2008: The Year in Markets

2008: The Year in Markets

The following snapshot from MarketWatch reveals that 2008 was, indeed, a difficult year for many investors.

Putting Madoff in Perspective

Putting Madoff in Perspective

These days I am wondering if Madoff’s biggest problem is that he stole from the rich. Feels to me like when you steal from ordinary

The Lewis County Herald

The Lewis County Herald

One of the things that makes a town wonderful is a great local newspaper. Hohenwald, Tennessee (of financial permaculture fame) has the Lewis County Herald,

Ivy League Endowments

Ivy League Endowments

The housing and derivatives bubble sure was good for retired Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan and wife NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell. They

A Boycott by Any Other Name …

A Boycott by Any Other Name …

by James Bowen, National Chairperson of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/848045.html In the late 19th century, changes in Ottoman law created a new class of

Eartha Kitt: An Anti-War Patriot

Eartha Kitt: An Anti-War Patriot

Forty years ago, America’s cultural icons expressed the frustratation of the American people with the failure of then-President Lyndon Johnson to end this country’s undeclared

The Red Button Problem

The Red Button Problem

By Catherine Austin Fitts In the summer of 2000, I asked a group of 100 people at a conference of spiritually committed people who would

Money & Markets – Week of 12.28.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.28.08

IMF Agrees $2.5bn For Belarus Telegraph.co.uk (01 Jan 2009) Japan’s Bonds May Post First Loss Since 2003 as Debt Sales Rise Bloomberg (02 Jan 2009)

Money & Markets – Week of 12.28.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.28.08

IMF Agrees $2.5bn For Belarus Telegraph.co.uk (01 Jan 2009) Japan’s Bonds May Post First Loss Since 2003 as Debt Sales Rise Bloomberg (02 Jan 2009)

Geopolitical – Week of 12.28.08

Geopolitical – Week of 12.28.08

Russia-Ukraine Gas Row Heats Up News.bbc.co.uk (31 Dec 2008) Bush Signs Pension Relief Bill Into Law Reuters (30 Dec 2008) Pakistan Moves Troops To Indian

Life – Week of 12.28.08

Life – Week of 12.28.08

How We Went From $42,000 To $6,500 And Lived To Tell About It! CountrySide (31 Dec 2008) Gallup: Americans See Religious Influence Waning USA Today

Money & Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Using Your Credit Cards and Other Depression Survival Tactics lewrockwell.com (17 Dec 2008) Ecuador Defaults, Says to Fight “Monster” Creditors Reuters (12 Dec 2008) America’s

Money & Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Using Your Credit Cards and Other Depression Survival Tactics lewrockwell.com (17 Dec 2008) Ecuador Defaults, Says to Fight “Monster” Creditors Reuters (12 Dec 2008) America’s

Geopolitical – Week of 12.21.08

Geopolitical – Week of 12.21.08

Israel Strikes Demolish Hamas Compounds, Kill 192 Truthout (27 Dec 2008) Internet Overtakes Newspapers as News Source in 2008 PewResearchCenter (23 Dec 08) CIA Using

2008: Looking Back

2008: Looking Back

The global financial bubble burst in 2008 — and that’s a good thing. It means that the bubble economy will stop draining the real economy.

Life – Week of 12.21.08

Life – Week of 12.21.08

Electric Drag Racing Oregon Public Broadcasting No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’ NY Times (26 Dec 2008)

Mortgage Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Mortgage Markets – Week of 12.21.08

Home Foreclosures and Taxes kiplinger.com (18 Dec 2008) New Rules on Home-Sale Profits kiplinger.com (17 Dec 2008) New Tax Breaks for Homeowners kiplinger.com (15 Dec

Precious Metals – Week Of 12.21.08

Precious Metals – Week Of 12.21.08

Venezuela to Seize Gold Concessions as Oil Falls Yahoo Finance (27 Dec 2008) Positive Carry Kitco.com (09 Dec 2008) GoldDrivers 2009 – Extraordinary Bullish Outlook

In Hoc Anno Domini

In Hoc Anno Domini

Vermont Royster’s Christmas message of 1949 has been republished by the Wall Street Journal every Christmas since. As I can not think of a more

Quote du Jour

Quote du Jour

What we’re witnessing isn’t finance or investment as usual. We’re watching a shift to a managed economic structure, where government officials determine who will live

Look Out Below?

Look Out Below?

The U.S. Dollar just took a nose dive….

Money & Markets – Week of 12.14.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.14.08

UAW Busting, Southern Style Truthout (18 Dec 2008) Obama Names Insider to Commodities Post The New York Times (18 Dec 2008 Toronto Stock Exchange Suffers

Money & Markets – Week of 12.14.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.14.08

UAW Busting, Southern Style Truthout (18 Dec 2008) Obama Names Insider to Commodities Post The New York Times (18 Dec 2008 Toronto Stock Exchange Suffers

Geopolitical – Week of 12.14.08

Geopolitical – Week of 12.14.08

US Army Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare, FM3-05.130 wikileaks.org Jesse Ventura: CIA Embedded in Every State Government Grand Jury Probes Richardson Donor’s New Mexico Financing

Precious Metals – Week of 12.14.08

Precious Metals – Week of 12.14.08

People Used to Buy Certificates — Now They Want Physical Gold GATA / Reuters (17 Dec 2008) More on Gold Backwardation James Turk (12 Dec

Food & Health – Week of 12.14.08

Food & Health – Week of 12.14.08

FDA Stuns Scientists, Declares Mercury in Fish to be Safe for Infants, Children, Expectant Mothers! Natural News (17 Dec 2008) Horrifying New Disease Contains Identical

Food & Health – Week of 12.14.08

Food & Health – Week of 12.14.08

FDA Stuns Scientists, Declares Mercury in Fish to be Safe for Infants, Children, Expectant Mothers! Natural News (17 Dec 2008) Horrifying New Disease Contains Identical

Life – Week Of 12.14.08

Life – Week Of 12.14.08

A Giant Breach in Earth’s Magnetic Field NASA (16 Dec 2008) World’s First Refrigerated Beach To Be Built Next To Luxury Hotel In Dubai Mail

Bloomberg v. The Fed

Bloomberg v. The Fed

I have been searching for updates on Bloomberg’s lawsuit seeking disclosure of collateral held by the Fed in exchange for a trillion plus in loans.

The Solari Report: Dec. 11 Resources

The Solari Report: Dec. 11 Resources

In our December 11 Solari Report, we discussed several of these resources: The Shock Doctrine Naomi Klein’s outstanding book explaining the intentional use of violence

Quotes du Jour

Quotes du Jour

In the 1930s, it was not obvious to people living through debt deflation that their world was coming apart. The crisis came in pulses, each

Slow Burn or Crash?

Slow Burn or Crash?

One of the most important financial questions on my mind these days is “What is the end game for the ‘strong dollar policy’?” As members

Firefighters and Sheriffs v. Bob Rubin et. al.

Firefighters and Sheriffs v. Bob Rubin et. al.

The Minneapolis Firefighters and the Southern Louisiana Sheriffs have taken on CitiGroup and the Citi board and underwriters. It’s one thing to put up with

Quote du Jour

Quote du Jour

“Why does Goldman Sachs run your government? What’s wrong with America is that it’s run by investment bankers, mostly from the same bank. How can

Money & Markets – Week of 12.07.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.07.08

‘Broken Strategy’: The Fall of Legendary Investor Bill Miller Yahoo Finance (11 Dec 2008) Swiss May Have to Print Money to Stave Off Deflation GATA

Money & Markets – Week of 12.07.08

Money & Markets – Week of 12.07.08

‘Broken Strategy’: The Fall of Legendary Investor Bill Miller Yahoo Finance (11 Dec 2008) Swiss May Have to Print Money to Stave Off Deflation GATA

Precious Metals – Week of 12.07.08

Precious Metals – Week of 12.07.08

Backwardation: Facts From Fiction Goldseek.com (08 Dec 2008) Fear Triggers Gold Shortage, Drives Treasury Yields Below Zero gata.org (10 Dec 2008) Commodity Crash Tests Faith

Geopolitical – Week of 12.07.08

Geopolitical – Week of 12.07.08

The Case for Fraud: All-American Business Enterprise It’s My Take (21 Nov 2008) The Case for Fraud: Our “Prison Industry” It’s My Take (26 Nov

Food & Health – Week of 12.07.08

Food & Health – Week of 12.07.08

Urban Farming Food Chain urbanfarming.org The Famine Of 2009 silverbearcafe.com Last Minute Rulemaking by Bush USDA Threatens Organic Farmers MarketWatch (03 Dec 2008) Swat Team

Food & Health – Week of 12.07.08

Food & Health – Week of 12.07.08

Urban Farming Food Chain urbanfarming.org The Famine Of 2009 silverbearcafe.com Last Minute Rulemaking by Bush USDA Threatens Organic Farmers MarketWatch (03 Dec 2008) Swat Team

Life – Week of 12.07.08

Life – Week of 12.07.08

In Lean Times, SoCal Residents Trade Guns For Food The Washington Post (08 Dec 2008) How to Unplug From The Grid newscientist.com (03 Dec 2008)

The Solari Report: Dec. 11

The Solari Report: Dec. 11

As I mentioned in an e-mail to the Solari network, I’ve been struck by the questions I’m getting from friends, blog readers, and radio audiences

Critical Issues Not Addressed in the Bailout

Critical Issues Not Addressed in the Bailout

On December 2, the US Congress’ investigative arm — the GAO — criticized the Treasury Department’s handling of the $700 billion bailout program: Read the

We Ask Your Prayers

We Ask Your Prayers

This photograph shows me being sworn in as Assistant Secretary of Housing by Jack Kemp in 1989. My dear friend, Georgie LaRue, is holding the

Money & Markets – Week of 11.30.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.30.08

‘Ponzi Scheme’ at Citi: Suit Slams Rubin NY Post (4 Dec 2008) ECB Cuts Rates to 2.5% and Mulls ‘Printing Money’ GATA / The Telegraph

Money & Markets – Week of 11.30.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.30.08

‘Ponzi Scheme’ at Citi: Suit Slams Rubin NY Post (4 Dec 2008) ECB Cuts Rates to 2.5% and Mulls ‘Printing Money’ GATA / The Telegraph

Give Mint Oil for Xmas

Give Mint Oil for Xmas

I just got my box of mint oil drams from Crosby Mint Farm. It is excellent. In fact, I sent the planned presents out to

Geopolitical – Week of 11.30.08

Geopolitical – Week of 11.30.08

Darwinian Struggle To Find Ticket Out Of Thailand Scoop Independent News (1 Dec 2008) F2C: Freedom to Connect 2009 freedom-to-connect.net

Spectacular Conjunction

Spectacular Conjunction

At the end of the day, when the horizon is turning red and the zenith is cobalt-blue, step outside and look southwest. You’ll see Venus

Cheney Indicted for Prison Profiteering

Cheney Indicted for Prison Profiteering

I decided to search out the reported indictment of Vice President Richard Cheney… Texas DA Reveals Evidence Against Cheney The Raw Story (27 November 2008)

The Big Lie

The Big Lie

Here is a must-see video: 137 pages of foreclosure notices in the Detroit Free Press BEFORE the bailout and resulting layoffs from the big three

Follow-Up to My G20 "Translation"

Follow-Up to My G20 "Translation"

Following my recent interpretation of the G20 communique, the editor of Expresso wrote back: “Catherine, can you elaborate a little more about this printing euphoria?”

Follow-Up to My G20 “Translation”

Follow-Up to My G20 “Translation”

Following my recent interpretation of the G20 communique, the editor of Expresso wrote back: “Catherine, can you elaborate a little more about this printing euphoria?”

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

A young man named John received a parrot as an early Christmas gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every

Coast to Coast "Curriculum"

Coast to Coast "Curriculum"

I was interviewed on Coast to Coast Am Radio last night. As is sometimes the case, we were unable to publicize this interview — I

Coast to Coast “Curriculum”

Coast to Coast “Curriculum”

I was interviewed on Coast to Coast Am Radio last night. As is sometimes the case, we were unable to publicize this interview — I

A GATA Gathering in Estonia

A GATA Gathering in Estonia

Before I left for Estonia, GATA Treasurer Chris Powell sent a message out on the GATA wire, Meet GATA Board Member Austin Fitts in Estonia,

Money & Markets – Week of 11.23.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.23.08

‘Shadow ECB’ Calls for Immediate and Drastic Rates Cuts The Telegraph (28 Nov 2008) Germany Gives Chilly Welcome to EU Calls for €200Bn Fiscal Boost

Money & Markets – Week of 11.23.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.23.08

‘Shadow ECB’ Calls for Immediate and Drastic Rates Cuts The Telegraph (28 Nov 2008) Germany Gives Chilly Welcome to EU Calls for €200Bn Fiscal Boost

Precious Metals – Week of 11.23.08

Precious Metals – Week of 11.23.08

Maybe Citi Can Save Itself by Heeding Its New Advice GATA (26 November 2008) CBGA member and China Said to be Buying Gold GATA (27

Food & Health – Week of 11.23.08

Food & Health – Week of 11.23.08

Land Grab for Food Security: Corporatising Agriculture Deccan Herald (13 Nov 2008) Breast Cancer Rates Soar after Mammograms and Some Cancers may Heal Naturally Natural

Food & Health – Week of 11.23.08

Food & Health – Week of 11.23.08

Land Grab for Food Security: Corporatising Agriculture Deccan Herald (13 Nov 2008) Breast Cancer Rates Soar after Mammograms and Some Cancers may Heal Naturally Natural

Life – Week of 11.23.08

Life – Week of 11.23.08

For Exchange Bank, Wrong Time, Wrong Place Press Democrat (23 Nov 2008) Facebook wins $873M judgment against spammer Yahoo Business (24 Nov 2008) “Anger is

Geopolitical – Week of 11.23.08

Geopolitical – Week of 11.23.08

Obama to Keep Gates as Defense Secretary TruthOut (25 November 2008) One Kind of War Morphs Into Another Kind: Bolivia Halts US Anti-Drug Efforts progress.org

Christmas is Coming in Estonia

Christmas is Coming in Estonia

After watching a fantastic movement performance by a troupe of Von Krahl students, giving my speech on the global financial system and listening to Paul

Is There Life After Capitalism?

Is There Life After Capitalism?

This is a question that the producers and artists of the Von Krahl Theatre in Estonia have asked. They lived through the meltdown of the

Money & Markets – Week of 11.16.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.16.08

Naomi Klein: Bailout is ‘Multi-Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene’ YouTube Dick Morris: Bush signed US into the EU yesterday! dickmorris.com (18 Nov 2008) Switzerland’s Shock Rate Cut

Money & Markets – Week of 11.16.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.16.08

Naomi Klein: Bailout is ‘Multi-Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene’ YouTube Dick Morris: Bush signed US into the EU yesterday! dickmorris.com (18 Nov 2008) Switzerland’s Shock Rate Cut

Tallinn Old Town

Tallinn Old Town

After flying through Amsterdam, I arrived in Tallinn this evening. The temperature is -7 and the air is dry, crisp and clear.  I am staying

Precious Metals – Week of 11.16.08

Precious Metals – Week of 11.16.08

GATA Swamped by Gold Demand, Perth Mint Stops Taking Orders GATA / The Australian (22 Nov 2008) Is the Gold Bull Over? The Price of

Farm Hands Web Site

Farm Hands Web Site

The wonderful Farm Hands in Flathead Valley, Montana have just launched a web site so that on-line folks can access the amazing maps they have

Statement From G-20 Summit: In English

Statement From G-20 Summit: In English

The Editor of Expresso in Portugal wanted my take on the recent G-20 communique. Here is my “translation” of the official statement: 1. Now that

"Free and Inspired Life Workshop"   Assessment

"Free and Inspired Life Workshop" Assessment

Dear Solari workshop participants, I wanted to express my thanks to all of you for attending the Solari workshop last weekend. Even though I didn’t

The Barter Opportunity

The Barter Opportunity

Catherine’s speech on local bartering at the IRTA conference is now available on Google Video: You have heard me say or write before “in the

Quote du Jour

Quote du Jour

I sometimes wonder what use there is in trying to protect the West against fancied external threats when the signs of disintegration within are so

Volvo Truck Sales Down 99.7%

Volvo Truck Sales Down 99.7%

I just saw an excellent presentation by James Turk, founder of GoldMoney.com. He had just returned from Europe and was commenting on the severe economic

Gratitude

Gratitude

While acknowledging the turmoil in global financial markets — and in many individuals’ personal investments — it would be a mistake to lose sight of

Money & Markets – Week of 11.09.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.09.08

Condition Statement of Federal Reserve Banks Federal Reserve Statistical Release (13 Nov 2008) Thanks to The King Report –  As of Wednesday, the Fed holds

Money & Markets – Week of 11.09.08

Money & Markets – Week of 11.09.08

Condition Statement of Federal Reserve Banks Federal Reserve Statistical Release (13 Nov 2008) Thanks to The King Report –  As of Wednesday, the Fed holds

401K's and IRA's: Shilling for a New World Order

401K's and IRA's: Shilling for a New World Order

In light of the recent proposals to turn 401K’s and IRA’s over to the Social Security Administration (see Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts), I recommend

Geopolitical – Week of 11.09.08

Geopolitical – Week of 11.09.08

Obama Set to Push ‘Big Bang’ Reform Package Financial Times (9 Nov 2008) Obama and EU to Reinvent Global Politics, Pundit Says Euro Observer (06