"Americans have the will to resist because they have weapons. If you don't have a gun, freedom of speech has no power." -- Yoshimi Ishikawa, Japanese author, in the LA Times 15 Oct 1992

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The U.S. Squatter Epidemic: Homeowners Helpless Against Unwanted Occupants MikeRivero Wed, 03/22/2023 - 10:00

Real estate lawyer Jim Burling, Vice President of litigation for Pacific Legal Foundation, recently warned Fox News Digital that any home left unoccupied for an extended period could be a target. In Chicago, two residents recently found out the hard way when squatters moved into their homes after their elderly family members died. Darthula Young and Karen Polk discovered the squatters in September, yet remain tied up in the court process, a process that can take months and puts the burden of proof on the homeowners.

Credit Suisse tells Hong Kong clients to 'embrace new reality' MikeRivero Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:58

Days after it was rescued in an emergency buyout, Credit Suisse gathered hundreds of clients in an upscale Hong Kong hotel on Tuesday for a glitzy investment conference where they were told to "embrace the new reality".

Executives at the event from the troubled Swiss lender were eager to offer reassurances, even as details of the takeover by Swiss giant UBS remained unclear and global markets were buffeted by fears for the banking industry.

Cryptoverse: Bitcoin passes the bank stress test MikeRivero Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:58

As crisis stalks the traditional world of stocks and bonds, bitcoin is suddenly looking like a safe haven.

The infamously volatile cryptocurrency seems positively hale and hearty, just as a banking meltdown drives markets into the arms of a recession.

Bitcoin has risen 21% this month, while a choppy S&P 500 has lost 1.4% and gold has gained 8%.

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Britain's government borrowed more than expected in February, official data showed on Tuesday, but finance minister Jeremy Hunt may still hope that falling energy costs and inflation will offer leeway later this year for a pre-election tax cut.

The Office for National Statistics said public sector net borrowing, excluding state-owned banks, was 16.7 billion pounds ($20.4 billion) last month, the largest February deficit since monthly records began in 1993.

The "winter of discontent" that has been sweeping across Europe has now escalated into a "spring of discontent," with strikes and protests set to spread from France, Greece, and other surrounding countries to Germany. 

According to Reuters, Germany's Verdi union and the railway and transport union EVG are preparing to unleash paralyzing strikes on the country's airports and railways next Monday.

Poland has long criticized Hungary for its neutrality in the war in Ukraine and its calls to end sanctions on Russia, but despite the Polish government’s tough rhetoric, billions in exports continue to flow from Poland to Russia

In bucolic Indiana, Pennsylvania, residents have started an “It’s a Wonderful Life Festival.”

The town’s Christmas celebration commemorates both favorite son Jimmy Stewart, who starred in the iconic movie, and the story’s message of redemption and hope.

First Signs Of A Notable Low-Income Slowdown MikeRivero Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:25

The bank crisis, Fed and macro continue to lead the market in a daily rollercoaster, and while that won't change for at least a few days, Goldman's consumer retail trader Scott Feiler notes in his trading note today, there are some notable things to highlight in consumer...

1. First signs of a notable low-income slowdown?:

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The DEATH of democracy: As Xi Jinping declares 'change is coming that hasn't happened in 100 years', expert explains how inept Western leaders are paving the way for autocrats to take over the world by failing to tackle domestic issues MikeRivero Wed, 03/22/2023 - 09:11

That is the apocalyptic vision put forward by expert Charles Dunst in his new book Defeating the Dictators as he warns that democracy is now in a fight with autocracy for control of the future, and is in danger of losing unless it rapidly gets its act together.

In his new book, expert Charles Dunst warns that democracy is now in a fight with autocracy for control of the future. Pictured: China's president Xi Jinping (left) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (right) share a toast during their meeting in Moscow on Tuesday