LET’S NOT FORGET THE LOOTERS IN PINSTRIPES!

Listen to Matt Taibbi explain how the corrupt elite rule you "SEC shreds Wall Street Crimes": Government of the crooks, by the crooks, for the crooks here...

On Target has written a number of articles exposing the derivatives scam and bear in mind, it could not have got off the ground if it wasn’t supported by governments and financial institutions. Meanwhile a Social Crediter circulated the following article found in the Canadian Calgary Herald, Sunday, 14 August, 2011. He thought it was a fun way to take a jab at the present system. The author, Stephen Hunt, is a regular contributor to the Calgary Herald:

“The other day someone on the radio observed that dogs believe every human they meet is friendly. They think the best of us. What would a dog think about Tuesday? That was the day where the front page of newspapers everywhere consisted of two big stories: the economy melting down and the London riots. If bad news sells papers, they were flying off the newsstands. In theory, I like the idea of thinking the best of humans too, but days like Tuesday make it tough. We live in the age of social media, which played a huge role in the Egyptian revolution and every political uprising these days.

But just when you think technology has brought tyranny to its knees, along comes the news that the riots in the U.K. have been facilitated by smartphones and social media, allowing rioters to communicate in real time about police movements and work around them. Dog (ought to) bite looters! And while looters who throw rocks through windows and set small businesses on fire are appalling, let’s not forget the looters in pinstripes who ransacked the global economy leading up to the 2008 crash. The economic crisis that set the table for Tuesday’s page-one misery was perpetuated by financial pros who knew exactly what they were doing: crashing the markets for short-term booty.

The only things missing were some pinstriped diamond-encrusted balaclavas to hide their faces from prying cameras while they were busy torching the global economy.
Even worse — some of them went on camera, in films such as Charles Ferguson’s wonderful, infuriating Oscar-winning “Inside Job”, and defended their behaviour leading up to 2008 by claiming that those derivatives they invented — and made a bundle from — were too complicated for anyone to understand their potential consequences. Dog (oughta) bite bankers’ butts, to remind them every time they try to take a load off that even man’s best friend thinks they suck. And I’ve always been a big dog guy, but how in the world can dogs feel good about how the politicians responded to the pinstriped looters?

For backing up their Maseratis, Porches and Lexus SUVS and carting off billions of dollars for themselves, governments responded by picking up the tab for the misdeeds. They could scarcely find a single one to charge with anything — hey, all they did was very nearly crash the global economy, that’s all. No need to start bellowing about changing the rules. Instead, the politicians sent the wealthy-beyond-their-wildest-dreams financial pros back to their corner offices and told them not to do it again, without changing the system that allowed them to loot it in the first place. Scouts’ honour, OK? I’d sick the dogs on the politicians, but dogs are far too forgiving. Alligators, maybe? Maybe a great white shark might get their attention? Dog (needs to) bite politicians and teach them how to put a little bite in their financial industry regulating, too.

• In Spain, the unemployment rate for 20-somethings is over 40 per cent.
• In Tel Aviv, young people have created a tent city that they are living in to protest the cost of housing.
• In the U.K., Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the U.S., economies are in tatters, and getting worse.

I’m trying to put my best dog’s eye view of humanity, but some days, humanity boggles my mind. Maybe the trick is to remember to take humanity one human at a time. After all, individually, each of us generally has something to offer. We’re good whistlers, or a kind, understanding kid’s soccer coach. Some of us make good cookies, or hummus, or the best baklava. On the other hand, others among us use 21st-century technology to help return our behaviour to the medieval era.

Or still others invent financial instruments that cause economic hurricanes so powerful, our legislators are too intimidated to look into the eye of them, for fear of what they might find there: a whirling, raging void, managed by no one. Individually, we might be dog-friendly, but collectively, it seems we manage again and again to behave in ways that even a dog shouldn’t have to stomach. Dogs need better best friends than us.  

CRIMES OF A FOOL – SET TO FINISH OFF GILLARD?

Thomson allegations referred to police, Paul Sheehan, August 25, 2011: - - Read more:
The Health Services Union will refer allegations against Craig Thomson to the NSW Police. Crimes have been committed that can bring down the Gillard government, and they are dumb crimes. As a former NSW chief of detectives told me: ''We are ultimately dealing with the crimes of a fool, whomever that fool may be, who has left a documented trail like a bleeding elephant in a snowfield.''

This trail of evidence of fraud, lying and cover-up now roils around the federal Labor MP Craig Thomson. It has also engulfed the NSW Police Force, which implausibly refused to act until a victim had filed a complaint. ''Utter garbage,'' said the former detective. ''Police do not need to have a complaint from a victim in order to investigate a crime.''  

EXPLOITING THE ASIAN MARKETS – IRISH SUICIDE

“Would be half sad if it was only Qantas going down this well "trodden" slippery path” wrote our correspondent. “Kevin 747 was taking the whole country on this roller-coaster crash ride, while the Opposition looked on in a trance.
China is the embryo World Corporate State, where everybody obeys the Chinese Executive, as happened in The Soviet Union”. (Julia is simply continuing the Travel Plans …ed)
"Exploiting Asian Markets" - Irish Suicide, as posted by SUNFISH on PPruNe (Prof. Pilots Rumour Network www.ppune.org/).

“The CEO of Qantas has apparently said words to the effect that Qantas is going to "Exploit rapidly growing Asian markets."

“I am so incensed by the lunacy of The Qantas Board and Management that I will go on record now and say that there is not a snowballs chance in hell that Qantas is going to: "Exploit rapidly growing Asian markets." That is an Asian market and it is going to be exploited by Asians for Asians and to the benefit of Asian shareholders.

“The only "impact" that Qantas is going to make on that market is a small stain on an Asian mattress someplace where Qantas shareholders cried themselves to sleep after losing their entire capital on an unprofitable failed Asian joint venture. Pardon my French, but FFS, the history of Western investment in "Asian Markets" is a ******* cemetery of failed business ventures where the West has been efficiently skinned by their erstwhile Asian partners. Jetstar’s adventures in Vietnam should have been an absolute warning to them. “It takes what are called "Old China Hands" at least Thirty years of trading experience to engage profitably with China and the East, and this little Irish bowel movement thinks he can just walk in and make off with some profits?

Here is what is going to happen to you Alan:

• You are going to be encouraged by your Asian partners to invest every bit of spare cash you have, or you can borrow, in your Asian operations.
• You are going to be encouraged to invest your management time in your Asian operations to the exclusion of everything else.
• You will be encouraged to move as much of your operations and employees to Asia as is physically possible.
• In support of this strategy, you will be wined and dined by everyone from the Asian Government and business community from the top down. The continuous mantra being thrown in your direction will be "huge Asian markets."
• At some point a few years from now, a stock market analyst will sound a warning that Qantas is now balls deep in Asia and that any downturn or disturbance in Asian markets will severely impact not just the Qantas International markets, but the Qantas Domestic market, which by then will have been "rearranged" to have synergies with the new ‘you beaut Qantasia’ International (read deep discounts for Asian travellers plus Asian maintenance and crews, etc.).
• The warnings won't be heeded. Remaining institutional investors who were wondering exactly what the Qantas sustainable competitive advantage in Asia really was will quietly exit. Qantas will start borrowing from the banks, who are always too stupid to see where companies are heading.
• Within a year the cupboard is bare. Qantas is in hock to its eye teeth and still waiting for profits to be generated by the "huge Asian Markets". The revenue will be there, its just that everyone (the Asian partner, airports, lessors, maintenance organisations, manufacturers, finance houses, fuel suppliers, catering, ATC, etc. etc) seems to be making a dollar or two of profit except Qantas. Funny that.
• Getting desperate for cash, Qantas tries to rearrange its finances and perhaps repatriate some funds to Australia.... and runs smack into a concrete wall of uncompromising Asian Governments, regulators, financial institutions and a less than helpful but "Oh so sorry" Asian "Partner".

Perhaps you like to sell your business? We make you velly good offer?
The Qantas Sale Act will be no help because there is nothing left to sell. That is what is going to happen to Qantas Alan. You have absolutely no experience whatsoever in operating in Asian markets and neither has Qantas apart from flying in, filling up and departing, yet you think that running an LCC operation in a bog in Ireland is suitable experience for operating to the shores of the Middle Kingdom?

Take the old Asian custom of "gifts" also known in vulgar terms as kickbacks. How are you going to deal with the necessity of those Alan? Australian law prohibits them, but I guess that the Qantas auditors and your own "robust internal processes" will keep you safe. Well, except that they didn't, did they?
Qantas one of 11 airlines fined $1.1 billion for rigging cargo prices | The Australian Quote:
The fine comes three years after Qantas was fined $40 million for price-fixing in the North American air cargo market. In 2008, Qantas also agreed to pay a fine of $20 million under a deal reached with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over the European price-fixing cartel. Never mind Alan, the Board knows how to deal with the thorny problem of Asian business customs. They will keep you safe.
Leigh Clifford comes from Rio Tinto. They know all about Chinese corruption don't they? Rio Tinto mops up after China bribery mess | The Australian.

So how are you going to do the "exploiting" Alan? Tell us about the mass of trained Qantas managers who know instinctively what to do when there appear to be employees on the payroll that have never been seen; when invoices appear that cannot be reconciled. What happens when you discover that the security guards on your stores and property exist to prevent you from accessing them after hours when the real business is being conducted? Do you understand that you had better give your Chinese managers about Ten percent of the shareholding lest they be enticed away to your loss? Have you ever had to write on a Six million dollar invoice "Please do not ask for credit as refusal often offends", Alan? Alan?

Tell us about your vast experience of the orient! Do you like Chinese food? Is that it? Somebody should tell this bog Irish idiot that he is not doing business with another Belgium or Holland. He knows nothing about the East - where business is played by rather different rules. Just ask Cathay and Swire, they have only been in the game for what? Two hundred years? And you are going to encroach on their territory?
It is perfectly clear who is going to do the "exploiting" in this transaction, and it won't be Qantas. You come to this market with zero expertise, and you are too stupid to understand that you have no understanding of what is required.

...and finally. The Board and management of Qantas keep harping about generating an "acceptable" return on Capital invested in the international business....... Asia is the home of the concept of "Patient Capital"; exactly how does the long term Asian time horizon sit with your need to generate "Acceptable Returns" every year?
I can tell you right now that it doesn't. Wait till your business partner says: "Yes Alan, I know we are making a loss now, but in Ten years time!" 11th July 2011.”

“Alan” is probably Alan Joyce BApplSc(Phy)(Math)(Hon.), MSc(MgtSc), FRAeS Chief Executive Officer. Alan Joyce was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Qantas in November 2008 and CEO Designate and to the Qantas Board in July 2008.

DIVERSIFY TO PROTECT AGAINST A COLLAPSE, INDEED!

by John Steele
Earlier in the year an article bore the title “Diversify to Protect Against Collapse” (The Advertiser, May 16, 2011, p.55) Dealing with financial advice in risky times, with a shaky property and share market, the advice was not to put all of your financial eggs in one basket. Indeed, I have had no such eggs or basket to worry about.

For me, real wealth has always been real, physical things: property, a farm, livestock, a strong house or even a good tent, warm clothes, reliable guns, good hand tools and a stockpile of food. The markets can get as volatile as they like; indeed the more explosive the better. Let the lid be blown off of this fantasy land. Let reality surface once more!  

OUR DODGY “DEMOCRACY”

by James Reed
It is not that long ago since Pauline Hanson was in the press about the possibility that 1,200 votes for Hanson may have been counted as blank because of an “error” by “dodgy electoral staff”.
One email, alleged to be authentic from a NSW Electoral Commission officer sent to the chief communications officer asks that he “stonewall” journalists questioning alleged irregularities and another email refers to “Pauline Hanson nutters” questioning the result. (The Australian, May 17, 2011, p.8)

All this makes one wonder what other “errors” have occurred over the years where there have not been scrutineers to keep an eye on things? The 1,200 votes would have put Hanson back in parliament. Wouldn’t the Establishment have liked that!  

BODY-SLAMMING THE RIGHTS CHARTER

by Ian Wilson LL.B.
It is good to see senior legal figures criticising the proposed human rights charter. (The Australian, August 3, 2011, p.7) Former Victorian governor James Gobbo has done a good job body slamming the charter, arguing, among other things, that the charter undermines democracy:
“It is absurd to set up a widely phrased human rights charter suggesting to the public at large that it is a panacea for all ills or unfairness. All the more is this so if it distracts the public from resorting to a logical means of redress. The absurdity is compounded if there is any proposal to set up new agencies and enforcement or information offices encouraging the public to resort to them with their complaints.”

This general line of criticism that the charter is ill-defined and undemocratic is fortunately becoming more frequently heard. Keep up the pressure on politicians and keep the issue in the media.  

WHY (ORTHODOX) PHILOSOPHY DOES NOT MATTER

by Chris Knight
Sitting in a cosy office at All Souls College Oxford University is Derek Parfait, philosopher. Parfit is author of "Reasons and Persons", a book that discussed such issues as what would happen if Star Trek teleportation went wrong and two copies of you were created!
His latest book, "On What Matters", was reviewed by John Armstrong (The Australian Literary Review, August 3, 2011, p.8) where Armstrong made mild criticism of Parfit’s abstract and dry writing style:
“Why don’t we ever get to the grandeur, the beauty, the love and fear? I don’t know. But we don’t.”

We don’t because that is the way orthodox philosophy is done now. It’s just a technical academic subject that really doesn’t have much to do with life. It’s just an elite burping.
I was motivated to flip through James Franklin’s "Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia" (Macleay Press, 2003). The book has a fascinating discussion of the split of the Sydney University philosophy department in the 1960s between the radicals and orthodox philosophers. The lefties of 1970 in Philosophy IV apparently included a dope-smoking group and a heroin-shooting group! A milder version of this madness occurred at Flinders University philosophy, where the late Brian Medlin set up a Marxist department that lasted until the 1990s. All this was to make philosophy relevant, but it was another exercise in political correctness.

Academic philosophy, like academic economics is a godless discipline which deserves to die. Closing down every philosophy department at every Australian university would greatly improve Australian society.  

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND A LUKE WARM DEFENCE OF FREE SPEECH

I used to enjoy Janet Albrechtsen’s articles in The Australian until James Reed put the image into my head of John Howard in a long blond wig. My delusion was that we on “The Right” had on our side an Aussie type of Anne Coulter, the fearless US journalist. But I was mistaken. Albrechtsen’s “Mad March of Political Correctness”, The Australian, August 1, 2011, p.12, is a reasonable defence of free speech as far as it goes, but that’s the problem: it doesn’t go very far. She concludes that free speech is not a Left/Right thing, but a free/unfree thing. Yes, but what about the open intellectual suppression that occurs in the areas of immigration, multiculturalism/multiracialism and finance (eg. the creation of credit ex nihilo)?

The Australian does not permit a debate about the issue of limiting migration. I challenge Albrechtsen to raise that question in her column. Show us free speech by saying something that Rupert wouldn’t like! This leads to another issue discussed by Brendan O’Neill, editor of Spiked online (The Australian, August 4, 2011, p.16) namely that the suggestion that Murdoch’s media empire be controlled or broken up post–News of the World is an assault on freedom of the press. But what freedom?

The Murdoch media empire does not promote free speech: it restrains it. Dick Smith has offered $5000 for the first person to get an anti-growth article in the Murdoch press (mentioning his own Wilberforce prize). To date the prize is unclaimed. That sums it all up. The world is not served well by media monopolies and neither are freedom and truth. 

THEY CAN READ OUR MINDS

by Brian Simpson
I simply love how scientists come up with some frightening new technology that has obvious impact on human freedom, but always find a way of justifying the research because of some alleged benefit. Thus Eric Leuthardt, director of the Centre for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology at Washington University has published research in the Journal of Neural Engineering indicating that neural signals corresponding to sounds have been located.

This is hoped to lead to methods of mind reading. Thus, paralysed people may be able to speak using a computer. Yes, but what a power to deliver to the police state and the military. With great power comes great abuse. (The Australian, 30/5/2011, p.3)  

EXTREME LIBERALISM, THE REAL CAUSE: A REPLY TO JAMES REED

by Ian Wilson LL.B.
I am surprised that James Reed would put the blame for the tragic Oslo massacre on violent video games. By his logic of censorship, where would this banning stop? I thought he might have argued that killer Breivik is an example of how the system, which is displacing traditional Europeans, drives mentally ill people to make extreme statements. Breivik is trying to say something about mass immigration and multiculturalism which is why he wrote a 1517 page manifesto. Was the killing spree just to draw attention to this book? To really work out what was going on in his head will require psychiatric/ psychological/political evaluation of that work. Blaming violent video games is just a knee-jerk reaction.

While Norway is in the mood for critical self-reflection, there is a need to look at its criminal laws. This killer, assuming he is not criminally insane (he still could be criminally sane but “mad”, “crazy” etc.) faces only a 21-year term for these murders and that’s just 82 days per death. Now that is insane! It is an encouragement for other madmen to copy this act. Norway needs to wake up to the destructive nature of its extreme liberalism.

Predictably enough the media are writing about the lessons of this incident for Australia. Clive Williams (“Deadly, Cruel Lesson from Norway”, The Australian, July 26, 2011, p.11) says that individuals “with extreme right-wing views “should be monitored by the authorities: “They should not be allowed to join gun clubs, own guns or be able to buy quantities of explosive precursors”.

So people merely because of their political beliefs will be subjected to surveillance and discrimination! This is exactly the sort of sentiment which inspires extremism: look what the system is doing etc. It would be counter-productive and encourage terrorism. Not only that, who decides what is an “extreme right-wing view” – intellectuals like Williams? And what about extreme Left wing views: why not go after the holders of those views as well? I strongly disagree with the mindset of both James Reed and Clive Williams.  

THE PRISON OF PORNOGRAPHY

by James Reed
Bronwyn Lea (“Love Against Max Hardcore”, The Australian Literary Review, July 6, 2011, p.19) gives a spirited attack on the modern “porno culture”, something which has concerned me for some time. This is in the context of reviewing Gail Dines’, "Pornland: How Porn has Hijacked Our Sexuality" (Beacon Press).

Both authors deal with the horrible phenomenon of “gonzo porn”, which is porno at its most brutal, degrading and disgusting. Women get involved in the search for fast money, perhaps to feed drug addictions or families but most often end up with injuries and medical bills.
But as terrible as this material is, there is from a Christian viewpoint as I see it, the equally poisonous sexualising of daily life which has been done by ruthless corporate interests in pursuit of profit.

Many advertisements use sex to sell and this has become so common that we have become desensitised to it, given year after year of brainwashing. The degradation of what should be holy, soiled in the name of money, is one of the sordid aspects of the present satanic regime.  

ASIA AND ANIMALS

by James Reed
The suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia was yet another example of the high moral ground that the chattering class takes with little thought of the consequences. Of course we Australians were all shocked by the scenes from "A Bloody Business" on ABC1’s Four Corners, but as Professor Aris Junaidi, professor in veterinary science at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, says such scenes are not representative of Indonesian abattoirs. It is natural that a developing country will produce some problems like this that could have been sorted out by dialogue between the Australian and Indonesian representatives.

There is no doubt in my mind that the chattering class in the media, who love their nice meat with their fine multicultural food and wine, would experience shock/horror seeing animal slaughter even in Australia. An urbanised population living in a world of words and talk, talk, talk is quite separate from the biological and ecological basis of life.
Meanwhile, the Australian farmer suffers for their high moral ground and moral superiority. One would have thought that multicultural relativists would have known better. Ah! – another day, another absurdity on our rush to the bottom of the bin.