Thursday, January 31, 2013

War Games | Grant Williams | FINANCIAL SENSE

?We live in a global economy, so you yourself cannot do something alone. You have to cooperate with your partners.?
? Kim Choong-soo, Governor of the Bank of Korea

?David Lightman: What is the primary goal?
Joshua: To win the game.?

? Dialogue, War Games

?I generally don?t know how far things go, but I can see which way they are going.?
? George Soros

?The fact is, currency wars are fought globally in all major financial centers at once, twenty-four hours per day, by bankers, traders, politicians and automated systems ? and the fate of economies and their affected citizens hang in the balance?
? Jim Rickards, Currency Wars

One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war!?

Thumb War

I was late to the sport of Thumb Wrestling, having spent my childhood playing such games as British Bulldog (sadly, a game deemed too violent for today?s less hardy progeny); but my children, prevented from engaging in any kind of physical contact on the school playground for fear of potentially life-ending knee-scrapes (or, more likely, school-ending legal action) were ardent thumb wrestlers; and I found myself engaged in what to me were rather pointless exercises during which new rules were arbitrarily added to the game, which seemed designed solely to ensure that Dad never won. (I am still not 100% certain what the rules are surrounding the ?sneak round-the-back-attack?, but that strategy did result in my losing handily to my daughter, Bront?, whenever combat ensued). No matter. Whenever the rhyming gauntlet was thrown down, it was on like Donkey Kong ? though the need to explain that particular reference to Bront? meant that I tended to enter the battle feeling rather old and decidedly unfit for combat. My run of defeats was truly epic.

Nobody ever really wins at Thumb Wars, which makes the whole thing rather pointless; and, as it turns out, the same can be said about the subject of today?s discussion ? Currency Wars ? which seem to be erupting across the globe; and, as they gain in intensity, these monetary conflicts are threatening to throw a major spanner in the works of a world that, until recently, seemed to have been operating under the assumption that it was possible for multiple countries to all devalue their currencies simultaneously in order to inflate their massive debts away.

Poor, misguided fools.

There are many parts of the current financial equation that puzzle me, from investors who are happy to accept guaranteed losses in their government-bond portfolios to governments that genuinely seem to think that increasing their spending by a tiny bit less than they had intended counts as a 'spending cut'; from yield-starved souls who feel that the appropriate return for dipping one?s toe into the junk bond market is sub-6% to business owners who, in a world sloshing in trillions of freshly printed funny money, are forced to pay double-digit interest rates for access to some of the magical bounty.

But beneath it all, at the wellspring of all the disconnects and false price signals that are making investing in today?s supposedly free markets an impossible task, lies the source of my greatest consternation: central banks.

I have one simple question for those august institutions, and it is this:

Do they really think it is possible for them all to devalue their currencies against each other simultaneously and achieve anything but rampant and universal inflation at some future point in time?

Thus far, the focus on a currency war has been rather diffuse and confined to the fringes of intelligent discussion. The first shot across the bow came way back in 2010 when Guido Mantega, Brazil's finance minister, stepped up to a microphone in S?o Paulo and broke the central bank omerta:

'We?re in the midst of an international currency war, a general weakening of currency. This threatens us because it takes away our competitiveness,' were Mantega's exact words. Simple. Accurate. Ominous. The FT takes up the story:

(FT): Mr Mantega?s comments in S?o Paulo on Monday follow a series of recent interventions by central banks, in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in an effort to make their currencies cheaper. China, an export powerhouse, has continued to suppress the value of the renminbi, in spite of pressure from the US to allow it to rise, while officials from countries ranging from Singapore to Colombia have issued warnings over the strength of their currencies....

By publicly asserting the existence of a ?currency war?, Mr Mantega has admitted what many policymakers have been saying in private: a rising number of countries see a weaker exchange rate as a way to lift their economies.

The politics of such an issue were immediately apparent:

The proliferation of countries trying to manage their exchange rates down is also making it difficult to co-ordinate the issue in global economic forums.

South Korea, the host of the upcoming G20 meeting in November, is reluctant to highlight the issue on the gathering?s agenda, also partly out of fear of offending China, its neighbour and main trading partner.

That was then, and at the time most 'policymakers' (unsurprisingly) as well as most journalists, or 'commentators' (as they are often called in such matters), opined that the term currency war overstated the extent of the hostilities. Any chance of such a conflict was ... 'contained'. You know, like that 'little subprime problem'.

The tools available for competitive devaluation begin with good old-fashioned jawboning. After all, why waste valuable reserves when markets can be scared or cajoled into a suitable reaction by a few choice words from a central banker armed with the necessary gravitas. Ain't that right, Mario?

Next up is the euphemistic process of 'intervention' in currency markets. This is, of course, aimed purely at manipulation 'stabilization'. From there, we move on to a mish-mash of interest-rate policies, capital controls, and something quite innocuously called 'quantitative easing', aka 'money printing', about which we have all heard quite a lot in recent times.

(Rant on: Incidentally, I have had enough of the whole business of trying to continually soften or find new and less-offensive phrases for just about everything that has invaded every corner of modern life. The final straw came this week when I discovered that the humble tracksuit worn by soccer players when warming up before a match is now called an 'anthem jacket'. Why? Because they happen to be wearing it as the national anthem is played. IT'S A TRACKSUIT. Please. Somebody. Make it stop. Rant off.)

Anyway, back to Currency Wars.

The 16-year period between 1995 and 2010 saw a huge shift in the world's currency reserves from West to East (a theme we will certainly return to this year), as can be seen from the chart below. During that period, emerging economies took advantage of shifting trade patterns to accumulate enormous foreign reserves, largely at the expense of their Western customers; but this explosion in their holdings can be traced back to the Fed's ridiculous 'lower for longer' approach to interest-rate policy, which persisted from the mid-1990s to ... well, I'll get back to you when I can fill in the back-end number, but suffice to say, it won't be any time soon.

17949
Source: IMF/TTMYGH

Where did that explosion in reserves come from? Well, some of it came from good old-fashioned growth (remember that?). The vast majority rest? Well, that would be debt ? you know, 'debt', the remedy currently being prescribed to fix the problem of too much debt? Yeah, that.

By the time July of 2011 rolled round, despite a period of relative calm, Mantega was still banging the currency war drum as he watched the Brazilian real continue to strengthen against Bernanke and Geithner's much-desired 'strong' dollar:

18023
Source: Bloomberg

(FT): Brazil is preparing a range of additional measures to stem the damaging rise of the real as the global currency war shows no signs of ending, according to Guido Mantega, the country?s finance minister...

Mr Mantega said the Group of 20 leading economies was still a long way from achieving its goal of agreeing new guidelines for managing currencies, there were 'struggles between countries' such as the US and China, and the global currency war was 'absolutely not over'.

'Absolutely not over'. No, it wasn't. In fact, it was just getting started.

The problems for emerging markets facing concerted efforts by slowing, debt-laden economies to weaken their currencies are well-known.

Slow growth and low interest rates in advanced economies continued to put upward pressure on Brazil?s currency, Mr Mantega said, forcing the authorities to consider further intervention in currency and derivatives markets to limit overshooting.

'We always have new measures to take,' he told the FT, indicating on the sidelines of an investor conference that these would not be pre-announced, but would include market intervention.

The relative strength of their currencies is a big issue for fast-growing economies. Too strong and, though the domestic market will struggle to overheat, competitiveness is impaired. Too weak and the reverse is true, but inflation becomes a serious issue. The answer, of course, is what used to be referred to as the 'Goldilocks' outcome. This term was quite popular until the subprime crisis made fools of everyone who predicted it as the likely endgame to the clear and present dangers facing the US economy. I would, in fact, venture to suggest that the disappearance of that particular term from the punditocracy's lexicon is perhaps the one good thing to have come out of the events of 2007-8.

But, as always, I digress.

It used to be that a government would decrease the value of its currency by literally devaluing it ? reducing its intrinsic value by lowering the amount of gold (or silver) from which coins were minted; but that was in a time devoid of fiat currencies and when there was extremely limited international trade, so exchange rates were of little or no importance. It was a time of hard money and gold standards.

Lords of Finance

The first great currency war occurred, coincidentally of course, during the Great Depression, when most countries abandoned the gold standard; and Britain, France, and the USA set off on a competitive devaluation process driven by sky-high unemployment (you'll stop me if any of this stuff sounds familiar, right?). As countries devalued against each other in the attempt to reinvigorate their export economies at the expense of their trading partners, nothing was really achieved (except that countless trading companies were bankrupted by wildly gyrating short-term exchange rates). This period in history is beautifully chronicled in Liaquat Ahamed's Lords of Finance (see left), a staggeringly good book from which I have often quoted in these pages. If you haven't read it, read it!

The Bretton Woods era, which ran from the end of WWII until August 15, 1971 (roughly) meant that, with gold anchoring a group of semi-fixed exchange rates, competitive devaluation was more or less negated; and, though the Plaza Accord, signed in 1985, brought about a major devaluation of the US dollar against the yen and Deutsche Mark, it necessitated the Louvre Accord two years later to halt the dollar's slide (you just gotta LOVE these bankers).

The Asian currency crisis of 1997 contained the seeds of an East vs. West currency conflict, but catastrophe was averted, despite the damage that was done to the US deficit and the seeds that were sown for a decade-long war of words between the US and China ? all of which brings us right back to today and the currency war that is just getting going.

Whenever such things are talked about, it is invariably in the context of the US dollar; but the trade war I want to take a look at specifically is the one brewing in my part of the world, between two powerhouses who bear considerable enmity towards one another. No, not China and Japan (that has the makings of a war of an altogether different kind), but Korea and Japan.

Sabil

The rather unfortunate-looking vehicle (left) is the Sibal ? the first car ever produced in South Korea. It was developed by the Choi brothers in 1955 and was based (as you can clearly see) on the chassis of the Willy's Jeeps left behind by departing US troops ? only about 50% of its parts were locally produced.

This put the Korean automobile industry about 40 years behind that of Japan, whose storied zaibatsu (conglomerates) began building in the 1910s the cars that would eventually come to dominate the world.

The other area where Japan had it over Korea was consumer electronics.

Back in the 1980s and into the 1990s, companies such as Sony, Pioneer, Hitachi, and Sharp were producing consumer electronics widely recognized as the best in the world; and alongside the likes of Toyota, Nissan, and Honda they helped Japan Inc. stand astride the world.

18324

Back then, Korean cars and consumer electronics were, frankly, a bit of a joke.

Nobody who could afford not to would buy a Daewoo or a Hyundai car. Nobody wanted an LG television. In fact, in 1981 Samsung Electric (the forerunner to Samsung Electronics) proudly boasted that it had manufactured its 10 millionth black & white TV.

Fast forward to 2012, and the change in the landscape has been nothing short of seismic.

Sharp sits on the verge of bankruptcy, once-mighty Sony has seen its share price plummet and is now the subject of speculation as to who may buy it and Hitachi is known more for computer disk drives than consumer electronics. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is the only company in the world giving Apple a run for its money.

Samsung surpassed Sony in 2005 to become the world's 20th-largest brand, and by 2012 it had not only become the world's largest-selling mobile phone company (some feat in today's Apple-dominated world) but had spent a brief period in 2007 as the world's largest technology company, when it leapfrogged the then-incumbent, Hewlett-Packard.

How did all this come about? Simple:

18128
Source: Bloomberg

As the yen strengthened due to its anchor role in the carry trade, the won weakened substantially, making Korean products far cheaper than those of their Japanese counterparts. Simultaneously, the quality of Korean cars and consumer electronics was improving dramatically, enabling Korean consumer electronics to sweep past those of Japan and their car industry to reach heights never dreamed of when the Choi brothers cobbled together the Sibal, as a look at the best-selling cars of 2012 demonstrates:

    ?1. Toyota Corolla (Japan)

    ?2. Hyundai Elantra (Korea)

    ?5. Kia Rio (Korea)

    ?8. Toyota Camry (Japan)

Having been gifted a huge headstart by Japan, South Korea is not about to allow the Japanese to claw that advantage back by standing still and letting them weaken the yen, as was made apparent by comments from South Korea's finance minister, Kim Choong-soo, in Davos this past week:

(CNBC): Basically, the level of foreign exchange has to be determined by market fundamentals in the medium to long-run. But in the short run, we all know that there are times where noises can matter, disturbances can take effect. But that's only for the short-term period," Kim told CNBC on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos.

"We all know the grave consequences of competitive devaluation efforts, which we experienced some decades ago. So I think it's time to sit together to talk about that. We live in a global economy, so you yourself cannot do something alone," Kim said. "You have to cooperate with your partners."...

Asked whether South Korea would be forced to respond to the Bank of Japan by managing the won in a more meaningful way for the country's manufacturers, Kim said: "It all depends upon how markets respond to such moves, and the markets have changed over time? our central bank will do whatever it's supposed to do to protect the high volatilities in the financial sector."

"And I'm particularly concerned about the volatilities. If changes are made too rapidly, we all know that will create uncertainties, and we have to do something to prevent that from happening," Kim added.

18349
Source: Bloomberg

Japan's currency has been strengthening for two decades, while its competitors have been happy to sit back and let the weakening effects of that move on their own currencies continue. Now Japan has decided it needs a weaker yen, and though the move has thus far been fairly powerful, we have reached the point where the likes of Korea will step in and defend the advantage they have gained over the last twenty years. As can clearly be seen from the graph (previous page), Korea's KOSPI Index has decoupled from the Nikkei as the yen slide has picked up speed, and that is a phenomenon South Korea simply cannot allow to continue.

This is how it starts with Currency Wars.

When it comes to ammunition reserves, Japan's balance sheet dwarfs that of Korea, with almost four times the amount of foreign currency at their disposal; but they will be fighting this currency war on multiple fronts, and those reserves can quickly become exhausted.

18162
Source: IMF

Printing money or devaluing your currency in a vacuum is one thing. Generally, you can make a difference up to the point where those against whom you are attempting to weaken push back (ask the Swiss National Bank); but once it becomes a competitive sport, all bets are off.

This past week, Japan announced that, as of January 2014, it will begin an open-ended, unlimited QE program to monetize Japanese debt (they are currently buying 36 trillion yen a month, or about $410 billion) and attempt to generate the magical 2% inflation that will decimate its bond market solve all its problems. Sadly, this does no more than allow Japan to catch up with other central bankers around the world who are already monetizing like crazy; but, purely on the basis that something is better than nothing, this change in policy has been cheered to the echo.

As we head into 2013, we find ourselves in a situation unlike any that has ever occurred in the history of global finance. The ability to simplify the complexity of that situation is something only the very brightest amongst us are able to do, and one such man is Raoul Pal of the Global Macro Investor (with whom I have recently been fortunate enough to have a fascinating dialogue). Raoul put together a very simple list which, at the time he compiled it in late December, beautifully highlighted the utter absurdity of today's central banking folly.

The list was split into sections that grouped the 38 countries that had negative or zero real rates (yes: THIRTY. EIGHT.), as well as the countries that either had explicit QE programs in place or were actively intervening in or verbally manipulating their currencies:

18195
Source: Raoul Pal, Global Macro Investor

Now, does it seem remotely possible that all these countries can have weak currencies at the same time? Of course it isn't possible. Not without rampant inflation, it isn't. But that doesn't appear to be a problem for the central bankers of the modern world, who are confident that inflation is 'contained'. Yes, 'contained'. Is anyone paying attention, I wonder?

The competitive devaluation merry-go-round will continue, because these buffoons have left themselves no other options. A currency war will break out in earnest; because none of them will be able to generate the weaker currency they need, and that will in turn lead to several exits from the EU, because the weaker economies will need to regain control of their own currencies and not be beholden to Brussels. This is the way things go, I am afraid.

"One, two, three, four, I declare a currency war!"

Bugs

There is one other important piece of Currency Wars that I want to take a look at before we wrap things up for the day, and it stems from a rather interesting recent announcement from the Bundesbank.

Last October, the Bundesbank was challenged by auditors to explain why they kept the majority of their gold overseas. They explained it rather neatly:

(ZeroHedge): The reasons for storing gold reserves with foreign partner central banks are historical... To be more specific: in October 1951 the Bank deutscher L?nder, the Bundesbank?s predecessor, purchased its first gold for DM 2.5 million; that was 529 kilograms at the time. By 1956, the gold reserves had risen to DM 6.2 billion, or 1,328 tonnes; upon its foundation in 1957, the Bundesbank took over these reserves. No further gold was added until the 1970s. During that entire period, we had nothing but the best of experiences with our partners in New York, London and Paris. There was never any doubt about the security of Germany?s gold. In future, we wish to continue to keep gold at international gold trading centres so that, when push comes to shove, we can have it available as a reserve asset as soon as possible. Gold stored in your home safe is not immediately available as collateral in case you need foreign currency. Take, for instance, the key role that the US dollar plays as a reserve currency in the global financial system. The gold held with the New York Fed can, in a crisis, be pledged with the Federal Reserve Bank as collateral against US dollar-denominated liquidity. Similar pound sterling liquidity could be obtained by pledging the gold that is held with the Bank of England.

So there you have it. The Bundesbank was extremely happy with holding its gold in New York (amongst other places) and saw no need to move it.

A couple of weeks later, the story surfaced again when Andreas Dobret of the Bundesbank gave a speech in front of the NY Fed's Bill Dudley:

(Zerohedge): Please let me also comment on the bizarre public discussion we are currently facing in Germany on the safety of our gold deposits outside Germany ? a discussion which is driven by irrational fears.

In this context, I wish to warn against voluntarily adding fuel to the general sense of uncertainty among the German public in times like these by conducting a ?phantom debate? on the safety of our gold reserves.

The arguments raised are not really convincing. And I am glad that this is common sense for most Germans. Following the statement by the President of the Federal Court of Auditors in Germany, the discussion is now likely to come to an end ? and it should do so before it causes harm to the excellent relationship between the Bundesbank and the US Fed.

Throughout these sixty years, we have never encountered the slightest problem, let alone had any doubts concerning the credibility of the Fed [ZH may, and likely will, soon provide a few historical facts which will cast some serious doubts on this claim. Very serious doubts]. And for this, Bill, I would like to thank you personally. I am also grateful for your uncomplicated cooperation in so many matters. The Bundesbank will remain the Fed?s trusted partner in future, and we will continue to take advantage of the Fed?s services by storing some of our currency reserves as gold in New York.

Pretty clear, it has to be said. No chance the Bundesbank would be repatriating their gold any time soon. Except...

On January 16, 2013, just a matter of weeks after their earlier assertions, the Bundesbank released the following statement:

By 2020, the Bundesbank intends to store half of Germany?s gold reserves in its own vaults in Germany. The other half will remain in storage at its partner central banks in New York and London. With this new storage plan, the Bundesbank is focusing on the two primary functions of the gold reserves: to build trust and confidence domestically, and the ability to exchange gold for foreign currencies at gold trading centres abroad within a short space of time.

The following table shows the current and the envisaged future allocation of Germany?s gold reserves across the various storage locations:

currency table 2012 to 2020

To this end, the Bundesbank is planning a phased relocation of 300 tonnes of gold from New York to Frankfurt as well as an additional 374 tonnes from Paris to Frankfurt by 2020.

The withdrawal of the reserves from the storage location in Paris reflects the change in the framework conditions since the introduction of the euro.

Given that France, like Germany, also has the euro as its national currency, the Bundesbank is no longer dependent on Paris as a financial centre in which to exchange gold for an international reserve currency should the need arise. As capacity has now become available in the Bundesbank?s own vaults in Germany, the gold stocks can now be relocated from Paris to Frankfurt.

Of course, no sooner had this story hit the wires than all hell let loose as the conspiracy theorists went on the rampage. Rumours swirled around of missing gold, rehypothecation, and massive price spikes as the Fed scrambled to get delivery of Bundesbank gold long ago leased into the market; but finding out the truth about the situation will likely take considerable time.

The important point about the Bundesbank move is that it heightens another form of currency war ? one that involves the only REAL currency, gold ? that began in August of 2011.

As I wrote back then, when Hugo Chavez demanded his 99 tons of gold from the Bank of England:

(TTMYGH August 26, 2011): Chavez?s move this week could set in motion a chain of events whereby Central banks who store the bulk of their gold overseas in ?safe? locations scramble to repossess their country?s true ?wealth?. If that happens, the most high-stakes game of musical chairs the world has ever seen will have begun.

One would imagine that a country?s gold would be stored onshore in their own vaults rather than be entrusted to a foreign power ? after all, if tensions WERE to rise between the two sovereigns, amongst the first casualties would be said gold.

Based on the paper prepared for the Venezuelan Finance Ministry and Central Bank (table, page 3), Chavez is about to ask a group of Western banks to hand over some $11.1 billion in gold bullion and, despite the obvious logistical nightmare that the transportation of this bullion presents, he will be expecting it to be delivered either to the Venezuelan Central Bank vault, or that of a ?friendly? nation such as China or Russia. Soon.

For the longest time, conspiracy theories about the amount of gold actually held in the various depositories have abounded ? in fact, we have discussed many of them in these pages over the past couple of years ? but now we may finally find out just what does lie beneath, as Venezuela?s grab for their gold could potentially start a landslide of demands for delivery that could unravel a web of deceit years in the making.

Or it may not. Either way, we MIGHT just find out who was right and who was wrong and be able to put the matter to rest once and for all. To quote Vizzini, it would be ?inconceivable? to think for a second that central bank governors the world over are blissfully unaware of the rumours about empty vaults, massive leasing programs, and fictitious allocations held on their behalf at places like Fort Knox, the Federal Reserve, and the Bank of England; so one can reasonably imagine that quite a few of them are sitting uneasily in their chairs waiting to see what the response is to the Venezuelan demands.

Personally, if I were a central bank governor, I know I would want to be absolutely certain that my gold was (a) exactly where it was supposed to be, (b) held in the amount advertised and (c) ... well ... made of gold, ideally ? as opposed to tungsten.

If there is ANY delay in repatriating Venezuela?s gold, it could potentially start a frantic scramble by central banks to claim their physical gold; and if that happens you can be assured that a fire will be lit under the gold price, the likes of which we haven?t yet seen ? even as gold has appreciated from $250 to $1850 over the past 11 years.

As it turned out, of course, there was no delay in repatriating Chavez's gold (which is good), but for Germany to pull the same move takes the game to a whole new level, based on the size of their holdings. They estimate that (for unexplained reasons) it will take them 7 years to repatriate the 8% of their gold that they intend moving from the Fed, so answers on that matter will be a long time in coming ? unless of course, other central banks decide that Currency Wars is a game they need to get good at.

Earlier in this piece, the chart of currency reserves demonstrated just how swiftly developing markets have been accumulating fiat currency in the last 15 years. A look at what those same central banks have been doing with their gold is highly instructive (not to mention very familiar).

Emerging Gold Holdings

Yes, emerging-country central banks are accumulating gold just as fast as they possibly can, as insurance against problems in the world of fiat currency; and those problems are liable to get bigger with each crank of the printing press.

It was Chavez's announcement that sent gold spiking to $1,900 back in September of 2011. Further announcements of similar actions in the wake of Germany's momentous decision may well have a similar effect.

But as I close this week I will leave the final word, appropriately enough, to the man whose book Currency Wars: The Makings of the Next Global Crisis is an absolute must-read on the subject ? Jim Rickards:

(Yahoo): Germany made even bigger splash than Japan in the gold market recently with its surprise announcement last week that the Bundesbank would begin repatriating gold reserves held overseas. The central bank said it wanted to keep more than 50% of its gold reserves at home, up from slightly less than one-third currently. With that in mind, the Bundesbank will move all its gold reserves now held in Paris back to Germany, and reduce its reserves held in New York City.

?Germany is saying that gold is money,? says Jim Rickards... Otherwise... they would just leave the gold where it currently is stored.

And Germany isn?t alone. There?s talk that the Netherlands and Azerbaijan will also repatriate gold reserves.

China, the second largest global economy but the sixth largest holder of gold, according to the World Gold Council, is increasing its gold reserves, Rickards tells The Daily Ticker.

?If the Chinese repeat their pattern, I expect late this year or early 2014 the Chinese will announce, ?We?ve got 3,000 tons or maybe 4,000 tons.? That will be a shock because suddenly the world will wake up and say why is China buying all this gold?" says Rickards.

He says the reason is obvious: ?Gold is the real base money.?

?In dollar terms gold hasn?t gone up that much lately, but in yen terms ? with the devaluation of the yen, gold is partly a function of the currency wars,? he says.

Yes Jim, gold is very much a part of Currency Wars, and the competition is just getting started.

*******

Before I run you through what you will find in this week's Things That Make You Go Hmmm..., a quick piece of housekeeping:

I will once again be speaking at the Cambridge House California Resource Investment Conference in Indian Wells, CA, on February 23/24th; and the line-up this year is fantastic.

Rick Rule, Greg Weldon, Frank Holmes, and Peter Schiff will all be in attendance, along with my great friends Al Korelin and John Mauldin; so if you are in the vicinity and would like to drop by and hear from any of these fine speakers, you can find all the details at the conference's website HERE

I hope to see some of you there.

Continue Reading

Source: http://www.financialsense.com/contributors/grant-williams/war-games

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Removing Colombia's landmines, one by one

Since 1990, more than 10,000 Colombians have been wounded or killed by landmines, including 982 children. Britain's Halo Trust expects to be one of the first NGOs to start clearing mines in the next several months.

By Anastasia Moloney,?AlertNet / January 30, 2013

A woman practices searching for landmines during a training session involving mock landmines in El Retiro, Colombia. The HALO Trust is establishing a program to begin clearing large areas of the country of mines that have been set by both the government and rebels during a long civil war.

Albeiro Lopera/Reuters

Enlarge

Civilian demining organizations are training staff to start clearance in Colombia, one of the most mine-scarred countries in the world.

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Two years ago, Colombia passed a law allowing local and international nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to carry out demining operations employing civilians.

Before then, insecurity and violence stemming from nearly five decades of armed conflict meant only the Colombian military was allowed to carry out mine clearance.

The British-based Halo Trust, a demining group, expects to be one of the first international NGOs to start mine clearance within the next several months, employing civilians using mine detectors.

?We are only going to work in areas that are considered safe by the government,? Grant Salisbury, Colombia program manager for HALO, told AlertNet.

?The first group of 14 Colombian civilians has been trained. We hope to increase that figure by 200 by the end of year.?

It is expected that humanitarian demining groups from Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway will also start operations in Colombia within a year.

Colombia has one of the highest rates of landmine victims in the world.

Since 1990, more than 10,000 Colombians have been either wounded or killed by landmines, of which 982 have been children, according to the latest government figures.

The government says Colombia?s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), is responsible for planting the majority of landmines and unexploded ordnance littered across the country, mostly in rural areas.

Using a tin of tuna and costing just $5 each, the rebels often use homemade mines as a cheap weapon of war to repel government troops. The drug-running FARC rebels also plant mines in and around coca fields ? the raw ingredient of cocaine ? to protect their valuable crop.

Colombia's challenging terrain makes mine clearance slow going.

?The terrain is going to be difficult. It?s mountainous and jungle. The daily clearance rate will be slow because of the terrain. It?s slow, but it?s essential work, and it?s possible,? said Salisbury.

Another big challenge facing demining operations in Colombia is a lack of information about where and how many mines are planted, meaning it is impossible to gauge the size of Colombia's mine problem.

As a signatory of the Mine Ban Treaty, Colombia has agreed to clear the country of mines by 2021.

?It?s way too early to say whether that obligation can be met and how much terrain remains to be cleared,? said Salisbury.

In recent years, demining in Colombia has focused on clearing all mines placed by the state military around 35 of their bases to hold off rebel groups.

Humanitarian demining in Colombia is still in its early stages and is largely confined to areas where government troops have secure territorial control.

Despite these challenges, the Colombian government is looking to step up demining operations across the country.

Under historic laws passed in 2011, the government hopes to return millions of hectares of land stolen by armed groups to their rightful owners and to encourage the return of up to 4 million Colombians forced off their land because of the conflict.

However, a key obstacle in giving back stolen land and encouraging uprooted families to return is that some of it remains mined and therefore unsafe for people to return to.

?Both danger and perception of mines is a major obstacle in Colombia?s development. A government plan that envisions the return of IDPs [internally displaced persons] will have to take into account demining,? Salisbury said.

In addition, with peace talks between the Colombian government and FARC rebels under way in the Cuban capital, Havana, the issue of demining is becoming ever more urgent.

If the two sides reach an agreement, demand for humanitarian demining operations run by the Colombian military and foreign and local NGOs will grow significantly.

? This article originally appeared at AlertNet, a humanitarian news site operated by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Hl715Pc6Nck/Removing-Colombia-s-landmines-one-by-one

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Scientific Games to buy WMS Industries for $1.42 billion

(Reuters) - Scientific Games Corp , which makes tickets and software for lotteries, said it would acquire rival WMS Industries Inc for about $1.42 billion to beef up its gaming machines business.

Scientific Games will pay $26.00 for each WMS common share, a 59 percent premium to the stock's closing price of $16.37 on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

WMS shares rose 54 percent to $25.25 in premarket trade on Thursday.

The deal, which includes debt of $85 million and cash on hand of $55 million, will immediately add to earnings per share and free cash flow, Scientific Games said.

WMS Industries, which competes with Bally Technologies Inc , manufactures and distributes games, video and mechanical reel-spinning gaming machines and video lottery terminals.

BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse Securities LLC advised Scientific Games on the deal, while Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was the legal adviser.

Macquarie Capital advised WMS on the deal.

Scientific Games shares closed at $8.93 on the Nasdaq on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Chris Peters in Bangalore; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/scientific-games-buy-wms-industries-1-5-billion-124255555--sector.html

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Carving China's own Buddhist tradition

Home > Travel

By Liu Xiaolin, Shanghai Daily, January 26, 2013

Ancient Buddhist grottoes along the Silk Road in western China are magnificent art that show the influence of many cultures over more than 1,500 years.

Shanxi, China --? Walking along spectacular Lifo Avenue, with its 26 marble ornamental pillars, I marvelled at the grand renovations undertaken at the Yungang Grottoes site. Compared with last time I visited nearly a decade ago, the zone has expanded to almost eight times the previous size, adding ancient-style pavilions and temples, a well-equipped exhibition hall and even a castle-style theater that stretches deep underground.

<< The seated Buddha in Cave No. 20 is the signature of the Yungang Grottoes.(Photo/Shanghai Daily)

Splendid as the renovation is, I quickly headed toward the grotto complexes. It is only when you see the grottoes stretching before your eyes that you can understand the beauty of Yungang Buddhist art.

In the south cliffs of Wuzhou Mountain west to Datong City, Shanxi Province's second largest city, the grottoes were created in the reign of Emperor Wencheng (AD 440-465) in Northern Wei Dynasty.

They were an attempt at atonement after the emperor's grandfather, Emperor Taiwu, attempted to extirpate Buddhism in AD 445, during a struggle with the Han insurgents. In the turmoil, numerous temples and Buddhist sutras were burned, statues toppled and monks killed.

Monk Tanyao is one of the lucky few who managed to escape. Later when Buddhism was revived, he convinced Wencheng to construct the grottoes.

Today, 45 of more than 200 grottoes in Yungang are open to the public. Most were created before the empire relocated the capital from Pingcheng (today's Datong) to Luoyang in Henan Province in AD 494. While the huge deep caves on the east and middle were ordered by royals, smaller ones peppering the west are folk art from before AD 494. Do take a look at these smaller ones if you have time, you will still find many surprises that make you awed by the folk wisdom of ancients.

Yungang Grottoes stand out among the four main grotto complexes in China, not only for kaleidoscopic carvings of Buddha and Jataka (the previous lives of Buddha), flying deities and musicians and monks but also for blending traditional Chinese carving with Indian Gandhara art.

A gateway to the west, it is where Buddhist grotto art starts to show Chinese characteristics, with carvings of Chinese pavilions and shrines.

Depictions of Buddha also vary: from the early period's simple masculinity; to the details and lavish decoration of the middle period; to later slender, attractive statues, reflecting folk images for immortals. That created a template for grotto art in northern China, that prevailed until the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

It's also a good place to study ancient history, art, architecture and even music - it took me quite a while to identify musical instruments from a group sculpture. Some of them no longer exist.

It's quite amazing that Yungang, built into on a sandstone cliff that is easily weathered, remains a good condition, compared with other grottoes.

Small holes in the statues tell of later renovations. The largest was in the Liao Dynasty (907-1125) when multi-storied pavilions were built on the cliff face, covering the entrance to almost every larger cave, protecting the grottoes from the elements. Renovations also saw parts repaired and the eyes of statues decorated with black glaze.

As with other Chinese grottoes, many caves are scarred by looting by explorers who hacked off parts and shipped them to places such as Japan, France and the United States.

Despite this, Yungang Grottoes remains relatively intact, an enticing gem that continues to beguile millions of visitors every year.Know as the "Five Caves by Tanyao," Cave Nos. 16-20 are the earliest group of grottoes built by Monk Tanyao on Wuzhou Mountain. Each main Buddha statue represents one emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534), through to the reign of Emperor Wencheng.

The sitting Buddha in Cave No. 20 is the signature for the Yungang Grottoes, frequently found on postcards and other souvenirs.

The front ceiling of the cave collapsed in early times, leaving the Buddha and the two others at its side in the open air. It has become a popular spot for tourists to take photographs. With a height of 13.75 meters, the Buddha, said to resemble the state founder Emperor Daowu, has a typical look used to represent the strong, tough northern nomads: with a full face; a broad forehead; a high nose bridge; deep narrow eyes; large earlobes; and broad shoulders. This style of figure dominates in early period of the Yungang Grottoes. A strong Indian influence can also be found in the clothing and accessories depicted in the statues and relief sculptures. Buddha often wears a robe over one shoulder, a common style in India. And a seated Buddha at the east side of Cave No. 18 wears a crown decorated with sun-and-moon patterns derived from the Persian Sassanid Empire. A vivid group sculpture of Indian monks also shows the exotic influences from the civilization to the west.

Cave No. 19 creatively set three Buddha statues of the past, present and future in three separate chambers, lending solemnity to surroundings. At 16.8 meters high, sitting Buddha Shakyamuni is the second largest statue in Yungang,

The standing Buddha in Cave No. 18 is based on Emperor Taiwu. His robe is decorated with thousands of Buddhas, implying his regret at persecuting Buddhism.

Emperor Wencheng's likeness is found the No. 16 cave. Unlike his predecessors, he wears a robe covering both shoulders, with a long knot dangling in front. That style resembles the Gandhara-style robe with a deep-V neck that is often seen in mid-period grottoes, and helps indicates these statues were made later.

Cave Nos. 9-13

These five caves are collectively called "Wuhua Caves," - five glorious caves - in recognition of their gorgeous colored paint work in later dynasties over the relief sculptures inside and out.

A peaceful cross-legged Buddha statue sits in Cave No. 13. Holding his left hand in front of his body while resting the other on his knee, the Buddha resembles the fifth ruler of the dynasty, Emperor Xianwen. A stone warrior, said to be his son - the later Emperor Xiaowen - stands on his leg and holds his left arm, both as a support and interesting decorative feature.

Cave No. 12 is also known as "the cave of music and dance" as it houses exquisite colored relief sculptures of flying dancers and musicians. In the top of its north wall are carved 14 flying musicians in striking poses, each playing a traditional Chinese music instrument. These include: the xuan (a round or oval-shaped pottery wind instrument); the guqin (an ancient seven-stringed plucked instrument); the pipa (a vertical plucked stringed instrument); a horizontal bamboo flute; the konghou (an ancient plucked stringed instrument), a waist drum and the paixiao (a vertical bamboo flute).

Some of these instruments are only found in ancient writings.Numerous relief sculptures of such elegant flying musicians and dancers cover the walls and on the vaults over the windows where sunshine streams in, casting its light over the Buddhas.

Shrine sculpture is another highlight in these five caves, varying in styles and Buddha statues. Shrines come in a number of shapes, including arches, tents or pavilions, while Buddhas sit, stand or cross their legs, a kaleidoscopic depiction of reincarnation.

Cave No. 9 and No. 10 is a double cave; if seen from outside, it has both a front chamber and rear chamber. Double caves in Northern Wei Dynasty can be traced back to Dowager Feng. The widow took charge at an early age of 24, and oversaw an age of suppression.

For 25 years, the empire was held by two "saint" rulers. Therefore, double caves were built to honor these two "saints."On the north wall of the front chamber in Cave No. 10 is a relief sculpture of Sumeru, the mountain that stands in the center of the world, according to ancient Indian mythology. Some 5 meters by 2 meter, carvings include children, deer-like animals, double dragons, the Indian monk Kumarajiva and Deva Asura. On the ceiling of a window over the group sculpture is a blossoming double-petal lotus; as if the shining sun, surrounded by flying deities.

Cave No. 7-8

These two caves form the earliest double cave in Yungang, where cultures from the east and India to the west harmoniously set against and embrace each other.

Inside the arch door to Cave No. 8, on the east wall is a relief sculpture of Indian Shiva Mahesvara. Riding on the sacred ox, the three-headed deity holds the sun, and a bow and arrows in his eight hands. On the opposite side is his son, Kumara, with five heads and six hands riding a peacock. The sculptures illustrate how the Yungang Grottoes borrowed and artistically combined elements from different religions and areas.

On the south wall inside Cave No. 7, over an arch door, is a rectangular curtain-shaped shrine, featuring six plump donors in flowing robes. These six donors were extolled by Liang Sicheng - the "Father of Modern Chinese Architecture" - as "the six beauties in Yungang," for their elegant shapes and enchanting smile.

The double cave also features early period flying deities with bright smooth foreheads, round buns and drifting dresses.Posing in a deep-V, the deities looks cute in an endearingly clumsy way.

If you go

How to get there:

There's one and only direct flight from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Datong Yungang Airport. Trains running through Shandong and Shanxi provinces, Beijing and Tianjin municipalities and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region all stop by Datong. Take Bus No. 4, 26, 28 and 17 to Xinkaili Bus Station and change to Bus No. 3 that runs directly to Yungang Grottoes.

Travel tips:

The scenic area is open every day from 8:30am to 5pm. Entrance fee is 150 yuan (US$24), with half price admission for students and the over-65s. Tour guides charge 120 yuan, or you can rent an electronic tour device for 100 yuan. This gives detailed explanations in English, French and Japanese.

Source: http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=18,11298,0,0,1,0

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Drastic flood insurance changes set for 2014 - The Plaquemines ...

Due to legislation passed in July of 2012?the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act? there will be major changes coming to the National Flood Insurance Program in 2014, with changes for business owners coming into effect August of 2013: federal subsidized flood insurance will end, homeowners who rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina will no longer be grandfathered in, and premiums will be priced based on the damage history of a property, among other changes. All
in all, homeowners can expect to see an annual increase of at least 20 percent for the next five years.

The National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA conducted public meetings in Belle Chasse, Port Sulphur, Pointe-a-la-Hache and Buras discussing the Biggert- Water Act and its effect on the future of Plaquemines Parish. FEMA?s new base-flood elevation
on the maps require home and business owners outside of the 100-year protection system?south of the Oakville Flood Wall on the Westbank, and the entire Eastbank? to elevate between 16 and 21-feet, depending on the area, to avoid a massive rate hike.

At the January 24 council meeting in Pointe-a-la-Hache, the Plaquemines Parish Council and Parish President Billy Nungesser urged the public to get informed on the sweeping changes to flood insurance.

?My understanding, on the briefing I received, is that anyone building will have to build to the new elevations, if you?ve already built below those new flood elevations your rate will be unaffordable,? said Nungesser.

The parish must adopt FEMA?s new flood maps by 2014, or the entire parish will not be eligible for flood insurance or federal disaster assistance.

?Alternative? We don?t have an alternative right now,? said Councilchair Byron Marinovich, after a resident asked what the parish?s options were. ?Our only choice right now is to not adopt FEMA?s flood maps, or the whole parish will not be
eligible for flood insurance or federal assistance.?

Speaking to the challenge of repeatedly getting federal disaster funding for such a small community, Nungesser said that going forward, he would like to see the parish put away $5 million per year into disaster fund, as a precaution for future storms.

?Had St. Charles Parish not been devastated we would have been writing the whole check for this storm [Hurricane Isaac],? said Nungesser. ?For future disasters, if we don?t see a large metro area receive the same damage the numbers will not qualify us for state or federal help, that?s something we need to plan long term for.?

Marinovich stated that he and other councilmen were ?going to Washington in the next week or two to talk to delegates about this.?

Councilman Burghart Turner stated that ?we should not adopt or accept these maps at this time.? Marinovich agreed.

Those from the professional sector are just as worried about sweeping changes. Local insurance agent Bill Bubrig says that as he and other insurance professionals see it, the most trouble lies not only for those rebuilding but the other structures that were built years ago to the old standards.

?After looking at the DFIRMs [new FEMA flood maps], it looks like everything in South Plaquemines is in a DV zone, which means you have to elevate 16 feet up to be in compliance,? said Bubrig. ?You can?t take every house down there and expect them to elevate; you?re talking about thousands? of dollars.?

Source: http://plaqueminesgazette.com/?p=2127

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State workers have second jobs in same department

California jobs records show many full-time state workers are moonlighting with second jobs in the same department.

The Sacramento Bee obtained January state jobs data revealing nearly a dozen state departments have allowed hundreds of employees to hold more than one job.

Some 571 nonunion employees held more than one position this month. Many of them are salaried managers and supervisors who are ineligible for overtime.

The data confirms claims by CalPERS pension officials that the practice is widespread.

CalPERS faced criticism earlier this month for paying hourly wages to salaried employees who did extra work with computer systems and customer service. Officials said the practice wasn't unique to the retirement system fund.

The Brown administration is taking steps to end the little-known moonlighting practice.

Source: http://www.kcra.com/news/politics/State-workers-have-second-jobs-in-same-department/-/11797268/18335866/-/d5pbhxz/-/index.html?absolute=true

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Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN): Video Games Are Worse Than Guns ...

"I think video games is a bigger problem than guns, because video games affect people," the senator from Tennessee told MSNBC in response to a question about proposed gun control legislation that would require universal background checks.

Words fail me.?

Failing the ability to live in a world where viewpoints like this weren't part of the political mainstream, I'd settle for a world where people like Senator Alexander had legitimate, good-faith discussions with folks like Adam Sessler instead of grandstanding about how (to uncharitably paraphrase the Senator) guns don't kill people, video games kill people.

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/01/30/sen-lamar-alexander-r-tn-video-games-are-worse-than-guns.aspx

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Virtual superheroes more helpful in real world, too

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Having virtual super-powers in a game may incite people to better behavior in the real world, according to research published January 30 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Robin Rosenberg and colleagues from Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab.

Participants in this study were placed in a virtual environment and either given the power of flight or rode as passengers in a helicopter. They were then assigned one of two tasks: help find a missing diabetic child or tour a virtual city. The researchers explain that regardless of which task they performed, "Participants who were given the power to fly like Superman in virtual reality were more helpful afterward, out of virtual reality, compared to participants who were passengers in a helicopter in virtual reality."

The researchers suggest that embodying a superpower in virtual reality may prime players to 'think like superheroes' and thus facilitate subsequent helpful behavior in the real world. Alternately, the authors also suggest that participants who could fly in the game may have felt like more active participants than those who passively sat in the helicopter while performing tasks, and this more active involvement may have induced their subsequent behavior.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Robin S. Rosenberg, Shawnee L. Baughman, Jeremy N. Bailenson. Virtual Superheroes: Using Superpowers in Virtual Reality to Encourage Prosocial Behavior. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (1): e55003 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055003

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/SUGqJMmfbG0/130130184151.htm

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Building Lasting Relationships: TLP Meets Breaking Ground | The ...

TLP?s relationship with Breaking Ground, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, began in 2003 when the organization reached out for assistance with the purchase of a residential building. Breaking Ground had already been providing education, job readiness, and employment services to Chicago?s poverty-stricken North Lawndale community for over a decade, but they used the resources available through TLP to continue to expand their services.

Breaking Ground founder Mark Ennis began rejuvenation efforts in North Lawndale after noticing the dire need for renewal and support in the community. In 1987, Ennis purchased a dilapidated 6-flat in North Lawndale and recruited 4 local high school students to assist with the rehab, but before long the whole neighborhood was involved in the project. Once the building was complete, it became the home to a volunteer-based afterschool mentoring and homework assistance programs.

The organization incorporated as a nonprofit and received 501(c)(3) status in 1992 as BG?s services and programs continued to gain momentum. Since its early days, Breaking Ground has grown into a large-scale job readiness and community development organization, with programs and services focused in and around North Lawndale. Currently, BG?s programs include affordable housing development, job training and placement, and after-school mentoring and tutoring.

TLP?s relationship with Breaking Ground first developed when the organization needed legal assistance with its purchase of a residential building intended to provide transitional housing for ex-offenders who successfully completed their job-readiness program.? BG was so pleased with TLP?s level of service that it continued to reach out to TLP for legal matters. In 2004, TLP arranged pro-bono counsel from Kirkland & Ellis to facilitate BG?s merger with an organization then known as Westside Habitat for Humanity.

Realizing its great need for further legal services, BG then asked TLP to partner their organization with general counsel to assist with legal needs as they arose. Starting in late 2004, Jerry Sherman from SNR Denton stepped up to the plate and began working as BG?s general counsel to assist with ongoing legal matters ? particularly numerous real estate transactions. Additionally, Keith Londo, also from SNR Denton, has been an invaluable resource for BG over the years. Despite an already very full billable workload, Keith worked tirelessly for BG on a number of matters, including land acquisition and construction financing.

Jeff Dennis, BG?s Executive Director, says that this relationship with the general counsel has been ?like gold,? and BG now has access to ?excellent counsel whenever we need it.? Jerry Sherman also praises the relationship, stating that he has been ?absolutely delighted with the opportunity that TLP afforded to my firm and to me with respect to Breaking Ground.? Jerry?s commitment to BG runs deep ? in addition to acting as general counsel, he also became a board member. Jerry says this is an opportunity he would not otherwise have had, and he is grateful to TLP and to BG for adding this dimension to his career.

TLP has continued to be a vital resource for BG when unique legal problems arise. In July 2011, BG sought TLP?s help with a tax matter on 70 homes that BG had constructed and sold on the West Side on vacant land donated by the City. A tax issue arose when Cook County began charging taxes based on a disputed valuation method. TLP connected BG with Thomas Sweeney, a volunteer attorney from Katten Muchin Rosenman. Thomas engaged with the County on this issue, and got the County to agree to a more reasonable valuation method for determining the taxes owed. BG has an ongoing relationship with Thomas as these issues continue to arise.

Recently, BG has become involved in litigation in California over an Operating Lease. BG?s pro bono general counsel had been handling the matter, but now a contact was needed for pro bono assistance in California. TLP stepped in and connected BG with a pro bono firm in Orange County that will handle the matter for BG. Jeff Dennis says that being able to call TLP whenever there is a problem and connect them to pro bono counsel has been ?invaluable.?

?

Source: http://www.thelawproject.org/2013/01/building-lasting-relationships-tlp-meets-breaking-ground/

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Bob Menendez Denies He Was With Prostitutes In Dominican Republic

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Robert Menendez's office says he traveled on a plane owned by a Florida physician who is a friend and political donor, but denied that the senator had engaged with prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.

The New Jersey Democrat's office issued the denial Wednesday. It said he traveled on three occasions on Dr. Salomon Melgen's airplane. The FBI searched Melgen's West Palm Beach, Fla., office Tuesday night and early Wednesday, but it was unclear if the raid was related to Menendez. Menendez's office said the trips were "paid for and reported appropriately."

The Daily Caller, a conservative website, reported shortly before the election that Menendez traveled on Melgen's private plane to the Dominican Republic to engage in sex with prostitutes. The FBI has refused to comment on whether Menendez is under investigation.

Menendez is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/bob-menendez-prostitute-denial_n_2583978.html

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Malian Troops uncover arms in house-to-house searches as Islamists retreat

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.newsxs.com/en/go/10882348/3059/

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Young Brazilians demand justice after friends die in club blaze

Keir Simmons / NBC News

Pablo Bizzi Mahmud, 20, lost 10 friends in the fire that tore through a nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil, on Jan. 28, 2013. He is leading protests to demand better government safety standards.

By Keir Simmons, Correspondent, NBC News

SANTA MARIA, Brazil ? Pablo Bizzi Mahmud might have died in the fire that tore through Kiss nightclub on Sunday morning, but the 20-year-old chose not to go. It turned out to be a fateful decision: 10 of his friends were among the 234?who died as flames and smoke engulfed the club before dawn. ?

When asked if any of his friends survived that night he said no. "They were all killed," he said as he walked through the streets of his hometown, Santa Maria.


"I was born here, I know a lot of people here," he added. "Everybody knows someone who was there."

Mahmud's?closest friend made it out but then went back in to help. He lost his life trying to rescue others. Another friend was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. He also perished.

Mahmud?has never protested before but?on Tuesday he led a march of around 1,000 people through Santa Maria to the mayor's office.

"Justice!" the protesters chanted in?Portuguese.

"Police, government, give us justice!" Mahmud shouted to the crowd through a megaphone, his determination driven by his duty to the friends he lost.

Many on the march were friends of the the mostly young people who died in the blaze.

Barbara Henriquez, 28, and Natalia Isaia, 30, knew five who died. They said they had many questions and few answers.

Felipe Dana / AP

A fast-moving nightclub inferno claimed the lives of more than 230 people in southern Brazil.

"Brazil doesn't do anything about it," said protester Mariana Barros, 22. "It takes a long time to do anything. We can't wait 10 years ? we need it now."

According to local fire chief Moises Fuchs, it's the laws that need to change, and fast. Brazil is hosting both the World Cup soccer tournament next year and the 2016 Olympics.

"We need stronger reforms on our safety regulations," Fuchs said.?

Questions for investigators include why there was no sprinkler system, no fire alarm and only one way out.

Police now believe a flare used during a live music performance inside the club was intended for outdoor use only and may have started the blaze. It is also feared that toxins in the smoke included cyanide and dioxin, making it all the more deadly.

These are all issues the young people of Santa Maria want addressed.

As the march slowed, Mahmud handed the megaphone to another protester and listened. Overwhelmed, he buried his face in the shoulder of a friend.

"I have a Facebook message from one of my friends who was there," Mahmud said. "He is saying let's go to Carnival this year."

Related:

Brazil club blaze survivor: 'An angel saved my life'

Brazil nightclub fire survivor: 'I felt her heart stop beating'

'Doomed to repeat history': Painful memories for survivors of '03 Rhode Island nightclub fire

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16770447-they-were-all-killed-young-brazilians-demand-justice-after-friends-die-in-nightclub-blaze?lite

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Puppies, Birds Stolen in Las Vegas Pet Shop Heists - 8 News NOW

  • Puppies, Birds Stolen in Las Vegas Pet Shop Heists

    Puppies, Birds Stolen in Las Vegas Pet Shop Heists

    Monday, January 28 2013 8:43 PM EST2013-01-29 01:43:15 GMT

    LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Police are reviewing surveillance videotape and trying to determine whether the same culprits are responsible for the overnight theft of puppies from one Las Vegas pet store and exoticMore>>Police are reviewing surveillance videotape and trying to determine whether the same culprits are responsible for the overnight theft of puppies from one Las Vegas pet store and exotic birds and lizards from a business seen on the Animal Planet cable TV series "Tanked."More>>
  • Police Arrest 1 in Jewelry Store Robbery

    Police Arrest 1 in Jewelry Store Robbery

    Friday, January 25 2013 10:35 PM EST2013-01-26 03:35:38 GMT

    LAS VEGAS -- Metro Police arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with a jewelry store robbery in the 7300 block of W. Sahara Avenue Thursday night. A second man remains at large. According to police,More>>Metro Police arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with a jewelry store robbery in the 7300 block of W. Sahara Avenue Thursday night. A second man remains at large.More>>
  • Distraught Man Tells Nye Deputies He Killed Man

    Distraught Man Tells Nye Deputies He Killed Man

    Friday, January 25 2013 1:47 PM EST2013-01-25 18:47:18 GMT

    PAHRUMP (AP) -- Nye County deputies say they've arrested a man who told them he'd killed his neighbor and left the body out for coyotes. Authorities say they got a call Thursday from a distraught PeterMore>>Nye County deputies say they've arrested a man who told them he'd killed his neighbor and left the body out for coyotes.More>>
  • Puppies, Birds Stolen in Las Vegas Pet Shop Heists

    Puppies, Birds Stolen in Las Vegas Pet Shop Heists

    Monday, January 28 2013 8:43 PM EST2013-01-29 01:43:15 GMT

    LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Police are reviewing surveillance videotape and trying to determine whether the same culprits are responsible for the overnight theft of puppies from one Las Vegas pet store and exoticMore>>Police are reviewing surveillance videotape and trying to determine whether the same culprits are responsible for the overnight theft of puppies from one Las Vegas pet store and exotic birds and lizards from a business seen on the Animal Planet cable TV series "Tanked."More>>
  • 1 Dead in Garage Fire

    1 Dead in Garage Fire

    Monday, January 28 2013 8:07 PM EST2013-01-29 01:07:57 GMT

    LAS VEGAS -- A person is in critical condition following a fire that started in a garage at a home near Paradise and Warm Springs roads. The fire started about 12:30 p.m. Monday at a home in the 7000More>>An elderly man died after a house fire that started in the home's garage Monday near Paradise and Warm Springs roads.More>>
  • Woman Killed in Crash

    Woman Killed in Crash

    Monday, January 28 2013 7:58 PM EST2013-01-29 00:58:21 GMT

    LAS VEGAS -- A woman has died in a crash near Charleston and Rainbow boulevards. The crash happened just before 2 p.m. Monday. According to Metro Police, the woman ran her car into the back of a RegionalMore>>A woman has died in a crash near Charleston and Rainbow boulevards.More>>

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Police are reviewing surveillance videotape and trying to determine whether the same culprits are responsible for the overnight theft of puppies from one Las Vegas pet store and exotic birds and lizards from a business seen on the Animal Planet cable TV series "Tanked."

Officer Laura Meltzer said Monday that four dogs were stolen during the first break-in just before midnight at Prince and Princess Puppies & Boutique, several miles southwest of the Las Vegas Strip.

Less than 90 minutes later, thieves broke the front door of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing and stole a tropical cockatoo and three macaws.

Store owner Wayde King says the thieves also made off with four bearded dragon lizards.

King's worried about his animals. He says the birds are his family pets, and weren't for sale.

Source: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/20755381/puppies-birds-stolen-in-las-vegas-pet-shop-heists

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