Starlight News: An Expensive School

[Nancy Waterman]

http://starlightnews.com

For four long years, those on the left have been nurturing their anger and feeding the flames of outrage with each new travesty committed by the brazen radicals in the Bush administration. To abandon the rage was to lose the war, and so, they soldiered on, exchanging harrowing tales in cyberland of shredded treaties, furious allies, environmental pillage, and fascist audacities. The flames grew into a wild inferno of fury and disdain, focused with precision on an administration that was to be defeated at all cost. Multi-millions of hard earned dollars were donated in bits and pieces; thousands of hours of barely-free time were freely sacrificed to the cause. But when the election passed, and the Evil Emperor and his Goon Squad trumpeted their victory, the once vast conflagration became an immeasurable tract of burnt-out devastation and smoking ruins. The survivors still wander aimlessly, trying to asses the damage and completely unsure about how and what to rebuild.

In the memorable words of Ben Franklin, “Experience is an expensive school, but fools will learn in no other way.” Our nation was given a choice, and it chose the way of the fool. On the one hand, we could join the world as one among equals and struggle to curtail our greedy and irresponsible use of the world’s resources, our hatred-inspiring preemptive wars, and our profligate ways. On the other, we could continue along the path blazed by George Bush, using militancy for diplomacy, degrading the environment, ignoring the alarm bells of global warming, blithely growing our debt, and encouraging, rather than curtailing, the avaricious, rapacious, and conscienceless corporations that make it all possible. Since all choices have consequences, we will reap the consequences of our fateful November decision. Perhaps, like the alcoholic who refuses to give up his destructive habits until he crashes, we will have a national “bottoming out” that will serve to painfully wake us up. And perhaps, from the perspective of many, many years hence, we will be able to say that another four years of George Bush was ultimately a good thing, because the predictably dire consequences eventually forced us into a new, more austere way of life, as one among equals in the global neighborhood, responsible about resources and our natural habitat and respectful of other nations and of the most vulnerable among us. But, experience is a very expensive school…

[JPace]

1. I do hope that the media has the courage to start doing

its job eventually. They are failing us so much amd playing a major role in the destruction of our country by this administration. Furious George does not handle power well, I'm not surprised that you see him getting even more aggressive. I'm also very hopeful that no new wars will be started and glad to hear it looks like there won't be any new ones. I'm still watching Saturn in bush's chart, I cannot believe that Saturn is going to let him off so easy in this return cycle. Thanks for all the Uranus information, I'll start watching it more closely. It must have taken a lot out of you to look at the next four years so soon after this huge let down we are all experiencing. Thanks!

[Nancy Waterman]

3. There is one possible war

in 2008 when Uranus hits square the US mars. But other than that, I don't see one, and that one isn't certain either.

I am very interested to see what that triple Uranus whammy does next spring. I don't know if itis the beginning of a very conservative Supreme Court or a national rebellion. Could be both I suppose.

I was struck by all these contempt of court cases juxtaposed with that 3rd house Saturn in the Inaugural. I think the press wills tart to get very angry. At least I hope they will.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Regarding the MEDIA, FOLLOW THE MONEY

Question: How much business do you think our six corporations have before our REPUBLICAN COngress? Go ahead take a wild guess....

(Close to a trillion last count)

You think they are gonna rock the boat that may give them more power and business?

[cassiepriam]

30. no they will not rock the boat , I am afraid....

[Me.]

2. You're Back In Fighting Form

Thank God

[Nancy Waterman]

4. Thanks, Me.

eom

[jrthin]

11. I so agree with you ...

About Nancy. Excellent article, Nancy, and good to see the blood pumping again. Thanks.

[NJCher]

5. your reading and another seem to coincide

Loved that Franklin quote about the fools. Wherever did you find that? It is so perfect.

As I read this article, I thought of how this scenario might be interpreted with John Kerry in office. I was wondering about this due to points mentioned on the GWB Horoscope thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=245x457

According to this astrologer, "As far as his opponent, Kerry is concerned: we are surprised to learn – looking at his chart – that he is moved by the same Plutonian forces, which means he would have been the executor of the same will as Bush."

So what does this mean? It seems that no matter who the president is, there is enormous chaos ahead.


Cher

[Nancy Waterman]

13. I always siad the new Inaugural would be a difficult chart

and thought it would represent Kerry painfully attempting to clean up Bush's mess. I don't know what Plutonian forces the author is talking aobut. I see Uranus as more of a player this time than Pluto. In fact, I don't see much of any big Plutonian aspects coming up in any of the three major charts (Inaugural, US, and Bush's). Kerry will have Pluto opposing his Saturn very soon for a good bit of 2005. In fact, I think it begins in December. That could be difficult for him, but he will plow onward, being so Saturnian by nature. He will be forced to look at his previous reticence (Saturn) and whatever other issues that Saturn contains. I am no longer sure what houses are involved with his ever changing birth time, so I can't give you more on that.

[yellowdawgdem]

6. experience is sure a good, and an expensive school

What is hard is continually being controlled and seriously compromised by those making low consciousness decisions. It seems hard, but I guess we just have to keep on trying, and hope it will be like Ghandhi's quote that so many are using- something abt how these low-ass criminals always are defeated in the end. The Ben Franklin quote was really apropos too Nancy- and I'm glad to know there aren't so many harsh war aspects, except for the one. :)

[alterfurz]

12. as my old granny used to say...

"Experience gives good judgment, and bad judgment gives experience"--so it's all good in the end...but My Sweet Lord, it takes so long:

"Well," Brahma said, "even after ten thousand explanations, a fool is no wiser, but an intelligent man requires only two thousand-five hundred." -- The Mahabharata

[yellowdawgdem]

7. sorry unintended posting

[yellowdawgdem]

9. sorry unintended posting

Does anyone know if you can delete stuff after the fact?

[loudsue]

8. I've been waiting for days for your new article! Thanks, Nancy!

I have a question about the Kerry charts: Which chart did we ultimately figure was accurate, and what was the booger-bear that had him on the losing end of the black boxes? Did one of his charts show him not quite as over-joyed as the other?

The truth is, we ALL know the election was stolen. Do you see any of this coming to light during bush's next term? I don't know which house represents "voting" or "elections" (I had never had ANY experience w/ mundane astrology until I came to DU), so I've been wondering if Uranus may turn up any surprises in that area.

A few years ago, I had Uranus squaring my Moon. It was NASTY!! It seemed like one "blow" after another...there was no let-up. I hope it gives the bush crowd one "blow" after another!!

:hi: Thanks again for this latest article!! It looks like a whole lotta Uranus, Saturn, Mars and Neptune whirling around bush's head. It's the Neptune part I REALLY hate...I'm sick and tired of him getting away with so much deceit!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[Nancy Waterman]

15. I think the latest Kerry chart is the one for between midnight and 1 AM

That would give him Virgo rising, which clearly makes the most sense. It explains the kind of boring, service oriented, detail oreiented persona he has. It also gives him a 10th house Saturn, which fits his very strong and steady ambition. I never accepted the Neptune MC conjunction of the 8:03 chart. That never, ever made sense to me. He was never a wishy washy dreamer that couldn't get things done and never quite knew what he wanted.

I enver saw an overjoyed reaction to a win in any of his charts. What I made my prediction on was the difficulty and sepondency I saw in Bush's chart, as well as Jeb's and McCain's. I can only think that Jeb and GWB are upset by the fraud charges in Florida and getting nervous, not so much about losing as about fraud revealed. Plus, Bush, with all his supposed "capitol" from the election, couldn't get his intelligence reform past the House Republicans (!) last night. I still say things are not going well for him right now, lots of frustrations and failures, despite the spin, and this will continue. It is just the election wasn't one of those. To be fair, he does have a good bit of Jupiter beginning soon, so he may get some wins, but the Saturn will hold for a while as well.

I am not sure what the first Uranus strike will bring. The Inaugural has a natal Uranus Moon square that will be completed by this transit. So the adminsitration will be shaken up by these three passes, though I don't know how. And Bush's reputation and power will get some surprises, since mars rules his MC, and is being opposed by Uranus. I am especially interested to see howit plays out in the US since it is our Uranus being squared by Uranus. Will we rebel? Will thepress act boldly? The Abu Ghraib story was all over the press when Jupiter was stationary square US Uranus. so will another story, one that is even more bold or a bigger shake up, it when Uranus is square Uranus?

I was talking to a friend in Code Pink recently and she said they should go ahead and make abortion illegal and see what happens. (Not that the Dems should actively seek it, but that they shouldn't fearit so much.) The fear of this abortion issue takes power away from Dems on other issues and can be used against them. She thinks the ban on abortion would be like Prohibition, eventually repealed.

I bring this up becasue I wonder if this Supreme Court/abortion issue may not be part of what is on the plate for late March, early April. Then by the second or third pass, the actual case may be before the Court.

[belle]

19. I can't get behind that "go ahead and make abortion illegal"

I understand the sentiment behind it, sort of, but it's going to hurt so many people. It's not like Prohibition; that hurt the economy, among other things, but it didn't cost womens' lives. And it'll tear the nation completely apart if it isn't already. Unlike just about everything else on the table, including gay rights, that's one issue that's *never* going to get resolved, because (and I say this as a firmly pro-choice woman) it's a much grayer area. When *does* life begin? What do we even mean when we say that? Consciousness? viability? a soul? I support a woman's right to make decisions for herself as well as the creature growing in her belly as long as they're symbiotic--the fetus is truly an inseparable part of the woman as well as being an individual being, and the mothers' survival and well-being comes first--but, it's thorny. Of course the vigilant anti-birth control and anti-sex ed campaign makes the right's real agenda perfectly clear--hello, the best way to prevent abortion is to make sure a woman is able to keep from having unwanted pregnancies in the damn first place.

Some day, what'll happen is, cloning really *will* become possible, and we truly won't need men at all to reproduce; then watch them *really* shit themselves.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Ok, ok this is what I think this is all about

This is the penultimate Wedge issue. I actually wrote Senator Boxer and told her to basically let go of this (but vote no) for strategic reasons

The RW never intended to have these things actually pass. This could be the worst nightmare for them

The reason, and this is purely strategic, is until this is passed they have it. THey can use it to mobilize the RW... and most people in the center cannot see this done. It is the usual, oh com'on they will never do it

Now people need to see consequences to the votes they take and reality is the Demos don't have the power to stop it. So procedurally you vote no, but it becomes the law... suddenly all those people who are moderates but voted for bush will go... I did not vote for that... yes sweetie, you did.

The same goes for the draft, it is coming, Democrats vote against it, but let it go... people need to see the consequences.

And so it goes...

The kool aid will not wear off UNTIL people see consequences at a very basic personal level

[jrthin]

24. Unfortunately, I

Agree with you. Take away their issues and they have nothing left but ravaged lives. All these women today talking about how wrong abortion is, don't have to deal with the reality of needing to have an abortion and it's not available, with the exception, if they're rich and can travel to get it.

Let these people see that there is a class war, and they screwed themselves.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. I was a medic in Mexico for tenn years

where it is ilegal, so you will understand how hard it was to actually write those words.

I have seen, close and personal, the effects of bothced back alley abortions... not pretty...

But people need to see the effect.

Krugman said the same today regarding teh economy, the same thing I have said for years too... the kool aid will not wear off until we have a massive depresion (which is coming)

So next time you see your favorite republican who voted for bush and he\she tells you, "I did not vote for this"

Well with a straight face tell him\her, yes sweetie, yes you did...

[calimary]

40. Yes, nadin - YES. Everyone here should memorize your post.

"So next time you see your favorite republican who voted for bush and he\she tells you, 'I did not vote for this.'"

THIS is probably what we're realistically left with, considering how valiantly our pathetic party "leaders" are "leading" us.

And nadin, you are so correct to point this out. Remember the Joni Mitchell lyric - "don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got til it's gone"? These people will, unfortunately, have to be smacked upside the head by events in order to come out of their stupor. It's as though they've allowed themselves to descend into one of those drunken frat party binges that bush raised to a high art. And sobering up, for them, will inevitably bring the DT's. The rest of us who always saw things clearly and realistically, and who never drank the kool-aid, will be like observers looking in the window on visiting day at the psycho ward.

I can't tell you how often I've heard (from otherwise educated and informed and, you'd assume, sophisticated women) "oh, it'll NEVER happen. It's NOT gonna happen." I'd look at them in complete disbelief - that they'd be so incredibly naive to say that, no less actually embrace it as a rock-solid conviction. UNBELIEVABLE that they'd trust their fates, futures, privacy, and innermost physical innersanctum to these hamhanded bastards.

But that's what it's probably going to come to. Much of conned America is gonna have to learn this one the hard way. They refused to listen. They kept those stained-glass-window, rose-colored glasses glued to their faces. They, like bush, chose to listen to only what they wanted to hear, ignoring facts and realities every bit as pig-headedly as he did. No wonder they flocked to him.

We tried. So OUR consciences are clear. I just hope most of us have enough maneuvering room to climb out of the way when the dam bursts.

And, frankly, I am VERY ready to say "I told you so." And I will repeat that WITHOUT MERCY AND WITHOUT HESITATION.

[cassiepriam]

31. but by then will it be too late?

Voting machines, total media control, punishment of any dissent. No more democracy. Ironic isn't it? Iraq will have a democracy and we will have a dictatorship. Like one of those reality sitcoms, switching houses. Only not funny, not funny at all.

[stellanoir]

10. thanks Nancy~great work

This is one of my favorite of all your lines ever. . .

"It is, however, conjunct Mars, so we can assume Bush will not turn into a Quaker."

[Nancy Waterman]

14. Thanks, Stella, I liked that line too!!

I didn't want people to think Bush would fully metamorphose into Ghandi so much as be mostly held back (Saturn) or jolted by the unexpected (Uranus).

[stellanoir]

16. I'm still banking on

the Uranian opposition to his Mars. As you well know, that's when his Saturn return is still also operational.

Unfortunately, it may take that long for the widespread voting irregularities to really surface in a big way. . . if ever. Of course, with so many illegalities and inpropriaties, tough to tell whether it'll be the fraud or the international community that may just rally to expose him. Or g-d forbid another attack.

So many scandals, so little time. Phew.

As for * metamorphasizing into Ghandi. . . that reminds me of all the prewar fallacies of "being welcomed with chocolates and flowers." I thought, "Sure. . . us turning Iraq into Switzerland is far less likely than our economy turning into that of Argentina in the process."

It's no fun at all to be right about these things. Really.

[Nancy Waterman]

17. It will be interesting to see how the foreign community responds to Bush

Will they form new alliances to thwart him.? They will clearly do things to minimize his power, to counterbalance a now untrustworthy America. We may not be able to do much from within, but our "blue" allies in Europe are on our side. Japan is already buying up less of our debt. There are so many possiblities, and they all lead down.

I just got this by email. I love it.

11/15/04

Dear President Bush:

Congratulations on your victory over all us
non-evangelicals. Actually, we're a bit ticked off
here in California, so we're leaving you.

California will now be its own country. And we're
taking all the Blue States with us. In case you are
not aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, all of the
North East States, and the urban half of Ohio.

We spoke to God, and she agrees that this split will
be beneficial to almost everybody, and especially to
us in the new country of California. In fact, God is
so excited about it, she's going to shift
the whole country at 4:30 pm EST this Friday.
Therefore, please let everyone know they need to be
back in their states by then.

God is going to give us the Pacific Ocean and
Hollywood. In addition, we're getting San Diego.
(Sorry, that's just how it goes.) But God is letting
you have the KKK and country music (except the Dixie
Chicks).

Just so we're clear, the country of California will
be pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, and anti-war.
Speaking of war, we're going to need all Blue States'
citizens back from Iraq. If you need people to fight
in Fallujah, just ask your evangelical voters. They
have tons of kids they're willing to send to their
deaths for absolutely no purpose. (But only AFTER
they're born.) And they don't care if you don't show
pictures of their kids caskets coming home.

So, you get Texas and all the former slave states,
and we get the Governator and stem cell research. (We
would love you to take Britney Spears off our hands,
though. She IS from the south, right?)

Since we get New York, you'll have to come up with
your own late night TV shows because we get MTV,
Letterman, the Daily Show, and Conan O'Brien. You
get... well, why don't you ask your
people at Fox News to come up with something
entertaining? (Maybe you should just watch
Crossfire. That's a really funny show.)

We wish you all the best in the next four years and
we hope, really hope, you find those missing weapons
of mass destruction. Seriously.

Soon.

Sincerely,

California

[stellanoir]

28. Re: global community's opinion on

*'s (not so) excellant Iraq adventure.

This article contains gruesome and graphic descriptions of what's happened there. Do not read if you have a weak stomach.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1357465,00.html

I just can't imagine that people will allow this to continue for much longer.

[Nancy Waterman]

18. more on oil in euros and the petro dollar wars

http://69.28.73.17/thornarticles/dollariraq.html


In November 2000 Saddam Hussein tried to barter Iraq's oil directly for euros. This would have cut America out of its enormous subsidy and started a stampede of other OPEC members to embrace the euro. This simply would not stand. 9-11 was the pretext used to boot Saddam. Bush couldn't get America's moms to sacrifice their children for dollar hegemony and the terrorist bogey was activated.

Fourteen huge, permanent bases are currently under construction in Iraq, along with the world's biggest embassy in Baghdad (3,500 employees, and counting). Bush will continue on a permanent war footing in the Middle East in order to protect U.S. dollar hegemony. There is no other option. All future wars will be run out of Iraq. Iran has been making noises lately about ditching the U.S. dollar in favor of the euro, as have the Saudis. They're next. The U.S. will dismantle OPEC and surround Saudi Arabia, keeping their hand firmly on the oil spigot. This is the essence of the petro-dollar warfare that we are witnessing, in a nutshell....

[Me.]

20. Any Significance In This?

Jet Crashes On Way To Pick Up ***H 41.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1012992

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Junior does not like poppy

think of all the people tied to the bushies who have been killed in small plane crashes...

Start with Salam Bin Ladin, think also Torrijos (who would not play nice wiht us and poppy was CIA Director) and I could go on.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Ok, ok K\E are now behiind the OH recount

So it begins

[hedda_foil]

27. They're not behind it ...

They're sending observers, which Bush no doubt will too. All candidates are allowed observers. Doesn't mean he isn't interested but it's not active backing at this point. They're still hanging back, though they're interested in what's going on.

[KoKo]

29. Question:Nancy would the astrological prediction change if Kerry won.

If Kerry was the President would the terrible predictions change in any way. Since I've been reading that with Pluto in both their charts they would have both had the same policy.

I know US is in for tough times, but I like to think that Kerry would have "redirected" negativity into positive actions. More investigations, cleaning up the crookeness of our markets, investigating what the Bushies have done.

If the election is overturned would your article be very different?

I'm still hoping that our "last chance" will be finding the link between this stolen election and 2000. That something will prove the BFEE's hand in both and that this will be the only way we have of getting them out. The "link" between 2000 and 2004..with the Mid-terms thrown in for good measure.

I know article after article by folks on the left are now saying that the election will never be overturned because of their power.

I still have hope..even if it's desperation.

[Nancy Waterman]

32. Kerry doesn't have all the Saturn aspects Bush does

at least not until 2008 when he is hit pretty hard. When I thought Kerry would win, I saw this Inaugural chart as suggesting that Kerry would have Bush's big mess to clean up and a very Republican Congress to battle with, making things difficult. Kerry has Mars at 10 Gemini, Bush has it at 9 Virgo. eEther would have the Uranus/ Mars hard aspect this coming Spring, with the same hits on Inaugural Moon and US Uranus.

But clearly Kerry is a very different man from Bush with a very different sense of what needs to be done. It would have to be different, but I think it woudld be difficult for either, perhaps less so for Kerry without all that Saturn.

[Nancy Waterman]

33. Economic armageddan predicted

http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=55356

[cassiepriam]

35. this is perfect for the repugs

An economic disaster benefits them enormously.
With health care eliminated, jobs down the
tubes, people losing their homes, they do not have to worry about a draft. Many will be forced to join the military to fight the oil wars for wealthy. Brilliant and diabolic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Universal Draft will go on regardless

You do not staff the SSS and fund it just because...

IT is just that it is still being done UNDER THE RADAR

And anybody who thinks otherwise is dreeaming... they are even gearing the military for a draft by getting rid of mid level Enlisted personnel who cost money

[KoKo]

34. Thanks Nancy. Who would want this mess the country is heading through

because of Bush's dreadful policies coming down on their head...but I still hope Kerry has a chance if vote fraud can be found. I'm sorry to hear he has so much Saturn in his chart in 2008. But, perhaps he will have learned lessons and the Saturn will be turned to his advantage?


I did read Steven Roach's article. He and some others have been trying to tell us for months what lies ahead and your article was very good in describing what some of us were worried about in the coming years economically and socially. If only we had a wise hand to guide us. It's hard to be upbeat, but I suppose we will muddle through it some way.

Thanks for your articles. They are always helpful with perspective on what we are all going through.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. China dumps reserves and T-Bills

Not that we have not been warning of this for years and I am betting Japan and Russia will follow

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1022738

Batten down the hatches folks, that economic collapse is closer than you think

[Dover]

38. Yes, Saturn opposing U.S. 2nd house Pluto strikes....and there's more >

Not to mention some of the major progressions listed in my post in this forum along with other's warnings. All together, I think these economic issues will have a very long term effect on the U.S.'s standing in the world as well as it's economic health in the shorter run. I don't think things will ever be the same again (which is not to say that a new economy that emerges from all this collapse of our system won't ultimately be a good thing):

WTO Ready for U.S. Sanctions


http://tinyurl.com/5o5qq

WTO Ready for U.S. Sanctions

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization cleared the way on Thursday to impose $150 million of trade sanctions on the United States, sought by the European Union and others, after lawyers resolved a legal wrangle.

The sanctions request, which stems from a row over an illegal U.S. anti-dumping law, had been expected to be rubber-stamped by the WTO on Wednesday.

But U.S. lawyers delayed authorization for 48 hours, when they queried some of the wording in the demand made by the EU and its allies -- Canada, Mexico, Brazil, India, Japan and South Korea.

"The problem has been resolved. We can resume our meeting tomorrow," Kenyan ambassador Amina Mohamed, chairwoman of the WTO's disputes settlement body (DSB), told Reuters.

The case, one of a number pitting Brussels against Washington, involves the so-called Byrd amendment, a measure the Geneva body has repeatedly declared breaks trade rules.

The green light for sanctions from the DSB is effectively automatic because the case has gone through all the WTO stages for settling disputes, including appeals and arbitration.

_____________________________________________________________

Putin and Petro-dollar Revolt


Subtle changes are in the wind on the energy front. As much as some people want to regard Russia as a strong American ally, their behavior on several fronts testifies to the contrary. Some truly staggering developments are underway, not adequately reported. Behind the scenes, covered little by the intrepid US press & media, a meeting was convened two weeks ago in the Urals of Russia. European leaders, and OPEC representatives, and Putin quietly are plotting to establish stronger ties between Europe and Russia in their basis for financial transactions. Putin is adroitly offering to install euro pricing of crude oil, which would surely favor Germany and other large EU nations. He strives to obtain geopolitical concessions from EU leaders, namely a more powerful voice for Russia in world politics.

OPEC appears to be willing and eager to join in new alliances to undermine the US domination from owning the world reserve currency. Enormous consequences follow, which lie completely in US blind spots. A strange contrasting parallel might exist between the United States and Russia, regarding relationships with large energy companies. The USA has evolved into a cooperative collusion with big companies like Halliburton. Russia has broken down into a confrontational situation steeped in confiscation with big companies like Yukos. The USA seems to work constructively with large firms, with governmental support. This is seen in sponsored foreign grain sales, in development of petro-chemical plants, in defense contracts for the military complex, in permissiveness toward software monopolies, in protection of the steel industry, and elsewhere. Russia seems to work in adversarial roles to steal back and forth with their big firms.

RUSSIAN ASSAULT ON FREE ENTERPRISE
Russian legal treachery embodies a big insult to free enterprise and rights to property. One might say Yukos Oil began as a company with stolen property, or cozy deals to gather in several purchases from state-owned regions, or tax scoffs at Russian authorities enabled growth. Fine, whatever. My attention is trained on current methods, which can be aptly labeled as legal warfare, and trends which betray private property. The Yukos tax & fine bill submitted was revealed to be $18.5 billion, which exceeds the company's annual revenue, and goes far beyond the level where embarrassment is profoundly clear. The Russian government has established a modus operandi, i.e. method of operation. A company is targeted for seizure. It is charged with tax evasion. Their assets are then frozen, pending investigations and legal outcomes. Cash flow is interrupted, only to put debt service repayments in jeopardy. The courts declare debt default, a fresh new problem for the targeted company, whose stock declines in value, and possibly sharply. Under financial duress, a deal is cut, as taxes are paid as a fraction of the original demand in return for a sale of large tracts of the company's properties to the Russian govt. Charges are reduced or negotiated along with the distress sale of their property. Such a pattern has shown itself clearly with the Yukos case....cont'd

http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_04/willie112404.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. china is denying they dumped the T-Bills

but what can I say? Don't believe them, and China is now in trade war with the US.

It is not going to be nice for most people... and when this collapses, the ammount of plastic will make you go dizzy

[Nancy Waterman]

41. I just bought some gold

Here is the way I did it: a new stock that is absolutely pegged to the price of gold. Each share is worth 10% the going price of gold.

Street tracks gold trust

symbol: GLD

The value will go up as the dollar drops.