Owlet
Owlet's JournalGas prices hurt red states more than blue states
"High gasoline prices are squeezing American drivers, but they’re not squeezing all Americans equally. Michael Levi points to fascinating new research by Trevor Houser showing that blue states are currently facing far higher pump prices — but that red states are suffering more."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/gas-prices-hurt-red-states-more-than-blue-states/2012/03/07/gIQAp8jNxR_blog.html?wprss=rss_ezra-klein
AIPAC Works For the 1 Percent
Chris Hedges
"I spent seven years in the Middle East. I was the Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times. I lived for two of those seven years in Jerusalem. AIPAC does not speak for Jews or for Israel. It is a mouthpiece for right-wing ideologues, some of whom hold power in Israel and some of whom hold power in Washington, who believe that because they have the capacity to war wage they have a right to wage war, whose loyalty, in the end, is not to the citizens of Israel or Palestine or the United States but the corporate elites, the defense contractors, those who make war a business, those who have turned ordinary Palestinians, Israelis and Americans, along with hundreds of millions of the world’s poor, into commodities to exploit, repress and control."
http://www.nationofchange.org/aipac-works-1-percent-1331045490
Goldman upgrades FCC from neutral to sell
Wha? For just a moment there I thought it had finally happened; that Goldman instead of managing world affairs somewhat in secrecy had actually emerged from behind the curtain.
As we know, Goldman has owned many agencies of 'our' Federal government for years, including the SEC, DOJ, Treasury as well as holding significant minority positions in SCOTUS and DOD. Nonetheless the headline was a stunner.
Relax. It's not that FCC. It turns out there's one in Spain.
"Spanish construction and infrastructure group FCC was among the few bullish Ibex stocks on Tuesday, buoyed by an upgrade from Goldman Sachs to neutral from sell, with a price target of EUR21.50."
http://www.ifamagazine.com/news/goldman-upgrades-fcc-to-neutral-from-sell/4747/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IFAMagazine+%28IFA+Magazine%29
Anxiety over PSI and the Greek bond swap
Worried about your 401k? Here's what's rattling the stock market today.
A brief glossary for those who have avoided becoming addicted to the "Greek Crisis". I commend you.
PSI - Private Sector Involvement, in this case, institurions or individuals other than banks who <snicker> own Greek bonds
CAC - Collective Action Clause. Pretty complex See here
CDS - Credit Default Swap. Simplest explanation I've seen is in This short video
ISDA - International Swaps and Derivatives Association. They're here
"Uncertainty over the participation in the Greek bond swap is a major source of anxiety today. Rumors circulated earlier that the PSI "invitation" would be extended by a week due to low participation have been officially denied, but rumors themselves illustrate the market’s apprehensions.
It does appear that participation will be sufficient to incorporate the collective action clauses (66%), but not the 90% official goal. The Greek government has signaled willingness to invoke the CACs, if necessary. This may have been an attempt to demonstrate its resolve as surely the preferred outcome is to maintain the veneer of voluntarism. Moreover, invoking the CACs would most likely be regarded as a credit event by ISDA and trigger the credit default swaps."
Now, a credit event that trigger credit default swaps are seen by stock markets as A VERY BAD THING, hence the anxiety. So now you know.
http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2012/03/anxiety-over-psi-and-the-greek-bond-swap.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+creditwritedowns+%28Credit+Writedowns%29
Israel delivers ultimatum to Barack Obama on Iran's nuclear plans
Usually when one delivers and ultimatum, it is accompanied by an 'or else.' You know: eat your peas or no TV. The article is silent on Mr. Netanyahu's 'or else', so I have one that he might use. He should threaten to refuse to accept any more U.S. aid. Not one penny. That should bring the President around. Betcha.
"When the two men meet in Washington on Monday, Mr Obama will find his guest once more at his most combative. But this time, perhaps as never before, it is the Israeli who has the upper hand.
Exuding confidence, Mr Netanyahu effectively brings with him an ultimatum, demanding that unless the president makes a firm pledge to use US military force to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear bomb, Israel may well take matters into its own hands within months.
The threat is not an idle one. According to sources close to the Israeli security establishment, military planners have concluded that never before has the timing for a unilateral military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities been so auspicious."
lots more at link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9121433/Israel-delivers-ultimatum-to-Barack-Obama-on-Irans-nuclear-plans.html
A Rare Business Opportunity
You can't make this stuff up. Or can you?
http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-09-03/isda-4-1-9
"How Could You Not Know..."
Michael Lewis on the whole financial mess.
http://www.slatev.com/video/fixing-wall-street/
I am Not a Slut
Jessica Scott - my daughter's new hero
"I am a 35 year old married mother of 2, an Army officer who has deployed and I use birth control to be a good soldier and a responsible parent.
I use birth control to stop having my period so that I can go to the field and not worry about it.
I use birth control while deployed with my husband to keep from getting pregnant and getting sent home and letting down all the men AND women on my team.
I use birth control to keep from having more children than we can afford."
more at link. She's my hero, too
http://www.jessicascott.net/blog/2012/03/i-am-not-a-slut/
High health-care costs: It’s all in the pricing
"There is a simple reason health care in the United States costs more than it does anywhere else: The prices are higher.
That may sound obvious. But it is, in fact, key to understanding one of the most pressing problems facing our economy. In 2009, Americans spent $7,960 per person on health care. Our neighbors in Canada spent $4,808. The Germans spent $4,218. The French, $3,978. If we had the per-person costs of any of those countries, America’s deficits would vanish. Workers would have much more money in their pockets. Our economy would grow more quickly, as our exports would be more competitive."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/high-health-care-costs-its-all-in-the-pricing/2012/02/28/gIQAtbhimR_story.html
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