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The Mexican Museum to showcase Maestros: 20th Century Mexican Masters

by the El Reportero’s news service

The Mexican Museum, the premier West Coast museum of Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano, Latin American and Latino art, culture and heritage, announces a new spring 2015 exhibition entitled Maestros: 20th Century Mexican Masters, which will feature a dramatic selection of artworks from the Museum’s permanent collections.
The special exhibition will include the works of 30 internationally-renowned artists, beginning with the three most influential Mexican artists: Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco.
Maestros: 20th Century Mexican Masters will run from March 13 to June 28, 2015. The Mexican Museum is located at Fort Mason Center, Building D in San Francisco, and is open to visitors Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. A special members’ preview reception will take place on Thursday, March 12 at The Mexican Museum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sin Visa premiere
Sin Visa is a powerful, relevant, and inspiring narrative about hope that could not have been released at a better time. Sin Visa explores the struggles and triumphs of an undocumented student (Marco) battling the oppressive systems he finds himself trapped within. Having faced abuse by people from his own community, Marco finds a support system in an unlikely couple.
Marco’s narrative, inspired by present day circumstances, sheds light on issues surrounding many communities. The 80-minute feature film addresses the intersections between systems of oppression and discrimination, bringing to light social justice and human rights issues, like family separation, the “Dream Act” and higher education, and the need for immigration reform.
Saturday April 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Roxie Theater in San Francisco.

Flamenco music & dance performance – Flamenco Sin Cheli
Esteban has studied the guitar intensely since childhood. He attended Mannes Conservatory of Music, then continued classical guitar study with Andres Segovia in Spain, as well as master classes with Julian Bream and Narciso Yepes. He has performed more than 400 solo concerts, including three at Carnegie Hall.
In between touring nationally and internationally as a classical guitarist, he served as guitar instructor on the faculties of Manhattan College of Music, Mannes College of Music, the New School for Social Research and the Jersey City State Teacher’s College.
Delving into the art of Flamenco, he has studied extensively with Jason Mc Guire “El Rubio” as well as with Pedro Cortes, Anzonini Del Puerto, Augustin Rios Jesus Montoya, Manuel Malena and Jose Cortes. He has released three CD’s: one of traditional Flamenco and two of romantic Boleros.
Other artists include: Paul Mousavi, Joelle Goncalves, Hilit Maniv, Holly Shaw,
On March 20 at the Art House Gallery & Cultural Center, 2905 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. For more info call 510-472-3170. $10-$20 donation.

10thAnnual Bay Area Flamenco Festival
Festival Flamenco Gitano
The Bay Area Flamenco Festival will feature Spain’s top dancers and musicians for a week of special events this spring (March-22-29) in celebration of the Festival’s 10th Anniversary. Featured artists direct from Spain include dancers Concha Vargas, Pepe Torres and Gema Moneo and singers Esperanza Fernández and José Valencia.
Sunday, March 22, 7 p.m. at the Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco
Other Flemenco events:
Cante Jondo: Cante Gitano
Esperanza Fernández & Jose Valencia, on Friday, on March 27, 8 p.m., at the Brava Theater, 2781 24 St., St, San Francisco,
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1224405
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5TguxEE_N0

Lost and Found, new album by Buena Vista Social Club

by the El Reportero’s news services

Lost and Found, the new album of the Cuban musical project Buena Vista Social Club, with unreleased songs recorded by its precursors, is ready, The Guardian newspaper stated today.
The group of veteran musicians and singers, founded in 1997 by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez and launched by British Ry Cooder, announced last year its dissolution in 2015, but it continues working.
The disc will not only include songs from the precursor times, but also a selection of tracks recorded live and in studio, during the early successes of the band.
Nick Gold, of the World Circuit record company, said he knew of certain unpublished gems by Buena Vista Social Club, but so many new projects emerged that they did not have time to delve into the past.
“When we finally had time, we were astonished for so many wonderful music it had,” said Gold, who stated that the launch of “Lost and Found” will be on March 24.

Bolaño: Good writer, bad literary critic, says Padura
Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura stated today that Chilean Roberto Bolaño was a great writer, but ‘’the worst literary critic of recent years’’.
For Padura, perhaps the more-read Cuban author in Latin America, Bolaño is the most important writer of his generation, although his anger with everybody permeated this judgment as a critic.
“He was a great lair, as the great writer he was: if he had read all the books he said he read, he would not have been able to write not even one of his own”, joked the National Prize for Literature-2012.
The creator of the character Mario Conde defined as “a Chilean fighting fish”, whose fight against past and contemporary authors made him issue drastic and sometimes misguided judgments.
Even so, Padura considered that the novels Los Detectives Salvajes (Savage Detectives) and the posthumous 2666 are enough to establish Bolaño (1953-2003) as one of the greatest authors in Latin American literature.
Padura and Bolaño as both considered important authors, with both a tendency for the police novels, a genre each of them reinvented in their own context and time.

Experts discover a Rembrandt painting retouched after his death
The baroque painting Susanna and the Elders, painted in 1647 by one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art, the Dutch Rembrandt, was widely retouched a century after the death of the artist, it was reported here today.
The German gallery Gemldegalerie of Berlin discovered that the English artist Sir Joshua Reynolds repainted two thirds of the picture in the second half of the eighteenth century, while preparing an exhibition.
“It was a fairly radical intervention. Actually, only the characters correspond to the version finished by Rembrandt’, said Bernd Lindemann, director of the Berlin museum.
Apparently Reynolds, who was the owner of the canvas, felt that the painting needed a comprehensive improvement, speculated Lindemann.
‘Susanna and the Elders’ can be seen until May 31 in the capital’s museum along with previous studies of Rembrandt and drawings of his students on the topic.
The Dutch artist (1606-1669) painted three versions of the piece that were reconstructed thanks to modern technology.

Documents reveal Rockefeller foundation activerly engaged in mass-mind control

by Jurriaan Maessen

From archive material from the 1940s onward, it has become apparent that the Rockefeller Foundation has for decades now fanatically nurtured research into fear-inducing brainwashing techniques for the masses.
In a series of generous grants in the 1940s- and 50s, extended to Professor Carl I. Hovland of Yale University, the Foundation actively funded research into “the psychological mechanisms through which communications exert their influence.” Main research subject deals with the question of “how the individual deals with the welter of conflicting ideas with which he is constantly bombarded; how “wishful thinking” and emotional bias affect judgment; and whether the judgment process is transferred from one situation to another are among the problems to be studied”, we read in the 1954 Rockefeller yearly report.
Hovland, besides conducting research into behavioral and attitude-changes of groups, was also part of the Rockefeller Foundation’s social science staff. In addition to that, the professor was heavily involved in other branches of the Anglo-American establishment. In the study Origins of mass communications research during the American cold war by Timothy Glander, the author explains:
“(…) Hovland held key positions on several major national boards, including the Air Force’s Human Resources Research Institute, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Office of Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, and he doubtlessly had input in determining the research agendas that these organizations pursued.”
Already in 1948 the Foundation was directing cash toward Hovland and his team. In the 1948 report the authors outlined the reasons behind the grants given:
“An understanding of communication and attitude change is important to our educational system, to those who lead great organizations, and to those who are concerned with political opinion and behavior. More dependable knowledge of how effective communication may be achieved in the area of attitude and opinion is essential (…).”
In the days of the Cold War, propaganda was often so blatantly obvious to the accustomed-to-freedom westerner that it was more easily identifiable as such. The Rockefeller Foundation understood that the American people needed to be subjected to more sophisticated forms of manipulation if the gradual push for global government was to be effectively sold in the decades to come. The 1954 report explains:
“Although movies, television, and comic books are widely believed to be effective in contributing to the rise in juvenile delinquency in this country, these and the other media of mass communication appear to be much less effective when applied to the desirable end of promoting good citizenship, or a positive democratic ideology in the “cold war.”
“Good citizenship”. A phrase that should chill the very fiber of every freedom-loving individual.
“(…) it is feared that Soviet mass communications are outstandingly successful in disseminating communist propaganda, both behind the Iron Curtain and in neutral countries. In an effort to throw light on this anomaly and to aid development of scientific principles governing the effectiveness of mass media, the Rockefeller Foundation has continued its support of the Communications Research Program at Yale University with an outright grant of $200,000.”
In 1954, 200,000 dollars was an exceptional amount of money. This substantial grant is just one example out of many in which the Rockefeller Foundation threw huge sums of cash in the direction of social scientists for refining and perfecting the art of indoctrination. One of the results of their studies was that fear, induced or otherwise, makes the person a willing victim for the elite. The website changingminds.org gives an adequate summing up of professor Hovland’s findings:
“You do not have to cause pain to create fear. The human frontal cortex has a primary function in thinking about the future. We are quite skilled at imagining what might happen and experiencing anticipatory emotions. This has proved helpful in our evolution, but it can also cause problems as anticipated fear of things that may not happen cause us stress and allow others to persuade us.”
The study-phase has long since evolved in the implementation-phase. In the mid seventies the Foundation was already busy buying off reporters and funding media-empires into existence. Even then “climate change” was actively being promoted as a tragic result of human meddling in the affairs of mother earth. Genetically engineered food was already being pushed as the cure to remedy all ills. The thing was putting the emotion-based responses as observed by Hovland into practice. The 1974 Rockefeller Foundation journal reports:
“Several science editors were asked to participate in Foundation meetings on climate change, food production and interstate conflict, genetic resistance in plants to pests, and aquaculture. Stories appeared subsequently on the front page of The New York Times, and the Associated Press carried substantial stories which were widely used. In each instance, the writers were introduced to our program officers and encouraged to use them as resource people. (Officers are now, in fact, being called on by journalists, particularly in areas of current high news interest such as food production, population problems, environmental issues, and the arts.).”
On several occasions, and in different publications spread throughout its long and sordid past, the Rockefeller Foundation openly brags using media- figureheads for their own purposes. In none of these instances does the RF mention any problem encountered with any of the media moguls they contacted. In the 1974 yearly report, Bill Moyers is mentioned as one of the beneficiaries of information disseminated by the Foundation.
“In preparing its remarkable 25-part series on the world food situation, the New York Times reporters have become acquainted and have established fruitful ongoing relationships with a good many of our officers. Our staff have provided substantial information and further contacts for Bill Moyers in his television series dealing with the problems of global interdependence. These are only a few of the many productive new relationships we have established with representatives of the mass media.”
In order to sell the public on world government, the research of professor Hovland has proven invaluable. As anyone can see, the techniques are fanatically being applied to this day. Consider the warmongering-machine the Anglo-American establishment fires up as soon as geopolitical objectives come into view. In part II of this investigation we will delve into another dimension of professor Hovland’s research which lies at the core of all mass communications: the influence of film and music on the subconscious mind, directed both at the individual and at the masses. Infowars.com

The top of the pyramid: The Rothschilds, the British Crown and the Vatican rule the world – Part 4

FROM THE EDITOR:

I found this interesting article that addresses some parts of the history that we never saw in the past or see in present history books, and how the United States and the Federal Government came to be. Due to its length, El Reportero will publish it in parts every week. Hope you enjoy it and help you to expand your perspective in the history of our political world.  It is also the story of why we pay income tax and to whom – MR. PART 4 of a series.

by Before It’s News

http://humansarefree.com/2014/09/the-top-of-pyramid-rothschilds-british.html

“In 1604, a group of leading politicians, businessmen, merchants, manufacturers and bankers, met in Greenwich, then in the English county of Kent, and formed a corporation called the Virginia Company in anticipation of the imminent influx of white Europeans, mostly British at first, into the North American continent.
“Its main stockholder was the reptilian King James I, and the original charter for the company was completed by April 10th 1606. This and later updates to the charter established the following:
“…The Virginia Company comprised of two branches, the London Company and the Plymouth or New England Company…The ‘Pilgrims’ of American historical myth were, in fact, members of the second Virginia Company branch called the New England Company. The Pilgrim Society is still a major elite grouping within the Illuminati.
“The Virginia Company owned most of the land of what we now call the USA, and any lands up to 900 miles offshore. This included Bermuda and most of what is now known as the Caribbean Islands.
“The Virginia Company (the British Crown and the bloodline families) had rights to 50 percent, yes 50 percent, of the ore of all gold and silver mined on its lands, plus percentages of other minerals and raw materials, and 5 percent of all profits from other ventures.
“These rights, the charters detailed, were to be passed on to all heirs of the owners of the Virginia Company and therefore continue to apply… forever!
“The controlling members of the Virginia Company who were to enjoy these rights became known as the Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London.
“After the first 21 years from the formation of the Virginia Company, all ‘duties, imposts, and excises’ paid on trading activities in the colonies had to be paid directly to the British Crown through the Crown treasurer…
“The lands of the Virginia Company were granted to the colonies under a Deed of Trust (on lease) and therefore they could not claim ownership of the land…
“The monarch, through his Council for the Colonies, insisted that members of the colonies impose the Christian religion on all the people, including the Native Americans…
“The criminal courts on the lands of the Virginia Company were to be operated under Admiralty Law, the law of the sea, and the civil courts under common law, the law of the land… Now, get this. All of the above still applies today!”– David Icke – The Biggest Secret;
The United States Inc.
“For those who think America controls the roost it would do well to consider that the Queen of England is still the official head of Commonwealth (123 countries) and the official monarch of Australia and Canada along with the United Kingdom… add to that the fact that all Bush Sr. got for his two terms as president of USA is a mere knighthood of the British Empire.” — Prash Trivedi;
The original 13 colonies were actually called companies. Military units are also called companies. We sing patriotic songs like “the Star-Spangled Banner,” but a banner is a corporate advertisement, not a flag.
You surrender with a white flag, no colors. When you get mad you show your true colors. If you just won independence in a bloody revolution with Britain would you choose the same three colors for your new US flag?
Why does “every heart ring true for the red, white, and blue?” What about the gold-fringed flag used by the military, hung at all courts, schools, and government buildings?  It all has to do with the British Maritime Admiralty Law of Flags.
“This is also known as British Maritime (military) Law and this is why the American flag always has a gold fringe when displayed in the courts of the United States. You find the same in government buildings and federally funded schools.
“The gold fringe is a legal symbol indicating that the court is sitting under British Maritime Law and the Uniform Commercial Code – military and merchant law not common or constitutional law, under the Admiralty Law of Flags, the flag displayed gives notice of the law under which the ship (in this case the court) is regulated.
“Anyone entering that ship (court) accepts by doing so that they are submitting to the law indicated by that flag. Judges refuse to replace the flag with one without a fringe when asked by defendants who know the score because that changes the law under which the court is sitting.
“If you appear in a court with a gold fringed flag your constitutional rights are suspended and you are being tried under British Maritime (military /merchant) Law.” — David Icke – Tales from the Time Loop;
International Maritime Admiralty law, the law of the high seas, began in Sumeria, was perfected in Rome and continues to this day. Jordan Maxwell has explained that the way we trade commerce today is modeled after the Masons’/Templar Knights’ 1,000 year old system.
Notice how regardless of whether you send a product by air, water, or land – you “ship” it. The ship pulls into its “berth” and ties to the “dock.”  The Captain has to provide the port authorities with a “certificate of manifest” declaring the products he has brought.
Through a legal loophole the royals have created, US citizens are considered property of the queen under British Maritime law. Since we are born of our mother’s water, from her “birth canal,” we are thereby a maritime product, a “shipped” commodity. Our mothers were delivering a product under maritime law and that’s why we are born in a “delivery room.”
That’s why the “doc” signs your “berth” certificate, your “certificate of manifest.” You’re kept in the Maternity “Ward.” Why a ward? No other hospital areas are called wards. Prisons have wards and wardens.
The United States Corporation came about just after the civil war. The Act of 1871 was passed by congress creating a separate form of government for DC, essentially turning it into a corporation.
It was decided that employees would be called “citizens.”  So when you say in court or on paper, that you are a citizen of the United States, you are not a free American, but an employee of US Inc.
When you get a fine, a ticket, a bill, or get sued, you must sign in all capital letters. When you die, your Masonic tombstone by law will have all capital letters to show their employee has died.
The entity that is your name in all caps is your maritime admiralty product code. Upper and lower case legally represents you, your body.

10 nutritional deficiencies that may cause depression

by Mike Bundrant

Do you ever wonder where you positive emotions went?
If your optimistic outlook on life has soured, then you should know that – beyond psychological approaches – nutrition plays a key role in maintaining your moods.
There are several nutritional deficiencies that can lead to feelings of depression
You may want to consider asking your healthcare practitioner if you’re lacking in any of the important nutrients below. If your healthcare practitioner is not open to considering nutritional deficiencies as a cause of depression, then you might consider firing your healthcare practitioner.
Correcting a poor diet and adding the right supplements should be primary objectives for any doctor with proper education and integrity. Getting your nutritional needs met is the least expensive, least invasive, safest and most effective means of restoring balance to your body.
Here are 10 nutrients to research and test:
#1 – Amino Acids
As protein’s essential building blocks, amino acids play a key role in helping your brain function properly. When you aren’t getting enough amino acids in your diet, you may begin to feel depressed, unfocused, and sluggish. Increase your intake of red meat, beans, seeds, and nuts in order to ensure you are getting enough of these vital nutrients.
#2 – B Complex Vitamins
According to a study conducted in 2009, more than a quarter of all older women diagnosed with severe depression were deficient in B complex vitamins, suggesting that these are far more important for our mental health that anyone previously realized.
Today, the National Institute of Health suggests a daily intake of 2.4mcg of B-12 and 1.5-1.7mg of B-6. These essential nutrients can be found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and seafood such as mussels, clams, and crab.
#3 – Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiencies have not only been linked to depression, but to autism and dementia as well. The easiest time to become vitamin D deficient is during the fall and winter months, when we’re receiving less sunlight. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults need 600 IUs of vitamin D per day.
However, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, this number should actually be between 5,000-10,000 IU for maximum mental health.
#4 – Folate
A low folate level has been shown to seriously lessen the effectiveness of antidepressants. In fact, some enlightened psychiatrists now prescribe folate for depression.
Most adults require a minimum of 400mcg daily, which can be consumed by eating plenty of dark leafy greens, citrus fruits and juices, legumes, and beans.
#5 – Iodine
Iodine is critical to your thyroid function. Though it seems small, the thyroid affects almost every system in your body – your energy level, body temperature, metabolism, immune system, brain function, and more. When you are low on iodine, your thyroid function suffers, leading to feelings of depression among other symptoms.
#6 – Iron
It’s estimated that nearly 20 percent of all women suffer from an iron deficiency. This can cause symptoms that are very similar to depression, including: fatigue, inability to focus, and irritability. It’s important to make sure you are consuming between 8 and 18mg of iron each day.
#7 – Magnesium
Nearly half of all Americans are deficient in magnesium. This is because consuming too much salt, caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and experiencing chronic stress can all deplete the body’s stores of magnesium. Magnesium is one of the most efficient minerals at combating the harmful effects of constant stress. Men require between 400 and 420mg per day, and women should consume between 310 and 320mg per day.
#8 – Omega-3 Fatty Acids
You may have heard that these are important for heart health, but they can have a serious impact on your mental health as well. Even if you take a daily fish oil supplement, you may still not be getting enough Omega-3s in your diet.
Your body can’t make these compounds on their own – you need to eat them (in the form of fish like salmon, halibut, and tuna or nuts like walnuts and flaxseeds) and take supplements to ensure you’re getting all of the nutrients you need.
#9 – Selenium
Selenium is also important for optimum thyroid function. It is also an important antioxidant, helping to keep polyunsaturated acids in the cell membrane from becoming oxidized. Most of us need a minimum of 55mcg of selenium to stay physically and mentally healthy.
#10 – Zinc
Zinc is another nutrient that is vital to many of the systems in our body. Not only does it aid digestion, it also helps our DNA produce and repair proteins. It can boost immune system function and helps to control inflammation in the body.

L.A. mayor, homeland urge undocumented immigrants to step forward

by Allyson Escobar
Asian Journal/Via New America Media

LOS ANGELES – Since President Barack Obama announced his executive action on immigration last November, hundreds of departments and organizations have been gearing up to implement the plans that are estimated to affect millions of undocumented residents living in the United States.
Federal agencies such as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been working with the Obama administration, as well as both chambers of Congress, to talk about the program and gather the details of the new immigration policies being carried out over the next few months. “One of the things we know from history is that generation after generation of immigrants have struggled to be a part of the American experience—people like my own ancestors,” said DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson at a public information session held Feb. 12 at the Los Angeles Central Library. “But we have also overcome.”
The President’s actions would ensure that enforcement and removal policies will continue to prioritize threats to national security, public safety and border security through the USCIS; broaden business opportunities, expand deferment for eligible individuals in existing and new programs, and generally increase access to US citizenship for people who are qualified.
“I believe that in God’s earth, there are no second-class people,” the secretary said to rounds of cheery applause.
The two main initiatives for executive immigration reform are the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and the implementation of Deferred Action for Parent Arrivals (DAPA).
Changes to the original DACA program, first introduced in 2012, include an expansion to young people who came to the US before they turned 16, removal of the upper age cap (from Jan. 1, 2010), and a longer period of authorization from two to three years. Individuals who meet these and other requirements will be eligible to apply for the program.
“This is an exciting moment in history, that we are amending the criteria for DACA,” Johnson said. “There are many wonderful examples throughout this country of the recipients and beneficiaries of this program, and the DHS is grateful for the tremendous amount of support.” The launching of DACA and open applications are expected to be out by Feb. 18.
The new DAPA program will allow the parents of a US citizen or legal permanent resident to remain in the country and apply for work authorization for up to three years, should they meet requirements and background checks. If an applicant has lived in the US for at least five years, has committed no serious crime, and is the parent of a citizen or legal resident, he or she is eligible for DAPA. The program—which will consider an estimated 4 million—is still in its early planning stages, and is expected to be running by May or June. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also spoke at the event, addressing a crowd of hundreds including non-profits, media, and even several undocumented immigrant families who are eligible for the programs. “
Los Angeles in 2015 is like Selma in 1964,” the Mayor opened his remarks. “There are 550,000 Americans living in the shadows who want to come out and be a part of this society, and contribute to its economics, livelihood, and future. Los Angeles is a city founded on immigrants. We want to help you settle into these communities that you already call home.”
Mayor Garcetti promised to work alongside the DHS and use the city’s many resources to see immigration reform move through with success, and for DACA and DAPA to be “stepping stones” for other programs of “greater integration” in areas such as improved health care, citizenship courses, driver’s licenses, tax assistances, and other ways to improve immigrants’ quality of life in the US. “The most important message of today is don’t be afraid,” he stressed.
Garcetti introduced the Step Forward LA initiative, promising that the Mayor’s Office would readily assist immigrants looking to apply for the new programs as soon as they become available. “Because all Americans, not just immigrants, benefits from this action, and everybody deserves a chance to step forward,” he said.
He also introduced a DACA recipient, Maria Gómez, who graduated with a Master’s in Architecture from University of California, Los Angeles and spoke about how the program has changed her life.
“The guarantee of not being deported from this country has changed my life,” Maria shared tearfully. “DACA has given me all of these opportunities to continue here, and it is no longer just about surviving, but I am focused on thriving.”
“This is about our fellow human beings,” Garcetti said. “We have an opportunity to boost our economy, make our streets safer, and to strengthen the social fabric of this entire country, specifically here in Los Angeles, where 60 percent of our population our immigrants.”
“Executive action is the greatest promise for this city, of any city in America,” he finished.

Understanding true and false credit

Without an increase in the pool of real savings, banks cannot create more credit

by Frank Shostak
Mises.org

There are two kinds of credit: that which would be offered in a market economy with sound money and banking (true credit), and that which is made possible only through a system of central banking, artificially low interest rates, and fractional reserves (false credit).
Banks cannot expand true credit as such. All that they can do in reality is to facilitate the transfer of a given pool of savings from savers (i.e., those lending to the bank) to borrowers.
Consider the case of a baker who bakes ten loaves of bread. Out of his stock of real wealth (ten loaves of bread), the baker consumes two loaves and saves eight.
He lends his eight remaining loaves to the shoemaker in return for a pair of shoes in one-week’s time.
Note that credit here is the transfer of ”real stuff,” i.e., eight saved loaves of bread from the baker to the shoemaker in exchange for a future pair of shoes.
Also, observe that the amount of real savings determines the amount of available credit. If the baker had saved only four loaves of bread, the amount of credit would have only been four loaves instead of eight.
Note that the saved loaves of bread provide support to the shoemaker. That is, the bread sustains the shoemaker while he is busy making shoes.
This means that credit, by sustaining the shoemaker, gives rise to the production of shoes and therefore to the formation of more real wealth. This is the path to real economic growth.
Money and Credit
The introduction of money does not alter the essence of what credit is. Instead of lending his eight loaves of bread to the shoemaker, the baker can now exchange his saved eight loaves of bread for eight dollars and then lend them to the shoemaker.
With eight dollars the shoemaker can secure either eight loaves of bread or other goods to support him while he is engaged in the making of shoes. The baker is supplying the shoemaker with the facility to access the pool of real savings, which among other things also has eight loaves of bread that the baker has produced. Also note that without real savings the lending of money is an exercise in futility.
Money fulfills the role of a medium of exchange. Thus, when the baker exchanges his eight loaves for eight dollars he retains his real savings, so to speak, by means of the eight dollars.
The money in his possession will enable him, when he deems it necessary, to reclaim his eight loaves of bread or to secure any other goods and services.
There is one provision here that the flow of production of goods continues. Without the existence of goods, the money in the baker’s possession will be useless.
The existence of banks does not alter the essence of credit. Instead of the baker lending his money directly to the shoemaker, the baker lends his money to the bank, which in turn lends it to the shoemaker. In the process the baker earns interest for his loan, while the bank earns a commission for facilitating the transfer of money between the baker and the shoemaker.
The benefit that the shoemaker receives is that he can now secure real resources in order to be able to engage in his making of shoes.
Despite the apparent complexity that the banking system introduces, the essence of credit remains the transfer of saved real stuff from lender to borrower.
Without an increase in the pool of real savings, banks cannot create more credit. At the heart of the expansion of good credit by the banking system is an expansion of real savings.
Now, when the baker lends his eight dollars we must remember that he has exchanged for these dollars eight saved loaves of bread. In other words, he has exchanged something for eight dollars. So when a bank lends those eight dollars to the shoemaker, the bank lends fully “backed” dollars, so to speak.
False Credit: An Agent of Economic Destruction
Trouble emerges when instead of lending fully backed money, a bank engages in issuing empty money (fractional reserve banking) that is backed by nothing.
When unbacked money is created, it masquerades as genuine money that is supposedly supported by real stuff. In reality however, nothing has been saved. So when such money is issued, it cannot help the shoemaker since the pieces of empty paper cannot support him in producing shoes — what he needs instead is bread.
Since the printed money masquerades as proper money it can be used to divert bread from some other activities and thereby weaken those activities. This is what the diversion of real wealth by means of money out of “thin air” is all about.
If the extra eight loaves of bread weren’t produced and saved, it is not possible to have more shoes without hurting some other activities, which are much higher on the priority list of consumers as far as life and well-being is concerned. This in turn also means that unbacked credit cannot be an agent of economic growth.
Rather than facilitating the transfer of savings across the economy to wealth generating activities, when banks issue unbacked credit they are in fact setting in motion a weakening of the process of wealth formation.
It has to be realized that banks cannot pursue unbacked lending on an ongoing basis without the existence of the central bank. The central bank, by means of monetary pumping, makes sure that the expansion of unbacked credit doesn’t cause banks to bankrupt each other.
We can thus conclude that as long as the increase in lending is fully backed by real savings it must be regarded as good news since it promotes the formation of real wealth. False credit, which is generated out of “thin air,” is bad news since credit which is unbacked by real savings is an agent of economic destruction.

Uruguay: Mujica supports wife’s candidacy

by the El Reportero’s wire services

The ex-president and current senator José Mujica will be the main speaker at the launching on Saturday of the election campaign of his wife, Lucía Topolansky, for the Administrative Division of Montevideo.
The municipal elections will be carried out on next May 10 in 19 departments of the country.
In the capital, Topolansky competes with another two precandidates of the leader Frente Amplio (FA), and the Partido de la Concertación (Party of the Agreement), which gathers the opponents parties National and Colorado.
Nevertheless, other candidates of the FA, Daniel Martínez and Virginia Cardozo, also will be present in what has been described as a ‘united gesture’.
Topolansky heads the most recent surveys to replace by a period of five years the current Governor Ana Olivera, also from the FA.
The organizers of the event, which will be carried out in the central Square Líber Seregni, announced the presence of outstanding artists, such as the folklorist Rubén Rada.

Experts in Guatemala urge to fight exclusion in LatAm
Delegates and experts from 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries urged last week governments, international-cooperation organizations and social movements to fight poverty and exclusion in the region.
After three days of discussion, the participants in the annual Assembly of National Platforms and NGO Networks in Latin America said in a communiqué that democracy in Latin America still does not offer any social or economic answer to the population.
They concluded that the common factor was exclusion of indigenous populations, especially women and youths.
Inequality is a problem in the region, because wealth is concentrated in few hands, while poverty is highly extended especially in the rural areas, said the text signed by several Latin American and Caribbean organizations.
To fight poverty, the Assembly recommended the United States, international cooperation organizations and social movements to encourage development that protects the environment, water sources, woods, and respects the rights of aboriginal people.

Argentina’s Unions support decision to nationalize railroads
Argentina’s railroads unions have described as historical President Cristina Fernandez’s decision to re-nationalize railroads in the country, announced last Sunday.
During her address to the Congress on March 1st, the president announced she will present a bill to make the company Ferrocarriles Argentinos, a State company, which will be in charge of passenger and cargo transport services as well as infrastructure.
Next day, Minister of Transport Florencio Randazzo informed all private operators that the State would take control of the sector once the concessionary period had ended.
The Government has been paying railroad workers from main metropolitan lines since last year and has subsidized all services. However, private companies have failed to comply with the investment plans.

Technical sub-commission to end conflict in Colombia in session
A technical sub-commission begins today to debate the issue End of the conflict in Colombia, as part of the peace talks in this capital between the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’’s Army (FARC-EP).

Broadway International Film Fest Ensenada

by the El Reportero’s staff

Enjoy with your family this fabulous film festival experience in one of the most picturesque places of Mexico, right next to the south United States border.

Art and culture in a one-of-a-kind experience. From Feb. 27 to March 1. For more information call 213-210-0900.

Violence Against Older Women: Physical-Emotional- Financial
Shawna Reeves, Director of Elder Abuse Prevention at the Institute on Aging, will speak on:
Recognizing signs of abuse, How to intervene, and Resources for help. Discussion to follow presentation of why it is difficult for those suffering from violence to take action on their own behalf, how we can support others, or how to get help for ourselves and loved ones. On Saturday, Feb. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the Flood Building, 870 Market St., Room 1185. 415-989-4422.

SF Shakespeare presents As You Like It at Central Library
Berkeley Public Library welcomes the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as they present the touring company’s production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It on Sunday, March 1, 2015, at 2:00pm at the Central Library, 2090 Kittredge in the third floor Community Meeting Room.
Join Rosalind, Orlando, Celia, and Touchstone as they escape to the Forest of Arden in Shakespeare’s classic comedy focusing on love, loss and redemption. With a hilarious love triangle, mistaken identities and an exciting wrestling match, this production is a sure delight for all ages. As You Like It features one of Shakespeare’s strongest heroines, thought provoking family dynamics and the famous “All the world’s a stage…” speech. The 55-minute touring production presents a cast of five professional actors in costume, with set, props and recorded music. Following the performance is a question and answer session with the cast. For questions regarding this program, call 510-981-6241.

A follow up of last year’s 25th Anniversary – Winter Fest 2015
A lively follow-up to last year’s 25th Anniversary Summer Fest (August 2014), San Jose Jazz’s Winter Fest 2015 presented by Metro continues its steadfast commitment of presenting artists at the bleeding edge of jazz, R&B and hip-hop with an ambitious line-up in association with local production house Universal Grammar.
San Jose Jazz is thrilled to present performances by Taylor McFerrin, Kris Bowers, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Marc Cary Focus Trio, Diane Schuur, Mads Tolling Quartet with Tierney Sutton, Denise Perrier Trio with Houston Person, Les Yeux Noirs, and the Bay Area’s premier youth jazz ensembles. Please note that DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Otis Brown III are no longer performing at Winter Fest 2015. From February 27 – March 8, 2015.
Tickets are now on sale ranging in price between $12 – $30, and a limited number of VIP All-Concert Passes are available for $175.

Paraguay to host 8th International Guitar Festival

by the El Reportero’s news services

Recognized film makers as the Peruvian Claudia Llosa and actors of diverse origins as the French Audrey Tautou participate today in the opening of the 65 Edition of the Film Festival of Berlin.
The American director Darren Aronofsky will preside the jury of the contest that begins this Thursday with the projection of the most recent movie of the Spanish Elizabeth Coixet, Nobody wants the night, starred by a luxurious cast: Juliette Binoche, Rinko Kikuchi and Gabriel Byrne.
The official section of the festival of 2015 has 19 applicants to the Bear, icon of its award, and among the competitors there are: a Chilean-Spanish-French documentary directed by Patricio Guzmán, El Botón de Nácar, and other of Pablo Larraín, El Club.
The last Latin American tape that won a golden Bear (the most prestigious award granted in the Festival) was La Teta Asustada (2009), of the Peruvian Llosa, member of the jury in the present edition.
Film makers of Iran, France, Japan, Viet Nam and China complete the selection of this appointment that will be provided with the presence of important stars of the big screen such as Christian Bale, Natalie Portman and Fail Blanchett.
The Panorama section of the Festival will count on productions from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile, according to organizers of the well-known Berlinale.
The Panorama section is the second one more important of the festival, that this year will include movies of Morocco, Palestine, the United States, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, Iran, Greece, Russia, Lithuania, Holland, France and Taiwan.

Marimba to be declared Cultural Heritage of America
The Organization of American States (OAS) will declare Guatemalan marimba (variety of xylophone) Americas Cultural Heritage for the world on February 12, said the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
According to the official statement, the declaration will be issued at OAS headquarters in Washington DC, in the United States, during a solemn ceremony to honor that Guatemalan instrument and national symbol.
OAS awards this recognition to cultural expressions that best represent the heritage of American countries.
Two well-known marimba groups are expected to perform in the ceremony to offer a concert of iconic pieces of Guatemalan and Latin American repertoire.
“The marimba sounds like Guatemalans: with a sad joy”, said Guatemalan Valentina Santa Cruz.
The Congress declared the marimba national symbol in 1999, after assessing its historical, cultural, artistic and traditional values.
The Ministry of Education is required to teach the instrument in public and private schools under the 31-99 decree.
It was also agreed in the decree the celebration of the Marimba Day every February 20th in Guatemala.

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