09:23 – US news organizations have the attention spans of gnats, so it’s not surprising that they’re paying little attention to what may well portend the break-up of the eurozone. Greece is about to hold elections. The almost certain winner is the radical-left party Syriza, whose charismatic young leader Alexis Tsipras has already made it clear that the first thing he’ll do on his first day in office is tell the troika to get stuffed. He threatens to default on the $300 billion that Greece owes if the troika doesn’t meet his demands, and he’s not bluffing. Merkel believes that the eurozone has adequate firewalls in place to prevent contagion from spreading, so she’s very likely to call his non-bluff. If that happens, Greece exits the eurozone very messily, and Merkel finds out that her “firewalls” are worthless as the dominoes topple.
Speaking of gnats, it appears the MSM has completely forgotten about ebola. That’s natural enough. Most citizens of first-world countries don’t really care about ebola as long as it remains in Africa. It’s very sad for those affected, of course, but we really don’t have time to worry about something like that going on far away. We do get very upset about ebola patients being allowed into our countries because we don’t want ebola where we live. Which is a reasonable fear. The last thing we want is for ebola to make the jump to an animal host, such as bats, and become endemic in our own countries. So as long as the virus is kept restricted to Africa, most of us don’t much care. We have more important things to worry about.
As usual, Megan McArdle has a good, short article on the Greek elections. She has been pretty good in covering the PIIGS problem in the Eurozone. The election is for the office of president, not parliament as a whole. However, if the current PM loses the vote, it essentially a vote of no confidence. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-12-10/is-tomorrow-too-late-for-greece
As for Ebola, the Ebola czar has tendered his resignation. Given that he’s never talked to the press or the US people, I guess that’s OK.
Oh, and the IRS/Tea Party scandal has a new wrinkle: Lois Lerner was meeting with DOJ to look into criminal prosecutions of 501(c)(4) groups …..
And the UVa Frat gang rape story is crumbling as the Washington Post looks into it. Something may have happened to “Jackie”, but it’s not clear what. It seems clear that Rolling Stone didn’t fact check the article, and that “Jackie” has had a shifting story on the matter over time.
As for Ebola, the Ebola czar has tendered his resignation.
Wonder if he received a generous retirement package?
The Africans probably should care too much about it either. After a quick web search I found an articles that states the WHO lists the leading causes of death in Africa as follows:
1. HIV/AIDS
2. lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia, etc)
3. diarrhoeal diseases (Rotavirus, E. coli)
4. malaria
5. strokes
…I would add “Genocide/Civil War” to the list.
I really hate the word “czar.” It’s like stakeholder, synergy, leverage, WMD, “make no mistake,” and several other buzzwords or phrases. The second I hear them in a political or business context I want to choke the person saying them. 🙂
With rape you are guilty until proven innocent and even when innocent the character assassination still occurs. Anytime someone googles your name for the rest of your life (a pretty common occurrence these days by employers, prospective mates, and the like) they’re going to see you were involved in a rape case. It would be nice if our judicial system and the media cared as much about protecting the identity and reputation of the accused (before the verdict) as much as they do the alleged victims.
It might be noted that Greece has a “far-right” party, too, and they could very easily slide right back into civil war mode; their last one was really nasty.
On the rape thing, I posted a link the other day to an article about that, the gist being that on campuses, and by extension to the rest of society, rape accusations become “true” in the sense that it is the “narrative” that is created which is important. They are, therefore, always “true,” and the accused is always guilty. Simply because he should be. He must be. And they proceed on that basis. There is no ‘guilty until proven innocent;” there is only guilty as accused.
So a woman can come forward and accuse some guy of rape/sexual assault that allegedly occurred over 30 years ago, and the only reason she’s bringing it up now is because her therapist elicited her now “recovered memory” of it, through some dubious “therapy” sessions, and a lawyer picked up the scent. The accused is then arrested and charged accordingly. This is the bizzaro world we live in now.
Fret not about the Ebola Czar’s severance package; we can be sure it was a generous one and he will move on to even more remunerative “responsibilities.”
We got us well over a foot of heavy wet snow here overnight and OFD was out shoveling and clearing out the vehicles this morning when the other ‘Nam vet from across the street came over with his Ranger Polaris ATV-mounted plow and pushed all the heaviest chit out of the way for me. Much obliged, and welcome home, bro. OFD will be getting a snowblower before the end of the month, probably a Husqvarna.
Large power outages in counties to our south, and our recently dismissed ISP, Fairpoint, was once again knocked out last night and today. There could be more outages as the snow and sleet and rain continue and the weight is dragging down the tree branches onto the lines.
Mrs. OFD off to Long Island tonight to deliver a keynote address and lead some kinda workshop thang tomorrow and then she’s flying back up tomorrow night; they’re paying her on-site, plus all expenses. Makes more in a half-hour than I make as an IT drone in a week. I got in the wrong line of work, obviously.
Meanwhile the potential Cisco network job has disappeared into a black hole, and one of the potential Linux sys admin gigs likewise, both probably bullets dodged. It would be nice if the second potential Linux gig here in town opens up and is the right fit but I ain’t counting on it; it must be a sign to get the eff out, finally.
I said if I didn’t have another IT gig lined up by New Year’s, I’m gonna bail and go full speed ahead into something else, several somethings, actually. Too old for this job-hunt shit and begging to work like a navvy for peanuts and being directed by clueless PHB mangler ass-hats.
More on the witchcraft, I mean, rape, accusations all over the landscape:
“That’s how collectivist “justice” always works. The targets and their defenders are expected to remain silent. The treatment of John Nolte by radical feminists is intended to send that message to anyone else who gets any funny ideas about fact-checking Narrative-boosting claims from sanctified victim groups, especially if the claim comes from an anointed member of the leftist aristocracy.”
http://humanevents.com/2014/12/11/rape-hoaxes-and-politicized-justice/?utm_source=hedaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl
“Heads: rape hoax hysterics win; tails: men falsely accused of rape lose.”
http://humanevents.com/2014/12/10/the-college-rape-club/?utm_source=hedaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl
Makes more in a half-hour than I make as an IT drone in a week. I got in the wrong line of work, obviously.
My wife humbles me regularly, too, Mr. OFD.
Viva La Raza!
Viva!
More on U.S. finances:
“Default has become the only option. And that could mean a number of things. They could default on their creditors (other governments like China who loaned money to the US government). But this would spark a global financial and banking crisis. They could default on the Federal Reserve, which owns trillions of dollars of US debt. But this would create an epic currency crisis for the US dollar. They could also default on their obligations to their citizens—primarily to future beneficiaries of Social Security (who collectively own trillions of dollars of US debt). Or they could choose to default on their obligations to every human being alive who holds US dollars… and engineer rampant inflation. None of these is a good option. And simply put, the US government has reached a point of no return.”
Like I’ve been saying, it’s only simple arithmetic; even a caveman like me can figure it out:
http://www.sovereignman.com/trends/paying-down-the-debt-is-now-almost-mathematically-impossible-15729/
At some point, the USA will no faith and credit. But, that is far off in the future, probably when the nation’s debt passes forty trillion dollars ($40,000,000,000,000). We are less than half way there now. I have been totally astonished at how fast the debt is growing, about a trillion dollars per year for the last six years.
At that point, we as a nation will decide what we truly want to pay for. And taxes may go up, taxes may go down, I just do not know. I do know this, the squealing will be heard to the ends of the Earth.
We are all Greece.
“But, that is far off in the future, probably when the nation’s debt passes forty trillion dollars …”
Just 20 years, but ONLY if it grows at a trillion per year; what’s to stop it from accelerating? To, say, three or four trillion a year. Ten years to the final Peak Oil slide and then around the same time a “perfect storm” of zero faith and credit, if not a whole lot earlier.
I don’t think we’re Greece because our situation is a lot different, just the numbers alone, of fiat currency dollars, population, and number of weapons.
One thing for sure: we will break entirely new historical ground when the time comes.
Wow, I can’t believe you guys accept the government line that our debt is only $17 trillion. It’s actually at least 10 times that, and it can be argued persuasively that’s actually north of $200 trillion.
Hi Bob, I’ve seen you and others say that the USA debt is actually much more than $18 trillion. I do know that the $18 trillion figure is the amount of money that the gov has borrowed from somebody.
However, you are talking about liabilities. And that the liabilities of the USA are more than 10X the actual debt. Do you have a list of these liabilities?
And yes, if the interest rates go up then the USA interest payments will rapidly rise to be more than social security, medicare, etc… and we could be looking a several trillion dollar deficits per year. That is what the Tea Party is all about.
And yes, the USA is just a bigger Greece, several years behind the crises that Greece has been going through for the last several years. I fully expect the USA to seize IRAs, private pensions, etc in the next several years. Then things get really horrendous XXXXXXX interesting.
And yes, Greece is heading towards another civil war. I just do not know when. Hopefully they will just muddle through the mess. Us too!
BTW, my new (Dec 1) Obamacare group healthcare insurance package sucks!
“It’s actually at least 10 times that…”
Yes, I realize that; thanks for pointing it out; it certainly puts the kibosh on any ideas that our Lords Temporal will find ANY way out of this. It’s impossible now. Probably has been for years.
“That is what the Tea Party is all about.”
And that is ALL they’re about; THEIR entitlements. Period. And once they get to Mordor, they fall right in with the usual suspects and business continues as usual.
“I fully expect the USA to seize IRAs, private pensions, etc in the next several years.”
As Dr. Bob has said, in a way; they’ll probably combine/merge all the pension and retirement plans with SS and Medicare/Medicaid, etc., etc., into one huge “superfund,” which they will then loot RUTHLESSLY and with utter impunity until it’s all gone. We are gonna be on our own by then.
“And yes, Greece is heading towards another civil war.”
As are we, I believe; just don’t know when. But the makings for it are in place now.
“…my new (Dec 1) Obamacare group healthcare insurance package sucks!”
As Gomer Pyle used to say, “surprise, surprise, surprise!”
ObummerCARE, etc:
But Michelle writes: “Not so fast on stupid voters. Congress exempted itself from Obamacare.”
http://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/obamas-monica-lewinsky-moment/
Oh wait, Obamacare should be renamed Obolacare.
“I fully expect the USA to seize IRAs, private pensions, etc in the next several years.”
As Dr. Bob has said, in a way; they’ll probably combine/merge all the pension and retirement plans with SS and Medicare/Medicaid, etc., etc., into one huge “superfund,” which they will then loot RUTHLESSLY and with utter impunity until it’s all gone. We are gonna be on our own by then.
Well, I’ve got a mess for them. Most of my IRA is invested in five acres of land that I plan to sell in 10 to 20 years.
Not to worry; they’ll get their money from you one way or the other, whether it’s land, cash, buildings, etc. You do realize, don’t you, that it’s THEIR money, not yours?
Agricultural land is probably a good investment but it depends largely on where it is; we’re kinda hosed, ’cause if we buy it outside the country to avoid Uncle’s rapacious claws, he’ll get us anyway for the taxes ’cause we is Murkan citizens. We could move to Mars and he’d send rockets up after us.
To me the best investments, besides knowledge and skillz, are “junk” silver coins (pre-1965) in quantity, and low-denomination gold coins. And store them in a secure off-site location, not on your property; they’ll sniff it out and confiscate it. Been done before.
I feel that ammo is a good investment. And then one ounce silver bars.
Ammo, mos def; silver bars OK but coinage would be more recognizable and accepted.
We could move to Mars and he’d send rockets up after us.
And bill you for mileage and time portal to portal, non-deductible of course.
No chit, hermano, no chit.
These buggers are utterly relentless, and a little thing like the law is whatever they deem it to be, from minute to minute. And they are well on the way to making us a nation of criminals, with everything we say, do, or think. One thinks of previous empires and one despairs that the human race is ever gonna rise from this muck.
Mrs. OFD is now in the air and bound for Long Island. And son informed me earlier that he will deliver his electric snowblower to us after the season as he won’t be needing it anymore. I guess it’s corded so that will be kinda interesting; I may just get a gas model anyway in the meantime; I was only out there shoveling for an hour or so and it kicked my ass. We keep getting snowfall like this for the next few months and I ain’t waitin’ on the electric model.
Winds are blowing but not as hard as predicted. Lights have flickered a couple of times. Candles lit and flashlights at hand, just in case. Rain not expected here until late tonight or morning.
Yo, where U at, dkreck?
Mrs. OFD said they was gon git rains way to our south tonight and tomorrow.
Candles are dangerous. Get Coleman rugged LED lanterns that can run up to 60 hours on four D cells (low light mode that works fine for us):
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Camping-Personal-Rugged-Lantern/dp/B00CHHMXD6/
I have about six of these scattered around the house and many D cells in the hall closet. I figure that we may need them for up to six weeks after a hurricane.
My maternal grandmother was the baby in her family in Wharton, Texas. It was her job each morning to gather the kerosene lamps and clean the glass. They did not have electricity on the farms back then. Her daddy was like me (or I am like him) and liked to stay up reading until late. Unfortunately I never got to meet him as he died in 1944 while plowing a field with two mules. One of them kicked him in the stomach and ripped an artery loose. He was not able to walk home for help and my great grandmother found him later that afternoon when he did not come home for lunch. He was a LEGAL immigrant from Belgium in 1910.
Does everyone know that pre 1965 USA coins are 90% silver? I would think that the 99.99% silver bars are instantly recognizable by everyone.
I do like the USA silver eagles though:
http://www.usagold.com/silver/bullion/silver_eagle.html
I actually have two Coleman lanterns, one florescent and one led (and one propane not to be used inside). They are at hand. Both use eight D cells and are about the size of the old Coleman gas ones. Florescent has an led night light. They both burn for hours if not days when used right. Any candle is the heavy jar type always on a non-flammable surface. The crazy women around here are going to burn them anyway. I’ve spent years drilling them on right way, in a votive or container and on at least a glass plate, nothing overhead or near that can burn.
In the beautiful pit of California, Bakersfield.
We have some Coleman D lanterns here, used previously for boat-and-remote canoe camping.
“The crazy women around here are going to burn them anyway. I’ve spent years drilling them on right way…”
Ditto. I still have to dog them constantly while these are lit and make sure at the end of the night they’re all out. Mrs. OFD is pretty good about it, but I still check.
Yes, dat’s why I mentioned them coins, Mr. Lynn, nearly pure silver back then. Agreed on the nice U.S. silver eagles; they’ve been ranging between $19 and $21 lately; if I could afford it, the U.S. $5 gold coins. I’d also get Canadian Maple Leafs ’cause we so close to da border.
Ah, yes, Bakersfield; I’ve been around there back in the day, forty or so years ago. Is that storm whacking the whole state? We saw nooz about SF being hit hard.
Yep, storm is to the NW and the classic Santa Ana winds coming off the desert from the SE. Fortunately the rain a couple of weeks ago has kept the dust down. Actually clear right now and almost warm. Eventually the storm should come down this way, it’s a slow mover.
Watch out for the fleeing rattlesnakes and scorpions, not to mention the local biker outlaws. Or maybe I’m way behind the times…wouldn’t be the first time for that…
…in SEA the monsoons would send various members of the animal kingdom fleeing to higher ground as the klongs overflowed…among them cobras, kraits, constrictors, etc. Having the hooches up on stilts was a joke when some of these critters found it way easy to slither on up anyway…
I feel that ammo is a good investment. And then one ounce silver bars.
How about silver bullets?
They can then be surrendered to the confiscators in a singularly useful manner.
Did y’all read about the last-minute amendment that made it through Congress, explicitly authorizing the government to collect domestic communications? Before, this was sort of a loophole; only came out because of the Snowdon revelations. So now it’s just simply law.
How about silver bullets?
I suppose you would bring Tonto along as a friend.
They can then be surrendered to the confiscators in a singularly useful manner.
Waste of valuable silver as they only deserve lead.
Candles are dangerous.
I actually practiced heating my pup tent with survival candles for cold weather training at Fort Drum, NY. So, they have that use over LED lighting. I also left a large burn mark on my counter top in our house in San Antonio*. Fortunately, we were planning on replacing the counter top anyway.
*The Wife wanted the candle lit, of course. Guys aren’t into candles.
Even candles in glass containers can become very hot when burned either a long time or when they get low. My advice when setting them on something like wood or plastic laminate is to use a plate or saucer under them. Hell, this time of year they have candles out everywhere but they also have dozens of holiday plates and saucers.