Category Archives: Money

‘Rate rigging rip off’ …. claims that some Kiwi banks have manipulated key interest rates

From Stuff.co.nz by Richard Meadows : “A banking insider says some New Zealand banks made up to $1.5 million a day manipulating inter-bank interest rates.

The anonymous source says there was widespread rigging of the benchmark inter-bank BKBM rate, mirroring Europe’s Libor (London Inter-bank Offered Rate) scandal that rocked markets worldwide.

He says he wanted to blow the whistle on what he claimed may be the biggest and longest-running financial scam in New Zealand history.

Sources claim manipulation in New Zealand dated from the 1990s…

A spokesman for a New Zealand banking industry body said no misconduct issues had ever been identified, but declined to explain why the system has now been reformed…

The whistleblower claimed the behaviour was endemic in several banks during the 2000s, and had only been reined-in during recent years…

Who’s responsible?

Banks have self-regulated through NZFMA, an industry body that oversees BKBM.

Reforms were carried out in 2007, but the group has declined Fairfax Media requests to explain why.

No regulators have ever investigated, although the FMA says it did a “temperature check” on recent data…”

Read More: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/72422535/banks-accused-of-raterigging-ripoff

Follow the money – Lloyds of London Insurance won’t cover wireless radiation hazards – that includes smart meters

From rfsafe.com:

“Letter to Government from Sharon Noble – Director of Coalition to Stop Smart Meters in BC

Premier Clark, Mr. Bennett and Mr. Reimer,

RE: Lloyd’s of London excludes coverage for claims caused by exposure to non-ionizing radiation.

“Based on inaccurate information provided by ITRON, Health Canada and Dr. Perry Kendall, you have been telling people that there is no health risk due to prolonged exposure to radiation from smart meters on homes and wifi in school — this despite your having received 100s of studies by independent researchers and many letters from scientists and doctors to the contrary…

iphone-545772__180“Lloyd’s of London is one of the largest insurers in the world and often leads the way in protection, taking on risks that no one else will. Attached is a recent renewal policy which, as of Feb. 7, 2015, excludes any coverage associated with exposure to non-ionizing radiation….”

“‘The Electromagnetic Fields Exclusion (Exclusion 32) is a General Insurance Exclusion and is applied across the market as standard. The purpose of the exclusion is to exclude cover for illnesses caused by continuous long-term non-ionising radiation exposure i.e. through mobile phone usage.”….

“This means that the Province (that is we, the taxpayer) will be held liable for claims from teachers and parentscomputer-338968__180 of children suffering biological effects from wifi in schools, from homeowners exposed to RF from mandated smart meters on homes, and from employees forced to use cell phones or exposed to wifi at work…”

Read more:   http://www.rfsafe.com/lloyds-of-london-insurance-wont-cover-smartphones-wifi-smart-meters-cell-phone-towers-by-excluding-all-wireless-radiation-hazards/


Comment:

123
Marton’s central phone mast close to homes & offices

The fact that Lloyd’s will not insure you the user against the harmful effects of these devices speaks volumes. We already had the evidence but as I continually reiterate here, industry does not want you to know … that knowledge would clearly dissuade you from using their devices. The recent post here on the unfortunate UK man enduring the forced installation of a smart meter in his home (he’s now opted for no  power in preference) is disconcerting to say the least. Where has our right of choice as free citizens gone? Are we not purchasing power? Do we have no choice about how this is delivered?

If you’re new to the smart meter issue please educate yourself. Arm yourself with the correct information. Unfortunately you will not get this from your powerco. Listen to the professionals, watch the documentaries particularly ‘Take Back Your Power’. Then make informed decisions about how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Listen to this Public Health Physician explain the health risks of wireless radiation:

EnvirowatchRangitikei

15 minutes on your cell phone can alter brain structure and function, new study reveals

(NaturalNews) “A new clinical study has found that just 15 minutes of cell phone talk time radiation exposure can alter the structure and function of the brain, including brain wave activity that is connected to cognition, mood and behavior.

Thirty-one healthy females took part in the study, published in PLOS ONE; all participants were measured twice. On one of the days, the mobile phone was attached to the women’s ears with a sham phone being placed on their chests. On the other day, the mobile phone was attached to the chest and the sham phone to the ear. During each assessment, EEG activity and radio-frequency radiation were recorded….”

The question is asked … why have we not been hearing about the potential effects of cell phone radiation?

“Dr. Devra Davis in her book Disconnect lays the blame fairly and squarely at the telecoms industry, accusing them of war-gaming the science in much the same way that tobacco companies and GMO corporations like Monsanto do.” (from the article)

Not rocket science really when you know how corporations work. Their bottom line is profits not people or any risks to their health. (EnvirowatchRangitikei)

Suicide rate triples in rural Waikato as international dairy prices halved

Stuff.co.nz

CHRIS GARDNER

“The suicide rate in rural Waikato tripled as international dairy prices halved, and numbers are expected to rise further.

Six Waikato farmers appear to have taken their own lives in the year ending June 30, 2015, figures released by the Ministry of Justice under the Official Information Act show.

Fraser Farm Finance director Don Fraser was not surprised by the number of suicides, and expected to see more this financial year.

READ MORE:

* Fewer farms on the market as dairy takes a hit

* Dairy still coping with aftermath of floods

* Dairy global auction price rise

“We have had a lot of bad news,” Fraser said.

“The drop of income and the sheer weight of debt will probably see that rise over the next 12 months. It is the debt burden that makes them do it. It’s that sinking feeling you get when you get up every day and work for the bank….”

Read more:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/71822221/suicide-rate-triples-in-rural-waikato-ministry


Comment:

At the mercy of fickle markets this is the sad outcome. People lose hope with the ruin that comes with disasters like flooding and subsequent debt. We were told long ago by men in governments that economic recessions are man made. The banking industry is one that has the ability to enslave and ruin people, caring little for its victims. Witness the foreclosures we see now world wide.

Financial panics are scientifically created (US Congressman Charles Lindbergh, 1920)

EnvirowatchRangitikei


Who’s checking the promises as Kiwi land ownership is lost? – Winston Peters

Certainly NZ is being sold lock, stock and barrel. The National Government seems indeed set on disposing of land hand over fist, along with our State Housing and other assets. This is the way of corporations … remember, our government is a corporation. The face of our country is truly changing in a very disturbing way. Watch this space.     EnvirowatchRangitikei

From Radio Live 31 Aug 2015

court-510750_1280“New Zealand land continues to go under the hammer to foreign buyers but no one is holding buyers to their promises of job and wealth creation for New Zealanders.

Strange, given the approvals are based on those promises. Oddly, no applications get rejected. In the last two years they have all been approved.

The promises, which give them the go ahead, include job creation, investment, protection of indigenous plants, donations to local organisations or schools, etc.

The Overseas Investment Office, the apparent guardian of our precious land, is letting us down. But the fault lies with the government which should be staffing it adequately and giving it the correct mandate…”

Winston Peters is NZ First leader 


Read more: http://www.radiolive.co.nz/WINSTON-PETERS-Whos-checking-the-promises-as-Kiwi-land-ownership-is-lost/tabid/615/articleID/95724/Default.aspx

Who controls the money controls the world

A 13 minute clip that explains the money system. Many notable people have referred to the banking fraternity’s control over the planet … one was Reginald McKenna, who had served as Chancellor of England’s Exchequer. In 1924 he said:

“I am afraid that the ordinary citizen will not like to be told that the banks can and do create money, and they who control the credit of a nation direct the policy of the governments and hold in the hollow of their hands, the destiny of the people”


“All facts in this movie have been independently confirmed. Sources are documented athttp://thrivemovement.com   History will repeat itself as long as these bankers and their corrupt politicians are in charge…” (Source)


Give me control over a nation’s economy, and I care not who writes its laws

Meyer Amschel Rothschild


Another week of neoliberal economics – (and who cares about the poor?) – from the Daily Blog

From the Daily Blog in NZ, a thought provoking look at the world of economics where policy fallout on human populations is of no particular importance. Discussing also the incentives (are there any?) for mothers to leave their babies in day care and take up paid employment. Many are apparently worse off for working full time.

Capitalism is not about free competitive choices among people who are reasonably equal in their buying and selling of economic power, it is about concentrating capital, concentrating economic power in very few hands using that power to trash everyone who gets in their way. (David Korten)


By   /   August 29, 2015
“In the world of economics there are no crises, no gender issues, no growing inequality, no precariat hanging on in a fragile labour market by their toenails. No families ‘choosing’ to be cold and sick so they can pay the rent, no mothers  sent to jail for infringing 19th century rules,  no children spluttering up sputum from 3rd world diseases because our  housing is so bad ,no inconvenient  hungry students with enormous debt ….
mansion-411128_1280Thus it was this week on Monday at the 13th annual economists breakfast  at the Heritage hotel in Auckland…

Economists after economist pontificated on whether interest rates and exchange  rates are going up or down and why and the virtues of quantitative easing that didn’t happen soon enough, apparently, except in the US.  Never a mention of fiscal policy, except the bad effects of increase in GST in Japan…
…of course, there was no mention by the economists of high rates of poverty, , casualisation, low pay and uncertain hours, rampant speculative activity in real estate and growing inequality, even though the IMF and the OECD are regularly warning of the dangers…

When the inevitable downturn produces higher unemployment, more foodbank demand, foreclosures and poor-330395_1280widespread mental illness, who asks or cares whether the economic system works for low and middle income people and their children?”

Kiwis lose $871 million from power company privatisations, power is up 3.8% & the elderly freeze

Whilst many elderly are stopping in bed all day to keep warm because they are paying outrageous prices for power (courtesy of Smart Meters) the CEOs of the powercos are on salaries of 1-2 million dollars. This is the insanity of corporate greed at its finest.

Today’s business corporation is an artificial creation, shielding owners and managers while preserving corporate privilege and existence. Artificial or not, corporations have won more rights under law than people have – rights which government has protected with armed force
Richard L Grossman and Frank T Adams
Recent articles in Nelson have illustrated what can happen following the installation of Smart Meters with accounts coming in at double the normal price and beyond. (Post to come on that one). The Greens in this article have highlighted the nonsensical world of privatisation … a thinly veiled scheme that clearly benefits the corporate world while claiming to benefit all. Remember, we were told the asset sales would get us out of debt (clearly wrong as our debt continues to climb). We were also told that more powercos meant more competition (free enterprise, the market and all that)  which would mean lower prices … wrong again.
“…free enterprise, [is] a term that refers, in practice, to a system of public subsidy and private profit, with massive government intervention in the economy to maintain a welfare state for the rich.”   Noam Chomsky

“New analysis of the financial statements of Genesis, Mighty River Power, and Meridian released by the Green Party today shows that National’s partial privatisation of power companies has cost New Zealand taxpayers $871 million, the Green Party said.

“The latest data shows that National’s sale of 49 percent of shares in the power companies was a massive transfer of wealth from the people of New Zealand to a few select investors, many who live overseas,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes said.

“If the Crown still owned 100 percent of these companies, taxpayers could collectively have earned another $381 million this year alone and a whopping $775 million since the selloff.

“Add to that the $96 million of costs associated with the sale process, including bonus shares to sweeten the deal for private investors, and the New Zealand taxpayer is $871 million worse off because of National’s failed privatisation plan.

“Consumers are hurting because power prices are up 3.8 percent – meanwhile power companies are paying out massive salaries to their CEOs and directors.

“The CEOs of the three partially privatised power companies now all earn over a million dollars each, and Meridian’s CEO gets close to $2 million when extra perks are included.

“Rising salaries for power company CEOs are cold comfort for Kiwi households facing higher power bills,” said Mr Hughes.

Mighty River Power’s announcement today of a special shareholder dividend means it will pay out almost $300 million for the year, and caps off a string of recent profit announcements from the partially privatised power companies. Contact and Meridian are also paying special dividends, while Genesis’ profit doubled from the previous year.

The Green Party has released new analysis, undertaken by the Parliamentary Library, of the financial statements of the recently partially privatised power companies Genesis, Mighty River Power, and Meridian.

SOURCE: https://www.greens.org.nz/news/press-releases/kiwis-lose-871-million-power-company-privatisations

Nestle Pays Only $524 to Extract 27,000,000 Gallons of California Drinking Water – from Antimedia

More revelations on Nestle from Claire Bernish at ANTIMEDIA, August 20, 2015

Firstly, 

Some thoughts on our own supplies of water in NZ:

P1160151
Lake Horowhenua

Many Kiwis will be aware of similar water issues here, particularly the Hawkes Bay where water rights have been sold to a Chinese company at bargain rates, giving them the right to extract, bottle and sell, whilst local orchardists pay through the nose for water to irrigate their orchards. Watch for a post on this issue. Water rights is an issue of growing importance, something we were all warned about by Maude Barlow in her book ‘Blue Gold’. These supplies, particularly aquifers, are indeed gold now as the rivers world wide are becoming increasingly polluted to the extent they are unsafe to drink or often even to swim in, as in the case of Lake Horowhenua. Continually the environment is being compromised in favour of corporate profits, and our authorities are letting them away with it. This reeks of corruption in the light of our so called ‘sustainable’ councils which speak

Bonny Glen Landfill
Midwest Disposal’s Landfill

with forked tongues. Not only are they allowing foreign companies to pillage precious supplies at ‘mates rates’, they also turn a blind eye to industry’s ongoing and blatant pollution of our precious waterways. This is evident in Rangitikei’s ongoing issue and lack of accountability with regard to the dumping of leachate into our water systems by local landfill owners, Midwest Disposals. Watch this space.

EnvirowatchRangitikei


Now More on California & Nestle’s Super Cheap Water Rights

“In 2013, the company drew 27 million gallons of water from 12 springs in Strawberry Canyon for the brand — apparently by employing rather impressive legerdemain —considering the permit to do soexpired in 1988.

But, as Nestle will tell you, that really isn’t cause for concern since it swears it is a good steward of the land and, after all, that expired permit’s annual fee has been diligently and faithfully paid in full —all $524 of it.” ….

“There is another site the company drains for profit while California’s historic drought rages on: Deer Canyon. Last year, Nestle drew 76 million gallons from the springs in that location, which is a sizable increase over 2013’s 56 million-gallon draw” …

“Though there is no way to verify exactly how much Nestle must spend to produce a single bottle of Arrowhead spring water, the astronomical profit is undeniable fact: the most popular size of a bottle of Arrowhead 100% Mountain Spring Water (1 liter) retails for 89¢ — putting the potential profit for Nestle in the tens of billions.

Activists have called for a boycott of Nestle Waters and all Nestle products until they are held accountable for their actions in California.”

Read the full article here: 

http://theantimedia.org/nestle-pays-only-524-to-exract-27000000-gallons-of-california-drinking-water/


Corporate Knighthoods … and Why You Should Boycott Talley’s Products

(Photo credit: Support Talleys Workers! FB page)

“Corporations are required by law to place the financial interests of their owners above competing interests. They are legally bound to put their bottom line ahead of everything else, even the public good” (Noam Chomsky, ‘The Corporation’).

Talleys has been in NZ’s news this week with a FB page calling for the public to boycott their products. This is in response to Talley’s attempts to destroy their own workers’ rights. Meat Workers Union members had asked 18 months ago for their existing collective contract to roll over along with a 1.5 % pay increase. Talley’s refused to sign off the Collective Employment Contract and stalled until the National government passed a new law allowing them to walk away from negotiations. 

… from the The Daily Blog NZ:

“After threatening worker rights, after trying to set up a new Union, after using hunger as a negotiating tactic that impacted 5000 children, after having the Police contact me and request blogs be taken down, Talley’s has made a complaint to Facebook to remove the ‘Boycott Talley’s’ Facebook group.” 

Talleys who bought out Affco has eight meat processing plants in the North Island of NZ  …” a major player in the meat industry with a billion dollars in revenue annually and 2800 staff…”  Talley’s launched a fight to destroy the meat workers union and  “… the demands the company put on the table would have cut workers pay, increased the working day, gut union protections, and eliminated seniority rights for staff. The company’s purpose is simple – to boost production and profits at all costs – including the lives and limbs of their workforce, as well as the environment…”

are the people who support their local communities. They perform all the voluntary functions that keep communities going and contribute to their health and vitality. When any government or company seeks to take a decent living away from families they inevitably affect whole communities.

Anyway, since Talley’s has requested FB take down the boycott Talley’s page, perhaps you’d like to go’ like’ & join it to help Talley’s workers get a fair deal. Talley’s is certainly off my menu from hereon in. The company produces for local & export markets … meat, dairy products, ice cream and frozen vegetables so it’s an international effort here, not just local.

You’ll see in the Daily Blog article, Peter Talley, joint manager of Talley’s, was knighted back in 2012 for his services to humanity … by the Queen who owns a sixth of the planet no less.

Talley’s Safety Record

“Over the last three years ACC has paid out $8 million to nearly 5000 Talley’s employees – that’s more than one injury for every worker employed by Talley’s companies. 1286 Talley’s workers were injured on the job last year alone.”See more

Profits

This is all typical behaviour for corporations because their bottom line is always profits for shareholders. This is their legal mandate … and to boot they have no legal liability for damage to people or environments. They offload those costs onto the recipients of their ‘benevolence’ and call them ‘externalities’. And by the way, your country NZ is a corporation and its CEO aka PM is also a banker with a wealth of experience at Merryl Lynch. Adds up doesn’t it?

As a FB blogger has pointed out, the people who work for these companies

It’s all about being part of the club and the corporate arm is its strong arm.

Find out more … read the Daily Blog’s full article here:

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/08/20/talleys-at-it-again-this-time-demanding-facebook-take-down-boycott-page/

Forest Service Official Who Let Nestle Drain California Water Now Works for Them … the Nature of Corporations

Corporations owe no allegiance to anybody except their shareholders. Behemoths with legal person hood, they focus solely on maximizing profit … personal ethics are foreign. If you are of the older school you will have noted that for more than two decades now loyalty to staff is a thing of the past and consequently, staff hold little loyalty to their employers. We’ve all heard stories of folks who worked for companies that put out the rumour there was a possibility staff would be cut … so everybody sweated it out for months wondering if they were selected to go. It had the effect of causing folks to look for work elsewhere which saved the boss the job. Then there are stories of folks arriving at work and being told, pack your bags, you no longer have a job as from today. A far cry now from the days when an employee worked 30 odd years for a company and retired with a gold watch. hand-648444_1280 Watch The Corporation documentary and learn how the attributes of a corporation are literally psychopathic. In light of their modus operandi, this article makes complete sense. Personally I prefer to boycott companies like these. Why not join me? If nobody buys their stuff then their whole raison d’etre falls flat. Read the article.

Claire Bernish
August 13, 2015

(ANTIMEDIA) San Bernardino National Forest — “An ongoing investigation by The Desert Sun into Nestle’s contentious bottled water operations in drought-stricken California first disclosed that the company’s permit to draw water had a rather astonishing expiration date that occurred over a quarter century ago, in 1988. Recently, the Sun reported an update in the investigation with a jaw-dropping twist: the Forest Service — not Nestle — is the agency primarily responsible for failing to renew Nestle’s permit.

In fact, judging by the government agency’s complete inability to even review Nestle’s long-expired permit — not to mention the lucrative job a retired Forest Service supervisor currently enjoys — there is an arguable case that collusion and corruption are at the heart of the entire issue…”

Read the article here: http://theantimedia.org/forest-service-official-let-nestle-drain-california-water-now-works/

More arrests needed as Western megabanks are now stealing depositors’ money

GeoPolitics101's avatarCovert Geopolitics

August 12, 2015

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JP Morgan and other Western mega-banks have already begun stealing depositors’ money, according to sources at the Asian Development Bank and an American millionaire who reported his own funds were stolen.

View original post 423 more words

The Anti-Capitalist Town With Equal Wage Full Employment and $19 Housing

This article from filmsforaction echoes the entire philosophy of this website. Yes … it is very do-able. Very. This is life without the middle men in the form of profiteering banksters who not only create money out of thin air (as in type your loan onto their computer screen) and then charge you interest for it. The Spanish town of Marinaleda has a local Mayor of 35+ years who has been known to seize food from the local supermarket & give it to the poor…. and people get a cheaply priced, comfortable house to live in, so long as it’s never sold for a profit (as in speculation)…

“With virtually no police, crime or unemployment, meet the Spanish town described as a democratic, socialist utopia. Unemployment is non-existent in Marinaleda, an Andalusian village in southern Spain that is prosperous thanks to its farming cooperative…..

Since the financial crisis began in 2008, Marinaleda has shot to fame — and so has its maverick mayor Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, who earned the nickname,”The Spanish Robin Hood,” after organizing and carrying out a series of supermarket raids in a direct action protest last August. Basic groceries such as oil, rice and beans were loaded into carts, wheeled from the store and taken to a local food bank to help the poor, as helpless cashiers looked on, some crying….”

Read the article from the filmsforaction website: http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/welcome-to-marinaleda-the-spanish-anticapitalist-town-with-equal-wage-full-employment-and-19-housing/

Other Links on Marinaleda:

Marinaleda: the village where people come before profit

Marinaleda, the town with few police, full employment and free housing – would you live here?

On Queen’s Birthday weekend … 8 facts about the Queen that may surprise you

Since it’s Queen’s Birthday this weekend (not her official birthday which is 21st April) here are a few pertinent facts you may like to ponder:

  1. Elizabeth_II_greets_NASA_GSFC_employees,_May_8,_2007_editQueen Elizabeth is the largest landowner on earth; she has legal ownership of over one sixth of the planet’s surface. The Commonwealth, including Britain, occupies 9,900 mill acres of the earth’s 36,000 mill acres.
  2. in the UK the Queen is the sole legal owner of all land. Everyone else has either of the following forms of tenure:  (a) freehold defined as ‘an interest in an estate in land, in fee simple.’ (a medieval term for the sum paid to represent the fact that freehold was actually a tenancy and that the monarch was the ultimate landowner). (b) Leasehold, an interest in an estate in land, in fee simple, for a term of years’.
  3. The corporation called ‘NZ’ (your country Kiwis) is registered as owned by the Queen, on the Securities & Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website, Washington DC.
  4. During WW2 11 million acres of land was seized by the British Govt., with minimal and in some cases no compensation paid.
  5. In the UK, Australia, Canada, NZ and anywhere else there are Crown lands, the relevant Govts can seize land without compensation, acting in the Queen’s name … they can also use the Royal Prerogative (feudal powers) to do the same, beyond the reach of parliaments.
  6. The Queen owns as a private person, about 637,000 acres with a value of over $9,200 million.
  7. For nearly 10,000 years of known history, those claiming ownership of land on the planet has been between 0.2% and 3% of the population, whilst the remaining 97-99% owned nothing. The land owners exclude the majority from owning any by crafting their own land laws and perpetuating the fallacy that land is scarce because there are too many people on the planet.
  8. If all the land on the planet was divvied up equally to all (this calculates roughly to one tenth of an urban acre or two of rural) poverty could be eliminated.

From ‘Who Owns the World’ by Kevin Cahill and Rob McMahon

Australia First to Introduce a Compulsory Tax on Money Itself … a warning

This signals a warning to folks with money in the bank. Banks are not averse to trimming your accounts as they already did in Greece. That was the Open Bank Resolution (OBR). When their poor practices fail it is you the customer who tends to be paying for their mistakes. Educate yourself and be warned. Here your savings will be taxed.

“The new compulsory control is provided in the 2015 Australian budget, so that everyone who has any savings must pay taxes on their savings. The measure is expected to serve as a global test balloon for Europe and North America, who will watch for the outcome in Australia. If there is no massive resistance of Australian savers, the rest of the world should expect this outright confiscation very rapidly…”

Read the full article at http://armstrongeconomics.com/archives/30158

Other Links: http://www.naturalnews.com/049696_Australia_taxes_savings_account.html#ixzz3aGwxeL9d

Open Bank Resolution: https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/kiwi-investors-dont-realise-their-deposits-are-no-longer-guaranteed/