Photo, above:  Members of the Islamist terrorist organization Ansar al-Dine ("Defenders of the Faith") in Mali, where their brutality against Muslim Malians is stunning the world. See: Ten Hour, Blocks A and B.
Summer 2012 article on Tuaregs: http://www.theird.org/issues/religious-liberty/13-07-12-rf-report-could-...
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Hour One
Tuesday  15 Jan 2013 / Hour 1, Block A: Larry Kudlow, in re:
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 1, Block B:  John H. Cochrane, Grumpy Economist & Hoover Institution, in re:  Two Cents on the Trillion-Dollar Coin, and a Debt-Limit Schedule [This is a riveting segment. Regrettably, these notes are inadequate.]
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 1, Block C: . John Tamny, Real Clear Markets, in re: Without defending economy-sapping government spending even for a second, the reality is that every generation produces scaremongers in the pundit class who tell us "this time is different," that "today's deficits are sowing the seeds of crisis."  They contradict themselves on many levels.  If we ignore that deficits are - just an indistinguishable form of finance - that distracts us from the true problem, which is government spending assuming a "crisis" whereby the U.S. can no longer raise debt; the clear answer is that we'll be better off if/when the feds are forced onto a diet.  The crisis is not the day when investors stop financing our spending; rather, it's the spending itself (this includes the military that "small government" conservatives won't touch) whether in deficit, balance or surplus, that is the crisis.  It's not the burden of our grandchildren as the scaremongers naively tell us; instead, it's our burden and crisis for all of the growth lost.  Forbes.com. 


Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 1, Block D:  Larry Kudlow, in re: 80% of income from healthcare has to be on health; 20% may be on admin (and profits). Ergo, insurance co's are raising fees as fast as they can. Expect: rationing, slow payments.   All trying to beat the federal govt, raising premiums and prices. Medicare, Medicaid, children's health entitlements: for the next twenty years the money we need to grow the economy will be poured into expensive govt management and bureaucracies.
 
Hour Two
Tuesday  15 Jan 2013 / Hour 2, Block A:  . Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal, and Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: French incursion in Mali.   French colonial empire since WWII.  The Indochina catastrophe.  The Algeria catastrophe.  The Francophone African failed states.  Most recently, French collaboration in the Libyan episode scattering, the politics of this in Paris that now involves a cooperating Washington.  . . . President Hollande said France's goals in Mali were: "stop[ping] the terrorist aggression. ... making Bamako safe ... and enabling Mali to recover its territorial integrity." The French force in Mali is now about 800 troops and will be built up to 2,500. French troops will be used in the second phase of the operation, expelling Islamists from the main towns. Hollande said some rebels could be taken prisoner but the aim was to "destroy" them.
2012 Sept 11 were there links to al Qaeda and franchises from Tunisia to Libya, to Yemen? Ansar al Shariah Libya celebrated the deaths; now Ansar al Sharia Tunisia celebrates the liberation of one of the attackers from prison. In several countries you find specific, known al Qaeda operative who were involved in specific assaults on US embassies in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya. Al Qaeda flags went up above US embassies simultaneously – the black flags had been distributed in advance as the coordinated plan was put in place. How can you put all these dots on a map and not connect them?
Shabaab displayed the body and equipment of a French commando who was wounded and captured late last week following a failed hostage rescue in Somalia, and later died. The terrorist group also said the "fate" of hostage Denis Allex will be announced soon. / French commandos from the General Directorate for External Security attempted to rescue Denis Allex, one of their operatives captured in 2009. The French said they believe Allex was killed in the raid; Shabaab denied the claim.
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 2, Block B:  . Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal, and Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, continued. In Somalia, in order to save a French hostage the French military landed their operation outside of town, giving plenty of time for townspeople to warn the fighters, who among other things killed the young hostage. Then they tweeted gruesome photos. One tweet: "The return of the Crusades, but the cross could not save him from the sword." There are also French hostages in Mali, God help them.  Now an Ansar al Shariah has been founded in Mali; in each country, definitive ties between al Qaeda and Ansar al Shariah.   French were "surprised at how well armed" they are, and how trained. The not only have iPhones, they also have sophisticated military training. A lot of the heavy arms come from Libya post-Gaddafi.  A manpad has already shot down a French helo.
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 2, Block C:  . LouAnn Hammond, Drivingthenation.com, at the Detroit Auto Show, in re: Cadillac has won two major design awards, one for a Caddy that's basically a Chevy Volt with Cadidilliac exterior. Hybrid.  All the ultrfancy brands are acting green. The ___  is a 2 + 2, small and compact, but it's the prettiest of Cadillacs. Hyundae: smartweapons civilian has the driver look at a point on a screen which automatically activates what's looked at.
Tesla, wt Falcon-wing doors, Model X is designed from the ground up to blend the best of an SUV with the benefits of a minivan, as only an electric car can. It is an automobile above category, built around the driver—and six of her friends. It artfully provides unfettered performance and brilliant functionality. AImed at everybody;s SUV. Electric w three different battery offerings: can get 160 mi, 230 mi, or 360? mi on a charge. George Blankenship: Our goal is to be profitable by the end of 2013. We've sold the first 10,000.  Have 23 dealerships  in US< will have 33 worldwide; mfr after each order.  SEC filings; Daimler has the first right of refusal, although a Chinese co. is nosing around Daimler.  How did Tesla not win – did they fix the jurors??
Model X is a family vehicle with performance roots. The Tesla Vehicle Platform enables Model X to perform in ways never expected from a car of its size. With a center of gravity lower than any other SUV, you’ll notice nimble reflexes at every turn. The electric powertrain delivers instant torque for confident lane changes, even when loaded with seven adults and all their gear.
Model X is offered with optional Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive. The second motor enables more than all-weather, all-road capabilities: it increases torque by 50%. When outfitted with AWD, Model X Performance accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, outperforming the fastest SUVs and many sports cars.
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 2, Block D:  Jeff Bliss, The Bliss Index, in re: Jerry Brown, looking trim and excited in Sacramento, pulls out charts: California has an $851 million surplus (after a hundred-billion deficit).  Live rabbit jumps out of he screen at you?  The "surplus" is grace of new taxes – sales, income, one on top of another; supposedly he's built a surplus.  California now is the most heavily-taxed state in the union, and it's all retroactive to 2011. Coming in: huge new real-estate taxes? Prop 13 – "the max amt of any ad valorum tax shall not exceed 1% of the value of the property."  Will start with commercial properties, which will drive even more businesses out of California.  This is not capital flight - it's capitalists' flight.  Fleeing to states hat have no income tax – Nevada, Texas. /  Oakland leaders have lost grip on violence: 400-plus murders last year; multiple shootings, some random, some gang-perpetrated . Out of control; experts not much help.
 
Hour Three
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 3, Block A:  Bret Stephens WSJ, in re:  Stephens: Colin Powell's Double Standard
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 3, Block B:  . Mark Schroeder, Stratfor, in re: France Sets the Stage for a Push into Northern Mali
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 3, Block C:  . Reid Albergotti, in re: Behind Lance Armstrong's Decision to Talk http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324734904578241801441261928.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTTopStories
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 3, Block D:   Peter Lattman, NYT, in re: DEALBOOK
How Pursuit of Billionaire Hit One Dead End  The investigation of SAC Capital Advisors highlights the challenges of using lower-level workers to build a case against their boss.
 
Hour Four
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 4, Block A:  Michelle Conlin, in re: Zombie titles. In the half-dozen years since the start of the housing bust, 10 million homes have fallen into foreclosure in America.  But, as Reuters correspondent Michelle Conlin reveals in this special report, there are a growing number of people finding themselves legally liable for houses they didn’t think they still owned because the banks eventually decided it wasn’t worth their while to complete the foreclosures.   Those people are in possession of “zombie titles.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/10/us-usa-foreclosures-zombies-idUSBRE9090G920130110
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 4, Block B:  Lynnley Browning, in re: Wegelin to close. Wegelin & Co, Switzerland's oldest private bank, is to cease operations after pleading guilty in a New York federal court to helping Americans evade taxes on at least $1.2 billion for nearly a decade. It agreed to pay $57.8 million in restitution and fines. The bank, founded in 1741, had previously vowed to resist the US charges.
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 4, Block C:  David Weidner, WSJ, in re: The great banking swindle of 2013.
Tuesday  15  Jan 2013 / Hour 4, Block D:   Sid Perkins ,Science, in re: Ghost in the Fossil  X-ray technique reveals previously hidden structures
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Music
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