China is Hit by 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Near Chengdu By Aaron Sheldrick & Eugene Tang – Bloomberg.com (12 May 2008) China Earthquake Information – USGS From

Update: Men’s Health ranks Birmingham as one of the four most impotent cities in the country. Could this help explain the problems in Alabama? Impotence

The chances of the Clear Channel $20 billion buyout closing look even more uncertain as the parties prepare to go to trial. “Law and Order”

Now that the year-end figures are in, the silence of the pension funds on their mortgage and financial institution losses is eerie. This includes the

The inflation in Zimbabwe is a current example of how monetary bailouts send the price of food and other essentials into the stratosphere. [Click image

Special Thanks to Rob Kirby of Kirby Analytics and LeMetropole Café.

Those of you who wonder what I mean by “the Tapeworm” will better understand the concept after reading the following article: The Real Matrix: The

If ten percent of the Bay Boomers allocated $9,000 to buy silver, we would have 7.5 million (ten percent of the boomer population) times $9,000.

Story from Politics1.com: NEW YORK. A Politics1 Exclusive. John McCain’s National Finance Co-Chairman played a key role in the recent downfall of former New York

Story from Politics1.com: NEW YORK. A Politics1 Exclusive. John McCain’s National Finance Co-Chairman played a key role in the recent downfall of former New York

Well, the evidence finally emerges. No market forces at work here. “The boys” done bagged and skinned the Bear for quite a pretty penny: Bear

The following is Catherine Austin Fitts’ presentation at the “GATA Goes to Washington” conference which took place last week in Washington D.C. I would like

I just received an e-mail message from a conference speaker –someone I have not yet met in person and would welcome knowing. We know each

PricewaterhouseCoopers agreed in March to pay $30 Million in a settlement regarding its role as an auditor to Metropolitan Mortgage in Washington State. Here is

The way to view the Paulson Plan is as a piece of a global plan to centralize the financial system: Global Revamp Urged For the

Chris Powell of GATA recently published this important insight: If one puts today’s news together … Arabian Gulf Oil Principalities Will Stick with Dollar Until

In our Top Picks this week, there is a story entitled Weather Engineering in China by Technology Review. While a number of people have hinted

In our Top Picks this week, there is a story entitled Weather Engineering in China by Technology Review. While a number of people have hinted

I thought I would lay out the specifics of the U.S. Treasury plan to centralize and consolidate the U.S. financial regulatory system before commenting on

Former Goldman Sachs chairman Hank Paulson is not the only person supporting increased powers for the Federal Reserve: Obama Calls for Overhaul of Financial Regulations

“We can do this nice or we can do this rough.” —Tina Turner from Proud Mary OK, so this morning’s on-line Wall Street Journal provides

I am still amazed when I hear comments that the U.S. housing bubble started in this decade. In November 2001, I presented a paper at

So now JP Morgan is going to pay $10 per share for Bear Stearns? JP Morgan Agrees to Increase Bear Price By Kevin Kingsbury –

For those who want to understand the relationship of sex to mortgage fraud, The Franklin Cover-Up by Nebraska Senator John DeCamp is a must read.

The Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development after Jack Kemp was Henry Cisneros. Cisneros was HUD Secretary in the Clinton Administration from

As if last weekend’s shotgun merger agreement between Bear Stearns and JP Morgan was not wild enough, things just keep getting weirder. Bear Stearns stock

A great insight from Jim Willlie in his Golden Jackass March Newsletter. Imports to the US are slowing, but import prices are seriously in uptrend.

The US economy depends on access to energy and the role of dollar as the reserve currency. Take those two things away and the source

Well, now we have a hint as to why the American Bar Association does not seem to object to predatory lending and weekend bailouts. Either

I wonder who made money on puts on Bear Stearns stock? Was this a highly profitable economic hit? SEC: Bear Stearns’s Liquidity Eroded Rapidly Since

I am excited about all the good things percolating here in Tennessee. Saturday was a rainy day full of the promise of Spring – perfect

Alan Greenspan’s comments on the current financial situation here: Greenspan Sees Many Casualties From Crisis By Jamie McGeever & Ian Chua – Reuters (17 Mar

Dangerous Wheat-Killing Fungus Detected in Iran From the UN News Centre (5 Mar 2008) “A dangerous new fungus with the ability to destroy entire wheat

letters@time.com Ladies and Gentlemen: Thank you for publishing “The Wire’s War on the Drug War” by this TV series producer and writing team, Ed Burns,

letters@time.com Ladies and Gentlemen: Thank you for publishing “The Wire’s War on the Drug War” by this TV series producer and writing team, Ed Burns,

Well, Eliot Spitzer’s resignation was just in time. Can you imagine what he would have said about this? As of December 31, 2007, the New

On February 14th, Eliot Spitzer published an editorial in the Washington Post about the federal role in promoting predatory lending: “When history tells the story

To understand the political issues that determine the rise and fall of New York Attorney Generals and Governors such as Eliot Spitzer, it is helpful

To understand the political issues that determine the rise and fall of New York Attorney Generals and Governors such as Eliot Spitzer, it is helpful

HOW IS THE WAR GOING IN IRAQ? MARCH 13, 2008. Media reports about the surge in Iraq indicate it’s been working, and now the war

In the summer of 1989, I was serving as Assistant Secretary of Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the first

In the summer of 1989, I was serving as Assistant Secretary of Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the first

Special kudos to Jim Sinclair of jsmineset.com who has dubbed the new fed loan system to member banks as “the monetization of bankruptcy.” I think

So, with rumors circulating of more write offs and major financial institutions in trouble, does Wall Street want Elliot Spitzer out? Could it be he

So, with rumors circulating of more write offs and major financial institutions in trouble, does Wall Street want Elliot Spitzer out? Could it be he

This weekend, mega defense contractor United Technologies announced an offer for Diebold (1) (2) at a 66% premium to the current stock market price. Leading

This weekend, mega defense contractor United Technologies announced an offer for Diebold (1) (2) at a 66% premium to the current stock market price. Leading

An unanswered question proposed for our discussion: Is M3 rising at 15-25% rate really a combination of a much higher M3 printing loans and money

The new spin is that the recession will be short, but the recovery will not be because “Father Fed” is going to deal with inflation

Sometimes I am asked how to prepare for a worst case scenario if we experience a financial or political meltdown in the U.S. or the

“Due to budgetary constraints, the Economic Indicators service will be discontinued effective March 1, 2008.” Economic Indicators.gov is brought to you by the Economics and

Thanks to the wonderful opensecrets.org, here are the top 20 contributors for the candidates running in the Presidential primaries. [* These charts list the top

Whistle-Blower Site Taken Offline From BBC News (18 Feb 2008) Wikileaks Taken Down By Order of a US Court By Phil Cubeta – Gift Hub

One way for municipalities to address the credit contraction and creeping financial coup d’etat we have been writing about and to help protect their citizenry

~ Updates Bank Wants Out of Clear Channel TV Sale RadioWorldOnline (29 Feb 2008) Wachovia May Halt Clear Channel-Providence Deal Bizjournals.com (25 Feb 2008) (Click

In recent testimony, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer referred to the efforts by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to dilute and stop

In recent testimony, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer referred to the efforts by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to dilute and stop

Maher Brothers Make $1.1 Billion Claim Against LehmanSource: American Shipper – East Coast Connection (21 Jan 2008) Lehman Clients Demand $1.1 Billion in Auction Dispute

For those who want to check out the social prestige being purchased by a few of the perpetrators of the subprime mortgage bust, check out

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is the owner of the World Trade Center. Bloomberg reports Goldman Sachs just had trouble auctioning

As I have mentioned before, the housing bubble and bust is successfully stripping municipalities of their financial sovereignty. The Creeping Financial Coup d’Etat To make

I appreciate all the calls I have received from folks checking to see if I was ok after the latest round of tornados. We had

A sampling from today’s Wall Street Journal of investigations of financial firms over the subprime downturn: Brooklyn US Attorney’s office: criminal investigation of Bear Stearns

Would you help us get accurate information about the missing money to the Diane Rehm Show? I have sent her a note about a serious

Anti-War Candidates are Top Recipients of ’08 Donations from US Troops From ThinkProgress.org Individuals in the Army, Navy and Air Force made those branches of

Anti-War Candidates are Top Recipients of ’08 Donations from US Troops From ThinkProgress.org Individuals in the Army, Navy and Air Force made those branches of

To maintain his or her standard of living, each person in the United States requires over 22 tonnes of minerals each year: * 5,640 kg

To maintain his or her standard of living, each person in the United States requires over 22 tonnes of minerals each year: * 5,640 kg

On February 5, 2008 at 12:19:07 at Hickory Valley City Hall I was assigned access code 1723 to vote in the Tennessee primary. I elected

Solari’s E-Mail Update ~ January 31, 2008 “The gold reserves of the United States have not been fully and independently audited for a half century.

Exit U.S. By Mike Muehleck posted by Eric Fry – the Rude Awakening (27 Nov 2007) I posted this in Top Picks in December. Given

Massachusetts Charges Merrill With Fraud By George Morcroft – MarketWatch.com (1 Feb 2008) “This complaint is focused on Merrill Lynch’s sale, through agents Kipper and

Hidden Swap Fees by JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley Hit School Boards By Martin Z. Braun & William Selway – Bloomberg.com (2 Feb 2008) — My

Coast to Coast AM Radio is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks which is owned by Clear Channel Communications. On January 15, 2008, Coast to Coast’s

Want great barbecue with high quality ingredients at affordable prices? I just had dinner at Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q in Memphis. They have restaurants in

For those of you who keep asking me “Who is doing this?” here is a very useful tool from the Financial Times which provides revenue

Urgent Action on Behalf of Oaxacan Political Prisoners From Food First (21 Jan 2008) Learn more about Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca

Countrywide’s Underwriters Sued for Fraud by New York Agencies By David Mildenberg & Karen Freifeld – Bloomberg.com (26 Jan 2008) The New York lawsuit has

Countrywide’s Underwriters Sued for Fraud by New York Agencies By David Mildenberg & Karen Freifeld – Bloomberg.com (26 Jan 2008) The New York lawsuit has

Mortgage Lender Hid Big Risks, Suit Alleges By James Nash – Columbus Dispatch (23 Jan 2008) “The giant mortgage financer known as Freddie Mac swindled

Earlier news re insider selling by senior Barrick executives has me wondering what they know about market liquidity, 2008 prices for precious and base metals

Usually it’s the “lone” assassin. Now that coup d’etats are financial, we have the “lone” or “rogue” trader. xxx xxx The lone trader strikes again

That’s it. I’m ditching Google. It is lots of little things, but the reality is I don’t trust ’em. Centralizing internet data does not lend

Source:

Cleveland Sues 21 Lenders Over Subprime Mortgages By Christopher Maag – New York Times (12 Jan 2008) xxx xxx xxx See City of Cleveland Press

World Bank Closes Offices After Bomb Threat By Lesley Wroughton – Reuters (17 Jan 2008)

Let’s say $40 of every barrel of oil sold to the US by large oil companies sourced in the middle east goes into a sovereign

Let’s say $40 of every barrel of oil sold to the US by large oil companies sourced in the middle east goes into a sovereign