The bill HR 3808 The Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act has been approved by the Senate via last minute legislation (sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) and Robert Aderholt (R), and invoked by special procedure by Sen. Robert Casey (D). The full Senate passed it without debate, no roll call, just voice vote so no one can tell who voted for it. This bill gives cover to the banks illegal foreclosure procedures, basically exonerates them for providing fraudulant documents. It is sitting on Obama's desk waiting for his signature. It requires courts to accept as valid document notarizations made out of state, making it harder to challenge the authenticity of foreclosure and other legal documents. The White House is "reviewing the legistlation."

a report of what is going on behind the scenes

Over the long haul, only money maintains its purchasing power. Gold and silver are money and they are destined to be the world champions of purchasing power.

Michael Edwards' review/commentary on the book "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

A chemical waste accident in Hungary kills 4 with over a hundred injured.

"An American bill imposing punitive tarifs on countries that undervalue their currencies is set to unleash a new trade war between the US and China. But in fact the whole global currency system is in a state of jeopardy. As confidence in the dollar drops, private investors are putting their faith in gold." "H. R. 2378 -- Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act" passes the House 348 to 79. WOW. Fast-track punitive tariffs on "currency manipulators" = read "CHINA." This stuff reads like my history books did. You know -- the 1920s and '30s. I guess I'd better keep my suitcase packed.

Eurozone finance ministers are pressuring China to honor a commitment to let the yuan rise, but the Chinese premier says "that a big rise of the yuan could stir incalculable social unrest in China." "Brazil's Finance Minister Guido Mantega has warned that the world is already seeing "an international currency war." "Even IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn acknowledged as much on Saturday." "Strauss-Kahn said that if policymakers did not return to the sort of international cooperation that rescued banks, there would be a new crisis "of countries trying to find domestic solutions to a global problem."

A blog entry, but it's on a mainstream news source calling the currency war what it is. "A disturbing dynamic is going on in which countries are competing to devalue their currencies in order to make their exports more competitive." "Now Japan is escalating the currency war, cutting short-term interest rates to nearly zero, like those in the U.S., and throwing in a little quantitative easing to boot, the WSJ reports." The author calls China the main culprit...hmm. Culprit? Yes. Main? Hmm...I don't remember seeing a picture of Mao on the world's reserve currency...But I've been really tired lately.

(Reuters) - The world's wealthiest people have responded to economic worries by buying gold by the bar -- and sometimes by the ton -- and by moving assets out of the financial system, bankers catering to the very rich said on Monday.

Gold rallies above $1330 while dollar slides, FOREX markets remain volatile and the Bank of Japan signals more efforts to stem appreciation of the yen.