Translate

Monday 6 July 2015

The True Cost Of Exposure To Greek Restructuring of Debt


Total German Banking Exposure: €28 billion
€56 billion is owed to Germany as part of Greece's bailout. Please also note that the German Government has, effectively, 'underwritten' German banking exposure (above) by providing this 'loan' to Greece.
Nominally, therefore the German 'debt' owed by Greece is to the German Government and not to the German Banking sector per ipse.
A default however, would as much affect German Banks as it would the German Government in that it would seriously undermine it's ability to provide such 'cushions' should other similar crises occur, globally, simultaneously.
Keep in mind that China's economy is 'over heating' and the South American 'bubble' may be about to burst (Brazil, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador should be of note here.)
The 'perception' of the German Government's exposure [and potential exposures and ability to respond as effectively as in the Greek situation] is also a key issue in global market stability.

Banks Most Affected:
Exposure (in Euros)

Credit Agricole [CAGR.PA]  € 4 billion

BNP Paribas [BNPP.PA]                            € 700 million

Societe Generale [SOGN.PA]                                 € 300 million
 
Deutsche Bank [DBKGn.DE]    €2.3 billion**


Commerzbank [CBKG.DE]                            400 million
Deutsche Bank                                                 * € 300 million

**According to a Bloomberg report on June 29, Deutsche Bank has a $2.3 billion exposure in Greece

*Official German government figure.

Why Deutsche Bank Is In My Focus
Of the total German exposure, 4.6 billion euros was to other banks, 3.6 billion euros to companies and private individuals, and 15.2 billion euros to state entities, the BdB said.
"The credit exposure of German banks in Greece is low," BdB head Thomas Kemmer said in a statement. "That's why, should it come to insolvency for Greece, the direct effects on German banks could be overcome.''

This statement itself is quite correct but it does not take into account DB's total global exposure -especially in the South American regions of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, in China and South East Asia - not to mention in Eastern Europe, the Caucasuses and in Russia.

What you often see are compartmentalized figures only focusing on one crisis.
[Please refer to my earleir blog references where the full problem which could affect DB, should several regional economies downslide, or politically motivated trade sanctions which adversely affect DB, are in effect.]
Hence the reason why the reinsurers and 'repackagers' of debt – be it the German Government taking on [or underpinning] 'corporate' debt or other major institutions could be critical should their perception of market trends turn negative.

Detailed Analysis of The Total Banking Exposure To Greek Restructuring Of Debt

To Whom The Debt Is Owed                            Amount

Greek Banking Sector                                   € 11 billion

Bank of Greece                                                        € 4 billion

European Central Bank [ECB]                       € 20 billion

International Monetary Fund [IMF]           € 32 billion

France                                 € 42 billion

Germany (as part of the Greek bailout)

                       € 56 billion (see above)

Other Eurozone Countries
(as part of the Greek bailout)               € 34 billion

Other Bonds (investors)      € 49 billion

Other Loans (creditors)                           € 11 billion

Italy                                               € 37 billion


Spain                                                         € 25 billion


Foreign Banks                                                           €2 billion


TOTAL DEBT AT TIME
OF DEFAULT [30th June, 2015]
and restructuring negotiations
[to commence shortly]                       € 315 billion 




 *latest figure released by Bloomberg on June 29th and
also refer to Yahoo Finance today [9 hours ago, 7th July] at

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/deutsche-bank-stock-dropping-more-155114781.html

If you can find your way through the financial maze to the lighter side of this tragic comedy you might want to look up the following reference:



[If you are a banker you won't find anything here to laugh about so please do not visit the website – it's solely meant for ordinary folk trying to understand the 'bigger toys for bigger boys '- and girls!]

Please note the comments below of one very angry Greek citizen.
What he says at the above website about how the information is being presented in the European media, in general, is absolutely true, in fact.
This however does not change the figures outstanding - but it does explain why after 5 years of severe austerity it has been impossible for the Greek government to implement any meaningful economic stimulus to the economy.

Update:
Atc Stalikas ·

''Most of you are ignorant of the real facts. You are the victims of the international mass media propaganda that aim to discredit the country and humiliate its citizens. None of the money mentioned went to Greek people. If it was so the fate of the country would have been better today. All the money went to support their banks and passed the debt to Greece. It is about time to wake up and see the issue in its real perspective.''



©Patrick Emek, 2015


Other references:


Moody's downgrades credit rating on French banks Societe Generale and Credit       Agricole  

8761709/Moodys-downgrades-credit-rating-on-French-banks-Societe-Generale-








Sunday 5 July 2015

''GREEK DEMOCRACY CANNOT 
BE 
BLACKMAILED''
[Alexis Tsipras, Prime Minister of Greece, July 5th , 2015]

referendum result:
39% in favor of continued austerity
61% in favor of revised negotiation of bailout terms with the European Union





Tuesday 30 June 2015

Deutsche Bank:
Another Lehman on the Precipice?

Deutsche Bank is one of the most successful banks ever to exist.
With close to $70* trillion dollars invested [or geared] worldwide, this is not an insignificant part of this planet's global financial structure.

Deutsche has been one of the most successful banks because it has made very careful investment decisions over decades, has taken calculated risks and has benefitted enormously from the calibre of management and client loyalty it has largely retained despite world economic fluctuations.

Greece was considered a calculated risk for Deutsche.
You will never succeed as a global bank, unless you are prepared to take some risks -and this was a very well-thought out strategy.

What nobody could have foreseen were a number of coinciding world events:
1.The near collapse of the world financial order between 2007-2008
(which, by 2009, thanks to President Obama, as history, if honestly written, will show, never happened.)

2.The collapse of Lehman Brothers -which, in my opinion, should never have been allowed to happen -and we have the British Premier of the day, Gordon Brown, to thank, in part, for that collapse.

There is a theory that Goldman Sachs 'pushed Lehman', it's bitter rival, 'under the financial bus' at a time of crises, to gain a competitive world advantage.
This is hotly refuted by Goldman Sachs but a scenario is about to unfold in Greece which maybe eerily similar.
Nobody will dispute the fact that GS 'pulled the plug' on loans to Lehman – but this occurred before it was going into bankruptcy:
''This isn't GS specific, but it's true with all of the other investment banks.
Once you think that Lehman is going under, you stop lending it money, once you stop lending it money then Lehman's situation gets worse, so ultimately you end up with this downward spiral which caused everything to blow up.
So once it seemed that Lehman was in bad shape GS and all of the other banks stopped loaning Lehman money.  One reason for this is that if you know that a company is going bankrupt, you are going to get a lot better terms if you loan it money *after* it goes into bankruptcy.'' [ Jospeh P. Wang, Chief Scientist, Bitquant Research http://www.startupbootcamp.org/mentors/joseph-wang.html ]

Socialist Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the most disliked British Prime Minister of the 21st century, certainly despised anything with a hint of global financial free enterprise - and especially American global capitalism – played no small part in influencing the British Treasury to renege on a prior understanding – and pull the plug on Lehman Brothers.
[The British 'establishment' is highly incestuous and more prone to political influence than even it's U.S. counterparts so all Prime Minister Brown had to do was pick up the phone and 'threaten' HM Treasury and Governor of the Bank of England to 'fall in line' or face future [unspecified] 'consequences' - such as loss of 'honors' being 'blackballed' fired etc. etc. etc. You need to appreciate that such 'behaviour' is pretty standard in Britain and across Europe.]

At that time, on Eurostar whilst travelling to France, I met a middle ranking executive recently made redundant from Lehman and he shared a number of interesting stories with me during our trip which helped me appreciate the overall situation.
As financial gain was not my objective, I simply took notes for future reference.

The part which GS has played in this Greek tragedy is remarkably similar (in some regards) to it's ambiguous role vis-a-vis Lehman.
On the one hand and at onetime, encouraging, creatively facilitating and cooperating, and on the other, quick to pull the plug rather than find creative solutions in times of crises.
[This role will no doubt be examined in great detail by more eminent specialists than myself when placed into a historical context in future years.]

Back to the future.  Deutsche still remains very highly levered ['geared'] and would not survive a Greek default, without special provisions, because of over exposure in this market.
But the fall of Deutsche would affect us all – and could spark another economic 9-11 – this time of global catastrophic proportion.
Therefore, as Greece politicians themselves are fully aware, some formulation to 'cushion' Greece must be developed in the interests of global financial security of the democratic world.
It is likely that Greece will agree to 'prioritize' Deutsche as top (or very near the top) of the list of priority [future] creditors for payment – despite howls of protest and threats of economic blacklisting and bullying.
This bullyboy strategy will, however, as it has to date, fall on deaf ears as far as the Greek government is concerned.
[Historically the Greek people have had to endure far more suffering than these slimey and slippery politicians in Brussels could ever devise.]
[Why is it that Northern European politicians fail to understand 'L'homme du Midi'?
They just don't understand either the philosophy nor the way of life.
They have lived too long in the cold caves of Northern Europe bereft as they are of the benefits of the perennial warmth of the Mediterranean, fine wine, women, song, fishing, olive, lime and lemon groves.
They all have holiday homes in warmer climes but fail to really appreciate the 'mode de vie.']

So, much to the chagrin of The Russian Federation, praying as it is for a global collapse of the dollar and the euro, Deutsche Bank (and the world economic order as it exists) will not collapse and a deal will at least be done with this creditor - and probably others.

As the saying goes, when you owe the bank $1000 you have a problem.
When you owe the bank $100bn, the bank has a problem.

The Greek government has played Russian Roulette down to the wire.
It has played it with genius – to be expected of the Greeks(!)
It has faced off the financial bullies of Europe - who thought their Machiavellian skills far outshone those of their 'second-rate' counterparts in Athens.

The Oracle's Message (!)
However, a word of caution: It is probably advisable for the incumbent (victorious) Greek politicians to very carefully (and wisely) choose their holiday and social destinations for the foreseeable future – should they not wish to be bushwhacked [like Dominique Strauss-Kahn] as their fortitude and successful negotiating skills (and the humiliations inflicted on the 'Godfathers' of The European Union - political and monetary- and other institutions) will neither be forgotten - nor forgiven - for a very very long time (!)

Neither should it be forgotten that there is no formulation to facilitate an exit from the monetary union structure whilst a country retains it's 'political' union status within that same entity.  This is very similar to the Warsaw Pact -
a Stalinistic entity whose tentacles bound it's Communist member countries into a military, economic and political monolithic structure - until it collapsed. 
[I should add that the issue of NATO membership for Greece is easy to facilitate outside the monetary structure of the EU.  Should Greece seek funding from Russia, in any significant amount, that would certainly complicate this relationship.  It is unlikely that the Greek people as a whole would be happy with such a course of action - Greece leaving NATO or the European Union.]

©Patrick Emek, 2015



Premier Matteo Renzi's Remarks In Berlin Today
(Come Back Silvio Berlusconi-All Is Forgiven!)

The above was not meant to say that 'Northerners' are more 'efficient' than 'Southerners'.
No, just that the lifestyles and priorities are different.
I specifically included a reference to support the statement.
It is only right that in colder Northern climes you have to be more efficient and plan for uncertainty more regularly than you do along the Mediterranean coastline where you can plan for sunshine for nearly 12 months of the year, every year.
This does not reflect on levels of efficiency but it certainly reflects in lifestyle choices.
That difference exists between the Northern Italians and their Southern counterparts.
This difference, in itself, determines the lifestyle choice.
The North of Italy has in more recent times, culturally and historically, identified with Germany and the Nordic countries - in terms of lifestyle and perception of priorities.
Premier Matteo Renzi's Remarks
It was almost a shock to hear the Italian Premier yesterday castigate his Greek counterpart - and the Greek people - as 'lazy and inefficient' - playing to historical racial stereotypes and historical differences - Italy being part of the Nazi Axis during the Second World War while the Greeks, fiercely independent, supported the Allies.
It is most unfortunate that the Italian Premier should have been so scathing in his personal attack on the Greek people.  Perhaps he should go on a 'Racial Awareness' course, funded by the European Union, before making such derogatory remarks in public again?
The media has likewise been filled with derogatory remarks - comparing Greece with Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe - all in the interests of 'honest' news analysis of course (!)
Even Chancellor Angela Merkel was so embarrassed by the remarks of Premier Renzi she distanced herself from them almost immediately - with an olive branch extended to the suffering Greek people.

What effect, if any, Premier Renzi's remarks will have on next Sunday's referendum in Greece remains to be seen.  if I was to guess, I would say the effect will be minimal - but it could well confirm the Greek people in their choice of 'for' or 'against' the referendum options.

updated with an amendment on 6th Jult, 2015:
*Deutsche Bank's derivative holdings:
It is generall accepted that the derivative holdings of DB are between $70 trillion and $74 trillion dollars. My initial figure of $90 trillion was inaccurate and based on a calculation error.


Footnote & Epilog:

It's the End Of The World - As We Know It

A theory of existence suggests everything came into being with 'The Big Bang' about 13.8 billion years ago.
A new theory, 'The Big Rip', suggests everything will 'tear apart' in approximately 11 billion (or 22 billion,depending who you speak with) years.

My take on this is that 'the Big Rip' will happen within months - should Deutsche Bank go belly up (!)













Wednesday 17 June 2015


For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Study of Ebola survivors opens in Liberia

Trial to examine long-term health effects of Ebola virus disease
The Liberia-U.S. clinical research partnership known as PREVAIL has launched a study of people in Liberia who have survived Ebola virus disease (EVD) within the past two years. The study investigators hope to better understand the long-term health consequences of EVD, determine if survivors develop immunity that will protect them from future Ebola infection, and assess whether previously EVD-infected individuals can transmit infection to close contacts and sexual partners. The study, sponsored by the Ministry of Health of Liberia and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will take place at various sites in Liberia and is expected to enroll approximately 7,500 people, including 1,500 people of any age who survived EVD and 6,000 of their close contacts.
“The clinical course of Ebola virus disease is reasonably well-understood, but we still have much to learn about the long-term health effects of the illness in those who recover,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “To unravel the many unknowns, we have expanded the focus of our partnership with Liberia’s Ministry of Health to include research on the long-term health effects of Ebola virus disease, in addition to our ongoing efforts to find an effective preventive vaccine and treatments for Ebola virus disease.”
Mosaka Fallah, Ph.D., M.P.H., former Ebola emergency-response program manager for Action Against Hunger–Liberia; Michael C. Sneller, M.D., from NIAID’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation; and Desmond Williams, M.D., Ph.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will serve as principal investigators for the study. Investigators from NIH’s National Eye Institute, the Johns Hopkins University Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore; the Ministry of Health of Liberia and the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Sinkor, Monrovia, will also collaborate on the research. Enrollment began today at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, and the study will open at the following sites later in June: C.H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Duport Road Clinic in Paynesville, and Redemption Hospital in Monrovia. Additional sites in Liberia are expected to join the study in the future.
Participants who test positive for HIV infection during the course of the study will be counseled and referred to treatment in accordance with standard medical practice in Liberia.
Study participants will undergo a medical history and physical and vision examination and have blood samples collected so researchers can identify and track any health issues, monitor organ and ocular function and record Ebola antibody levels. Some participants may also be asked to provide samples of bodily fluids, such as sweat, tears, and for adults, semen or cervical secretions. Participants will be asked if they would like to identify up to five close contacts (household members at the time of Ebola diagnosis and sexual partners after recovery from Ebola virus disease). Close contacts who agree to participate in the study will undergo a physical examination, have blood samples taken, and asked to complete a questionnaire detailing their contact with the Ebola survivor, such as touching, sleeping in the same bed and sexual intercourse. Staff from the NIH’s National Eye Institute have helped establish a new eye clinic at John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, where ophthalmologists from NEI and Johns Hopkins will be evaluating study participants and their identified close contacts for visual problems. Treatment will be provided by Liberian ophthalmologists partnering in the study.
“There have been reports of inflammatory eye disease and vision loss among Ebola survivors,” said NEI Clinical Director Frederick Ferris, M.D. “Our goal is to determine the incidence and extent of Ebola-related eye disease among survivors, risk factors contributing to its development, and optimal treatment strategies.”
The research team will follow the Ebola survivors and their close contacts for up to five years with study visits occurring every six months. At each follow-up visit, participants will undergo a physical examination and additional blood draws, to allow study physicians to monitor and characterize any changes in Ebola antibody levels and to detect the presence of select medical conditions. This information will help scientists determine the evolution of Ebola antibodies and will provide insight on whether survivors can still transmit the virus and if so, whether these people get sick with Ebola virus disease.
Using data collected at these site visits, the researchers will calculate the incidence, prevalence and risk factors for various health issues experienced by survivors, such as vision problems; immune system changes; mental disorders; joint pain; diabetes; hypertension; and pregnancy complications. Close contacts will be used as a control group to assess whether the risks of these conditions are the same or different from those who have not had Ebola virus disease.
PREVAIL, or the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia, is a clinical research partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Liberian Ministry of Health. The new study, an Ebola natural history study known as PREVAIL III, is one of three research projects launched by the partnership. In February 2015, PREVAIL initiated two other Ebola clinical studies. PREVAIL I is a clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of two experimental vaccines to prevent Ebola virus infection. A total of 1,500 participants continue to be followed in the Phase 2 segment of this study. PREVAIL II is a clinical trial designed to obtain safety and efficacy data on various investigational drugs for the treatment of Ebola virus disease. The trial is ongoing in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the United States
Additional information about the PREVAIL III Ebola natural history study is available at ClinicalTrials.gov using the identifier NCT02431923. For more information about NIAID’s Ebola research, visit the NIAID Ebola webpage.
NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide — to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
NEI leads the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight-saving treatments. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
###
This page last reviewed on June 17, 2015

Social Media Links

Monday 15 June 2015

Edward Snowden: – 
Smashing the Narrative

[SPIESяUS]

Explanation

This article was first written on 31st May but withheld to facilitate the checking of certain facts – specifically whether Mr Snowden would have been able to travel on in safety to another country after his passport was [unwisely, in my view] revoked by the State Department on the orders of the President and his Cabinet.The conclusion was that it would not have been possible for Edward Snowden to travel on in safety after his passport was revoked and the likelihood is that he would have found it very difficult to have temporary U.N. documentation issued for safe passage which would have been valid and recognised under and within U.S. extradition treaty agreement and which could not have been rendered invalid before he reached a final destination (hence his interdiction by the FBI a likely outcome.)
The alternative documentation would simply have enabled him to travel – but not with safety (sic. without him being arrested, held in detention and rendered by extradition back to United States on theft of Government property and [or] espionage charges.)Indeed, traveling to any destination on his American passport was itself now a serious problem as he was now an international fugitive and pariah, an embarrassment for most allied countries worldwide.So, bizarrely, revoking Mr Snowden's passport provided him [and his 'handlers'] with the perfect narrative they would have found quite a challenge to otherwise manufacture.
Sometimes the truth is much much stranger than fiction.
Don't expect to read or see the above in your mainstream news media reports.



''Come Into My Parlour...........''
[Die Spinne]


Not too long ago I was invited to attend a function with a prominent Waffen SS Neo-Nazi supporter as guest speaker.
I was sent a glowing list of his titles, accomplishments and membership of the most prestigious organizations you could ever imagine. The list was as long as your arm. Other than the fact that this individual is a Neo-Nazi supporter his credentials could not have read any higher – and they would put even Dr. Goebbels and Dr Mengele's qualifications and memberships both to shame.
I was informally advised by email that my attendance would only be acceptable if I was prepared to say 'nice things' about the individual and his country. [This now seems to becoming a common feature as my reputation for plain speaking is not always welcome by politicians and diplomats living in their proverbial 'bubble'.]
Of course there would be the usual photo opportunity and my name listed as 'present' and 'supporting'. So not only would a photo opportunity exist for my presence to be recorded but the record would also show that I had (if I so 'choose' - with no other option available) made 'complimentary' statements about, for want of a better word, Neo-Nazism and of course everything would be available online.

GOTCHA!
It is a well known fact that the FSB and other intelligence agencies regularly use such 'Black Ops' as false flags or with intent to blackmail or subvert individuals whom it is believed may be open to 'influence'. Indeed sometimes, from a counter intelligence perspective, the only way to find out what is really going on is to 'follow' the 'intelligence trail' when they surface for a task or mission.
British intelligence has a long history of being compromised by the KGB during the era of the Cold War. I am not, however, here to discuss the weaknesses of Western intelligence agencies here but how the FSB pulled off a master stroke in recruiting Edward Snowden. The introduction was simply intended to portray a process of programming which starts with subservience and ends with reprogramming. Classic techniques which have [in some parts of the world] replaced the more 'traditional' methods of physical torture as they have been shown over the last century to be eminently more effective and longer-lasting in terms of results and objectives.

American Hero [Working Class Hero?]
The idea that Edward Snowden, depicted in the world media as true American hero, just happened to end up in Moscow through a chance encounter with Russian 'diplomats' in Hong Kong beggars belief – but it does show how sycophantic, 'brainwashed', politically naïve individuals in the world media are today after decades of being instructed by sub-editors not to ask 'awkward questions' and just be 'politically correct' or 'toe the line' without thinking for themselves for one second, to secure approval or perhaps promotion. Unfortunately the syndrome is only too well known: Nobody asks the awkward questions of a senior colleague – even when there are obvious anomalies such as, for example, security lapses or behavior which might call into question his or her judgement4.

Asset or Spy?
For the Western media to believe that Snowden was not approached by Russian intelligence before he arrived in Moscow and to ignore the fact that it was Julian Assange who encouraged him to head East almost gives truth to the statement that the media itself, as a whole, is remarkably naïve or has 'lost the plot' (sic. it no longer has the will to ask the hard questions preferring to just blind itself to the obvious.)

NSA Officer? Oh!; Just Hop On A Plane To Moscow!
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) will simply not permit a U.S. Intelligence Officer to just hop on a plane to Moscow. It just does not happen this way.
In some respects the severing of informal intelligence contacts between government officers and the media since 9/11 is responsible for the situation where every State Department official is too frightened to make any contact with anyone from the media without authorization at a higher level. This also means that Officers who may have misgivings, but because of a climate of mistrust and mindful of their careers, are more likely to seek support and solace from a source well outside the system than was ever the case in the past.
The book is literally being thrown today at journalists who refuse to identify their intelligence sources of leaked classified information – making it even more difficult to find out what is really going on other than through spectacular leaks.  Enter Mr Edward Snowden and Mr Julian Assange as the knights in shining armor, protectors of democracy, the right to know, universal personal liberties and freedom for the ordinary man and woman in society.


Line KR
Line KR was the legendary foreign counter-intelligence arm of the KGB's First Intelligence Directorate. This Directorate was the elite section within the Soviet Union's overseas apparatus.
Retired KGB General Oleg Kalugin who was the youngest General in the KGB during the era of the Cold War was also head of the First Chief Directorate and was himself directly responsible for recruiting foreigners as Russian spies, is in no doubt about Edward Snowden:
''Back in Russia, according to Kalugin, Snowden is being handled by the FSB, the KGB’s successor. Kalugin claims that Snowden has shared much of his vast trove of secrets about the NSA with his Russian hosts, and in the process, has allegedly handed the FSB one of their biggest intelligence hauls and propaganda coups since the end of the Cold War 1.''
In Kalugin’s view, Snowden is guilty of treason: “Of course he is, by American standards. Snowden is a traitor,” Kalugin said. “When someone changes sides and goes over to the other side, it’s a victory,” he said.''Snowden’s value to his Russian handlers has not totally run its course, claims Kalugin, and the FSB will allegedly use him as a technical consultant and advisor on topics that interest them. His travel in the country also may be coordinated by the FSB'' Kalugin said2.

How Many Snowdens Are There In The U.S. and Amongst It's Allies?
As yesterday, the most important information for Russian spies today is military, scientific, political, technical, financial, industrial and trade intelligence. All persons engaged in such activities and their families are of standard interest to spy organisations.  Many factors will determine the level of priority or interest.
In the wake of the Snowden revelations about the National Security Agency spying on German firms to gain economic superiority in trade and negotiations, the concerns were sufficiently heightened that the Federal Office For the Protection Of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's counterintelligence agency, was instructed to investigate the Snowden claims.
The BfV concluded that
There is currently no concrete evidence of potential involvement of U.S. intelligence services in espionage attacks on German companies,” adding, “the U.S. Government has assured the Federal Government several times that its services do not conduct economic espionage2.
The damage has been done however and (potentially) tens of billions of dollars of trade, business and investment has been lost because of Edward Snowden's unproven revelations about the NSA spying on specific governments, politicians, diplomatic bodies, commercial, trade and scientific organisations worldwide.

The Spy [or Asset] Who Came In From the Cold: False Flag
''It cannot be ruled out that the SVR (or possibly GRU, Russian military intelligence, which is a formidable espionage service its own right) initially dealt with Ed in a false-flag operation, masking their true identity for a time, but experts who are acquainted with Russia’s “special services” understand that the Official Narrative, that Ed just up and moved to Moscow, cannot be true.
Getting to the bottom of this matter is critical to assessing the damage wrought by the Snowden Operation.''
To put it in a nutshell, too many media personalities, politicians and experts have invested too much of their reputations and future careers in promoting and portraying Edward Snowden as nothing other than a classic American hero to see such all ruined by the revelation of and his unmasking as a Russian spy.

Cover Your Ass [CYA]
''The U.S. Intelligence Community has senior people who, following in the long line of espionage bosses who really would rather not know the full story behind an epic traitor, seem to prefer to avert eyes from this issue, just as many journalists do. For them, as bad as the Snowden story is already, think how much worse it will look if Ed was really working for the Russians for years: that would be a truly epic counterintelligence fail, and careers and reputations will be ruined3.''


Anyone In The Intelligence Community (IC) Always Has A 'Backup' Or 'Fallback' Position-Just In Case Things Go Horribly Wrong
''We are expected to believe that Ed was clever enough to steal uncounted classified
NSA documents, the biggest such haul in all history, but did not remember to save
those few, critical emails that would establish that he really is a whistleblower, that he sought remedy through proper channels before he “went rogue.” Be aware that every NSA and IC (Intelligence Community) person I know keeps a file containing hard copies of all important (meaning Cover Your Ass or CYA) emails; I learned this in my first week on the job, and that file was literally the last thing I burn-bagged when I left Fort Meade for the last time. But Ed, you see, is different. At this point, it’s simple: he needs to cough up those emails – which NSA says do not exist – and provide the names of the supervisors he complained to, or pipe down4.''


SPIESяUS
If it turns out that Edward Snowden was indeed a carefully well-placed Russian spy (and there are tantalizing indications that such is in fact the case) this is undoubtedly the greatest intelligence coup by a superpower-Russia-of the 21st century to date. With Assange and Manning together they dwarf the compromise of the entire British intelligence services by the Soviet Union during the era of the Cold War making the latter pale into insignificance.
The damage to U.S. security and economic interests worldwide are incalculable (possibly in the tens of billions of dollars) and are likely to be very long lasting.
One cannot overestimate in the era of instant global interconnectivity the mortal damage which such revelations have inflicted on U.S. national security.
As with many things intelligence, where spectacular triumphs and monumental failures occur, the victors will never reveal the full facts (including the secret award of the rank of Colonel or higher in the FSB to Edward Snowden for loyal and valiant service) so as not to compromise future similar operations and likewise the vanquished are so embarrassed that CYA, at every level, is the order of the day.
Therefore the likelihood is that we will never discover the true and full disclosure details of all the facts in our lifetime, for the reasons given above.
The narrative on all sides will thus, never be shattered.


© Patrick Emek, 2015


[I would just like to add again for the record that I have always believed it serves no useful practical purpose to 'hold' Mr Assange as a 'prisoner' in London's Ecuador Embassy. Quite the opposite. Like 'The Man In the Iron Mask' he serves as an 'inspiration' for others to emulate rather than being seen as an example of future 'collective punishment' to all who would think of following. Locking the stable doors after the horse has bolted is however, sadly, the order of the day.]




References


The Snowden Operation:
Russia Against The Western Intelligence Community (John Schindler):


4.Replication of Milgram's 'Shocking' Experiments Proves 70 Percent of People will Torture Others if Ordered\;
Learn more:
http://www.naturalnews.com/025141_WHO_brain_authority.html#ixzz3bno5evTB









Idea for the subtitle SPIESяUS came to me from the movie 'Toys' - Baltimore Pictures Production; a Barry Levinson film, 1992 starring Robin Williams and LL Cool J]








Wednesday 10 June 2015

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Raise Awareness




Last Published: 05/14/2015


Promoting summer feeding sites in your community is one of the most important things you can do to ensure no child goes hungry this summer.  The more parents, children, and teenagers know about where sites are located, the more children will come to eat.  Anyone can do outreach using the resources we have here.  Sites, sponsors, community advocates, and volunteers can use a variety of tools to draw attention to summer meals.
Summer flyer image Summer Meals Promotional Materials
Flyers, bookmarks, postcards and more in both English and Spanish to let families know about the availability of summer meals and how to find meal locations near them.
Radio PSAs Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
Download any one of the summer meals PSAs and work with your favorite local radio station to get them played for free.  Click here to learn how to work with radio stations to play PSAs for free.
PSAs to Families:
 PSAs to Recruit More Sites and Sponsors
Transcripts (some radio DJs prefer to read the PSAs themselves)
Training Videos Training Videos
Watch summer meals sites, sponsors, state agencies, and community advocates talk about their innovative strategies and successful practices.  It would be even better if you hosted a viewing for your colleagues and other community organizations.
Team Up with 211 Team Up With 2-1-1
Reach out to the 2-1-1 call center in your area to have them list your summer feeding sites as a resource for families in need.  2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and referrals to services that provide help with food, housing, employment, health care, and more.  2-1-1 is currently in all 50 states and serves over 90% of the population.  Click here to find your local 2-1-1 call center and list your sites with them.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/sfsp/Summer_Flyer_En_508.pdf

Blog Archive