Iowa Vote - January 3rd 2012

Guardian: Reports on the money being spent in Iowa “ ..tide is flowing through American politics: a tide of money unleashed by a supreme court decision that opened the floodgates to unlimited spending ..”. Money is the mothers milk of US politics, the Obama re-election committee is expected to raise a least a billion dollars to spend in the General Election, the US Supreme Court has allowed Corporations and Unions to give money to political action committees, this the Iowa vote is just a warm up folks, the poor people of Iowa, NH by the end will be hiding in bunkers to avoid these paid political adverts. In Iowa as the article notes these Super Pacs with lose links to the Campaigns of Romney and Perry have spent four million, expect a few more million before the first vote is cast in January folks. The elite media hate the fact the US Supreme Court has lifted the blocks on spending, but folks its a good move by the Court, Democracy is about supporting a candidate, thus if you’re a business or a union you should be able to raise cash and spent it, its called Democracy, at the end of the day it’s the best system we have folks, flawed but the people get to decide, better than North Korea.

Funeral of a Tyrant - Kim Jong - il

Telegraph: Reports on the staged burial of Kim Jong - il of North Korea. Thus far except for a few short range missiles shot in to the Sea of Japan the North Koreans have not done much military rattling, but that might happen after the funeral, the new regime might want to make an impression and force the World to deal with the new Regime. The US and its Allies should keep an eye on North Korea, something tells this blog that there will be trouble sooner or later from this tyrannical Regime, they will act when it does not help the West.

Italy and the Eurozone Crisis

BBC News: Reports that the cost for the Italian Government to sell its six months bonds has gone down from 6.504% to 3.251%. This shows that that the austerity package of new Italian PM Mario Monti is working, also the European Central Bank is throwing money in essence at the banks, loans over a three year period. As the article notes the banks are securing their own risks but leaving them enough Capital to buy Sovereign bonds, this is the idea of the French Government, its seems a French plan is working. But then we have Spain, it is rumoured that there will be tough news out of Spain in the new year, the Italian bond news is good news folks, but lets not buy the Euro yet, its going to be a tough year folks.

Gingrich and Romney TIED - Republican Race

Gallup: Reports on its latest poll of Registered Republican voters, in the poll the former Speaker Newt Gingrich is on 25%, while Governor Romney has 24%. In essence tied folks, the negative TV adverts aimed at Gingrich have done the trick, the lead that Gingrich had has gone the way of the Titanic. This blog predicted that Gingrich would win the nomination, that is doubtful NOW folks, the Iowa vote is on January 3rd, the Romney and Paul Campaigns are better run to get the voters out, if Paul or Romney wins its over for Gingrich, he HAS to win Iowa, anything less and Romney will be the nominee. It is a given that Governor Romney will win New Hampshire, thus Gingrich need a WIN in Iowa and close win for Romney in NH to then take the Campaign to the Southern States, but with the Big MO to quote Bush 41 is with Romney, it will be very hard for Gingrich to win in the South. This blog cant wait for the year long election to start, polls, blogs, debates, the conventions, the TV ads, to be a political geek, what fun.

Iran THREAT to the West

The New York Times: Reports that Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, the oil lifeline for the West should the West block Iran selling its oil. The US and the West has one aim folks, to prevent Israel taking military action to prevent Iran going nuclear. The Obama Administration has to show to Israel that it is taking this issue seriously and will impose sanctions on Tehran that will bring Iran to its knees. The US would take military action should Iran block the Strait, Obama can not afford in an election year for the price at the oil stations to hit the roof. It can be argued that Tehran wants to impose itself in the 2012 election, if it can draw Obama in to a crisis, and show him as weak, this will help the Tehran Regime with its people, build up support for the Regime, interesting year ahead folks.

Euro Nightmare and the UK

Telegraph: Reports that the UK Treasury has created plans in the event of a Euro failure, the UK Coalition Government would place capitol controls on money in out of the UK. This is like something out of the UK in the aftermath of World War Two folks, limiting funds people can place and take out of the UK, lets hope the Eurozone Countries get their act together, this blog is going to start looking at buying gold. If the Euro fails folks the EU would come under threat, but the cost of keeping the Euro from going down the toilet could be years of harsh austerity, think the 1950s in black and white but worse, yes folks it could get that bad, at some point there will have to be a managed default of the PIIGS, but not yet, any rash actions could lead to a downfall, this blog would not be surprised if Spain placed capitol control at the end of the year, as the first step to a return to native currency, big economic news expected out of Spain on December 30th folks. Lets wait and see folks.

Titanic, A Survivor’s Story

A remarkable first hand account of surviving the sinking of the Titanic, the book was written in 1912 by Colonel Archibald Gracie, a first class survivor of the sinking. What is so great about the book is that the Colonel traced his action on that infamous cold night but also of others. The language is simple, and direct, this blog bought the book on Boxing Day and so far has read 92 pages, it is a page turner. Colonel Gracie to his last breath; the suffering of that night lead to his death in December of 1912; followed the US and UK investigations of the sinking, and talked to surviving crew and passengers, thus his book gives the reader an insight in to the actions of people on the ship that even this blog didn’t know about, and this blog counts the Titanic as a hobby. The biggest mistake in the book that this blog has found is the fact Colonel Gracie didn’t think that the Titanic split in two, but to be fair, he was underwater and swimming to save his life, when he came up the Ship has gone. The truth about the split only came known when the wreck of the Titanic was found, before that even this blog thought she would be found intact and with her watertight compartments could even be bought up. This book should have been made in to Film or TV mini series, its that good folks. Thank goodness Colonel Gracie was such a good writer. It should be noted that the Colonel did stress the actions of 1st Class passengers, third class hardly gets a look in so far of reading. But considering it was written in 1912, its an excellent analytical account of the sinking, a worthy read in 2012, a hundred years since the sinking.