[Daily Mail] Citigroup ...contributed $736,771 to the 2008 Obama campaign... Inc will pay $285 million to settle charges that it defrauded investors who bought toxic housing-related debt that the bank bet would fail, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.
The SEC said the bank's Citigroup Global Markets unit misled investors about a $1billion collateralized debt obligation by failing to reveal it had 'significant influence' over the selection of $500million of underlying assets, and that it took a short position against those assets.
It said one experienced CDO trader called the portfolio 'possibly the best short EVER!' while an experienced collateral manager said 'the portfolio is horrible.'
In a statement, Citigroup ...contributed $736,771 to the 2008 Obama campaign... said the SEC did not charge the unit with any 'intentional or reckless misconduct' and that the settlement 'resolves all outstanding SEC inquiries into those activities.'
The settlement is the third by the SEC against a major bank it accused of marketing a CDO without disclosing it was betting against it or allowing others to do so.
The SEC has also settled cases against Goldman Sachs ...Malefactors of Great Wealth, the second most generous contributor to the 2008 Obama campaign, with a total of $1,013,091... and JPMorgan ...where we keep our plutocrats, contributed $808,799 to the 2008 Obama campaign... .
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 04:04 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11128 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Who is gonna pay for when the trillions of CDO's transferred into US government guaranteed accounts, (w/ govmt collusion) collapse? Oh yeah, the taxpayers.
#2
"Okay, so you robbed a bank of $100,000, that the police never found, so I sentence you to pay a $28,500 fine. And don't rob any more banks, even if the government says it's okay."
#4
Still no criminal prosecutions for fraud on a trillion dollar scale, while Eric 'Place' Holder harasses Gibson Guitars on allegations of illegal wood.
[NBC Philadelphia] A welcome home party for a teen released from juvenile detention resulted in gunshots and stab wounds for five people at the party.
The congratulations-for-getting-out-of-juvenile-detention party occurred on the 500 block of Hess Street in Bethlehem Saturday night, police told the Morning Call.
A welcome home party for a teen released from juvenile detention resulted in gunshots and stab wounds for five people at the party. ... and the party was just ruined!
The congratulations-for-getting-out-of-juvenile-detention party occurred in Bethlehem Saturday night, police told the Morning Call.
Reports of gunshots in that area brought police to find two people with stab wounds from a huge brawl that erupted on the street during the party. Police brought the two maimed to St. Luke's Hospital and later discovered that three more people were stabbed and had gone to the hospital on their own.
Four adults and one 17-year-old juvenile were among the maimed, reports the Morning Call.
Five people were jugged, including a woman suspected of firing a gun, but all were released, police say. There have been no charges filed in the case but the investigation is ongoing.
Police told the Morning Call that the cause for the fight was unknown and the guest of honor was not among the maimed or jugged.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11129 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
... and the party was just ruined!
Ruined? Hell, it ain't a real party without some stabbin' and a little gunplay.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
10/20/2011 19:50 Comments ||
Top||
#3
it's always fun and games til somebody loses an eye
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/20/2011 20:09 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Not a good day for these folks...
An investigation into multiple stabbings during a welcome home party for a recently released prison inmate led police to an unrelated marijuana-growing operation Tuesday morning on Bethlehem's South Side, authorities said today.
There are still no arrests in connection with the stabbings, but police have charged a 17-year-old boy in connection with the marijuana-growing operation at a home in the 300 block of Vine Street. Police are not identifying the boy because he is a juvenile.
#2
I'd like to know how that GI got insufficient rabies shots. Post exposure treatment is not rocket science.
I knew a man who collapsed & came close to dying after being bitten on a finger by a house cat. He had a severe allergy to what he thought was cat fur. His finger turned black & swelled up, all in 20 minutes, looked like he'd been snake bit. His blood pressure was not measurable. He recovered after emergency care. Allergist pointed out that cat allergies are basically allergies to cat saliva. The severe reaction was due to an injection of saliva.
#4
CDC reports 45 cases of rabies in the USA between 1995 & 2010. 9 of these cases were acquired from rabid dogs, and ALL these dog-acquired cases came from outside CONUS. NO domestically-acquired rabies case came from a rabid dog.
Of the remaining 36 domestically-acquired cases, 1 came from a raccoon, and 35 came from rabid bats.
Worldwide, by far the most common source is human rabies is from dogs.
Domestically, far & away the most common source is from BATS. This has not been adequately reported. I even had to rewrite this CDC summary, which IMO obscured the data more than revealed it. Many medical practitioners still lack awareness. Bat bites are often invisible to close examination. Please spread the word.
#5
In the rabies prone southwest, bats are an interesting subject, as in "Bats are good. Never touch them, ever, especially when dead."
That's because the little boogers eat proportionally as many other insects as do dragonflies. They are voracious. Yet any physical contact and even some close proximity contact, and the assumption is, must be, that you were exposed to rabies.
#6
any physical contact and even some close proximity contact, and the assumption is, must be, that you were exposed to rabies. I wish everyone would act on that knowledge.
#8
any physical contact and even some close proximity contact, and the assumption is, must be, that you were exposed to rabies.
Yow, wish I'd known that earlier. My daughter had a bat land on her head last summer - no bites or scratches she was aware of, just a quick touch-and-go.
#9
My daughter had a bat land on her head last summer Rabies has been known to kill 2 years after the suspected exposure. I mentioned that bat bites can be invisible. Do as you think best.
#10
I hate to say it, but rabies cannot be detected in a blood test. Detection in animals is done postmortem, by examining their brains. Consult your doctor. This is way beyond Internet advice.
Five French citizens arrested at the Bexar County Courthouse early Wednesday were partiers, not terrorists, local and federal investigators concluded after questioning the men and searching their vehicle. All five now face burglary charges.
After entering through a window on the fourth floor, two intruders were seen on surveillance video swiping an oversized ceremonial gavel from a judge's bench and later donning sombreros found in a Bar Association storage closet.
We found a bottle of cold beer up in the courtroom, so we know they had been having a partying time, Ortiz said. It's very likely these individuals were just intoxicated. They may have not even known what this building was.
Sources said the men had been drinking at Coyote Ugly, a downtown bar, before they arrived at the courthouse. At Coyote Ugly, witnesses described them as having a raucous time.
They kept ordering beer. They didn't even know what kind, just beer, said one bartender who asked not to be identified.
#1
Which begs the question, why does the San Antonio Bar Association have a supply of sombreros in storage?
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
10/20/2011 13:37 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Where would you expect them to have their supply of sombreros, Mitch? ;-p
Posted by: Barbara ||
10/20/2011 13:42 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Obviously, the San Antonio Bar Association keeps their giant sombreros on hooks in the official San Antonia Bar along with the official San Antonio keg of cerveza.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
10/20/2011 19:54 Comments ||
Top||
#9
so five French citizens, several of whom were guilty of breaking into an American courthouse, all five facing burglary charges...will not be immediately ejected from the US, Janet Incompetano?
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/20/2011 20:15 Comments ||
Top||
#10
So you just wander on over...and get in through a window on the fourth floor?
[Edmonton Sun] A Los Angeles judge Wednesday revoked the probation for troubled actress Lindsay Lohan because she failed perform community service, and set a new hearing to decide if Lohan would have to return to jail. For ordinary people, revoking probation is an automatic ticket to jail...
Lohan, 25, was led away from the courtroom in handcuffs, but was expected to post bail and not spend time behind bars, pending the Nov. 2 hearing set by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner.
The actress was sentenced to 360 hours community service earlier this year as part of her sentence for stealing a gold necklace from a jewelry store. The "Mean Girls" actress also served 35 days under house arrest.
The actress' once promising movie career has been derailed by multiple trips to jail and rehab since 2007.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11127 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
I gather she didn't show up to the woman's shelter because she said "it wasn't fulfilling", or some such b.s. So the judge has decided that she do her community service at the county morgue.
A man from Northern Ireland has been jailed after an experiment in which he attempted to turn his own faeces into gold went wrong and started a fire in a block of flats.
Paul Moran will now serve three months in jail and a further 12 months on license after the failed experiment caused a fire at his Housing Executive home in Derrin Park, Enniskillen.
Moran admitted arson and endangering the lives of others in the fire, which reportedly caused over £3,000 worth of damage.
It is thought that as part of the bizarre experiment Moran left his faeces, along with other waste products such as fertiliser, on a heater.
In his ruling Judge McFarland told Moran: Rather bizarrely you were attempting to make gold from human faeces and waste products.
It was an interesting experiment to fulfil the alchemists dream, but wasnt going to succeed.
Morans barrister mentioned that his client was a man of considerable intellectual ability but that he had problems battling drug abuse.
#1
SecState Hillary has also called INDJUH = INDIA the "LINCHPIN" FOR THE US' ASIA-PACIFIC STRATEGY.
HMMMM, HMMMMMM, so lets see ...
> SHORT OF WAR, CHINA + PLA is basically left wid TAIWAN, HAINAN MARITIME CORRIDORS for access into WESTPAC + CENTPAC, OTHER PACOAS.
> Is US hoping that INDIA will be able to unilaterally counter the desire of IRAN, TURKEY + PAKISTAN to set up PACIFIC NAVAL PRESENCE???
> INDONESIAN NAVY? SINGAPORE NAVY?
> Anti-China, new US BFF? VIETNAM to have new Sub fleet capable of regional operations in six years? VIETNAM ALSO WANTS ITS OWN CIVILIAN NUKE ENERGY PROGRAM.
Rising China isn't gonna like being squeezed/blocked in - I also don't think the CMC + PLA planned on Muslim Navies trying to set themselves up in China's backyard???
[An Nahar] Research In Motion (RIM) on Tuesday set out to rev up itsBlackBerry and PlayBook lines with a tactic from Apple's winning playbook -- sexy, entertaining software applications.
Co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis opened a major RIM developers conference here with a humble acknowledgement that the company stumbled with a recent BlackBerry service outage and quickly shifted to talk of an upbeat future.
"The worldwide outages we experienced were unfortunate," Lazaridis said during an opening presentation at the BlackBerry DevCon Americas gathering.
"We restored full service as quickly as we could," he said. "Now, we are focused on making things right for our more than 70 million BlackBerry users."
Lazaridis then unveiled a next-generation BlackBerry BBX platform designed to let developers build rich, quick applications to run on RIM smartphones and its PlayBook tablet computers.
RIM has sold 165 million BlackBerry smartphones and more than a billion applications have been downloaded from RIM's online App World, according to Lazaridis.
The launch of the new BlackBerry 7 line of handsets was touted as the best in the company's history.
Lazaridis said that BBX, named in tribute to its combination of BlackBerry and QNX Software Systems technology, provides a powerful new platform for developers for programs focus on anything from work to games.
"BBX is a single unified platform for the entire world -- phones, tablets, and millions of inventive devices we use every day of our lives," said QNX chief executive Dan Dodge.
"You get reliability and security; our architecture is safe by design."
Noticeably absent from the presentation were clues to what RIM has in store regarding handsets that will run on the BBX operating system.
The company is on record saying that it plans to release new smartphone models early next year.
Demonstrations at DevCon were done on PlayBook tablets with seven-inch (17 centimeter) screens boasting multi-touch control capabilities.
"Just like we revolutionized wireless email we are transforming the tablet experience," Lazaridis said of PlayBook, which was released this year and has posed little challenge to Apple's market-ruling iPad.
Known for serious, work handsets as compared to sleek Apple or Android smartphones tailored for Internet-on-the-go lifestyles, RIM showcased game applications.
Science fiction action game "Dead Space" and racing title "Raging Thunder" were demonstrated on PlayBooks, along with a playful "ToFu" that involved firing virtual soy-based goo at targets.
Marmalade president Alex Caccia joined Lazaridis to show off a "Laura Croft" game built for BBX by Square Enix using his company's software engine.
"The performance is fantastic," Caccia said as he tilted a PlayBook to control an on-screen action film character.
"It's not an elbow waver you get with some of the larger tablets," he said in a slight jab at bigger screens on other tablets, notably iPads and Android devices.
RIM prompted applause with vows to streamline processes for making applications for its devices and getting software onto App World's virtual shelves.
In another sign that RIM is intent on shedding the "business-only" image of its devices, the company is building on freshly released BlackBerry Balance technology that lets work and play applications exist in harmony on handsets.
Balance, which will ship with every BlackBerry device, keeps company programs walled off from personal apps loaded onto handsets, according to RIM software vice president Alan Panezic.
"We think our users don't want one or two apps; they want hundreds," Panezic said.
"They want access to Facebook, Twitter, personal email and their corporate email," he continued.
Balance hosts company programs and data on RIM's network, requiring people to sign in with passwords if they want access from BlackBerry handsets.
Secure communications and encrypted email are at the foundation of BlackBerry popularity with companies and governments.
"We are investing in our future," Lazaridis said as he opened the three-day conference. "Our team is very strong and laser focused on one platform, BBX."
[Financial Times] A protest by more than 100,000 striking workers did not deter Greek politicians on Wednesday evening from approving the country's latest austerity package at its first reading, by 154 votes to 141.
Is that a spine we see? How exciting!
The result, which followed a day when clouds of smoke billowed over the Athens skyline after angry rioters set fire to piles of rotting rubbish
If the garbage men won't do their job, by God we'll do it for them!
and clashed with police in one of the biggest demonstrations seen in the Greek capital for decades, was a success for prime minister George Papandreou, improving the odds that Greece will be able to draw down the next 8bn tranche of its bailout loan from international lenders.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 03:36 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11126 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Seems like one George Papandreou or another has been the Greek PM for as long as I can remember and that, sad to say, is a long, long time. Had to google him and found this writeup on Wikipedia. Explains a lot.
[Swiss Info] Greece's parliament gave initial approval on Wednesday to a new round of belt-tightening needed to avert default, despite violent protests during the biggest rally in two years against the bitterly resented measures.
Hours after Greek police clashed with black-clad demonstrators outside parliament, all 154 of the ruling Socialist PASOK party's politicians voted in favour of the measures, which must secure a second vote on Thursday before the new wave of austerity is enforced.
The view of the ancient Acropolis was obscured by smoke from burning piles of rubbish and a bank building was evacuated after being set on fire by petrol bombs as a strike called by Greece's two main unions degenerated into violence outside parliament.
Much of the country was shut down by the 48-hour general strike, the largest since the outbreak of the crisis two years ago with government departments, offices and shops closed and at least 100,000 people taking to the streets of Athens.
"It's one of the biggest demonstrations in recent years. People showed they were determined to protest against these policies," said Mary Bossis, international security professor at the University of Piraeus.
"We are not done with these protests. We've reached a point where people don't feel the government represents them any more, they want a complete change," she said.
You have a parliamentary system. Your parliament can declare no confidence in the prime minister. Of course, they and he (and you) are all socialists, which means you got what you voted for.
Prime Minister George Papandreou, trailing badly in opinion polls, appealed for support from Greeks on the latest measures which include tax rises, wage cuts and public sector layoffs.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11131 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
"We are not done with these protests. We've reached a point where people don't feel the government represents them any more, they want a complete change"
Keith Olbermann is not in the witness protection program, but he might as well be. His show on Al Gore's Current TV (America's least watched network) has lost nearly a third of its viewers in four months.
Pretty impressive result for $10 million a year. That's just his salary.
Countdown with Keith Olbermann was a major draw when it was on MSNBC. On January 21, the network took a big hit when Olbermann announced on air that that would be his last show for them. Then in June, Current launched Olbermann and Countdown.
It was no surprise that Olbermann drew a big audience for its early shows - averaging 106,000 viewers a night. Unfortunately, by August it was down to 79,000. Last month's numbers were even worse. Olbermann's average was down to 46,000 viewers and was in no danger of coming close to breaking into the top 30 cable TV news shows. None of the top 30 is all that impressive in terms of audience when judged against non-pundit TV shows. For the third quarter of this year No.1 Bill O'Reilly averaged 2.8 million viewers, while No. 30 - the 12 AM showing of Dr. Drew on HLN - had 435,000. For comparison, Charlie's Angels got 5.9 million viewers last week and a cancellation.
To be fair, even at 46,000 Olbermann is still drawing twice what Current was getting before him. Pre-Olbermann, the network was averaging about 23,000 viewers a day in 2010. That means nationwide they had fewer eyeballs than a CW affiliate does in a mid-sized city. (The 2010 numbers are the most recent because Current's audience is so small that Nielsen only tracks them when the network pays it to and even then the numbers aren't given to the public.)
This explains why these dismal numbers have Current president David Bohrman so excited about continuing to be in last place. He says the network would be "completely transformed" in the next year with new primetime shows to support Olbermann. (He might want to consider completely transforming it into something besides a TV network.)
Al Gore, Current's chairman and co-founder, is also whistling a symphony past this particular graveyard. He told Crain's New York: "We're going to be creating a lot of jobs for people who are not afraid to speak truth to power." We can only hope this isn't the former vice president's solution to the unemployment problem.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 04:39 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11125 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Occupy Wall Street Socialists and Democratic Party approved 1 Percenter.
#3
Got you wondering if they too are raiding some charity's piggy bank to keep their life styles. Hollyweird bookkeeping, THE argument for a flat tax code.
#4
Gore's got a ton of money from his buddies that gave him free IPO stock, almost guaranteed to skyrocket. He just "won life's lottery", that he used to criticize others about. He can easily afford lots of parasites working for him.
#7
"His show on Al Gore's Current TV (America's least watched network) has lost nearly a third of its viewers in four months."
Um, the numbers in the story say he went from 106,000 to 46,000...maybe I'm not up to this new math but I seem to remember that 60,000 was more than 1/3 of 106,000. Progressive, lefty, liberal, Democrat math.
#8
Maybe the OWS campouts are part of the reason his audience numbers have cratered? All of his viewers are busy wandering the strees, looking for co-eds to rape or police cruisers to defecate against?
Or, you know, vice versa.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
10/20/2011 13:40 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Al Gore . . . told Crain's New York: "We're going to be creating a lot of jobs for people who are not afraid to speak truth to power."
K, here goes. "You are such a fat douchebag has-been loser, even Tipper Gore couldn't stand you anymore."
[Daily Caller] National Public Radio host Lisa Simeone appears to be breaking the taxpayer-subsidized network's ethics rules by acting as a spokeswoman for Occupy D.C. group "October 2011," which is currently "occupying" Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C.
Simeone hosts NPR's nationally syndicated "World of Opera" program and "SoundPrint," a program that airs on NPR's WAMU affiliate at American University in Washington, D.C.
When Roll Call asked Simeone about the conflict of interest and the apparent ethics violations, she replied, "Well, I work in radio still, but this is totally different" because she says she's a "freelancer." (SEE ALSO: NPR executives caught on tape bashing conservatives and tea party, touting liberals)
NPR's ethics policy for journalists forbids them from "engag[ing] in public relations work, paid or unpaid."
The code allows for exceptions in cases such as "certain volunteer nonprofit, nonpartisan activities, such as participating in the work of a church, synagogue or other institution of worship, or a charitable organization, so long as this would not conflict with the interests of NPR in reporting on activities related to that institution or organization."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/20/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under:
#2
Fire her immediately, no umemployment, give her the 18 months COBRA on her health insurance then drop her, lump sum however much is in her pension fund, ban her for life from working in public broadcasting.
Yesterday.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
10/20/2011 5:30 Comments ||
Top||
#3
That's "unemployment".
PIMF.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
10/20/2011 5:30 Comments ||
Top||
#4
That LA schools substitute teacher at Occupy LA ranting about the Jews has been fired. But I think this woman is safe as long as she keeps the Jew hatred hidden.
#6
The um, uhum, corporation for public broadcasting, beneficiary of tax loopholes and crony government and crony capitalism keeping their profits from aardvark and muppet licensing.
She's a tool of the machine! Time for occupy sesame street, unless y'all a bunch of posers.
#7
Update: Ms Simeone was let go from "SoundPrint" last night via a phone call, and to add insult to injury the NPR ethics code was read aloud to her as part of the process. The radio station that produces her opera show is mulling the possibilities, and NPR has ordered its employees to stay mum on the subject.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[NBC Philadelphia] A welcome home party for a teen released from juvenile detention resulted in gunshots and stab wounds for five people at the party.
A Los Angeles judge Wednesday revoked the probation for troubled actress Lindsay Lohan because she failed perform community service, and set a new hearing to decide if Lohan would have to return to jail.
[Daily Caller] National Public Radio host Lisa Simeone appears to be breaking the taxpayer-subsidized network's ethics rules by acting as a spokeswoman for Occupy D.C. group "October 2011," which is currently "occupying" Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C.
