Today marks the start of mission impossible, Australian politics style, as the federal government tries to sell the Carbon Tax to the people. Judging by the opinion polls conducted after the introduction of this new tax, it will definitely be a tough challenge. Never before have we seen so many people disillusioned with a government policy as we have with this one and the polls have reflected this time after time, with support for the government reaching incredible lows. Slot Game Online.

So can we believe what the government says about this tax and how it will effect us? Going by the track record of Prime Minister Julia Gillard I think not. After all she did say before the last election that we would not have this tax anyway. She also said that she would not move into the lodge until she was elected Prime Minister by the Australian people. Quite funny now how her position has changed on both of those subjects. We are now faced with the tax we were never going to have and Ms. Gillard lives in the lodge even though it was only by doing a deal with the independents that she was able to form a government and not by being elected by the people. Slot Game Online.

"But the Carbon Tax price is only being charged to around 300 of the countries 'Biggest' polluters." This is the story we are getting from members of the government to attempt to win people over in time for the next election due towards the end of 2013. Really! Do they think that the Australian people are that gullible? Do they seriously think it wont create a roll-on effect to everything? Are they really that far removed from reality to believe that it won't impact on the whole of the economy and the cost of living for Australian Families? Simple questions you may say, but try getting a simple answer, or even better, a truthful answer from members of the government. Slot Game Online.

The most obvious industry for them to place this tax on is of course the Power Industry, especially with most of the country using coal to generate electricity. Even if they moved away from the use of coal towards other so-called environmentally friendly options as the government want, it would still have a massive impact on the community because the power companies are already charging a premium to customers who choose this option prior to the introduction of the Carbon Tax. Imagine if this was the only option left? How much extra would we be paying for electricity then? Slot Game Online.

Now this is only one industry that I have highlighted here that will be directly impacted by the Carbon Tax. But there is good reason that this industry was chosen to highlight the impact on the economy as a whole. Because no matter what industry you look at, they are all reliant on electricity in some way or set their prices factoring in the cost of electricity to their business. Even if a business does not require the use of electricity to perform their normal daily functions, a large percentage of their suppliers do. This will then cause a snowballing effect as the extra costs get passed on down the line until the poor old consumer ends up bearing the brunt of it all. Slot Game Online.

Okay, so the government says that the assistance packages that are being handed out to families will help ease the burden of the new tax on their cost of living. But how will that assistance help when companies can no longer afford to remain in business and close down causing thousands of people to lose their jobs? Or if they don't close down, reduce their workforce numbers also resulting in job losses? These assistance packages are just a feeble attempt by the government to try to buy back a few of the votes that they have lost with the introduction of this tax in the first place. Slot Game Online.

Predictions by the government say that for the financial year 2012/13, inflation will only increase at a rate of 0.7%. How can this be possible when it is currently sitting at around 2-3% mark at the moment? One possible way for this to be true is by the Carbon Tax causing mass lay-offs of workers, meaning people will not have any money to spend and prices will not be able to rise very much over this time. Businesses will be trying to at least get some sales rather than none at all and would be forced to keep prices down to a level that works for there turnover targets. Slot Game Online.

The opposition has said that the next election will be a referendum on this new tax and that the Australian people will voice their opinion by the way they cast their vote come election day. The best thing for the country is to not have to wait for the next election, but to have a referendum now, or even better, force an election now, so that Ms. Gillard and friends can see just how unhappy the Australian Public is with this government. Maybe then they will understand that you do not get anywhere in life by misleading people and that eventually, every con-artist will have their judgement day. Slot Game Online.

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American politics is starting to get interesting. Barack Obama has been in office for over a year, and the wave of euphoria that won him the election has dissipated. People are now thinking ahead to the 2012 Presidential election. Will Obama win a second term? Will he want a second term? If he neither stands nor wins in 2012, who is going to replace him? Slot Game Online.

To answer some of these questions, we can turn to star sign astrology. We can look at the star signs of the forty-three US Presidents, and see whether some are more frequent than others. We can also explore the controversial issue of whether one can tell a good President from their star sign. Slot Game Online.

As far as frequency is concerned, the average amount of Presidents per sign is just over three and a half. We therefore have three levels of frequency: low, average and high. Having looked at the counts for each sign, the range is between two and five Presidents. So there have been four Leo Presidents, namely Benjamin Harrison, Herbert Hoover, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Low frequency signs are where only two US Presidents had the sign. Average frequency is three or four; high frequency is five. Slot Game Online.

The low frequency signs are Aries, Gemini and Virgo. It's perhaps not surprising that so few Aries people have made it to the White House - the last Aries President was John Tyler, who was in office from 1841 to 1845. To succeed in politics you need to compromise, and Aries politicians can be too assertive for their own good. Slot Game Online.

However to get to the top of their profession politicians need to have a high degree of self-belief and too much doubting can be very destructive. This is perhaps why there have been so few Gemini or Virgo Presidents. These two signs are ruled by Mercury, and this planet is very much associated with thinking and analysing. And sometimes Mercury analyses things too much, to the extent where it has second thoughts about everything. Slot Game Online.

The average frequency signs are Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Pisces. The high frequency signs are Scorpio and Aquarius. Slot Game Online.

Scorpios can be effective politicians because they have a powerful intuition, and they tend to have a natural understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their enemies. At the same time they have strong desires, and they don't allow anything to get in their way. Having said that, there hasn't been a Scorpio President for some time - the last Scorpio in the White House was Warren Harding, who was President from 1921 to 1923. Slot Game Online.

Yet in recent years two Scorpios have got reasonably close to the White House. Scorpio Michael Dukakis was beaten by Gemini George Bush Senior in the 1988 Presidential election. Twenty years later Scorpio Hillary Clinton was thwarted by Leo Barack Obama in a heated race for the Democrat nomination. Slot Game Online.

I would guess that Aquarians are successful in politics because they're independent-minded. This can very often be a disadvantage, but there are times in history when the voters are looking for something different and perhaps revolutionary. I now come to the question of which sign makes the best Presidents, and arguably the answer is Aquarius. Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery, and who led the Union to victory during the Civil War, was an Aquarian. Slot Game Online.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, who brought America out of the Great Depression, and who led the country during the Second World War, was also an Aquarian. Then there's Aquarian Ronald Reagan. Personally I don't regard him as being a great President, but there's no denying that he stood up for America's interests and played a big role in defeating Communism. I should make it clear, though, that I'm judging success in terms of the wider collective. On an individual level the success of Aquarian Presidents is usually incomplete, because they seldom get to enjoy a happy retirement. Slot Game Online.

Of the five Aquarian Presidents, four died in office. Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a stroke in 1945, William McKinley was assassinated, and so was Abraham Lincoln. America's first Aquarian president, William Harrison, caught a cold and died, shortly after his inauguration. This means that Ronald Reagan was the only Aquarian President to retire. Even then, he came within a whisker of being assassinated, when in 1981, during an assassination attempt, he was shot in the lung. Slot Game Online.

So if you're an ambitious Aquarius, and you succeed in becoming US President, you could have a big impact on the world - but you might have to pay a big price. Aquarian Sarah Palin should bear this in mind, when she considers the pros and cons of making a 2012 bid for the White House. Slot Game Online.

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I think that the government is maybe to important to not let it go bankrupt. I feel that the consequences for letting this happen are far better than the consequences of doing anything else. I also think this might be true for any other situation. As citizens, it is our duty to inform our elected officials what we think they should do; And, only then can we hold them accountable for whether they choose to listen to their constituents, or not. Slot Game Online.

If we let the government fail, some social services might suffer for a short period of time. I feel that we must afford society the opportunity to learn from this situation; And, we must thwart the Federal Government from assuming our individual and state sovereignty. Historically, every attempt to nationalize almost anything has failed; And, so we must learn from the past, and hope our elected representatives will chart a course that changes the future we are headed towards. The "New Deal" only prolonged the suffering of the Great Depression by a decade. Welfare destroys families by encouraging single parent families to have more kids. The Government Education system is the worse in all of the developed countries because teachers and school systems are not held accountable to what they 'produce' by the people they serve. It is time for the Government to change. It is time for the Government to get out of the 'people's way. Slot Game Online.

That is the key to the entire problem. This socialism is truly a mental disorder; And, I think that it might be a cousin to depression. It is based upon the idea that if only there was someone to 'save' the proletariat, or the 'planet'. I think that I have listened to a lote of socialists, and I like history a great deal. I feel that a socialist's fundamental error is the belief that there are two types of people; And, that is good people, and then the bad people. For them, good people are always right, and bad people are flawed. This is why a socialist feels as if anyone contradicting them is attacking them personally. I think that another way to say this is that by contradicting them you are pointing out that they are wrong, and by default that makes them a bad person; And, in the end you are indirectly attacking their self image and esteem. I think that most socialists free themselves from this mental disorder by starting to forgive themselves for ... everything. Slot Game Online.

I feel that the only person who can save you, may be you, and your relationship with the Divine. If you are lost then simply ask the angels to help you find your way and they will, regardless of what you believe. They will help you even if you think you are an atheist, or even a Satanist; And, they will help you with what 'you want'. Slot Game Online.

I feel that it is time for us to start taking responsibility. We are the ones who let the Government get this way. We are in complete control of our lives, even if we refuse to recognize our control and/or are lost. It is time for us to start talking about the issues that shape our lives, regardless of whether they fall into the realm of religion or politics. That is an easy way for us to help others, and helping others is the only way to help ourselves. I think that if you stay away from talking about political parties and individual people, you might find that most people are very reasonable.
I know that my elected Representative in Congress, as a resident of Walla Walla County in Washington state, is Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodger. I think I have investigated Cathy's record on what she has voted on and I think she is a great representative. So I intend to be involved in local city and county politics. I intend to vote against Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell; because they are wrong ninety five percent of the time. By vote against I mean I will look at whoever is running against them and vote for the one who I agree with most. This craziness of voting for the lesser of two evils is how we got stuck with 'evil' to begin with. Slot Game Online.
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I feel that everyone should maybe go to  and look for whoever is the elected officials of your state and look at their record. Then 'inform' them of what you think on the major issues we face today. {} This is another good website to help you stay informed of current issues in Washington D.C. with minimal, of your valuable, time invested into it. There are many other free services on the internet that can help you stay informed with only a few minutes a day, at most, invested. I think that the federal and state government shapes our lives so much that maybe we can't afford not to be the change we know our country needs. Slot Game Online.

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I'm sure most of you learned about the Roman Emperor, Nero, in your world history class in high school. Nero ruled the Roman Empire from AD 54 until AD 68. He was known as a tyrannical and brutal leader and lived a life of opulence, while in power. His subjects, however, lived in abject poverty and Christian subjects were brutally murdered. Slot Game Online.

A fire broke out in the city of Rome on the night of July 18th, AD 64 and according to many historians, the Emperor, Nero, played his fiddle as the city burned. He seemingly did not care about what was happening to the capital city of the Roman Empire. He was so egotistical, arrogant and selfish, that he refused to do anything to help them while their city burned to the ground. Slot Game Online.

The same can be said to describe the current President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama. As the Gulf States continue to suffer through one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, Barack Obama is nowhere to be found. He has made a couple of hastily scheduled visits to the region, but only after he has been severely criticized for not doing anything to help. His visits were nothing more than photo ops. He has declared that he has been in charge since day 1 and he is doing everything he can to help, but the fact is he has done nothing. He is lying to the American people yet again. Slot Game Online.

Today is day 47 of this disaster. Oil is still spewing out of control from the BP well and every effort they have made to stop the spewing has come up short. BP is obviously not able to deal with this problem on their own. As a result, millions of Americans that live in the Gulf Coast States are suffering economical losses in the billions. Many have lost their fishing & shrimping businesses, because they are not able to go to sea and fish. As their boats sit idle in their harbors and marinas, they are not making any money. How are they supposed to survive if they cannot work? How are they going to pay their bills if no money is coming in? Slot Game Online.

The tourism industry has suffered severe losses as well. This is the peak of their tourism season right now and hotel rooms sit empty in beach towns all across the gulf coast line. Oil is washing up on their beaches, making them bio hazards, instead of tourists sunning themselves on these beaches. Restaurants sit empty. Golf courses are not being played on. The entertainment business has taken a huge economical loss. Slot Game Online.

Instead of leading the fight to tackle this disaster, the federal government has done very little to help. The only thing the Obama administration has done to this point is threaten BP with criminal charges. They may very well deserve to be charged, but now is not the time or place. First we have to get this problem solved and help our southern neighbors deal with this crisis. Now that BP has been threatened with criminal charges, the company will lawyer up and not deal with the government. So not only has the Obama administration done nothing to help, they now put us in a worse situation when they threatened BP. BP will now watch everything they say or do, because they are concerned about bringing more heat down on themselves. Slot Game Online.

Barack Obama has spent more time playing basketball, golf, hosting lavish White House parties and conducting fundraisers then helping the folks in the Gulf States. Why is that? Why does he seemingly not care about this disaster? Could it be that these are red states that didn't vote for him? Does he have that much disdain for these Americans, that he is not willing to help them, because he doesn't want to "waste" resources on them? How would we have reacted to George Bush if he didn't lead the effort in NYC to clean up the mess and help them recover economically? Can you even imagine the press if Bush did nothing? Where is the press now? Why are they not taking Obama to task, since he has been so derelict in his duty? Slot Game Online.

The bottom line is this. These people need help and a lot of it. They are suffering the worst economical losses in decades. Even the famous Democrat political consultant, James Carville (who lives in Louisiana) has spoken out against Obama and his lack of concern for these people. If Carville is upset with Obama, surely the media could report on that. Well, it hasn't happened yet. In fact, the very next day after his comments, the Democrats and liberal media started pointing their fingers at Bush and Cheney, blaming them for this mess. Carville got taken to task for having the nerve to criticize the anointed one and to point out the truth. Slot Game Online.
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Mr. Obama, I really hope for the sake of these people and for our country, that you get off your lazy duff and help those in need. This is what happens when we elect a radical ideologue and a guy who has no leadership experience. This buffoon is running the most powerful and important country in the world and doesn't have a clue what he is doing. But let's give him some credit, he can read from a teleprompter. As Obama fiddles, America burns. Slot Game Online.

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Does everything these days have to eventually filter down to an argument based on which side of the political aisle you reside? Why do politicians seem to take advantage of every issue out there to further their cause. I am always amazed that both a Republican and a Democrat would seem to take credit for much needed rain in the middle of a drought, (and incredibly be able to convince half the population they deserved that credit!) By the way, as I write this Wednesday morning, the US Dollar Index is currently trading at 76.56. Two weeks ago (Feb 16, 2011) it stood at 78.27. That is quite a downward move in two weeks for the dollar especially in light of the chaos we are seeing around the world. Normally this type of chaos would see the dollar strengthening, not weakening. Of course, I have been pounding the tables about dollar weakness for some time. Slot Game Online.
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Being raised in a blue collar town by a blue collar family makes me very sympathetic to labor unions and the strides they have made for employees. However, I also am a huge proponent of individual rights and the rights of employees to not feel undue pressure to join. While I was a teacher, I was a Union member but I cringed when I knew my monthly dues helped support certain candidates I did not personally support. My local teachers were threatening to strike at one time over particular issues. I had made up my mind that if they did indeed strike I was going to work because I did not agree with their position. This was not an easy stance to take and I had friends on both sides of the issue. Luckily the strike never materialized and I did not have to cross the picket line. I was mentally prepared to possibly lose friends because of it-(although I privately hoped the strike never materialized.) I believed our district was being genuine and even gracious considering their budget and financial positions. The chaos in Wisconsin is going to be extremely enlightening. Democrats seem to believe Governor Scott Walker is a union buster while Republicans retort he is just attempting to balance the budget. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle and I doubt either party has exclusive rights to true genuineness. Slot Game Online.

My wife and I went on an exciting Saturday night excursion a couple weeks ago and listened to one of our favorite groups in concert. While the arena was about 80 to 90 % occupied we had to listen about an hour to the good work California State University, Fullerton is doing and that they were open to donations. You could even text them money right then and there from your cellular phone. While I am sure CSUF is a wonderful institution I could not help but think how troubled California is economically. Will Wisconsin attempt to be repeated by other states Governors, and if so, will it only be successfully repeated by Republican dominated state governments? How will California raise revenue if it raises taxes and more businesses flee to other more tax friendly states? Will our state budget crisis become much deeper if we do not make drastic spending cuts? Slot Game Online.

Trust is not easily acquired in this world. Trust is not easily maintained if you obfuscate the truth. Is this the compelling reason that we tend to not believe anyone anymore? Politicians need to do less campaigning and more truth telling. If people do not like the job you are doing as an elected official then you will not get reelected, but you cannot change opinions based on polls. Do what you sincerely believe is right, and let the chips fall where they may. If accomplished, you may not be much of a politician but you will be a very well respected leader! Slot Game Online.

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Ironically the US Treasuries always gain strength in an uncertain economic environment, despite Credit downgrading of the US Treasury bonds. Why? The US Treasuries, despite some serious Debt implications, are still viewed by the Markets as much safer and risk free instruments. In my opinion, the European debt issue is far from over - there are some countries which have over-leveraged Debt to GDP ratios; Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Italy to name few. Slot Game Online.

What we need to discern is a subtle difference between the US and the European debt issues. These issues may sound similar, but they are quite different both in terms of economic scope and political underpinnings. The US debt, undoubtedly, is a long term challenge as demonstrated by a marked increase in the spread between the yields of Ten year Notes and the corresponding Inflation Protected Treasury securities. The economics is quite simple: more deficit means greater debt; more debt implies higher rates and inflationary pressures; and if they are out of balance this would result in currency crisis, massive devaluations and disturbance of global financial balance. Slot Game Online.

The European debt is a more complicated issue, at least from the standpoint of the geo-economic structure. The US debt issue, notwithstanding the massive size of debt touching $13 trillion plus, is manageable in so far the government apparatus and the Fed are well positioned to attend to any unexpected movement of debt limits. This may not be the case for the European Union - which is facing a dilemma of aligning political and economic interests. For instance, if Greece were to default and its debt restructured, it would relinquish membership of the European Union. Why? Because its currency will have to undergo massive devaluations to re-align the backlog of its horrendous debt and put the house in order again. This is not possible while its strings are attached to the European Central Bank. Ironically this guaranteed cushion by the European Central Bank might promote moral hazard for countries to take on debt and buy time. Such an eventuality might trigger a more serious crisis at a later stage; the solution lies in both short term injection of capital and long term scrutiny to ward-off risks to overleveraged economies. Slot Game Online.

The Fed has deployed unprecedented quantitative easing in history, by utilizing $2.86 trillion Balance Sheet, in order to keep the short term interest rates to near zero level. Remember the Fed has already injected a mammoth dose of $2.3 trillion into the Financial System since the collapse of Lehman Holdings in September 2008. The probability of the Fed continuing this stance of keeping rates on lower end would most likely continue; the key drivers are the slumping Mortgage Insurance and ailing housing markets. Any increase in rates would put unbearable pressure on $914.4 billion of Mortgage-backed debt of the Fed. Concomitantly, the Obama administration is struggling to close massive federal budget deficit of $2 to $4 trillion. Slot Game Online.

In this environment, Treasuries are most likely to rebound in the short term; while yields on Treasury Inflation Protected (TIPS) would escalate in the long term. In my viewpoint, an unstoppable escalation of this "spread" between the two (which would run somewhat parallel to an inverted yield curve) would signal potential threat to the Global economy. Here is the "economics story" behind this key trend witnessed recently:

1. Burgeoning Fiscal deficit would prop up the National debt of the US, unless domestic Savings are capable enough to fill the gap - which is not the case. Slot Game Online.

2. Deficits and National debts cannot go beyond certain threshold, without inflicting damage to the economic balance. This is true in case of the US as well although the Fed can print dollars literally from the "thin air" as long as it wants to do so. Slot Game Online.

3. If debt exceeds permissible limits, the first thing to be hit will be the interest rates. Higher rates will cause insurmountable burden on debt servicing as well as dampen consumer demand. Note Consumer spending, impacted directly by the strength of the housing market, is the main driver of GDP growth in the US. Slot Game Online.

4. Higher rates will prove detrimental to a very fragile housing market, which is already facing pressures from an ailing Mortgage Insurance market (a new emerging trend). Slot Game Online.

5. Remember that any quantitative easing by the Fed will keep rates low in the short run; but will come at a cost of burgeoning National debt and consequent expectations about inflations in the future. Slot Game Online.

6. Bonds (Treasuries as well as Debentures) move in an opposite direction to interest rates. Future expectations of lower yields would mean higher price (compensation) for Bonds. Slot Game Online.

7. Finally, interest rates and inflation would move hand in gloves. In this game, expectations are the key determinant of any future play out. Markets are driven by psychological factors - greed and fear - as much as by fundamental factors. In my viewpoint, presently the psychological factors, fear in particular, have masked the "fundamentals" to a great extent. The solution lies in a firm commitment of the Fed and the Government to keep the Fiscal deficits and the National Debts within a plausible limit of the GDP. Slot Game Online.
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Last but not least, China is playing a very critical role in maintaining "global financial balance" - it is holding trillions of dollars and Euros of debt; and pumping its exports onto the US and the European Markets. Hefty "consumerism" of Chinese products in the US and Europe is extremely important to keep China churning its exports - any reversal can strain this delicate "financial balance" immensely. Slot Game Online.

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Many years ago I took up playing a regular game of poker with some friends. Specifically, Texas hold 'em. I've played enough to develop some skill with the game, made a little bit of money here and there, and put up a decent showing in a few tournaments. So I have enough experience with it to recognize that the current fighting over raising the debt limit in our nation's capital is similar to a very high stakes game of poker. Slot Game Online.

First of all, politically speaking of course, it remains to be seen who is actually holding the winning hand. Both sides, specifically President Obama and House Majority Leader Cantor, are currently locked in that familiar struggle to win by getting the other guy to fold. My admittedly amateur, I am neither a professional poker player or politician, read of the situation is as follows:

The President appears to be semi-bluffing. He might not have a strong hand yet, but it could quickly develop into one. He is trying to take the pot before he has to show his cards in early August when there is a chance he might lose. While the government's default on its financial obligations would likely have profound negative ramifications, it remains to be seen as to whether or not Social Security checks would actually stop going out. The general consensus seems to be they would continue to be issued, yet I suppose the chance exists that something actually could happen to prevent it. So when the President said he couldn't guarantee Social Security payments, while he may have been speaking truthfully, I think he was indeed trying to "scare old people" because they have the largest voter turn-out in any election and are represented by an extremely powerful lobbying group. By bringing them into the issue this way he did President Obama was, in effect, making a big raise to try and get Congressman Cantor to fold. Slot Game Online.

House Majority Leader Cantor, I believe, is acting like he's made his hand. The question at this point is whether or not it's strong enough to win the pot. He could win with a pair of deuces raking in at least the backing of his district, or maybe that of conservatives in general; or he could win big with a full boat and have all of public opinion behind him. Bottom line: he thinks he's got a winner and it doesn't look like he's going to fold. Slot Game Online.

The problem here is that the chips they're throwing around in this game, like Teddy KGB in Rounders splashing the pot, aren't little pieces of plastic. It is real money that has real consequences for real Americans. In fact it's not even their money, it's ours, and its wrong to gamble with other people's money. Since it's been said that Washington D.C. is a city of soundbites, here's one for its consideration: QUIT JERKING AROUND! You're public servants for crying out loud, behave as such and try for once to not act like the Greek gods and goddesses you all think that you are. You fail to realize that America is bigger than your own delusions of grandeur. In fact, contrary to popular belief, America is bigger and more important than either the Democratic or the Republican parties. That means that the correct course of action is to do what you think is right by your country and that is rarely the same thing as party orthodoxy or ensuring a victory in the next election. Slot Game Online.

I really hate to admit this because I very much try to not be the type of person who wishes suffering on anyone, but part of me hopes that a deal cannot be reached and we experience the full consequences of that pathetic inaction. I am reminded of a quote from a movie that came out a few years ago: "'s only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we evolve." Right now our country and government is in serious need of change and evolution because it is highly dysfunctional. It needs to move beyond being a government that only serves the needs of two political parties and become one that serves its people. The question that remains is: are we yet at the brink or precipice needed for this to happen? I wonder if it would take a hardship so dramatic as the financial Armageddon that is predicted from a government default to finally convinces us that our political status-quo no longer works. Slot Game Online.

Any decent poker player will be able to tell you stories of hands where they either lost it all or came pretty close. The really good players will have very few of these stories because they learned and studied the hard lessons that came from these mistakes and made sure not to repeat them. I really hope that I am wrong, but maybe America needs a bad run at the table so that we might get not only a higher caliber of individual running for elected office, but also that we may learn to elect them more wisely. Slot Game Online.

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During the industrial period, America was the most innovative nation on the planet. We were the creators of inventions that were unheard of and the orators of accomplishments that were made of dreams. As time progressed, we successfully maintained our innovative prowess, while the rest of the world attempted to catch up, but catch up they did. Today, we are seeing the manifestation of globalization in great abundance. Nations are exporting and importing goods of every variety from every corner of the world. A positive side effect is that the citizens of nations who actively engage in global trade often enjoy a better quality of life. America has maintained the most successful economic status for many years due in-part to the presence of a large middle class. The same is happening in foreign nations. The increased global trade is giving rise to a middle class that is more educated, more determined and willing to take advantage of every possible opportunity. So what sets America apart from the rest of the world today? The answer is very little and this is why. Slot Game Online.

While America was the first to pioneer many of the technological advances that are commonplace today, we have not yet progressed onward. Our infrastructure is aging and the nations that were categorically labeled as "developing" posses facilities that are far superior to ours. For instance, Japan owns and operates the most technologically advanced trains on the planet. Yet no more than 65 years ago, the nation laid in absolute ruin after the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings. With an embattled and destitute military, the country found another way to engage in the global marketplace. Desperation does indeed breed innovation, and Japan is the physical embodiment of that philosophy. So in some aspects, the U.S. has actually fallen behind. The commodities market and its manufacturers are slowly becoming the new emerging superpower nations of the world. Slot Game Online.

The lax labor laws and inexpensive human capital of countries like China, Thailand, India and Taiwan have all attracted U.S. based businesses offshore. Its no secret that they can manufacture a product at a fraction of the cost when compared to that of an American manufacturer. To compound the issue, the standard of living in these countries is typically lower, which translates into nominal wages. In contrast, the US maintains stringent labor laws such as a national minimum wage and in some cases, employee advocacy organizations like the various unions operating within the automotive field contribute to inflated costs. In addition, the United States maintains a significantly higher standard of living (when compared to the rest of the world) and most employers incur additional costs related to employee wellness such as health-care. All these factors inflate operating costs and reduce the profit margins of American businesses, putting them at a significant disadvantage to compete with foreign-based business. Slot Game Online.

The inability of American politicians to address and balance globalized business with politics will continue to degrade what took this nation hundreds of years to build. Directly attempting to compete with these nations has not been beneficial and it carries the adverse affect of driving American based businesses offshore. So the answer is simply to significantly scale down competition in the global commodities markets. Education, specifically in the field of math and science is what will propel America forward and spur a new innovative revolution. The creation and implementation of assembly lines in American manufacturing clearly demonstrates our mastery of innovation. Our efforts would prove futile at best if this strategy is pursued since our laws prevent the engagement of global competition at the price floor (which could be significantly lower). Yet, we still feel the need to compete, even though it is costing us more than profits. Instead of direct competition, why not innovate through research and development.

There are global challenges that have yet to be solved. Where will our next commercial fuel source come from? Why not concentrate our efforts instead on finding new creative solutions to problems that plague us as a nation such upgrading our decrepit infrastructure? If desperation breeds innovation, now is our time to innovate the same way Japan did after the war. Let the world's emerging nations manufacture commodities. America is at the point of desperation and education is one path toward innovation that is reminiscent of the industrial period. It would be unwise to completely abandon our roots and rely only on service-based business modeling. Just as diversification minimizes excessive risk in an investment portfolio, the United States should wisely employ the same strategies when engaging in global trade. Reallocating some of our resources away from saturated, low-priced commodity markets and redirecting them to cutting edge research and development will restore America's competitive edge. The strength and future of America is not based on manufacturing, but on our ability to innovate, just as we did during the industrial period. Let's concentrate our efforts toward innovation, and usher the globe into a new era. Slot Game Online.

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Spirituality is simply what comes from within. What feels right for us, and that comes primarily from understanding who we are. There are things that feel right for us, things that don't, things we want and things don't want. Living spiritually does not mean sitting on a mountain top meditating, or divorcing ourselves from the physical world. Slot Game Online.

If we could come to know ourselves perfectly and follow that understanding we would be following a spiritual life even if to others it would appear to be a purely physical life. The difference would be that we do not have to look for gurus, leaders or masters in any form in the physical world. We have our master and guru within. This does not mean ignoring everything that was said by others only that we hear in relation in what feels right to us. Slot Game Online.

Politics is a reality we have to live with. We have to live with the physical consequences of politics. If we ignore politics and end up in a world we do not like we cannot complain. Many things can be changed if we have the will, and even if we fail we have succeeded if we have fulfilled our spiritual being as best we can.
There is the illusion that in Australia we live in a democracy. We do not. Voting does not make a democracy unless politicians tell the truth. All that happens is that we vote for lies with no idea what the outcome will be. Slot Game Online.

This is spirituality comes into politics. It is not a case of being a spiritual way to vote or not vote, but asking the question 'Are being told the truth?'
In the physical world truth is a rare commodity. We have Politicians telling us their version of truth that is distorted to fit the out comes they want, which may or may not be for the common good. Slot Game Online.

In my book Alternative Genesis I raise the issue of a very common way politicians tell lies. This is accomplished by telling lies in a way that cannot be shown to be a lie so that people will accept the lie as truth in the absence of proof to the contrary. This was the basic format used by the Spanish Inquisition. Slot Game Online.

As you read this try to find a way of proving you are not a Witch. You are probably not a Witch, or at least not the type that flies around on a broomstick. But can you prove it? Slot Game Online.

The basic format of the Spanish Inquisition was to start with a campaign of lies and misinformation, raise the level of lies and misinformation to fear and loathing, and then destroy. The crucial element is that there must never be a means by which the lies and misinformation can be proved to be untrue and that the lies must be repeated over and over to normalise them. The lies need to become 'common knowledge.' That sums up Australian Politics at this time. Lie after lie repeated over and over with no scrutiny as to if they can be supported in any way. Slot Game Online.

The answers to this form of political distortion come from within. Ask yourself if the statements made by politicians can be supported. Don't be surprised if you answer does not conform to the herds of people believing that repetition equals truth. This is how it is with thinking spiritually. Often what you know is opposite to external 'wisdoms.' Slot Game Online.

A related problem is that the Spanish Inquisition leads to polarisation. Everything becomes 'either or.' The Carbon Tax will either save the planet or destroy the Australian economy. The probability is that neither is true. Slot Game Online.

When faced with a similar problem, reducing carbon emissions from motor vehicles the solution was to write an Australian Standard. Why not do the same for power generation? Slot Game Online.

The reason for that example was to show that no real choice is 'either or'. When we get rid of dogma from politics there are many possibilities. Prof Garnaut is an economist and so it was inevitable that his report on climate change should be based on economics. If a scientist or an engineer had prepared the report the report would have been different. Slot Game Online.

All have their place in finding ways of making this planet capable of sustaining the human race. If we do not the human race become extinct. Politics in Australia in its present form is not helping. Slot Game Online.

A spiritual approach to politics involves listening to every one, dismissing what cannot be substantiated and listening to what comes form within. Spirituality is listening to what comes from within. None of us has all the answers and there is no system that is right for everyone. Answers in all things come from the collective consciousness and spirituality of us all. Slot Game Online.
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Politics in Australia in its present form is diametrically opposed to these principals. Politics have become self-serving for the good of politicians, not for the collective good of the electorate. This can change if we listen to what comes from within and apply that to the external world.

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Global bank crisis contagion hits Italy

The global ripple effect of the banking crisis seems to have Italy firmly in its grasp, the markets are not happy with Italy's response and have now downgraded the credit ratings of 24 Italian Banks. However, all is not as it seems and you need to look beyond the birth of the Euro currency and the banking crisis if you wish to understand the characteristics that make the Italian people and their economy different. Slot Game Online.

Italy's Anti Bank Protests
The Occupy Wall Street demonstrations that started in the US have now have spawned Anti Banking and Anti-Berlusconi protests in Rome and other cities throughout Italy, as its disenfranchised peoples revolt against austerity measures caused by banking bailouts and commodity prices and a cost of living that has been artificially inflated by Bank speculation. Slot Game Online.

Meanwhile president Giorgio Napolitano exclaimed his "anguish" at Berlusconi's tardy efforts to stimulate Italian economic growth, Italy continues to grapple with budget deficits and high public debt. Italy's economic growth has averaged only 0.8% in the period 2001-2008 and GDP has contracted as the Euro zone and world economies have slowed. Slot Game Online.

Italy's GDP is expected to grow below the EMU countries' average, and you may well ask yourselves why. Well, Italian bureaucracy and the inefficiency this brings has traditionally been the brunt of many jokes, and whilst it has delivered a good giggle and a wealth of Italian jobs, the irony is that in this age of globalisation, this employment must deliver significant value if Italy is to avoid becoming less and less competitive. Also, this employment comes at a price, IMPS tax which for pays for pensions and Healthcare in Italy costs employees 20%, in the UK taxpayers are up in arms at the recent rise to 12%!! Add to this Tax rates of 27% for central government and 5% local government, and you are looking at rates of over 50% for much of the population plus IVA (VAT) on products of 20%. It's not hard to see why the black economy is so rife in Italy and why Italy has enormous structural issues that it must overcome. Just look at this table of the average income for developed countries after tax and you will see that Italy's average earnings lag in 19th place as the cost of commodities increase due to productivity, import levels and the Euro currency.
Despite this negativity, if you visit Italy on vacation or live there you will soon realise that there is more to life than being top earners or producers, the emphasis is firmly on localism and "small" and "slow" being eminently beautiful. Slot Game Online.

Italy 150 years of unification- but still gloriously fragmented
To fully understand the current malign you must gain an appreciation of Italy's history and culture. Italy is 150 years old this year (2011) and it's only a few generations since this young nation consisted of disparate autonomous regions and experienced insurrection and uprising as inhabitants rebelled against independent rulers that included the Catholic Church in Rome. In the meantime we have seen unprecedented industrialisation, migration from rural to urban areas and mass emigration to escape poverty. Slot Game Online.

Localism in Italy
The unification of Italy has done little to dampen "campanilismo" or loyalty to one's "campanile" or bell-tower, to the local community and its traditions. This "localism" may appear parochial but in essence it's a real source of pride in local history, culture, folklore, games, political thought, cuisine and creativity. The elements that bind communities together create a wonderful unique localism in every area that ensures that in moving forward, communities don't lose the sight of the roots that are an essential element of their being. Compare this to the global westernisation that is taking place elsewhere in which local customs and cultures are replaced with ubiquitous shopping malls that are temples in a soulless consumerist society. Slot Game Online.

If you step back from the tight knit rural communities and the superb array of local shops and produce, it's not hard to see that the high tax rates, the inefficiency and the lack of economies of scale, the grasp of digital technology and modern marketing techniques mean that many local companies in Italy are becoming uncompetitive and/or underselling themselves. Here in the region of Le Marche, many inhabitants are partially self sufficient, bartering is commonplace, using whatever produce is in surplus and the people are encouraged to shop and trade locally to ensure that money continues to flow for the benefit of the local community, in fact if you chat to the inhabitants you will find that many have never ventured far from home; most unusual in these days of globalisation.

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