Tag Archives: taxes

International, Opinion, U.S.

9/11 Remembered? Who will remember the thousands of U.S. troops killed in Iraq? Who will remember the more than 1 million Iraqis killed in a U.S. war started by lies?

11 September 2012

“The immorality of the United States and Great Britain’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, premised on the lie that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, has destabilised and polarised the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history…….They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand – with the spectre of Syria and Iran before us…….The cost of the decision to rid Iraq of its by-all-accounts despotic and murderous leader has been staggering…”-Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African activist and retired Anglican bishop, 01 September 2012

Approximately 3,000 people were killed on 11 September 2001 attacks on World Trade Center, in New York.

“I think that things have gotten so bad inside Iraq, my belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators.”-Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States, April 2003 Meet the Press interview

4,488 U.S. troops killed, and 100,000 U.S. troops wounded during invasion and occupation of Iraq.

More than 1.5 million Iraqis have been killed since the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Iraq had no connection to 9/11 attacks, Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, the Iraqi government (under Saddam Hussein & the current government) has always been opposed to al Qaeda, no Iraqi has ever been involved with terrorist attacks against the United States (apart from actions during the U.S. led 1991 war against Iraq, and the alleged assassination attempt against George Bush senior in 1993)!

Thousands of U.S. military personnel killed or wounded because of a lie!  Millions of Iraqis killed and wounded because of a lie! Was 9/11 a lie as well?

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Sharp makes deeper cuts than originally planned, blame the Too Big to Fail banks!

11 September 2012, Japan’s Sharp Corporation revealed that the economic situation is worse than they first thought.  They are now cutting wages, salaries and bonuses even more than they first planned.

Sharp will now layoff 5,000 employees by March 2013, the first time since the 1950s!

Workers will get a 5% cut in pay, up from the planned 3% cut.  Managers will get a 10% cut in salaries, on top of the 5% cut back in April!  In June bonuses were cut by 30%, and will be cut again under Sharp’s new plans.

The reason for the new and increased cuts is to hopefully make banks happy, as Sharp needs new huge loans to continue operations!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Global Food Crisis & What Economic Recovery? Despite record Ag exports, many East Idaho farmers being done in by drought more than a decade on! New version of Tale of Two Cities

10 September 2012, officially Idaho’s drought began in the Gregorian/Western/Christian calender year of 2000. It’s still on 12 years later!

According to the latest drought data, the Eastern Highlands of Idaho are in “severe drought”, while the Upper Snake River plain is suffering “extreme drought”.  The rest of Idaho is in moderately dry to moderately wet.

Across the United States, the worst drought in at least 50 years is helping to keep commodity speculators bidding high for the food we eat.

Click on pics to make bigger.

Recently a joint report by National Public Radio (NPR) and Idaho media sources, explained how the drought in Idaho is becoming a Tale of Two Cities.

In Idaho you have what’s called dry farming and irrigated farming. Dry farmers don’t have access to year round irrigation, they have to rely on rain.

Despite the 12 year drought, there’s still enough water in rivers and aquifers for the irrigated farms. Keep fingers crossed for more snow this winter!

The dry farmers are losing crops and money, the irrigated farms are growin’ big crops and makin’ big money.

Because of the panicking commodity speculators, crop prices are way up, and even though dry farms are losing out, overall crop production is up in Idaho: “We dumped 325 trucks yesterday which is roughly 175,000 bushels. That’s a lot of wheat.”-John Peake, superintendent General Mills grain elevators in American Falls, Idaho

Peake said the lack of crops from dry farms will have no impact on Idaho crop production, but it sucks to be a dry farmer: “I mean, being a dry land farmer in southeast Idaho is a tough deal. It was a windy year, it was hot early.  It was just a tough year to be a dry land farmer.”

So the moral of this tale is that while overall crop production might be down for the whole of the U.S., having plenty of farms with enough water to weather a drought means that the Idaho agricultural industry, overall, will benefit from the higher commodity prices.  No food shortage in Idaho, so far.

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 10 September 2012: Canada joins the fight at Pocatello Tanker Base!

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10 September 2012, the smoke just won’t go away, ’cause fires just keep poppin’ up!  So far, the year to date fire retardant used by fire fighting aircraft out of Pocatello airport (aka Pocatello Tanker Base) is 261,797 gallons (991,009.4 liters).

Little “seeders” 802 Air Tractors are the backbone of airborne firefighting operations out of Pocatello airport, but Neptunes, MAFFS C-130s and now Convair CV580 operated by CONAIR of Canada, are making appearances at the tanker base.

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are new fires in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming.  There are currently 34 large wildfires burning through the United States.

Idaho has seven large fires, with 640,881 acres (259,355.3 hectares) burned! California has nine fires, but with fewer burned acres, at 151,988 (61,507.36 hectares).

The most recent fires here in eastern Idaho were the Flint Canyon Fire south of American Falls, West Menan Fire and the Pickering Fire near Rexburg.

Regarding the now notorious Mustang Complex Fire, recently officials said the fire was so hard to get to that it would probably burn until the first heavy snowfall of winter!

The Mustang Complex Fire, burning along the Idaho/Montana border, increased by 20,000 acres (8,093.7 hectares) on 09 September 2012.  Mandatory evacuations were ordered.  The fire is now the single largest in the United States, at 281,000+ acres (113,716.6 hectares)!

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 29 AUGUST 2012: BURN AREAS BECOME DUST FARMS. 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 03 Sep – 07 Sep. U.S. still imprisoning Afghans by the hundreds! Peace talks underway! Mo’ money for Afghanistan from the World Bank!

07 September 2012

British Red Coat, Henry of Wales (aka Prince Harry), returned to Afghanistan as a Apache gunship co-pilot/gunner.  He is part of the current rotation of British troops in Afghanistan, and should be in country four months.

The Pakistan based Haqqani Network was officially declared a terrorist organization by the Obama administration.  U.S. officials named the supposed group after Sirajuddin Haqqani, whom they accuse the Pakistani ISI of providing safe haven for.

06 September 2012

The group Open Society Foundations investigated Bagram prison and found that even though the United States officially turned it over to Afghan officials, it is actually still under direct control of  U.S. forces.  This violates the latest agreements signed between the Afghan government and the U.S.

Open Society Foundations reports that they discovered that at least 600 Afghans have been detained by U.S. forces since the agreement was signed in March 2012!   The group says this is proof the U.S. will stay in Afghanistan for a long time because it “….appears to want continued detention powers in Afghanistan beyond September 2012.”

In Baghlan Province, U.S./ISAF/NATO occupation forces handed military control of five districts to the Afghan National Army.

In Nuristan Province: “Deputy Taliban financial chief Mullah Mohammad was also arrested along with Mawlawi Gul Mohammad and a number of the other Taliban militants including three Pakistani nationals.”-Mohammad Zareen, provincial government spokesman

05 September 2012

Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States revealed they are now planning for official peace talks with Mujahideen (aka Taliban).  They were working on a plan to provide safe passage for Mujahideen leaders to attend peace talks.  Pakistani media reported it was called the The Safe Passage Working Group’s meeting.

The World Bank announced it is giving even more money to Afghanistan.  This time $125 million USD for the Ministry of Education.

ISAF said: “Two International Security Assistance Force service members died following a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan today.”  Mujahideen claim they shot down the ‘copter in Logar Province. Provincial government officials say a heavy firefight broke out after the ‘copter crashed.  Logar is patrolled mainly by U.S. forces.

In Maidan Wardak Province, six fuelers destined for U.S./NATO forces were set on fire. Mujahideen claim it was 17 fuelers burned, along with 20 drivers and security guards killed.

The Afghan Defense Ministry announced that, after an investigation, they have fired hundreds of Afghan National Army (ANA) troops because of connections to Mujahideen.  The Afghan government is trying to stop the increase of insider Green on Blue attacks.

The Afghan Defense Ministry also announced that at least 24 ANA troops were killed, 19 wounded, in battles in the provinces of Maidan Wardak, Farah, Badghis, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Helmand and Uruzgan.  They say only four Mujahideen were killed, six wounded.

04 September 2012

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) claim they killed a Mujahideen leader, and two other Mujahideen, in Logar Province.  They believe the Mujahideen were part of the so called Haqqani Network based in Pakistan.

In Kunar Province, local government officials claim Pakistan launched another round of rockets into the province. They say at least three civilians were wounded after a barrage of 80 rockets were launched over a two day period.

Also in Kunar, a man was sentenced to death for beheading a 17 years old girl because she did not want to marry him.  Two other men were sentenced to 17 years in prison for helping him.  The girl’s father testified that the man threatened to kill him as well.

In Nuristan Province, local government officials say there is an increase in the number of Pakistani ISI agents in their area.  An Afghan security official said about 50 ISI agents were seen, with weapons, meeting with Mujahideen.

In Nangarhar Province, at least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded after a explosion at a funeral. Officials say a suicide bomber was targeting a number of government officials attending the funeral.

In Farah Province, yet another fuel convoy headed for troops of the U.S. led occupation was ambushed.  Mujahideen claim to have destroyed 13 fuelers and killed ten drivers and security guards.

Responding to pressure from the United States, Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) refused to halt any trade deals with Iran: “…if an official request comes from the U.S. government, I am sure the Afghan government will be clear in its quick reaction against it…If the U.S. makes us stop business with Iran, we will face an economic crisis!”-Khan Jan Alokozai, ACCI

Iran buys at least $1.3 billion USD worth of products from Afghanistan.  What has the United States done for Afghanistan’s economy?

In Helmand Province, seven people were wounded: “Two explosive laden tricycles went off in a quick succession near a car market in Lashkar Gah Tuesday morning, leaving the casualties.”-Farid Ahmad Farhang, provincial police spokesman

03 September 2012

ISAF said: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan, September 3.”

In Laghman Province, a ANA soldier shot and killed two occupying U.S./NATO personnel.

In Balkh Province, and bicycle bomb exploded, wounding several people including the suicide bomber using the bicycle.

The Afghan parliament has accused the Defense Minister, and the chief of the Afghan High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption, of rigging contracts worth $30 million USD.

New Zealand has formally announced it will withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by the end of April, 2013.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Crimes & What Economic Recovery? Capitalist shipping companies level the playing field by bid rigging, price fixing, ripping off troops in Afghanistan and even dumping expensive oil into the oceans!

“Our men and women in uniform overseas deserve the highest level of support provided by fair and honest contractors. As the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to fight procurement fraud demonstrate, those who put profits over the welfare of members of our military will pay a hefty price.”-Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice

09 September 2012, justice officials in Japan, European Union and United States revealed that the capitalist system of shipping is corrupt, big time!

In Japan, the Japanese Fair Trade Commission raided the offices of at least one dozen shipping companies on 06 September.  Investigators say the companies formed a cartel to monopolize the shipping industry.

The companies raided were Japanese and foreign.  Nippon Yusen, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Kawasaki Kisen were among the top Japanese companies publicly named.

However, the EU’s European Commission is refusing to name names, but they had raided several European companies in conjunction with the Japanese raid.

In the United States, investigations of shipping companies, by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) have been ongoing for a long time.

Since January 2012 convictions, and even guilty pleas, have resulted from investigations into shipping companies ripping off U.S. taxpayers regarding the shipment of supplies to U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq, all the way to dumping petroleum wastes into the oceans.

Those cases include Greece’s Efploia Shipping, Denmark’s Aquarosa Shipping,  Keoje Marine of Korea (south), Denmark’s Maersk Line Limited, Italy’s Giuseppe Bottiglieri Shipping Company,  Singapore’s Target Ship Management, and Greece’s Ilios Shipping Company.

Currently, the DoJ is working with European and Japanese investigators, trying to break up cartels that have been formed by shipping companies.  The shipping cartels are accused of price fixing, bid rigging, illegal market allocations, monopolization, attempts to monopolize, predatory pricing, tying arrangements and price discrimination.

The investigations include ground shipping, as well as by sea.  Products being shipped by these cartels include paper products, telecommunications, soft drinks, highway and airport paving, life sciences, health care, furniture, coalbed methane gas and baked goods.

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Voter Incompetence & Government Evil: Indiana County officials demand city leaders put fluoride in their water! Oregon mayor wants fluoridation! Study contradicts pro-fluoride claims! Arizona residents fire officials who ended fluoridation!

09 September 2012, the controversy over unnatural nuclear industry based fluoride (as opposed to the naturally occurring kind, which can also be bad in large amounts) continues in Arizona, Indiana and Oregon.

A Saint Joseph County Health Officer, in Indiana, is lambasting three cities for their ending of fluoridation of drinking water.

Walkerton town stopped fluoridation because of increased evidence that it is actually causing harm.  President of the town council, Karol Jackson, pointed out that people are already exposed to enough fluoride: “It’s also in toothpaste, and some naturally occurs in the groundwater….”

The cities of Lakeville and North Liberty cited the growing financial burden on local taxpayers.  By ending fluoridation of drinking water the two towns, combined, will save $2,000 per year: “I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but we’re a small town and we’re trying to keep our rates low.”-Martha Tyler, Lakeville Town Council President

The Saint Joseph County Health Officer is ignorant, firstly because it turns out the local school district/corporation is still adding fluoride to the drinking water in the schools!  Secondly, the health official claims that studies show fluoride protects childrens’ teeth. Tell that to the officials who got surprising results from their own study in Oregon!

In Portland, Oregon, city officials are trying to convince the voters to accept fluoridation of their drinking water.  Portland is the largest city in the United States that, so far, refuses to fluoridate their water supply!

The dumb (and probably in the pockets of the fluoride industry) mayor, along with some city councilpersons, are trying to get residents of Portland to approve the fluoridation of their water.  They’re claiming that the children of Portland suffer from dental problems.

The problem with that claim is that a 2007 study by the Oregon Department of Human Services shows the opposite.  The study looked at dental problems of children in Portland and compared them to children outside of Portland.

The rate of urgent dental care in children outside of Portland was 1 in every 17.  What about inside Portland, where fluoride is not used in the water supply?  Only 1 in 100 needed urgent dental care!!!  “Portland has better teeth!”-Kim Kaminski, member of anti-fluoridation group

Some non-white/European residents of Portland claim the city leaders’ closed door meetings on the issue smacks of racism: “I don’t appreciate you trying to alleviate your white guilt by putting toxins in our water!”-Frances Quaempts-Miller

But despite the mountains of eveidence that fluoridation is bad (remember, it’s mainly the English speaking countries that add the radioactive chemical to water, most other industrialized countries refused after their own research) residents of one Arizona town have fired two officials for stopping the use of fluoride!

The people of Gilbert has force the Public Works director to retire, and got the Water Manager fired.  This after the officials decided to end the use of fluoride in the local water supply.

The end came when the fluoridation system was found to be so corroded that it need to be replaced.  That was in July 2011, and it still hasn’t been replaced.

Get this, the Gilbert fluoridation system had been leaking for three years prior.  It got so bad that a white powder was building up on the equipment, and Public Works employees were complaining of extreme irritation to the skin, nose and eyes.  And this is the stuff you’re drinking!

The guttsy Water Manager explained the decision that got him fired: “It was my call to stop fluoridation until the issues with the room were resolved. Fluoride comes into the plant on the raw side naturally, so it’s not like there is no fluoride in the water.”-Chris Ochs

Don’t blame city officials for the nuclear industry fluoridation of Gilbert’s water supply, the dumb voters approved it by 54%, in the 2000 elections.

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Uljin Reactor power line glitch.

Reactor 1 of the Uljin nuclear power plant, in Korea (south), was restarted on 28 August 2012.

Less than a week prior the reactor automatically shut itself down.  After investigating, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Company said the emergency shut down was due to a glitch in electrical lines running to the reactor.

It was the second time in August that a Korean nuclear reactor went through emergency shut down.

Korea (south) currently has 23 nuclear reactors in operation, and is building more. They hope to have 39 by the Gregorian/Western/Christian calender year 2030.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Obama praises auto industry bailout, yet they’re to blame for latest layoffs! By the thousands, young adults quit looking for work!

“…there were 884,000 discouraged workers in August…..Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them.”-Employment Situation Summary, U.S. DoL Bureau of Labor Statistics

“I don’t think they’re more lazy. It’s that there are less opportunities for them. They have it rough.”-Heidi Shierholz, Economic Policy Institute

07 September 2012, the expected 120,000 new jobs never happened (Once again the “experts” got it wrong).  According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL), the official number of new jobs was only 96,000!

7,000 government jobs were lost in August, but the amazing thing is that the bailed out, and supposedly recovered, auto industry (Including parts makers) laid off 8,000 people!  That’s according to the DoL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In fact most of the job losses were in the Manufacturing Sector (A total of 15,000 jobs lost), the very sector that President Obama was touting during his DNC speech the night before the jobs numbers were released.

Another interesting note; the official unemployment numbers fell, ever so slightly, to 8.1% (A 0.2% drop from the month before, big freakin’ whoop! By the way, it depends on which Table your looking at.  Table A-14 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the rate is 8.2%, and for July it was 8.6%).  But here’s the significant part; DoL admits the unemployment drop is not because people found work, it’s because tens of thousands of young adults quit looking for a job!

People who do not look for work for 4 weeks are not counted in the unemployment numbers.