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Spain Plunders 90% Of Social Security Fund To Buy Its Own Debt
With Spanish 10Y yields hovering at a 'relatively' healthy 5%, having been driven inexorably lower on the promise of ECB assistance at some time in the future, the market has become increasingly unsure of just who it is that keeps bidding for this stuff. Well, wonder no longer. As the WSJ notes, Spain has been quietly tapping the country's richest piggy bank, the Social Security Reserve Fund, as a buyer of last resort for Spanish government bonds - with at least 90% of the €65 billion ($85.7 billion) fund has been invested in increasingly risky Spanish debt. Of course, this is nothing new, the US (and the Irish) have been using quasi-government entities to fund themselves in a mutually-destructive circle-jerk for years - the only difference being there are other buyers in the Treasury market, whereas in Spain the marginal buyer is critical to support the sinking ship. The Spanish defend the use of pension funds to buy bonds as sustainable as long as it can issue bonds - and yet the only way it can actually get the bonds off in the public markets is through using the pension fund assets. The pensioners sum it up perfectly "We are very worried about this, we just don't know who's going to pay for the pensions of those who are younger now," or those who are older we would add.
Via Wall Street Journal: Spain Drains Pension Fund In Borrowing Spree
Spain has been quietly tapping the country's richest piggy bank, the Social Security Reserve Fund, as a buyer of last resort for Spanish government bonds, raising questions about the fund's role as guarantor of future pension payouts.
Now the scarcely noticed borrowing spree, carried out amid a prolonged economic crisis, is about to end, because there is little left to take. At least 90% of the €65 billion ($85.7 billion) fund has been invested in increasingly risky Spanish debt, according to official figures, and the government has begun withdrawing cash for emergency payments.
Although the trend has drawn little public attention or controversy, it has become a matter of concern for the relatively few independent financial analysts who study the fund, which is used to guarantee future payments of pensions.
In addition, there are worries that Social Security reserves for paying future pensioners are running out much quicker than expected.
In November, the government withdrew €4 billion from the reserve fund to pay pensions, the second time in history it had withdrawn cash. The first time was in September, when it took €3 billion to cover unspecified treasury needs.
Together, the emergency withdrawals surpassed the legal annual limit, so the government temporarily raised the cap.
"We are very worried about this," says Dolores San Martín, president of the largest association of pensioners in Asturias, a small region that has one of the highest percentages of retirees in Spain. "We just don't know who's going to pay for the pensions of those who are younger now."
After the crisis began, some of those countries began using the pension reserves for other contingencies, such covering a drop in foreign demand for their government bonds. Since the collapse of Ireland's property boom, for example, most of its pension fund has been used to buy shares of nationalized banks and real estate for which no foreign buyers could be found.
"Most of the [Spanish] fund is an accounting trick," said Javier Díaz-Giménez, an economics professor in Spain's IESE business school. "The government is lending money to another branch of government."
Spanish officials defend the heavy investment of the Social Security Reserve Fund in their government's high-risk bonds. They say the practice is sustainable as long as Spain can continue borrowing in financial markets, and they predict the economy will start to recover late in 2013, easing the debt crisis.
"With foreign investors staying away from the Spanish debt market, you're going to need all the support you can get from domestic players," said Rubén Segura-Cayuela, an economist with Bank of America-Merrill Lynch.
Spain's commercial banks already have increased their Spanish government-bond portfolio by a factor of six since the start of the crisis in 2008, and now own one-third of government bonds in circulation.
The percentage of Spanish government debt held by the Social Security Reserve Fund stood at 55% in 2008, according to official figures; by the end of 2011 it had risen to 90%. Analysts say the percentage has continued to rise, even as international agencies have lowered Spain's credit ratings.
Spain's continued use of those reserves to buy its own bonds appears to violate a rule set by government decree that mandates their investment only in securities "of high credit quality and a significant degree of liquidity."
But with unemployment now above 25% of the workforce and fewer wage earners paying in, the Social Security System is about €3 billion in deficit, according to government estimates.
And in other news, and completing the picture, if not the circle jerk, is news from Libremercado that according to the Spanish Confederantion of Employer Organizations, some 60% of the Spanish companies are now losing money. Via Google translate:
The President of the Spanish Confederation of Employer Organizations (CEOE) has estimated that "60 percent of the companies are in losses. Thing is that entrepreneurs are more thoughtful and went outside."
Joan Rosell responds well after being asked if he receives "Spanish citizens too negative" in an interview with the newspaper La Razon, who heads a special titled "2013, the recovery begins," and says that "social unrest is evident and business world is no exception. "
The president of the CEOE has considered that the private sector "has already made ??all the restructuring that had to do and the decline in employment in the private sector has virtually stopped. now is the restructuring of the public sector."
After defining the first year of Mariano Rajoy in government as a year of shock, Rosell has considered that the Spanish economy remains "superfluous fat by many sides.'s Central government, regional and local. Avoid duplication. We are a country hiperregulado ".
It is not exactly clear why google translate had a problem with that last word...
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The Germans and just people in productive should just go Galt and only trade their goods with people who are actual customers, i.e., those able to pay with something of comparable value.
Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises.
I'm so glad that I am not psychologically "all in" to this system. I dunno how people are going to deal with "nothing left." Is that when we start seeing more face-eaters?
When this ride is over, people will truly see how much of a joke their whole economy truly was.
Pretty sure this is all coming off as expected.
...and it's gone http://youtu.be/NmFo-LKHGY0
100% of the Social Security trust fund has been borrowed by the fed gov and is in i.o.u.'s (Treasuries).
$2.7 trillion worth.
Yep, we can't plunder what is already plundered.
Hey, Social Security is a great American investment. After all, who wouldnt think that if you give Uncle Sam a $1 today he will give you $.75 cents when you retire isn't a good deal? I mean, you could lose it all in the stawk market and have nothing, or get something from Uncle. Which would YOU chose?
Show me on this anotomically correct doll where Uncle Sam touched you.
Right on my balls and he won't stop squeezing!
The complete and total worldwide economic collapse will fix most of we the peoples problems for us. And it'll be way too funny observing it happen.
The answer is bath salts. A video you won't see on US news:US Navy's old salts up in arms over designer drugs
"A spate of violent psychosis-induced attacks in the United States has their navy so concerned it has commissioned a video as part of a campaign to prevent its sailors from turning into sea monsters."
yahoo plastered that everywhere.. the PSA and everything
Except that it's all 100% total bullshit drug scare. The Faceeater Rudy Eugene had not taken bath salts - it all came back to one of the cops saying he thought that must have been it.
It would be preferable if commenters here ceased repeating blatant untruths.
That's fighting talk! good on ya.
Ben(B) the two of us need live no more
You yes know what you've been fighting for
With no place to call my own
Was blown up by a Drone. . . .
You Have A Friend In Me!!!
Your a shooting star on your way to mars
On a collision course; a sattelite; your outta control
Your a sex machine ready to reload like an Atom bomb
Your gonna whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa Explode
Your burning through the sky yeah
16T degrees thats why they call you Mr Farenheit
Your Printing at the speed of light . .
Dont Stop me now i'm having such a good time
Having a ball! dont stop me now; dont stop me now
I dont want stop at all. . . La lala lala
...the miracle of compound interest. :)
3) The 1983 Social Security amendments enacted hefty increases in the payroll tax in order to generate large future surpluses.
4) As soon as the first surpluses began to role in, in 1985, the money was put into the general revenue fund and spent on other government programs. None of the surplus was saved or invested in anything. The surplus Social Security revenue, that was paid by working Americans, was used to replace the lost revenue from Reagan's big income tax cuts that went primarily to the rich.
They skimmed 1.5% off FICA for "general revenue", raiding SS money for regular spending...a stealth 1.5% additional income tax to all brackets.
SS is not a government expense. It is repayment of a loan coerced through the IRS from the workers, who have no choice but to contribute. "entitlements" are just that, we are entitled ABOVE ALL OTHERS to repayment of those loans. Members of Congress who want to plunder SS are nothing more than thieves.
That is an incredibly naive viewpoint.
The reality is that SS is a pay-as-you-go system, always has been, and there are NO "loans", "lockboxes", or "trust funds" of any kind in any practical sense --- the money that is extorted from your and my paychecks (and more!) is spent for SS recipients just as soon as our kleptocratic government gets its hands on it.
You might just as effectively argue that the burglar who robs your house has taken out a "loan" of property that he is honor-bound to repay. Good luck with that one, too.
Nice how you wrote all of that, but you forgot the one important word: Ponzi.
Thanks fallst for posting that. +1
From your link:
The reason I don't believe the government will honor its debt to Social Security without major political pressure is that it does not legally have to repay the money. The government certainly has a moral obligation to do so, but, because of a 1960 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, it has an out. In the case of Fleming v. Nestor, the Court ruled that nobody has a "contractual earned right" to Social Security benefits. This ruling was based on Section 1104 of the 1935 Social Security Act which specifically states, "The right to alter, amend, or repeal any provision of this ACT is hereby reserved to the Congress." Based on this strong language, Congress could do whatever it wanted to do with regard to changing or even eliminating Social Security.
Btw that should be Flemming v. Nestor.
Why you were called an idiot and received 8 down votes is beyond me. I guess the truth does hurt some of those who've 'invested' in political hero worship of one cult of personality or another.
There is a group of junkers here that neither read nor comprehend the articles or the comments, but just reflexively junk when they see certain keywords. That is the limit of their intelligence and contribution.
Sorry but my programming required that I down arrow you for mentioning HFTs in a negative light.
My only regret is that I have but one junk to give!
Spain and the USA are rapidly "doing an Argentina": defaulting one way or another.
What is rehypothecation then?
Do remember that although this is inexcusable the difference between the US and Spain is that Spain cannot print its currency. Therefore, when the Spanish government defaults the Spanish Reserve fund will have nothing but cliams on a government that cannot pay, whether by inflating the currency or otherwise. That makes the Spanish situation a lot worse.
I like ZH and the comments because they do make me think about things. I don't buy the whole conspiracy theory or the working out as planning stuff completely as I don't think anything can be entirely controlled in todays world (an interesting question is whether those who preach revolution would turn me away if I asked if I could deposit my money with them instead of the banks?)
I agree there are those with more control than others. If I step back a few centuries when towns were new and small and a group of guys offered to start managing everyone's affairs, then it is pretty logical to assume that they took a small skim to remunerate themselves for their effort. Today's systems have grown organically from that and I don't have a total problem with it because I couldn't do it much better - certainly not with the vast and rapid increases in population that have been possible from all the revolutions and modermisations taken place within all the various civilisations around the world. Also, I don't want to bother myself with everyone else's administration - I'm too busy doing things I enjoy rather than managing everyone elses affairs (my choice).
I think a big part of todays issue is that people are just getting too lazy. If something can't be done online then its too much effort and too labour-intensive. Rather than do a decade's work, I'll just strip the equity out of my property. Yes, banks were to blame for getting too carried away, but they can't sell debt if no-one wants it and demand at the time was so great they had to create synthetic produces to keep up with it.
Anyway, have to wrap up my ramblings as have work to do, but I'm pretty sure the burgeoning populations are the real battle for governments and all the hamfisted and inappropriate policies are mostly as a result of that - as resources get harder to come by, those who have are the ones who get served first. I resent not being one of them, but there's nothing I can do other than try to scrape a little bit off the system at the same time as I contribute to it.
I mean there is of course the legacy of what we leave for our children, but there is also respect to pay to our elders. My father spent all his days working to make what he could for me and he gave his pound of flesh.... am I really all that above doing the same?
But will they understand how truly evil government is?
Throwing good money after bad...will not end well.
"I dunno how people are going to deal with "nothing left." Is that when we start seeing more face-eaters?"
sunaJ, When there is "nothing left" there is nothing left to lose, except maybe your face...
Broken windows represent an economic loss.
Breaking windows is good for the economy.
He's from Truthville and you can trust him. I should know, I'm from Liars Town.
Watch Brent bust one out for the bitchez.
you know the story of the island with the identical twins where one always lies and one always tells the truth?
They already plundered SS to waste on insane political favors and wars.
"We just don't know who's going to pay for the pensions of those who are younger now."\
It's just a good thing those who are older don't have anything to worry about.
Yeah, we don't even pretend the money has to come from somewhere, now. We just have the Federal Reserve claim that all the trillions of mortgage back securities that they are backstopping or given by the banks are capital for them to write checks for money they dont even have. Translate that into Chinese and see what happpens. #winning
Well they plundered it, that's for sure. The US SS Trust Fund is stuffed with nothing but a bunch of IOUs from Congress (not Treasuries, but a unique debt marker that is a distinction with little difference). The minute SS goes negative (which I think it did slightly in the last year or so for the first time) it starts becoming a drag on CURRENT tax revenues. Not 2033, when the "surplus" is estimated to be exhausted. Now.
Add that on top of other myriad entitlements that don't even PRETEND to have a reserve fund and you've got a recipe for a decline far more rapid than the average citizen thinks is possible.
And it's all trending in the wrong direction with 10,000 baby boomers retiring EVERY DAY. If it's any consolation, not even all the boomers will see the promised benefits. The HUNDRED TRILLION OR SO of "unfunded liabilities" (primises of futrue benefits payments) as they are called, are not fiction, although many pretend they are. They are about to become very real in the next handfull of years, thanks largely to demographics and helped along by the downturn in the economy. You could tax everyone at some astronomical rate and still never be able to pay for them all.
FYI- SS didn't always have a trust fund. It used to be "pay as you go" for decades. What were they thinking putting all that money in the hands of politicians who could so easily "steal" it? You gotta be nuts to think that was ever going to work out.
Great post. BTW the minute SS goes negative, SS ends. There is no trust fund.
Sorry, it won't go negative. Ben can print money to pay the bills, even better he can hit the zero key a few times on his keyboard and like magic, they have the money to pay the benefits. But gas and food will double or triple in price, and your SS benefits will be capped at 2% by their ever changing magical COLA formula. Most idiots will blame the food producers and the oil companies for gouging, but it will just be a magical slight of hand the Fed uses to shift the blame off of the government.
Slightly off. Sleight.
I need to lern how to spell now???? Dam.
No one "put it in their hands."
Just like now, a bill was passed, and the money disappeared.
Wait until you see all the damage from obamacare. (which YOU allowed !)
Actually, it was accumulated for a while and then it got disappeared. I think the "trust fund" was set up around 1982-ish (don't quote me on that) but it got disappeared when Bill Clinton used that surplus to offset the deficit. One of the main accounting gimmicks he used to get us to the "balanced budget" (slight surplus) during his 2nd term. A trick you can only pull once. Then you end up where we are now- recognition that like all Ponzi schemes before it, only those in early make out. Everyone who comes later just has their money taken.
Like me. And probably most of you.
If I could opt-out of SS I would do it in a cold minute. The payoff is years past break-even for most people. By the time I retire I would have to live to almost 100 to hit break-even on what I put in. My grand parents who retired in 1981 only needed 3 years to hit the break-even point, FYI. This is made worse by the fact I'm self-emplyed so I'm paying the 6.2% employee side (it just went back to that rate on Jan 1 from the temporarily lower 4.2% of the last 2 years) AND the 6.2% employer-paid side (which has been 6.2% for a long time and was not affected by the temporary 2% cut 2 years ago). That's almost 13% of my take-home that I would have IN MY POCKET if I could totally opt out of the SS system. THIRTEEN FUCKING PERCENT. How many people you know who save 13% of their income for retirement?? Gimme that 13 and let me take my chances. I suspect I'll be able to easily outrun my expected future SS benefit, even if by some miracle I get every dollar owed me, which I won't.
To say this is the Mother Of All Ponzi Schemes is massive understatement. Anyone not getting it right now or in the near future is getting screwed so bad it's difficult to wrap your brain around the enormity of the ass-pounding.
Oh, and as for Spain.... all I can say is "welcome to the party, pal." The European welfare state is in as bad or worse shape than we are. For years libs pointed to Europe as the model. They seem to make it work just fine so what's wrong with the US?? NOTHING is wrong with the US. They're as fucked up as we are, probably worse AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN SPEND NEARLY THE MONEY WE DO ON THEIR MILITARY.
THE WHOLE GODDAM WELFARE STATE IS GOING TO COME DOWN IN OUR LIFETIMES. The weight of demographics alone is more than adequate to crush the Ponzi. Add in some graft, corruption and stupidity along the way and it's game over, insert coins (a FUCKING LOT of coins).
THE WHOLE GODDAM WELFARE STATE IS GOING TO COME DOWN IN OUR LIFETIMES. The weight of demographics alone is more than adequate to crush the Ponzi. Add in some graft, corruption and stupidity along the way and it's game over, insert coins (a FUCKING LOT of coins).
End quote.
I truly believe that is the whole wicked plan. Then what follows? That is "their" goal.
Then what will we do?
They are organized. We are separated from one another and only offer our impotent comments.
How shall we organize? Is that not our best chance to fight back?
It's not a plan.
They are just incapable of thinking otherwise.
You can, actually, kinda, opt out. Plant a garden, live within walking distance of work, get solar power. Reduce your income to what you actually need (not want). This reduces all taxes. This is the future, embrace it. A penny saved is actually about two pennies earned. You don't need as much as you think.
Coming soon to a 'Theatre' Country near you.
i didn't think the u.s had a social security fund to take?
I was wondering for weeks how the interest rate on Spain got down to 5%.
They've looted SS dry.
Your 401k is next.
Shit peddler Alert!
We need all available septic trucks to go help the Fed move all that shit their printing!!!
Good thing we don't do this in the USA ... right . . . ? ? ?
Dig deeper, friend. Germany, et al lent them the money to buy what they knew they could not afford. But in the meanwhile, exports were up and all looked good. 'Blaming the victim' only goes so far. Same game here, of course.
"game" is the right noun
They could've at least spent the SS fund on something good...like killing brown people
I thought the Spanisgh were brown people. This pc shit gets confusing after a while.
Wash, rinse and explode.
Spain's toast.
'Nuff said.
French toast, too?
Germans are not so productive in my opinion. They used the EU structure to trick smaller countries into tax evasion scheme where they profited on their expense for trillions of EURos besides the policies they had written for themselves and their corporations. Their banks stand on water and so will be their productivity in my opinion. Only if military production will take a lead.
yep, all those cars and tech are made in Belgium ...or was it Portugal?
where's the fucking money shithead?!
"Whoever gives his labor for money sells himself and puts himself in the rank of slaves."
~Marcus Tullius Cicero
I like that. Was Cicero from the New Jersey mob or New York?
I believe Chicago... Where all those growing noses congregate.
You mean "Where all those pole smokers/salad tossers congregate"
Are you a slave to Soros? who pays you to lurk around here?
Are you a slave of Soros? He's a City-State (Civilization) slicker like you.
Maybe you should hang around and read the articles for awhile before you start carpet posting. Newbies(no matter how smart they are), usually get their asses handed back to themselves here. I know it's proper to fight first time out, but after an initial ass-kicking, a break and re-grouping is in order. This isn't Yahoo finance chat; there are some smart dudes here.
I think this advice should be framed...
After my initial ass-kicking (which wasn't even too severe) I'm still relegated to posting subservient collusional comments like this one.
+1 for the humour anyway
I propagate this advice after having my own lunch taken a couple of times early on. AKAK and Francis_sawyer both sent me home hungry; even after I hung around ZH for a year before even getting a login. Now I'm with you; just getting a jab in once a week, and that not very effectively!
"The last official act of any Government is to loot the Treasury".
-George Washington
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."
-Thomas Jefferson
"Unless you become more watchful in your states and check the spirit of monopoly and thirst for exclusive privileges you will in the end find that... the control over your dearest interests has passed into the hands of these corporations."
- Andrew Jackson
"I too have been a close observer of the doings of the Bank of the United States. I have had men watching you for a long time, and am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the Bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the Bank and annul its charter I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves. I have determined to rout you out and, by the Eternal, (bringing his fist down on the table) I will rout you out."
-Andrew Jackson
"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."
-Abraham Lincoln
The privilege of creating and issuing money is not only the supreme prerogative of government, but it is the government's greatest creative opportunity. The financing of all public enterprise, and the conduct of the treasury will become matters of practical administration. Money will cease to be master and will then become servant of humanity."
-Abraham Lincoln
"A great industrial nation is now controlled by its system of credit. We are no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men."
- Woodrow Wilson
"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."
-Theodore Roosevelt
It has become entirely clear that we must have government supervision of the capitalization, not only of public-service corporations, including, particularly, railways, but of all corporations doing an interstate business
-Theodore Roosevelt
There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short nor an easy task, but it can be done.
-Theodore Roosevelt
There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short nor an easy task, but it can be done.
-Theodore Roosevelt
These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power. In vain they seek to hide behind the Flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget what the Flag and the Constitution stand for.
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt
For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor, other people's lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness...
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much : It is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"Republicans approve of the American Farmer- but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand 4-square for the American Home, but not for Housing. They are strong for Labor- but they are Stronger for Restricting Labor's Rights. They favor Minimum Wage - the Smaller the minimum Wage the Better. They endorse Educational opportunity for all - but won't spend money for Teachers or Schools. They think modern Medical care and hospitals are fine - For People who can Afford Them. They consider electrical Power a great blessing - but only when the Private Power Companies get their rake-off. They think the American Standard of Living is Fine - so long as it doesn't spread to All People. And, they Admire the Government of the United States So Much - THEY'D LIKE TO BUY IT."
-Harry S. Truman
we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
-Dwight D Eisenhower
"Bacteria are prior to, and independent of humans. Humans are only the fruit of bacteria, and could never have existed if bacteria had not first existed. Bacteria are the superior of humans, and deserve much the higher consideration."
Abraham Lenin
"The usurpation of creating and issuing money is not only the supreme prerogative of the Fed, but it is the Fed's greatest pilfering opportunity. The financing of all public enterprise, and the conduct of the FED will become matters of private administration. Money will cease to be master and will then become servant of the Elites."
Abraham Lenin
"Whoever gives his labor for money sells himself and puts himself in the rank of slaves."
~Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cicero is overrated. He believed his political career was his most important achievement... You're selling (not giving) your labor (product/service) not yourself. There's a clear difference.
So Spain follows Argentina. And the Fed wonders if maybe US retirement money can replace the Fed in buying Treasuries? Ugh.
401Ks could keep things going another decade until the Chinese cut us off and the jobs come back. They're goal is to add 25 million jobs a year and should have plenty of consumers on their own side of the world by then.
China's running a trade surplus with the US and is not needing to be buying Treasuries. If the US gov is thinking of mandating that US citizens' IRAs, 401ks, et. al. have some percentage of US govt debt big enough to offset the Fed, they better also figure on buying up all the Japanese and Chinese holdings, too, as intelligent investors that could get out would get out. That really would be Argentina-style and would do bad things to the dollar. It would make us competitive again, sort of like the poor peasants in China.
Who would want to give China and Japan the security of 401Ks et al backing up their motgage backed security and treasury bond purchases, besides China and Japan? That was never part of the deal. Those investments are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, they knew that going in. The Feral Reserve on the other hand is our lender of last and only resort and they dont even have any money, now that's loyalty. We must reward them with security and higher taxes and austerity since they own the congress and president regardless of which party is in office. It wouldn't lower the value of the dollar if the Feral Reserve skims some off the top, that'll be stashed away for future generations of bankers unless they see China and Japan dumping their mortgage backed securities on the market cheap. Then the dollar would drop and that's what the politicians and Feral Reserve wants, so that the government promises can be cut in half by dollar devaluation.
History repeats itself. First as a tragedy, then as a farce.
Use the farce Luke, or as Rahm (It in your Fudge machine) Emanuel said "Never let a good crisis go to waste" Order out of chaos and all of that jazz.
If I ran these PIIG countries I would just start counterfeiting euros and be done with it. No disclosure, no bailouts - everything is "fixed" without the dog and pony show.
Isn't that the problem there? They forgot to add the "any bankrupt member can Print Euros at Will" clause in the pact.
EDIT: Oh, you said "counterfeit." Sorry.
What's the difference between counterfeit Euros and official Euros backed by nothing at all?
I'm glad you asked that question; really, I am. There's a very, very important difference between counterfeit Euros and offical Euros. It's, uh. uhh. it's, uhh; the paper. yes, that's it; real euros are printed on very very good paper. I hope that answers your question. next?
the spanish central bank can print euros as long as SPGB's remain investment grade (held in "pretend" welfare funs). pretty much the same in any country and its currency.
they still have actual money in their Social Security accounts? Wow are they behind the times.
They have a "Lockbox." Al Gore got his $100 lockbox payoff for his Tv "network' from Al Qeada today.
...last week I think...before the new tax rates on capital gains kick in.
The "burning" question is, will the male talking heads have to grow beards & the females wear burkas now?
And selling out to oil producing Qatar of all things...lol...a very Inconvenient Truth ;-)
No, this is Amerika.
The females grow beards and the males wear burkas.
yeah I was thinking about Qatar too. It's almost as if...he can be bought. You can payoff a vice president but you can't payoff his massage therapist
Do a little digging and you will find most of American TV (networks which own most of the channels) is backed by Saudi money and their supposed enemies aka Rahm, his brother et al. Fox is and so are the others. Disney's second largest shareholder Saudi/Al Waleed. The only one that is not in deep is CBS/Viacom/VH1/MTV. Sumner redstone has plenty of deals with them.
It is all about access to China's TV satellites and the Middle eastern (Saudi) sats. Why? Billions of people. VH 1 alone reaches 1 billion muslims in Indonesia. Turn off TV and Hollywood.
The Gore family and oil isn't a new thing...
For example, in the Democratic Party, Vice President Al Gore has a long-time relationship with Occidental Petroleum that has been enormously beneficial to the company. Occidental's late chairman, the controversial Armand Hammer, liked to say that he had Gore's father, Senator Albert Gore, Senior, quote, "in my back pocket", unquote. When the elder Gore left the Senate in 1970, Hammer hired him for $500,000 a year. Personally and professionally the vice president has profited from Occidental largess. To this day he still draws $20,000 a year from a land deal in Tennessee brokered between his father and Hammer. The total amount is more than $300,000. The personal relationship between young Gore and Hammer was very close throughout the 1980's, including trips on Hammer's private jet and constant campaign contributions.
For most of the 20th century, oil companies have tried unsuccessfully to obtain control of two oil fields owned and operated by the federal government: the Teapot Dome field in Casper, Wyoming, and the Elk Hills field in Bakersfield, California. Despite his public reputation as a staunch environmentalist, Gore recommended that the president approve giving oil companies access to this publicly owned land. It is land that the U.S. Navy has held as emergency reserves since 1912. In October, 1997, the Energy Department announced that the government would sell 47,000 acres of the Elk Hills reserve to Occidental.
Can someone connect the evil dots for me today? Last month the fed comes out and not only doubles down on QE but clearly states they will continue QE until well after the economy (year right) has begun to expand. They placed an emphasis on the fact that they would not wind down the program even if thing show improvement. Today there is a mutiny and several members want to end QE soon, at most by the end of the year.
Was this some long winded PM knockdown at the expense of setting off a treadury selloff prior to debt ceiling? That makes no sense. Was it because inflation reared it's ugly head? Nope? Unemployment hitting 6.5%? Nope.
Why would they come out a month after doubling down and indicate they want to reverse course? Unless they want to try to spark something? If so, what?
They have PM's in the crosshairs. When AU and it's brothers take off it's the end of the ponzi. They will lie, cheat, steal, fuck your mother, or whatever to make the sheep afraid of the PM's.
they're fucking my children more than my mother.. fuckers
An honorable system of governance does not do this.
When the law becomes little more than a mechanism to steal from the productive and future generations, it ceases to be a law that will be respected by anyone. Add in the fact that vested interests inside government, use the same, to maintain their power, their influence & prestige and you have the perfect storm of unethical behavior leading to corruption...and finally...systemic collapse.
at some point the children will come to realize that they are the adult and move to stop their older, destructive kids.
Think the stage is being set for 401k money to be forced to "invest" in UST's.
The Govt. is being paniced by the threat of the FedRes not funding the deficit.
Playing chess,not chequers here.
Now the FedRes doesn't want junk US debt either.They joined the club.
Then why threaten to end bond purchases and scare everyone out of the UST's they want everyone to buy?
Mainly nobody else except them is buying them.80% now.
A message is being delivered .They expect pressure from other holders/players to
carry the water.
The 401k money was always their exit plan.Too tempting a target.
Taking 401k money and giving the owners of the 401ks a credit (treasuries) in their SS accounts is on the horizon. It is only a matter of time. After all, they need to re-distribute the wealth. The rich need to do their fair share. Shame on you for diverting federal taxes in your 401k when others have not.
Why stop at 401(k)? The minute they pull that trigger is the minute this whole thing is exposed to the average joe with his $15k "saved" up. Plus, most 401(k) $$ is in the stock market. So, that would tank the market in 2 seconds taking all that 401(k) $$ out of stocks and shoving it into bonds.
Unless that is what they want - and if the end of the market is to be, then why not take every fucking dime in stocks and transfer it over to Bonds? Close out every mutual fund and trading house in the USA all at once. Now Unca Sam's bonds are the only thing anyone can invest in.
no it will just be collateralized ... rehypocathated or whatever.. spin and make more from nothing to support all our dreams
The same game as last time, just more people going hawkish. Playing into what we know (and others) - that QE can't end. Just smoke and mirrors for the masses. Nothing else - except a sign that pressure is starting to mount... big time.
Plus, they have the market cornered anyhow. Keep in mind that funds desperately need yield and have no choice but to accommodate previously unheard of risk or go bust. The game will be played right up until the music stops.
Why chance the spark of a treasury selloff? What was the goal? Knock PM's down a few bucks? In the process making themselves look like total schizophrenic nut jobs?
I think the nut job thing is more like it.
Please don't throw me in the briar patch! lol.
It's the eventual exit. Fed was built to be dismantled. Just like any other corporation built to veil and protect it's shareholders.
come on in centerline. I am out here in the deep end.
The fed may exit, but it won't send smoke signals. It will just end and take as many with it as possible.
I like where you are at fonz. Always liked your comments and lines of thought.
Maybe they are trying to drag down the price of PMs to discourage buying of said PMs either by Central Banks or sheeple? Trying to maintain the currency monoply by smashing the oppenents.
Who knows?!
That is probably the answer. I am probably complicating it, and thanks for the compliment. To do that at the expense of a bond selloff just blows my mind. Unless a bond selloff is what they want.
I think the commenter Al Huxley put it better terms than I ever could,
"I'm not sure how much of this stuff is planned and how much of the time they're just shooting from the hip and making shit up as they go now. I'm pretty sure they have an overall game plan, but there are going to be surprises along the way - nobody has complete control of the way all of this unfolds."
Are the central planners omnicient and, more importantly, omnipotent? I doubt it. Maybe they are testing the waters?
Al knows his shit.
Check this out.
The Perception enforcers are already coming out.
Read the fucking comments! Do the sheeple awaken in 2013?!
The Feral Reserve can't buy $5 trillion to $10 trillion more in treasury bonds at the same time they save mortgage backed securities Detroit, New Jersey, New York, Europe and pensions. They want to see interest rates go up even though the value of their bonds go down in the short term. Their capital of all those mortgage backed securities and treasury bonds could be called fraud and not need to be paid back if they raise their balance sheet to double digit trillions. They want to see the annual deficit at least cut in half and are signaling that even with millions of lost jobs involved. They were going to have to choke at some point. The Chinese and Japanese will never be paid and the Feral Reserve is looking iffy.
Why not just have an old fashioned market tank and go NIRP? Why spook the bond market? How are they going to cut the deficit in half? Keep going I'm listening.
Well, it might be a bit tea party republican, but they could cut off all aid to states. It doesn't make much sense for people in Detroit to pay for teachers and firemen in Cleveland. They say the federal government pays for one third of the state budgets, so stop doing it. Let them raise taxes at the local level. I'm taking a wild guess of $450 billion there. Then, cut off all foreign aid and enough military cuts to get another $150 billion. That gets us pretty close. Let the bush tax cuts(now the Obama tax cuts) expire early and we're there. The main issue is $250 a month labor on the other side of the world that dictates that we have to waste a lot of energy resources to keep that exploitation going as long as possible to keep the corporations rich. It's actually nonsense from anything but a fiat perspective and will collapse eventually. I hope for China to confiscate their factories and property to make up for their worthless treasury bonds and mortgage backed securities. I think the cure will come from outside the country, not congress or the president. The best plan B is bring in teachers and firemen on H1B visas and only pay them $15 an hour for the hours they actually work with no retirement in 20 years or 40 years. Maybe a free apartment. It'd be great for at least foreign language teachers, to start. If it's good for engineers, it's good for the rest.
Just doing the only thing they really can - flap thier gums. Problem now is that everyone is onto the fact the only thing they have left is serious shock and awe crap, and if it goes south they are screwed. Instead, they are going to paint the politicians further into the corner. Just watch. This fiscal "cliff" thing is the setup. Each round the politicians play right into it and dig a deeper hole. We know this because thier is no way out without profound pain... the sort of pain the gets politicians kicked out of office and ends thier own gravy train in the process. Not to mention that at least half those egomaniacs (if not more) think they can ride this beast into the sunset.
I'm going to beat my dead horse here.
We might all be able to agree on one thing and start with the same assumption, which is that things suck and the outlook is not good.
After that, we might differ. There is a school of thought that is more comfortable---even when faced with a horrific near certainty---to think that some force is in charge. Those of this school will accept a malevolent leadership just so long as it explains why things turned so badly. They prefer to believe there is a plan and malice aforethought, because someone in control, even a malevolent force, leaves open the slight possibility of a deal with the devil. The thought of randomness or abject incompetence at the helm scares them. Man creates gods for the same reason, and then accepts all sorts of "works in strange ways" and Master Plans, rather than face the fact that "shit happens" due solely to physics and not some Infinite Morality.
The other school of thought, of which I am a member, is that those who reached positions of authority and control are in over their heads, haven't a clue what their machinations will unleash, will sometimes take false comfort in their arrogance---as in "models" and "research"---and other times just feel terribly insecure, might occasionally take advice from someone else who thinks he can game things to his favor, and ultimately just pretend to have things under control so as not to panic the masses.
In the end, they cry like babies and scream for mother. I've got a pacifier ready for Ben when the time comes, but I'm still undecided as to whether I stick it in his mouth or shove it up his arse.
There are only two dots on the page. One titled "Watch what we say" the other titled "Watch what we do" There is no connection, but I would stick with the second because they are fucking liars.
Its all in government bonds...its all perfectly safe!...ROTFLMAO!!!
It is all to finance our next great world war, gentlemen. As these schemes have always been.


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Just how bad are those Iceland party platters?(5 Posts)
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Unrepentant: Kevin Annett And Canada's Genocide
- Uploaded by Abovetopvideos on Jan 28, 2014
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Imagine, uncovering a clear case of the Canadian Government and churches actively engaged in genocide against people of Canada - for hundreds of years. What to do? And then find another case and more and more clear evidence of this mass crime against humanity. What to do? Learn about the creation of boarding schools where more than half the children die. Where germ warfare is used - small pox and tuberculous on the kids and others too. Where children are stolen from their parents. Where a child is pushed out a 2nd floor window, dies and nothing is done about this murder. Theft of land, rivers, forests. Over 50,000 children murdered. What to do? The obvious thing of course. Find creative actions to seek justice, full justice, including full and fair reparation for each and every harm, halt any further harms in their tracks - everywhere on the planet, and find creative ways so these sorts of harms can be stopped early on before the run amuck - in to crimes against humanity and genocide, and find suitable ways to deal with the institutions and individuals that participated in these harms so they never do them again. That is what Kevin Annett sets out to do with this film - nothing less. The entire film and distribution is a self-funded, grassroots effort reaching throughout the planet. Full professional unrelenting research and scholarship created this film and is an important part of the on going creative work for full justice. See the projects website: First-hand testimonies from residential school survivors are interwoven with Kevin Annett's own story of how he dealt with the abuse of power by the church and governments against him. These attacks added further examples of what the church and state can attempt to do to anyone they choose, further convincing Kevin the government and churches of Canada can, did and do commit crimes against humanity including genocide against the people of Canada.


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We stayed here 4 years ago and were so impressed that we didn't even consider anywhere else for our return to the area. The staff were just as good as before, without exception, they were very pleasant and attentive. housekeeping was first class, the room was spotless (I even checked behind the nightstands) public areas were well serviced and clean... More
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Is anyone else having problems with your own mother overstepping boundaries?
Comments (6)
I have this problem with my mom, we also live with her. Though she hasn't been as bad this pregnancy. Her thing is to always challange what I say my son can and cannot do, he is 22 months. Like she will take him outside when I tell her not to or give him things she thinks he should have even though I say no. One day I just snapped and told her that she needs to listen to and respect what I say he can and cannot do. She is his grandmother, not his mother, and as his grandma she needed to respect my wishes. After that she has been a lot better. We still have our WHF moments, but not as often, prob once every other week now lol. Just lay down your foot, thats the best I can say. She will be pissed at first, but she'll get over it.
Proud momma to my buggaboo Dante 7-10-2009 and expecting our baby girl Ella on June 29, 2011
Mama to my rainbow baby Madelyn (6.13.11)
3 IUI's, 3 IVF's, 1 FET, and she's so worth it!
Good luck with her.
I think people living with their moms needs to respect the fact that you are doing just that......but, if you are on bedrest you shouldn't be doing anything but resting. Also, as adults, we feel like our mothers over-step boundaries, but you are in their home, not your own, so you are gonna feel like they are all over you. My mother has been crawling up my behind about scheduling the baptism...uh, other stuff to do right now. I don't live with her though, so I truly feel she needs to mind her own business a tad more.
It's not going to get better after you have the baby. I'd say try to find way to move out now.


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Edie Parker designer Brett Heyman explains her newsworthy design.
What's greater catnip to celebrity followers and paparazzi than a gorgeous movie star?
At a celebration of the Blue Book Collection.
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text: I Did Something Thats Apparently Hysterical There Are Two People That I Ca... There are two people that I can't talk to without them cracking up. They say it's my mannerisms and choice of words, facial expressions etc. I accepted it as a good thing. billypilgrim 31-35, M 1 Sep 21, 2007 SEND TO A FRIEND: Me Too Your Response Please respond with authenticity, support, and respect Cancel You can join Experience Project now! Username: Password Email Birthday Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Gender Select Male Female Trans* Already a member? Sign In By clicking "Sign Up", you confirm that you agree to the Terms of Service of Experience Project, Inc. Login Login to respond Username: Password: Keep me logged in Not a member? Sign Up Sign Up Cancel


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|Reviews for A Wolf's Oath
| youatemyheart chapter 32 . 11/28/2015
What a disappointment. There was no warning whatsoever that this series wasn't being continued anymore. I just wasted hours reading the first few episodes. I might have considered buying the book if I was properly informed of the cut-off.
| Wtf chapter 32 . 5/1/2015
Wow, can't believe you just cut off like that. You should have put a disclaimer *at the beginning* of this story so I didn't waste my time reading through & waiting for this fic to get better. I was finally warming up to it & you just had a temper tantrum & cut off. Many authors face plagiarism; there will always be people stealing works when you post them for free online. People stealing your work sucks, but you realllly didn't have to punish every single reader for it. Though I am a bit interested in the story, I won't be buying your book from Amazon. You clearly don't mind dragging your readers along & treating them like sh*t. Good day.
| Natalie chapter 27 . 12/27/2014
Hi I found another person who plagiarized your story not sure if this is the same one as last time but here's the link to her profile on wattpad: user/PrinncessKenny
| xXCollapsingDreamsXx chapter 20 . 4/6/2014
I know many of you will not feel the same way as i but, i hate Sebastian right now. He's rude, ignorant, and annoying. One, i don't think he's doing what's best for his supposed mate because he's making her believe that she loved him in her 'previous' life and taking advantage of her recent loss of memories to make her want him to claim her. And two, if i was in Eric's situation, i would not want Sebastian to be doing that to me and taking me away from my family and Anna.
| Nyx Nuit chapter 19 . 2/12/2014
I thought it earlier but this time I'll say it: Anna is a shit friend.
| R. Ficst chapter 6 . 1/29/2014
I so appreciate a character that thinks rationally and has proper exchanges with their wolf.
| Guest chapter 27 . 8/18/2013
I love the series you have going but I'm a bit disappointed I haven't had the chance to read the ending of any of your stories:/ I just got into fictionpress again and your stories are the first ones I started out with. I'm thinking maybe I should just stick to books that have a hard copy lol anyway...like I said love your stories:) I've always had a thing for werewolves
| AboutAs SubtleAs A FlyingBrick chapter 2 . 8/8/2013
Why isn't anyone looking after two 6 year old children while Erica is at the ball?
| sararive chapter 1 . 7/2/2013
| Bananarama chapter 1 . 6/7/2013
Kya! Awesome as ever!
| AnonymousReads chapter 32 . 4/5/2013
Oh I am so mad at you write now for not posting the ending to this story but still having it down as complete come on please don't do that. At least tell me what the ending of the story is please. Update soon. Please. :)
| Addiction-with-Fiction chapter 32 . 3/19/2013
Ah! I can't believe this has happened to me again! Why do people keep stopping their stories! This is the 5th time it's happened and I've just signed up! This is the worst :'(
| Prodigee123 chapter 19 . 2/26/2013
I don't understand Anna, it's weird I don't think I'm the biggest fan of her.(
| Prodigee123 chapter 16 . 2/26/2013
Oh the cliche!
| Prodigee123 chapter 11 . 2/25/2013
Fascinating great story!)


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10"-17" Telescoping Basin Wrench
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Tech Lighting 1 Light 9.3" Pendant Fixture with Frost White Shade from the Contemporary / Modern Collection
Classically shaped glass shade suspended from a round canopy. Black, satin nickel, and white canopy options highlighted with satin nickel detail and clear cable; antique bronze highlighted with antique bronze detail and brown cable. Includes 120 volt, 150 watt A21 medium base lamp or 32 watt GX24Q-3 base triple tube compact fluorescent lamp (electronic ballast included). Fixture is provided with six feet of field-cuttable cable.
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CZF Bingo Night is back, baby! We'll be hosting our fourth annual Bingo Night Fundraiser on Thursday December 11th at Logan Bar and Grill!
The suggested entry donation of $10 includes your bingo card which is good for multiple rounds. Each round provides a chance to win some seriously awesome prizes! We've got over $400 worth of prizes from local businesses and artists, including: This Fine Day, Mieke Zuiderweg, Rhosilk, Fount Leather, Letter Writers Alliance, Swim Club, Chapter Jewelry, Zero Bird, Sean Mort Print Shop, Kozie Prery, Red Belly Studio, and 1.by.liz.
All proceeds benefit Chicago Zine Fest 2015–support CZF and have a great time too!! Facebook event here.
When: Thursday December 11th, 7 pm
Where: Logan Bar and Grill, 2230 N California Ave
Why: Fun and fabulous prizes!!!


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The SCTA is governed by a twelve member Board of Directors. Nine of these members are chosen from the Councils of the nine incorporated cities or towns, and three are chosen from the County Board of Supervisors.
|Sarah Gurney, Chair
|City of Sebastopol
|David Rabbitt, Vice Chair
|Sonoma County
|Erin Carlstrom
|City of Santa Rosa
|Tom Chambers
|City of Healdsburg
|Laurie Gallian
|City of Sonoma
|Susan Gorin
|Sonoma County
|Mark Landman
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|Jake Mackenzie
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|Kathy Miller
|City of Petaluma
|Carol Russell
|City of Cloverdale
|Sam Salmon
|Town of Windsor
|Shirlee Zane
|Sonoma County
|Suzanne Smith
|Executive Director
|Janet Spilman
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|James Cameron
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|Lauren Casey
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|Chris Barney
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|Dana Turréy
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text: Among the many plagues visited upon gamers over the years, the unresolved cliffhanger ending is one of the worst. Sure, in a game it's the journey that's most important, but would Mario be as popular today if he didn't finally get his cake-baking princess? With the time and hours invested in a game one might think developers would be kind enough to reward us with just a little smidgeon of closure, but too often we're stuck waiting for sequels that may never arrive. The list below includes just a few of the great unfinished game sagas that, unlike this paragraph, never had a fitting end. Actually, even this paragraph never had a


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Yesterday, both Dr. Jason Lisle and I spoke at Trinity Baptist Church in Yukon, Oklahoma, as part of a two-day AiG conference. One of the attendees was a friend of AiG called Clint Bishard. Clint runs a creation ministry in Oklahoma called Jesus Created Ministries (JCM). Clint and his family love the Creation Museum (about 800 miles away), so as part of their ministry, they have been offering a "3 day/2 night adventure" to the Creation Museum for a very low price—with subsidized prices for homeschool families. The brochure they produce states, "Coordinate a group of between 25 to 38 people who want to go to the AiG Creation Museum (near Cincinnati), and we will do the rest. JCM provides all of the planning, the bus (& fuel), 2 nights hotel, breakfast, museum entrance fees, and great creation videos to watch as we travel—all for $90/person." They can organize up to two such tours a month if necessary.
If you live in Oklahoma (or if you want to see what is done to see if you can do it for your state/area), then go to www.JesusCreated.org for all the details.
Praise the Lord for people like Clint who understand the importance of the AiG ministry and are working hard to see people equipped to defend the Christian faith and be more effective in presenting the gospel in this increasingly secularized culture.
A lot of people in Oklahoma have told me they now intend on visiting the Creation Museum as soon as they can!
If any man of you shall be unclean . . . yet he shall keepThanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
(Numbers 9:10-11) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it.
The enemy wants to tell us that our life in the Lord Jesus Christ is over after we sinned, but the Lord has made a way to restore and cleanse us thru repentance.
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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Brent Benedict #55
The Latest: Spring Prognosis: Offense — 5/2/2013
This spring ushered in an era of change in Blacksburg on the offensive side of the ball, as Scot Loeffler, Jeff Grimes, and Aaron Moorehead joined the coaching staff as offensive assistants.[details]


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The Annecy International Animation Film Festival issues a call for submissions for the 2013 competition.
As the biggest animation festival in the world, Annecy is the can't-miss annual appointment for animation professionals and fans. The International Animation Film Festival will take place from Monday 10th to Saturday 15th June 2013 and the Mifa (International Animation Film Market) from June 12-14, 2013.
Submit a film to the Annecy 2013 competition. There is no entry fee required. The deadline for submitting short films, TV and commissioned films, and graduation films is February 15, 2013. The closing date for feature submissions is March 15 2013.
Check out the official rules and regulations: Short film, Feature film, TV film, Commissioned film, Graduation film
Source: Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Jennifer Wolfe is Director of News & Content at Animation World Network.


text: I Was In a Long Distance Relationship Was Long distance relationship,That was me,Thank goodness,Things have changed,We now live under one roof,Not two,Boy am I pleased,No more weeks apart,Life's so easy now. lazycrazybasket 46-50, M 1 Dec 16, 2011 SEND TO A FRIEND: Me Too Your Response Please respond with authenticity, support, and respect Cancel You can join Experience Project now! Username: Password Email Birthday Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Gender Select Male Female Trans* Already a member? Sign In By clicking "Sign Up", you confirm that you agree to the Terms of Service of Experience Project, Inc. Login Login to respond Username: Password: Keep me logged in Not a member? Sign Up Sign Up Cancel


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Jayesh Limaye
26th Sep 2012
As reported earlier, the iPhone 5 is already selling well in India through the grey market, even though it has not been officially launched. For those of you wondering how the new handset can be used in India, since it comes with a nano-SIM slot that is smaller and thinner than regular SIMs, Vinay Prashar has posted a neat DIY on iHackintosh.com. The guide describes a step-by-step procedure to craft the smaller SIM variant out of the full-size version using easily available tools such as a felt pen, scale, and sharp scissors. However, be warned that this is a risky method that can potentially render your SIM unusable. Click on the image below to view the full tutorial.
In case you need more help, here is a video demonstration:
TechTree Blog: Convert Your Regular SIM Into A Nano-SIM For Use With The Apple iPhone 5
The easy process can be achieved using basic tools; explained through a video tutorial.
TechTree Recommends
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- Top Smartphones Under Rs 10,000 (August, 2015)
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I have recently been doing a lot of reading about vitamin d3 deficency.
I found it interesting that we are told our kids get enough vitamin d through fortified milk and sunlight, however in order to get the MINIMAL requirement of vitamin d through fortified milk, our kids would have to drink 32+ ounces a day.
I found this article on d deficency being linked to autism very interesting. www.naturalawakeningsmag.com/Natura...
I also found helpful information on the vitamindcounsil.org website.
I am now giving both my children ages 2 and 7 d3 daily to suppliment low exposure to sunlight during the winter.
I have a thyroid autoimmune disease and am trying to get my hormone levels back to normal, vitamin d3 plays big role in that.


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Small people far away by Igor-DemidovWatch
©2011-2016 Igor-Demidov
sleepers and rails going far away to the horizon
two small figures male their ay to the autumn forest
You don't see the end of this perspective.
two small figures male their ay to the autumn forest
You don't see the end of this perspective.
Really love this, it's beautiful !!! ^^
I've found something looking similar in your gallery! But your variant is looking more... mystic may be.
This looks good
really good perspective the sepia tones work great
thank you, really, it is not so very difficult to make a perspective with railways looks like someone invented them for making photos!
Great work!
That is sooooooo pretty! Amazing picture~
Thank you! I'm really glad to hear you liked th shot!
Its all so awesome like the... (gah I can't think of the word that makes the color different....its like a lense right?)
No, it's just a two - colors toning,
I hope I didn't disappoint you!
I hope I didn't disappoint you!
Xd nah it's all good XD I'm one of those old fashion people ._. 16 years old and I'm stuck in the 1800s XDDDD
May be you are right! new generation of photoshop photographers brings overdose of expression. 1800 musch more natural.
( I have one daguerreotype in my collection)
( I have one daguerreotype in my collection)
Great shot!


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WIPO Director General Addresses JIPA IP Symposium
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry was a guest speaker on February 24, 2014 at the 13th JIPA IP Symposium in Tokyo. Mr. Gurry addressed an audience of some 900 people mostly from Japan's legal and business community, and spoke on the role of intellectual property (IP) in economic partnerships. JIPA – the Japan Intellectual Property Association, with some 1,200 members, represents industries and users of the IP system.
© WIPO 2014. Photo: Kenichiro Natsume.
1,441 views
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0 comments
Taken on February 24, 2014


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to go astray by ssilenceWatch
©2011-2016 ssilence
love it..
silence and horror. evil will come
amazing pix
amazing pix
Good lord, it is SO beautiful. I want to live in that picture.
Creepy and beautiful. Nice work.
Truly beautiful
Beautiful atmosphere
I love this picture.
Wow! Awesome mood!
Lovely shot. I do find that a month of this weather makes drawing and painting difficult.
not looking forward to everything looking like this for 6 months... but your image is nice


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For all those tantalising tourist snaps of bronzed bodies and gleaming beaches, Brazil – at least right now – is a nation prepared to ditch its laid-back image and fight for a cause.
And now it has a football team to match.
The fierce riots that sparked up around this beautiful South American country over the past few weeks have been a constant subplot to the Confederations Cup, with tear gas used to quell another outbreak on Sunday, even filtering up and into the iconic Maracana Stadium.
Yet as the host nation lifted both the trophy and the spirits of its citizens with a stunning 3-0 demolition of World Cup holder Spain in Rio de Janiero – doing so with a performance built around tenacity and desire – it was almost as if the team had somehow tapped into the current national mentality.
Twelve months out from what will surely be a spectacular World Cup in these parts, this present incarnation of the Brazil national team appears to have a harder edge to it than some of its predecessors and is prepared, when necessary, to sacrifice some style points in search of ultimate success.
Such an approach might not have met much favour with Brazil's football-crazed populace at a different time, with generations past carrying the expectation of not just victory, but that it be executed with verve and panache. Current political sentiment, though, reflects a more practical ethos. Just as the rioters want to see tangible results such as reduced transport fares and more equality in society, so too do football fans want nothing short of the World Cup trophy next summer, however it is attained.
The way it got the job done in the Confederations Cup final was to get into the trenches, using physicality and intensity to knock Spain out of the passing rhythm that confounded everyone else during the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.
Meanwhile, a vocal home crowd sat roaring its approval. Home advantage is one of football's great intangibles: everyone knows it exists but no one is quite sure why. Perhaps there's never been a greater example of it here, and it makes Brazil even more dangerous looking ahead to next summer.
It took less than two minutes for Brazil to set the tone, Fred reacting quickest amidst penalty area mayhem to clip the ball past Iker Casillas despite having stumbled to the ground.
For Spain, which has built its dynasty of glory through error-free organisation, it was a shock to the system. Yet even more surprising was the way in which Brazil came after the Spaniards, with ferocious tackling, relentless pressure and a healthy dose of rough-housing.
By the end of the first half, Brazil was firmly in control, with Neymar having smashed home the second goal just before the break.
Fred added another just after the interval, by which point corks were already popping at street parties all around Brazil. Sergio Ramos' missed penalty completed Spain's miserable night – rarely has a reigning world champion been so comprehensively outplayed.
Whatever the result here, it is too early to anoint Brazil, or indeed any other team, as being a clear favorite for 2014. Despite this setback, Spain has too much tournament experience to be discounted, while Germany is in a vein of form as rich as any.
However, this was nothing short of a monumental signal of intent.
Brazil fans have lost count of the times when it has gone into a World Cup as favorite, only to bomb out unexpectedly. It happened in 1998, again in 2006 and once more in 2010.
Whereas the supposed lack of quality in the team was deemed to be chronic as recently as last year, the biggest danger now might be complacency. What made this victory and the manner of it possible was that Brazil, compared to its predecessors, does not come with an in-built air of superiority and accepts that it needs to scrap and battle like mere mortals.
It will need to do so again if it wants to have a night even more glorious than this on July 13, 2014. Brazil is not yet back on top of the world, but this sure as heck felt like a step toward it.
Martin Rodgers | Yahoo! Sports
- Sports & Recreation
- Brazil
- Brazil national team


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Play any type of Game at Y8.com. The biggest Game Collection to play free online. Flash, Unity 3D, Html5, Android, Java and Shockwave.
If the game freezes, just click inside it (games can get unresponsive if you click elsewhere on the page).
In this game you will be asked several general knowledge questions and you must answer them correctly for you to climb up the money ladder and be careful because just one mistake will pull you at the rock bottom. You only have 60 seconds to make as much money so good luck and have fun!


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All Updates
Israel is actively working to support reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, including the passage of massive amounts of construction materials into Gaza and building projects for housing, as well as schools, clinics and infrastructure projects.
Israel is actively working to support reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip. Following are a few examples of the extensive reconstruction measures facilitated by Israel.
PM Netanyahu informed his Nepalese counterpart that an advance team would leave tonight and added that Israel was prepared to assist in searching for the missing and in providing medical care to the injured.
A total of 1,802 people crossed through the Erez Terminal
1,690 carrying 41,690 tons of goods entered Gaza


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Please support those SPONSORS who support us, including:
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Email: info[at]oxfordfilmfest.com
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Don't have your own KrogerRewards? You can use our number when shopping to help us build up points: 481015474398


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About Me:I'm a down to earth woman.I like helping others whenever i can.I seeks God before I do anything,He blesses me,do the same and you will be blessed too.
Hey there! Welcome to PulseWire!
It's so exciting having you with us, I am sure you will have a fabulous time with your new online friends as well as find this to be a very positive experience. I encourage you to take advantage of the numerous resources and features available through our vibrant online community. Welcome again to our global community and I look forward to hearing more from you here on PulseWire!
Hello from World Pulse, Agnes.
I act as a volunteer World Pulse welcomer for new WP members and listener for other journal entries. This is some of the most exciting and rewarding work I've ever done. Through this effort, I have become a world volunteer.
I am wondering whether you have found any World Pulse efforts that really stir you to action. Our searchable site has so many examples of females empowering each other through education and encouragement, that there is bound to be inspiration for all.
We'd love to hear from you again.
From New Orleans, Louisiana, USA


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College GameDay host Samantha Steele delivered a gigantic middle finger to her critics today. She took to Twitter to address her relationship with quarterback Christian Ponder.
And that folks is called a pimp slap. A pretty severe one at that. Steele's done an admirable job on GameDay and her interview skills/analysis trump that of her predecessor Erin Andrews. Unfortunately, the higher ESPN profile makes her more susceptible to the rumor mill and every move she makes will be scrutinized by writers, bloggers, etc…
I hope for her sake she learns to ignore it. Otherwise, she's in for a long, headache-filled ride as ESPN's rising star.
I want more like this!
Follow us on Facebook and get the latest before everyone else.


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I have an array
[4,7,1,3,6,5], and I need to transform it such that the maximum element in that transformed array must be minimum.
So for the above example, without changing the total sum value of that array, the array can be transformed into
[4,4,4,4,5,5] so answer will be 5 (maximum element is minimum).
We can increment or decrement an element of an array by any value without altering the total sum.
For clarity another example:
Given array
[4,1,0] such that we can modify it as
[2,1,2] so that maximum element which is minimum is 2.


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Wind Dancer Elusive: Is a lovely well built stallion, he has a lovely flowing movement and excellent conformation. He has a lovely quiet disposition which…Stud Fee: $425 CAD
Bay roan section B welsh pony stallion. Beautiful bay roan, babydoll head, fluid movement, long reaching stride. Many champions in his pedigree. Sire…Stud Fee: $300
Imported, Multi-Supreme Champion CadlanValley Pirate is a many time Champion in the breeding division. Additionally, Pirate has achieved the highest recognition…Stud Fee: $700 CAD
Gwyn is a magnificent, Multi-Supreme Champion Section A stallion from some of the top bloodlines in Wales. He has the spectacular action that comes from…Stud Fee: $700 CAD
Belleman is a Registered Section B Welsh stallion that is sired by West Abbey Rocket out of Adorabelle (Bristol Victor x Farnley Drumbelle). He has some…Stud Fee: $350
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Fox Ridge Rizzo (LANDS END THE COLONELS FOX x CHELSEAS CHRISTIAN) is an impeccably well bred Half Welsh stallion with classic breeding for both the Welsh…Stud Fee: $650
Young's Country Brat Registered Section B Welsh Handsome bay, standing 12.2hh Brat has personality, temperament, conformation and a proven show…Stud Fee: $250 CAD


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Derpy Hooves Cosplay 3 by MissSingerWatch
©2012-2016 MissSinger
I went to Fan Expo Vancouver and cosplayed as Derpy! Cheapest cosplay to date. I just used clothes that I already owned. The wig I used is from my Apple Jack cosplay. The only thing that took some time were the felt bubbles and wings. I'm lucky that my bestest buddy made me some cute ears and a Derpy cutie mark necklace.
Photo take by
Photo take by


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I was working on Chapter 12 of PhoneGap Essentials tonight and I created a quick PhoneGap application to test something I wanted to verify about the JavaScript alert() function. When I tested the application, I noticed something interesting, taking a look at the following code - when I ran the application on an iOS simulator, the Test 2 alert executed before the Test 1 alert.
I know that PhoneGap had finished initializing since the deviceready event fired, but apparently there's something going on that would cause the first alert to queue up and only execute after the second alert, the one using the standard JavaScript alert instead of the PhoneGap alert function, fired.
Interesting. Not important, but interesting.
Postscript: OK, I was randomly thinking about something this morning and the solution to this particular item popped into my head. The reason why the PhoneGap alert displays after the JavaScript alert is that the PhoneGap call is asynchronous and the JavaScript alert is a synchronous call. The application passes off the call to display the PhoneGap alert then immediately calls the JavaScript function to display the alert. The JavaScript code executes faster while the PhoneGap code is getting it's work done, the JavaScript code has already fired and is blocking the PhoneGap alert function until the user clicks the OK button.
Yep, it helps when you actually think through things.


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Apple TV 1080p Review
Apple TV was Apple's "one more thing" at the new iPad launch event last week, but that's not to say the smart TV adapter isn't maturing into a comprehensive product in its own right. Now bringing Full HD to the table, as well as a streamlined interface, the third-generation Apple TV is arguably the best companion to the new iPad so far. Does it stand tall on its own, though? Read on for the full SlashGear review.


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Global Solutions
Global Solutions provides fully integrated solutions and services to its valued international partners. We are committed to serving the national security interests of customers around the world through advanced technologies and innovation. We bring together emerging technologies from the world's most innovative organizations, best practices from multiple industries and our own award-winning Agile and rapid-prototyping processes so that our global partners benefit from unique, low-risk, integrated solutions that address their toughest security challenges in the areas of cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, command and control, perimeter and border protection.
For more information contact:
Saeed Alahmed
Vice President, Global Solutions


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Announcing Cotton Spandex Jersey!
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Quick facts
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Size: 476,217 square miles, or slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Population: 44 million
People: Black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5%
Language: Five official languages: English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa, Tswana and IsiZulu (also spoken: Sepedi 9.4%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2%)
Government: Republic with multiparty democracy
Capitol: Tshwane, population 2.2 million (formerly known as Pretoria)
Baseball (and other interesting) notes
Most known for: Anything but baseball; Home of the "Big 5:" lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos and elephants; Nelson Mandela helping the country end apartheid; to the hardest of hardcore fans: 2000 Olympic win over Netherlands, a Dutch team which also beat Cuba that same tournament.
Quotable: "When we qualified to play in the Olympics, the whole world was like, 'They actually play baseball in South Africa?' " South Africa's Ian Holness speaking to Baseball America in the 2000 Olympic aftermath in which his country defeated the Netherlands, 3-2.
Famous national anthem verse: "United we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land."
Baseball's South African debut: Late 1800s when U.S. gold miners working on the Crown Mine and City Deep shafts on the Goldfields Witwatersrand (Gauteng), outside Johannesburg.
South Africa's baseball hotbeds: Cape Town and the Eastern Cape region, Durban and Johannesburg have the most developed baseball programs in South Africa. However, the game is also being played and growing in other parts of the country including the nation's capitol, Tshwane, (formerly known as Pretoria), Natal and many other areas, including rural. One of the most successful club teams is the Westridge Yankees, in the Cape Town area, with a number of players from youth to seniors that have not only represented their country abroad, but have attracted the attention of foreign clubs as well. The Western Province has the strongest base, with the Bothasig club boasting the youngest and among the best youth programs in the country.
Number of South African-born currently signed to MLB organizations: 3
First South African-born to play MLB: None yet
Ones to watch for in the future: Barry Armitage (Royals); Tyrone Lamont (Mariners).
South Africa's baseball weather: Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights.
Biggest sports competitors: The big three -- soccer, cricket and rugby, the latter two remnants of British colonialism. Golf is also popular, having produced Grand Slam winner Gary Player (Johannesburg). Basketball, virtually unknown during the apartheid years, has become more popular, particularly amongst black youths impressed by infrequent glimpses of U.S. basketball stars on local television. Basketball is now offered as a sport at many schools and the U.S. National Basketball Association has promoted its sport in South Africa in recent years by sending over such players as Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal.
Only in South Africa: There are several back-breaking canoe marathons in South Africa, of which the king is the Duzi in Kwa-Zulu Natal, 170 kilometers of tortuous rapids, rocky hills and a myriad other discomforts such as snakes. South Africa also offers some of the world's toughest ultra-marathons, including the Comrades Marathon (up a steep 90 kilometer incline between coastal Durban and mountainous Pietermaritzburg) and the Two Oceans race, which winds its way amidst the mountains around Cape Town. Jeffrey's Bay, on the southeastern coast, draws surfing champions from around the world.
Amateur and international competition
Approximate number of South Africans playing organized baseball: 370,000.
Amateur highlights: First victory: 1974 XXIII Baseball World Cup over Italy; first tournament win: Africa-Oceania Olympic qualifier, 1999, went undefeated; first Olympic win: 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney (3-2, over the Netherlands in 10 innings); first Little League affiliated appearance: Big League World Series 2003 (went 1-3).
Annual competition: Baseball in South Africa is played under the auspices of the South African Baseball Union and is played at club level with clubs affiliated to provincial (regional) structures. For example, in Cape Town, clubs are affiliated to the Baseball Association of the Western Province.
Baseball season: The South Africa baseball season depends on where you live. In Johannesburg and Durban the season is played during the winter with the season winding down by the end of September and Cape Town starting theirs soon thereafter in the summer beginning in October. Games are mostly played on the weekend and tournaments are very common. Baseball is played in the schools during the week and at the club level on weekends. Most clubs have various age groups, including (Under/Age) U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and a major league, or "senior" section. Volunteers and fundraising help make baseball in South Africa happen, especially at the club level.
Games: Most are played on the weekends. In the adult leagues, the quality of the game is about what one might see at a bad high school game in the U.S. The pitching is erratic, and errors are common. Batters with .500 averages are not unusual.
Ball fields: Under the premise that a sleeping bag under a bridge by a canal is still waterfront property, in South Africa a flat surface is a baseball "diamond." Truth be told, most aren't diamonds at all, but former rugby or cricket grounds with little to no dirt infields or pitching mounds. While some are even equipped for night games, the thick grass slows the ball down and hampers development of infielders to work on their timing and footwork. The best facility is in Boksburg, a series of ball fields in a working-class suburb of Johannesburg.
Fan atmosphere: Similar to a crowd at a Little League or High School game in the U.S. -- mostly parents and friends of the team. Baseball is not up to the level of rugby in South Africa where hooting, cheering, banging of dustbin lids, trumpeting on cow horns and fireworks reverberate as fans are decked out in facial paint, costumed, whistling and cheering.
MLB talent level comparison: Single-A (on a great day); Bad News Bears (on a bad day).
Worth noting: First South African-born player to make a U.S. All-Star Team: Barry Armitage, Durban, South Africa, 2002, Single-A Midwest League All-Star (Royals) ... MLB should play an exhibition game in South Africa. Among the most notable sporting facilities: Cricket: Picturesque Newlands grounds, nestled at the foot of Table Mountain, Cape Town; Wanderers Cricket Grounds, Johannesburg (one which could be site of future MLB exhibition series); rugby: Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld; Johannesburg's Ellis Park; Durban's Kings Park.
South Africa baseball speak: There are 11 languages in South Africa, so naturally, as they attempt to further learn the game, they have their own vernacular, with a particular British air. Here's a sampling of baseball, South African speak. For example:
"A Fortnight Ago" could be last year
"Ball" or "Baseballer" is often used to describe the game and a baseball player
"Bloody slider" is, well, a bloody (really good) slider
"Chap" is the guy you're competing against
"Contested" means to be played, as in two rounds will be played to determine a winner
"Matches," often referred to as games
"Fixture," is the schedule, not an appliance
"Frame" is used to describe an inning, a reference used secondarily in North America
"Giants" is any MLB organization, not just the San Francisco Giants
"Knockout" is an eliminate game of a tournament
"Nightball" is a night game
"Seniors" aren't senior citizens, but a club's oldest, and often most talented players
"Side" is a team, sometimes also referred to as a "fraternity" or a "squad"
"Sportsman" is an athlete and sports is "sport," not "sports"
"Training session" is practice or proper
"Trial" is a tryout
Contact: South Africa Baseball Union
No 3 Panther Place, Link Road, Lyndhurst, Johannesburg
P.O Box 2398 Highlands North, Johannesburg 2037
Tel: (+ 27-83) 453 4211; (+27-82) 990 4546.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Joe Connor is a contributor to ESPN.com. He has a Web site at www.modernerabaseball.com.