02/22/10

The IMF Gold, & the Treasury – Connecting the Dots….

By: Jean Stoner

When Obama was elected, one of the first things he did was give $108 Billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund, (IMF).

The Obama administration has pushed a bill through the U.S. House of Representatives approving $106 billion in supplemental funding, primarily for the Iraq and Afghanistan ‘security’ efforts, but attached to it was also an expanded credit facility for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of a massive $108 billion which included an agreement to allow U.S,. members of the IMF Board to agree the proposed $13 billion sale of 400 tons of IMF gold to shore up its finances. ….

…If there is no renewal of the CBGA, that would send a tremendously bullish signal to the gold price, at a time today when there are many more actors on the buy-side (such as private investors) and an obviously slowing interest to sell.

….”This would boost gold’s status as a reserve asset, giving holders greater flexibility in how they bought and sold it. It would also encourage other Central Banks with large forex reserves but little gold (such as China) to buy. After all who wants to buy something for which they need an Agreement in order to re-sell?”

……. But back to the U.S. Moves. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, economist Judy Shelton comments: “The Obama administration went to great lengths to get the IMF its billions. Last week, congressional leaders received a letter that made a firm connection between global economics and global security. “We know from the 1930s that a protracted global economic slump can foster undesirable and unforeseeable reactions to hardship and adversity,” it stated. “Financial hardship and poverty breed desperation, which helps terrorist networks to attract new recruits with messages of hate, violence and intolerance.” The letter then urged Republicans and Democrats to support the President’s request for IMF funding. “We believe that the current instability poses a significant risk to the long-term prosperity and security of the United States.” It was signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Adviser James Jones, and, most notably, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.”

President Obama wrote a letter to Speaker Pelosi requesting funds for the IMF.

This step is crucial for U.S. economic interests. Many of the developing countries that would benefit from the NAB expansion are experiencing severe economic decline and a massive withdrawal of capital. Should the situation become worse, and should the IMF not be in a position to stem the crisis, currencies could collapse. The experience with the Asian financial crisis shows that such a massive failure would be a catalyst for steeper drops in U.S. growth, jobs, and exports.

This proposal, first discussed at the international level at the recent G-20 meetings in London, came after broad consultation with Congress. The U.S. expansion of $100 billion in the NAB would be part of an overall international expansion of $500 billion. We committed to this expansion, and other countries are looking to the United States to deliver on our commitment.

Ah, transparency. Perhaps you’ve read that the new era of candor in government spending has arrived. Except, apparently, when it comes to the $750 billion that the Obama Administration and other nations have agreed to provide the International Monetary Fund. In this case, it’s all opacity all the time.

At the G-20 meeting in April, the world’s big shots promised to provide $500 billion under credit lines to the IMF known as “new arrangements to borrow.” The U.S. share was said to be $100 billion, which last week we learned is actually $108 billion. The Obama Administration is now asking Congress to appropriate the cash, except that the Congressional Budget Office is only scoring the cost at $5 billion. How so? Because the transaction is being called an “exchange of assets,” which means the U.S. gives the IMF the $108 billion and the IMF gives the U.S. a promissory note. Which raises a question: If it costs so little, why not make it $200 billion. Or a trillion? It’s free!

Keep this in mind, because there is math later.

  • Obama Bailed out Citi, Twice so far…

The U.S. gave up billions in tax money in deal for Citigroup’s bailout repayment.

The federal government quietly agreed to forgo billions of dollars in potential tax payments from Citigroup as part of the deal announced this week to wean the company from the massive taxpayer bailout that helped it survive the financial crisis.

After the bailout and the forgoing of repayment, Soros buys Citi at a huge discount. $1,4 Billion Dollars. We lost all that money. That’s only the beginning.

He bought Citigroup (C), now one of the top 5 holdings.

Not only does George Soros own Citi, but guess who is his biggest shareholder?

None other than Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. It was Al-Waleed who bankrolled Obama all his life. Khalidi’s boss & son to the king Obama bowed to and who just bought voting stock in Fox news’ parent company Murdoch’s NewsCorp.

Saudi Arabian prince Alwaleed bin Talal has come to the rescue of Citigroup with a much-needed cash injection today.

The surprise turnaround ended a two-year selloff that has wiped more than $200bn (£135bn) from the bank’s market value.

The Saudi prince will increase his stake from about 4 to 5% in the coming days.

The move initially filled investors with confidence and sparked a buying spree before the bell. The shares surged 25 cents to $6.65, but then fell back to tumble by another 17.5%. Yesterday, they fell more than 22% in a single session while the stock is down more than 90% since 2006.

Based on Wednesday evening’s closing price, the prince plans to invest about $349m of his fortune in Citigroup shares.

In a statement released at 9am in New York, Talal said he believed Citi’s shares were “dramatically undervalued” and expressed “full and complete support to Citi management” including the embattled chief executive, Vikram Pandit.

Remember Citi is Rahm’s baby. So now that we have covered the Citi angle, let’s talk about what they are up to.

US billionaire George Soros has more than doubled his investment in gold, despite calling it the “ultimate bubble” just weeks ago.

Mr Soros’ investment vehicle Soros Fund Management increased its holding in SPDR Gold Trust to 6.2 million shares, worth $663m (£425m) at the end of 2009.

The gold conspiracy world is a buzz with recent articles from Rob Kirby about tungsten bars that were plated with gold. According to Kirby’s sources 1.3M-1.5M these 400oz bars currently reside in Fort Knox as well as have been sold into the global gold markets over the past 15-20 years. The article can be found here: http://news.goldseek.com/GoldSeek/1258049769.php

Lump this together with GATA’s work in exposing the secret manipulation of the price of gold and you add jet fuel to the gold conspiracy inferno.

As reported in The Daily Gold, by Harvey Organ:

The above will help explain why I cannot balance supply and demand of gold. We know that demand is somewhere around 4500 tonnes of gold and supply around 2400 tonnes and thus the deficit was funded with supplies from central banks. The above ground gold supplied by the central banks came through the leasing process.

And his final comment on Campaign for Liberty:

Is this story for real? Hard to say, but given the history of manipulation of gold by the Federal Reserve (e.g., see http://www.zerohedge.com/article/smoking-gun-fed-controlling-gold, and www.gata.org), how will we know unless we carry out a full audit of the Federal Reserve?

“Gold futures came under further pressure Thursday after the International Monetary Fund said it would sell another 191.3 metric tons of gold. The IMF has already sold the rest of the 403.3 tons of gold it pledged to put on the market in September.

The IMF said it will sell the remaining gold in a “phased way” to prevent market disruption and undue pressure on prices, but gold futures were off more than $13 to $1,107 an ounce in early trading, extending declines from an all-time nominal high of about $1,180 set late last year. The exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Trust Gs (GLD) has declined more than 8% from a 52-week high set in early December.

The sale totals about $105 Billion dollars worth of Gold.

(Remember we gave them $108 Billion dollars)

Finally, here is the story about China selling treasury notes in order to buy Gold.

“In regards to whether or not China truly sold down its holdings of U.S. treasuries recently, the situation remains a bit murky. But Citi’s Alan Heap thinks it happened for sure.

Moreover, he thinks China has a plan for the cash they pulled out of the U.S. — They’ll use it to buy 191 tonnes of gold from the IMF.”

Alan Heap @ Citi: The IMF announcement that the fund intends to sell 191t of gold sent a quiver through the market last week. However there was nothing new here. The gold is the residual from the planned sale of 403 tonnes which will partially finance new loans to developing countries.

The bank said that sales would be phased over time. But also kept open the possibility of direct transfers to other central banks.

The PBC [People’s Bank of China] is the most likely central bank buyer. The bank is deeply dissatisfied with the performance of its US treasury holdings and has made clear its intention to diversify including into gold. In November and December the PBC sold USD46bn of treasures; they must be buying something.

While he remains rather neutral on gold, with a 2010 target price of just $1,162, he also highlights how Gold bullion demand picked up in Q4 as well, driven by ‘Unidentified Investment’. Which could be good news for early 2010.”

Note “Unidentified investments”!

  • The Dots Connected

China sold our treasury notes to buy gold. Soros Al-Waleed (John Paulson too) are selling the gold through Citi, from IMF.

Obama already gave IMF ‘$108 Billion. The gold being sold is worth $105 Billion, which we had already paid for once. Soros, Al-Waleed & China make money off it. It appears as though $3 Billion is missing.

If you connect the dots in those links, you will see the scam. Remember Citi is Rham’s baby. He tanked it so Soros could buy cheap.

So we gave IMF Money. We bailed out Citi. Obama’s handlers, Soros & Al-Waleed buy Citi cheap, buy Gold through IMF & Citi, Sell gold to China. China sold treasury notes to buy the gold.

So now we don’t have Citi, money in IMF, Treasury notes, or Gold.

In the meantime we paid for all this twice and are still getting robbed.

————

Fake gold bars in Bank of England and Fort Knox

FED GAVE Banks Access to 23.7 TRILLION DOLLARS NOT $700 Billion!

Interpol action in US results in bench warrants being issued for arrest of 137 banking, legal and government conspirators blocking release of international prosperity fund settlements.

02/22/10

Obama and the Weissbourds – Was There a Frank Marshall Davis Connection?

From: New Zeal

Obama file 96 here

Barack Obama has received the help of socialists and communists at every step of his political career – right back to his boyhood days in Hawaii, where he was mentored by the communist poet, Frank Marshall Davis.

Frank Marshall Davis, who was not a native of Hawaii, began his radical career in Chicago.

In 1985 Obama left New York for Chicago to work as a “community organizer”.

There is evidence that Obama was supported in his Chicago career, by people with ties to Frank Marshall Davis.

READ MORE…

02/22/10

Links To Visit – 02/22/10

Politico – Empty On Funding, ACORN Shutters Around the Country

Big Government – ACORN Phone lines disconnected nationwide, reconstitutes in Brooklyn office as New York Communities for Change

AP – Iran: work on 2 new enrichment sites to begin soon

Washington Times – Obama tops Bush at ducking reporters; No formal press conference in 215 days

Rasmussen – Total Approval 45%

Fox News – NYC Bomb Plot Suspect Pleads Guilty to Terror Charges

Fox News – Iran Threatens Airlines Over ‘Persian Gulf’ Rift

Pajamas Media – Climategate: The World’s Biggest Story, Everywhere but Here (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Family Security Matters – Cutting History in Half? Some Schools Proposing U.S. History ‘Begin’ at 1865

Brutally Honest – Are our targeters on the ground being wilfully duped?

The Photographer – Photographer films his own ‘anti-terror’ arrest (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

The New Editor – Two of the Toughest Sportscasts Ever

The Radio Patriot – Who is Sucking the Lifeblood Out of America’s Wealth?

The Radio Patriot – “The Tea Party Is Not Going To Go Anywhere” – Ah-nuld the Brilliant

Michelle Malkin – Here come government health care price controls; Update: Obamacare 2.0$$ unveiled

Michelle Malkin – The Zazi plea and the Patriot Act

Michelle Malkin – CBO to White House: We can’t score your health care crap sandwich

Michelle Malkin – Attention, GOP: John McCain is the problem

Michelle Malkin – Corruptocrat AG Eric Holder still covering up

Michelle Malkin – Bernie Sanders: Reconciliation-mania!

The American Spectator – White House Accused of Federal Crime in Specter, Bennet Races (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Pajamas Media – Naïve Napolitano: DHS Underestimates Muslim Resistance to Countering Domestic Terrorism (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Rasmussen Reports – Only 21% Say U.S. Government Has Consent of the Governed (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Center for Immigration Studies – Immigration, Political Realignment, and the Demise of Republican Political Prospects (Hat Tip: Carolyn Cooke)

Wired – Spectacular Wide-Field View of Eagle Nebula in High-Res (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Atlas Shrugs – FULL VIDEO: FDI at CPAC, “Sept 11 was a Tragic Moment in the History of Our Nation, but the Infiltration of Islam is of Equal Concern” [Bumped]

Atlas Shrugs – Defense Ministry Fight Giant Mosque Plan Overooking Sandhurst Army Academy

Gateway Pundit – Top Dem Says House Will Pass Obamacare With More Votes the 2nd Time Around

Gateway Pundit – Dem Congressman Laughs Out Loud at Pledge of Allegiance Suggestion at SEIU Meeting (Video)

Gateway Pundit – White House Promises to Ram Obamacare Through Congress Via Reconciliation Process

Gateway Pundit – Wrong Again… Barack Obama Lectures America About Rising Sea Levels (Video)

Gateway Pundit – George Will on ABC: The Government’s Only Broken When Left Can’t Enact Its Agenda (Video)

Gateway Pundit – Radical Islamists Rally for Hezbollah & Iraq Resistance in Front of Louvre Museum (Video)

Gateway Pundit – Toyota Internal Memo: Obama & Dems Are Activists & “Not Industry Friendly”

The Mudville Gazette – Murtha vs the Army

USO Girls (Hat Tip: Mudville Gazette)

This Ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here – Beauty and the Blogger (Hat Tip: Mudville Gazette)

Military Times – Blogger helps expose alleged military faker (Hat Tip: Mudville Gazette)

American Thinker – Time for America to Act on Iran (Hat Tip: Steve Schippert)

02/22/10

Financial News Update – 02/22/10

Buffett’s Partner: ‘It’s Over’ for U.S. Economy

Soros: Euro’s Future in Question Even if Greece Saved

Greek Premier: EU Lacks Leadership in Financial Crisis

Doomsday Predictions Tax Illinois (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Obama Health Care Plan’s Price Tag Jumps to $950 Billion (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Boehner: New Obama Plan Doubles Down on Failure, Puts Summit in Peril

SWALLOW: White House Warns Republicans: We’ll Pass It With 51 VOTES

PROPOSAL SUMMARY USES WORD ‘TAX’ 35 TIMES…
‘Increase in Fees on Brand Name Pharmaceuticals’…
Broaden ‘Tax Base for High-Income Taxpayers’…
Orders ‘Comprehensive Database’ On Health Claims…
FORCED: ‘Raises percent of income assessment that individuals pay if they choose not to become insured’…
BACKDOOR FIX: Healthcare ‘Funds will be transferred to the Social Security Trust’ if necessary…

White House Endorses Sen. Landrieu’s ‘Louisiana Purchase’

BIGGER, BOLDER, MORE TAX, MORE DATABASE: OBAMA IN NEW HEALTHCARE BLOWOUT

Oil above $80

McCain: I was misled on bank bailout

REPORTS: CITIGROUP Warns Customers It May Refuse To Allow Withdrawals

White House Talks Compromise, but GOP Claims Health Care Plan is Merely Camouflage

Obama to Urge Oversight of Insurers’ Rate Increases (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

A New Assault on the American Economy

Check Out What the Greeks Are Having to Do: Raise Their Retirement Age…by Force

Ramesh Ponnuru Doesn’t Know Enough To Know He Doesn’t Get It…Freedom means not having to ask permission to amass wealth.

The White House Learned Nothing from Massachusetts

A First Look at the President’s Health Summit Proposal: Liberal Proposal Number Three

New But Unimproved: Abortion Funding in the White House Health Plan

Modern Piracy Endangering Global Commerce and Security

White House: If GOP Filibusters, We’ll Pass Health Reform Via Reconciliation

Obama healthcare plan nixes Ben Nelson’s ‘Cornhusker Kickback’ deal (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Obama puts forward $1 trillion health care plan (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

SurvivalBlog:

Frustrated Owner Bulldozes Home Ahead of Foreclosure

South Carolina Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Federal Currency

A recent radio interview with Jim Sinclair.

Banana Republics Need Compliant Central Banks. Here is an excerpt: “Wait a minute. Huge increase in government spending. Fast-rising debt. Tax the rich. Appoint political advisors to run the central bank. That’s us! ”

Jobless Claims, Inflation Jumps as Economy Wobbles

Monetary Inflation and the 32 Cent Gallon of Gas (The Mogambo Guru)

Law of Diminishing Returns of Credit Expansion

Governors Brace for More Economic Turmoil

US Consumer Prices Fall for First Time in 27 Years

Pound Slides Further on Surprise Fed Rate Raise

02/22/10

A SPECIAL BAR MITZVAH FOR A VERY SPECIAL BOY

BY: FERN SIDMAN

For most Jewish boys, the months prior to their 13th birthday are rife with anticipation as they immerse themselves in the preparations for their upcoming Bar Mitzvah. It is this rite of passage into manhood that marks a very special day for the entire family and community. The guest list, the caterer, the musicians, the photographer, the new suits and dresses are all top priorities, as the family buzzes with excitement and a flurry of activity takes place. Clearly, everyone wants the memories of this momentous day to be emblazoned in their hearts and minds forever.

Sunday February 14th, which also happened to be the first day of the Hebrew month of Adar (signifying a time of joy and gladness for the Jewish people as they prepare to celebrate Purim), marked the day in which one very special boy with special needs had his most unique bar mitzvah celebration. Baruch Shlomo HaLevi Gershbein was diagnosed with autism as a toddler and while his severely limited verbal and comprehensive skills may militate against his pronunciations of the appropriate blessings, his family was determined to afford him the same opportunity as other Jewish boys of his age.

“Baruch Shlomo is quite close to being non-verbal at this point. We have hope that he will speak more in the future, but his vocabulary – other than words related to eating – is probably no more than a score of words”, said his father, Steven (Shmuel) Gershbein, a noted Brooklyn attorney specializing in representing the civil rights of the handicapped community as well as a rabbi dedicated to opening up the riches of Judaism to special needs individuals. “I practiced the B’rachot (blessings) with him nearly every day for the past three-and-a-half years. We missed rehearsing perhaps two or three days a year. I knew that he would memorize the melody for these blessings because he has quite a gift for recalling tunes. I was impressed with his courage when he actually attempted to say about two or three of the words with me when the Torah (Scroll of The Law) was on the Bimah (table) and we shared an Aliyah (elevation to the Torah)” he said.

The 50 plus guests including family and friends gathered at Congregation Khal Bnei Yisroel, located in the Midwood section of Brooklyn to partake in the glorious celebration. As Baruch Shlomo completed his stalwart attempt to recite the blessings, a palpable joy filled the synagogue as the congregation burst forth with strains of “Siman Tov u’Mazel Tov” the traditional words sung at a simcha (joyous occasion). “I have known Baruch Shlomo since the day he was born and I can sincerely say that he is a simply adorable boy who radiates a certain “Chein” (charm and love) and his infectious smile lights up the world” said Frimet Tzirel Rosenblatt, a close family friend. Among those thanking the assemblage for their unwavering support and encouragement were Baruch Shlomo’s parents, Rabbi Steven Gershbein, Baruch’s mother Chaviva Gershbein, his paternal grandparents, Stanley and Carol Gershbein of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and his great Aunt Lila of Oceanside, New York.

“We are all very proud of Baruch Shlomo and on his behalf I wish to thank each and every one of you for coming today and helping to enhance this joyous day” said the exuberant grandfather, Stanley Gershbein. Several prominent speakers were also in attendance including Rabbi Tzvi Mandel, the officiating rabbi at Cong. Khal Bnei Yisroel and nephew of the founder of the legendary Yeshiva of Brooklyn, Rabbi Manis Mandel, ZT”L and New York State Supreme Court Justice for the County of Kings, Judge Leon Ruchelsman. “Our shul (synagogue) is privileged to host the bar mitzvah of Baruch Shlomo Gershbein and we are deeply impressed with the love that everyone assembled here today has for this incredibly sweet neshoma (soul). May his parents, grandparents, extended family and friends always derive a great deal of nachas (joy) from him”, said Rabbi Mandel as he embraced Baruch Shlomo.

During his speech, the boy’s father, Rabbi Steven Gershbein spoke of the joys and challenges of raising a special needs child. “Baruch Shlomo have never given me a moment of sorrow. He gives me no pain. He has only given me joy. Raising a special needs child is hard. It is challenging and anyone who tells you that it is not an arduous, back breaking and soul crushing task is not telling the truth. While the challenges are indeed far greater than in raising a non-special needs child, so too are those moments of intensified sweetness when you make eye contact with an autistic child and your heart swells with love”, he said.

Judge Leon Ruchelsman, a close family friend said of the magnanimity of Baruch Shlomo’s father, “It seems that each time I meet Rabbi Gershbein, he is on his cell phone immersed in a conversation pertaining to helping someone. He is consistently involved in helping to relieve the pain of others and is not mired in self pity. With everything that he has to deal with concerning Baruch Shlomo, he still has time to perform acts of loving kindness and I am always deeply moved and so greatly impressed by that”, he said.

The entire Gershbein family wishes to extend their deepest thanks to those who made this bar mitzvah a reality. “Firstly, we praise and thank the Almighty G-d of Israel for allowing us to reach this day. Praise G-d for He is good; His kindness is forever. The Talmud in tractates Berachot and Sanhedrin note the importance of gratitude and our sages of blessed memory say that ingratitude is akin to idol worship, so we wish to thank everyone who showed up today and we thank every person who ever performed a single kind deed for Baruch Shlomo” said Rabbi Gershbein.

He continued, “Chief among these are: the Mora D’Asra, HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Tzvi Mandel for permitting us to have this event in his shteibel, small in size but large in the eyes of heaven. We also thank his holy rebbetzin, Chaya Shaindel Mandel, a therapist in private practice and the head of a division of Ohel. We thank my Rebbe, HaRav Perlow, for his years of instruction relative to how to live in this world and how to be worthy in the world to come. We also thank Baruch Shlomo’s grandparents Stanley and Carol Gershbein, who raised me with honor and integrity and taught me how to appreciate the good in life.

Very special thanks go to Baruch Shlomo’s wonderful and exceptionally dedicated mother Chaviva Gershbein, my dear friend and my son’s adopted uncle, Frank Vasile, who does just about everything you can think of to make Baruch Shlomo’s life a happy and productive one. This event would not have come to fruition without his constant help and tireless devotion. We also would not be here today if it were not for the hard work and incredible organizational skills of Sam and Francine Schloss, Rob and Susie Kaiserman and countless others. May Baruch Shlomo learn the lessons of kindness, integrity and dignity from these individuals and may G-d grant him the ability to go from strength to strength.”