Thursday, April 30, 2009
Anyone else in Northern California feel the earthquake last night?
At 9 P.M. last night Andy and I both felt a fairly substantial jolt -- about a 4 .1 on the Richter Scale -- (followed by three or four small waves) we 'd both say. Our house is built on rock (the northern CA buttes) and so we get the standard jolts rather than the more dangerous flowing waves of shaking. Last night we got both. The jolt was pretty strong.What makes this odd (we get little quakes fairly often here) is that the USGS is not reporting any quake activity here recently. BUT/AND Clear Lake, a couple of hours away, reportedly had what would be aftershocks at around 10 pm, midnight and earlier this morning. LA is also having lots of small tremors they report.I'm thinking maybe they are using the HARP machine again. Mexico has also had quake activity in the last few days.So we're just wondering... anyone else feel these?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
WHO Powers Under A Level 5 Pandemic: Its blue helmet time
A Reminder:
Bush Greases Skids For UN Pandemic Power Grab
Bestselling author "wouldn't put it past" Globalists to release virus to capitalize on control
Prison Planet | September 2, 2007
Paul Joseph Watson
The World Health Organization and the U.N. have been handed complete control over response procedures in the event of a pandemic outbreak in the U.S. after an agreement was signed by President Bush at the recent SPP meeting that bypasses congressional approval.
"We've now got a North American plan for avian and pandemic influenza....and what this plan does is it puts U.S., Canadian and Mexican under the World Health Organization and under the United Nations' law and control should there be any health emergency," bestselling author Jerome Corsi told the Alex Jones Show on Friday.
Corsi said it was "blue helmet time" should such an emergency arise and that the origins of the agreement could be traced back to 2005, when President Bush announced a new International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza to a High-Level Plenary Meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, in New York.
At the recent SPP meeting in Montebello Canada, an agreement was signed that "Establishes U.N. law along with regulations by the World Trade Organization and World Health Organization as supreme over U.S. law during a pandemic and sets the stage for militarizing the management of continental health emergencies," writes Corsi.
Corsi warned that Dr. David Nabarro, the U.N. system influenza coordinator, would be overseeing the program and that Nabarro had given "frightening" speeches in which he asserted that a global flu pandemic that would kill 5 to 150 million worldwide was "inevitable" unless full control was handed over to the U.N. to deal with the emergency.
Corsi noted that all of Nabarro's previous doomsday predictions had turned out to be wrong.
"In March 2006 he gave a U.N. press conference and he stated that avian flu virus would reach the Americas within the next 6-12 months, well it didn't," said Corsi.
Corsi said he "wouldn't put it past" the WHO and the U.N. to release the virus themselves in order to capitalize on the power they crave and that an article he wrote for World Net Dail y was a warning about both loss of sovereignty in matters of public health but also an effort to counteract the scare mongering on behalf of the U.N.
http://www.infowars.com/articles/nwo/un_bush_greases_skids_for_un_pandemic_power_grab.htm
Bush Greases Skids For UN Pandemic Power Grab
Bestselling author "wouldn't put it past" Globalists to release virus to capitalize on control
Prison Planet | September 2, 2007
Paul Joseph Watson
The World Health Organization and the U.N. have been handed complete control over response procedures in the event of a pandemic outbreak in the U.S. after an agreement was signed by President Bush at the recent SPP meeting that bypasses congressional approval.
"We've now got a North American plan for avian and pandemic influenza....and what this plan does is it puts U.S., Canadian and Mexican under the World Health Organization and under the United Nations' law and control should there be any health emergency," bestselling author Jerome Corsi told the Alex Jones Show on Friday.
Corsi said it was "blue helmet time" should such an emergency arise and that the origins of the agreement could be traced back to 2005, when President Bush announced a new International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza to a High-Level Plenary Meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, in New York.
At the recent SPP meeting in Montebello Canada, an agreement was signed that "Establishes U.N. law along with regulations by the World Trade Organization and World Health Organization as supreme over U.S. law during a pandemic and sets the stage for militarizing the management of continental health emergencies," writes Corsi.
Corsi warned that Dr. David Nabarro, the U.N. system influenza coordinator, would be overseeing the program and that Nabarro had given "frightening" speeches in which he asserted that a global flu pandemic that would kill 5 to 150 million worldwide was "inevitable" unless full control was handed over to the U.N. to deal with the emergency.
Corsi noted that all of Nabarro's previous doomsday predictions had turned out to be wrong.
"In March 2006 he gave a U.N. press conference and he stated that avian flu virus would reach the Americas within the next 6-12 months, well it didn't," said Corsi.
Corsi said he "wouldn't put it past" the WHO and the U.N. to release the virus themselves in order to capitalize on the power they crave and that an article he wrote for World Net Dail y was a warning about both loss of sovereignty in matters of public health but also an effort to counteract the scare mongering on behalf of the U.N.
http://www.infowars.com/articles/nwo/un_bush_greases_skids_for_un_pandemic_power_grab.htm
Swine influenza - update 5
From the official WHO website:
Swine influenza - update 5
29 April 2009 -- The situation continues to evolve rapidly. As of 18:00 GMT, 29 April 2009, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 91 laboratory confirmed human cases, with one death. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5).
Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
WHO confirms pandemic threat raised to 5
From MSNBC:
WHO raises swine flu alert to 'pandemic level 5'
Global outbreak deemed imminent; vaccine efforts will be ramped up
UPDATE 1-WHO confirms pandemic threat raised to 5
http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN2944469820090429Level 5 Alert Coming Today: Expect MARTIAL LAW
Pray
UPDATE 3-WHO chief to raise pandemic alert level-sources
Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:46pm EDT
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/BIOTRX/idUSLT67227420090429?sp=true
By Laura MacInnis and Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, April 29 (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organisation will increase the global flu alert level to 5, the second highest phase that indicates "a pandemic is imminent", WHO sources said on Wednesday.
Director-General Margaret Chan is expected to make the announcement at a 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) press briefing about the swine flu outbreak at the WHO's Geneva headquarters.
"Things are moving fast," one source said.
Others said Chan would increase the alert by one step, from 4 to 5, in response to the spreading virus that has killed as many as 159 people in Mexico and spread to the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand.
"I don't think it will be 6," one said.
According to the WHO's pandemic flu response guidelines, a phase 5 alert is called when there is sustained human-to-human spread of virus in at least two countries in one region.
"While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short," the document reads.
Chan's move to raise the pandemic level, set to occur without another formal emergency committee meeting, follows her intensive consultations with experts and analysis of the spreading virus within and from Mexico, sources said.
The change in level would put governments on alert about the need to stockpile antiviral drugs such as Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX)'s Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK.L) Relenza, and accelerate pharmaceutical industry efforts to create a vaccine to fight the swine flu strain, they said.
The higher alert also signals the virus is unlikely to fade away, and could pose a prolonged public health threat.
"It is something here to stay. Now the question is at what level it will be circulating and how easily it is transmitted," an expert said.
On Monday evening, Chan convened a meeting of the WHO's emergency committee to assess the pandemic alert level which had previously been at 3 on the six-stage scale.
That panel recommended an increase to 4, which formally indicated that the infection could spread between humans to cause community-level outbreaks.
Earlier on Wednesday, WHO acting assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda told journalists on a teleconference that swine flu had been shown to infect people who had not been to Mexico, and the outbreak showed no signs of slowing. (For a NEWSMAKER on Margaret Chan, click on [LS818002]) (For more Reuters stories on swine flu, click on [nFLU]) (For more Reuters swine flu coverage, please click here: here ) (For WHO information on swine flu, go to: here )
� Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
UPDATE 3-WHO chief to raise pandemic alert level-sources
Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:46pm EDT
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/BIOTRX/idUSLT67227420090429?sp=true
By Laura MacInnis and Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, April 29 (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organisation will increase the global flu alert level to 5, the second highest phase that indicates "a pandemic is imminent", WHO sources said on Wednesday.
Director-General Margaret Chan is expected to make the announcement at a 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) press briefing about the swine flu outbreak at the WHO's Geneva headquarters.
"Things are moving fast," one source said.
Others said Chan would increase the alert by one step, from 4 to 5, in response to the spreading virus that has killed as many as 159 people in Mexico and spread to the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand.
"I don't think it will be 6," one said.
According to the WHO's pandemic flu response guidelines, a phase 5 alert is called when there is sustained human-to-human spread of virus in at least two countries in one region.
"While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short," the document reads.
Chan's move to raise the pandemic level, set to occur without another formal emergency committee meeting, follows her intensive consultations with experts and analysis of the spreading virus within and from Mexico, sources said.
The change in level would put governments on alert about the need to stockpile antiviral drugs such as Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX)'s Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK.L) Relenza, and accelerate pharmaceutical industry efforts to create a vaccine to fight the swine flu strain, they said.
The higher alert also signals the virus is unlikely to fade away, and could pose a prolonged public health threat.
"It is something here to stay. Now the question is at what level it will be circulating and how easily it is transmitted," an expert said.
On Monday evening, Chan convened a meeting of the WHO's emergency committee to assess the pandemic alert level which had previously been at 3 on the six-stage scale.
That panel recommended an increase to 4, which formally indicated that the infection could spread between humans to cause community-level outbreaks.
Earlier on Wednesday, WHO acting assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda told journalists on a teleconference that swine flu had been shown to infect people who had not been to Mexico, and the outbreak showed no signs of slowing. (For a NEWSMAKER on Margaret Chan, click on [LS818002]) (For more Reuters stories on swine flu, click on [nFLU]) (For more Reuters swine flu coverage, please click here: here ) (For WHO information on swine flu, go to: here )
� Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Lab Created Flu is Now in the San Fran Bay Area
Local TV is reporting that the Lab Created Flu is now in the San Fran Bay Area.
Schwarzenegger proclaims CA state of emergency; one possible flu death
Schwarzenegger proclaims state of emergency; one possible flu death
Posted : Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:29:45 GMT
Author : DPA
SOURCE
Sacramento - California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to help the largest and most populous state in the US deal with the outbreak of swine flu. "While there is no need for alarm, it is the governor's top priority to limit the swine flu's spread as quickly and effectively as possible and this action represents one more step being taken to strengthen California's response capabilities," said an announcement from Schwarzenegger's office.
The proclamation cuts government red tape and orders all state agencies and departments to help the Department of Public Health and the state emergency plan to take whatever measures are needed to combat the potential pandemic.
The proclamation came after the Los Angeles Times quoted the Los Angeles County Coroner's office as saying that two deaths there may be due to swine flu. Both victims had been diagnosed with pneumonia and tests were being conducted to determine the cause of death.
A total of 11 infections have been reported in California but none of the confirmed cases so far have been serious.
Four new cases were confirmed since Monday. Three of them involved people in San Diego and Imperial Counties close to the Mexico border. The fourth case involved a student at a Sacramento school which was closed by health officials following the outbreak.
Posted : Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:29:45 GMT
Author : DPA
SOURCE
Sacramento - California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to help the largest and most populous state in the US deal with the outbreak of swine flu. "While there is no need for alarm, it is the governor's top priority to limit the swine flu's spread as quickly and effectively as possible and this action represents one more step being taken to strengthen California's response capabilities," said an announcement from Schwarzenegger's office.
The proclamation cuts government red tape and orders all state agencies and departments to help the Department of Public Health and the state emergency plan to take whatever measures are needed to combat the potential pandemic.
The proclamation came after the Los Angeles Times quoted the Los Angeles County Coroner's office as saying that two deaths there may be due to swine flu. Both victims had been diagnosed with pneumonia and tests were being conducted to determine the cause of death.
A total of 11 infections have been reported in California but none of the confirmed cases so far have been serious.
Four new cases were confirmed since Monday. Three of them involved people in San Diego and Imperial Counties close to the Mexico border. The fourth case involved a student at a Sacramento school which was closed by health officials following the outbreak.
Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan
According to reports coming in to Alex Jones and other the World Health Organization is PREPARING to raise the risk level to 5. Level 5 includes mandatory inoculations and martial law. As of now the official level is 4:
From WHO:
Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan
27 April 2009
Swine influenza
The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.
Swine influenza
Current WHO phase of pandemic alert
International Health Regulations (IHR)
The Committee considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The Committee also considered reports of possible spread to additional countries.
On the advice of the Committee, the WHO Director-General decided on the following.
* The Director-General has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4.
The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable.
As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase.
This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.
* Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.
* The Director-General recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.
* The Director-General considered that production of seasonal influenza vaccine should continue at this time, subject to re-evaluation as the situation evolves. WHO will facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against A(H1N1) virus.
* The Director-General stressed that all measures should conform with the purpose and scope of the International Health Regulations.
From WHO:
Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan
27 April 2009
Swine influenza
The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.
Swine influenza
Current WHO phase of pandemic alert
International Health Regulations (IHR)
The Committee considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The Committee also considered reports of possible spread to additional countries.
On the advice of the Committee, the WHO Director-General decided on the following.
* The Director-General has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4.
The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable.
As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase.
This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.
* Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.
* The Director-General recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.
* The Director-General considered that production of seasonal influenza vaccine should continue at this time, subject to re-evaluation as the situation evolves. WHO will facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against A(H1N1) virus.
* The Director-General stressed that all measures should conform with the purpose and scope of the International Health Regulations.
Container of swine virus explodes on Swiss train
Container of swine virus explodes on Swiss train
Reuters
SOURCE
A container of flu virus samples packed in dry ice exploded on a Swiss train, injuring one person but posing no other risks to humans, police said on Tuesday. Skip related content
The box held vials of swine flu virus, although a different strain than the H1N1 variety that has caused about 150 deaths in Mexico and infected people in the United States, Canada, Spain and Britain.
A technician was transporting the container on Monday night to the Swiss national flu centre in Geneva, where scientists are developing a flu test for humans, police said.
One woman was hurt when the box exploded in reaction to the dry ice used to keep the samples cold.
After consulting virus specialists, the police decided to stop the St. Gallen to Geneva train before it entered the station in Lausanne.
The virus specialists confirmed that the samples being transported posed no risks to humans, police said.
(Reporting by Sven Egenter; Editing by Laura MacInnis)
Reuters
SOURCE
A container of flu virus samples packed in dry ice exploded on a Swiss train, injuring one person but posing no other risks to humans, police said on Tuesday. Skip related content
The box held vials of swine flu virus, although a different strain than the H1N1 variety that has caused about 150 deaths in Mexico and infected people in the United States, Canada, Spain and Britain.
A technician was transporting the container on Monday night to the Swiss national flu centre in Geneva, where scientists are developing a flu test for humans, police said.
One woman was hurt when the box exploded in reaction to the dry ice used to keep the samples cold.
After consulting virus specialists, the police decided to stop the St. Gallen to Geneva train before it entered the station in Lausanne.
The virus specialists confirmed that the samples being transported posed no risks to humans, police said.
(Reporting by Sven Egenter; Editing by Laura MacInnis)
Saturday, April 25, 2009
A group of New Zealand school children returning from Mexico has been quarantined with symptoms
The Flu moves to New Zealand...
Deadly Mexico Swine Flu Sparks High Alert
Breaking News
SOURCE
7:18am UK, Sunday April 26, 2009
A group of New Zealand school children returning from Mexico has been quarantined with symptoms - as concern grows over the spread of a deadly swine flu outbreak.
Mexicans wearing surgical masks for flu protection
Surgical masks have been distributed among the public for protection
The Mexican government says the death toll from the rare virus strain has now risen to 81.
Over 1,300 people are suspected ill with the virulent flu as global health experts warn the spread could spark a pandemic.
The UK is on high alert after a man was taken to a London hospital with "flu-like symptoms" on returning from a trip to Mexico City.
The disease has already spread to the United States, with cases reported in Texas, California, Kansas and New York.
Mexico's health minister Jose Angel Cordova said: "There have been 81 registered deaths which are probably linked to the virus - of which only 20 cases have virological checks."
All schools have been shut in the country's capital Mexico City, the surrounding area and the central state of San Luis Potosi until May 6, he added.
World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan said the outbreak in constituted a "public health emergency of international concern".
The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually only seen in pigs - but in humans can cause serious symptoms including fever and fatigue.
Deadly Mexico Swine Flu Sparks High Alert
Breaking News
SOURCE
7:18am UK, Sunday April 26, 2009
A group of New Zealand school children returning from Mexico has been quarantined with symptoms - as concern grows over the spread of a deadly swine flu outbreak.
Mexicans wearing surgical masks for flu protection
Surgical masks have been distributed among the public for protection
The Mexican government says the death toll from the rare virus strain has now risen to 81.
Over 1,300 people are suspected ill with the virulent flu as global health experts warn the spread could spark a pandemic.
The UK is on high alert after a man was taken to a London hospital with "flu-like symptoms" on returning from a trip to Mexico City.
The disease has already spread to the United States, with cases reported in Texas, California, Kansas and New York.
Mexico's health minister Jose Angel Cordova said: "There have been 81 registered deaths which are probably linked to the virus - of which only 20 cases have virological checks."
All schools have been shut in the country's capital Mexico City, the surrounding area and the central state of San Luis Potosi until May 6, he added.
World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan said the outbreak in constituted a "public health emergency of international concern".
The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually only seen in pigs - but in humans can cause serious symptoms including fever and fatigue.
Listen to Alex's Emergency Broadcast on the Flu.
TODAY ON THE ALEX JONES SHOW
Alex covers the emerging swine flu pandemic this evening in a special Infowars report from 8:00 to 10:00 PM CST. Listen to the special transmission below.
Listen Now 
Windows MediaSwine flu may have killed up to 81 in Mexico
Swine flu may have killed up to 81 in Mexico
Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:43pm EDT
SOURCE
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - An outbreak of a new type of swine flue in Mexico may have killed up to 81 people there this month, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Saturday.
More than 1,300 people in Mexico were suspected to be infected with the flu, which global health experts have warned could become a global epidemic. All schools will be closed in Mexico City, the surrounding area and the central state of San Luis Potosi until May 6, Cordova said.
(Reporting by Michael O'Boyle and Adriana Barrera; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:43pm EDT
SOURCE
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - An outbreak of a new type of swine flue in Mexico may have killed up to 81 people there this month, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Saturday.
More than 1,300 people in Mexico were suspected to be infected with the flu, which global health experts have warned could become a global epidemic. All schools will be closed in Mexico City, the surrounding area and the central state of San Luis Potosi until May 6, Cordova said.
(Reporting by Michael O'Boyle and Adriana Barrera; Editing by Peter Cooney)
11 more suspected swine flu cases in U.S.
latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-flu26-2009apr26,0,2116819.story
From the Los Angeles Times
SWINE FLU OUTBREAK
11 more suspected swine flu cases in U.S.
Total reaches 19 with a couple in Kansas, schoolchildren in New York City and a person in California believed to have mild cases of swine flu. It is not clear yet whether virus is easily transmitted.
By Thomas H. Maugh II
5:21 PM PDT, April 25, 2009
Kansas health authorities had confirmed two new cases of swine flu in their state, California has confirmed another case in Imperial County and New York City officials have identified eight probable cases, bringing the U.S. total to 19 likely cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had previously identified six cases in San Diego and Imperial counties and two cases in Guadalupe County, Texas.
The Kansas patients are a couple in Dickinson County. The husband had traveled to Mexico recently, flying out of the Wichita airport. Neither of them was hospitalized, and one has already recovered.
The new case brings the total in California to three cases in Imperial County and four in San Diego. The latest case is a 35-year-old woman who developed symptoms April 4. She was hospitalized and has recovered fully.
In New York, the suspected cases occurred among students at St. Francis Preparatory School, a private high school in Queens. At least 25 of the students had been out sick with influenza symptoms at the end of the week.
The city health department's Public Health Laboratory has completed preliminary screens on nose and throat swabs from nine of the students and found that eight are influenza A. Because they do not match normal human subtypes of influenza A currently in circulation, they are considered probable cases of swine flu.
The samples have been sent to the CDC in Atlanta for confirmation.
All of the cases were mild, and none of the students was hospitalized. The school will be closed Monday as a precaution.
Students at the school had told news outlets that some of them had traveled to Mexico recently, but that has not been confirmed by health officials.
The U.S. cases are in addition to the outbreak in Mexico, which has caused as many as 60 deaths and more than 1,000 infections. U.S. tests on virus samples from 14 Mexican patients confirm that about half of them are swine flu.
The problem in identifying swine flu is that its symptoms are virtually indistinguishable from regular influenza, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of CDC. The only way to be sure an infection is swine flu is through a laboratory test, which takes time.
Because the virus has popped up in so many locations, there is likely to be a larger outbreak if the virus proves to be highly transmissible -- something that has not been demonstrated yet.
"Having found the virus where we have found it, we are likely to find it in many more places," Schuchat said Saturday. "It is clear that this is widespread, which is why we do not think we can contain spread of this virus."
The ability of the virus to spread from person to person means that there is the potential for a pandemic, Dr. Margaret Char, director general of the World Health Organization, said Saturday. But experts noted that any new virus that can be transmitted among humans has such potential, and much more information is needed.
Chan returned to Geneva from the United States to monitor the ongoing swine flu problem and called an emergency meeting Saturday of the agency's influenza experts and consultants. That group said there is not yet enough information to justify raising the agency's alert system to a higher level and imposing travel or other restrictions.
But Chan did declare a "public health emergency" recommending that all nations increase their surveillance for the swine flu virus.
Officials noted that the new virus is susceptible to two of the four antiviral drugs now available and that both Mexico and the United States have ample stocks of the drugs.
CDC officials have prepared a seed stock of the virus that could be used in the manufacture of a vaccine, but said that it is premature to send it to pharmaceutical companies. Preparing a new vaccine would require several months, at best.
thomas.maugh@latimes.com
Alex Sharing Info About The Flu
The Alex Jones Show - L I V E At 8PM CST - Swine Flu Emergency Broadcast
Join Alex this evening at 8pm CST for a Swine Flu Special Emergency Broadcast. Alex will talk about the deadly swine flu outbreak and the early evidence that it may be a synthetic bio-attack to prepare the population for future major outbreaks.
Prison Planet.tv members can watch this special broadcast live at 8PM - login at http://prisonplanet.tv/ and navigate to the Alex Jones Live page.
RELATED STORY: Swine Flu Is Deadly Mix Of Never-Before-Seen Viruses
Lots of Official Government Info on Swine Flu
BUT Remember this is NOT traditional Swine Flu. This is something never before seen. Pig, Avian and Human flu intentionally manufactured from diverse virus' on at least two continents!
"Public Health Emergency of International Concern" = Martial Law
They are NOW using the key phrase: "Public Health Emergency of International Concern."
What does this mean?
Martial law.
Bush signed a bill granting martial law authority to the WHO (World Health organization) restricting ALL aspects of freedom when this was declared.
What does this mean?
Martial law.
Bush signed a bill granting martial law authority to the WHO (World Health organization) restricting ALL aspects of freedom when this was declared.
The NWO mass depopulation is getting set to take place. This is serious.
Spread this warning to everyone. The NWO mass depopulation is getting set to take place. This is serious.
I've received links to this video from several of you, thanks to you all. My friend Lindy was the most recent. Her blog on this has some good comments.
Before posting this video I want to make a few comments.
1. The caller seems VERY legit. She gives solid, verifiable info.
2. I am 110% convinced that what she describes IS going on and that the Elite are NOW preparing for the global pandemic.
3. It is POSSIBLE if not likely that the current pig/human/avian flu virus will be used as the catalyst.
4. The video clip tagged on at the end of the seems fake to me. It has a Blair Witch Project feel. Don't allow this to misdirect the woman's warning.
5. My other two recent post on this:
Maybe its just the flu but... "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human."...
http://johnofallfaith.multiply.com/journal/item/1524
And
Mexico City suspends schools over flu epidemic:
http://johnofallfaith.multiply.com/journal/item/1523
Here's the video:
NWO Plans For GLOBAL PANDEMIC NOW UNDER WAY! They TOLD US they were doing this!
I've received links to this video from several of you, thanks to you all. My friend Lindy was the most recent. Her blog on this has some good comments.
Before posting this video I want to make a few comments.
1. The caller seems VERY legit. She gives solid, verifiable info.
2. I am 110% convinced that what she describes IS going on and that the Elite are NOW preparing for the global pandemic.
3. It is POSSIBLE if not likely that the current pig/human/avian flu virus will be used as the catalyst.
4. The video clip tagged on at the end of the seems fake to me. It has a Blair Witch Project feel. Don't allow this to misdirect the woman's warning.
5. My other two recent post on this:
Maybe its just the flu but... "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human."...
http://johnofallfaith.multiply.com/journal/item/1524
And
Mexico City suspends schools over flu epidemic:
http://johnofallfaith.multiply.com/journal/item/1523
Here's the video:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The First National Conscription Act
I can't believe that SOOO many deceived Americans say there is no way Obama can or would conscript (draft) all Americans.
These folks often say:
"Its not possible."
"Its not legal"
"Americans would never allow it"
"There's no precedence."
Just to be clear: The First National Conscription Act
It is not only possible, it has precedence.
The First National Conscription Act
Appearing in the Columbian Centinel
June 2, 1792
SOURCE
Abstract
On Page 1:
An Act To Provide for the National Defense by Establishing an Uniform Militia throughout the United States.
This act provides that "...every able-bodied white male citizen...of the age of 18 years and under the age of 45...be enrolled in the militia...Every citizen so enrolled...shall within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket or forelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt"and...not less than twenty-four cartridges..."
The act also provided "that if any person, officer or soldier...called out into the service of the United States, be wounded or disabled while in actual service, he shall be taken care of and provided for at the public expense."
This legislation creating the young nation's first National Conscription Act was passed by the Second Congress, and signed in script type by President George Washington on May 8, 1792.
The first National Conscription Act, passed the Second Congress and signed by George Washington (Click above to see enlargement)
The Act calls for the creation of brigadiers, divisions, regiments and battalions of companies within each state. It also calls for a specific number of officers and troops for each military unit.
Certain persons are exempt from military duty including the Vice-President of the United States, the members of both Houses of Congress and Custom House officials, among others. (Curators Note: it seems executive privilege hasn't changed much over the years!).
Page 1 of this newspaper also contains another Act "relative to the Compensation to certain officers employed in the Collection of the Duties of Impost and Tonnage."
Signed in script type by George Washington, May 8, 1792.
Also in this issue...on page 3: A report from the Massachusetts legislature that John Hancock and Samuel Adams are sworn in as Governor and Lt.-Governor, respectively of the state of Massachusetts after the recent election.
An ad on the back page:
"Mail stages which run between Boston and Providence, every day except Sunday .... Every morning at five o'clock, a stage will set off from Mrs. Grays, in State Street, Boston; and from Dagget's Tavern, in Providence; and arrive at the same place, each day at four o'clock in the afternoon."
Another ad announces"
"The wife of the Subscriber having absconded from his bed and board, he cautions all persons not to credit her on his account. All persons are forbid harbouring or entertaining her, at his peril."
These folks often say:
"Its not possible."
"Its not legal"
"Americans would never allow it"
"There's no precedence."
Just to be clear: The First National Conscription Act
It is not only possible, it has precedence.
The First National Conscription Act
Appearing in the Columbian Centinel
June 2, 1792
SOURCE
Abstract
On Page 1:
An Act To Provide for the National Defense by Establishing an Uniform Militia throughout the United States.
This act provides that "...every able-bodied white male citizen...of the age of 18 years and under the age of 45...be enrolled in the militia...Every citizen so enrolled...shall within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket or forelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt"and...not less than twenty-four cartridges..."
The act also provided "that if any person, officer or soldier...called out into the service of the United States, be wounded or disabled while in actual service, he shall be taken care of and provided for at the public expense."
This legislation creating the young nation's first National Conscription Act was passed by the Second Congress, and signed in script type by President George Washington on May 8, 1792.
The first National Conscription Act, passed the Second Congress and signed by George Washington (Click above to see enlargement)
The Act calls for the creation of brigadiers, divisions, regiments and battalions of companies within each state. It also calls for a specific number of officers and troops for each military unit.
Certain persons are exempt from military duty including the Vice-President of the United States, the members of both Houses of Congress and Custom House officials, among others. (Curators Note: it seems executive privilege hasn't changed much over the years!).
Page 1 of this newspaper also contains another Act "relative to the Compensation to certain officers employed in the Collection of the Duties of Impost and Tonnage."
Signed in script type by George Washington, May 8, 1792.
Also in this issue...on page 3: A report from the Massachusetts legislature that John Hancock and Samuel Adams are sworn in as Governor and Lt.-Governor, respectively of the state of Massachusetts after the recent election.
An ad on the back page:
"Mail stages which run between Boston and Providence, every day except Sunday .... Every morning at five o'clock, a stage will set off from Mrs. Grays, in State Street, Boston; and from Dagget's Tavern, in Providence; and arrive at the same place, each day at four o'clock in the afternoon."
Another ad announces"
"The wife of the Subscriber having absconded from his bed and board, he cautions all persons not to credit her on his account. All persons are forbid harbouring or entertaining her, at his peril."
Obamaite Media Pushes For More "Volunteerism": Seward Alaska IS being Locked Down!
Not really a lot in this story, but the main point, propaganda-wise, is important to our developing enslavement: Americans are getting lazy about volunteerism. This story, coming not surprisingly out of Obama's adopted U.S. home (Chicago) is pure propaganda in support of Obama's force service programs.
And you thought your volunteer work was... well voluntary?
Get ready!
Just Breaking:
Now its Seward Alaska!
More to Come!
And you thought your volunteer work was... well voluntary?
Get ready!
AND SAY HELL NO!
I WILL NOT BE A SLAVE TO AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT!
U.S. News
Youth volunteering dips, first time since 9/11
By MARTHA IRVINE (AP National Writer)
From Associated Press
April 22, 2009 11:04 PM EDT
SOURCE
CHICAGO - Volunteering has helped define a generation of young Americans who are known for their do-gooder ways. Many high schools require community service before graduation. And these days, donating time to a charitable organization is all but expected on a young person's college or job application.
Even so, an analysis of federal data has found that the percentage of teens who volunteer dipped in recent years, ending an upward trend that began after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"They're still volunteering at higher rates than their parents did," says Peter Levine, director of Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement, also known as CIRCLE.
But, he adds, there's been "a loss of momentum," which he hopes recent passage of the federal Serve America Act will help address.
CIRCLE researchers used data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey for their study, which was released Thursday and funded, in part, by the Corporation for National and Community Service. They found that one in three teens, age 16 to 18, volunteered in 2005, representing a peak in community service for all age groups since the survey began tracking volunteerism in 2002.
In 2006, however, that rate dropped to 29 percent and then to 28 percent in 2007, the most recent year for which data is available. Those are the lowest percentages for that age group since the data has been collected and just one percentage point higher than adults 25 and older each of those years.
Separate market research done for VolunteerMatch, an online site that links visitors with about 63,000 nonprofit groups, found a similar decline in queries from under-18 users.
But many agree that the reasons behind such numbers are more complicated than young people simply losing interest in giving back, especially in an era when so many worked without pay for the Obama campaign, while some who can't find jobs are volunteering to make use of their time and talents. Some nonprofit directors confirm that they've seen a surge in people seeking to volunteer since the recession hit.
"It's not just the incredible disappearing teen volunteer," says Robert Rosenthal of San Francisco-based VolunteerMatch.
CIRCLE researchers note a drop in funding in recent years for youth-oriented service programs such as AmeriCorps, which will receive new Serve America Act money next year.
Nonprofits have struggled, too.
Project Sunshine, an organization founded by a college student in 1998, has more than 10,000 volunteers who visit hospitalized children. More than half of those are 22 or younger, and hundreds more have asked about volunteering in recent months, says executive director Beatrice Kernan.
"We hate to turn down new interest, but we're in a position of having to put this new interest on hold," she says, citing recent staff layoffs.
The difficult job market has caused some young people to look at AmeriCorps and service-oriented Teach for America, which recruits educators for low-income urban and rural areas. But even those opportunities can be elusive.
"One of my best students got wait-listed for Teach for America - and I thought holy cow!" says Deborah Halperin, a volunteer coordinator at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Other students, she says, are trying to finish college early to find jobs or setting aside volunteer aspirations to work part time while still in school.
Diallo Burke, an 18-year-old college freshman from College Park, Ga., did the latter in high school.
He was a volunteer math tutor in seventh grade. "But my volunteer hours and participation started to drop in high school, and my main reason for this was money," says Burke, who cut way back on volunteering to work at McDonald's.
Now a prelaw major at Bard College at Simon's Rock in Massachusetts, he's finally volunteering again, this time at a local community center. "It feels good," he says.
The CIRCLE study found wide differences in youth volunteering rates, state to state.
Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, Utah and Washington were among those with the highest percentages of 16- to 18-year-olds (all above 40 percent, when combining the 2006 and 2007 samples).
Meanwhile, Nevada, Georgia, New Mexico, New York and South Carolina ranked among the lowest, with Nevada at about 14 percent and the others in the 20 percent range.
Increasing those rates would require more volunteer opportunities for lower-income teens, says Romero Brown, vice president of program and youth development services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which is expanding its volunteer initiatives.
"They want to give back, but they often don't know how," Brown says.
For others, community service is a chore, says 16-year-old Ashley Hawkins, who volunteers in the rehab unit at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Baltimore.
"Honestly, I think a lot of people my age feel like they have to do service hours. They're like 'Why do I have to do this?'" she says.
"But it really can be a life-changing experience."
I WILL NOT BE A SLAVE TO AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT!
U.S. News
Youth volunteering dips, first time since 9/11
By MARTHA IRVINE (AP National Writer)
From Associated Press
April 22, 2009 11:04 PM EDT
SOURCE
CHICAGO - Volunteering has helped define a generation of young Americans who are known for their do-gooder ways. Many high schools require community service before graduation. And these days, donating time to a charitable organization is all but expected on a young person's college or job application.
Even so, an analysis of federal data has found that the percentage of teens who volunteer dipped in recent years, ending an upward trend that began after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"They're still volunteering at higher rates than their parents did," says Peter Levine, director of Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement, also known as CIRCLE.
But, he adds, there's been "a loss of momentum," which he hopes recent passage of the federal Serve America Act will help address.
CIRCLE researchers used data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey for their study, which was released Thursday and funded, in part, by the Corporation for National and Community Service. They found that one in three teens, age 16 to 18, volunteered in 2005, representing a peak in community service for all age groups since the survey began tracking volunteerism in 2002.
In 2006, however, that rate dropped to 29 percent and then to 28 percent in 2007, the most recent year for which data is available. Those are the lowest percentages for that age group since the data has been collected and just one percentage point higher than adults 25 and older each of those years.
Separate market research done for VolunteerMatch, an online site that links visitors with about 63,000 nonprofit groups, found a similar decline in queries from under-18 users.
But many agree that the reasons behind such numbers are more complicated than young people simply losing interest in giving back, especially in an era when so many worked without pay for the Obama campaign, while some who can't find jobs are volunteering to make use of their time and talents. Some nonprofit directors confirm that they've seen a surge in people seeking to volunteer since the recession hit.
"It's not just the incredible disappearing teen volunteer," says Robert Rosenthal of San Francisco-based VolunteerMatch.
CIRCLE researchers note a drop in funding in recent years for youth-oriented service programs such as AmeriCorps, which will receive new Serve America Act money next year.
Nonprofits have struggled, too.
Project Sunshine, an organization founded by a college student in 1998, has more than 10,000 volunteers who visit hospitalized children. More than half of those are 22 or younger, and hundreds more have asked about volunteering in recent months, says executive director Beatrice Kernan.
"We hate to turn down new interest, but we're in a position of having to put this new interest on hold," she says, citing recent staff layoffs.
The difficult job market has caused some young people to look at AmeriCorps and service-oriented Teach for America, which recruits educators for low-income urban and rural areas. But even those opportunities can be elusive.
"One of my best students got wait-listed for Teach for America - and I thought holy cow!" says Deborah Halperin, a volunteer coordinator at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Other students, she says, are trying to finish college early to find jobs or setting aside volunteer aspirations to work part time while still in school.
Diallo Burke, an 18-year-old college freshman from College Park, Ga., did the latter in high school.
He was a volunteer math tutor in seventh grade. "But my volunteer hours and participation started to drop in high school, and my main reason for this was money," says Burke, who cut way back on volunteering to work at McDonald's.
Now a prelaw major at Bard College at Simon's Rock in Massachusetts, he's finally volunteering again, this time at a local community center. "It feels good," he says.
The CIRCLE study found wide differences in youth volunteering rates, state to state.
Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, Utah and Washington were among those with the highest percentages of 16- to 18-year-olds (all above 40 percent, when combining the 2006 and 2007 samples).
Meanwhile, Nevada, Georgia, New Mexico, New York and South Carolina ranked among the lowest, with Nevada at about 14 percent and the others in the 20 percent range.
Increasing those rates would require more volunteer opportunities for lower-income teens, says Romero Brown, vice president of program and youth development services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which is expanding its volunteer initiatives.
"They want to give back, but they often don't know how," Brown says.
For others, community service is a chore, says 16-year-old Ashley Hawkins, who volunteers in the rehab unit at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Baltimore.
"Honestly, I think a lot of people my age feel like they have to do service hours. They're like 'Why do I have to do this?'" she says.
"But it really can be a life-changing experience."
Now its Seward Alaska!
More to Come!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What do Dogs and God have in common?
Thanks Patty,
A dog had followed his owner to school. His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school. However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed and shooed him outside, closing the door behind him. The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors. Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,
'Don't feel bad fella'...they won't let ME in either'.
A dog had followed his owner to school. His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school. However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed and shooed him outside, closing the door behind him. The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors. Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,
'Don't feel bad fella'...they won't let ME in either'.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Baptist pastor beaten + tazed by Border patrol - 11 stitches
This is just another of the hundreds of attacks lately but we NEED to hear what this pastor went through!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
America: Freedom to Fascism
Aaron Russo's amazing documentary on the unconstitutional income tax,
and the exposing of the globalist plan for a New World Order.
The Directors Authorized Version in one video at Google Video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173
The following videos at YouTube:
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Why SOME People Pay Taxes
Lots of people choose to pay federal income taxes, something like 45% of all Americans.
Constitutionally they don't have to... But they do it anyway...
C'est la vie
Here's two Donald Duck Cartoons that show how the government foisted this unconstitutional hoax system on the American people, followed by the audio: The Creature From Jekyll Island that shows how the Federal Reserve scam began.
By the way, if you live in the Western U.S. and were a customer of Washington Mutual... or if you are a customer of Chase, Chase Manhattan, etc. CHANGE BANKS!!!! Do you really want to directly give your money to J.P. Morgan's company?
Constitutionally they don't have to... But they do it anyway...
C'est la vie
Here's two Donald Duck Cartoons that show how the government foisted this unconstitutional hoax system on the American people, followed by the audio: The Creature From Jekyll Island that shows how the Federal Reserve scam began.
By the way, if you live in the Western U.S. and were a customer of Washington Mutual... or if you are a customer of Chase, Chase Manhattan, etc. CHANGE BANKS!!!! Do you really want to directly give your money to J.P. Morgan's company?
The Spirit of '43A New Spirit In America The Creature From Jekyll Island Dance to the Happy Happy Joy Joy Song!
But... If you want to pay to further the New World Order Agenda you might as well...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Obama: "Islam has shaped my country." Which country is that Kenya or Indonesia?
For more AllFaith Comix Go Here
People keep pish-poshing Obama's provable ties to al Ikhwan, the Muslim Brotherhood, and polls show that most people refuse to accept the obvious truth that Obama was born in Kenya, surrendered all citizenship he may have held in order to attend madrasa in Indonesia... so they probably don't have a problem with this bit of taqiyya (disinformation) either... but here it is...
Obama: Islam Has Shaped the U.S.A.
By Robert Spencer
FrontPageMagazine.com | Tuesday, April 07, 2009
SOURCE
“We will convey,” said Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament Monday, “our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”
Undeniably the Islamic faith has done a great deal to shape the world – a statement that makes no value judgment about exactly how it has shaped the world. It has formed the dominant culture in what is known as the Islamic world for centuries. But what on earth could Obama mean when he says that Islam has also “done so much” to shape his own country?
Unless he considers himself an Indonesian, Obama’s statement was extraordinarily strange. After all, how has the Islamic faith shaped the United States? Were there Muslims along Paul Revere’s ride, or standing next to Patrick Henry when he proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death”? Were there Muslims among the framers or signers of the Declaration of Independence, which states that all men – not just Muslims, as Islamic law would have it – are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Were there Muslims among those who drafted the Constitution and vigorously debated its provisions, or among those who enumerated the Bill of Rights, which guarantees – again in contradiction to the tenets of Islamic law – that there should be no established national religion, and that the freedom of speech should not be infringed?
There were not.
Did Muslims play a role in the great struggle over slavery that defined so much of our contemporary understandings of the nature of this republic and of the rights of the individual within it? They did not. Did the Islamic faith shape the way the United States responded to the titanic challenges of the two World Wars, the Great Depression, or the Cold War? It did not. Did the Islamic faith, with its legal apparatus that institutionalizes discrimination against non-Muslims, shape the civil rights movement in the United States? The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated equality of access to public facilities – a hard-won victory that came at a great cost, and one that Muslim groups have tried to roll back in the United States recently. One notable example of such attempts was the alcohol-in-cabs controversy at the Minneapolis-St. Paul international airport, when Muslim cabdrivers began to refuse service to customers who were carrying alcohol, on Islamic religious grounds. The core assumption underlying this initiative – that discrimination on the basis of religion is justified – cut right to the heart of the core principle of the American polity, that “all men are created equal,” that is, that they have a right to equal treatment in law and society.
Surveying the whole tapestry of American history, one would be hard-pressed to find any significant way in which the Islamic faith has shaped the United States in terms of its governing principles and the nature of American society. Meanwhile, there are numerous ways in which, if there had been a significant Muslim presence in the country at the time, some of the most cherished and important principles of American society and law may have met fierce resistance, and may never have seen the light of day.
So in what way has the Islamic faith shaped Obama’s country? The most significant event connected to the Islamic faith that has shaped the character of the United States was the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Those attacks have shaped the nation in numerous ways: they’ve led to numerous innovations in airline security, which in generations to come – if today’s politically correct climate continues to befog minds -- may be added to future versions of the fanciful “1001 Muslim Inventions” exhibition. The Islamic faith has shaped the U.S. since 9/11 in leading to the spending of billions on anti-terror measures, and to the ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to Guantanamo, and to so many features of the modern political and social landscape that they cannot be enumerated within the space of a single article.
Of course, it is certain that Obama had none of that in mind. But what could he possibly have had in mind? His statement was either careless or ignorant, or both – not qualities we need in a Commander-in-Chief even in the best of times.
Robert Spencer is a scholar of Islamic history, theology, and law and the director of Jihad Watch. He is the author of eight books, eleven monographs, and hundreds of articles about jihad and Islamic terrorism, including the New York Times Bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book, Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam is Subverting America without Guns or Bombs, is available now from Regnery Publishing.
Obama: "Islam has shaped my country." Which country is that Kenya or Indonesia?
For more AllFaith Comix Go Here
People keep pish-poshing Obama's provable ties to al Ikhwan, the Muslim Brotherhood, and polls show that most people refuse to accept the obvious truth that Obama was born in Kenya, surrendered all citizenship he may have held in order to attend madrasa in Indonesia... so they probably don't have a problem with this bit of taqiyya (disinformation) either... but here it is...
Obama: Islam Has Shaped the U.S.A.
By Robert Spencer
FrontPageMagazine.com | Tuesday, April 07, 2009
SOURCE
“We will convey,” said Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament Monday, “our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”
Undeniably the Islamic faith has done a great deal to shape the world – a statement that makes no value judgment about exactly how it has shaped the world. It has formed the dominant culture in what is known as the Islamic world for centuries. But what on earth could Obama mean when he says that Islam has also “done so much” to shape his own country?
Unless he considers himself an Indonesian, Obama’s statement was extraordinarily strange. After all, how has the Islamic faith shaped the United States? Were there Muslims along Paul Revere’s ride, or standing next to Patrick Henry when he proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death”? Were there Muslims among the framers or signers of the Declaration of Independence, which states that all men – not just Muslims, as Islamic law would have it – are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Were there Muslims among those who drafted the Constitution and vigorously debated its provisions, or among those who enumerated the Bill of Rights, which guarantees – again in contradiction to the tenets of Islamic law – that there should be no established national religion, and that the freedom of speech should not be infringed?
There were not.
Did Muslims play a role in the great struggle over slavery that defined so much of our contemporary understandings of the nature of this republic and of the rights of the individual within it? They did not. Did the Islamic faith shape the way the United States responded to the titanic challenges of the two World Wars, the Great Depression, or the Cold War? It did not. Did the Islamic faith, with its legal apparatus that institutionalizes discrimination against non-Muslims, shape the civil rights movement in the United States? The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated equality of access to public facilities – a hard-won victory that came at a great cost, and one that Muslim groups have tried to roll back in the United States recently. One notable example of such attempts was the alcohol-in-cabs controversy at the Minneapolis-St. Paul international airport, when Muslim cabdrivers began to refuse service to customers who were carrying alcohol, on Islamic religious grounds. The core assumption underlying this initiative – that discrimination on the basis of religion is justified – cut right to the heart of the core principle of the American polity, that “all men are created equal,” that is, that they have a right to equal treatment in law and society.
Surveying the whole tapestry of American history, one would be hard-pressed to find any significant way in which the Islamic faith has shaped the United States in terms of its governing principles and the nature of American society. Meanwhile, there are numerous ways in which, if there had been a significant Muslim presence in the country at the time, some of the most cherished and important principles of American society and law may have met fierce resistance, and may never have seen the light of day.
So in what way has the Islamic faith shaped Obama’s country? The most significant event connected to the Islamic faith that has shaped the character of the United States was the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Those attacks have shaped the nation in numerous ways: they’ve led to numerous innovations in airline security, which in generations to come – if today’s politically correct climate continues to befog minds -- may be added to future versions of the fanciful “1001 Muslim Inventions” exhibition. The Islamic faith has shaped the U.S. since 9/11 in leading to the spending of billions on anti-terror measures, and to the ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to Guantanamo, and to so many features of the modern political and social landscape that they cannot be enumerated within the space of a single article.
Of course, it is certain that Obama had none of that in mind. But what could he possibly have had in mind? His statement was either careless or ignorant, or both – not qualities we need in a Commander-in-Chief even in the best of times.
Robert Spencer is a scholar of Islamic history, theology, and law and the director of Jihad Watch. He is the author of eight books, eleven monographs, and hundreds of articles about jihad and Islamic terrorism, including the New York Times Bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book, Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam is Subverting America without Guns or Bombs, is available now from Regnery Publishing.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Well that was fun... G-20 and the Global Union
As expected, the final nails were set in the American coffin during the Group of 20 Cabal.
Here's what they are publicly admitting they have agreed on:
The official communique issued at the close of the G20 London Summit.
First certain points of particular concern, the the entire document (emphasis' mine)"
A global crisis requires a global solution.
Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale.
12. We will conduct all our economic policies cooperatively and responsibly with regard to the impact on other countries and will refrain from competitive devaluation of our currencies and promote a stable and well-functioning international monetary system. We will support, now and in the future, to candid, even-handed, and independent IMF surveillance of our economies and financial sectors, of the impact of our policies on others, and of risks facing the global economy.
Strengthening financial supervision and regulation.
14. We each agree to ensure our domestic regulatory systems are strong.
25. We are determined not only to restore growth but to lay the foundation for a fair and sustainable world economy.
29. We have committed ourselves to work together with urgency and determination to translate these words into action. We agreed to meet again before the end of this year to review progress on our commitments.
Read the statement
AND PREPARE TO STAND!
1. We, the Leaders of the Group of Twenty, met in London on 2 April 2009.
2. We face the greatest challenge to the world economy in modern times; a crisis which has deepened since we last met, which affects the lives of women, men, and children in every country, and which all countries must join together to resolve. A global crisis requires a global solution.
3. We start from the belief that prosperity is indivisible; that growth, to be sustained, has to be shared; and that our global plan for recovery must have at its heart the needs and jobs of hard-working families, not just in developed countries but in emerging markets and the poorest countries of the world too; and must reflect the interests, not just of today’s population, but of future generations too. We believe that the only sure foundation for sustainable globalisation and rising prosperity for all is an open world economy based on market principles [read banker controlled], effective regulation [read slavery], and strong global institutions [read Global Union].
4. We have today therefore pledged to do whatever is necessary to:
* restore confidence, growth, and jobs;
* repair the financial system to restore lending;
* strengthen financial regulation to rebuild trust;
* fund and reform our international financial institutions to overcome this crisis and prevent future ones;
* promote global trade and investment and reject protectionism [read oppose nationalism], to underpin prosperity; and
* build an inclusive, green, and sustainable recovery.
By acting together to fulfil these pledges we will bring the world economy out of recession and prevent a crisis like this from recurring in the future.
5. The agreements we have reached today, to treble resources available to the IMF to $750 billion, to support a new SDR allocation of $250 billion, to support at least $100 billion of additional lending by the MDBs, to ensure $250 billion of support for trade finance, and to use the additional resources from agreed IMF gold sales for concessional finance for the poorest countries [read those countries that refuse to join will be paid off, put into debt, and enslaved], constitute an additional $1.1 trillion programme of support to restore credit, growth and jobs in the world economy. Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale.
Restoring growth and jobs
6. We are undertaking an unprecedented and concerted fiscal expansion, which will save or create millions of jobs which would otherwise have been destroyed, and that will, by the end of next year, amount to $5 trillion, raise output by 4 per cent, and accelerate the transition to a green economy. We are committed to deliver the scale of sustained fiscal effort necessary to restore growth.
7. Our central banks have also taken exceptional action. Interest rates have been cut aggressively in most countries, and our central banks have pledged to maintain expansionary policies for as long as needed and to use the full range of monetary policy instruments, including unconventional instruments, consistent with price stability.
8. Our actions to restore growth cannot be effective until we restore domestic lending and international capital flows. We have provided significant and comprehensive support to our banking systems to provide liquidity, recapitalise financial institutions, and address decisively the problem of impaired assets. We are committed to take all necessary actions to restore the normal flow of credit through the financial system and ensure the soundness of systemically important institutions, implementing our policies in line with the agreed G20 framework for restoring lending and repairing the financial sector.
9. Taken together, these actions will constitute the largest fiscal and monetary stimulus and the most comprehensive support programme for the financial sector in modern times. Acting together strengthens the impact and the exceptional policy actions announced so far must be implemented without delay. Today, we have further agreed over $1 trillion of additional resources for the world economy through our international financial institutions and trade finance.
10. Last month the IMF estimated that world growth in real terms would resume and rise to over 2 percent by the end of 2010. We are confident that the actions we have agreed today, and our unshakeable commitment to work together to restore growth and jobs, while preserving long-term fiscal sustainability, will accelerate the return to trend growth. We commit today to taking whatever action is necessary to secure that outcome, and we call on the IMF to assess regularly the actions taken and the global actions required.
11. We are resolved to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability and price stability and will put in place credible exit strategies from the measures that need to be taken now to support the financial sector and restore global demand. We are convinced that by implementing our agreed policies we will limit the longer-term costs to our economies, thereby reducing the scale of the fiscal consolidation necessary over the longer term.
12. We will conduct all our economic policies cooperatively and responsibly with regard to the impact on other countries and will refrain from competitive devaluation of our currencies and promote a stable and well-functioning international monetary system [Read Western standards of living will be balanced with those of the "third world": i.e. global serfdom]. We will support, now and in the future, to candid, even-handed, and independent IMF surveillance of our economies and financial sectors [read: the end of privacy, world bankers can LEGALLY take ALL financial AND political informatiom], of the impact of our policies on others, and of risks facing the global economy.
Strengthening financial supervision and regulation
13. Major failures in the financial sector and in financial regulation and supervision were fundamental causes of the crisis. Confidence will not be restored until we rebuild trust in our financial system [read: until the world surrenders all power to the global bankers]. We will take action to build a stronger, more globally consistent, supervisory and regulatory framework for the future financial sector, which will support sustainable global growth and serve the needs of business and citizens [read: no more nations: "Citizens" means earthling under their control].
14. We each agree to ensure our domestic regulatory systems are strong. But we also agree to establish the much greater consistency and systematic cooperation between countries, and the framework of internationally agreed high standards, that a global financial system requires. Strengthened regulation and supervision must promote propriety, integrity and transparency; guard against risk across the financial system; dampen rather than amplify the financial and economic cycle; reduce reliance on inappropriately risky sources of financing; and discourage excessive risk-taking. Regulators and supervisors must protect consumers and investors, support market discipline, avoid adverse impacts on other countries, reduce the scope for regulatory arbitrage, support competition and dynamism, and keep pace with innovation in the marketplace.
15. To this end we are implementing the Action Plan agreed at our last meeting, as set out in the attached progress report. We have today also issued a Declaration, Strengthening the Financial System. In particular we agree:
* to establish a new Financial Stability Board (FSB) with a strengthened mandate, as a successor to the Financial Stability Forum (FSF), including all G20 countries, FSF members, Spain, and the European Commission;
* that the FSB should collaborate with the IMF to provide early warning of macroeconomic and financial risks and the actions needed to address them;
* to reshape our regulatory systems so that our authorities are able to identify and take account of macro-prudential risks;
* to extend regulation and oversight to all systemically important financial institutions, instruments and markets. This will include, for the first time, systemically important hedge funds;
* to endorse and implement the FSF’s tough new principles on pay and compensation and to support sustainable compensation schemes and the corporate social responsibility of all firms;
* to take action, once recovery is assured, to improve the quality, quantity, and international consistency of capital in the banking system. In future, regulation must prevent excessive leverage and require buffers of resources to be built up in good times;
* to take action against non-cooperative jurisdictions, including tax havens. We stand ready to deploy sanctions to protect our public finances and financial systems. The era of banking secrecy is over. We note that the OECD has today published a list of countries assessed by the Global Forum against the international standard for exchange of tax information;
* to call on the accounting standard setters to work urgently with supervisors and regulators to improve standards on valuation and provisioning and achieve a single set of high-quality global accounting standards; and
* to extend regulatory oversight and registration to Credit Rating Agencies to ensure they meet the international code of good practice, particularly to prevent unacceptable conflicts of interest.
16. We instruct our Finance Ministers to complete the implementation of these decisions in line with the timetable set out in the Action Plan. We have asked the FSB and the IMF to monitor progress, working with the Financial Action Taskforce and other relevant bodies, and to provide a report to the next meeting of our Finance Ministers in Scotland in November.
Strengthening our global financial institutions
17. Emerging markets and developing countries, which have been the engine of recent world growth, are also now facing challenges which are adding to the current downturn in the global economy. It is imperative for global confidence and economic recovery that capital continues to flow to them. This will require a substantial strengthening of the international financial institutions, particularly the IMF. We have therefore agreed today to make available an additional $850 billion of resources through the global financial institutions to support growth in emerging market and developing countries by helping to finance counter-cyclical spending, bank recapitalisation, infrastructure, trade finance, balance of payments support, debt rollover, and social support. To this end:
* we have agreed to increase the resources available to the IMF through immediate financing from members of $250 billion, subsequently incorporated into an expanded and more flexible New Arrangements to Borrow, increased by up to $500 billion, and to consider market borrowing if necessary; and
* we support a substantial increase in lending of at least $100 billion by the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), including to low income countries, and ensure that all MDBs, including have the appropriate capital.
18. It is essential that these resources can be used effectively and flexibly to support growth. We welcome in this respect the progress made by the IMF with its new Flexible Credit Line (FCL) and its reformed lending and conditionality framework which will enable the IMF to ensure that its facilities address effectively the underlying causes of countries’ balance of payments financing needs, particularly the withdrawal of external capital flows to the banking and corporate sectors. We support Mexico’s decision to seek an FCL arrangement.
19. We have agreed to support a general SDR allocation which will inject $250 billion into the world economy and increase global liquidity, and urgent ratification of the Fourth Amendment.
20. In order for our financial institutions to help manage the crisis and prevent future crises we must strengthen their longer term relevance, effectiveness and legitimacy. So alongside the significant increase in resources agreed today we are determined to reform and modernise the international financial institutions to ensure they can assist members and shareholders effectively in the new challenges they face. We will reform their mandates, scope and governance to reflect changes in the world economy and the new challenges of globalisation, and that emerging and developing economies, including the poorest, must have greater voice and representation. This must be accompanied by action to increase the credibility and accountability of the institutions through better strategic oversight and decision making. To this end:
* we commit to implementing the package of IMF quota and voice reforms agreed in April 2008 and call on the IMF to complete the next review of quotas by January 2011;
* we agree that, alongside this, consideration should be given to greater involvement of the Fund’s Governors in providing strategic direction to the IMF and increasing its accountability;
* we commit to implementing the World Bank reforms agreed in October 2008. We look forward to further recommendations, at the next meetings, on voice and representation reforms on an accelerated timescale, to be agreed by the 2010 Spring Meetings;
* we agree that the heads and senior leadership of the international financial institutions should be appointed through an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process; and
* building on the current reviews of the IMF and World Bank we asked the Chairman, working with the G20 Finance Ministers, to consult widely in an inclusive process and report back to the next meeting with proposals for further reforms to improve the responsiveness and adaptability of the IFIs.
21. In addition to reforming our international financial institutions for the new challenges of globalisation we agreed on the desirability of a new global consensus on the key values and principles that will promote sustainable economic activity. We support discussion on such a charter for sustainable economic activity with a view to further discussion at our next meeting. We take note of the work started in other fora in this regard and look forward to further discussion of this charter for sustainable economic activity.
Resisting protectionism and promoting global trade and investment
22. World trade growth has underpinned rising prosperity for half a century. But it is now falling for the first time in 25 years. Falling demand is exacerbated by growing protectionist pressures and a withdrawal of trade credit. Reinvigorating world trade and investment is essential for restoring global growth. We will not repeat the historic mistakes of protectionism of previous eras. To this end:
* we reaffirm the commitment made in Washington: to refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing World Trade Organisation (WTO) inconsistent measures to stimulate exports. In addition we will rectify promptly any such measures. We extend this pledge to the end of 2010;
* we will minimise any negative impact on trade and investment of our domestic policy actions including fiscal policy and action in support of the financial sector. We will not retreat into financial protectionism, particularly measures that constrain worldwide capital flows, especially to developing countries;
* we will notify promptly the WTO of any such measures and we call on the WTO, together with other international bodies, within their respective mandates, to monitor and report publicly on our adherence to these undertakings on a quarterly basis;
* we will take, at the same time, whatever steps we can to promote and facilitate trade and investment; and
* we will ensure availability of at least $250 billion over the next two years to support trade finance through our export credit and investment agencies and through the MDBs. We also ask our regulators to make use of available flexibility in capital requirements for trade finance.
23. We remain committed to reaching an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Doha Development Round, which is urgently needed. This could boost the global economy by at least $150 billion per annum. To achieve this we are committed to building on the progress already made, including with regard to modalities.
24. We will give renewed focus and political attention to this critical issue in the coming period and will use our continuing work and all international meetings that are relevant to drive progress.
Ensuring a fair and sustainable recovery for all
25. We are determined not only to restore growth but to lay the foundation for a fair and sustainable world economy. We recognise that the current crisis has a disproportionate impact on the vulnerable in the poorest countries and recognise our collective responsibility to mitigate the social impact of the crisis to minimise long-lasting damage to global potential. To this end:
* we reaffirm our historic commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goals and to achieving our respective ODA pledges, including commitments on Aid for Trade, debt relief, and the Gleneagles commitments, especially to sub-Saharan Africa;
* the actions and decisions we have taken today will provide $50 billion to support social protection, boost trade and safeguard development in low income countries, as part of the significant increase in crisis support for these and other developing countries and emerging markets;
* we are making available resources for social protection for the poorest countries, including through investing in long-term food security and through voluntary bilateral contributions to the World Bank’s Vulnerability Framework, including the Infrastructure Crisis Facility, and the Rapid Social Response Fund;
* we have committed, consistent with the new income model, that additional resources from agreed sales of IMF gold will be used, together with surplus income, to provide $6 billion additional concessional and flexible finance for the poorest countries over the next 2 to 3 years. We call on the IMF to come forward with concrete proposals at the Spring Meetings;
* we have agreed to review the flexibility of the Debt Sustainability Framework and call on the IMF and World Bank to report to the IMFC and Development Committee at the Annual Meetings; and
* we call on the UN, working with other global institutions, to establish an effective mechanism to monitor the impact of the crisis on the poorest and most vulnerable.
26. We recognise the human dimension to the crisis. We commit to support those affected by the crisis by creating employment opportunities and through income support measures. We will build a fair and family-friendly labour market for both women and men. We therefore welcome the reports of the London Jobs Conference and the Rome Social Summit and the key principles they proposed. We will support employment by stimulating growth, investing in education and training, and through active labour market policies, focusing on the most vulnerable. We call upon the ILO, working with other relevant organisations, to assess the actions taken and those required for the future.
27. We agreed to make the best possible use of investment funded by fiscal stimulus programmes towards the goal of building a resilient, sustainable, and green recovery. We will make the transition towards clean, innovative, resource efficient, low carbon technologies and infrastructure. We encourage the MDBs to contribute fully to the achievement of this objective. We will identify and work together on further measures to build sustainable economies.
28. We reaffirm our commitment to address the threat of irreversible climate change, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and to reach agreement at the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.
Delivering our commitments
29. We have committed ourselves to work together with urgency and determination to translate these words into action. We agreed to meet again before the end of this year to review progress on our commitments.
Notes for Editors
Annex - Declaration on delivering resources through the international financial institutions [pdf]
Annex - Declaration on strengthening the financial system [pdf]
Don McLean- American Pie (with Lyrics)
Here's what they are publicly admitting they have agreed on:
The official communique issued at the close of the G20 London Summit.
First certain points of particular concern, the the entire document (emphasis' mine)"
A global crisis requires a global solution.
Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale.
12. We will conduct all our economic policies cooperatively and responsibly with regard to the impact on other countries and will refrain from competitive devaluation of our currencies and promote a stable and well-functioning international monetary system. We will support, now and in the future, to candid, even-handed, and independent IMF surveillance of our economies and financial sectors, of the impact of our policies on others, and of risks facing the global economy.
Strengthening financial supervision and regulation.
14. We each agree to ensure our domestic regulatory systems are strong.
25. We are determined not only to restore growth but to lay the foundation for a fair and sustainable world economy.
29. We have committed ourselves to work together with urgency and determination to translate these words into action. We agreed to meet again before the end of this year to review progress on our commitments.
Read the statement
AND PREPARE TO STAND!
1. We, the Leaders of the Group of Twenty, met in London on 2 April 2009.
2. We face the greatest challenge to the world economy in modern times; a crisis which has deepened since we last met, which affects the lives of women, men, and children in every country, and which all countries must join together to resolve. A global crisis requires a global solution.
3. We start from the belief that prosperity is indivisible; that growth, to be sustained, has to be shared; and that our global plan for recovery must have at its heart the needs and jobs of hard-working families, not just in developed countries but in emerging markets and the poorest countries of the world too; and must reflect the interests, not just of today’s population, but of future generations too. We believe that the only sure foundation for sustainable globalisation and rising prosperity for all is an open world economy based on market principles [read banker controlled], effective regulation [read slavery], and strong global institutions [read Global Union].
4. We have today therefore pledged to do whatever is necessary to:
* restore confidence, growth, and jobs;
* repair the financial system to restore lending;
* strengthen financial regulation to rebuild trust;
* fund and reform our international financial institutions to overcome this crisis and prevent future ones;
* promote global trade and investment and reject protectionism [read oppose nationalism], to underpin prosperity; and
* build an inclusive, green, and sustainable recovery.
By acting together to fulfil these pledges we will bring the world economy out of recession and prevent a crisis like this from recurring in the future.
5. The agreements we have reached today, to treble resources available to the IMF to $750 billion, to support a new SDR allocation of $250 billion, to support at least $100 billion of additional lending by the MDBs, to ensure $250 billion of support for trade finance, and to use the additional resources from agreed IMF gold sales for concessional finance for the poorest countries [read those countries that refuse to join will be paid off, put into debt, and enslaved], constitute an additional $1.1 trillion programme of support to restore credit, growth and jobs in the world economy. Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale.
Restoring growth and jobs
6. We are undertaking an unprecedented and concerted fiscal expansion, which will save or create millions of jobs which would otherwise have been destroyed, and that will, by the end of next year, amount to $5 trillion, raise output by 4 per cent, and accelerate the transition to a green economy. We are committed to deliver the scale of sustained fiscal effort necessary to restore growth.
7. Our central banks have also taken exceptional action. Interest rates have been cut aggressively in most countries, and our central banks have pledged to maintain expansionary policies for as long as needed and to use the full range of monetary policy instruments, including unconventional instruments, consistent with price stability.
8. Our actions to restore growth cannot be effective until we restore domestic lending and international capital flows. We have provided significant and comprehensive support to our banking systems to provide liquidity, recapitalise financial institutions, and address decisively the problem of impaired assets. We are committed to take all necessary actions to restore the normal flow of credit through the financial system and ensure the soundness of systemically important institutions, implementing our policies in line with the agreed G20 framework for restoring lending and repairing the financial sector.
9. Taken together, these actions will constitute the largest fiscal and monetary stimulus and the most comprehensive support programme for the financial sector in modern times. Acting together strengthens the impact and the exceptional policy actions announced so far must be implemented without delay. Today, we have further agreed over $1 trillion of additional resources for the world economy through our international financial institutions and trade finance.
10. Last month the IMF estimated that world growth in real terms would resume and rise to over 2 percent by the end of 2010. We are confident that the actions we have agreed today, and our unshakeable commitment to work together to restore growth and jobs, while preserving long-term fiscal sustainability, will accelerate the return to trend growth. We commit today to taking whatever action is necessary to secure that outcome, and we call on the IMF to assess regularly the actions taken and the global actions required.
11. We are resolved to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability and price stability and will put in place credible exit strategies from the measures that need to be taken now to support the financial sector and restore global demand. We are convinced that by implementing our agreed policies we will limit the longer-term costs to our economies, thereby reducing the scale of the fiscal consolidation necessary over the longer term.
12. We will conduct all our economic policies cooperatively and responsibly with regard to the impact on other countries and will refrain from competitive devaluation of our currencies and promote a stable and well-functioning international monetary system [Read Western standards of living will be balanced with those of the "third world": i.e. global serfdom]. We will support, now and in the future, to candid, even-handed, and independent IMF surveillance of our economies and financial sectors [read: the end of privacy, world bankers can LEGALLY take ALL financial AND political informatiom], of the impact of our policies on others, and of risks facing the global economy.
Strengthening financial supervision and regulation
13. Major failures in the financial sector and in financial regulation and supervision were fundamental causes of the crisis. Confidence will not be restored until we rebuild trust in our financial system [read: until the world surrenders all power to the global bankers]. We will take action to build a stronger, more globally consistent, supervisory and regulatory framework for the future financial sector, which will support sustainable global growth and serve the needs of business and citizens [read: no more nations: "Citizens" means earthling under their control].
14. We each agree to ensure our domestic regulatory systems are strong. But we also agree to establish the much greater consistency and systematic cooperation between countries, and the framework of internationally agreed high standards, that a global financial system requires. Strengthened regulation and supervision must promote propriety, integrity and transparency; guard against risk across the financial system; dampen rather than amplify the financial and economic cycle; reduce reliance on inappropriately risky sources of financing; and discourage excessive risk-taking. Regulators and supervisors must protect consumers and investors, support market discipline, avoid adverse impacts on other countries, reduce the scope for regulatory arbitrage, support competition and dynamism, and keep pace with innovation in the marketplace.
15. To this end we are implementing the Action Plan agreed at our last meeting, as set out in the attached progress report. We have today also issued a Declaration, Strengthening the Financial System. In particular we agree:
* to establish a new Financial Stability Board (FSB) with a strengthened mandate, as a successor to the Financial Stability Forum (FSF), including all G20 countries, FSF members, Spain, and the European Commission;
* that the FSB should collaborate with the IMF to provide early warning of macroeconomic and financial risks and the actions needed to address them;
* to reshape our regulatory systems so that our authorities are able to identify and take account of macro-prudential risks;
* to extend regulation and oversight to all systemically important financial institutions, instruments and markets. This will include, for the first time, systemically important hedge funds;
* to endorse and implement the FSF’s tough new principles on pay and compensation and to support sustainable compensation schemes and the corporate social responsibility of all firms;
* to take action, once recovery is assured, to improve the quality, quantity, and international consistency of capital in the banking system. In future, regulation must prevent excessive leverage and require buffers of resources to be built up in good times;
* to take action against non-cooperative jurisdictions, including tax havens. We stand ready to deploy sanctions to protect our public finances and financial systems. The era of banking secrecy is over. We note that the OECD has today published a list of countries assessed by the Global Forum against the international standard for exchange of tax information;
* to call on the accounting standard setters to work urgently with supervisors and regulators to improve standards on valuation and provisioning and achieve a single set of high-quality global accounting standards; and
* to extend regulatory oversight and registration to Credit Rating Agencies to ensure they meet the international code of good practice, particularly to prevent unacceptable conflicts of interest.
16. We instruct our Finance Ministers to complete the implementation of these decisions in line with the timetable set out in the Action Plan. We have asked the FSB and the IMF to monitor progress, working with the Financial Action Taskforce and other relevant bodies, and to provide a report to the next meeting of our Finance Ministers in Scotland in November.
Strengthening our global financial institutions
17. Emerging markets and developing countries, which have been the engine of recent world growth, are also now facing challenges which are adding to the current downturn in the global economy. It is imperative for global confidence and economic recovery that capital continues to flow to them. This will require a substantial strengthening of the international financial institutions, particularly the IMF. We have therefore agreed today to make available an additional $850 billion of resources through the global financial institutions to support growth in emerging market and developing countries by helping to finance counter-cyclical spending, bank recapitalisation, infrastructure, trade finance, balance of payments support, debt rollover, and social support. To this end:
* we have agreed to increase the resources available to the IMF through immediate financing from members of $250 billion, subsequently incorporated into an expanded and more flexible New Arrangements to Borrow, increased by up to $500 billion, and to consider market borrowing if necessary; and
* we support a substantial increase in lending of at least $100 billion by the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), including to low income countries, and ensure that all MDBs, including have the appropriate capital.
18. It is essential that these resources can be used effectively and flexibly to support growth. We welcome in this respect the progress made by the IMF with its new Flexible Credit Line (FCL) and its reformed lending and conditionality framework which will enable the IMF to ensure that its facilities address effectively the underlying causes of countries’ balance of payments financing needs, particularly the withdrawal of external capital flows to the banking and corporate sectors. We support Mexico’s decision to seek an FCL arrangement.
19. We have agreed to support a general SDR allocation which will inject $250 billion into the world economy and increase global liquidity, and urgent ratification of the Fourth Amendment.
20. In order for our financial institutions to help manage the crisis and prevent future crises we must strengthen their longer term relevance, effectiveness and legitimacy. So alongside the significant increase in resources agreed today we are determined to reform and modernise the international financial institutions to ensure they can assist members and shareholders effectively in the new challenges they face. We will reform their mandates, scope and governance to reflect changes in the world economy and the new challenges of globalisation, and that emerging and developing economies, including the poorest, must have greater voice and representation. This must be accompanied by action to increase the credibility and accountability of the institutions through better strategic oversight and decision making. To this end:
* we commit to implementing the package of IMF quota and voice reforms agreed in April 2008 and call on the IMF to complete the next review of quotas by January 2011;
* we agree that, alongside this, consideration should be given to greater involvement of the Fund’s Governors in providing strategic direction to the IMF and increasing its accountability;
* we commit to implementing the World Bank reforms agreed in October 2008. We look forward to further recommendations, at the next meetings, on voice and representation reforms on an accelerated timescale, to be agreed by the 2010 Spring Meetings;
* we agree that the heads and senior leadership of the international financial institutions should be appointed through an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process; and
* building on the current reviews of the IMF and World Bank we asked the Chairman, working with the G20 Finance Ministers, to consult widely in an inclusive process and report back to the next meeting with proposals for further reforms to improve the responsiveness and adaptability of the IFIs.
21. In addition to reforming our international financial institutions for the new challenges of globalisation we agreed on the desirability of a new global consensus on the key values and principles that will promote sustainable economic activity. We support discussion on such a charter for sustainable economic activity with a view to further discussion at our next meeting. We take note of the work started in other fora in this regard and look forward to further discussion of this charter for sustainable economic activity.
Resisting protectionism and promoting global trade and investment
22. World trade growth has underpinned rising prosperity for half a century. But it is now falling for the first time in 25 years. Falling demand is exacerbated by growing protectionist pressures and a withdrawal of trade credit. Reinvigorating world trade and investment is essential for restoring global growth. We will not repeat the historic mistakes of protectionism of previous eras. To this end:
* we reaffirm the commitment made in Washington: to refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing World Trade Organisation (WTO) inconsistent measures to stimulate exports. In addition we will rectify promptly any such measures. We extend this pledge to the end of 2010;
* we will minimise any negative impact on trade and investment of our domestic policy actions including fiscal policy and action in support of the financial sector. We will not retreat into financial protectionism, particularly measures that constrain worldwide capital flows, especially to developing countries;
* we will notify promptly the WTO of any such measures and we call on the WTO, together with other international bodies, within their respective mandates, to monitor and report publicly on our adherence to these undertakings on a quarterly basis;
* we will take, at the same time, whatever steps we can to promote and facilitate trade and investment; and
* we will ensure availability of at least $250 billion over the next two years to support trade finance through our export credit and investment agencies and through the MDBs. We also ask our regulators to make use of available flexibility in capital requirements for trade finance.
23. We remain committed to reaching an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Doha Development Round, which is urgently needed. This could boost the global economy by at least $150 billion per annum. To achieve this we are committed to building on the progress already made, including with regard to modalities.
24. We will give renewed focus and political attention to this critical issue in the coming period and will use our continuing work and all international meetings that are relevant to drive progress.
Ensuring a fair and sustainable recovery for all
25. We are determined not only to restore growth but to lay the foundation for a fair and sustainable world economy. We recognise that the current crisis has a disproportionate impact on the vulnerable in the poorest countries and recognise our collective responsibility to mitigate the social impact of the crisis to minimise long-lasting damage to global potential. To this end:
* we reaffirm our historic commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goals and to achieving our respective ODA pledges, including commitments on Aid for Trade, debt relief, and the Gleneagles commitments, especially to sub-Saharan Africa;
* the actions and decisions we have taken today will provide $50 billion to support social protection, boost trade and safeguard development in low income countries, as part of the significant increase in crisis support for these and other developing countries and emerging markets;
* we are making available resources for social protection for the poorest countries, including through investing in long-term food security and through voluntary bilateral contributions to the World Bank’s Vulnerability Framework, including the Infrastructure Crisis Facility, and the Rapid Social Response Fund;
* we have committed, consistent with the new income model, that additional resources from agreed sales of IMF gold will be used, together with surplus income, to provide $6 billion additional concessional and flexible finance for the poorest countries over the next 2 to 3 years. We call on the IMF to come forward with concrete proposals at the Spring Meetings;
* we have agreed to review the flexibility of the Debt Sustainability Framework and call on the IMF and World Bank to report to the IMFC and Development Committee at the Annual Meetings; and
* we call on the UN, working with other global institutions, to establish an effective mechanism to monitor the impact of the crisis on the poorest and most vulnerable.
26. We recognise the human dimension to the crisis. We commit to support those affected by the crisis by creating employment opportunities and through income support measures. We will build a fair and family-friendly labour market for both women and men. We therefore welcome the reports of the London Jobs Conference and the Rome Social Summit and the key principles they proposed. We will support employment by stimulating growth, investing in education and training, and through active labour market policies, focusing on the most vulnerable. We call upon the ILO, working with other relevant organisations, to assess the actions taken and those required for the future.
27. We agreed to make the best possible use of investment funded by fiscal stimulus programmes towards the goal of building a resilient, sustainable, and green recovery. We will make the transition towards clean, innovative, resource efficient, low carbon technologies and infrastructure. We encourage the MDBs to contribute fully to the achievement of this objective. We will identify and work together on further measures to build sustainable economies.
28. We reaffirm our commitment to address the threat of irreversible climate change, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and to reach agreement at the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.
Delivering our commitments
29. We have committed ourselves to work together with urgency and determination to translate these words into action. We agreed to meet again before the end of this year to review progress on our commitments.
Notes for Editors
Annex - Declaration on delivering resources through the international financial institutions [pdf]
Annex - Declaration on strengthening the financial system [pdf]
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