The Peanut Gallery

Statements, comments and forecasts that have no substance, but just might turn out to be relevant.

1. Two NYPD police officers have been murdered by an African American (muslim?). CNN and co will be pointing a finger at everything from racist cops, prosecutors, judges, sentencing guidelines and drug laws. Obama and Holder will discuss gun control while the NAACP will gripe about racial profiling, all from their middle and upper class homes in the suburbs. Fact: more than 50% of murders in the US in 2013 were committed by African Americans, a group who are 13% of the population.
Peanut Gallery: Any volunteers ready to discuss this undeniable fact?

2. Less than two percent of the $5.4 billion of aid pledged by international donors to help rebuild Gaza following Operation Protective Edge has been transferred, and none of the Arab states have come through yet on their promised share, according to Palestinian officials. Even more ridiculous is the minimal transfer by arab states of funds promised in the previous war (2012).
PG: looks like an unconscious/conscious admission by Gaza's allies not to throw good money after bad money!

3. News media in Israel is reporting that FC Barcelona plans to end its controversial business partnership with the government of Qatar over concerns about terrorist connections. The La Liga giants initially signed the $200 million sponsorship deal with Qatar in December of 2010.
PG: Go Barca!

4.Belarus has blocked access to shopping and news websites to prevent a run on the Belarusian ruble, France24 reported Dec. 21. Because its economy is so dependent on Russia, Belarus has seen its currency fall with the Russian Ruble.. Citizens have sought to minimize the negative impact of the devaluation by unloading their cash reserves. The government has also placed a moratorium on price increases and announced that all exporters will be required to hold half their revenues in the local currency. Purchases of foreign exchange are now being taxed at 30 percent. 

5. On Friday news outlets reported that Russia added to its gold reserves for the eighth straight month adding 600,000 ounces of gold to its reserves. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that as of Dec. 1 Russia’s stockpile of gold rose to 38.1 million ounces up from 37.6 million ounces. And now China  has offered to help the Russians out with currency swaps. 
PG: Is this a new alliance? Nothing is ever what it seems...sigh!

6.The Saudi government released its 2015 budget Dec. 25 with a $38.6 billion deficit due to the recent fall in oil prices, according to an official statement on state-run television, AFP reported. The govenment raised spending slightly over 2014 to 860 billion riyals ($229.3 billion), with revenues at 715 billion riyals ($190.7 billion). 
PG: With currency reserves at $800 billion, the Saudis can afford to sit and watch its rivals (mostly Russia and Iran) writhing.

7.Relations between Cuba and Venezuela significantly improved during the Presidency of Hugo Chávez. Chávez formed a major alliance with Cuban president Fidel Castro and significant trade relationship with Cuba since his election in 1999. The bilateral relation includes development aid, joint business ventures, large financial transactions and exchange of energy resources. The warm relationship between the two countries continued to intensify until the death of Chavez and, more importantly, the crash in the oil price which devastated Venezuela's economy. 
PG: So now the beginning of a new alliance with the US of A. Follow the money baby!

8.TOI: An Iranian scientist claimed this week that he had invented a radar system which can detect drug addicts from nearly a mile away, and measure the level of narcotics flooding their systems. Scientists from the Islamic Republic have in the past touted other improbable inventions. In April 2013, an Iranian businessman and scientist said he had successfully invented a time machine, but that a prototype won’t be launched currently because “the Chinese will steal the idea and produce it in millions overnight.”
PG: They must be drinking their oil!

Read more: Iran touts 'drug addict radar' | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-touts-drug-addict-radar/#ixzz3Mw5ubsFC

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. - Ernestine Ulmer