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Denken Macht Frei (Thought Sets You Free) brings you selected articles from various sources including
European Action, the English language website of Europäische Aktion

25 November 2012

Only 11.5 Percent of the Swiss in favour of joining the EU

Source: 20Minuten Online
24 November 2012

Switzerland’s desire to join the EU is unpopular as never before. In addition, the European Economic Area (EEA) is increasingly unpopular as a new survey shows. Therefore for the Swiss a political alignment with the European Union is slowly disappearing into the distance.

No desire for the EU: The Swiss people reject
EU membership as clearly as ever.

The confidence of the Swiss in the European Union is gone: Only 11.5 percent of the voters are in favor of joining. Twelve years ago more than a third desired becoming a part of the EU. This is the result of an evaluation made by the Swiss newspaper "SonntagsZeitung" based on a set of surveys continuously conducted since 1993 by the research institute Isopublic.

For the Swiss the EU has never been so unpopular as it is now in 2012. Even membership of the EEA – which Swiss voters rejected 20 years ago with 50.3 percent – would be rejected by a massive margin if they were to vote today; only about 32 percent still want to join it.

"Serious deadlock»

In the Euro-friendly French-speaking part of Switzerland the same trends are seen. Until 2008 a clear majority of 60 percent there spoke for EEA membership - today it's only 41.5 percent.

These figures send out a clear signal to the politicians. Their reactions reflect this. For instance Christa Markwalder FDP National Councillor said regarding European policy Switzerland is "in a serious deadlock." She advocates a "EEA light".

Old Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey (SP) does not see any alternative to bilateral agreements. SVP patron Christoph Blocher anticipating a European referendum in the next few years says, "I'll have to get involved once again." Considering these figures this fight should be one of his easiest.

18 November 2012

The 2012 DMF Prize for Idiot of the Year goes to...

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel for his most idiotic stunt at the United Nations this year displaying a poster intended to instill awe and (he hoped) the desire for war among the world's population of goyim. What he actually achieved is that the whole world ended up pointing at him and bursting out into laughter.

What a twat!



A (modified) version of that poster puts things into proper perspective...

12 November 2012

Gold & Silver: The Stakes in the REAL World Series of Poker


Posted by GATA Monday, November 12, 2012: 

The real "world series of poker," J.S. Kim of The Underground Investor writes today, is the international central bank currency war, which places gold and silver at the center. Kim adds that GATA's exposure of manipulation of the gold and silver markets is increasingly being noted by investment houses. Kim's commentary is headlined "The Real World Series of Poker Is Going Down Right Now" and it's posted at The Underground Investor here

10 November 2012

FED, Bank of England deceived Bundesbank in 1968


Citing Bank of England records, Zero Hedge has revealed that as the London Gold Pool was collapsing in 1968 the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England conspired to conceal from the German Bundesbank the deficient gold content of U.S. gold bars, apparently made from coin melt, that were being transferred to the Bundesbank to conclude gold swaps. This is, Zero Hedge says, another reason why the Bundesbank might want to cut off inquiry into the security of its foreign-vaulted gold. Zero Hedge's report is headlined Bank Of England To The Fed: "No Indication Should, Of Course, Be Given To The Bundesbank..."

Excerpt: Full May 1968 memo from the Bank of England to the NY Fed

MR. BRIDGE
THE CHIEF CASHIER


U.S. Assay Office Gold Bars

1. We have from time to time had occasion to draw the Americans’ attention of the poor standards of finish of U.S. Assay Office bars. In addition in 1961 we passed on to them comments from Johnson Matthey to the effect that spectrographic examination did not support the claimed assay on one bar they had so tested (although they would not by normal processes have challenged the assay) and that impurities in the bar included iron which caused some material to be retained on the sides of crucible after pouring.
2. Recently, Johnson Matthey have put 172 “bad delivery” U.S. Assay Office bars into good delivery form for account of the Deutsche Bundesbank. These bars formed part of recent shipments by the Federal Reserve Bank to provide gold in London in repayment of swaps with the Bundesbank. The out-turn of the re-melting showed a loss in fine ounces terms four times greater than the gross weight loss. Asked to comment Johnson Matthey have indicated verbally that:-

(a) the mixing of “melt” bars of differing assays in one “pot” could produce a result which might be a contributing factor to a heavier loss in fine weight but they did not think this would be substantial ;

(b) a variation of .0001 in assay between different assayers is an extremely common phenomenon;

(c) over a long period of years they had had experience of unsatisfactory U.S. assays

3. It is not, however, possible to say that the U.S. assays were at fault because Johnson Matthey did not test any of the individual bars before putting them into the pot.

4. The Federal Reserve Bank have informed the Bundesbank that adjustments for differences in weight and refining charges will be reimbursed by the U.S.Treasury.

5. No indication should, of course, be given to the Bundesbank, or any other central bank holder of U.S. bars, as to the refiner’s views on them. The peculiarity of the out-turn will be known to the Bundesbank: it has so far occasioned no comment.

6. We should draw the attention of the Federal to the discrepancy in this (and any similar subsequent such) result and add simply that the refiners have made no formal comment but have indicate that, although very small differences in assay are not uncommon, their experience with U.S. Assay Office bars has not been satisfactory.

7. We hold 3,909 U.S. Assay Office bars for H.M.T. in London (in addition to the New York holding of 8,630 bars). After the London gold market was reopened in 1954 we test assayed the bars of certain assayers to ensure that pre-war standards were being maintained. It might be premature to set up arrangements now for sample test assays of U.S. Assay Office bars but if it appeared likely that the present discontent of the refiners might crystalise into formal complain we should certainly need to do this. In the meantime I would recommend no further action.

31st May 1968

P.W.R.R.


09 November 2012

Switzerland, its Gold and dangers to the country from Europe?


From...


Sunday, October 28, 2012 – with Anthony Wile







Excerpt from: The Daily Bell exclusive interview with Ron Holland (left).


Daily Bell: Are we going to see Europe's social discontent happening here?

Ron Holland: Yes. As in Europe, the social discontent here will come from higher taxes, reduced benefits and extreme austerity measures designed to steal our savings, government and private retirement benefits and our remaining gold and wealth. Of course, none of this will likely begin until after the January inauguration.

Personally, I don't think we've seen even the real beginning of social or political discontent in Europe. I believe it will directly impact the PIIGS as well as wealthy Germany far more than what we've seen so far. Eventually, the German people will get tired of bailing out German, French and Anglo-American banking interests and other European nations and say, "Enough is enough." This is when the sh*t will hit the fan. I think Germany may exit the EU far earlier than some other countries in southern Europe.

Switzerland, by not foolishly joining the EU or the euro, will be the only nation in Europe to likely escape the turmoil. Of course, Switzerland didn't join because, with their confederation direct democracy style of government, the voters wouldn't allow their politicians to join.

Two points I would like to add about Switzerland: First, they have the best government structure designed to meet the needs for our new 21st century environment, which should be copied by nations around the world. Second, although I believe Switzerland will certainly escape the internal strife that will get far worse across Europe, they have their own unique risks from criminal gangs as the economy worsens in neighboring countries.

Recent press reports show Switzerland expanding its number of military police units in case the coming EU collapse threatens their national borders. A close look at European history would suggest this threat should be the least of their concerns.

This island of security and safety in a collapsing Europe has approximately 7,000 tons of gold stored both privately and as government reserves. This is approximately 8 percent of the 85,000 tons of gold in the world held as bars and coins; the other 50 percent is mainly jewelry. Add to this the trillions in financial wealth held in and managed from Switzerland and you have a very tempting target for public criminal gangs (governments, central banks and politicians) to want to get their hands on.

I'm not saying Germany, Italy, France or the United States and UK will threaten or actually invade Switzerland, I'm just saying desperate political leaders and financial elites in times of economic crisis have done this hundreds of times over the last couple of centuries.

Here is a list of Major Wars & Conflicts Just In the 20th Century. You might notice how many times Switzerland's neighbors and the United States have been involved in these conflicts while Switzerland has remained armed but at peace. Still, 8 percent of the non-jewelry gold in the world would be a tempting target and most threats of aggression by nations have been for far less.

It's just something to consider. I hope Switzerland decides not just to increase military police battalions but also to modernize and increase its defensive military capability. I have a fictional essay coming out in a few weeks about how such a military aggression, although unlikely, could happen in the future.
[Highlighting by DMF]

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