Archive for October, 2007
U.S. Home Sales Hit Fresh Lows, Unsold Properties Flood Market
October 25th, 2007Nowhere near bottom. We’re getting into the momentum phase now. Via: AFP: Sales of US homes and apartments tumbled a hefty 8.0 percent in September extending one of the nation’s worst housing slumps in decades, an industry group said Wednesday. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said in a monthly snapshot that sales of existing […]
Merrill Lynch Reports Biggest Quarterly Loss in Its 93-Year History
October 25th, 2007Via: Bloomberg: Merrill Lynch & Co. reported the biggest quarterly loss in its 93-year history after taking $8.4 billion of writedowns, almost double the firm’s forecast three weeks ago. The writedowns on subprime mortgages, asset-backed bonds and leveraged loans led to a third-quarter loss of $2.24 billion, or $2.82 a share, six times more than […]
Terror Watch List Swells to More than 755,000
October 25th, 2007Via: USA Today: The government’s terrorist watch list has swelled to more than 755,000 names, according to a new government report that has raised worries about the list’s effectiveness. The size of the list, typically used to check people entering the country through land border crossings, airports and sea ports, has been growing by 200,000 […]
Kids Submit Biometric Data to Receive Their Government Cheese
October 25th, 2007Via: Statesman Journal: With the federal government lagging behind on its plans to implement the use of electronic passports, identification cards and driver’s licenses, biometric vendors are targeting a new market: schools. But the use of biometric technology in schools, such as a system being used by Stayton Middle School’s cafeteria, has some parents and […]
California Fires: Arson
October 25th, 2007I’m waiting to hear that bin Laden himself did it. Swooping low over the bone dry death trap of Southern California, with his magic carpet, and his Zippo of mass destruction. Film at 11. Via: CBS: CBS News has learned a task force of agencies, including the FBI, ATF, the Orange County Fire Authority and […]
Mitre Corporation Search
October 24th, 2007The Mitre Corporation user (host: mw-128-29-43-3.mitre.org, ip: 128.29.43.3) conducted the following Google search: synthetic environments for analysis and simulation Related Cryptogon Page: Synthetic Environments for Analysis and Simulation Mitre Corporation is one of the BIG intelligence and military community cutouts, like SAIC and Battelle Memorial Institute. Tens of billions of dollars worth of tax payer […]
Trillion-Dollar War: Afghanistan and Iraq Set to Cost More than Vietnam and Korea
October 24th, 2007Via: Independent: President George Bush will have spent more than $1 trillion on military adventures by the time he leaves office at the end of next year, more than the entire amount spent on the Korean and Vietnam wars combined. There are also disturbing signs that Mr Bush is preparing an attack on Iran during […]
Cash-Strapped Americans Raiding Their 401(k)s
October 24th, 2007Via: Chicago Tribune: Despite potential tax and investment problems, more investors have been borrowing from their 401(k) plans or taking hardship withdrawals in recent months, some retirement plan providers say. Many in the field expect more borrowing in 2008, as consumers struggle with tighter credit and potentially higher mortgage payments.
IMF Chief Warns Dollar May Suffer ‘Abrupt Fall’
October 24th, 2007Via: AFP: The head of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo Rato, warned Monday of a potential “abrupt fall” in the US dollar that could roil the global economy. “There are risks that an abrupt fall in the dollar could either be triggered by, or itself trigger, a loss of confidence in dollar assets,” Rato said […]
Cryptogon Readers Contribute $100 and $20
October 23rd, 2007ES sent $100 and MW sent $20. Wow! ES is a new contributor and MW has been hitting that little, blue “Donate” button for years. Thanks guys.
