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I Sense Blood: Afghans say US team found huge potential mineral wealth

BBC

Afghanistan may have more than a trillion dollars worth of untapped mineral deposits, a spokesman for the ministry of mines has suggested.

The statement came after reports in the New York Times of the work of a team of Pentagon officials and US geologists.

They discovered large quantities of iron and copper as well as valuable deposits of lithium.

However, questions are being asked about the timing of the release of the latest information.

The BBC’s Jill McGivering says that at a time of growing despair about Afghanistan and its government, the portrayal of the country as a potential goldmine could help to bolster international resolve and paint the country as a prize worth fighting for.

Lithium is an increasing vital resource, used in batteries for everything from mobile phones to laptops and key to the future of the electric car. Bolivia boasts the largest reserves.

RSA Animate – Superfreakonomics – 5 stars

The Secret Powers of Time – Must See – Dr. Philip Zimbardo

Why Governments Hate Gold

Why Governments Hate Gold

by Ron Paul

This past week several emerging and ongoing crises took attention away from the ongoing sovereign debt problems in Greece. The bailouts are merely kicking the can down the road and making things worse for taxpaying citizens, here and abroad. Greece is unfortunately not unique in its irresponsible spending habits. Greek-style debt explosions are quickly spreading to other nations one by one, and yes, the United States is one of the dominoes on down the line.

Time and again it has been proven that the Keynesian system of big government and fiat paper money are abject failures in the long run. However, the nature of government is to ignore reality when there is an avenue that allows growth in power and control. Thus, most politicians and economists will ignore the long-term damage of Keynesianism in the early stage of a bubble when there is the illusion of prosperity, suggesting that the basic laws of economics had been repealed. In fact, one way to tell if a bubble is about to burst is if economists start talking about how the government and the Central Bank have repealed the business cycle.

The truth is the laws of economics are constant and real, no matter how inconvenient they might be to politicians and bankers. This reality is setting in and the bills are coming due. In the mean time, countries that have no money have bailed out other countries that have no money, except for the phony money created by politicians, bureaucrats, and their partners-in-crime at the central banks. This may be preventing big well-connected banks from having to take on massive losses, but it is all at the expense of the taxpaying citizen.

As governments and central banks continue the cycle of spending and inflating, the purchasing power of their currencies is constantly being degraded. These currencies are what the people are working for and saving. This inflation guts the savings and earnings of the people, who have very limited options for protecting themselves against these ravages. One option is to convert their fiat currency into something out of reach of central banks and government spending, such as gold or silver.

It is fairly typical in the midst of economic crises like these for gold to come under attack from Keynesians economists and their amen corner in the media. The arguments against gold are usually straw men, based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of buying gold. Gold is not a typical investment. It is a defense against the predictable behavior of governments to debase a fiat currency under its absolute control. The people who run the printing presses have trouble shutting them off. In order to limit one’s exposure to this reckless behavior, it is wise to exchange unsound assets for sound ones.

As the foundation of their power, their fiat currency, is rejected or avoided, government power is compromised. Fiat currencies trade the people’s freedom and security for the government’s freedom to squander the wealth of the nation on wasteful pet programs, wars, and corruption. This is why the freedom of the people is so intertwined with a sound monetary unit. This is also why the founders liked gold and silver, and supporters of big government hate them.

Israel: "Please dont pull up my skirt, I will ease the blockade"

It seems Israel is on the defensive here. In a latest statement the government is planning to ease the blockade if the international community agree to a limited probe.

Obviously, there is something they are hiding and the move is just to prevent the international community from looking “under the skirt” to get the true picture.

LONDON: Israel is set to accept a plan under which it would ease its Gaza blockade in return for the international community agreeing a limited probe into a deadly flotilla raid, it was reported Wednesday.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Britain last week circulated a document outlining proposals to ease the blockade. It quoted an unnamed Western source close to the talks with Israel saying: “A quid pro quo deal is in the offing”.

Israel has outlined plans to hold probes into the legality of its naval blockade of Gaza and the raid last week on an aid flotilla which was bidding to break it which killed nine people.

It is reportedly considering setting up an investigative team made up of Israeli jurists and former diplomats as well as two foreign observers.

Dawn

Flotilla raid diary: ‘A man is shot. I am seeing it happen’
Earlier the Guardian published the accounts of the raid from the diary of the prize-winning writer and creator of Wallander who was among those on board the Gaza flotilla. clearly he was not happy. Here is an excerpt

We are split up, no one is allowed to talk to anyone else. Suddenly a man from the Israeli ministry for foreign affairs appears at my side. I realise he is there to make sure I am not treated too harshly. I am, after all, known as a writer in Israel. I’ve been translated into Hebrew. He asks if I need anything.

‘My freedom and everybody else’s,’ I say. He doesn’t answer. I ask him to go. He takes one step back. But he stays.

I admit to nothing, of course, and am told I am to be deported. The man who says this also says he rates my books highly. That makes me consider ensuring nothing I write is ever translated into Hebrew again.

Seeds of a Conflict being sown?… Irans Flotilla – Armageddon?

Iran Red Crescent plans Gaza ships- Al-Jazeera

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have expressed readiness to escort aid flotillas to Gaza [AFP] Iran’s Red Crescent has announced it will send two aid ships to Gaza later this week in the latest effort to break Israel’s blockade on the territory. The plan was approved by Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday, and will see one boat filled with aid and the other carrying relief workers to the coastal strip, Abdolrouf Adibzadeh, the Red Crescent’s director for international affairs said. He said that the ships would be sent carrying food, medicine and Iranian volunteers.

Shahid Masood on Armageddon