Help is coming for 9 million overtaxed, indebted sods — so goes the jingle from our newest president of these United States.

The weekend news from every corner of the globe [especially Europe and Britain] was absolutely wretched…and gold and silver did exactly what one would expect the moment that trading began in the Far East on Monday morning…they took off to the upside. However, for some strange reason, gold couldn’t make it above $960…and shortly after London opened…the gold price was under pressure once again. Then, at precisely 9:00 a.m. in trading on the Comex in New York…the rug, once again, got pulled out from under the price. The gold price began to rally again the moment that London closed for the day, but got stopped dead in its tracks at half past lunchtime in New York.

Freddie Mac CEO Quitting; HSBC Selling Shares, Cutting Jobs; Wendy’s/ Arby’s Loses $390 Million in 4Q; South Africa Unemployment Fell to 21.9% in 4Q; Venture Capital Investment Plummets; Dish Network Ups Profit, Loses Subscribers

U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech to the joint session of Congress this week was a beautiful performance. His language was exquisite, his delivery was superb, his rhetoric – at times – truly uplifting. 

Federal officials are discussing the possibility of converting the U.S. government’s preferred shares of Citigroup Inc. (C) to common stock in a move that would boost taxpayers’ stake in the company to 40%, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“Synchronized boom, synchronized bust,” explains our old friend Marc Faber in the Wall Street Journal. Where have you gone Alan Greenspan? Your nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Ou… ou… ou…

U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday (Wednesday) released a proposed housing program designed to prevent up to 9 million “at risk” Americans from losing their homes.

Are you a “responsible homeowner?” If so, President Obama has a gift for you.

MasterCard Posts 4Q Profit; Buffet’s Berkshire Investing in Swiss Re; Rogers Staying Out of Russia; Ford in Volvo Talks with Geely Auto; Louis Vuitton Misses on Earnings; Brown Refuses to Ban Bonuses; Mortgage Rates Jump; Retail Trade Group Wants Tax Holidays

I’m keeping an eye out for financial Black Swans this month — more than usual.