Tag Archives: disaster

Fukushima

One Year Later: Surprise! Mystery damage to another Nuke Reactor in Japan. No, it’s not Fukushima Daiichi!

10 July 2012, operators of the Onagawa nuclear plant in Miyagi Prefecture announced that their Reactor 3 fuel rod storage pool is damaged.

Tohoku Electric Power Company (not to be confused with Tokyo Electric Power Company, which runs Fukushima Daiichi) reported they discovered chips, cracks, and more than 12 missing pieces to the metal containers holding fuel rods in the pool.

They are now checking reactors 1 & 2 at the Onagawa nuclear power factory.  Government officials are concerned that the damage was caused by the March 2011 earthquake.

Tohoku-EPCo claims the fuel rods are not damaged.

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Opinion, Technology, U.S.

Corporate & Government Incompetence: Hoku Corp “restructuring” code for going bust! Pocatello wasted hundreds of thousands on tax breaks! Hundreds of hoped for jobs down the drain! Who’s gonna buy those new homes now Mr Mayor?

On 05 July 2012, NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) ordered an end to trading of Hoku stock, pending “additional information”.

NASDAQ requires that companies traded in their exchange can not go below one U.S. dollar per share for a set period of time, or that company will be de-listed.  But Hoku Corp was guaranteed doom when, at the beginning of June, a “do not trade” warning was issued to investors!

Rumors are now rampant that Hoku will declare bankruptcy, but get a clue, when a company announces it’s “restructuring” it’s a real good chance that bankruptcy is close behind.

I’ve been following the slow motion Hoku Materials train wreck in Pocatello, Idaho, since day one.  This was because I learned that some of the board members of Hoku have a history of starting up corporations on paper, then folding them for technical reasons after selling off stock in the paper corps.

You can search my posts, but briefly; the city of Pocatello, and Bannock County, bent over backwards to get the company to settle in the area, including I believe a $200,000 property tax break on land which only cost $200,000.  This was unprecedented for Pocatello, because they had been actually running off businesses, and good paying jobs, because they (city officials) refused to make concessions (the big job loss that started the whole decline for the Pocatello/Chubbuck was refusing to give Union Pacific more land to make Pocatello UP’s new huge Pacific Northwest depot!) .

From day one of construction Hoku has failed to pay contractors on time, or at all! The big guy, JH Kelly, is now using legal action to seize the property!

Hoku was also consistently late paying their massive electric bills to Idaho Power.  At one point Tianwei New Energy Holdings announced at the end of 2011 that polysilicon production had begun, however, Idaho Power refused to provide the electricity because Hoku had not met its contractual obligations, so no production was ever started!

Hoku turned to Chinese companies to bail them out of their financial woes.  They became a subsidiary of Tianwei New Energy Holdings, which is an affiliate of China South Industries Group Corporation (CSGC).  All of Hoku Material’s contracts are with Chinese solar product companies hoping to increase their business in the United States.

The hopes of Chinese solar companies, and indirectly Hoku, were finally dashed because the Obama Administration imposed high tariffs on any Chinese made solar power product!

At least 120 of the 150 Hoku Materials employees were laid off, but the massive 50 football fields long polysilicon factory (built at the end of a dead end residential road, those people are not happy) was to employ several hundreds of people once it got up and running.  One year, I remember, in one of the monthly city of Chubbuck newsletters the incompetent mayor excitedly reminding people of the boom in home sales when the factory was finished. It was in response to residents questioning the allowing of new home developments, when the housing market was so bad.

So who’s gonna buy those new homes now Mr Mayor?

 SOLAR COMPANY HOKU CORPORATION STOCK now WORTHLESS 

Business/Economics, International, Opinion, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. GDP lags behind its puppet state Afghanistan

“The global growth outlook will be somewhat less than we anticipated just three months ago. Many indicators of economic activity, investment, employment, and manufacturing, have deteriorated. And not just in Europe or the United States.”-Christine Lagarde, International Monetary Fund, 03 July 2012

In June 2012, the World Bank issued GDP growth projections for the next year.

GDP growth for the United States will stagnate at 1.9%, while the war torn country of Afghanistan will actually grow at 4.9%!!!

Is this because of the billions and billions of USD pledged to the Afghan government by the international community?

The U.S. economy will continue to stagnate partly because the government is spending billions of tax dollars on occupying countries like Afghanistan?

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 28 June – 02 July. U.S. attacks Afghan forces. Afghan cop kills U.S./NATO troops. U.S. forces kill more civilians, if you’re a farmer you’re a terrorist! Children are terrorists! M1 Abrams Assault Breacher used to destroy homes.

02 July 2012

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said a man wearing a police uniform shot and killed three U.S./NATO occupying troops: “An individual wearing an Afghan National Civil Order Police uniform turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in southern Afghanistan today, killing three service members.”

As is ISAF SOP no further details were given.  223 occupying personnel have been killed since January 2012.

In Logar Province, local officials claim another U.S. occupying force airstrike has killed at least five civilians.  Two children and three adults were killed as they were working their farm.  Four others were wounded.   U.S. officials claim the farmers were Mujahideen/Taliban terrorists.

In Kandahar Province, at least seven people killed, 23 wounded by an explosion outside the University.  The explosion was caused by a suicide bomber driving a car full of explosives.

In Kabul Province, two groups of “land traders” (real estate agents?) blasted each other over a trade dispute. One person was wounded in the gun battle.  The fight took place near the Afghan-Korea vocational institute in Kabul city.

01 July 2012

ISAF claims to have captured yet another “leader”, this time in Wardak Province.  They say two other Mujahideen were captured, and one killed.

In Ghazni Province, five people were killed, 11 wounded, when a bus drove over a mine.  Local hospital staff said the death toll could rise.

In Paktia Province, two cops were killed, and 10 civilians wounded, after a motorcycle rigged with explosives blew up.

30 June 2012

ISAF occupying forces announced they are now detaining children!  Three kids ranging in ages 8 to 17 were arrested in Kandahar Province.  ISAF claims they were acting as “facilitators” for Mujahideen, by carrying explosives.

Hello! If even the children hate you so much that they would risk arrest or death to help fight your occupation, then maybe it’s time to leave, you dip shits!!!

According to UNICEF (United Nations International Children Education Fund), as a direct result of the U.S. occupation 1,750 children were killed or wounded in 2011 alone!!!

Internet video of USMC M1 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV), and other vehicles, shows the  destruction of homes and villages.  U.S. officials have always said the vehicles were used to clear road side bombs, but the latest video shows the combat engineer vehicles blasting right though villages.

29 June 2012

ISAF claims to killed another “leader”, this time in Logar Province. He was killed in a “precision airstrike” (drone strike).

In Nuristan Province, Mujahideen attacked a government military base. The battle lasted several hours. At least 10 people were killed.

In Parwan Province, a U.S. airstrike wounds three Afghan government troops. Afghan government forces were in a heated battle with Mujahideen.  U.S. officials say their pilots mistook the government troops for Mujahideen (that’s funny government troops wear standard uniforms, while Mujahideen wear traditional Afghan civilian clothing). The battle resulted in as many as 17 people killed.

28 June 2012

In Jowzjan Province, the governor, and his wife and daughter, were assassinated. One of his bodyguards was arrested on suspicion of being involved.

ISAF said two occupying troops were killed by an explosion in eastern Afghanistan.  The explosion took place the day before the announcement:  “Two International Security Assistance Force service members died following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan June 27.”

In Takhar Province, an Afghan government helicopter crashed.  The helicopter was being used to bring aid to flood victims.  Officials say no one was hurt in the crash.

In Baghlan Province, a convoy of U.S./NATO oil tankers exploded. A suicide bomber attacked the convoy, at least one person dead, four wounded.  The resulting fire destroyed civilian vehicles and businesses.

In Logar Province, another U.S./NATO convoy was attacked. ISAF claims one vehicle damaged, but no casualties.

ISAF claiming more “leaders” captured. One leader captured in Khost Province, another captured in Kandahar Province.

An attempt to capture a leader in Helmand Province resulted in yet another big drug bust.  More than 450 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of opium!

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & What Economic Recovery? Japan & U.S. want mo money for Afghanistan, another $15 billion!!!

On Sunday, 08 July 2012, Japan will host a conference that is pushing for the international community (ie; governments who’ll squeeze their tax payers) to come up with at least $15 billion USD for Afghanistan.  That’s in addition to what’s already been pledged in the past year!

Attendies to the conference will include Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Karzai has already announced that he wants another $3.9 billion USD for more “reconstruction”!

How can there be any economic recovery in the western countries when their governments are getting deeper in debt by giving away money they don’t have?

On 28 June 2012, Norway joined dozens of countries in pledging money in a military pact with Afghanistan. The pact will be officially signed in September.

Also on 28 June 2012, India hosted an international conference on private investment into Afghanistan.   Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Zalmai Rassoul, said investors will get a big return on their investment because: “While it is true that there are certain areas in Afghanistan where the security situation is not ideal, we should remember that these areas represent a small part of the country.”

Yeah right! Read my U.S. occupation of Afghanistan updates to know that’s a lie.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Chock Full o’Crap Western News Media: United States caves to Pakistan’s demands for mo money to open NATO occupation supply routes! $9 million for starters!

“We can seize any item, anything that be, if it is not mentioned in the agreements between Pakistan and Afghanistan and Pakistan and NATO.”-Qamar Thalho, Customs official

The full o’crap western news media has been reporting that Pakistan re-opened U.S./NATO supply routes into Afghanistan, because U.S. officials apologized for last year’s killing of Pakistani soldiers.  Wrong! It’s all about the money.

What the western media is not telling the tax payers of the U.S. and other NATO affiliated countries, is that Pakistan is now being paid about $6,000 for every U.S./NATO occupying force supply truck that crosses the Pakistani border into Afghanistan.

There are currently 1,500 trucks waiting to go through, that’s $9 million USD!!!  Pakistani news media said U.S. officials agreed to the higher fee because the alternate supply routes through other countries costs even more money!

Example: The Pentagon says its costs $100 million per month to take supplies through Central Asia, Russia and the Caucasus!!!

Question: Is this bull shit War on Terror in Afghanistan (a country where not one of the residents were involved with the 11 September 2001 attacks on the U.S.) really worth it?

To top it off, the new U.S./NATO supply agreement allows the Pakistani Customs officials to seize any truck that’s carrying “lethal” supplies!

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Average household income hits 25 year low!

06 July 2012, data from recent income surveys showed the average household income dropped to a 25 year low, and a record 62% of people say their lives are financially “difficult”.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry of Japan released the  data. Officials say average income in Japan peaked in 1994, at about $83,000 USD, but has been falling ever since then.

In 2010, the average income dropped to $67,300 USD per year.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Evil & Global Food Crisis: Monsanto found guilty of poisoning farmers! New study confirms Roundup destroys soil, reduces crop nutrition!

“I am alive today, but part of the farming population is going to be sacrificed and is going to die because of this.”-Paul Francois, victim of Monsanto’s LASSO 384

In February 2012, for the first time, a French court found Monsanto guilty of chemically poisoning a farmer who used an herbicide called LASSO 384. The active ingredient is called Alachlor.

This is the first court case that directly links Monsanto’s products with illnesses.

In 2004 the farmer suffered sever neurological problems that included memory loss, stammering and headaches, after using LASSO.  In 2007 the French government banned LASSO.  France has the largest agricultural economy of the European Union.

In 2003 Monsanto quietly paid a settlement of $700 million USD to victims of poisonings in Anniston, Alabama.

To add to the court cases, a recent study found that Kanup 480 SL (aka Roundup) actually destroys the soil it’s used on.  No shit Sherlock!!!  I’ve worked in landscaping for long enough to see the damage it causes to soil, and actually got in trouble with my bosses for refusing to use Roundup!

The study was published in Current Microbiology, and says the active ingredient, glyphosate, destroys beneficial microorganism that live in the soil, and results in crops with less nutritional value!  (I wounder if this has anything to do with mass colony collapse in bees?)

For example, the microorganism used in yogurt, Lactobacillus cremoris, has actually disappeared in areas where Roundup was used extensively.  The study also said such destruction occurres with much lower doses of Roundup, than what is recommended by Monsanto.

But it was discovered that many farmers end up using more and more Roundup, year after year, to fight the growing number of super weeds.  The results are huge tracks of farmland that are producing crops with very little nutrition!

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Evil: Mystery disease killing children in Cambodia? Remember Vientam’s Kanup/Roundup/Monsanto disaster?

05 July 2012, Cambodian health officials have turned to the UN World Health Organization for help in finding out what is killing their children.  A similar thing happened in Vietnam.

In Vietnam the mystery disease was made public in April this year.  It looks like a case of villagers incorrectly using a Monsanto product called Kanup 480 SL (Roundup in the United States).  The villagers had never used herbicides prior to a chemical company sale person tricking them into using the Roundup.

Now, Cambodian officials are reporting the deaths of at least 61 children.  The deaths began in April of this year.  Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, neurological problems and severe respiratory problems.  Officials say it is not contagious, implying it is not a virus or bacteria.

Cases have been reported in 14 Cambodian provinces.  At this point health officials are treating this as a traditional disease.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Chock Full o’Crap Western News Media: Korea South caves to Iran’s growing Purchasing Power!

“Iran is one of the major importers of Korean products. And in the eventuality that the policy of sanctioning Iranian oil is implemented, then that nation will suffer.”-Rostam Qasemi, Iranian Oil Minister

On 02 July 2012, I posted how Korea South (a U.S. ally/puppet) was getting around oil sanctions against Iran, by using Iranian tanker ships.

On 03 July 2012, Iranian media revealed the reason Korea South went against its master’s (United States) wishes: Iran has more purchasing power than the United States!

On 26 June 2012, Korea South announced they would stop oil shipments from Iran.  Iranian diplomats quickly threatened the embargo of all products made in Korea South.  Officials in the southern half of Korea did the math and decided it was not economically sound to go along with the puppet master’s (U.S.) oil embargo against Iran.

Just how much does Korea South rely on Iran for trade?

In 2007 Korea South signed a trade agreement with Iran.  According to the Korea International Trade Association, exports to Iran have increased 32%, while imports of Iranian goods increased 63.7% (the way the data was presented wasn’t clear, the percentages could be 32% for imports and 63.7% for exports)!

“Korea’s shipments to Iran amounted to $6 billion [USD] last year.”-Korea Times

The Korean Times reported that the threat by Iran, to embargo all southern Korean products, would slam 2,900 companies!

There are at least two petroleum companies from southern Korea working in Iran, and they have backing from U.S. investors!  In fact U.S. companies are involved with at least $1.4 billion USD worth of North American investments into Iran!

Here’s the bottom line; Iran is a big spender, and they pay in cash or trade!  The United States is broke, and they pay with credit, or steal it from you with bogus War on Terror tactics.  Who’s gonna get the World’s business in the long run?