queen-elizabeth-england-islam-jerry-brotton/?google_editors_picks=true
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=us+uk+transfer+gold+world+war
Does the UK control the US? (with Alltime Conspiracies)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLqFtGSb9Tk
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/08/neo-colonialism-and-neo-liberalism.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system
http://www.euronews.com/2016/11/16/barcelona-set-to-introduce-local-currency
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/08/neo-colonialism-and-neo-liberalism.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empires
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_empires
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_imperialism
- the only way the US stays up economically is if someone is capable and is willing to take a hit for them (the US/West didn't get to where they are by being nice which means it's less likely that others will be less likely and able to co-operate if their Empire falls? Note that the following information is completely irrelevant to the state of affairs as it looks like the US may not have anywhere to go? I can't see China or India sacrificing themselves like Japan did with the Plaza Accord due to historical issues with the US/West)? MMT theory says that you can print forever. In reality, the bank is core to capitalism. That and it's proxies (such as bankers, employers, etc...) act as arbiters for who gets money. Money is a theoretical concept that detemines cardinal and ordinal value of people and objects within society. Crashes correspond to moments when those at the top have extracted too much from the bottom which leads to a crash. The advent of behavioural economics and increased computerisation and automation of financial markets means that this is less likely to occur in a capitalist society even if they can see danger approaching. The bottom will simply have to suffer via homesless, poverty, bad healthcare, etc... unless there is a genuine movement to try and fix this issue?
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-new-cold-war-economic-crisis-and-more.html
https://sputniknews.com/business/202006171079642198-veteran-us-economist-predicts-dollars-crash/
https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/interest-rate
https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/gdp
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/interest-rate
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp
https://tradingeconomics.com/euro-area/interest-rate
https://tradingeconomics.com/euro-area/gdp
https://tradingeconomics.com/india/gdp
https://tradingeconomics.com/india/interest-rate
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/gdp
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/interest-rate
https://tradingeconomics.com/
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/06/19/627805/China-US-ties-Trump
https://www.dw.com/en/do-we-need-to-work-less-to-save-the-world/a-53742751
european union central bank interest rate
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/key_ecb_interest_rates/html/index.en.html
plaza accord
The Plaza Accord was a joint-agreement, signed on 22 September 1985, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, between France, West Germany, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, to depreciate the U.S. dollar in relation to the Japanese yen and German Deutsche mark by intervening in currency markets.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Accord
gold standard united states
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_standard#Abandonment_of_the_gold_standard
In addition to its cultural definition this process can be described as the transformation of an economy into one that follows the steps of Japan. In other words, it is a term used by economists that refers to falling into the same deflationary trap of collapsed demand that caused the lost decade. Japanification is an ongoing issue today as the U.S., U.K., and other countries go through similar economic issues.[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanification
The Lost Decade or the Lost 10 Years (失われた十年, Ushinawareta Jūnen) was a period of economic stagnation in Japan from about 1991 to 2001, caused by the Japanese asset price bubble's collapse in late 1991. From 1991 to 2003, the Japanese economy, as measured by GDP, grew only 1.14% annually, well below that of other industrialized nations.[1]
The term originally referred to the years from 1991 to 2000,[2] but recently the decade from 2001 to 2010 is often included so that the whole period is referred to as the Lost Score or the Lost 20 Years (失われた二十年, Ushinawareta Nijūnen).[3] Broadly impacting the entire Japanese economy, over the period of 1995 to 2007, GDP fell from $5.33 trillion to $4.36 trillion in nominal terms,[4] real wages fell around 5%,[5] while the country experienced a stagnant price level.[6] While there is some debate on the extent and measurement of Japan's setbacks,[7][8] the economic effect of the Lost Decade is well established, and Japanese policymakers continue to grapple with its consequences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_(Japan)
empire files youtube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=empire+files
Empire Files
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG29FnXZm4F5U8xpqs1cs1Q/videos
The Empire Files with Abby Martin
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAlnQ4hvLtTAJcIEcfvfHbMv2omP_rHC
https://www.youtube.com/user/telesurenglish/playlists
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+world+today+tariq+ali
The World Today with Tariq Ali
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2jL6qpuYAcQKCjRrmGDD2rVE0szr_qVE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=on+contact+rt
On Contact with Chris Hedges
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLagVUKF7CUTRiG64CklL1AN0mbmNaETfp
- whether you believe in US leadership or not it's awkward. It's like having a awkward best friend. You both need one another but from time to time there are going to be problems
- overall, the US economy is going everywhere and nowhere (which is probably the reason why the media commentary is all scrambled as well). The strange thing for me is that it seems as though half is going well and half isn't. On top of that there are a heap of people that are hedging against a possible implosion of the US economy. This would be funny if it didn't feel so serious. A lot of the data just don't make sense (when you try to match things up)? The huge irony is that despite the fact that things shouldn't appear so rosy they are (and if you look around quite a lot of other financial analysts have noticed the exact same thing). As long as alchemy-economics works who cares right?
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/indicators
https://www.corbettreport.com/war-with-china-what-hillary-told-goldman/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-19/sterling-stumbles-report-merkel-said-shut-brexit-back-door-channels
http://www.benzinga.com/news/16/11/8653903/a-look-at-the-unemployment-rate-since-obama-took-office
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-06/yellens-conundrum-forestall-monetary-mayhem-or-release-political-pandemonium
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-23/putin-buys-dip-russias-gold-buying-october-largest-millenium
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-10/dow-hits-all-time-high
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-10/bond-bloodbath-continues-soaring-inflation-expectations-spark-curve-carnage-yuan-plu
http://russia-insider.com/en/business/russian-ruble-becoming-super-carry-currency/ri17442
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-23/china-press-lashes-out-its-dollar-not-yuan-threatens-global-stability
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-10/last-time-market-did-it-didnt-end-well
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-09/how-did-media-pollsters-get-election-so-wrong

If you watch enough international news channels you'll realise that the world isn't how it appears. It's how it appears based on the perspective that you see. With that in mind, what you want to see is often how things will ultimately appear. The following is a list of international news sites for those who are interested. They often specialise in in depth analysis of world affairs (more will be added to this list over time) and covers pretty much most of the globe from a wide range of perspectives:
https://www.youtube.com/user/AFP/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/ReutersVideo/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RuptlyTV/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/iqsquared/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RTDocumentaries/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/BenDeNoon/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/BoomBustRT/videos
TRT World
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7fWeaHhqgM4Ry-RMpM2YYw/videos
africanews
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1_E8NeF5QHY2dtdLRBCCLA/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/CNN/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/Euronews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/ReutersVideo/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/FTVEnglishNews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/FocusTaiwan/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/WPBF/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/PBSNewsHour/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/thestaronline/videos
China Express
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx4rE7JNlKvPAiFgMMEpzrA/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/onlinephilippinenews/videos
LNTV English News
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5h9jgxulCm6-tiQ0tdQplQ/videos 
Hong Kong Free Press
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC36umLEHbPUS-lpucrXPcGQ/videos 
https://www.youtube.com/user/bbcnews/videos
VNN Viet Nam News
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ARzlTbhlF95lZ1WF3jqEQ/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/MEXNEWSTRAVEL/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/cbcnews/videos
CTV News
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7Zk9baY1tvdlgxIML8MXg/videos
PressTV News Videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/videosptv/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/dawnnewspakistan/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/IndiaTV/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/arirang/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/channelnewsasia/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/LondonRealTV/videos
Boiling Frogs Post
https://www.youtube.com/user/boilingfrogspost/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/truthdig/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RTAmerica/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RTUKnews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RTSportNews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/WorldsApartRT/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RussiaToday/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/telesurenglish/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/skynews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheYoungTurks/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/redactedtonight/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/journeymanpictures/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/democracynow/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel/videos 
https://www.youtube.com/user/BBCHARDTALK/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/CCTVAFRICALIVE/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/newsntn24/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/sabcdigitalnews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/channelnewsasia/videos
Democracy At Work
https://www.youtube.com/user/democracyatwrk/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/RichardDWolff/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/ABNDigital/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/PBSNewsHour/videos 
https://www.youtube.com/user/france24english/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/MoluccaMedia/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish/videos
https://www.youtube.com/show/talktoaljazeera/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/News24Video/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/abcqanda/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/sabcdigitalnews/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/SABCSAFM/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/sabc/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector/videos 
https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish/videos
DW Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW39zufHfsuGgpLviKh297Q/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/CCTVcomInternational/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/CCTVAmerica1/videos
CCTV+
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmv5DbNpxH8X2eQxJBqEjKQ/videos?spfreload=10

A list of international news websites:

Random Quotes:
Jeffrey Gundlach, CEO of DoubleLine Capital, told RealVisionTV: “It’s pretty clear investors will be on edge with the next down move in Deutsche Bank … I said when Deutsche Bank goes to single digits, that’s when the panic will really be palpable.”

“When Bank of America went to single digits back at the end of 2008 and early 2009 … then they said, we really do have to do something. There’s something about single-digit stocks that sound like the pink sheets. You’re not really an investment-quality entity anymore if you’re trading for pennies on the dollar.”

The pink sheets are lists of stocks traded over the counter that often do not meet minimum requirements or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Middleton thinks a stealth bailout through the European Central Bank (ECB) has already begun, but not without some unpleasant consequences.

“Think of trying to save somebody from drowning by picking them up from the water by their throat, so you get them out of the water so they don’t drown immediately. But you suffocate them over time because they can’t breathe, and that’s what’s happening with European banks,” he said.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2151527-is-deutsche-bank-the-next-lehman-brothers/
- European leaders will meet in Bratislava next Friday at an informal summit intended to map a new path for the EU in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave. Yet while the unwelcome outcome of June’s referendum was a trigger for the talks, this review, or re-evaluation, of the European project is long overdue. Modern-day Europe faces enormous challenges not remotely envisaged by the EU’s founding fathers when they signed the Treaty of Rome 60 years ago next year. A new consensus on how to address these shared problems, in principle and in practice, is urgently needed as the treaty anniversary approaches.

Britain, unfortunately, will have little or no say over what happens next. Theresa May is not invited to Bratislava. The summit will take place without her. The government is not being asked for it views on the crucial issues confronting Europe and, if it chooses to air them, it is increasingly likely, as time goes by, that it will be ignored. The EU wants only one thing from Britain right now, as Donald Tusk, the European council president, reminded May last week: a firm date for starting exit negotiations. And this, unfortunately again, May is unwilling or unable to give them. To pretend the outcome of Bratislava and ensuing discussions will not have a big impact on British interests is to perpetuate the wilful blindness that led to the calamitous Brexit vote. A major struggle, years in the making, is coming to a head. It pits the “old” liberal, open-markets, open-borders EU, led by Germany, France and Italy, against the “new”, conservative, nationalist EU, states such as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia that are more recent entrants. At issue is the future of the EU’s so-called four freedoms – the free movement of labour, goods, services and capital.

Claiming to be responding to public concerns about immigration, Islamist terrorism, economic security and the erosion of cultural traditions, the Poles and their allies in the Visegrád group are resisting the migrant quota system championed by Germany’s Angela Merkel. They want greater autonomy for national parliaments, more oversight of transnational corporations and investment, the scrapping of plans for visa-free EU travel for Turks, and greater recognition of what Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s rightwing prime minister, calls “historic, religious and national identity”.

These objectives are shared by advancing, populist and nationalist movements across western Europe, too, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which humiliated Merkel in elections in her home state last week. And if this agenda sounds familiar, it is. It echoes many of the positions adopted by Leave campaigners and their Ukip allies. How all these issues are tackled really matters for Britain. The irony is, if they had not cut and run, the views espoused by Michael Gove and Boris Johnson would have had much more influence in reshaping Europe’s aims and priorities at this moment. As it is, they, and Britain, have no say.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/10/observer-view-on-eu-bratislava-summit-britain-no-voice
- BENGALURU: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers H N Ananth Kumar requested the participants at the BRICS Wellness Workshop to moot a proposal to the World Health Organisation to set up a World Organisation of Traditional Medicine, here on Saturday.

He urged Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik along with other dignitaries to consider taking the initiative to form a forum, as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries represent 40 per cent of the world’s population and India leads in traditional medicine alongside China.

“We should have such an organisation under the World Health Organisation. We are a miniscule part of WHO, but need to be a decisive part,” said Anant Kumar, who spoke about two-year-old AYUSH ministry being more internationally known than the ministry of civil aviation. The celebration of the World Yoga Day was one such indication, he said.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/Set-up-a-forum-for-traditional-medicines-Ananth-Kumar-in-BRICS-workshop/2016/09/11/article3618585.ece
- The world’s top ten corporations, including Apple, Shell and Walmart, have a combined revenue that is greater than the combined income of the 180 “poorest” countries out of the world’s total 195 sovereign states.

The figures, which reveal that Walmart, Apple and Shell alone are now richer than Russia, Belgium and Sweden, were released by the campaign group Global Justice Now.

Sixty-nine of the world’s 100 top economic entities are now corporations instead of countries – a rise from last year’s staggering figure of 63. Out of the top 200 entities in the world, a whopping 153 were found to be corporations.

The US, China, Germany, Japan, France and the UK comprise the top six economic entities followed by Italy, Brazil and Canada.

“The vast wealth and power of corporations is at the heart of so many of the world’s problems – like inequality and climate change,” said Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now.
https://www.rt.com/news/359125-top-corporations-richer-nations/
- The US is confusing international order with an “American” one, said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, questioning Washington’s policies. It comes in response to Ash Carter’s accusations that Moscow wants to erode the principles of international order.

In the statement, Shoigu noted that numerous US-led interventions have actually contributed to the security challenges that the international community is currently facing.

“It is the United States, alongside their Western partners, who have been consistently destroying the basic foundations of the existing world, starting with Bosnia, Kosovo to Iraq and Libya”.

Shoigu’s statement comes in response to the comments made by US counterpart Ash Carter, who accused Russia of aiming to change the world order. Speaking to students at Oxford University on Wednesday, Carter did not mince his words, saying that Moscow pursues a “clear ambition to erode the principled international order.”

While acknowledging that Washington “does not seek an enemy in Russia,” he, among others, accused Moscow of “nuclear-saber-rattling” and territorial violations.

Addressing Carter’s comments, Shoigu said that Russia had warned what the outcome would be of the US-led NATO bombardment of the former Yugoslavia in 1999.

Shoigu said, “since then we only see that every time [the US] is stepping on the same rake in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, other countries,” and that the Pentagon, “instead of drawing lessons,” simply continues with its practices.

“Maybe it is time for the Pentagon to change something in that ‘strategy’? In order not justify in front of every microphone its failures by blaming everything on Russia, China and other countries with an independent outlook”.

Shoigu concluded that “maintaining international order” is a task for the whole international community and “not only of the Pentagon.” According to him this view remains a guiding principle for the Russian government.

“The sooner our US colleagues will realize that and start changing”, the sooner it will help resolve the existing problems, including Syria and elsewhere.
https://www.rt.com/news/359115-carter-american-order-shoigu/
- Billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos promises that both satellites and people will be launched into space by 2020 in his newly revealed enormous, reusable rocket, “New Glenn.”

The announcement came in the form of a newsletter from Bezos’ private spaceflight company, Blue Origin, on Monday. The reveal included a drawing of two and three-stage versions of the New Glenn rocket, which will stand at 270 feet (82 meters) and 313 feet (95 meters) respectively.

That’s big. Very big. As Space.com points out, that’s taller than SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon Heavy and United Luanch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy, and the three-stage version is close to the size of NASA’s Saturn V that carried astonauts to the moon.
https://www.rt.com/usa/359134-blue-origin-rocket-spacex/
- “Don’t believe those phony numbers,” Trump said of government employment figures in February. “When you hear 4.9 and 5 percent unemployment, the number’s probably 28, 29, as high as 35—in fact, I even heard recently 42 percent.” In an economic speech in August, Trump called the 5 percent unemployment rate “one of the biggest hoaxes in American politics.”
Only there is no evidence to support the idea that the employment numbers are a hoax. The numbers are compiled by career professionals at the Bureau of Labor Statistics who are insulated from political influence. The current jobless rate lines up almost exactly with a separate survey conducted by The Conference Board asking people whether jobs are plentiful or hard to get. The numbers correlate now just as they did during previous administrations, suggesting there is no manipulation in the numbers.
And while the headline jobless figure is 4.9 percent, the BLS also maintains a widely cited alternative measure of unemployment that accounts for “discouraged” workers who have largely given up looking.
That figure is now 9.7 percent, down from a recession-high of 17.1 percent in April 2010. The broader measure of unemployment remains slightly elevated but is not much higher than it was before the last recession began.
Trump is on stronger ground when he talks about the labor force participation rate, which is now at just 62.8 percent, down from nearly 66 percent when Obama took office and close to its lowest rate in 30 years.
But instead of focusing tightly on an economic agenda that seeks to address why there are fewer people in the workforce and why those who are working are not seeing the kind of productivity gains common in the past, Trump often gets sidetracked into conspiracy theories that Republicans fear could turn off the relatively high number of currently undecided voters who might otherwise be inclined to try something new.
“You would think you would not need a stronger talking point than that this is the weakest economic recovery since at least World War II and perhaps ever,” said James Pethokoukis, scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. “You shouldn’t need to come up with conspiracy theories and exaggerations about economic data. This is all very common now in certain sectors of the right where people believe everything is rigged. But I’m not sure how it plays with undecided voters who probably think it all just sounds profoundly weird.”
Tim Miller, a partner at Definers Public Affairs who worked for Jeb Bush in the GOP primaries, said the Republican nominee's approach to the economy resonates with some deeply disaffected voters but could alienate others.
“The hyperbole and conspiracies and exaggerations create a disconnect with anyone who is not going through severe economic pain,” Miller said. “Now there are people going through severe economic pain and he is doing well with those voters. But with suburban, college-educated voters he is offering nothing. There is a total disconnect with their experience.”
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/donald-trump-conspiracy-economy-228044
- The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an American non-profit that fights for digital rights, said in an analysis: "Make no mistake: the Rule 41 proposal implicates people well beyond US borders. This update expands the jurisdiction of judges to cover any computer user in the world who is using technology to protect their location privacy or is unwittingly part of a botnet."

It said people both inside and outside the US should be equally concerned about the proposed changes.

"The change to Rule 41 isn’t merely a procedural update. It significantly expands the hacking capabilities of the United States government without any discussion or public debate by elected officials.

"If members of the intelligence community believe these tools are necessary to advancing their investigations, then this is not the path forward. Only elected members of Congress should be writing laws, and they should be doing so in a matter that considers the privacy, security, and civil liberties of people impacted," the EFF said.
http://www.itwire.com/government-tech-policy/74755-fbi-has-quiet-plan-for-mass-hacking.html
- Russia again launched 23 Tochka missiles in the Russo-Georgia War in 2008, three of them from within separatist-held Ochamchira. Striking Poti, Gori, Racha, and Vaziani with cluster munitions, the missiles reportedly did not inflict great damage, though some accounts insist they played a hand in hitting Georgian airpower on the ground.

Ukraine possesses 90 Tochka launch units, and these went into action against pro-Russian separatists in 2014 and 2015. Many of the Ukrainian missiles are alleged to have failed mid-flight, though some may have caused significant damage. Separatist rebels claim to have shot one down earlier this year, though most analysts consider this unlikely.

A Ukrainian Tochka is believed to have caused a massive explosion in February 2015 when it struck a chemical plant in Donetsk. Shattering windows kilometers away, the blast was first mis-identified by some as tactical-nuclear explosion or the result of a strike from a 2S4 mortar.

Several other countries also maintain Tochkas. North Korea is believed to have an indigenously designed Tochka variant called the KN-2 Toksa. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan own small numbers, presumably ready for use against each other in their decades-long conflict over the Karabakh region. Belarus still maintains 36 launchers, Bulgaria 18, and Kazakhstan an unknown number.

The combat record of Tochka shows that even a Cold War-era tactical ballistic missile with a relatively short range is capable of wreaking considerable havoc—even against a force benefitting from air superiority and advanced air defenses.
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/ss-21-scarab-russias-forgotten-deadly-ballistic-missile-17679?page=2
- Two US spy planes have flown within a mile of Iranian airspace, and have received warnings of a potential shootdown should they breach it. US military officials said Iran behaved “unprofessionally” and “unsafe[ly]” during the stunt designed to “test” its reaction.

As confrontations between the two nations increase in the region, with Tehran allegedly threatening to shoot down US spy planes in the vicinity of its borders, the US navy also voiced the need to establish the rules of behavior between Iran and the US to avoid armed conflict.

A number of anonymous defense officials told Fox and CNN news that over the weekend the Iranian military warned the nine-member crew of the Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft and a 24 member crew of EP-3 Aries not to enter Iranian airspace or they would run the risk getting shot down.

According to officials the September 10 warning was issued as both planes flew on a reconnaissance mission 13 miles off the coast of Iran, in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. That is just one mile short of the 12 nautical miles that belong to Iran’s territorial waters.

One US official told Fox News that American planes ignored the warning and continued on their mission, but without infringing on Iran’s air space.

“We wanted to test the Iranian reaction,” the US official told Fox. “Anytime you threaten to shoot someone down, it’s not considered professional.”

Other officials also called Tehran’s threat “unprofessional” and “unsafe” despite the Fox report which cited the latest intelligence assessment, that said that there were no Iranian missile launchers in the area.

Earlier this month Brigadier General Abdollah Reshadi told reporters that Iran’s Air Defense Force constantly monitors the skies nationwide to observe and detect hostile activity.

“[Our] radar coverage of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman detects aerial traverse by [reconnaissance] aircraft,” Reshadi said. “We detect any flying activity in time and deliver tactical response in less than two minutes.”
https://www.rt.com/news/359132-iran-us-spy-planes-warning/
- The world’s top ten corporations, including Apple, Shell and Walmart, have a combined revenue that is greater than the combined income of the 180 “poorest” countries out of the world’s total 195 sovereign states.

The figures, which reveal that Walmart, Apple and Shell alone are now richer than Russia, Belgium and Sweden, were released by the campaign group Global Justice Now.

Sixty-nine of the world’s 100 top economic entities are now corporations instead of countries – a rise from last year’s staggering figure of 63. Out of the top 200 entities in the world, a whopping 153 were found to be corporations.

The US, China, Germany, Japan, France and the UK comprise the top six economic entities followed by Italy, Brazil and Canada.

“The vast wealth and power of corporations is at the heart of so many of the world’s problems – like inequality and climate change,” said Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now.

“The drive for short-term profits today seems to trump basic human rights for millions of people on the planet. These figures show the problem is getting worse,” he added.

The London-based campaign group released the figures in an effort to put increased pressure on the British government ahead of their working group with the UN.

The meeting, led by Ecuador, was established with the aim of working towards a binding treaty that would ensure “transnational corporations abide by the full range of human rights responsibilities”.

“The UK government has facilitated this rise in corporate power – through tax structures, trade deals and even aid programmes that help big business,” said Dearden.

READ MORE: No compromise from US, no TTIP with EU this year – France & Germany on trade deal

“Their wholehearted support for the US-EU trade deal TTIP, is just the latest example of government help to big business. Disgracefully it also routinely opposes the call of developing countries to hold corporations to account for their human rights impacts at the UN.”
https://www.rt.com/news/359125-top-corporations-richer-nations/
- Brazilian President Michel Temer is turning to an unlikely source to help solve his country’s fiscal crisis -- deadbeat taxpayers.

Temer, 75, who was sworn in after President Dilma Rousseff’s Aug. 31 impeachment, wants to turn a chunk of uncollected taxes into securities and sell them to investors, an idea that only a few governments have ever tried. If it works, the plan could quickly raise as much as 70 billion reais ($22 billion) for his cash-strapped government and create a new market in Brazil. If done right, the idea could catch on around the world.

"The idea is to simply anticipate revenue that would be granted anyway," said Brazilian Senator Paulo Bauer, who’s sponsoring a bill in parliament that’d pave the way for such securitizations. "This is a very good project because the debtor will still owe to the states or the federal government. The debtors will not be paying banks, they will be paying the Treasury. Then the Treasury will pay the banks."
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-13/world-tax-dodger-havens-watch-brazil-try-to-sell-deadbeats-debt

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- I recently got a TPE SD2000i Inverter Petrol Power Generator for a cheap price ~$50 at a local market. Apparently, it was purchased and us...