James Murdoch Steps Down As Executive Chairman Of News International

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/james-murdoch-steps-down-news-international_n_1309953.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ref=media 
James Murdoch has stepped down as executive chairman of News International, the British arm of News Corp., the company announced Wednesday. Murdoch, who was once seen as the heir apparent to his father Rupert at the head of News Corp., has now lost a key position within the company.
News Corp. cast the move as stemming from Murdoch's recent relocation to New York from London, and Rupert Murdoch said his son would "continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates." He will also remain as the deputy COO of News Corp. But the reshuffling will be widely seen as a reflection of James Murdoch's deeply diminished stature following wave after wave of damaging allegations about his complicity in News Corp.'s still-simmering phone hacking scandal.
Murdoch has long denied having any knowledge of the widespread nature of phone hacking within the News of the World tabloid. But a series of testimonies and released documents have put him ever-closer to a crucial 2008 meeting in which the former editor and legal director of the paper have sworn he was informed that criminality had been out of control within the organization. Murdoch was even sent a memo detailing the extent of phone hacking within the NOTW, but has stated he did not scroll down enough on his BlackBerry to read it.
The full statement from News Corp.:News Corporation today announced that, following his relocation to the company's headquarters in New York, James Murdoch, deputy chief operating officer, has relinquished his position as executive chairman of News International, its UK publishing unit. Tom Mockridge, chief executive officer of News International, will continue in his post and will report to News Corporation president and COO Chase Carey.
"We are all grateful for James' leadership at News International and across Europe and Asia, where he has made lasting contributions to the group's strategy in paid digital content and its efforts to improve and enhance governance programs," said Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive officer, News Corporation. "He has demonstrated leadership and continues to create great value at Star TV, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, and BSkyB. Now that he has moved to New York, James will continue to assume a variety of essential corporate leadership mandates, with particular focus on important pay-TV businesses and broader international operations."
"I deeply appreciate the dedication of my many talented colleagues at News International who work tirelessly to inform the public and am confident about the tremendous momentum we have achieved under the leadership of my father and Tom Mockridge," said James Murdoch. "With the successful launch of the Sun on Sunday and new business practices in place across all titles, News International is now in a strong position to build on its successes in the future. As deputy chief operating Officer, I look forward to expanding my commitment to News Corporation's international television businesses and other key initiatives across the company."

USA Conducting Criminal Probe of LIBOR Rate Setting by Banks

The LIBOR rate underpins loans to consumers, companies derivatives,  interest-rate swaps, floating- and fixed-rate interest payments. 

(Reuters) - The Justice Department is conducting a criminal probe into whether the world's biggest banks manipulated a global benchmark rate that is at the heart of a wide range of loans and derivatives, from trillions of dollars of mortgages and bonds to interest rate swaps, a person familiar with the matter said.

While the Justice Department's inquiry into the setting of the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, was known, the criminal aspect of the probe was not.

A criminal inquiry underscores the serious nature of a worldwide investigation that includes regulators and law-enforcement agencies in the United States, Japan, Canada and the UK.

Several major global banks, including Citigroup Inc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and UBS AG, have disclosed that they have been approached by authorities investigating how Libor is set.

Timmy's Troubles

Updated March 3, 2012Created February 27, 2012Former Forbes Asia desk editor Ben Fulford wrote:
Update 3/3/12 Bloomberg reports
CNN reports an unnamed source provided them with the counterparty list which includes many more just the German based Deutsche Bank AG and Merrill Lynch. However the list does not list amounts paid to each.  However the New York Times does provide us with some but not all of the amounts paid. The list is assumed to be in order of importance:

1. Société Générale (France) ($12 billion)

1. Goldman Sachs (USA) ($12.9 billion)

1. Merrill Lynch International (USA) ($6.8 billion)

1. Deutsche Bank (Germany) ($12 billion)

1. Calyon, Crédit Agricole (France)

1. UBS (Switzerland) ($5 billion)

1. Barclays (England) ($8.5 billion)

1. Barclays Global Investors(England)

1. Coral Purchasing, DZ Bank (Germany)

1. Bank of Montreal (Canada)

1. Rabobank (the Netherlands)

1. Royal Bank of Scotland (Scotland)

1. Bank of America (USA) ($5.2 billion)

1. Wachovia (USA) ($1.5 billion)

1. HSBC (UK)

1. Citigroup (not on CNN's list) ($2.3 billion)

1. JP Morgan (USA)

CNN also reports: 
Stanford University provides us this interesting graphic of the AIG Bailout Counterparty payments which is more forthright than either the Bloomberg, CNN or WSJ reports. And people trust these papers for financial information?  The chart doesn't agree with the so called financial press as to CDS counterparty payouts!  I trust the chart.


Fox News Reported this on February 29th.  It appears Geithner really was arrested by New York police and questioned then released. Apparently this is related to Timothy Geither's role as the head of the New York FED telling AIG not to disclose the counter party risk and that these payouts were because of synthetic financial derivative products.  There's some really crazy legal legal issues which Geithner is embroiled in, Judge Napolitano explains it better than I can.

"As predicted, the collapse of the Satan worshipping financial mafia is accelerating. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was detained for questioning by New York police on February 24th and was released after giving evidence about many high level financial criminals, according to New York police sources. “In most cases we have to slap people to get them to talk but in his case we had to slap him to shut him up,” one of the interrogators joked. Geithner has been released but is accompanied at all times by an armed deputy to make sure he does not leave the country."

“The Federal Reserve Bank of New York, then led by Timothy Geithner, told American International Group Inc. (AIG) to withhold details from the public about the bailed-out insurer’s payments to banks during the depths of the financial crisis, e-mails between the company and its regulator show.

...The New York Fed took over negotiations between AIG and the banks in November 2008 as losses on the swaps, which were contracts tied to subprime home loans, threatened to swamp the insurer weeks after its taxpayer-funded rescue. The regulator decided that Goldman Sachs and more than a dozen banks would be fully repaid for $62.1 billion of the swaps, prompting lawmakers to call the AIG rescue a “backdoor bailout” of financial firms.

...“It appears that the New York Fed deliberately pressured AIG to restrict and delay the disclosure of important information,” said Issa, a California Republican. Taxpayers “deserve full and complete disclosure under our nation’s securities laws, not the withholding of politically inconvenient information.”

[Rep.] Issa requested the e-mails from AIG Chief Executive Officer Robert Benmosche in October after Bloomberg News reported that the New York Fed ordered the crippled insurer not to negotiate for discounts in settling the swaps. The decision to pay the banks in full may have cost AIG, and thus taxpayers, at least $13 billion, based on the discount the insurer was seeking.         

The e-mail exchanges between AIG and the New York Fed over the insurer’s disclosure of the transactions show that the regulator pressed the company to keep details out of the public eye. Issa’s comments add to criticism from Republican lawmakers, including Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, who wrote letters in the past two months demanding information from Geithner, 48, about the costs of the AIG bailout.

Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said the e-mail exchanges were “troubling” and that he supports holding congressional hearings to review them.

Under pressure from lawmakers, AIG disclosed the names of the counterparties, which included Deutsche Bank AG and Merrill Lynch & Co., on March 15. The disclosure said AIG made more than $27 billion in payments without identifying the securities tied to the swaps or listing the value of individual purchases by each bank, details the Fed wanted to keep out, according to the March 12 e-mail from AIG’s Shannon.

Earlier that month, Fed Vice Chairman Donald Kohn testified to Congress that disclosure of the counterparties would harm AIG’s ability to do business. The insurer agreed to turn over a stake of almost 80 percent in connection to its bailout.”

“A.I.G. also named the 20 largest states, starting with California, that stood to lose billions last fall [2008] because A.I.G. was holding money they had raised with bond sales.

In total, A.I.G. named nearly 80 companies and municipalities that benefited most from the Fed rescue, though many more that received smaller payments were left out. ” 

LEAP BEYOND DUALITY CONSCIOUSNESS

"Contrary to what we may believe there are only two authentic core emotions: they are love and fear. Other emotions are secondary and are typically masks for fear. Of these, anger is very common. Although we may have come to regard anger as a source emotion, it is really a smokescreen for fear. When we look at our anger, we can always find fear buried beneath it. In our culture we are trained to believe that it's unwise to show fear. We erroneously believe that expressing such vulnerability will permit others to take advantage of us. Yet the fear is there nonetheless..."

81 RESIGNATIONS FROM WORLD BANKS 2/27/12

Banker resignation list has been moved to a permanent page.Please click here for latest listing.


Posted by         AMERICAN KABUKI at 1:15 AM  

15 comments:

Dr. Gillian GrannumFebruary 28, 2012 at 1:56 AM
Thank you. This is excellent. The question is "what do all these bankers know about the TRUE financial system that we don't know?" Why are so many suddenly resigning?
Reply
Replies

PaulFebruary 28, 2012 at 6:51 AM
A publication by David Wilcock, FINANCIAL Tyranny, has been released. Google divine cosmos and you will find the full text there.Reply
WhispersongFebruary 28, 2012 at 5:51 AM
Sheldan Nidle and many others like Greg Giles and Salusa, David Wilcock and Ben Fulford have been explaining what is happening about these resignations and also arrests. We've had a running commentary on it and you need to tune into them, if you don't understand what's happening. It's the dark ones who used to be in power leaving. Adios! We are to inherit the Earth back as well as our freedom! Soon love will prevail over all leading directly into a New Golden Age for all of us! Thanks for these updates. We've all been waiting for them.
Reply

Simetra DurgaFebruary 28, 2012 at 8:29 AM
Is there something you could share with us to assist in verifying this string of resignations to the internet blog "truth" nay sayers? Thank you. This post makes me happy. Good hunting indeed.
Reply
Replies

Riddle Mountain ManFebruary 28, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Quite simple each listing has the internet source listed right below it. Check a few out if you will.Reply
straingaugeFebruary 28, 2012 at 6:39 PM
WOW, how shocking. 81 in the last 6 months. Astounding!! With 196 countries in the world almost every country will experience a resignation within a year. Seems like an apocalypse to me. Of course we all know they must have resigned for some egregious acts
Reply
Replies

Bronny NZMarch 6, 2012 at 12:32 AM
Hi... Actually, 24 departures from 1 Sept 2011 until 30 Jan 2012; Departures in February alone = 57.
ie: if 24 over 5 months can be seen as the 'normal' attrition rate for people in this sector, why has the rate increased x 12 ??? Something's up !!

AnonymousJanuary 18, 2013 at 3:24 PM
This is off topic, but iN5d.com has been hacked by a bogus website under the guise of HostMonster. Screams bad guys...don't fall for it. Has anyone contacted Gregg to see what the deal is?Reply
FernmountainFebruary 28, 2012 at 11:25 PM
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/28/3053583/missing-sc-lobbyist-found-dead.html
Reply

Ronald EdwardsFebruary 28, 2012 at 11:59 PM
This is one of those cases where the world should hold trials on the basis of crimes against humanity... you know, like Nuremberg.
Reply

Steve TrueblueFebruary 29, 2012 at 10:15 AM
But what is the normal resignation rate for world bankers per annum? Anyone know ? They are simply replaced by clones aren't they? What percentage of world bankers does 80 represent? More than that would be off work on sick leave any day, surely?
Reply
Replies

Bronny NZMarch 6, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Hey there. Please see the reply to straingauge on 28 Feb Comment. It appears to be around 5/month globally, in this type of job... It may be less than that actually, as troubles were most certainly brewing by Sept last year... and a few of the rats would have wanted to jump ship sooner rather than later :PReply
CharlesFebruary 29, 2012 at 2:10 PM
NEW. A gathering of different sources of information regarding the hidden financial system.
American Kabuki
White Hats
Ben Fulford
David Wilcock
Poof and others
All in one!
http://www.scoop.it/t/hidden-financial-system

24 Government Corruption Investigations

UPATED 3/2/12MOST RECENT VERSION OF LIST CAN BE FOUND HERE:http://americankabuki.blogspot.com/2012/03/115-resignations-from-world-banks.html

......................................................................................PENDING GOVERNMENT BANKER RESIGNATIONS, CURRENT PROSECUTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS


(1) 7/11/11 (TURKEY) 30 public officials to be prosecuted for aiding, abetting Dink's murderhttp://www.todayszaman.com/news-263081-30-public-officials-to-be-prosecuted-for-aiding-abetting-dinks-murder.html
(2) 12/30/11 (CHINA) Former government official prosecuted for enslavementhttp://radio86.com/news/former-government-official-prosecuted-enslavement
(3) 1/06/12 (SWITZERLAND) Additional information on violation of bank client confidentiality by employee of Bank Sarasin http://www.sarasin.ch/internet/iech/en/index_iech/about_us_iech/investor_relations_iech/ir_news_iech.htm?reference=134093&checkSum=A443A2FBC6393D39377469026E48EF22
(4) 1/13/12 (SWITZERLAND) Police have interviewed Swiss People’s Party strongman Christoph Blocher as part of an investigation into the leaking of bank data in the Hildebrand affair. An IT worker at Bank Sarasin has admitted passing the confidential information to a lawyer. The bank fired the employee and pressed criminal charges against the employee and unnamed third persons for violations of bank client confidentiality [ITS TOUGH TO BE A BANK WHISTLEBLOWER IN SWITZERLAND!]http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Police_interview_Blocher_in_Hildebrand_affair.html?cid=31939476
(5) 2/6/12 (ROMANIA) Romanian prime minister and cabinet resign en massehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/06/romania-pm-cabinet-resign
(6) 2/15/12 (KENYA) Parliamentary committee calls for Kenyan governor to resign Parliamentary Select Committee finds governor's "conduct and behaviour incompatible with the holder of the office of governor of the Central Bank of Kenya"; calls for resignationhttp://www.centralbanking.com/central-banking/news/2152753/parliamentary-committee-calls-kenyan-governor-resign
(7) 2/15/12 (UNITED KINGDOM) Hedge fund boss whose explosive emails finally caught up with himhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financial-crime/9085471/Hedge-fund-boss-whose-explosive-emails-finally-caught-up-with-him.html
(8) 2/16/12 (PHILLIPINES) Koko Pimentel wants defense, prosecution both punishedhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/248254/news/nation/koko-pimentel-wants-defense-prosecution-both-punished
(9) 2/16/12 (JAPAN) Kikukawa, six others arrested as Olympus investigation continueshttp://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/02/16/kikukawa-six-others-arrested-as-olympus-investigation-continues
(10) 2/17/12 (PAKISTAN) Prime Minister to be prosecutedhttp://www.pmln.org/media/nd_4641_prime-minister-to-be-prosecuted.pmln
(11) 2/17/12 (GREECE) Culture minister quits over Olympia museum burglary - AFP - Greek Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos resigned Friday after masked armed robbers stole more than 60 ancient objects of "incalculable" value, including a gold ring, from a museum in Olympia. Sixty-eight objects were whisked from a museum...http://www.france24.com/en/20120217-greece-security-olympia-museum-theft-resignation-culture-minister-geroulanos
(12) 2/20/12 (GERMANY) GERMAN PRESIDENT Christian Ruff resigns (financial corruption charges)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2102524/German-President-Christian-Wulff-forced-resign.html
(13) 2/21/12 (PAKISTAN) GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PROSECUTEDPakistan Vows to Arrest Former President Musharraf for Bhutto Assassinationhttp://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/asia/pakistan-musharraf/?hpt=wo_bn4
(14) 2/21/12 (YEMEN) Saleh's deputy takes power in Yemen vote as sole candidatehttp://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/21/us-yemen-idUSTRE81J0RQ20120221
(15) 2/21/12 (PAKISTAN) GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PROSECUTEDPakistan Vows to Arrest Former President Musharraf for Bhutto Assassinationhttp://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/asia/pakistan-musharraf/?hpt=wo_bn4
(16) 2/21/12 (USA) Citigroup Whistle-Blower Says Bank’s ‘Brute Force’ Hid Bad Loanshttp://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-21/citigroup-whistle-blower-says-bank-s-brute-force-hid-bad-loans.html
(17) 2/22/12 (INDIA) Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik to register an FIR against Mumbai Congress President Kripashankar Singh for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act and has asked the Commissioner to attach all immovable properties belonging to Singh and his family. Kripashankar Singh has resigned as Mumbai Congress chief following the court directive.http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mumbai-cong-chief-quits-after-hc-procecution-order/232752-37-64.html
(18) 2/22/12 (AUSTRALIA) Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd resigns as Foreign Ministerhttp://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/former-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-resigns-as-foreign-minister/story-e6frfku0-1226278542431
(19) 2/23/12 (SWITZERLAND) Sarasin also said on Thursday it had sold its stake in Neue Zuercher Bank (NZB), one of the 11 banks under investigation by U.S. officials, in an attempt to isolate itself from problem U.S. client assets. The global crackdown on tax evasion by cash-strapped governments is causing a big shake-up in Swiss private banking that is prompting a wave of consolidation as many smaller players struggle to survive without the lucrative business of managing untaxed assets. Straehle said the fact the bank's future was secure now Safra had taken a stake should mean the bank can return to a growth path and poach staff from other struggling players. "We are convinced that our focus on sustainability and tax-compliant assets will pay off in the long run and that with the backing of Safra as a well-capitalised majority shareholder we can look forward to exciting prospects," he said.http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/23/sarasin-idUSL5E8DN2RW20120223
(20) 2/24/12 (HAITI) Haiti prime minister abruptly resigns post Conille, a physician who previously served as an aide to Bill Clinton in the former U.S. president's role as U.N. envoy to Haiti http://trib.com/news/world/haiti-prime-minister-abruptly-resigns-post/article_6fcdcb65-de9d-5c91-95ee-231a98736162.html
(21) 2/24/12 (NEW ZEALAND) The four directors of Lombard Finance - including former cabinet ministers Sir Douglas Graham and William Jeffries - have been found guilty of making untrue statements in the company's offer documents.http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/198940/former-ministers-found-guilty
(22) 2/24/12 (UNITED KINGDOM) Banker Mukhtar Ablyazov 'fled to France on coach' Mukhtar Ablyazov, the millionaire banker sentenced to 22 months in prison for contempt of court, has fled the UK and is understood to be hiding in France, a court heard. Ablyazov, the former chairman of BTA Bank, is alleged to have conducted fraud "on epic scale" while in charge of the bank. He fled to the UK after leaving the bank, claiming asylum against political persecution. The case against him alleges he misappropriated billions of pounds while in charge of BTA. In related cases, two other individuals - Paul Kythreotis, a business associate of Ablyazov, and Syrym Shalabayev, brother-in-law and associate of Ablyazov - have been sentenced to prison for contempt.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financial-crime/9104787/Banker-Mukhtar-Ablyazov-fled-to-France-on-coach.html
(23) 2/24/12 (UGANDA) Police quiz Uganda Central Bank Governor Mutebile overpayment guaranteed city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba UGS142 billion. Ministers call for Mutebile's resignation.http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/629242-Police-quiz-Mutebile-over-Bassajja-money.html
(24) 2/24/12 (GREECE) Former Greek bank head’s Swiss accounts frozen – reportshttp://www.euronews.net/2012/02/24/former-greek-bank-head-s-swiss-accounts-frozen-reports/
.......................................MISC EVENTS

(1) 2/23/12 (JAPAN) HSBC quits Japan consumer banking. HSBC says it will pull out of the consumer banking market in Japan by shutting down six branches. It started the business in Japan four years ago. The bank said it will gradually phase out services for retail clients, but will continue serving corporate customers. HSBC is undergoing a major revamp of its global operations. Last year, it said it would withdraw from "quite a few" retail banking markets over the next few years. http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20120223/news_20120223_56_820764.htm

Rumor 2/28/12 Banking Cabal Arrests

Unconfirmed rumor: "...this AM saw Interpol arresting 'bout 1/2 dozen director level FED bankers across the pond [UK]....don't know the outcome, but the big complaint is that these fellows have some kind of diplomatic immunity. They are saying to watch, of all things, the Chicago Trib, for details..."

MERS's Business Model Is Illegal New York's U.S. Bankruptcy Court Rules

This just in from the Huffington Post. Huge good news for beleaguered home owners in this down economy. 

United States Bankruptcy Judge Robert Grossman has ruled that MERS's business practices are unlawful. He explicitly acknowledged that this ruling sets a precedent that has far-reaching implications for half of the mortgages in this country. MERS is dead. The banks are in big trouble. And all foreclosures should be stopped immediately while the legislative branch comes up with a solution.

Its business model makes it impossible to legally foreclose on any mortgaged property registered within its system -- which includes half of the outstanding mortgages in the US. MERS was a fraud from day one, whose purpose was to evade property recording fees and to subvert five centuries of property law. Its chickens have come home to roost.

Judge Grossman rejected MERS's arguments, saying that mere membership in MERS does not provide "agency" rights to MERS, and agreeing with the Supreme Court of Kansas that ruled "The parties appear to have defined the word [nominee] in much the same way that the blind men of Indian legend described an elephant -- their description depended on which part they were touching at any given time."

He went on to disparage MERS's claim that since in legal theory the "mortgage follows the note", the Court should overlook the fact that MERS separated them. He stopped just short of saying that by separating them, MERS has irretrievably destroyed the clear chain of title, although he hinted that a future ruling could come to that conclusion:

 "MERS argues that notes and mortgages processed through the MERS System are never "separated" because beneficial ownership of the notes and mortgages are always held by the same entity. The Court will not address that issue in this Decision, but leaves open the issue as to whether mortgages processed through the MERS system are properly perfected and valid liens. See Carpenter v. Longan, 83 U.S. at 274 (finding that an assignment of the mortgage without the note is a nullity); Landmark Nat'l Bank v. Kesler, 216 P.3d 158, 166-67 (Kan. 2009) ("[I]n the event that a mortgage loan somehow separates interests of the note and the deed of trust, with the deed of trust lying with some independent entity, the mortgage may become unenforceable")."

That would mean not only the end of MERS, but also the end of the banks holding unenforceable mortgages because they were not, and cannot be, "perfected". MERS and the banks screwed up big time, and there is no "do over" -- there is no valid lien on the property, so owners have got their homes free and clear.

2008:USA BANKS KEPT SOLVENT WITH DRUG CARTEL MONEY

I'm not advocating this is a good thing by publishing this, quite the opposite. This is why medical marijuana is illegal.  Keeps the price high on a drug that is far safer than most anti-depressant prescription drugs.

At the height of the 2008 banking crisis, Antonio Maria Costa, then head of the United Nations office on drugs and crime, said he had evidence to suggest the proceeds from drugs and crime were "the only liquid investment capital" available to banks on the brink of collapse." Inter-bank loans were funded by money that originated from the drugs trade," he said. "There were signs that some banks were rescued that way." 

http://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/1115826_re-us-bank-dirty-money-.html

Posted by         AMERICAN KABUKI at 10:23 AM  

3 comments:

spktruthFebruary 29, 2012 at 7:28 PM
Marijuana is NOT addictive. It is a medicine that would replace 2/3 of the big pharma drugs in use today,with side effects that could kill you. Jailing our kids for pot to keep the prison industrial complex going, our soldiers addicted to heroin from Afganistan, how does opium get into the US, camels swimming the ocean?
Reply
Replies

American KabukiMarch 5, 2012 at 12:25 AM
I am not advocating prohibition of marijuana. Most of it comes from California and British Columbia anyway and isn't so much a factor in the cartels south of our border. Cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine are their preferred drug sales, more money per oz and easier to hide. The point of the article was that the whole reason the drug war is a farce is that its cash end up in American and European bankers hands. The higher the price the more profit and cash to the banking system and black ops budgets of various countries. Combine that with the fact that many police agencies heavily subsidize their budgets with seized assets from drug busts there is absolutely no economic incentive to stop the drug trade.
I have had two very close friends die from suicides induced by SSRI based anti-depressants. Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac and other drugs do not mix with hand gun ownership. One of these friend just had some mild anxiety and never suffered from depression. He was dead after the first week by self-inflicted .45 shot to the head. The other friend died from a 9 mm. While I don't smoke myself, I had childhood asthma and avoid smoke at all costs, I know my friends would have been alive if they could have chilled out on marijuana. Next to nobody has died from marijuana. The same cannot be said of SSRI anti-depressants. The were a factor in the Columbine killing and other strange deaths. They increase depression in young people.

BANKERS LOOT GREEK GOLD

The other shoe drops in the Greek Debt crisis.  All those bogus and double sold derivatives and swaps were about confiscation of the Greek national gold! 111.6 tonnes of it! Insolvent European banks have amended the Greek constitution to allow them to confiscate Greek gold!
Zerohedge.com is reporting that "the Greek population is about to lose its gold in a perfectly legitimate fashion, following amendments to the country's constitution by unelected banker technocrats, who will make it legal for Greek creditors - read insolvent European banks - to plunder the Greek gold which at last check amounts to 111.6 tonnes according to the WGC. And so we come full circle to what the ultimate goal of banker intervention in the European periphery is - nothing short of full gold confiscation."  

111.6 metric tonnes of gold at $1700/troy ounce is equal to US$ 6,099,639,644.
The charts at Zerohedge also shows the other three countries with high gold reserves are Italy, Portugal and Spain. The PIIGS have Gold. Hmmm...shades of FDR's gold confiscation on behalf of the Federal Reserve.