Tag Archives: Government run Ponzi Schemes

Jun 2 2018

GDPR resulting in Destroying German Internet


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union

Re-Posted Jun 2, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

After the first week, the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe has done far more damage that Brussels ever anticipated. This regulation, which was intended to really prevent political marketing against the government, is actually destroying the German Internet. Operators have chosen to simply shut down their websites for fear of lawsuits. Many online services have chosen to delete their users’ accounts. In case of violations of the regulation, companies face fines of four percent of their turnover.

At the same time, law firms are licking their lips and see a whole new fortune to be made while rubbing their hands. Lawyers have sprung into action and have set up consumer protection associations armed with this new regulation which explicitly states that consumers are entitled to take action for damages. Activists have targeted companies on a large scale all looking to make huge profits.

The US Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren E. Burger once said: “We may well be on our way to a society overrun by hordes of lawyers, hungry as locusts, and brigades of judges in numbers never before contemplated.” These words seem to be very much on point in Europe. One day, we can only hope that Brussels will admit a serious mistake as just ask – What have we done? But since they refuse to admit error in anything else from creating a federalized Europe without consolidating debts or the refugee issue that is tearing Europe apart, it looks like GDPR is just another nail in the coffin of the EU.

Jun 1 2018

Head of Spain Ousted on Corruption – The Man who Sent in Troops to Catalonia


Armstrong Economics Blog/Corruption

Re-Posted Jun 1, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

The head of Spain, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who sent in troops against Catalonia has been one of the most corrupt politicians in modern time.  At last, he has been overthrown by Parliament after an unprecedented corruption scandal in Madrid. Now we are introducing political uncertainty in Spain, Italy, and Greece will soon follow. In Spain, a broad party alliance emerged based on the vote of no confidence of the Social Democratic PSOE against Rajoy of the conservative People’s Party (PP). The motion was supported by 180 MPs, requiring at least 176 votes. This is PSOE boss Pedro Sanchez who is the new head of government. He is expected to be commissioned by the king to form a new government quickly. Those who have supported the no-confidence vote included the leftist party Podemos and two separatist parties from Catalonia.

Rajoy simply gave up for his support vanished before the vote. Corruption is fine until it is exposed. Rajoy came to office back in December 2011 and led a conservative minority government since 2016. The PSOE head came out and proclaimed: “Today we are opening a new chapter in the history of democracy in our country.” He is a former economics professor.

The corruption scandal has involved 29 defendants, including former PP leadership cadres, who were sentenced to 351 years in prison for corruption, embezzlement, money laundering and illegal enrichment. Corruption among politicians is just off the charts. Obama’s longtime fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko was convicted on federal fraud and money laundering charges, and anyone else would have been brought up on conspiracy if they were no Obama. On the same day, the Obamas closed on their house, Rezko’s wife, Rita Rezko, bought a vacant lot next door from the same seller, at the full asking price of $625,000 so Obama got a deal on the house. Later, Rezko sold the lot to Obama for $300.000. Obama said he paid fair market value for the property decline. By more than 50%. Of course, the press and the police look the other way when anyone else would call it outright corruption.

Welcome to the real world where corruption is just off the charts everywhere!

May 31 2018

This Guy Thinks He Can Forcibly Disarm This Guy


Published on May 30, 2018

The left is finally revealing their true gun agenda: to get rid of ALL guns. Who will lead this disarmament charge? Buzzfeed’s resident hero! Want even more Right Angle each week? Become a member at BillWhittle.com! https://www.billwhittle.com/subscribe Right Angle is brought to you by the paying members of BillWhittle.com and by donations from viewers like you! Show your support by making a donation at: https://www.billwhittle.com/donate

 

May 28 2018

American Media Blocked in Europe


Armstrong Economics Blog/Rule of Law

Re-Posted May 28, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

The American media companies such as Tronc and Lee Enterprises are now totally dark in European Union countries. Some of those sites include the Los Angeles Times, the New York Daily News, the St. Louis Dispatch, the Chicago Tribune, and the Orlando Sentinel. It appears that various American media have decided to simply block Europe entirely rather than risk that they may publish a story that will inspire GDPR to be invoked on them in retaliation.

May 28 2018

Day One Brings Complaints in Europe Against Google & Facebook


Armstrong Economics Blog/Rule of Law

Re-Posted May 28, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

It took only one day for complaints to be filed against Google and Facebook under the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When Mark Zuckerberg testified in front of members of the European Parliament, he insisted that Facebook was ready for Friday the 25th when the GDPR, which is the European Union’s new strict data privacy going into effect. The very first day, complaints against Facebook and Google with others alleging that the tech companies are in violation of the law.

The GDPR was passed in April 2016 and instituted stringent new rules on any company that held consumer data. The real purpose of this is to prevent mass mailing and targeting people for political purposes. You have people like Clapper now claiming he “personally” believes Russia tipped the election because millions of people saw its propaganda. Of course, Clapper did that to other elections outside the USA besides tapping phones of world leaders including Merkel. The old problem is those in government have always assumed the people are stupid sheep because they have lied to them for decades and gotten away with it. The GDPR is all about trying to prevent real freedom of speech in fear that the people might listen and rise up.

The complaints target the user agreements of Google and Facebook which are notorious for being long and complicated to ensure people do not read everything before they click agree. Companies like Facebook and Google are supposed to let you know precisely what kind of data they’re collecting and/or selling about you.

The Facebook owns WhatsApp and Instagram individually as well. The allegations against Facebook and Google claim they are violating the GDPR because they are adhering to the letter of the law and not the “spirit” of the law. That’s what lawyers are for. They alleged that the companies aren’t really offering consumers a choice. You must agree to let Facebook and Google collect enormous amounts of data on you, or you can delete their services. There is no middle ground. It is their way or the highway!

The GDPR expressly allows any data processing that is strictly necessary for the service. However, using the data additionally for advertisement or to sell it on to other companies requires the users’ free opt-in consent. There has been no change to their policy providing “informed consent” about what kind of data Facebook and Google are collecting. Clearly, they are profiling people gathering information that they do not actually “need” to provide their services. GDPR actually exempts collecting data that is really necessary for providing that service and that does not require consent. Go beyond that and anything else requires a free “yes” or “no” option.

The real pro at this tactic is of course government itself. The freedom to travel is limited not just by requiring a passport, but you cannot use a car unless you obtain a drivers license. There is no “choice” in this matter. You consent to get a license or you walk. Just about every other registration process involves the surrender of constitutional rights. For example, you have to register with the SEC or CFTC to get a license in the financial world. However, part of that process is you are “waiving” your rights to search warrants and self-incrimination. A regulator need not go to court to come into your office and audit you. So the license is their way or the highway the same policies being imposed and followed by Google and Facebook. We wonder where they got the idea from?

Both Google and Facebook have stated publicly that they have prepared to be compliant under GDPR. The question turns on their: “you agree or get lost policy”. Both Google and Facebook are in fact adhering to the letter of the law. The GDPR doe not PROHIBIT this policy of consent or get lost. So they are not really in violation. This will be interesting to watch.

May 25 2018

GDPR – It’s Here Like it or Not


Armstrong Economics Blog/Armstrong Economics 101

Re-Posted May 24, 2018 by Martin Armstrong


We have sent out emails to our clients and request that you respond to them ASAP. We do not flood people with constant emails. We do not require even registering to view the site. We also DO NOT sell your personal information to ANYONE. We have always respected everyone’s privacy and we are not desperate for money so you need not milk every single penny from everything.

Nevertheless, politicians get bored and when they do, they write laws that sometimes are far too ambiguous that allows they to reinterpret just about anything. As the Duke of Richelieu and Fronsac (1585–1642) once said:

“If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.”

(Source: The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896) by Jehiel K̀eeler Hoyt, p. 763 : some dispute this quote)

The deep concern many have had is that the real purpose of this is to be able to shut down anyone who creates email campaigns against the EU. It will be flatly illegal to simply send out bulk emails for political purposes and you can bet they will be the first prosecuted. The revelations of the use of emails by Cambridge Analytica Ltd during the US 2016 campaign has been the real motivation behind this legislation.

May 22 2018

Why Do Presidents Need Memorial Libraries to Celebrate Accomplishing Nothing?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Opinion

Re-Posted May 22, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

A lawsuit has been filed to stop Chicago from taking a park to build the Obama Center as if every president warrant such a thing when all he did is miss 65% of his security briefing to play golf. It is such a joke that every president get to build a huge center to celebrate their accomplishments even when they accomplished nothing. Why would you need a huge library when most of the documents are classified anyway. It just becomes another propaganda center to rewrite history.

If these people need such things, then there should be one building in Washington where all presidents get to put on their show. Like Disney’s Hall of Presidents, they can even have a robot deliver their speech every day in their voice to visitors if anyone shows up.

I use to stop by Ben Franklin’s tomb in Philadelphia when I was in town and had the time. There was no huge building for a personal library and he was a man who really contributed to everything that put reality in the word “freedom” as well as “liberty for all”. He requested no fancy grave. He was a humble man in the end.

Then there is the tomb of Thomas Jefferson, which too wrote. Note that he did not even mention being President of the United States.  To him, being the author of the Declaration of Independence was the most important accomplishment of his life. He too did not need a huge library to celebrate that accomplishment.

I just do not see why Obama needs to take away a park in a crowded city for his personal legacy that really accomplished nothing in the end but hardship.

May 20 2018

Authoritarianism and Islamic Extremism (The Panel: Part 2)


Published on Mar 10, 2016
Watch the full discussion about self-censorship, secularism, and more: http://bit.ly/226gqt7 Human rights activists Faisal Saeed al Mutar and Melissa Chen join Dave Rubin for a discussion about authoritarianism, Islamic extremism, and more. ***Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c… Watch more on Ora TV: http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport
May 20 2018

Self-Policing, Stereotyping, and Being Easily Offended (The Panel: Part 1)


Published on Mar 9, 2016
Watch the full discussion about authoritarianism, Islamic extremism, and more: http://bit.ly/226gqt7 Human rights activists Faisal Saeed al Mutar and Melissa Chen join Dave Rubin for a panel discussion about growing up in Singapore, self-policing around the world, stereotyping, and being easily offended. ***Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c… Watch more on Ora TV: http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport What are your thoughts? Comment below or tweet to Dave: https://twitter.com/RubinReport
May 20 2018

Shelby Steele: Is White Guilt Destroying the West?


Published on Nov 3, 2017

Shelby Steele (born January 1, 1946) is an African American author, columnist, documentary film maker, and a Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He specializes in the study of race relations, multiculturalism, and affirmative action. In this clip, he talks about whether white guilt is destroying the west. Full talk, quoted under fair use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF3Va…