The Tragedy of Life....and so it goes on!

[Lou Barron]

America is a nation brought up on guns right from the early days
During the war they shot first and the questions afterwards

[j.sabourn]

America has gone along with Hollywood and immortalizing such so called heroes as Billy the Kid, who if the truth was known was probably a little phychiatric killer. Remember watching US movies where the US won the war in Burma, how they captured the enigma machine, and many more, they have put themselves in the position where they have now to back up all these falsehoods, if anyone can be bothered to question that is. I should imagine the average American grows up thinking that his country has saved the world so to speak. They are now seen as the worlds policeman. Was reading an Article the other day by a well known financial wizard, and the way he put it, it all boils down to the US just printing money ad lib. How this will affect the world in a hundred years time, we wont be here to see, pleased about that. JS

[Rodney Mills]

Roger, sorry mate, My humble apologies, but it is not Michael Brown, but a look alike.

My wife checked it out on Snopes and they said it was determined that the perp on youtube is only 5' 10" and much older than the 6'2" 18 year old Michael Brown.

In any case it shows a pretty brutal side of life. Sad.

Cheers, Rodney

[Roger Dyer]

Hi Rodders,

Apologies not necessary, mate, I appreciate your input even if it casts doubt on the validity of the 'clip'.

Having read your post, I took the trouble to view 'Snopes' article debunking the 'truth' of the subject footage. Whilst they raise certain discrepancies, it does seem they too are not without error. In the 'Snopes' article they show a number of pictures in support of their claim. One picture, purporting to show the building entrance in the film 'clip' and presumably taken recently, shows a marked discrepancy with the entrance as seen in the 'clip'. Firstly, the Snopes 'pic' shows only one step up from ground level into the entrance, when, in fact, the 'clip' clearly shows there are two steps. In the 'Snopes' pic there are three large windows to the right of the entrance at ground level whereas the 'clip' clearly shows there are no such windows. Furthermore, the pic shows two trees to the left of the windows shown on the left-hand side of the entrance (as viewed). Presumably, the 'clip' was taken two years ago, in which case those trees have to be the fastest growing in botanical history. If in seeking to enhance their article, 'Snopes' have taken licence to produce a view of a similar building entrance then, surely, they should have said so, rather than mislead the viewer.

To add further weight to their argument, 'Snopes' place great emphasis on the difference in height between
Michael Brown and the man/boy appearing in the 'clip'. Perhaps they are unaware that from age 16 to 18
some young men are capable of marked change in height, weight and facial appearance too! Besides, the kid in the 'clip' looks plenty big enough to me. 'Snopes' also point out the difference in skin tone between Brown and the assailant, however, of itself this proves little. The true colour of ones skin can so easily be wrongly depicted on film, depending on the existing light (exposure) at the time the photograph or film is taken.

For me, the most relevant points raised by 'Snopes' is their belief the film 'clip' was taken near Dallas, Texas (over 700 miles away from Brown's normal 'stamping' ground) and the fact the assailant appears to be wearing large studs in his ears, whereas, we are told, Brown did not have pierced ears. It may well be that as 'Snopes' claim, the film does not show Brown at age 16, but instead some other thug of similar neanderthal quality. If so, I just wish that in their quest to debunk this myth, 'Snopes' had exercised a little more thoroughness.

Whether true or not, Rodney, I must agree with you, mate, the behaviour of those young thugs in the film
'clip' stands as a damning indictment on the standards and values of the society in which we live.

........Roger

[Rodney Mills]

J.S. in WA, et al.

John maybe your financial man should "do lunch" with my financial man and clear up U.S. financial matters. Still your financial news WAS a couple of weeks old, so I'm sending you the following info. for your file to "keep you ahead of the curve."

As for Hollywood movies...we (Americans ) just view them as entertainment, apparently you and et al have a problem with the difference between entertainment/fantasy and history. Do y'all have a problem with Disney films? Elephants don't fly, if they do it's in an airplane, and not by flapping the ears. Oh! and Hollywood is a geographic location in Los Angeles CA. not part of Washington D.C.. Washington D.C. is where they set policy (I guess for the rest of the world to follow) and what is called Hollywood is primarily a series of companies—much like J. Arthur Rank and Ealling (sp.) Studios in dear old Jolly—that make entertainment movies in order to make a buck, and, once again, does not set policy for the United States and the countries—we are not fighting with—to follow.

It's funny, you and I will have a blue about the same old thing: your hatred of "yanks." we will shake hands in our post, and then out of nowhere you start up again. You are far from dim-witted, so I must conclude it is aimed at me, as you must know by now I'm going to retaliate in kind.


So, happy (some hopes) reading.


Rodney


WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is back, and ready to drive global growth in 2015.

After long struggling to claw its way out of the Great Recession, the world's biggest economy is on an extended win streak that is edging it closer to full health. But the new year doesn't look quite so bright in other major countries.

China is slowing as it transitions from investment to consumption. Japan has slid into a recession. Russia appears headed for one. Europe is barely growing.

And the U.S.


Six years after its financial system nearly sank and nearly that long since the recession ended, the United States is expected to grow in 2015 at its fastest pace in a decade. Its expansion from July through September — a 5 percent annual rate — was the swiftest for any quarter since 2003.

That pace will likely ease a bit. Still, the economy is expected to expand 3.1 percent next year, according to a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. It would be the first year of 3 percent growth since 2005.

The acceleration of U.S. growth is a key reason the global economy is also expected to grow faster, at about 3 percent, up from 2.5 percent in 2014, according to economists at JPMorgan Chase and IHS Global Insight.

CHEERING CHEAPER OIL

Plunging oil prices are a big reason for the optimism. Prices have been cut roughly in half since summer. In some areas of the country, gasoline prices have slipped below $2 a gallon. The drop, along with more fuel-efficient cars, will save the average U.S. household $550 on gas next year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That means consumers have more to spend on items like cars, furniture and appliances.


What's more, Americans' finances are in firmer shape. Job growth is accelerating. Businesses are investing in buildings and software, and home building is expected to pick up.

Lower oil prices will also help Europe and Japan, and the global economy should expand faster than it did this year, economists say. But the divergence between the United States and most of the rest of the world is striking and carries some risks. Big exporters, from China to Germany to Japan, will depend heavily on a recovering U.S. to boost their economies.

A pickup in global growth "is highly dependent on the assumption that the U.S. economy continues to improve," said Douglas Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets. "If that doesn't play out, there's not much left for the global economy to fall back on.

SWIRLING GLOBAL HEADWINDS

Even if the U.S. economy does strengthen further, the rest of the world could struggle. For one thing, faster growth will likely lead the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in 2015, which could draw more investment from overseas. The inflow of capital would raise the dollar's value and potentially cause destabilizing drops in other currencies. Governments and businesses overseas that borrowed in dollars would find it harder to repay those debts.

The hot economies of the last decade — the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China collectively known as the "BRICs" — will likely grow in 2015 at their slowest pace in six years, according to Oxford Economics, a forecasting firm. Falling oil and commodity prices have smacked Brazil and Russia particularly hard.

China may expand 6.5 percent or more. Yet that's a far cry from the nearly double-digit growth it enjoyed for decades. Europe and Japan will be lucky to expand even 1 percent.

The gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world reflects a fundamental trait of the U.S. economy: It's more insulated from the rest of the world's ups and downs than other major economies are. Exports account for just 14 percent of U.S. output, the smallest share among the 34 mostly rich members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

One U.S. company largely protected from overseas trends is Globe Specialty Metals, a Miami-based producer of silicon metals that draws 90 percent of its revenue from North America. Its silicon is added to aluminum and rubber parts used in cars, and robust auto sales have boosted the company's revenue.

CEO Jeff Bradley says he's optimistic about 2015. As gas prices have sunk, Americans have been buying more SUVs and pickups, which use more aluminum. Demand for solar power panels is also lifting sales.

"Things are lining up for next year to be one of the best years in the history of our company," Bradley said.

POWERING US CONSUMERS

In the United States, consumers are the main drivers of growth. And fortunes are looking up for more households. Employers are on track to add the most jobs in 15 years in 2014. As a percentage of income, Americans' debt has dropped to 2002 levels.

In some ways, the U.S. economy actually benefits from slower growth abroad. Investors in search of safety have plowed money into Treasurys, thereby helping hold down inflation and U.S loan rates, including for mortgages. Lower rates, in turn, could fuel more home sales and construction next year.

Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow, thinks Americans ages 25 to 34, stung by higher rents, will buy homes in greater numbers by the end of 2015. Mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have relaxed their down payment requirements, which were a strain for younger would-be buyers. Humphries also thinks developers will build more lower-priced homes that millennials can afford.

Some signs of hope overseas have emerged. Falling oil prices should benefit people in Europe, Japan and China, all of which import oil. And analysts expect the European Central Bank to ramp up its stimulus efforts, possibly by buying government bonds. That step would inject more cash into the economy to boost lending and keep rates low.

DOUBTING JAPAN

The global economy's biggest wild card next year might be Japan. It slid into recession last quarter after a sales tax hike hammered consumer spending. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has delayed a second increase to 2017.

Japan's central bank is buying government bonds and other financial assets in a bid to boost inflation and stimulate growth. Yet so far, wages haven't risen in line with prices, thereby threatening consumer spending.

Masaaki Ogawa, a third-generation vegetable shop owner on Tokyo's downtown Sugamo shopping street, is among many who feel frustrated.

"The older people have money, but they don't want to spend it," Ogawa said. "The younger people want to spend, but they don't have any money."



Cheers, Rodney


p.s. It would be nice if you would name the news source of these articles you quote from, much as I did in my above post to Roger, so that interested parties can study them. AP by the way is Associated Press.

Could the article you quoted from be from Pravda?

[j.sabourn]

As both your posts and mine were taken from some so called financial whizz kid , I would say they were both at an impasse. You have obviously copied yours directly from the internet, I unfortuanetly don't have those skills that you profess. If however the Article I read was put alongside your report would be more able to discuss. My contacts in Pravda are too busy or unavailable at the moment to discuss as there are much more worldly things going on. However if they ever do take the time to get in contact will let you know, as to give you an idea how the share market is likely to go. I read these articles and more than likely forget them as are other peoples views. Would rather go on tangible evidence, unfortuanetly as said will not be here to see the final results. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

Rodney, have just re-read your reply to my observations in more depth. Sorry if I give the impression of not liking Americans which you assume includes yourself. Let me assure you that is certainly not the intent. North Americans which include Canadians I have a lot of time for, at least the ones I know. As to yourself I have no idea about, believe I may have read your CV at some time or other as do with most. You will also notice I must hate the British Isles the way I also rave on at their politicians. In fact I must hate everyone on this earth going by your verdicts. As far as I am aware Politicians are there to be called out when others don't agree with. Sorry if anything have said is detrimental to your political system, However will be careful of all things appertaining to your adopted country if they appear to be detrimental. As regards finance I am just a layman, unfortuanetly for some we also have minds of our own when we see money being wasted. Oh I forgot to mention the shipowner, I am also a bigot when it comes to a lot of them as well. There you have me now, I am a self confessed bigot. Will this be enough to satisfy your feelings about me??? Cheers once again JS PS Please confirm where when and why I had a blue with you. Are you not getting mixed up with someone else. As to shaking hands has never happened to my knowledge, may at some stage in the past 6 years or so apologised to someone or other, but wouldn't even know your name outside the context of this site. JS