Eternal Vigilance

Pentagon officials said this month they had found three more people who recall an intelligence chart identifying Atta as a terrorist prior to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Two military officers, Army Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer and Navy Capt. Scott Phillpott, have come forward to support Weldon’s claims.

commentary:  You know, for a coutry that was struck on 9-11 like we were, there are sure not very many people who pay attention to anything about it.  How dangerous is that for a nation?  Is that how you attack the wrong country?

http://m1e.net/c?2726342-BxAJB6ziFHpRo%401197447-QDe4Q/E1jG5Is

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - Senators from both parties accused the Defense Department on Wednesday of obstructing an investigation into whether a highly classified intelligence program known as Able Danger did indeed identify Mohamed Atta and other future hijackers as potential threats well before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001….

How long until Rush Limbaugh comes up with a theory on how all these republicans are fringe liberals?   LMAO think I’m kidding?

http://m1e.net/c?2726342-.Qd.W6/MkQdbg%401197432-byxjhKqlzdhk2

Finally a Shiite Ayatollah has called for his followers to meet Sunni terrorism with resistance and if necesary retalliation.  For the longest time I have heard the administration sy repeatedly that cival war in Iraw is the worst case scenario.  Now, with my ear to the ground with war supporters, they are saying that civil war is necesary and was always inevitable.  Can someone show these guys how to admit a mistake?  Who wants to say “if we cut and run, the country will fall into chaos”  ummmm I hate to break it to you guys, but daily bombings in the streets and school teachers being shot in their classroom and blood painted on walls IS chaos.  Why should we keep American soldiers in that chaos?  If the Americans leave, doesn’t that mean no more will die?  We did them a favor, the coutnry will continue to follow the per-determined course of arab-nations who have their gov’t temporarily toppled.  I’m starting to think that the right wing slogan of support the troops means “support the troops right to be a soldier and die if necesary.”  Of course that is what any brave soldier faces, death.  And of course the soldier has no decision but to follow the orders that are given to them.  It is policy.  So if we are asking for a change in policy, and the troops will follow the new orders.  What’s the big deal?  Mission is already accomplished….is it not?  When the troops get the orders to leave, will the people who wanted them to leave be the new patriots and the new troop supporters???

Gold hits an 18 year high of over $470 per ounce, and something very wierd is happening.  The media is covering the story.  Just like the media to start talking about getting into something just as it hits new highs.  Don’t get me wrong, I feel very strongly gold has a lot of room to move higher, but I have also participated for the full length of what is already a 5 year bull market in gold.  CNBC is all over golds nuts, I’m scratching my head.  Is the cat out of the bag?

Russia’s support for Iran’s nuclear program gives the latter the backbone to threaten the world. Iran is not Iraq and is no push over militarily. The geopolitical pot is boiling and this alone is enough to ignite gold.  - James Sinclair

Iran’s new foreign minister has warned of “consequences” if Europe refers Iran to the United Nations Security Council over its nuclear programme.

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iran defies nuclear referral risk

My preivous post on natural gas bills being 20% higher than last years high prices, and the later post to add another 20% to that, has been outdated again in just 2 weeks.  Natural gas bills are set to be 71% higher than last year!  And since natural gas is a main source for electricity generation, electric bills are estimated to be 20% higher also.  For those 40% of homeowners who’s mortages are 95% or more financed, and the 25% of interest only’s, I hope you just got your masters degree, or a major promotion, or a second job.  I hope you didn’t run up the credit cards again after paying them off with the last refinance.  I hope it’s false that credit card companies are doubling their minumun payments this month.  I hope your job isn’t too far away.  I hope your kids are either too young or too old for college.  I hope your job is secure.  I hope you have been saving.  I hope nobody has a medical emergency.  I hope you don’t have to file bankruptcy after the October 15th deadline.  Cuz this is it, unless you were hoping for another 20% increase in home appreciation in the face of 11 interest rate hikes in 12 months.  I hope your profligacy doesn’t effect the rest of the America’s real estate.  I hope I am wrong about real estate, but common sense overpowers hope.

A perfect example of how mainstream media are either complete imbeciles, or they have an agenda set for what they don’t want you to know….

Everyday when I wake up, there is about a 98% chance the first thing I do is turn on CNBC for today’s business news.  There is also an 85% chance the CNBC will remain on my television set for the rest of the day.  There is a 50% chance I might go to the store, get some lunch, use the restroom, and a 50% chance I will be playing poker here, blogging here, or watching stocks.  Whats my point? 

Given how much I watch/listen to the talking heads on CNBC, not once in over 4 years have I heard a mainstream source wonder what higher gold means for inflation.  What I have heard numerous times is the talking point that “There is no inflation, so gold must be ready to crash again.”  Over four years, gold has been the best performing sector.  Physical gold has outperformed the DOW by 37%, NAS by over 50%.  Gold Funds have been known to be up over 100% in 3 of the last 4 years, and some grow over 100% every year.  What’s my point?

My point is, this morning, Conchita whatever her name is from CNBC, reports to us that gold is just underneath a new 17 year high, and they are watching for it to break through.  I had to do a double take at the TV.  Aside from any contrarian point of veiw, this is most definitely a first.  Only now, after Gasoline averages hit an all time high of over 3$ a gallon (yes that is adjusted for inflation), Real estate sectors have gone up almost as much as gold, tuition is in double digits increases every year, and I lost track of health care increases, but I can tell you my cost of living wage increase I get once a year has been forfeited to help pay for my health insurance.  What’s my point?

The writing is on the wall, and gold is going to expolde.  Only this time, people will be hearing about it.  It will be the buzz.  I suspect it will reach a peak about when gold is topping short term around $530, which I will also guess is when most people will be buying gold, which I will also guess gold will have a harsh correction as ALWAYS, and the new investors will get burned, swearing to never buy gold again.  What ever happened to buy low sell high?  May I provide an example?

Larry Kudlow, a man which in my opinion should do hard time for crimes against investment humanity, calling for gold to go down when it hit $330.  He said theres no inflation, gold is’nt going higher.  Then gold hit $350, and Kudlow even had a guest on who said if gold hit $360, our economy would be in serious trouble.  Then gold hit $378, and Kudlow calls for a top.  Gold hits $400, and Kudlow is bearish, then $414, $430.  Now gold at $430 is a new 14 year high, and guess what Kudlow does, genious that he is?  He announces “Allright, gold is the real deal!  I’m buying into gold, this is it”  Well then the next day, gold goes down 8$, and then 6$ the next day.  Kudlow loses his ass.  Everyone saw him lose on gold.  He swears off gold.  You really want your info from a horrendous investor like this?  Or maybe there is more to it?  Larry Kudlow is my sell signal, rather when he buys, its time for me to sell. 

-Eternal Vigilance

The administration and the Pentagon have really gotten themselves in trouble this time.  What do the righties say to this?

AMERICAN DEAD IN IRAQ MAY BE CLOSER TO 9,000

Iraq is a bloody mess with the official Pentagon tally at June’s end around 2,000 American soliders dead - “more than we can bear” in New York Mayor Giuliani’s famous words about World Trade Tower casualities after 9/11. Yet Pentagon numbers include those found dead in combat or during other active-service duties, but may not reflect soldiers who die en route to hospitals, or later on while under care. Estimates based on anecdotal evidence (and extrapolations from official-to-actual in a few instances where discrepancies have been proven?) produce a number much closer to 9000 than 2000.

An article on Indymedia Baltimore cites TBR News, as stating, “U.S. military personnel who died in German hospitals or en route to German hospitals have not previously been counted. They total about 6,210 as of 1 January, 2005.The ongoing, underreporting of the dead in Iraq, is not accurate. The DoD is deliberately reducing the figures. A review of many foreign news sites show that actual deaths are far higher than the newly reduced ones.”

Indymedia concludes, “Iraqi civilian casualties are never reported but International Red Cross, Red Crescent and U.N. figures indicate that as of 1 January 2005, the numbers are just under 100,000.” - ST

I wonder how much Oil Companies will pay to make sure this doesn’t happen.  I will guess, if it is evident they will lose billions to a new alternative fuel, it will be worth billions to try to supress it….that is of course unless you think major corporations have what “we” want and need in their best interests, and assuming the same companies are not capitalist i na free market economy…heres a taste

Montana is “sitting on more energy than they have in the Middle East,” Schweitzer told Reuters in an interview this week.

“I am leading this country in this desire and demand to convert coal into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. We can do it in Montana for $1 per gallon,” he said.

“We can do it cheaper than importing oil from the sheiks, dictators, rats and crooks that we’re bringing it from right now.”

The governor estimated the cost of producing a barrel of oil through the Fischer-Tropsch method at $32, and said that with its 120 billion tons of coal — a little less than a third of the U.S total — Montana could supply the entire United States with its aviation, gas and diesel fuel for 40 years without creating environmental damage.

Montana’s governor eyes coal to solve U.S. fuel costs - Yahoo! News

I have heard a lot of people wondering “why aren’t other countries offering us help?”  Well, it seems there is a lack of help, at least being reported.  All I can tell you is that Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is offering us refined gasoline to help America’s poor.  Of course we have to refuse since we have tried to kill him 4 times already (pre-robertson comment), and also, aside from the comment that wasn’t buried made by a German politician that we deserved Katrina becuase we refused to sign onto the Kyoto Treaty, I have heard the Germany is sending us refined gasoline. 

CNN.com - Chavez offers cheap gas to poor in U.S. - Aug 23, 2005

wow this was pre-katrina….