Archive for June, 2009

Crisis in Honduras

Jun 29

Posted by RTF Staff in General

Dear Friends,
In response to the email notes and inquiries about the effect of the situation in Honduras on our many projects there, please know that our work is not affected.

Most likely there will be positive results.

As you may recall I was in Honduras just a few weeks ago and at that time our local volunteers and many friends in Honduras reported living in constant fear…

President Zelaya had begun a process of referendum with the goal of re-writing the Honduras constitution, thus permitting him to run for reelection.  (The Constitution calls for a single term for the President.)

Honduras is a very poor country.  Our project coordinator in Honduras tells me that about 70% of the population lives at or below the poverty level.

Some months ago President Zelaya increased the minimum wage by presidential decree.  Details of the increase vary greatly – The Washington Times reported 300%.

The increase caused great excitement and great expectations among the poor.

The result, however, of that tripling brought extreme chaos and exacerbated the poverty situation as employers already struggling began massive lay-offs of employees.  Next, followed closing of machiladora factories – more lay-offs.

As a result, as accounted to me by several different people, there has been a crime wave of massive proportions.  The most horrid part of the crime wave is that typically the robbers are more nervous than their intended victims.Hungry people are preying on those who still have jobs.  These are NOT criminals and are often shaking with such nervousness that their guns go off by accident and machete attacks more severe than the robbers intend.  These “robbers” are fathers and brothers who have families that have to have food.  They are not taking kidnap victims and demanding high ransoms – they are robbing for a few dollars for food.

The situation was bad when our team was there in May.  I was very, very worried about Andrea and our disaster team that responded to the earthquake two weeks ago.  Desperate people sometimes do desperate things.

As order is restored, and the rule of law prevails I anticipate the danger to our local volunteers and U.S. volunteer teams reducing to tolerable risk levels.

Jungle villages are not affected and all containers have been delivered with no problems.

Yours In Service,
Gary Becks
(619) 329-6511
www.rescuetaskforce.org

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American Bullion – New RTF Sponsor

Jun 10

Posted by admin in General

LOS ANGELES  ,  NEW YORK  and  CHICAGO  ,  June 8  /PRNewswire/ — American Bullion LLC,  Washington Times radio and The Rescue Task Force veterans charity have formed an alliance promoting a “U.S. GOLD IRA”. The self-directed GOLD IRA is an account for physical gold “Made-In-The-USA Gold Eagles,” announced today on the “Washington Times”  www.WashingtonTimes.com radio news show, hosted by acclaimed radio host Rick Amato. The show has teamed up with American Bullion to form “American Bullion Solid Gold Studios,” which is a forum to discuss physical GOLD IRA retirement accounts utilizing only “U.S. Gold from U.S. Soil.” For charity, American Bullion LLC agrees to donate on each client’s behalf to charities dedicated to returning, severely wounded war veterans, including the  http://www.rescuetaskforce.org/military.html Rescue Task Force “Project Backpack.”

Rick Amato of the Washington Times stated on the radio show, “Let’s keep your physical Gold investment dollars in the U.S.A during this time of economic crisis and let’s not support foreign gold — keep your GOLD IRA dollars at home with U.S. Gold produced only from U.S. soil! Gold demand in the U.S.A is at an all-time high, let’s keep buying U.S. Gold Eagles.”

Bloomberg reported that Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance recently invested $400 million dollars in physical gold as asset “insurance,” the first time in its 152 year history. “Gold just seems to make sense; it’s a store of value,” Chief Executive Officer Edward Zore said in an interview with Bloomberg. Northwestern Mutual has accumulated about $400 million in gold, and Zore said “the price could double or even rise fivefold if the economy continues to weaken.” In the past 18 months, investor demand for physical GOLD IRA accounts has increased dramatically in the U.S., as investors seek a hedge against inflation, the shrinking U.S. dollar and Dow Jones industrial index.

American Bullion www.AmericanBullion.com with offices in Los Angeles , New York and Chicago , specialize in GOLD IRA retirement plans with U.S. Gold Eagles. The new alliance with the Washington Times guarantees a donation on the behalf of each new client to returning a wounded U.S.A. veteran charity. Gary Becks, CEO of the RTF-Rescue Task Force charity, thanked American Bullion LLC on the recent Washington Times radio show, “We thank American Bullion LLC for their support, and the returning wounded appreciate the assistance of all our donors.”

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