Friday Pussy - Ukrainian style

Ignore the insignias we're really just armed ukrainian cats on a mission.

The say the first casualty of war is the truth and while the situation in the Ukraine isn't a war yet the truth has been well trampled by both sides in this issue. It might have been a bit more plausible had the opposition party not set up a stage complete with expensive sound systems and left it up for over two months. In that case you have to question the financial backing especially when thousands of people remained in the square. I recall the days of the Vietnam protests where protesters had about enough money to stay in D.C. for about three or four days before having to depart.

Here's a bit of back story from the people on the ground. Yes you could actually ask questions of these regular folks if you knew where to go on the web. Contrary to what main stream media would have you believe these people aren't as dumb as they're portrayed. While a small group are extreme right wingers neo-nazis as they're referred to the bulk of the people there realize that they have no taste for either Russia or the EU. They'd like nothing better than to have their own autonomous nation free from the clutches of the east or the west. Sadly that probably won't happen as the country is $70 billion in debt. With an average per capita income of around $200 a month things aren't about to change any time soon. Reports surfaced that the protesters were getting $500 to show up at the square which may or may not be true. It's a safe bet that some monies were paid because who in their right mind would go to a square in the middle of winter to freeze their butts off?

Exactly how this will all end is anyone's guess but one thing is certain, the people aren't going to want to remain in the situation they're in now for very long. And if you step back a bit from the politics you'll note that it's nothing more than two factions of the 1% fighting over the country. Russia is dangling the carrot of cheap oil and gas while the west has its' better life style to envy. And there's the matter of the Russian navy fleet based in the Crimea that needs protecting. One has to wonder if a few older folks long for the days of the old Soviet Union even though it was as corrupt a system as what we see now. 

We are now at the point in the play Mrs Lincoln where the curtain falls but the play isn't over yet. All we can hear now are some muffled whispers behind a heavy curtain and at present there'll be no going back stage to congratulate the actors as they're still busy trying to write the last act. That is if the bankers are still willing to continue financing this. 

And as usual bank fails later... 
No bank fails this week carry on.

Friday Pussy - The Russians are coming the Russians are coming

Okay pussies are late this week, but the Russians weren't. And just how they'll spin their luncheon of lies on this one is anyone's guess, but one thing's for sure the little guy isn't going to make out well no matter what happens.
First off the U.S, has been wanting to get some type of influence in that region for some time now. We did after all finance the Orange revolution when it started to the tune of $5 billion. And the average "protester" this time around got $500 a month for showing his/her displeasure in the main square. That's about double the going rate er income of the average Ukrainian. The bribes and corruption are beyond the pale here. Should we be surprised? No because that figure is buried somewhere in some secret budget that nobody can talk about lest they be called a liar. Makes ya want to have a peek at a CIA budget just to see how our tax dollars are being stolen. National security my arse. Plenty of money for fine leather chairs and wall artwork but screw the veterans who actually paid their dues. What did you do in the grand scheme of things senator other than raise funds for you next election and quash another bill that just might have helped somebody? Thought so.

So what's this all about? It isn't about ideology or some flag waving support of national pride although that's what they'd have you believe. This is about oil gas and who has the power to control it. Putin sure got the free market thing down pat, vulture capitalism at it's best. The bulk of the energy lines goes right through the Ukraine and on to Europe so why not keep control of it? Just don't try and cross Putin or you land up in an unheated cell in a place nobody's ever heard of.

Ah but there's another plot turn to this three penny play that's ever so hush hush. That would be the fact that Exxon Mobile was about to reach a deal with the Ukrainians after a discovery of a large gas and oil find right off their coast in the Black Sea. Exxon wanted to pony up $700 million so you know this was no small potatoes. All of this was about to start shortly until the revolution started or should we say Kanukovich got a better deal from the Russians. Guess he didn't have enough play toys at the palace, but then maybe this wasn't about money because after all he had more than he knew what to do with. There must be at some point where the mass accumulation of wealth is just not enough. At some point the money becomes meaningless and then it's about the power. What a sickness that must be.

The Ukrainians were screwed from the start. The country was $15 billion in debt (a paltry sum by US standards) with little resources. Had they taken the first offer of a "bail out" from the EU they would have been saddled with even more debt compound interest can be a mother if you can't pay it back. The Greeks found that out the hard way. The other option was to go with Putin and his band of thieves. Either way it's not likely conditions would change. One thing is certain the little guys losses. The debt which was magically created (remember it's all done with smoke and mirrors because that money never existed in the first place) will be laid on two nations at a very minimum. Germany France and the other Eu countries don't have that kind of cash laying around in a bank vault. So there you have it.

And speaking of banks let's see how the little fish did this week.
We see two more banks hit the skids in Va and Pa.

Friday Pussy is revolting

Just a short post to let all of you know I'm still alive and little has changed here at the Casa. My little corner of the world is still dotted with foreclosures in spite of being in the shadow of Boeing. Recovery? What recovery? Popped down to the hardware store the other day to pick up same do dad or other and was about gang tackled before I got to the front door by the red vested hoards. Passing by bags of compost, "No sir I'm not needing any of this" I replied. And upon browsing the aisles I was accosted by no less than 5 other clerks offering their assistance. If only we could get governments to work like this.

So what's up in the world? Been watching first hand the events in the Ukraine. The internet is such a great tool. You can now experience an event up close and personal and there's plenty of translators out here in cyberland to explain what's happening. Watched yesterday a large group of protesters capture a bus full of hired government thugs just waiting to join the fray. Didn't find out what happened to this lot but a group captured earlier were hand cuffed together, painted with blue paint and released. We've seen worse fraternity pranks back in the day. Never did find out what happened to the busload as the net dropped.

Say what you will about all the politics of this but it boils down to a few things. People around the world are longing for some peace and safety. There isn't much work out there and people aren't making enough to get by. Average wage in the Ukraine is $200 a month and like so many other countries in that part of the world their factories are closed. There was a time when it was all about a company or corporation. Then companies became like kids playing with trading cards. Finally it's down to trading entire countries. Saddle a nation with debt from outside and you own it. That said...

Bank fails later 

Friday Pussy - Valentine edition

Sports Illustrated has their swim suit edition which is odd because the gals appear to be only wearing one half their swim suits. Much like the joke "panties half off" except this time it was sans tops.

Plushenko drops out of the olympics. Not that I care after the Salt Lake city fiasco and anyway who wants to watch a bunch of skaters dressed like Liberace?

Weather has been weird. We've gotten little to no rain over the winter while the east coast gets creamed with snow and the UK is swimming. And they say there's no climate change. Yeah right.

And tune in to just about any newspaper or TV and you get another shooting or stabbing. What ever happened to settling arguments with old fashioned fist cuffs? Everybody walked away and the only damage was a black eye or two.

Lloyds and AIG lose money yet give their upper crust big bonuses. How does that work and how do I sign up? I can lose money with the best of them without really trying.

One last parting absurdity to ponder (think George Carlin here) As this day is graced with the likes of a certain saint like in spring a man's thoughts turn to the fancy or something like that, ponder the reality of the situation. A man inserts the part used for expulsion into a woman's part she uses for expulsion and nine months later there's the beginnings of the process started all over. Crudely put and lacking in romance and all that I know but that's the reality of the situation. 

What you have no amante? Then beat it.

Friday Pussy - Is pissed

Nothing like getting kicked while you're down. The senate in the last two weeks voted first to give their corporate masters a nice after christmas christmas present with a 4 billion dollar farm bill subcity.  Part of that was done on the backs of the poor and the working poor who'll see their food stamps cut $90 a month on average.

If that wasn't bad enough the senate also failed to pass an unemployment extension, something they failed to do before christmas but again voted it down yesterday. What's truly irritating was that the democratic leader Harry Reid voted against it.

Lastly those unemployment figures are far from accurate. There's a ton of people out there out of work who aren't even counted because their unemployment ran out. 1.6 million to be exact and those were just the ones waiting for an extension. If all of your extensions had run out before the last cut off then you are no longer counted so the 1.6 million figure is even higher.

So as I see it Republicans are nothing but thieves and the Democrats are nothing but enablers. They are all nothing but corporate whores. Excuse me that would be an insult to whores. Speaking of whores...


Bank fails later.....

Friday Pussy - Mirror mirror on the wall

What the hell is going on? Warm up the pixels to the world and let's have the latest here it comes. I'm a poet and didn't know it. Longfellow move over here I come.

Trite you say? You want trite? Justin Boo Boo would fit the bill. Who f'in cares? Slap the kid on the "no fly list" and we'll never see the likes of him again at least not in this country. Problem solved. Now that's entertainment unless unless....

Unless you look at politics in NY or New Jersey. Sheesh! They just might run out of prosecuting attorneys before that's all over. Nothing could be more humiliating and degrading unless you compare it to a certain Toronto mayor who's now become the world's laughing stock.

Speaking of stocks (who asked you?) it appears someone has grabbed the flush handle and we now see the swirling mass or retirement funds making it way down septic system of the financial markets. Makes sense considering it's all run by rats. Sorry that would be an insult to rats. What's that smell?

Perhaps another cruise ship but who can afford a cruise these days? Sure not the sweet smell of victory that's for sure. Could it be the latest oil spill? Nah, and it doesn't smell like licorice either. One step forward three steps back, It just might be the agony of de feet. (get it?) 

Buy a new car they tout. Ha! can't afford a used one or even much maintenance on the one in the drive. All is but cruel punishment for following the rules of the game when the game was rigged in the first place. Have a look around your neighborhood and note all the parked cars with schleps trolling the net for a job that isn't there. Depressing isn't it? But not as depressing as watching another bank gobble up the assets of another while we get stuck with the bill. On that note....

Bank fails later.......
UPDATE: One bank fail this week in Idaho.

Friday Pussy - economy edition

You may recall china just a few months ago going with a stimulus package of several hundred billion to pump up a slowing economy. It appears that didn't quite work. While the idea of government spending generally works in a slowing economy it didn't work in this case for a couple of reasons. First off the bulk of the money never made it to the workers who actually spend the money. It went to the main banks and shadow banks who neatly siphoned off the money to themselves and their investors. All well and good for a while until the bill came due and it's about to do just that. Bonds sold for China's major coal industry are about to come due and with sagging coal prices they may default come January 31. The other main issue in the picture is what China did with its' housing market. In the last five years or so it's built more housing than any other country on the planet. Entire empty cities have sprung up seemingly overnight but the problem is that there were no industries to support them. And just like the U.S. housing bubble these apartments are priced out of the reach of the average worker. Pristine new trains run empty because wages are so low.

The Chinese took our concept of free market capitalism to a level never seen before but it's looking more and more like the vulture capitalism that's destroyed the U.S. Looking at charts and graphs it's mirroring the same situation pre- 1929 depression era economics where the debt to GDP ratio is moving off the charts. China is now discussing austerity measures just like but not as extreme as countries like Greece, Spain, and Italy. The big question will be how can China continue to have growth while the rest of the world is pulling back? Who are they selling to when nobody's buying?

And how exactly did we get in this mess to begin with? The problem or should we say the solution was addressed some 2000 years ago. Simply put it said not to charge interest to your neighbor and every 50 years debt has to be forgiven. Today those concepts has been thrown out the window. With a fractional reserve economy it's mathematically impossible to pay off all the debt now standing at an estimated $600 trillion dollars. Buggering your neighbor is a game best left to children on the playground.

There will be a major default it's coming soon. And will the last person in line at the payout window please turn off the lights. Oh that's right the bill wasn't paid so the power company will do that for us.

Bank fails later....