dixiegrrrrl
dixiegrrrrl's JournalFour years after Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay, $195.7 million renovation in works
in renovations and new construction
Pentagon request includes $49 million for new jail for 'special' detainees
White House shut office charged with closing controversial US prison
Crumbling structures make it a 'money pit,' says former military prosecutor
President Barack Obama famously promised in early 2009 to close the US military's detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba within 12 months. But new Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is instead considering a proposal from his top commanders to spend $195.7 million renovating it and erecting a new prison building.
The new construction would include $49 to house high-value targets like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 terror attacks, whose initial detention and interrogation was handled by the Central Intelligence Agency.
The New York Times reported that it would likely replace Camp 7, the oft-rumored but never acknowledged installation for those 'special' detainees.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297620/Four-years-Obama-promised-close-Guantanamo-Bay-military-prison-195-million-dollars-renovations-new-construction.html
Cyprus deal reached....anyone know how the Russians will react to THIS?
Reuters reports..
The proposal, which will now be presented to euro zone finance ministers for discussion, will involve setting up a "good bank" and a "bad bank" and will mean that Popular Bank of Cyprus, known as Laiki, will effectively be shut down.
Deposits below 100,000 euros in Laiki will be transferred to Bank of Cyprus.
Deposits above 100,000 euros, which under EU law are not insured, will be frozen and will be used to resolve debt.
It remains unclear how large the writedown on those funds will be.
The EU spokesman said there would be no "levy" imposed on any Cypriot banks, with the package requiring a full "bail-in" of uninsured depositors, which is likely to mean heavy losses for those with large holdings in Laiki and potentially Bank of Cyprus, where many Russians hold bank accounts.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/24/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130324
Would you use a bank with these rules?
In order to keep its bankrupt banks from collapsing, Cyprus is voting on these new rules, called "capital controls".
Pay special attention to the last item on the list.
Source:
http://theprodigalgreek.wordpress.com/
* Restrictions in daily withdrawals
* Ban on premature termination of time savings deposits
* Compulsory renewal of all time savings deposits upon maturity
* Conversion of current accounts to time deposits
* Ban or restrictions on non cash transactions
* Restrictions on use of debit, credit or prepaid debit cards
* Ban or restriction on cashing in checks
* Restrictions on domestic interbank transfers or transfers within the same bank
* Restrictions on the interactions/transactions of the public with credit institutions
* Restrictions on movements of capital, payments, transfers
* Any other measure which the Finance Minister or the Governor of Cyprus Central Bank see necessary
for reasons of public order and safety
Notice how the checking accounts will be turned into timed accounts, like Certificates of Deposit,
EXCEPT, like the Hotel California, "you can never leave" the accounts which will have automatic rollover at the end of the time period.
the banks are saying..we are keeping all your money and will ration it out to you as we see fit.
think it can't happen elsewhere?......... New Zealand is already discussing the idea, as is Spain.
I hope a lot of people become aware of this.
Bernanke does it again!!!! " the Cyprus problem with "be contained" to Europe."
"The continuing Cyprus banking meltdown reverberating across the euro zone likely will be contained on that side of the Atlantic, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday.
Mr. Bernanke is not seeing a major risk to the U.S. economy due to the crisis, he said at a press conference,
though he acknowledged Cyprus faces a difficult situation.
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/03/20/bernanke-doesnt-see-major-risk-from-cyprus/
remember when he said in July 07 that "the subprime crisis is contained"?????
and
" we believe the effect of the troubles in the subprime sector on the broader housing market will likely be limited,
http://www.forbes.com/2007/05/17/bernanke-subprime-speech-markets-equity-cx_er_0516markets02.html
Cyprus has Plan B:
steal the state pension funds
conduct an emergency bond sale ( sell bonds to whom? I would wonder)
AND
STILL tax the bank deposits, at lower rate.
see here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/global/after-deal-is-rejected-cyprus-scrambles-to-find-funds.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Oh, and fire the Finance Minister, Sarris...check.
Here:http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_19/03/2013_488623
"banks in Cyprus may never re-open if a bailout is not agreed."
"German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Cyprus that its banks might never be able to reopen if it rejected the bailout."
and
"Some businesses are now refusing credit card payments, our correspondent reports."
and
Options for Cyprus
Declaration of insolvency
Revised bailout but still with bank levy
Bigger EU bailout
Increased Russian funding
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21855163
Did Bank of American sell the servicing rights to your mortgage yet?
We just a letter telling us that BOA will no longer be servicing our mortgage, that starting April 1 we send checks to Green Tree LLC.
So of course I looked them up, and found all sorts of horror stories on how they try to rip off home owners.
Here is some info on Green Tree and Finch ratings:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/08/idUSWNB287320130108
It seems, from everything I have been reading, that the big banks are getting out of the mortgage servicing business.
Seems to be part of the recent Gov't settlement deals.
Here is coverage of that aspect, from this Jan:
Exclusive: Bank of America to sell service rights on $100 billion of mortgages
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/08/us-bankofamerica-mortgages-idUSBRE9070ML20130108
This is the 4th change of mortgage servicers I have had in 7 years.
Really speaks to the fact that collecting mortgage payments is a lucrative business.
Cyprus vote delayed again, protestors tear down flag @German Embassy,
and Russia not happy with new bank "tax" plan.
Vote delayed once again, Cyprus folks are demonstrating, and the Euro bosses have told the Cyprus flackey...errr...Prime Minister, to float the idea of now taking 15% from depositors who have more than 100,000
in the banks....these depositors include a LOT of Russian money.
I am following Twitter@Cyprus.
Zero Hedge and Twitter are keeping up with events in Euroland/cyprus.
Eurogroup Folds: Tells Cyprus To "Safeguard" Depositors Under 100,000 Euros;
Angry Russians To Get Even Angrier
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-03-18/eurogroup-folds-telld-cyprus-safeguard-depositors-under-%E2%82%AC100k-euros
Russia will dispatch a permanent group of five to six combat ships to the Mediterranean Sea, Russian Navy chief Admiral Viktor Chirkov said.
http://rt.com/news/fleet-mediterranean-russia-ships-390/
( I am sure this was only by co-incidence)
This is taking on the signs of a major clusterfuck called "how NOT to steal money from depositors."
Amazing to watch as events unfold, plans go awry, and the whole troika of IMF, the Europe Central bank and Cyprus gov't lurches around the world stage,...making up the playbook as they go along,
while Cyprus and most of Europe throw tomatoes at them.
betcha the next country that wants to steal the people's money won't announce FIRST and THEN try to vote on making the theft legal.
Got any updates? How about posting them here.
Cyprus banks to be kept closed until Friday
to stave off bank run, says NYTimes..............
A vote was scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. local time, the Parliament announced, although there was the possibility it could be delayed until Friday.
As European stock markets faltered and the euro fell against major currencies, the government said it would also keep Cypriot banks shuttered until at least Friday, well beyond a bank holiday that was supposed to end Monday. The move was aimed at staving off a possible bank run.
The main euro zone blue-chip stock index fell 1.5 percent in afternoon trading, mirroring declines earlier in Asia, and Wall Street stocks were expected to open lower.
Mr. Anastasiades warned Sunday that a failure to pass the 10 billion euro, or $13 billion, deal could lead to a major shock, including a complete collapse of the banking sector and the possibility that the divided island nation would have to leave the euro altogether.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/business/global/asian-markets-drop-on-latest-euro-concerns.html?_r=0
Could you get by if your bank was closed for a week?
Cyprus bank holiday extended to Tuesday, maybe Wed.
Cyprus banks were scheduled to open Tuesday.....
But...
Nicosia postponed from Sunday to Monday the tabling in Parliament of the bill including the measures for the Cypriot bailout including a bank account haircut and a tax hike on interest and corporate earnings but the European Central Bank insists on a rapid voting because there are already signs a domino effect will follow across European lenders and markets from Monday.
There is genuine fear of market unrest on Monday morning when stocks may crumble in the eurozone and bank accounts in other southern European bank may suffer.
( this is most of the story....
but here is link)
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_17/03/2013_488273
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Gender: FemaleHometown: Washington state, for half my life
Home country: USA
Current location: SW Alabama. for the rest of my life
Member since: Wed Feb 27, 2008, 02:09 PM
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