Tag Archives: u.s.

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Utah health worker releases private info, hackers steal even more info. 800,000 people affected

The U.S. state of Utah experienced a leak of personal information on the internet after a state Medicaid worker accidentally published the info of 280,000 people  on the internet.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also looking into a possible hack job as well, that affected another 500,000 people.

In total almost 800,000 people, who’ve applied for help with medical care, are affected.

Utah state officials claim they will notify those whose info was made public.  They also warn that people should expect scammers to try to use their personal info to get to their money.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: Iran officially stops oil shipments to Spain & Greece. Germany and Italy next.

April 10, 2012, Iran has officially halted oil exports to Spain and Greece.

The official government announcement comes after Iran canceled oil shipments to two Greek companies on April 5.

Back on March 16 Iran had named the next countries on its oil export ban list.  Those countries are Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.  This is in retaliation for the up coming European Union oil sanctions that go into effect on July 1.

Iran had already halted oil shipments to France and United Kingdom back in February.

According to an April 10 Reuters report, Iran is now considering halting oil exports to Germany as well.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: Saudi oil pipeline blown up in Yemen, again. Yemen in full blown Civil War

“…an armed group fired more than three rocket propelled grenades on the pipeline, setting it on fire for the second time in less than two weeks.”-unnamed witness

For the second time this month, an oil pipeline, belonging to Saudi Nimir Petroleum Company, was blown up in Yemen.  April 11, 2012, a pipeline carrying crude oil from Shabwa to the Bir Ali terminal on the Gulf of Aden was blown up.  It was last attacked on April 2.

This latest attack on the pipeline came one day after anti-government Mujahideen launched a full blown attack against a U.S. supported Yemen army base.  Officials, and local elders, say 60 soldiers were killed,  and 54 Mujahideen were killed.

The Yemen Mujahideen also blew up a natural gas pipeline on March 30.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Syria begins troop withdrawls, Russia reprimands the United States

“We have already withdrawn some military forces from several Syrian provinces.”-Walid al-Moualem, Foreign Minister of Syria

The Foreign Minister of Syria made the announcement at the same time U.S. and European media were creating rumors to the contrary.

“The U.S. and other countries which have influence over the Syrian opposition had better stop pointing the finger at China and Russia all the time, but rather use their leverage to convince everyone to stop shooting.”-Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia

Russia says the Syrian government is justified in asking for written guarantees of ceasefire from the U.S./Israeli supported rebels.

The Syrian government has until midnight, April 10/11, to get troops out of cities under the United Nations ceasefire deal.  The UN ceasefire plan actually is scheduled to begin on April 12.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Trilateral Commission Plan in Motion: Japan to join U.S. & U.K. in creating joint military force! Preperations for Total World War?

“We have decided to identify a range of appropriate defense equipment for joint development and production….which contributes to both countries’ security and presents industrial opportunities.”-Japan-U.K. joint statement

Back on March 14, 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama stated, at a White House press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, that the U.S. and U.K. would be uniting their militaries, and military industries.  I watched the conference live and not one reporter questioned him on that.  Now Japan has announced they want to join in!

April 10, 2012, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, and British Prime Minister David Cameron, have agreed to study the possibility of Japan becoming a partner in joint defense and military research.

Japan has already been working on revising their constitution so their military industries can begin selling weapons to other countries.

This joint military talk comes as Obama issued an executive order, very quietly on March 16, that paves the way for Total War.  The main stream media never reported it.

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Sony posts record loss, Sharp says they’re about to follow suit, blames the United States for lack of economic recovery

April 10, 2012, Sony announced the biggest loss in its history!

Sony says it lost about $6.4 billion USD for their quarter ending in March!  That’s $4 billion more than they first estimated back in February.

Sony officials blame the monster loss on huge declines in sales in the United States!

Another Japanese company, Sharp, says it will post record loses as well.

Sharp says loses could be as high as $4.6 billion USD, much higher than first thought back in February!

They also blame lack of economic recovery, saying their TV sales have crashed!

Sharp is now forced to sell controlling stake in its liquid crystal panel factory to a Taiwan company, Hon Hai Precision Industry.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

False Capitalism & Class Warfare: While social programs are slashed & burned, Corporate America makes billions off taxes! Where are the jobs you elitist A-Holes?

Ever wonder how Corporate America can make money when we Consumers are spending less because most of us have less income?  It’s called “tax loopholes”, or “backdoor subsidies”, or “corporate welfare”!

Citizens for Tax Justice, and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, just updated their recent study on how too big to fail Corporate America is making money off the U.S. tax system.

The study, first published in November 2011, showed that so called Corporate America was actually getting paid by the U.S. tax system due to loopholes.

From 2008 through 2010, 30 of the top U.S. corporations actually had negative tax rates, even though the same 30 companies had total pre-tax profits in the hundreds of billions of dollars!  All together they had a -7.1% tax rate, but Pepsi led the pack with a -57.6% tax rate, and General Electric took second with -45.3%!

For 2011 the number of corporations with negative tax rates dropped to 26.   Pepsi and GE still led the pack with negative tax rates.

Basically what Corporate America is getting is a type of backdoor government subsidy, something right wing neo-conservative Capitalists have always said shouldn’t be done in a true capitalist system.

The study showed that from 2008 through 2011 the 30 companies have received more than $78 billion in total tax subsidies!

Here’s a list of some of the big subsidy recipients: “Wells Fargo alone garnered $21.6 billion in tax subsidies over the four years, followed by General Electric ($10.6 billion), Verizon ($7.7 billion), and Boeing ($6.0 billion).”–Big No-Tax Corps Just Keep on Dodging

Now realize that all this free tax money to Corporate America has not resulted in the creation of the millions of new jobs that are needed to create an economic recovery!

Wake up people!!!  “Accordingly, they [elitist individuals & corporations] ink multi-billion dollar agreements and loot the energy, oil, wealth and existence of the nations, whereas they are the major cause of insecurity themselves!”-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, April 10, 2012

 

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Corporate Evil: More proof the Too Big to Fail Banks mortgage forclosures are intentional, Bank president pleads guilty in court

April 9, 2012, Gerard Canino, president of New York’s First Class Equities, pled guilty to $66 million USD mortgage fraud scheme.

“As the president and owner of First Class Equities, Gerard Canino should have promoted responsible home ownership and protected the integrity of the mortgage finance industry. Instead, he used his firm to commit a massive mortgage fraud scheme that left scores of foreclosed properties in its wake.”-Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney  

Canino and his firm recruited “straw buyers”; people who posed as home buyers to purchase distressed properties but who had no intention of paying the mortgages.  The bank loans meant for buying the properties actually went to Canino and his co-conspirators. Court papers said the Long Island based firm ran the fraud from 2004 to 2009.

If you think about it, $66 million is a drop in the big bucket of home foreclosures. 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Big explosions in Afghanistan, conflicting reports

“When a suicide bomber tried to enter the district headquarters, he was stopped by the police but then he detonated his explosives, right at the gate. The explosion was so strong, there are casualties among police and civilians.”-Naser Ahmad Popul, inside the building at the time of the blast.

Big explosion in Herat Province on April 9, 2012. Afghan media reports 9 people killed, 22 wounded.

Afghan media said it was a suicide bomber using a Toyota 4×4, who blew himself up in front of a district office west of the city of Herat.

Another explosion took place in Helmand Province.

U.S. media reports four Afghan police were killed.  Three people wearing explosive vests attacked a police station. Police shot and killed one, but the other two exploded themselves.

Interestingly the Afghan media is not mentioning the Helmand incident, so far.  Also, the U.S. media says the “Taliban” have claimed responsibility for both attacks, yet Afghan media says no one is claiming responsibility.

 

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Former Postal Employees, and former contractors, convicted of ripping off the USPS and its customers, USPS warns of malware fraud

April 6, 2012, a 45 year old California man pled guilty to ripping off the United States Postal Service using a trucking company called Golden Pacific Logistics (GPL).

According to the prosecutor the man was awarded $6.4 million USD in contracts to do business with the USPS, of which $4.4 million were fraudulent.  His 39 year old wife pled guilty back on March 28.

The man was also a U.S. Postal Service manager, and he used his position to get the fraudulent contracts for his trucking company.  They will be sentenced on July 11.

In Connecticut, a 50 year old former postal clerk was just sentenced for stealing money orders he sold to customers, and for embezzling union funds.

He managed to steal $11,300 worth of money orders by voiding them after he sold them to customers, or by going through people’s mail and taking the postal money orders.  He ripped off his fellow postal workers by stealing more than $8,800 in Postal Union funds, while serving as president of Local 3093 Union from 2007 through 2008.

He was sentenced to five years probation, the first six months being home arrest with electronic monitoring, 200 hours of community service and paying restitution of $20,201.

The USPS is also warning people of a malware (malicious software) email.

People are getting emails basically telling them they have a refund waiting, and it looks like you’re clicking on the USPS ClicknShip link, but you’re actually opening a program that collects all your info off your computer.

The USPS says just delete such emails, and contact them directly about any refunds.

Note: The United States Postal Service operates on money that comes from you and me buying postal products, not our taxes!