Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The Heavens Break Loose in 2014

The Heavens Break Loose in 2014

Posted on by Jean
Yesterday afternoon, I received the following Comment from our friends at Cosmic Convergence, regarding their recent article, All Hell (And Heaven) Breaks Loose In 2014 and this new post today is a result of it. I’m looking forward to finding the time to read it . . . ~J

Hi Jean,
As expected, we received many excellent comments and questions from your audience regarding this essay. So many, as a matter of fact, that we have since made many substantial additions, as well as some clarifications. The essay has also been republished under a different title to reflect those changes.
Posted on April 22, 2014 
by cosmicconvergence2012

Global Transformation Accelerates: Multiple Astrological Triggers Pulled During April

Not since this New Millennium began has there been a convergence of so many astrological alignments and geopolitical circumstances which will compel massive global changes.  With the numerous and extraordinary astrological events taking place in April, the oft-predicted destiny of  HUGE Earth changes can no longer be denied.  It is now a matter of when , not if.  The simple physics that undergird the political, economic and social spheres of life now dictate that real planetary transformation is on the way.
Surely the spate of earthquakes and volcanoes has reflected the renewed will of Mother Earth to start rocking’ and rollin’.  There has never been such a concentration of major earthquakes as we have already seen this year.  The Ring of Fire in particular has awakened from its slumber.  And there is every indication, according numerous volcanologists and seismologists around the world, that such seismic and volcanic activity will only intensify.
As the current Solar Maximum continues to unfold, such earth movements are all but guaranteed.  Unfortunately, few within the scientific establishment have acknowledged the true correlations between solar activity and cataclysmic earth movements.  Perhaps 2014 will remove all remaining doubt as the anticipated earth cataclysms begin in earnest.  Simply put, Mother Earth will be heard, and not just paid lip service as is so often done on the annual April 22nd EARTH DAY.
Regardless of what the immediate future holds in store for the world, April 2014 is set to release a variety of astrological triggers having far-reaching ramifications and great consequences. Even an armchair astrologer can plainly see the celestial setup which will generate corresponding events everywhere across the planet, not just throughout the entire Middle East, the Ukraine, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Myanmar, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Chad, etc., which we see on the evening news.
Of course, the Global Economic and Financial Control Matrix is especially vulnerable to the predicted calamities throughout that and other interconnected realms.  This is where the raw financial and economics physics graphically illustrate fast approaching breaking points.  The blatant suppression of the price of gold is a stark example of where the market controllers can no longer maintain the false illusion of order.  All the forces of the marketplace — both real and artificially fabricated — are now working at cross purposes with such intensity that “the man behind the curtain” will be exposed once and for all.
fiery_green_horse

2014: Chinese Year Of The Wood Horse Forges World Destiny 

The Chinese Year of the Green Wood Horse began on January 31st of 2014. Imagine a wild horse blazing across the landscape with the wind at its back.  Now, picture the many “horses” that were let loose across the planet in 2013, as well as during the previous decade since 9/11.  Each hemisphere and region, every continent and nation throughout the world has experienced it’s own version of a buckin’ bronco on steroids — breaking out of the rodeo pit — since the Crash of ’08. Now we see just where this “Wood Horse” will run to in a year that guarantees the most profound and fundamental changes of the modern era.
The FOUR HORSEMEN Herald the Death Knell of Predatory Capitalism
It is now April and the most intense and consequential astrology of the year will occur during the second half of this month.  It is not just the various alignments, squares, eclipses, transits and retrogrades involving the most volatile planets and significant luminaries; it’s the overlapping of these celestial events within an extraordinarily tight time frame and at this critical junction point which truly matters.  It’s as though the Universe chose April month to show us that astrology REALLY works.  If you’ve balked at its awesome power of prediction, prognostication and prophecy in the past, you won’t anymore.
Here’s just a glimpse of what April has in store for every resident of Planet Earth.  Take a close look now, as you may not have the time to later while the “War of the Titans” starts to cranks up into a heavenly crescendo.  It’s already begun to break out into the open, but most are too preoccupied with life and distracted by the MSM to take notice of the expanding battleground all around them.  However, for the first time in the modern era there are a good number of earthly inhabitants who are aware of the true status of things.Each one of them is challenged to holding space and biding time for the rest of humanity, most of whom very much need this crucial support at this defining moment of human history.
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*“Under the sidereal zodiac, the sun currently transits Aries from 15 April to 15 May.
Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this constellation between March 21 and April 20 each year.” (Source: Wikipedia – Aries astrology)
Exactly what alignments and transits occur during April?
April 20th thru April 23rd: Four Days of Supreme Intensity!
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  • 4/15. Full Lunar Eclipse aka a ‘Blood Moon’ (4 consecutive Blood Moons throughout 2014 and 2015)
  • 4/20. Easter Sunday (Roman Catholic & Eastern Orthodox)
  • 4/20. Uranus squares Jupiter
  • 4/20. Pluto opposes Jupiter
  • 4/20. T-square peaks: Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto
  • 4/21. Uranus-Pluto square (#5 of 7)
  • 4/21. Grand Trine peaks: Venus-Jupiter-Saturn
  • 4/22. Jupiter squares Mars
  • 4/22. GRAND CROSS PEAKS: MARS-JUPITER-URANUS-PLUTO (2014′s most powerful astrological event!)
  • 4/23. Uranus opposes Mars
  • 4/23. Pluto square Mars
  • 4/23. T-square peaks: Mars-Uranus-Pluto
  • 4/27. Canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II
  • 4/29. Solar Eclipse (Annular)
Source: AstroShaman.com
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Although the preceding list of major astrological events commences on April 15, some of their effects have already been felt quite intensely since December of 2013.  In fact an accurate understanding of these heavenly happenings clearly illustrates what many of us have been experiencing in our lives, especially the buildup of tension both within and without.  Who among us has not witnessed the extremely “interesting times” that have been manifesting across the planet 24/7?!
Notice how the four days of “Supreme Intensity” are bookended by a full lunar eclipse and annular solar eclipse.  There’s actually a lot of other things to notice, but the arcana of planetary astrology analysis is far beyond the scope of this essay.  However, even the uninitiated ought to be able to glean from all the “peaks”, “squares” and “opposes” that something quite serious is taking place in the skies above us.  And since we all know that “As in Heaven, so on Earth”, and “As above, so below”, there must be something really big that’s getting ready to pop on this little clod of rotating earth.
Here’s how one well respected astrologer put it:
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It’s very important to note that such monumental changes can only occur when there is sufficient momentum of the collective consciousness moving in the right direction.  A critical mass of souls, whose expanded awareness has coalesced around these epochal changes, is what will make them happen.  Therefore, even though we expect big things to happen on the outside, it is always on the inside where the real work is getting done. Sometimes we know it, sometimes we don’t.  It all depends on our unique areas of need. As long as we avail ourselves to the upcoming transformational process — which will surely come — in earnest and with resolve, all heaven can, and will, break loose.
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Cardinal Grand Cross Sets The Stage For The Greatest Show On Earth
Can it be a coincidence that this cardinal Grand Cross peaks on Earth Day, April 22nd?
Clearly, Mother Earth is sending a message to her many residents that the times are now a changin’ whether you’re ready or not.  In the geopolitical theatre of life this has become quite evident by the recent tensions centered in the Ukraine.  This nation has become the new focal point of profound conflict between East and West.  This is where the War of the Titans will be played out for the foreseeable future.
Unlike past conflicts of this nature, it will unfold on a geopolitical chessboard of truly epic and unparalleled proportions.  Neither East nor West can afford the wholesale destruction which always accompanies full scale war.  Nor can they effectively manage the economic disruptions, political chaos, and societal mayhem which will surely result.  The world is a lot more complex and interconnected than it was during the first two world wars.  This ongoing world war has been taking place in the boardrooms, between the central banks and throughout the major national economies around the globe.
Germany’s complete domination of the European Union is just one example of how this silent war has evolved with only very few knowing it was taking place.  The slow-motion dissolution of the U$ petrodollar is another example of the diminished stature of the American superpower occurring under the radar.  The quiet formation of the BRICS economic union is a particularly significant development of how the East intends to disarm the West.  Clearly the inexorable collapse of the US dollar in tandem with the ongoing meltdown of the PIIGS nations signal a ‘new world order’ the likes of which will surely humble all concerned.
Cardinal Points of the Grand Cross Tell the Future Story of Humankind 
It is the cardinal points on the wheel of astrology which serve as the gateway for so much change which has occurred over millennia.  The past century has displayed a meteoric pace of societal transformation unmatched over the past 6000 years.  This dramatically accelerated pace is reflected in the final two creation cycles of the Mayan Long Count Calendar, which is said to end in the years surrounding 2012.  Because of the exponential increase in technological advancement, the rate of change will continue to speed up ad infinitum, unless the breaks are put on by outside cosmic forces.
Astrological portents such as a cardinal Grand Cross may augur a break in the action.  It might also indicate a shift from the rapidity and intensity of daily events which have come to overwhelm our lifestyle.  Some might look at it as a momentary crucifixion in this plane of existence in which the veil of Maya is torn, thus providing a respite from so many needless cares and concerns.  In this way, space is created for yogic detachment and dispassion to prevail as we face life’s adversities.
Ultimately, each one of us is compelled to closely study the ways in which we are able to work with this cosmic gift of 2014.  To fully cooperate with the palpable and benevolent energies, which suffuse the current reprieve and period of awakening, is the very least we can do.  When the shower of grace which is about to be unleashed from the heavens falls upon us, bask in the sacred light and divine love .  Consciously bath in the sublime elixir and release any dross that prevents the highest from being seen and experienced.  In this way each of us can participate in the upcoming Greatest Show on Earth so that all heaven can finally break loose.
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Source: Astrostyle.com
How can a single cardinal Grand Cross following Easter Sunday both trigger and accelerate so many momentous changes around the world?
Astrology is a very complex, subtle and powerful science and art.  When properly applied to this earth plane of existence, it will accurately reveal the destiny of individuals and nations alike with uncanny precision. The larger the context, the easier it is to use this infallible discipline to predict and presage.  Because there is so much evidence stacking up across the planet in favor of an unprecedented release of historic tensions, it’s now quite easy to see where all this is going.
In the lexicon  of astrology there is a well-known term — C O M B U S T I O N.  This concept is often applied to situations where a relationship is about to combust.  It can also relate to a job that is ending as in getting fired or quitting in disgust.  When something is combusting, the circumstances are conspiring in such a way so as to guarantee its termination and/or destruction, and often in a rather dramatic way. Perhaps the irrepressible and inimitable Mickey Rooney chose to make his passage this month of Aries in order to secure a box office heavenly seat for the screening of the upcoming Greatest Show on Earth… because a LOT is about to combust!
GSOE Globe
Welcome to April of 2014 – the month of the already combustible and martian Aries. Can the stage be set any more perfectly as Aries hosts a cardinal Grand Cross on April 22? The cross is a symbol worth taking a much closer look at.  In Christology, the Cross has multiple meanings both extremely profound and elegantly spiritual.  One of those reflects the person of Christ having been crucified in the space-time continuum so that the impure ego of humanity could be transmuted to the pure ego of divinity.  The real crucifixion was actually one of annihilation of the small ego, not the body, so that the divine personage could gloriously emerge.
“The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and has been used by many religions, most notably Christianity. It may be seen as a division of the world into four elements (Chevalier, 1997) or cardinal points, or alternately as the union of the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line (Koch, 1955).”
(Source: Wikipedia – Cross)

In this particular context, the vertical line of the Cross reflects divinity; the horizontal line reflects the world.  Each and every human being is ultimately challenged to submit him or herself to the very same spiritual crucifixion within the space-time continuum known as Planet Earth.  This transmutation is one of spirit first; then, the transfiguration of the body will naturally follow.  Through the disciplined utilization of the rarefied coiled energy that lies at the base of the spine of every human being, each person is equipped to embark on the same spiritual journey as the Christ, the Buddha, the Prophet Muhammad, Lao-Tze, Confucius, Moses, Krishna, Rama, etc.
Which brings us to the extremely powerful and unprecedented cardinal Grand Cross occurring in the month of Aries right after the symbolic crucifixion of Good Friday and resurrection of the spirit on Easter Sunday.  All of Christendom has been conditioned by dogmatic churchianity to receive specific messages over centuries of mind control programming.  However, the much greater divine blueprint would have it another way. Christians worldwide have also been imprinted by impressive archetypal memes, and encoded through cultural memory with the universal truths, which are soon to be revealed and activated.  So, too, have the practitioners of all the world’s major religions. The Judeo-Christian-Islamic monotheistic faiths are but one mosaic created by the very same threads, regardless that many might be reluctant to admit it.
The Southern Cross = Crux Constellation = Sign of Spring & Rebirth
There is another astronomical phenomenon that appears brightly in the Spring season, especially throughout the Southern Hemisphere.  The Crux Constellation, also know as the Southern Cross, is vividly seen the closer one moves to the equator from the Northern Hemisphere.  It is only visible beginning in April and can be seen until June each year south of the equator.
This constellation appears in the form of a cross and is constituted by four bright stars, each of which have great significance for those initiated in occult astrology.  There is another very conspicuous but less bright fifth star on the cross which is located on the lower right side of the constellation.  Some have suggested the analogy to the piercing of the heart chakra of the body of Christ as it was lanced by the Spear of Destiny, also known as the Holy Spear of Longinus.
The symbol of the cross as it appears as the Crux Constellation has given rise to may other profound meanings.  Pointing in the four cardinal directions, each represents the four elements of 4th Density.  The matrix of 4th density is constructed around the components of space – length, width, height and mass, as well as the notion of time making up the space-time continuum.  When the individual soul completes the spiritual journey, he or she has been forever emancipated from this space-time continuum in that they literally live in eternity.  Having merged with the Godhead, they live as divinity incarnate and are no longer bound by the concept of time.
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As East meets West in 2014, only a level playing field will be acceptable.
It is now common knowledge that it is the Judeo-Christian-Islamic dominated ethos which currently rules the mundane realm.  Both the Judeo-Christian US and EU (and NATO) hold great military and economic sway over the world.  The oil-rich Islamic nations have controlled the planet’s energy supply for many decades.  Together they have formed an uneasy alliance which is now fracturing beyond repair.  The BRICS nations represent those strong countries of the East which are pulling that alliance apart, regardless of the relentless intimidation and threats of retaliation by the US, NATO and the EU.
Here we see the stealthy and shadowless China, proud and spiritually powerful India, liberated (from European influence) South Africa, and emancipated (from NSA) Brazil forming an unprecedented “coalition of the courageous” with indomitable Russia.  Of course, in Russia we also see a nation where East literally meets West, serving as both a bridge and battleground by which Western hegemony will finally be obliterated.  It is only the Russian bear which has been given sufficient strength to stand up to both the transparent and hidden forces propping up Western Civilization.  Not only does their arsenal of nuclear weapons confer this power upon them, they also possess a LOT of oil and gas reserves.  More importantly, they know how to play chess very well — geopolitical chess, that is, unlike very few minds do from the Anglo-American side.
Because they have re-embraced their true Christian roots and genuine practice, Russia has been deputized to lead the planetary revolution that has already begun. Not only do they understand the Anglo-American mindset, they have mastered the art of war without even firing a shot.  The Russian steppe has forged the minds of this great people over millennia into philosophers first, actors second.  When they do decide to act, it is based on the reality perceived through their uniquely Western outlook, as well as the detachment and dispassion which has been cultivated from their exposure to Eastern spirituality.
At the end of the day, Obama — the mindless talking head, empty suit and pawn of the ruling Western elites — will be wrestling with Putin, a Zen master with the body of a bear who practices yoga while performing judo on a geopolitical chessboard.  Yes, it’s not going to be a pretty picture for Obama and Company.  And the Ukraine is where the final match is most likely to be played out.   Needless to say, it is highly advisable that everyone liquidate their stocks and bonds ahead of the 2nd Great Crash of the Millennium which has apparently just begun.
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Given the various gauntlets that have already been thrown down and numerous ultimatums issued by the Anglo-American juggernaut and its proxies, it is now clear April 2014  is the Kali Yuga’s version of the battle of Kurukshetra.  For those who do not know, that battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas during the transition from the Copper Age to the current Iron Age left an entire civilization destroyed and desolate as a sign of what would occur routinely throughout the Kali Yuga.
Changes?  What changes? And just who are the Four Horsemen?
First off, most do not know that the world has been in the throes of a deep economic depression since the real estate market collapse of 2007 and stock market crash of 2008. Can you believe the governments, in tandem with the mainstream media (MSM), have been able to keep the true state of affairs out of the headlines?  Of course there those few economists who are not beholden to any particular political party or corporate sponsor or partisan think tank who do speak the truth every now and then.  As follows:
“Why the FOUR HORSEMEN and just who, or what, are they?  The FourHorsemen of the Apocalypse quite aptly resembles the forces that have already been “let loose upon the land”.  The consequences, and aftermath, of what will be left in their wake are listed below, and the challenges and adversities that will accompany each of them will last through this entire decade baring deus ex machina.
I.  ECONOMIC ARMAGEDDON
II. FINANCIAL APOCALYPSE
III.  MONETARY MELTDOWN
IV.  FISCAL COLLAPSE
The hooves of these FOUR HORSEMEN will be felt in every corner of the globe, as each of them knows no boundaries and has been empowered to act with complete impunity.  They know neither rich nor poor, neither strong nor weak, neither clever nor dull.  The HORSEMEN will spare nothing, and no one, in their zeal to completely level a multi-millennia old system that has brought so much pain and suffering, wreck and ruin, trial and tribulation, to the masses of the world.  Every continent, nation, state and province, city and county, village and town will be profoundly affected and fundamentally altered … forever.”
(Source: StateoftheNation2012.com)

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Martian Energy Of April/Aries Is Often Used By Illuminati Planners, NWO Plotters and CIA Perpetraitors
It stands to reason that those who sit at the peak of the pinnacle of the World Shadow Government would use the ‘Aryan’ energies of April/Aries to execute their plans to control and dominate the entire earth plane.  Simply put, it’s what they were born to do. The Aryan race, after all, is hardwired to conquer and control wherever they go.  That’s why, compared to the other four major races (Black, Yellow, Red, and Brown), they are responsible for most of the discovering and colonizing, conquering and controlling.
True to form, as the world evolved into a much more complex place, so has their war-mongering through false flag operations and other provocative and furtive implementation plans.   All of their false pretexts are conjured up as a prelude to wars and conflicts designed to steal the land and resources of others.  Toward that end, many of their plots and intrigues, schemes and stratagems are scheduled during the time of the year in which they will experience the greatest likelihood of success.
Welcome to the month of April!
But … the beginning of Spring and burgeoning of life everywhere north of the equator is a time of rebirth and new growth, warmth and sunlight replacing the long cold Winter. Why do TPTB use this special time of the year to start and wage wars around the globe? For them, war is their creation.  They are at their best when sowing seeds of conflict so that they can create order out of the ensuing chaos.  Hasn’t this been their MO for millennia?

“ORDO AB CHAO” = Order out of Chaos

Their most ‘creative’ phase of the calendar year has traditionally been between the Vernal Equinox (March 21) and the end of April.  Their version of Spring fever somehow affects them in such a way that they intensify all their efforts to bring about a meticulously planned New World Order.  In the midst of their yearly delirious fever they attempt to impose a tyrannical order out of the carnage and mayhem which is produced by their manufactured wars and conflicts, engineered riots and revolutions, and fabricated protests and skirmishes.
US-Directed Regime Change In The Ukraine Guaranteed To Provoke Russian Fury
“Were the staged sniper attacks in Kiev another CIA false flag operation?”


Here’s a short list of significant events and their dates which have occurred in April over the past many decades.  Pay particularly close attention to those events which occurred between April 15th and 25th.  Each of these events was carefully planned and deliberately scheduled during the month of April by the Illuminati overlords who gain astrological advantage by the chaos and confusion, strife and conflict that always ensues.  Therefore, a useful contemplation would be to consider what changes occurred in the wakes of these various trigger events. “Problem — Reaction — Solution“, also known as the Hegelian Dialectic, is an appropriate lens through which to view the relevant history.
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Just how BIG will April 2014 be in the grand sweep of history?
The way astrology ought to be understood is through the many gross and subtle forces and influences which deeply effect Planet Earth and especially every human being.  Just one of the ways in which these effects are felt is through the agency of the planets, stars and major luminaries.  Particularly through the seeding of planetary, stellar, cometary and asteroidal energies throughout the earth plane of existence, does humanity fall under the spell of the gods and goddesses.  For example, even though Comet ISON has come and gone, it’s presence is still very much with us in the form of the cosmic dust (aka comet dust) which was formed upon its breaking up near perihelion.
The next important understanding is that these energies, after being seeded, can germinate and sprout at any time.  Whereas April 22nd (Earth Day) may turn out to be the next 4th of July, it may also prove to be just another day.  Nonetheless, because of what is transpiring in the heavens on that day, it WILL eventually have profound impact on the world and its people.  There can be no doubt that April 2014 will set the stage for an astonishing unfoldment of events, changes and other eventualities affecting all of mankind.
With the exception of the obvious dramas that are outworking in real time in places like the Ukraine, even the best astrologers among us would be hard pressed to predict the what, when and where.  Even if nothing of great import does happen this April, it could end up being a May Day that we all witness as what many might construe as divine intervention.  At the same time, being cognizant of the notion that the anticipated May Day celebration may very well occur in 2015, 2017, or 2023, not 2014.
This demonstrates how astrology is very similar to the mysterious ways of karma and destiny.  You know the seeds of samskara are there ready to sprout at any time, you just don’t know the time and the place.  For very good reason, by the way, as most of us would never show up if we knew what we were walking into.  Remember, 99% of what really matters in life is just showing up.
Lord Vishnu is one of three aspects of the Hindu Trinity who is responsible for maintaining the Universe.
The Most Important Prophecy Of Our Time
Honestly, the way this little game really works in the world of men can be summed up as follows:  The stars, planets and major luminaries do exert prodigious influences on the affairs of humankind.  Destiny, as they say, can always be found in the stars (and planets), but only by those who can properly read them.  In Vedic astrology each of the planets is known to be a planetary embodiment of the great God, Lord Vishnu.  In fact every planet in our Solar System is understood to be a personification, or rather planetification, of the various major incarnations of Lord Vishnu.  For example, Lord Krishna correlates with the Moon, Lord Rama with the Sun, and Lord Buddha with Mercury.  What follows is the entire list of the 10 major incarnations of Lord Vishnu and his planetary counterparts.
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The tenth and final incarnation of Lord Vishnu is Lord Kalki.  His coming in the last century marks the end of the Kali Yuga and closing of the Iron Age.  Hence, we see all types of end time prophecy abound.  There is particular interest in Planet X, sometimes called the 10th Planet or Hercolubus.  Such a planet-comet would be an apt representation of Lord Kalki since His mission, as represented by the Hindu scriptures is to bring about an end to the ignorance that prevails during the Kali Yuga.  That’s exactly what He did.
Lord Kalki: His Appearance Signifies the End of the Kali Yuga
What all of these recent developments really say about the true status of the planetary civilization is that we are now a minute to midnight.  No, we are closer to midnight than that, perhaps only seconds away from the ending of the expansive 6000 year era known as the Age of Quarrel. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, most do not even have a clue, since Maya always intensifies toward the end of every Kali Yuga. It has to be this way.  Otherwise, very few would ever get out of bed in the morning to face the brutal realities.  And so it is during the upcoming grand finale of the current age.
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The Kali Yuga Always Ends The Same Way
For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, please know that the current pandemic of ignorance and arrogance is quite purposeful.  It is induced — by the Universe itself — for the protection of the masses so that their ignorance has become bliss.  The bliss that comes with not knowing the grim realities which abound everywhere one looks.[1]  How else can so many face the rapidly devolving state of affairs manifesting worldwide?
Likewise, it is only for the ultimate benefit of the controllers that their arrogance has become so unfathomable and intractable.  Difficult though it may be to understand, they have an integral part to play in this cosmic drama.  Someone always has to play the bad guy, you know.  Perhaps the time has come to show our understanding, and maybe even some appreciation, to those crazies who are running the insane asylum for putting on such a convincing show.[2]
With that acknowledged, many can now get on with the much more important business of getting their own very personal affairs in order.  By affairs it is understood to be that which ought to be in good order before our physical death.  For it is said that life is really just a preparation for death.  The better our death (one with an abiding enlightened awareness) is on the most spiritual level, the greater the likelihood that we will enjoy wherever we’re going next.
In fact, in the Eastern spiritual traditions, death is not only a doorway to a much freer and unencumbered existence, it also can present an opportunity to become liberated from the cycle of birth and death.  Our state of being, especially the purity of our mind and heart, will be instrumental in determining the next loka or plane of existence on which we find ourselves.
Therefore, it is really a great time to take good care of all that truly matters.  Protection of our mind and continual clearing of our psychic space has never been so critical.  Not only will regular detoxification of both spirit and matter guarantee our fitness to engage what is soon to come upon us, it will also potentially free us from the transmigration of souls that every individual ultimately seeks.  When one makes That the final and fullest desire, the next incarnation will conform itself to that noble and sublime wish.
Conclusion:
No one ever said it was going to be easy.  No one ever thought it was going to be this long and difficult either.  For many folks who have been out of corporate, off the grid and under the radar for years, things seem to just keep dragging on, don’t they?  Especially in American society, which was once quite structured and ordered all the way to post retirement (aka death), there are unique and formidable challenges emerging that were never anticipated.
Living in the post-modern, information-saturated, internet-dominated culture, which now prevails everywhere, has placed extraordinary demands on all concerned.  For example, even the older Beat Generation and their younger Baby Boomer brothers and sisters are feeling the heat like never before, as they age and are prematurely kicked out of the job market.  Such a predicament is creating the necessary tension and conducive environment for planet-wide transformation.  One which will only occur under extreme stress(s).  How else do individuals and families, nations and states ever change except when forced to?
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Global Warming is not just affecting the weather, it also reflexes myriad effects everywhere and anywhere it must to ‘precipitate’ the needed shifts in consciousness. Were the human race to embrace a new attitude toward Mother Earth based on respect and reverence, this journey through the birth canal would be much less painful.  It has only been fraught with relentless adversities because of this slow-moving yet imperative metamorphosis of mind and matter.  Expand the awareness, expand the birth canal!
Only when the false ideals and artificial values, which took root at the onset of the now ubiquitous Consumer Society, are replaced with truly sustainable governing principles, will the momentum and direction shift in a more favorable and comfortable way.  When there are over 7 billion people partaking of the fruits of the Earth realm, how can it be any other way?
The end of every age brings unparalleled challenges and overwhelming obstacles.  As thisAge of Quarrel (aka the Kali Yuga) winds down, take heart that there will be plenty of opportunities to face the fears which have held us —  both individually and collectively –back for millennia.  Since the current downward spiral will only continue to proceed until humankind makes the mandatory breakthroughs (It’s always darkest right before the dawn, yes?), we can expect to view none other than The Greatest Show On Earth.
Regardless of whether the ‘show’ appears as comedy or tragedy, when we watch the Maya with yogic detachment, we remain unaffected.  Each reading of the morning news on the net then becomes what one author calls the “daily karma report”.  Take great consolation in the fact that your personal karma report has not gone viral on the internet.  And know that there is a lot of grace involved, when so many of us can learn vicariously through the very difficult lessons of many others, whose stories have gone prime time.
Truly, life on Planet Earth has never been so exciting, yet challenging.  Trials and tribulations, pain and suffering are to be found everywhere.  Therefore, it is easy to remain compassionate.  And even easier to be grateful for not only what we have been given, but also for what we have been spared.  It is said that a grateful heart never gets depressed.
Cosmic Convergence Research Group
Submitted: April 13, 2014
cosmicconvergence2012@gmail.com
distortedworld
Author’s Note:
The title – All Hell (And Heaven) Breaks Loose In 2014 — was rather obliquely discussed in this essay.  It is as loaded with innuendo and possibilities, as it is pregnant with anticipation and eventualities.  The “Hell” part is quite obvious; the “Heaven” not so easy to perceive or experience.  Herein lies the challenge which emerges at the end of every Kali Yuga.  Each person faces the outworking of their own karma and destiny. Nations have, in fact, been created to ensure that the collective destinies of millions are experienced in the right place and at the right time.
While we are quite unable to determine what happens to us, we can completely control how we face our destiny.  We can adopt any attitude to our liking.  Likewise, we can assume whatever posture we want to toward our destiny.  When we approach our karma with faith, courage and resolve, we enjoy our own slice of paradise.  When we confront the karma with fear, lack of faith and fickleness, we experience a very distressful mental and/or emotional predicament.  After all, both heaven and hell have often been referred to as states of mind and being, while we live in the human body.
On the macrocosmic level, the course of human evolution will surely dictate the future of mankind, as well as the fate of our planetary civilization.  Of course, the state of the collective consciousness is always reflected by the macro-trajectories that are forever manifesting with the evolution of society as a whole.  Thankfully, it only requires a critical mass of enlightened souls to shift those trajectories when they are in dire need of correction —> AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW ! ! !  
Finally, the future is never carved in stone as some scriptural prophecy would have us believe.  It is actually very fluid and dynamic, conforming to the hopes and wishes, prayers and intentions of the world’s populations.  Were they to enthusiastically coalesce around world peace, brotherhood and prosperity for all, things would change for the better … in a heartbeat.  Therefore, each of us is encouraged to hold intentions that serve the best possible outcomes for all.  In this way “All Heaven Just Might Break Loose In 2014”.
Best Advice:
There are many religious groups and yoga communities across the planet which have intentionally committed themselves to their spiritual practices during this month of April.  They possess the right knowledge that such challenging astrological periods are an excellent time to perform intensified sadhana (spiritual disciplines).  They therefore have redoubled their efforts of prayer, chanting, meditation, mantra repetition, selfless service, contemplation and hatha yoga during this amazingly transformative month.
At the same time they fully understand that it is not a good time to be staring at full lunar eclipses.  There will be four Blood Moons in a row over the next many months and the occlusion of the lunar energy is considered an inauspicious celestial event.  So why not work with it, instead of feeding it, by incessantly repeating your given mantra or special prayers.  Both solar and lunar eclipses provide great opportunities to advance on the spiritual path.  The upcoming astrological roller coaster stretch offers serious prospects of heightened self awareness, as well as liberating self-empowerment.
Screen Shot 2014-04-15 at 11.53.39 PM
Solar and Lunar Eclipses: Don’t Watch Them!
Total Lunar Eclipse: Why To Avoid Looking At It
Source: www.MichaelLutin.com
Endnotes:
[1] Can you imagine what the American “masses” would do if tomorrow the headlines finally portrayed some real facts about US history?  Surely the country would be plunged into such an uproar that the ensuing anarchy might not be too unlike the French Revolution mixed with the Spanish Inquisition.
Consider what would happen in New York City or Washington DC if both the NYT and WashPo carried the following headlines:
9/11: The Ultimate Inside Job And False Flag Operation
9/11 Commission Report: The Most Ridiculous Conspiracy Theory Of All Time
What would occur in Dallas and DC were these articles to appear above the fold with pictures?
JFK Assassination: Classic CIA Execution Plan

Warren Commission Report: The Most Absurd Investigation In US History
Lastly, could the nation even withstand such politically incorrect and inconvenient truth as categorically represented by the following exposés?
Obama Birth Certificate: Confirmed Forgery According To Top Experts
“Universe-Shattering Evidence” Re: Obama Criminal Investigation To Be Announced By Cold Case Posse
[2] As for the Illuminati controllers who currently function as the “Masters of their Universe“, these two essays illuminate the workings of their mindset.  Otherwise, their actions and intentions remain beyond comprehension.
Why does the World Shadow Government destroy its own home (planet)?
The BIGGEST Coverup in USA History
Required Reading:
AWESOME Earth Changes Coming Around The Corner
The ORACLES of Ardra | Cosmic Convergence
NIBIRU: The Greatest Mystery Of Our Age
Recommended Reading:
Positive Lightning Strikes Intensify As Cosmic Rays Increase
How is the SUN triggering many earth changes?
Global Population Explosion Marks the End of the Iron Age
The Final Battle of the Iron Age: Caretakers vs. the Takers


Editor’s Note:
The Cosmic Convergence Research Group always tries to focus on the positive.  At the same time we strive to portray the worldwide state of affairs as accurately as possible. Therefore, we have saved this reality check from a well respected Vedic astrologer for last.
Screen Shot 2014-04-15 at 11.39.46 PM
© 2014 Cosmic Convergence: 2012 and Beyond

Permission is granted to post this essay as long as it is linked back to the following url:
Global Transformation Accelerates: Multiple Astrological Triggers Pulled In April 2014

Neil Keenan Update: Keeping the Fox Out of the Hen House & the Rothschilds Go Into Hiding [video]

Neil Keenan Update: Keeping the Fox Out of the Hen House & the Rothschilds Go Into Hiding [video]


It sounds like there are many converging plans to shut down the New World Order. Now if we could just fastforward the clock a little… but we shall see what the pinnacle of the Cardinal Grand Cross alignment brings us today.  ~ BP

April 23, 2014
By The Keenan Team
Little is known what to expect from Neil Keenan. Just when you think you have him pegged, he turns it around, letting you know that you have no idea what he is actually thinking.
Once you let the fox in the hen house only bad things can happen. He brings to our attention the fact that Obama is flying to Asia only to upset the political structure and relationships between the Chinese and the Asiatic allied members of the U.S.   Obama is filling their heads with promises of support and finance (“we will never desert you”) when in fact the US has been deserting everyone that they have pledged to defend.
With the proposed NO FLY ZONE, Neil delivers the idea that in the near future Obama and his cronies will have to enter through the back door, Japan, which means flying over the Pacific Ocean rather than Europe. Their quest to poison Asia is still on the table, but it cannot be accomplished without encountering serious dangers that they never expected.  Who in this world ever expected Neil Keenan to propose a NO FLY ZONE to the Russians, Chinese, Dragon Family and many others in order to eliminate from our world the poisons, death and destruction that we are now suffering from?
In point of fact, a NO FLY ZONE makes perfect sense when we look at everything happening around us. If the fox does not get into the Asiatic and Russian hen houses, then we can safely predict that their efforts to create a New World Order will be in vain. This is precisely where Neil and his team will be working with sure and swift efficiency – the No-Fly documents are being finalized now.
This is a new time – a new world!  Let us take action to conquer these evils so that we can take back our world. And only by taking real action can we ever achieve this.
Featured in this post:
  • The atrocities happening in Donetsk, Ukraine which are not being reported by any media.
  • A question posed: where are the Rothschilds hiding? Putin has put the fear of the “lord” into the Rothschilds, and rightfully so seeing that even their devils cannot help them anymore.
  • Neil announces that our team has now been joined by extremely powerful new allies from the West, all the more assurance that our efforts will be successful.
This update is let you know what is happening and give you a taste of what’s to come.
Source

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WAS HARRY REID CUTING A DEAL WITH CHINA TO GRAB LAND TO COVER NON COLLATERALIZED CDO'S? SECURITY EXCHANGE COMMISSION-CDO'S, HARRY REID, CHINA

WAS HARRY REID CUTING A DEAL WITH CHINA TO GRAB LAND TO COVER NON COLLATERALIZED CDO'S? SECURITY EXCHANGE COMMISSION-CDO'S, HARRY REID, CHINA
It is believed; NONE of this would never been exposed had the duly constituted, outstanding, primary creditor not challenged J.P. MORGANS COLLATERAL BASE.
 http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2013/10/425250.shtml

(NON COLLATERALIZED "CDO'S)
BOGUS GOLD DERIVATIVES/INSTRUMENTS
and
PENDING U.S. BANKING & FINANCIAL CRASH

By V.K. Durham
2/16/03

http://www.theantechamber.net/V_K_Durham/BogusGoldDeriv.html

To: Chuck Grassley ; William_Anderson@grassley.senate.gov ; Jack McCreery (SEC); Arnie Gammelsgarrd (Bank Fraud Division DK)

U.S. Senator Charles E. Grassley, Former Chairman, U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Present American Judiciary Washington, District of Columbia Federal Offices and Sioux City Iowa Federal Offices
REF: NO NATION. NO NATIONS PEOPLE, NO PERSON, NO INDIVIDUAL "SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FRAUDULENT ACTS COMMITTED BY OTHERS AGAINST THEIR PROPERTIES WITHOUT THEIR "AUTHORIZATION.

"Ref: NON PERFORMING BOGUS BONUS 3392-181 GOLD DERIVATIVES/INSTRUMENTS and

PENDING U.S. BANKING & FINANCIAL CRASH also known as "BANKRUPTCY" of the United States of America.

Ref: JOHN N. PERRY vs THE UNITED STATES DEBT. 294 U.S. 330.


 Was Harry Reid cutting a deal with China with the NEVADA Gold, Silver, Platinum, Iridium, Beridium etc deposits to cover non authorized COLLATERALIZED US DEBT OBLIGATIONS amounting to 1/2 of
$206, 858,581,465,280,000,000.00 due and payable in Gold, Gold Coin, Gold Bullion and/or Coin of the Realm?
Senator Grassley:

The United States of America and ALL DEBTOR NATIONS owe to this DURHAM (INTL. LTD) HOLDING TRUST (TIAS 12087); The amount calculated, notarized and of record with the U.S. Bureau of Public Debt, U.S. Dept. of the Treasury, U.S. Security Exchange Commission the amount calculated as due and payable in gold, gold coin, gold bullion and/or coin of the realm, calculated from May 1, 1875 to May 1, 1990,
$206, 858,581,465,280,000,000.00 including all compoundings and accruals since the first calculations.

For some unknown reason, instead of Debt Payment by the United States to this DURHAM (INTL. LTD;) HOLDING TRUST (TIAS 12087) persons in the capacity of financial management and Payment of Debt's of the United States found it more expedient to UNLAWFULLY and DECEPTIVELY use, by UNAUTHORIZED CONVERSION the COLLATERAL GOLD INTEREST accrued, owned by THE DURHAM (INTL. LTD;) HOLDING TRUST (TIAS 12087) for the purpose of A BANKING & FINANCIAL WAR which, this nation is presently confronted, as her debt to these "parties" illegally and unlawfully using the BOGUS GOLD DERIVATIVES-INSTRUMENTS known as the U.S. Federal Reserve Banking System put under the U.S. DEPT. OF THE TREASURY "UNCONSTITUTIONALLY" by President William J. Clinton in 1994 to conceal the 1991 BRADY BONDS FRAUDS(Click) and the BANKING FAILURES brought about by that particular incident which involved NICHOLAS BRADY and (Sir) ALAN GREENSPAN.

In conformance with 28 U.S.C. EVIDENCE RULES; Documents provided to your Federal Offices which is and was, Hard, Irrefutable, Undeniable Evidence of ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY by parties/persons currently in "Agreement with the Federal Reserve to split 50%-50% all monies taken down on BONUS 3392-181 who now sit in the Philippines awaiting "Instructions from the Fed. R./UST as to when to bring the gold home."
vox
Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The SEC's just been caught colluding with the banks it's supposed to regulate

Updated by Matthew Yglesias on April 11, 2014, 12:30 p.m. ET @mattyglesias matt@vox.com
Reuters finance blogger Felix Salmon had a post earlier this week headlined "Yes, the SEC was colluding with banks on CDO prosecutions." This ought to be huge news. The Securities and Exchange Commission is one of the main agencies that's supposed to be regulating Wall Street. But they've been essentially caught red handed working together with Goldman Sachs to make it look like Goldman was paying a huge fine when really they're paying a small one. Sadly, though, the story probably won't get much attention from the general public because the CDO prosecution issue is a little obscure and it hasn't really been in the news for years.
But people ought to understand this story. It's a very big deal not so much because the case was all that important, but because it speaks directly to the question of whether or not our government institutions have the will and ability to regulate the financial sector.

What's a CDO?

CDO stands for collateralized debt obligation.
To understand what that means, start with something simple like a mortgage or an auto loan. The good news for a lender is that he earns a profit — the interest rate — on the money leant out. The bad news is that the borrower may default.
So now imagine you had ten roughly similar loans. A person who owned-one tenth of each of those loans would earn the same interest rate as someone who owned a single loan, but the odds of all ten loans defaulting simultaneously are low. A package that consisted of one-tenth of ten separate loans would be a very simple form of collateralized debt obligation.
The same principle can be applied, however, to create very complicated securities. Investment banks did a lot of this during the pre-crisis years, and belief that these securities were very safe fueled a lot of lending activity. read more!  http://www.vox.com/2014/4/11/5602188/the-secs-just-been-caught-colluding-with-the-banks-its-supposed-to

Indicted Businessman Names Harry Reid as Alleged Recipient of Massive Bribe

Joint Session Of Congress Counts Electoral College Votes In 2012 Pres. Election

A Utah businessman is rocking both state and national politics after claiming Utah Attorney General John Swallow helped him broker a deal with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to make a federal investigation into his company quietly disappear, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Jeremy Johnson was allegedly told that the price would be $600,000, and claims to have made an initial payment of $250,000 when he was slapped with a federal lawsuit.  Now he says he wants his money back.

The Salt Lake Tribune points out that Johnson has no way of knowing whether the funds actually made it to Reid, even if he did make a massive payment to Reid’s alleged intermediary.

Senator Harry Reid’s office has declined to comment.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/12/indicted-businessman-names-harry-reid-as-alleged-recipient-of-massive-bribe/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=story&utm_campaign=ShareButtons

Cobra Update

I have a new update on my blog. Please post it on your blogs and share it if you feel so guided:

Victory of the Light,

Cobra

FACT CHECK #118

FACT CHECK #118

How Will You Pay It Forward?

Greetings, and Happy Easter!
It’s time for a little diversion from the usual.

I know that the waiting game it not easy. For some, like those in prosperity programs, which were offered in the 1990′s and through 2002, it has been over a decade of mystery, with little in the way of proper information that is rooted in official fanfare.

The currency issues, such as the dinar and dong, and whatever other 18 currencies are slated to revalue, takes center stage by virtue of the number of those involved. No further explanation is required from us as to the sheer width and breadth of the emotional ranges that all of you have experienced with this particular piece of the equation. From a penny to $32, and every number in between, we have been subjected to so many opinions and theories that even Buckminster Fuller would have been staggered to understand it.

Then, there are the CMKX shareholders. Within their ranks are some of the most scorned. You hear some of the most devilish, blood-curdling blasphemy from that quarter of the ranks. If a lynch mob is ever formed by the disgruntled, a CMKX shareholder is sure to be the one to fashion the noose. But, given what was done to them, when all they did was invest funds in what they thought was a properly regulated share offering, they certainly have cause to be angry. The affair was so broad and scandalous that CMKX is on the lists for WGS settlement.  Good for them, and I hope it happens soon.

We call this blog “White Hat Auxiliary” because we are convinced beyond all doubt that the White Hats are holding the point, and we are there to back them up on the “civilian” level. They are involved, and, they are properly positioned to carry the matter to conclusion. All categories above: Prosperity Programs, Currency Revaluations, CMKX, are riding on the release of the World Global Settlements. The White Hats and some 1800 people the world over are  working hard to bring this to a finality. But, it does not end there. Fact Check #115 was key to all of you being properly set up and able to make a difference and not fall into the trap of reverting back into whatever non optimum financial condition you sought to alleviate by participating in the aforementioned programs and speculations. 

A while back, one of our members suggested that we start a thread so that all of you could describe how you intend to pay it forward once this matter is set loose. Our White Hat contact agreed that such would be a good idea. So, now you have a thread to describe such!

Now, please do not just write “I have projects”. Projects? That does not describe the matter in enough detail. Please be specific. 
An example would be: “I intend to fund a local college program to teach students how to increase the agricultural yield”. Then, describe why such is your passion, and why it is vital.

Or, as another example: ” I am going to lobby to remove all laws that restrict doctors from using so-called “alternative treatments” on patients who elect to use such methods to treat their diseases. I want medical doctors to be free to apply such methods in the USA, as they do in other nations, but under supervision of peer review, and without resistance from big pharma because of concern for loss of profit.”

And another example: “I am going to donate my newly acquired free time to volunteer as….”a teacher”….”a lawyer defending poor persons”…….”a pilot delivering food to disaster areas”……”a contractor  teaching less advantaged how to build homes, and fund their first effort.” Etc.

The choices are endless, and I could not possibly cover them all.

Let’s show the White Hats, and their many colleagues, working on our behalf, that we intend to make good use of this second chance to have the fruits of our nation returned to OUR control. Just how will we demonstrate the stewardship that will be bestowed on our shoulders? How will we nurture and protect our country and communities, and likewise set a good example?

So, let’s hear it! How will YOU pay it forward?

Our continuing thanks goes out to the White Hats and their colleagues and staff the world over.
Thank you for your continued support. Please stay tuned for further updates.
WHA
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Taxpayers Subsidize Walmart and America's Richest Family to the Tune of $7.8 Billion Annually

Taxpayers Subsidize Walmart and America's Richest Family to the Tune of $7.8 Billion Annually

A new report from Americans for Tax Fairness shows that taxpayers in the United States subsidize Walmart and the Walton family, who owns the majority of Walmart stock and is the richest family in the country, by at least $7.8 billion annually. The report, Walmart on Tax Day: How Taxpayers Subsidize America's Biggest Employer and Richest Family, was released in conjunction with tax day, when millions of Americans and small businesses do their civic duty and pay their fair share to support the economy and services critical to many Americans. At the same time, the report shows, taxpayers help pad Walmart and the Walton family's profits.
The report makes it very clear that not only do Walmart and the Waltons not need these subsidies, but that the company could more than afford to raise salaries and improve benefits for their workers, more than half of whom made less than $25,000 last year:
Walmart is the largest private employer in the United States, with 1.4 million employees. The company, which is number one on the Fortune 500 in 2013 and number two on the Global 500, had $16 billion in profits last year on revenues of $473 billion. The Walton family, who owns more than 50 percent of Walmart shares, reaps billions in annual dividends from the company. The six Walton heirs are the wealthiest family in America, with a net worth of $148.8 billion. Collectively, these six Waltons have more wealth than 49 million American families combined.
>>
 
The tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies that Walmart gets, more than $7.8 billion every year, are enough to hire 105,000 new public school teachers, notes Americans for Tax Fairness. An estimated $6.2 billion of that money comes from food stamps, health care and other taxpayer-funded programs that Walmart employees are eligible for because their salaries are so low. Another $1 billion is derived from tax breaks and loopholes Walmart uses to avoid paying its full tax burden. The Walton family avoided paying an estimated $607 million because much of their compensation is derived from dividends, which are taxed at a lower rate than salaries. Other tax avoidance methods Walmart engages in comes from economic development subsidies from state and local governments.
Furthermore, the report estimates that the Walton family avoids paying another $3 billion in taxes by dodging estate taxes. Taxpayer funds further benefit the company from customers who don't work for the corporation but spend food stamp money there, with an estimate of $13.5 billion in sales last year.
Those who feel that Walmart and the Walton family owe America can sign a petition sponsored by the Americans for Tax Fairness, Making Change at Walmart and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

The SEC's just been caught colluding with the banks it's supposed to regulate

vox
Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The SEC's just been caught colluding with the banks it's supposed to regulate

Updated by Matthew Yglesias on April 11, 2014, 12:30 p.m. ET

Reuters finance blogger Felix Salmon had a post earlier this week headlined "Yes, the SEC was colluding with banks on CDO prosecutions." This ought to be huge news. The Securities and Exchange Commission is one of the main agencies that's supposed to be regulating Wall Street. But they've been essentially caught red handed working together with Goldman Sachs to make it look like Goldman was paying a huge fine when really they're paying a small one. Sadly, though, the story probably won't get much attention from the general public because the CDO prosecution issue is a little obscure and it hasn't really been in the news for years.
But people ought to understand this story. It's a very big deal not so much because the case was all that important, but because it speaks directly to the question of whether or not our government institutions have the will and ability to regulate the financial sector.

What's a CDO?

CDO stands for collateralized debt obligation.
To understand what that means, start with something simple like a mortgage or an auto loan. The good news for a lender is that he earns a profit — the interest rate — on the money leant out. The bad news is that the borrower may default.
So now imagine you had ten roughly similar loans. A person who owned-one tenth of each of those loans would earn the same interest rate as someone who owned a single loan, but the odds of all ten loans defaulting simultaneously are low. A package that consisted of one-tenth of ten separate loans would be a very simple form of collateralized debt obligation.
The same principle can be applied, however, to create very complicated securities. Investment banks did a lot of this during the pre-crisis years, and belief that these securities were very safe fueled a lot of lending activity.

Cdo_photoWhat did banks do wrong?

Two slightly different but fundamentally similar things.
One set of allegations involved banks creating and marketing CDOs that they believed to be risky, marketing them as safe, and then making side-bets that the CDO in question would go bust.
Another set of allegations involved banks marketing CDOs whose contents were actually selected by third parties — third parties who were making bets that the CDO would go bust.
In either case, the basic claim was of fraudulent marketing of the security. In general, people who sell products that fail are held in low regard. People who sell products that they know to be likely to fail are held in lower regard. People who sell products that they in fact intend to fail and who've arranged financial bets such that failure will result in higher profits are held in even lower regard.
Once the full extent of the financial crisis became clear, these sort of deals were widely criticized and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which is supposed to prevent misconduct in financial markets began a series of investigations.
the SEC's conclusion was extremely fishy

What happened?

Investigations were launched against various banks. Each investigation focused on a particular CDO and the circumstances of its creation and marketing. All of the investigations were settled for sums of money that were quite large relative to the size of the CDO in question, though small relative to the size of the banks' CDO businesses.

What's wrong with that?

Well, nothing. It's more about what happened next. Or rather about what didn't happen next. Each bank settled a single case, and then there were no more cases. But superficially, each of the banks involved in the litigation had created several CDOs that looked similar in the relevant ways. It's of course perfectly plausible that further scrutiny revealed that not every superficially similar CDO was equally bad. But the SEC's conclusion that every bank had created one and only one prosecution-worthy CDO was extremely fishy. That would be one heck of a coincidence.

What do we know now?

What is now looking clearer and clearer is that the settlements were not as advertised. The banks paid money — in Goldman Sachs' case $550 million — not to settle one CDO suit, but to settle all the CDO suits. So rather than Goldman paying $550 million for wrongdoing around the Abacus CDO and then facing 10 more charges related to 10 other suspicious CDOs, it was paying a price of $55 million per CDO to settle all 11 cases. Except the SEC didn't want to look like it was letting the banks get away with a slap on the wrist, so it worked out an arrangement whereby both sides would publicly act as if only one case had been settled while agreeing under the table that all claims were now resolved.
The banks paid not to settle one CDO suit, but to settle all the CDO suits

How do we know?

We know this because of Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American Lawyer pursuant to their investigation of the Abacus investigation. In her article on the subject of the 2,000 pages of documents she received, Susan Beck focuses on a slightly different issue — the internal disagreements among SEC staff about whether to pursue the Abacus investigation further up the Goldman Sachs hierarchy rather than stopping with the relatively low-level Fab Toure. But as Felix Salmon observes, Beck's article (and the documents she obtained to write it) also confirm his longstanding suspicion of collusion between the SEC and the banks on the question of settlements.
Here's the nut, per Beck. Robert Khuzami is the top enforcement guy at the SEC. David Kotz is the SEC's inspector general, charged with oversight of the agency's performance:The SEC filed its case against Goldman and Tourre on April 16, 2010. Three days later Goldman reached out with a $500 million settlement offer, according to an email that Reisner sent Khuzami. Although that proposal was close to the final payment, it took another three months to announce a settlement. As Khuzami described to Kotz, Goldman wanted a global settlement that resolved not just the Abacus investigation but the SEC's probes into roughly a dozen other Goldman CDOs.
Khuzami didn't want to give Goldman that public victory. When the SEC and Goldman announced on July 16, 2010, that the investment bank would settle the Abac­us case for $550 million, the SEC said in a press release that the settlement "does not settle any other past, current or future SEC investigations against the firm."
Khuzami was determined that Goldman's payment only be linked to ABACUS. "This was not a $550 million settlement for 11 cases," Khuzami told Kotz. "We may tell Goldman that we are concluding our investigations in these other matters without recommending charges, but that doesn't mean we're settling them. And that was an important point for us, because we didn't want them out there saying, you know, they settled 12 CDO investigations for an average of $30 million each, and, you know, didn't [Goldman] get a great deal."
In other words, Khuzami agreed to a global settlement with Goldman, but then lied about what he'd agreed to. And he more or less got Goldman to go along with the lie as part of the agreement. There is still no smoking gun to prove that the exact same process played out in the settlements with the other banks, but the pattern of one-and-only-one prosecution followed by a settlement is the same everywhere. It's always been a suspicious pattern. And now in the one case we've been able to look into, we know there was collusion. It's deeply suspicious.

How important is this CDO thing? Did this cause the crisis?

The CDO prosecutions were not, on their own terms, particularly consequential. It's probably more accurate to say that the funny business being alleged was caused by the same things as caused the overall financial crisis — a climate of hubris about the ability of complicated securitization algorithms to eliminate risk — than to say that what happened here caused the crisis.

So is this story important?

It's hugely important. Much more important than the CDO cases as such ever were. The reason is that it exposes a post-crisis pattern of troubling coziness between a major financial market regulator and the major regulated entities. Among other things, to pull something like this off requires an exceptional level of trust between high-ranking SEC officials and high-ranking bank officials. The one case may not be particularly important, but enforcement of securities law in the aggregate is certainly important. The strong implication of this story is that there is — or at least was as of a couple of years ago — a culture of impunity on Wall Street, abetted by an SEC that is more interested in looking tough in press releases than in actually acting tough.
136019231
Robert Khuzami Win McNamee/Getty Images

Where is Robert Khuzami now?

Conveniently enough, he's working in Kirkland & Ellis' government and internal investigations practice group. In other words, if your company finds itself in hot water with a regulatory agency, Khuzami can help advice you on how to deal with it. He might, for example, be able to suggest that for regulators the appearance of a big settlement is sometimes more important than the reality so that the key to getting a favorable arrangement is to let the regulators post wins on the board that they can brag about in public. The viability of this kind of bargaining tactic isn't necessarily obvious to people who've never worked inside the agencies in question, so experience leading them can be very valuable in the private sector.
Card 5 of 10 Launch cards

What is the unemployment rate?

The unemployment rate is the number of number of people looking for a job divided by the total size of the labor force. This means that the unemployment rate often misses a lot of discouraged people who have stopped looking for work but would love a job if they could find one.
The flipside of the unemployment rate is the employment rate, the ratio of people with jobs to the total size of the labor force. It is rare to hear anything about the employment rate. Instead, a more commonly discussed statistic is the employment-population ratio-the ratio of people with jobs to all people, including children, retirees, homemakers and others who aren't in the labor force.

The unemployment rate rose sharply in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and has been falling since 2010. Currently it stands at 6.7 percent which is still high by historical standards.

U.S. Gives Russia Free Military Equipment Used By Army, Marines



The secret operation was exposed this week by members of Congressthat discovered it in the process of reviewing the Fiscal Year 2014 budget and the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 budget request. It turns out that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has been providing the Russian Federation with the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), the federal legislators say. The U.S. military uses MILES for tactical force-on-force training because it has a system of lasers and dummy ammunition to simulate ground combat.