Goldman Sachs Under the Microscope

A few days ago I noted that Goldman Sachs might be investigated regarding some financial shenanigans involving Greece. Sure enough, only according to Bernanke it's the Securities and Exchange Commission that is doing the investigating, not the European Commission.

It was all perfectly legal, if ethically questionable;

In 2001 Goldman arranged so-called currency swaps, a complex derivative

Pass the Baklava with a side of S'mores

I was busy yesterday and missed most of the news. What I missed was Bernanke's warning that the US is headed down the path Greece is currently traveling. Like in RIGHT NOW!

Recent events in Europe, where Greece and other nations with large, unsustainable deficits like the United States are having increasing trouble selling their debt to investors, show that the U.S. is vulnerable to a sudden

Reflecting on The Options

Yesterday I looked into the abyss and noted that we are living in changing times, and many don't know how to deal with the changes. They want to maintain BAU. The changes we face are occurring now, slowly and seeming to be nearly invisible. So it is easy to believe that we will continue down the path we know of economic growth, one that was promised to us long ago. Yet the dynamics at work in

Reflecting on the Dark Side

I just spent some time looking over previous posts while thinking about the articles I have been reading over the past few days. If there is a recurring theme it is this; change, actual deep change, is beginning to occur.

Several folks have written that change is a process, and I agree. From their view deep, profound, likely to be transformational, change is underway and has been for a few

Luxury Bathtub Design

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Bathtub Design

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Here is the new bathroom products by Pearl Bath in their New Eterne Series. Pearl Bath usually offers an exceptional range of bathroom products designed to provide relief and relaxation for body, mind and soul.Amazing Furniture Design

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Ultra Modern Bathroom Faucet from Bandini

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Don’t miss the leopard print rug, and slipcovers must be ordered separately for the chair and ottoman. You can also Check out a Retro Style Bedroom Decoration with calming blue walls, retro mirrored night stands and touches of contemporary chocolate accents, anyone would love to relax in this fun room.Bedroom Lighting

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Here is a modern and durable stainless steel kitchen cabinets design from Elektra Ernestomeda  Programme. They are has excellent technical characteristics, reliable, stain, corrosion resistant and environmentally friendly. A simple, discreet formal language, an unusual yet effective layout with the various functions assigned to five horizontal layers, and inspired use of materials that ensure unbeatable performance in daily use.Table Designs

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Goldman Sachs -- Have They Finally Overreached?

I love The Oil Drum. The stuff they find!

Greece is among the "sick men" in the European Union. Turns out they may have hidden just how sick they really are with the aid and assistance of Goldman Sachs. In turn, it is possible that there will be an audit involving GS by the European Commission.

If there is an audit, and if it results in serious consequences for GS, how can anyone take them

The Impact of Long Term Joblessness in America

An excellent article in The Atlantic regarding the impact of the current state of joblessness in America. It is a truly sobering read about the significant impact it is having now and the implications for the future.

The final conclusion:
We are in a very deep hole, and we’ve been in it for a relatively long time already. Concerns over deficits are understandable, but in these times, our bias

Policy Making

Debbie Cook, the former mayor of Huntington Beach, CA. offers up her view of policy making and the value of relationships in that process. Her bottom line is that scientists, who hold the lion's share of the facts regarding issues like peak oil, climate change, and related topics, need to inject themselves more directly into the conversations around policy decisions. Doing so requires the

Time to Move?

This blogpost is truly frightening. I knew Illinois was in financial trouble, but somehow the magnitude failed to reach me. I was born in Ohio, which is having problems of its own but is in better shape than Illinois by this measure. Is it time to return to the Buckeye state?

We The People keep voting into power the very people who continue maintaining the status quo. Are we closet

The Spiritual Philosophy of Avatar

What He Said! Word!

Cross posted at The Most Holy Order of Wayward Fans.

The View From Washington

Tom Whipple, who writes for the Falls Church News-Press, uses the recent snowstorms in Washington to focus on the issue of government default. It's just a matter of time, and I get the feeling he sees it occurring much sooner than later.

The Ad That Wasn't

The much anticipated Tebow ad turned out to be pretty much a nothing. Pretty interesting given that The Washington Post ran two articles by anti-choice individuals (Walker and Land) that talked about Pam Tebow and her pregnancy. The expectation was pretty much set as to what the content of the ad was going to be, except that it wasn't after all.

If there is any value in the dustup that

Palin's Crib Notes

My brother hated it when people attacked Palin. He is conservative, probably Republican from what I can gather, and he felt that people were just being way too hard on her. Well, in view of what the Huffington Post and YouTube have posted about Palin's speech to the Tea Party convention, he might be advised to revisit whether or not he really wants to hold her up as someone we should all get

Never Say Never

I would be willing to make a bet that Geithner's words will come back to haunt him, and sooner rather than later.

Defaulting Government With a Side of Economic Collapse

As much reading as I do, it's never enough and news aggregators, like The Oil Drum, often turn up some tasty nuggets. Trolling through the 'net before getting some 'rack' (did I tell you how much I like Avatar?) led me to the Drum and this little tidbit. I remember seeing the headline and just bypassing it. Boy what a mistake that was!

The government's debt ceiling has to be raised

TSA Hires Convicted Felons

Yes, that title is correct and here is the proof.. I think I could get past the notion of a youthful indiscretion, which evidently is how TSA views this situation were it not for this:

The employee did not divulge on his application—though a records check last fall did—that he had been found guilty of robbery within the past 10 years.

Normally, if the TSA was willing to live with a felony

More On The Tebow Commercial

I previously commented on the ruckus about the Tebow ad. Well here comes Richard Land, described as on of the 25 most influential evangelists in the country with with his take on it. MotherSkadi responded again.

What I find discouraging about this is the way the anti-choice crowd pits the woman against the fetus. There is no consideration of the woman as an active, independent, moral agent

Petrobras Calls Peak Oil in 2010

The Oil Drum has posted an article regarding a presentation by PetroBras' CEO, Mr. Gabrielli in which he concludes that world oil capacity will be unable to offset world oil declines in 2010. In effect, he is calling Peak Oil this year. The article analyzes his presentation and its assumptions. Even adding back in what he leaves out, the article concludes that he is right. By 2013 we will be

What (Young) Women Want.

Start by reading this article at the Washington Post. It's a commentary about the Tim Tebow/ProLife ad that will air during the Super Bowl.

I would have posted the totality of my response there, but decided it was just too long to take up the space. My comment is under the moniker MotherSkadi. What follows is absolutely everything I wanted to say.

Ms Walker

I was 23 once and had strong,

Pretty Picture

This is what unemployment looks like over time.

The Second Great Depression

Over at Market Watch is this gloomy forecast, sure to cheer the doomers in the world. Someone please tell me, if you can, why he might be wrong.

I VOTED! DID YOU?! & Dorothy Brown's Visitation

Yes indeed, I voted in the primary and I don't usually vote in the primary. Skipped the judges and voted on everything else. Even voted for myself for Gov and Lt Gov (write-in). Won't win of course but what the heck, it can't hurt. One thing is certain. I put another nail in The Toddler's coffin! Please God - he gets retired from politics after this!

Also ran into Jim Ginderske who