Tag Archives: ows

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Occupy America! Diesel disparity in Idaho. Gas prices way down, Diesel way up. Blame increase in U.S. exports! Blame pricing games! Warning for California. Fracking really for fuel production. Grow your own!

In eastern  Idaho, the difference between the price of one gallon of regular gasoline, versus diesel, is now a full one dollar.

Phillips 66, next to the Bannock County court house, Pocatello, Idaho

On November 19, the average price, in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, hit $3.18 per gallon for regular gasoline, and $4.18 for diesel.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA) says gas prices are falling, in general, due to the usual seasonal drop in usage.  I’ve never seen it drop by this much, here in eastern Idaho.  Back in May, the average price was $3.65 per gallon, and it stayed that way through most of the summer.  In the past two or three months the price has dropped almost 60 cents.

The USEIA also says regional fuel refining has a lot to do with prices, but back in September I discovered that PADD 4 gasoline production was being kept below demand. The latest data on PADD 4 gas production shows that, after months of keeping it around 290 thousand barrels per day, regional refineries are now pushing out more than 324 thousand barrels per day.  This is why gas prices, in the Rocky Mountain area (PADD 4) are, or should be, dropping.

In California it’s a different story.  The latest gasoline price survey shows the average price around $3.54 per gallon, with many areas paying $3.79.  California taxes are one reason for the higher prices, but the other reason is that California refines its own fuel, and the refineries are in trouble.

According to the USEIA, despite having the third largest refinery industry in the country California’s refineries are maxed out, there’s just too many people driving too many vehicles.  The USEIA is warning of a fuel price catastrophe in California: “California refineries need to be running near full capacity to meet the State’s gasoline demand. If more than one of its refineries experiences operating problems at the same time, California’s gasoline supply may become very tight and prices can soar. Even when supplies can be obtained from some Gulf Coast and foreign refineries, they can take a relatively long time to arrive due to California’s substantial distance from those sources. The farther away the necessary relief supplies are, the higher and longer the price spike will be.”

Regarding the rising cost of diesel fuel, it looks like some of what I warned about back on November 5 is coming true.  Bottom line; around the world diesel production is down, while international demand is going up and up.

The latest reports on diesel commodity prices show a slight decrease.  The decrease is so small that the global increase in demand for diesel will still cause pump prices to go up.

And how does the global demand affect us here in the U.S.?  According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), most diesel fuel produced in the Untied States is actually being exported to other countries (a 37.6% increase, in both diesel and gasoline exports, in the past year).  That means less diesel for the domestic market.

Diesel fuel is part of the “distillates” family of fuels.  In the U.S. ultra low sulfur diesel is referred to as “Distillate Fuel Oil 15 ppm (parts per million) and under of Sulfur”.  According to USEIA records, ultra low sulfur production, in the United States, varies between 3.2 million and 3.6 million barrels per day.  Now realize that international demand has gone up, and that U.S. refineries are exporting much of their diesel.  Since overall production is remaining in the 3 million to 4 million barrels per day rang, that doesn’t leave much for us.  The result is diesel prices will continue to go up, until U.S. distillate refiners greatly increase production.

For those of us in the Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) area, the USEIA shows an up and down pattern for “Distillate Fuel Oil 15 ppm (parts per million) and under of Sulfur”.  From March through May, diesel production was stuck at about 160 thousand barrels per day.  By the end of July it increased to 195 thousand barrels per day.  Since the end of August it’s dropped, to 185 thousand.  That explains why diesel pump prices in the Rocky Mountain area are going up.

But here’s one more reason, and one that many diesel fuel users have speculated on; the high pump prices of diesel is an attempt by producers to make a bigger profit, since they’ve actually been keeping gasoline pump prices artificially low.  A Reuters article states just that: “This in turn crimps diesel output until the cost of the fuel gets high enough to offset losses from additional gasoline sales.”

The Reuters article explains, not very well, that ultra low sulfur refining requires hydrocracking, a process involving hydrogen.  It’s also used for gasoline.  The problem is that many refineries in the U.S. can not produce both diesel and gasoline.  This might explain the swings in production; one month gasoline production up, and diesel down, the next month it’s reversed.

The push for fracking natural gas, is actually for the fuel refining industry, because it turns out that using the hydrogen in natural gas is a good cheap way to conduct hydrocracking in fuel refining.

Eventually more diesel will be produced, because of the global demand.  Several companies in the Gulf Coast area have invested billions of dollars to build new refineries to extract the hydrogen from natural gas to hydrocrack new diesel fuel.

Diesel fuel users should really look into making their own biodiesel, even though you could get into trouble with the Federal and State tax collectors, as well as the EPA.  Here’s some links:  Backwoods Home Official BioDiesel Home BioDiesel Diesel Master JR Whipple (good for moonshine too, remember diesel is a distillate) There plenty more sites on the internet about making your own diesel, do the research.

 

Business/Economics, International

United Police Kingdom: Privatization plans, disgused as austerity measures, backfires. Prison Guards threaten to join protestors, after government cuts pension plan, and prisons fill with record number of people

Thousands of British prison officers say they might join the planned nationwide strikes on November 30.

The Prison Officers Association has 35,000 members, and at least 15,000 will go on strike.  That’s enough to shut down the operations of British prisons.  To make matters worse, the number of people now in British prisons hit a record 87,945 last week.  The prisons are nearly maxed out.

The U.K. government wants to cut retirement plans, and that seems to be the straw that is breaking the prison guards’ back: “We are hoping that we can come to a settlement on pensions, but if we can’t, then we will support the November 30 day of action.”-Steve Gillan, Prison Officers Association

Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy America! Corporate Lobbyists present plan to shut down OWS & Tea Party, more proof that the elites want turn the U.S. into a Prison Planet

MSNBC revealed a memo, written by former employees of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, which basically asks for money to research ways to shut down the OWS and Tea Party movements.

Part of its goal is to prevent Democrats from joining the OWS movement, because that would threaten Corporate America: “This would mean more than just short term political discomfort for Wall Street…It has the potential to have very long lasting political, policy and financial impacts on the companies in the center of the bullseye.”

The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to the American Bankers Association. It asks for more than $850,000 to conduct a 60 day study, which would include identifying Democratic candidates that are anti-Corporate America.

The Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford proposal also suggests that members of the Tea Party are close to joining forces with the OWS movement, and that upcoming end of year bonuses for corporate officials could result in Tea Party and OWS becoming one powerful movement: “Well known Wall Street companies stand at the nexus of where OWS protestors and the Tea Party overlap on angered populism…This combination has the potential to be explosive later in the year when media reports cover the next round of bonuses and contrast it with stories of millions of Americans making do with less this holiday season.”

The Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford proposal strongly suggest making examples of anyone who goes against Corporate America: “A big challenge is to demonstrate that these companies still have political strength and that making them a political target will carry a severe political cost.”

You need any more proof that Wall Street/Corporate America runs this country?




Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy America! What Economic Recovery? Detroit to lay off thousands more city employees, impose more cuts, Detroit is Ground Zero for Corporate America’s attack on the working class

“The mood in Detroit is grim. The workers are very angry. They’ve given concessions over and over and over again without striking. We haven’t struck since 1896.”–Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit

In 1983 there were 21,000 Detroit City union employees, now it’s down to about 11,000 and will drop at least another thousand by next year.  After more than 100 years, it looks like the City’s employee union might finally go on strike!

In 2010, Detroit officials legally imposed drastic cuts upon the City employees’ pay and benefits, now they’re threatening more cuts!  In the past two years 2,000 City employees have lost their jobs, now the Detroit Mayor, Dave Bing, wants another 1,000 layoffs.

But, union officials say the Detroit City Council wants to one up the Mayor: “The City Council is competing with him to represent Big Business, apparently, they’re threatening 2,300 layoffs!”-Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit

This is part of a sinister plot to privatize Detroit, and the United States: “Detroit has a long history as a leader of the Civil Rights movement, we’re still a 85% Black city.  We have a long history as a leader of the Labor Movement, and I suppose that Big Business figures if they can attack us in Detroit, and get away with it, than they can do it anywhere in the nation, and lower the living standards of the entire population.”-Michael Mulholland, Secretary Treasure at AFCME Local 207 in Detroit





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

United Police States of America: More proof that Uncle Sam is THE terrorist Mastermind; FBI behind most “terrorist” plots, it’s another way to round up poor black men for slave labor prisons

“The target, the motive, the ideology and the plot were all led by the FBI.”-Karen Greenberg, FBI tactics specialist, Fordham University

More and more evidence is coming forth, showing that for the past 10 years most “foiled terrorist plots” actually were masterminded by the FBI!  It’s a case of taking entrapment to a whole new level.

“Most of these suspect terrorists had no access to weapons unless the government provided them. I would say that showed they were not the biggest threat to the U.S.”-Mike German, American Civil Liberties Union and former FBI counter terrorism agent

Most of those arrested and convicted of recent terrorist plots were illegal drug users and/or sellers, or illegal immigrants.  Most of them say what happened was they were in dire straights financially and the undercover FBI agents (who’re posing as big time drug dealers) would offer them huge amounts of money to blow something up.  Sometimes they were promised that their debts would be cleared.  Illegal immigrants would be promised legal status.

“Most terrorists have links to foreign terrorist groups and have trained in terrorism training camps. Perhaps FBI resources should be spent finding those guys.”-Mike German, American Civil Liberties Union and former FBI counter terrorism agent

Most recently the FBI tried their drug dealer turned terrorist sting on some Iranians living in Mexico.  The Iranians smelled a rat and tried to get out.  One made it back to Iran, the other was arrested.  The U.S. government tried to present the failed ‘sting’ operation as a sinister plot to assassinate a Saudi Arabian official.  Never mind that it was the FBI who masterminded the sinister assassination plot.

But that’s not the only case the FBI bungled.  For some reason the FBI likes to use former convicted felons as their undercover agents.  In one case the potential ‘terrorists’ became so afraid of the FBI undercover agent that they succeed in getting a court to issue a restraining order against him.  They did not know the guy was an FBI undercover agent, or a former felon.

Bottom line, most of these cases involve poor men, mainly black and mainly Muslim.  There have been cases where they appeal their convictions, yet, even when the judge admits the FBI screwed up, their convictions are upheld.

It sounds to me like this is just another way our Corporate America controlled government is filling up slave labor prisons, especially the for profit Corporate America controlled prisons.  It has nothing to do with terrorists out to get us!

 

 

 

International, U.S.

It’s Official! Bush Jr & Blair charged with War Crimes, put on trial, for real!!!

“It is very important that this tribunal make a sound judgment against Bush and Blair that will indicate their, in this trial, responsibility for waging a Nuremberg crime against peace, which is along the lines of what the NAZIs did in World War Two”-Francis Boyle, International Law Professor, University of Illinois

After two years of investigations, the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission has officially charged George W. Bush and Tony Blair with war crimes.   Bush and Blair are now being tried, in absentia, by the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, in Malaysia!

Bush and Blair are charged with participating in the formulation of executive orders and directives to exclude the applicability of all international conventions and laws, regarding the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.  Laws such as: Geneva Conventions, Conventions against Torture, and the Declaration of Human Rights.

One witness told of being held at Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) for six years, suffering torture, then being let go because U.S. officials admitted his detention was a case of mistaken identity!

Official notifications of the war crimes trial were served to known addresses of Bush Jr and Blair, and to the U.S. Embassy and the U.K. High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, on September 19, 2011.

International Criminal Court, September 2011: FRENCH LAWYERS TO CHARGE SARKOZY WITH WAR CRIMES, FRENCH TECHNOLOGY HELPED GADDAFI TO ESCAPE?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghan government allows U.S. troops to stay until 2024, U.S. led NATO promptly kills Afghan cops, other Afghan cops then kill U.S. troops in retaliation

At the end of a four day Loya Jirga, the Afghan government said that if the U.S. military stops its night raids it can stay until 2024.

After the announcement thousands of Afghans hit the streets to protest their government.

Meanwhile, NATO aircraft bombed an Afghan police checkpoint, in the eastern province of Ghazni, killing three cops.  According to local police officials, other Afghan cops retaliated by attacking nearby U.S. ground troops, they claim they killed several U.S. soldiers.

In southern Afghanistan a U.S. soldier by insurgents.

After 10 years of occupation by the United States, Afghanistan is no better off.  In fact, in the past year, U.S. led NATO and ISAF forces have increased their attacks, including assassination drone attacks, which have killed mainly Afghan civilians.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Welcome the new World Trade Organization contender; the Eurasian Union, just one more move towards One World Government

“The creation of a Eurasian Union will provide a boost to the European Union, which will have an overland bridge to China and other rising Asian markets.”-Kirill Koktysh, Moscow State University

On November 18, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed the Declaration on Eurasian Economic Integration, and the Agreement on the Eurasian Economic Committee (EEC), creating the new Eurasian Union.

“The structure of the (Eurasian Union) is very different from the EU as Russia is an absolute leader, while in the EU even Germany is strong but not completely overshadowing other members. So it will be easier to overcome problems through Russia’s leading role.”-Boris Makarenko, Center of Political Technologies

Don’t think this is a revival of the Soviet Union, it’s actually a spawn of the WTO (World Trade organization).  Before becoming a member of the new Eurasian Union each candidate country must swear allegiance to the WTO!

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Chinese Yuan could replace the U.S. Dollar within 10 years

“Chinese financial authorities are laying the groundwork for these ambitions via a series of bilateral arrangements with foreign companies and financial centers. While dollar denominated financial markets retain a substantial advantage over their RMB denominated counterparts in terms of new issuances, the RMB markets have made remarkable progress in less than one year.”-U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission

RMB; aka renminbi, aka yuan.

“Chinese economic dominance is more imminent and more broad-based, encompassing output, trade and currency, than is currently recognized. By 2030, this dominance could resemble that of the United States in the 1970s and the United Kingdom around 1870.  And this economic dominance will in turn elevate the renminbi to premier reserve currency status much sooner than currently expected.”-Arvind Subramanian, economist

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Occupy the United Police States of America! Officials admit to arresting reporters, restraining order ignored by cops, even a retired Judge was threatend by cops

“I was there to take down the names of people who were arrested. As I’m standing there, some African-American woman goes up to a police officer and says, ‘I need to get in. My daughter’s there. I want to know if she’s OK.’ And he said, ‘Move on, lady.’  And they kept pushing with their sticks, pushing back. And she was crying.  And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he throws her to the ground and starts hitting her in the head.  I walk over, and I say, ‘Look, cuff her if she’s done something, but you don’t need to do that.’  And he said, ‘Lady, do you want to get arrested?’  And I said, ‘Do you see my hat? I’m here as a legal observer.’  He said, ‘You want to get arrested?’  And he pushed me up against the wall.”-Karen Smith, retired New York State Supreme Court Judge, and official legal observer of the OWS movement

New York City cops threatening to take down an official legal observer, and retired judge, just because she was reminding them of what they legally can and can not do.  If this isn’t proof that the United States has become a true Police State, then you’re blind!!!

Here’s more proof of the arrogance of “our” leaders: “Not being familiar with many of the media outlets for which The Awl says these reporters work, I had the list of ‘26 arrested reporters’ checked against the roster of reporters who hold valid NYPD press passes. You can imagine my surprise when we found that only five of the 26 arrested reporters actually have valid NYPD issued press credentials.”-Stu Loeser, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s spokesperson

First off, he admits 26 reporters were intentionally arrested for covering OWS events. Secondly, the list of 26 reporters includes many arrested at OWS events outside New York, so why would they have New York press credentials?!

Some examples: Photojournalist Kristyna Wentz-Graff, arrested in Milwaukee!  Reporter Jonathan Meador, arrested in Tennessee! Why do they need New York press credentials?

The British The Guardian reports that even a reporter with United Nations credentials was arrested.

Examples of harassment: Julie Walker, of NPR, says cops ripped her recorder out of her hands.  Doug Higginbotham, from New Zealand, had his New York press ID stripped off him by the NYPD.

Most arrested reporters are being let go, but some are being charged with disorderly conduct.

If you’re wounder how to get a New York City press credential, here’s a quote from the NYPD web site: “Applicants also must submit one or more articles, commentaries, books, photographs, videos, films or audios published or broadcast within the twenty–four (24) months immediately preceding the Press Card application, sufficient to show that the applicant covered in person six (6) or more events occurring on separate days.”

Did you notice; in order to get New York City press credentials you have to already be reporting, apparently illegally, news about New York City!!!  That’s typical Police State mentality.

On top of all that, the OWS movement actually got a restraining order against the NYPD, but the cops, and city officials ignored it: “When the cops raided Zuccotti Park, lawyers for Occupy Wall Street immediately woke up a judge with a civil liberties background and asked for help.  Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lucy Billings signed an early-morning order temporarily barring cops from keeping protesters and tents out of Zuccotti Park.  But within hours, she was off the case as court administrators prepared to randomly choose a new judge — and excluded Billings’ name from the list of candidates.”-The New York Daily News