Ann Barnhardt closes brokerage, citing financial investment as Russian roulette, run by godless, criminal political cronyism

Glenn Beck's The Blaze website as well as the guys from Zerohedge are reporting on the first casualty of the MF Global bankruptcy, which is also part of an accelerating momentum toward total economic collapse.

MF Global was one of the ten biggest bankruptcies ever, according to the Wall Street Journal last week when the news came out. The effect was that it became a purgatory for MF Global Customers, and about 33,000 Account-Holders couldn't get to their cash. 'My Entire Business Has Come to a Halt' said one, and this is true for thousands of the little people. Even the big people were affected. Gerald Celente of Trends Research said that his account was emptied and all his positions on gold were closed. The ultimate effect was on us all, as all big bankruptcies are wont to be.

Today a broker closed her business and sent a letter to her customers explaining why. She is Ann Barnhardt, of Barnhardt Capital Management, Inc. and her letter is making huge waves. Rush read it on today's program, The Blaze posted it, and Zerohedge published it too. Ms. Barnhardt is commercial hedge broker specializing in cattle and grain, representing Farmers, ranchers, etc:

"The Entire System Has Been Utterly Destroyed By The MF Global Collapse" - Presenting The First MF Global Casualty
"Dear Clients, Industry Colleagues and Friends of Barnhardt Capital Management,"

"It is with regret and unflinching moral certainty that I announce that Barnhardt Capital Management has ceased operations. After six years of operating as an independent introducing brokerage, and eight years of employment as a broker before that, I found myself, this morning, for the first time since I was 20 years old, watching the futures and options markets open not as a participant, but as a mere spectator."

"The reason for my decision to pull the plug was excruciatingly simple: I could no longer tell my clients that their monies and positions were safe in the futures and options markets – because they are not. And this goes not just for my clients, but for every futures and options account in the United States. The entire system has been utterly destroyed by the MF Global collapse. Given this sad reality, I could not in good conscience take one more step as a commodity broker, soliciting trades that I knew were unsafe or holding funds that I knew to be in jeopardy."

"Specifically, they froze customers out of their accounts WHILE THE MARKETS CONTINUED TO TRADE, refusing to even allow them to liquidate. This is unfathomable. The risk exposure precedent that has been set is completely intolerable and has destroyed the entire industry paradigm. No informed person can continue to engage these markets, and no moral person can continue to broker or facilitate customer engagement in what is now a massive game of Russian Roulette."

"I have learned over the last week that MF Global is almost certainly the mere tip of the iceberg. There is massive industry-wide exposure to European sovereign junk debt. While other firms may not be as heavily leveraged as Corzine had MFG leveraged, and it is now thought that MFG’s leverage may have been in excess of 100:1, they are still suicidally leveraged and will likely stand massive, unmeetable collateral calls in the coming days and weeks as Europe inevitably collapses. I now suspect that the reason the Chicago Mercantile Exchange did not immediately step in to backstop the MFG implosion was because they knew and know that if they backstopped MFG, they would then be expected to backstop all of the other firms in the system when the failures began to cascade – and there simply isn’t that much money in the entire system. In short, the problem is a SYSTEMIC problem, not merely isolated to one firm."

"And so, to the very unpleasant crux of the matter. The futures and options markets are no longer viable. It is my recommendation that ALL customers withdraw from all of the markets as soon as possible so that they have the best chance of protecting themselves and their equity. The system is no longer functioning with integrity and is suicidally risk-laden. The rule of law is non-existent, instead replaced with godless, criminal political cronyism."

More at links above.

So what does this mean? Well, did the Romans in 410AD know that their city had declined so deeply that the Visigoths were coming to sack it? Likely not. Though it was no longer the capital of the empire, it was still called 'the eternal city.'

And here we are again, 1600 years later in Europe, looking at a collapse yet again. Or are we? We know that the monetary system currently in place will be replaced with the mark of the beast, a mark that allows only people possessing it to buy and sell. (Rev 13:15-17). We assume that this one world economic system also means the European Union will have collapsed, but it also means that it could re-shape and reform into a geo-political entity from which the antichrist emerges.

Economist Michael Snyder wrote today, "The Coming European Superstate That Germany Plans to Cram Down the Throats of the Rest of Europe." He explains,

"A lot of people were puzzled about what German Chancellor Angela Merkel meant when she recently stated that the ultimate solution to the financial crisis in the EU would "mean more Europe, not less Europe". Well, now we are finding out. A leaked internal German government memo entitled "The Future of the EU: Required Integration Policy Improvements for the Creation of a Stability Union" actually proposes the creation of a "European Monetary Fund" which would be given the power to run the economies of troubled European nations. This "stability union" would be quickly followed by the creation of a full-fledged "political union". Essentially, this leaked memo proposes the creation of a "European Superstate" which will be crammed down the throats of the rest of Europe whether they like it or not. National sovereignty would be a thing of the past and European bureaucrats would run everything. Of course this will never be accepted by the people of Europe until they feel the bitter pain of the coming financial collapse, but we are starting to see that there is already a clear plan for what the Germans wish to implement in the aftermath of the coming crisis."

"A lot of people have just assumed that if there is a massive financial collapse in Europe and the euro crashes that it will mean that end of the euro and potentially the breakup of the EU. But that is not what the Germans have planned at all."

"An article in the Telegraph has posted details about the leaked internal German government memo mentioned above. It really is startling to see that a full-fledged "political union" in Europe is being discussed at the highest levels of the German government...."

The Telegraph 's article explains that Germany's plans, outlined in a "six-page memo, by the German foreign office, argues that Europe’s economic powerhouses should be able to intervene in how beleaguered eurozone countries are run.'

Snyder asks the $60,000 question, "Can you imagine what Europe would look like under such a plan? National sovereignty would be a thing of the past."

Precisely. The Tribulation shows us that national sovereignty is no longer existent, as the entire world is managed through the economy by one man, the antichrist. The False Prophet brings about a one world religion. In my opinion, the time between the rapture and the Tribulation is very small; days, weeks, perhaps. I don't think that when the rapture happens that years go by before the Tribulation begins. I think that it will not take years to get the infrastructure set up that will allow the antichrist and false prophet full reign to do their thing. I think that infrastructure is being built now, and is or soon will be in place. I believe that when the rapture happens it will not take much more to set in motion the events that are outlined in the prophetic books of Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew, Revelation, and many other books. As a matter of fact, an article on the website of Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs is titled "Iran signals its readiness for final confrontation."

I think Jesus is readying the world for the final confrontation. That final confrontation is not between Iran and Israel, is not between the Occupy protesters and the mucky-mucks. I believe that confrontation is one that has been a long time coming. It is one of sin versus pardon from sin. He is coming to judge sin, and He will deal with it briskly, righteously, and severely. He does not take lightly to sin and to people who refuse to repent of their sins. Those people are His enemies, and like any powerful ruler, enemies are dealt with. The mercy and love He shows us now will be gone, and in its stead will be His judgment and death. (Eph 2:3).

Prepare now for the confrontation: confront your own sin and ask Him to forgive it. He is a holy God and He is a loving God and He will forgive it. However if you wait too long you are risking two things: your own death and therefore your permanent state of sinfulness being fixed forever (and therefore consigned to hell), or being though alive, having been given over to your refusals to confront your sin and thereby making it impossible to repent. (Rom 1:24; Psalm 81:12). Don't risk it! Time is ever so short. If the world was an hourglass I'd say there are only a few more grains left in the glass.
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Occupy Wall Street: class warfare plus wealth transfer equals antichrist conditions

The last years in this age on earth will be ruled by an evil dictator over a global economic empire: The Antichrist and the one world economic system. The current economic turmoil, riots, 'occupations, and wealth transfer is part of that last days scene, soon to be fulfilled. Before we look forward to examine these things, let's take a look back.

First, let us go to 2008. Obama is a Presidential candidate, campaigning. Many people suspected his socialist leanings from having been associated with socialists, (duh), allied with ACORN, with community organizing, and when he said to Joe the Plumber, "let's spread the wealth around." There was a severe pooh-poohing when the normal-thinking people said "AHA! Socialist! We knew it!" Socialism was dismissed as passe and Obama's connection with it ignored.

Nowadays, socialism is far from passe. It has become de rigueur. Imagine that. It is accepted, desired even, by these thousands of 'Occupy' folk. In just three short years, capitalism and corporation have become dirty words while socialism has been dusted off and given a new shine.

Let's go back even further to 1919-1920 and the rise of Italy's Benito Mussolini. Mussolini became a dictator at home and an international ally of Germany's Hitler throughout the Thirties and the Second World War.

"The Socialists, which by then had become the largest party, spoke theoretically of revolution, alarmed the conservatives, who quickly associated them with Communists. Thousands of agricultural and industrial strikes in 1919 and 1920 created a climate of class warfare and continual violence. Mussolini quickly shifted from leftist to rightist politics and began to gain support from middle-class industrialists who were fearful of working-class agitation and who objected to the agricultural strikes." Sound familiar? (Source: "Western Civilization: Since 1300 By Jackson J. Spielvogel.")

What is socialism? And what is its connection to the current violence in the Occupy Wall Street protests and riots? More importantly, is there a connection to the Tribulation and the last economic system yet to be fulfilled?

First, what is Socialism? "It is an economic doctrine, egalitarianism is the driving force behind socialism and communism. It is economic egalitarianism that seeks to remove the barriers of economic inequality by means of redistribution of wealth. ... The problem with this doctrine is ... a mistaken premise in economic egalitarianism which asserts that the rich have gotten their wealth by the exploitation of the poor." (source GotQuestions.org). We've certainly heard enough about that lately. They say "greedy corporations" are to blame for the mess we're in. They say 'evil banksters' put us here and we need socialism to get us out, because capitalism ain't working, they say.

The Tribulation will have a one world economic system. There will be very poor people, working all day just to buy a loaf of bread. (Rev 6:6). There will be the very rich possessing vast wealth, (Rev 18:17a) able to live luxuriously and trade in luxuries at will. (Rev 18.) The Occupy Wall Street protesters' hated "1%" will not disappear, but get wealthier and stronger.

The problem is, the Occupy Wall Street misguided are barking up the wrong tree, and in the end will not bring about their desired reforms but are in fact providing the platform for the Antichrist to appeal to the masses who clamor for 'social justice" (code for 'I want your money'). They will simply be on the losing end of a great wealth transfer, which history shows us happens every time socialism is attempted. Their grimy faces, currently spouting Hate Capitalism at filthy parks will soon be grimier, clutching the bars of the estate begging for scraps, much as Lazarus did at the Rich Man's gate, and the dig licked his sores. (Luke 16:19-31). Such will be the fate of Occupiers who call for evil corporations to be done away with. The Antichrist will comply- and then take the money for himself. But I get ahead of the story.

The connection to the current violence in the Occupy Wall Street protests & riots to the end time is seen in the following videos. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. (Winston Churchill)

THEN



You didn't know that America was engaged in violent class warfare in the Depression-era, did you? It was about Labor gaining a foothold, then a stranglehold on corporations. But it was not just about that. The Cleveland riots began as protests against foreclosures and evictions in a depressed housing market. By February of 1931 "Food riots" begin to break out in parts of the U.S. In Minneapolis, several hundred men and women smashed the windows of a grocery market and make off with fruit, canned goods, bacon, and ham. One of the store's owners pulls out a gun to stop the looters, but is leapt upon and has his arm broken. The "riot" is brought under control by 100 policemen. Seven people are arrested. The Humboldt Park 1932 riot was over rotten food.

The point is, and this should come as no surprise, "Research Shows That Austerity Can Lead to Riots". Writer Alain Sherter said in that article of austerity and anarchy, "Such events have many causes, of course. But one key contributing factor is economic shocks."

NOW


Even the language is the same. Skulls cracked then, skulls cracked now. Though ostensibly these altruistic Occupiers want financial justice for all, what they are really showing us is that they're poor (in their own eyes), or they're lazy, (relying on government programs which are now in danger of being cut, and/or a simple refusal to work for their wage) and they want what you have. And they're gonna get it, even if they have to break the law to do it.

I'd posed three questions,
What is socialism?
What is its connection to the current violence in the Occupy Wall Street protests and riots?
Is there a connection to the Tribulation and the last economic system yet to be fulfilled?

In the third question, yes, there is a connection. The Tribulation is about wealth transfer, because the time period is first ruled by the antichrist under the influence of the devil, (Rev 13:5-8) and later is ruled by the devil himself. The devil wants to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10). So of course he wants to steal your money, your comfort, your hope, and eventually your life. So, yes, he wants to destroy all the world's governments, economic systems, values, and finances. His plan for your life is to either take all from you or get you to sacrifice God's blessings on you. The protests in America now are not directed against the President, they are directed against God's blessings on this nation.

This effort will culminate in the Mark of the Beast, (Rev 13:16-17) which forces a person to accept the mark of worship and be able to participate in the last economy, or to refuse the mark of worship and starve or be beheaded, whichever comes first.

Between now and then, the economic situation will become more dire, which sparks more people to violence, which diverts resources of police and municipalities, which allows for higher crime elsewhere, while thousands are occupying parks and refusing to contribute to the very economy they want to become healthy again, and end up in freeloading and perversity, yearning for a leader with an answer. It is a downward cycle we saw with Mussolini, Hitler, and will find its culmination in the antichrist. It is not only started already, it is well on its way toward that imminent fulfillment:

This week the Pope called for economic justice and a centralized world bank. Funny, because the Vatican already IS a vastly wealthy centralized government. However, corporatism and big government go hand in hand. "The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises. A major document from the Vatican’s Justice and Peace department should be music to the ears of the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrators and similar movements around the world who have protested against the economic downturn."

As for the violence, Jesus said, "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold." (Mt 24:12). The rise of flash mobs and the helplessness of store owners to stop them is a smaller version of what has been given rise now: Occupy Wall Street mobs who practice lawlessness in an entire city or large parts of cities, and outnumber the police. Instead of fifty unruly teens storming the store against one store owner, it is 5000 unruly freeloaders storming a city block against an entire police force. Even HotAir said that resistance is futile. Futile was their word.

"The fences came down at Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza Wednesday evening during a general assembly meeting among “Occupy Oakland” protesters. At least 500 protesters gathered at the plaza to reclaim the site of their encampment, which was raided by police early Tuesday morning... At 7 p.m., around 50 to 100 protesters succeed in tearing down sections of the fence on the opposite side of the plaza from where the meeting is taking place. ... With public officials facing pressure from all sides in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and other “occupied” cities, the lesson from Oakland will most likely be that action will largely be futile without a large police presence extending for considerable time to come."

So we have economic depression, austerity abhorrence, riots, impotent municipal government to keep law and order, calls for wealth re-distribution, and disdain of capitalism. These conditions gave rise to evil dictators in the past, only too willing to exploit the misguidedness and greed of the people in prior times, and it will do so again. Except this last dictator will be the personification of evil.

Wouldn't you rather get to know the personification of Goodness? Jesus is that personification, literally incarnating into humanity to teach us what is needed to be cleansed from our misguidedness and our sins. Doing so is very simple. Not easy, but simple. "Believe on the One He has sent", and be saved. (John 6:29; John 3:16-17). Salvation means you're saved from hell, and to be saved you must first recognize what will send you to hell: your sins. If you want Jesus to forgive those sins, then be sorry you committed them and ask Him to cleanse you. He will. But don't wait too long. The antichrist is knocking at the door, and soon, Jesus will let him in.
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Reports of Greece's economic default quickly retracted

The economy is dying. We can hear the death rattle and see the seizing gasps.

We read that in America, poverty is rising to unprecedented proportions. We read heartbreakingly that almost one quarter of all US children are living in poverty. Income is plummeting, and job growth is stagnant with unemployment at new heights.

In Europe, the situation is worse. Far worse. The Euro-zone, that is, European nations that have linked up their economies under one currency, are defaulting or are at near default. Greece has been teetering since the crash of 2008. Successive bailouts by the wealthier European nations have proven fruitless. "The Greek debt-to-GDP is currently at 140%. It will be close to 180% by year’s end (assuming someone gives them the money). The deficit is north of 15%. They simply cannot afford to make the interest payments. True market (not Eurozone-subsidized) interest rates on Greek short-term debt are close to 100%, as I read the press. Their long-term debt simply cannot be refinanced without Eurozone bailouts" wrote economist John Mauldin recently.

The problem is if Greece goes, Italy and Spain might go. Italy recently turned to China for help and it looks like China will help. But is it all too late? Is the snowball too big and rolling down the hill too fast? Reports from The Netherlands tonight state that Greece is already defaulting.

Translated from Dutch:
FINANCE: GREECE GOES BANKRUPT
"The bankruptcy of Greece is under the Ministry of Finance inevitable. Sources that have reported to RTL News. The question of the ministry is no longer whether but how Greece went bankrupt. Greece would be impossible to meet all debt obligations. The ministry calls for a controlled form of bankruptcy to prevent panic. Problems occur in other countries...If not in a controlled manner is, other weak euro countries like Italy and Spain in big trouble. If these countries do not stand up, pop the eurozone apart and chaos is incalculable."

Because economic news is so skittishly tied to the rumors that prop up stocks and finance, and any report as bombshell as this one would ignite the whole Euro-zone, the push-back was swift. Denials were almost immediate. The following headline is original to Business Insider:

THAT WAS FAST: Now The Dutch Are Denying Reports Of Inevitable Greek Default
"Update: Unbelievable, the report has already been rejected by the Dutch. The speed of rumor and rumor-denial right now in the markets is just bonkers."

The international alarm is growing as euro zone crisis grows
"International alarm over Europe's debt crisis hit new heights on Tuesday, with President Barack Obama pressing the bloc's big countries to show leadership as talk of a Greek default escalated and markets heaped pressure on Italy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to quash talk of an imminent Greek default or exit from the euro zone, but confusion over whether she would issue a joint statement on Greece with French President Sarkozy sent markets gyrating up and then down."

Why is there such panic over a Greek sovereign default? Here is a "REMINDER: Here's Who Gets Crushed If Greece Goes Bust"
1. Japanese banks hold $432 million in Greek debt
2. Spanish banks hold $540 million in Greek debt
3. U.S. banks hold $1.5 billion in Greek debt
4. Italian banks hold $2.35 billion in Greek debt
5. UK banks hold $3.4 billion in Greek debt
6. French banks hold $14.96 billion in Greek debt
7. German banks hold $22.65 billion in Greek debt
8. Greek banks hold $62.8 billion in Greek debt
9. But banks in Europe have been working to cut their exposures
10. Greek Banks Downgraded by S&P
11. Moody’s expected to downgrade Soc Gen, BNP Paribas, and Credit Agricole this week
12. ...

No wonder they are panicking. Globalization apparently has its downsides. So what do this have to do with the end time and then the Tribulation?

Revelation 6 and Revelation 13 and Revelation 18, that is the tie-in. Revelation 6 shows us that the Third Horseman is famine. "When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."

A denarius at that time was an entire day's wage. So people in the Tribulation are working but the inflation is such that it takes a whole day's pay to get a loaf of bread. Revelation 13:16-17 shows us that the global economic system has been reformed into a tightly controlled, one-currency system overseen by one man: the antichrist. We do not have such a system now, but the world will when the Tribulation arrives. Last, Revelation 18:11-16 shows that despite the terrible poverty of most of the world crying for enough pay for a loaf of bread, luxuries are traded by people who are still wealthy. There is the abject poor dying int he muddy streets, and there is the grossly rich laughing it up during the most depraved tiem in all human history.

Things are progressing quickly now. Hal Lindsey's report this week was tremendously informing of the untenable situation in Syria. It is called "Fortress Syria." He lays out the pieces leading to the Isaiah 17, Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39.

In Israel, there are reports of unrest. Right wing extremists are turning from targeting Arabs to targeting their own Israelis.
"Extreme right-wing Jewish activists in the West Bank have moved from spontaneous acts against Arabs - following the demolition of Jewish homes by Israeli authorities, or terror attacks against Jews - to organized planning that includes use of a database of potential targets, according to new analysis by the Shin Bet security service."

Rife with natural disasters, 2011 will become the most expensive weather year ever. Several volcanoes are waking up, "It has been almost 20 years since there has been any volcanic activity in these stretch of four volcanoes, but two are on yellow alert after signs that that dry spell of activity may be coming to an end soon. Ruiz and Machin are both on elevated alert status, but Machín is the more interesting of the two as it has likely been almost 900 years since it last erupted." The magma dome on Alaska's Cleveland volcano is growing, and the worst case scenario of La Palma in the Canary Islands shows growing quake swarm.

Things are falling apart. There is no other way to say it. Things and coming apart politically, economically, financially, and naturally. This is by God's design. He allows sin to take its natural course, and that always means degradation of all things. Satan is in charge of this world and that means that evil reigns. God impacts the world at His decision and in His way and that means disruption of all humans systems. Why? because God is a Big Ole Meanie? No. Because His ways are best and ours are not. Because He has told us righteous ways of living and proper governments and we fail because we are sinful.

The things will fall apart and He will allow it because in the end, the government is on His shoulders. "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

"Politics and government. We seem to see them as necessary evils, bringing frustration in the present but still giving us hope for the future. Our contradictory attitudes about politics are revealing. We recognize the failure of human solutions, but at the same time we know something must be done to fix what’s broken in the world. What man can’t do, God has done; He’s given the Messiah."

“The government will rest on His shoulders” affirms His lordship. This verse looks to a time still future when Christ will reign over a literal, earthly, geopolitical kingdom that encompasses all the kingdoms and governments of the world (cf. Daniel 2:44; Zechariah 14:9).

"In that day, the government of the whole world will rest on His shoulders. But until that time, His kingdom is in an invisible form (cf. Luke 17:20-21). The Messiah’s rule is over those who trust Him and obey Him as Lord. It’s currently an invisible kingdom, but will one day become visible and universal as His rule extends even over those who do not acknowledge His lordship in their hearts."(source)

That time is fast approaching. I see it coming and I know the Lord is my friend. Is He your friend, or your enemy? Will He usher you into His kingdom and welcome you to His government? Or will He banish you into oblivion as an enemy? He leaves the choice up to you.
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