Tag Archives: wall street

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 09 – 11 March 2013. U.S. troops fail to follow Karzai’s orders! Attacks against U.S. forces in Maidan-Wardak increase, U.S. forces respond by shooting women & children! U.S. to erase drone strike data! Netherlands leaving!

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391

In Maidan-Wardak Province, an Afghan National Security Forces (NSF) personnel shot and killed two U.S. SOF troops, and at least three fellow NSF members.  The shooter was also killed.  23 U.S. and Afghan personnel wounded. U.S. led forces then wounded two women and a child following the Green on Blue attack. U.S. forces also shot and killed two contracted vehicle maintenance employees as they were arriving for work. The Afghan Interior Ministry is protesting the killings. Some Afghans think it’s in retaliation for the Green on Blue attack.  Also, the deadline for U.S. SOF personnel to leave has expired and they have not left.  People in the province say they’re tired of constant home invasions, and random searches, shootings and kidnappings by the SOF troops. One man says one of his sons was kidnapped by SOF led troops three months ago, and he hasn’t been given any info about his whereabouts.  People are actually leaving the province because of the war crimes being committed by U.S. led forces.

In Farah Province, the provincial police chief said three people were killed by U.S. led drone (UAV) strike.  The target was a residence in Shivan area of Bala Buluk district.

USMC General, Joseph Dunford, responded to President Hamid Karzai’s claim that the U.S. was working with certain Mujahideen groups to keep Afghanistan destabilized, in order to justify keeping U.S. forces in country after the 2014 pullout:  “We have no reason to be supporting instability in Afghanistan.”

10 March 2013/27 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/20 Esfand 1391

In Nangarhar Province, a major battle between U.S. forces and Mujahideen in Shegal Bazaar at Ajin district.  It began at 09:00 hours when Mujahideen ambushed a NATO convoy.  At one point air strikes were called in. Afghan government officials say at least four Mujahideen were killed, 16 people wounded including three women and two kids.  The battle was over by 18:00 hours.  No info on U.S./NATO casualties.

The U.S. Central Command says it will erase all drone strike data from their monthly air power reports.  U.S. military officials admitted the reason why was because the increased use of drone strikes was attracting too much attention.

President Karzai accused the U.S. and Mujahideen of collusion. He pointed out that they’ve been holding meetings in Qatar for awhile now.  He believes the U.S. is supporting some militant groups in order to keep Afghanistan unstable, so U.S. officials can justify keeping troops in the country after the 2014 pullout.  Shortly after Karzai’s comments U.S. Secretary of State, Chuck Hagel, canceled his press conference with Karzai.

09 March 2013/26 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/19 Esfand 1391

In Khost Province, a suicide car bomber attacked a U.S./NATO/ANA convoy. Reports say nine people, including eight children, were killed.  Two kids wounded.

In Kabul City, a bomb went off killing 10 people and wounding several others: “We have got nine dead, all are civilians. Among the 10 wounded, two or three are personnel of the [Afghan] Ministry of Defense.”-Mohammad Daoud Amin, Kabul deputy police chief

U.S. forces have delayed the hand over of Bagram prison, again!  Now they say they will be able to handle the turnover later in March.  I guess they needed more time than they thought to cover up their crimes, after all, an unnamed U.S. official admitted they needed the delay to handle technical and legal issues.

Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, announced they will withdraw their police trainers earlier than planned.  He thinks the Afghan government is ready to handle things themselves: “We have decided to end the training mission on July 1.  The Afghans are ready sooner than planned to take responsibility for police training in Kunduz.”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. & South Korea responds to war threats by increasing sanctions against North!

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711

Both the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) have imposed new economic sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).  The United Nations is already working on more sanctions.

President Barack Obama has added the Foreign Trade Bank of North Korea to sanctions.  This means the bank can not continue transactions with U.S. banks. It also includes four individuals and the Korean Workers’ Party.

Earlier in the day there were reports that South Korea imposed their own new financial sanctions against the North.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, International

What Economic Recovery? List of U.S. job losses & store closings for 10 – 11 February 2013: Drug maker quietly lays off more employees than officially stated! Project Transform axes thousands of jobs! More schools going down! Tax man shuts down bakery! More Hollywood cuts despite money making movies!

In California, the company behind the computer effects in the movie Life of Pi, now bankrupt!  Rhythm & Hues laid off at least 200 employees!  The company is apparently broke and can’t even pay employees.

Schmidt’s Bakery and Delicatessen in Colorado bankrupt. 40 people out-o-work.  Former employees must now deal with state tax officials to try and get their final paychecks.  State tax officials seized the company on 08 January 2013.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) warned of up to 450 layoffs. These are not because of government spending cuts, but are being blamed on increased costs of operations.

In New York, the Horseheads Central School District said they will have to lay of employees and close down at least one school.  They blame it on a $8.2 million USD budget shortfall.  Also, Garden City says they will layoff six firefighters, and a lieutenant reduced in pay. Some of the city officials said the city needed to save money and their fire department was overstaffed.  In Leicester 70 years old Christano Hardware closed down.  Owners blame competition from national chain stores.  A Kmart in Depew will close down by April, 68 people out-o-work. Advanced Monolythic Ceramics shutting down their Ocean factory, 65 people out-o-work. Company officials blamed the bad economy for forcing a consolidation of operations.

Epic Game’s closing its Maryland operation. Company officials said things just weren’t “working out”.

In Pennsylvania, Kettering Corner ice cream shop closed down. The owner says she can’t do it anymore, since her husband died.  And Jonathan Best gourmet grocery store closing down by the end of March.  The owner blamed increased competition.

The Circle II Restaurant in North Carolina seized by state tax officials.  State officials say the owners owe $178000 in back taxes.  The Women’s Choice clinic closed down, no details as to why, but several protesters said they are happy about it.

In Batavia, Illinois, Portola Packaging closing its factory and consolidating operations to Tennessee and Arizona. 76 people out-o-work in Illinois. It’s not that the company doesn’t have the money, they’re spending $12 million USD on upgrading the Tennessee and Arizona factories.

In Texas, Gene Allen’s Gifts closing down its Arlington shop on 15 March. The owner blames the greedy landlord.

Too Big to Jail, U.K. based Barclays increased their planned layoffs to 3700 worldwide!  The layoffs will affect employees in the United States.  The massive layoffs are being called Project Transform.

It’s been revealed that a major drug maker, Pfizer, has laid off more people than it officially announced two years ago.  It turns out that the pharmaceutical company laid off 250 more people at its Groton laboratories, than first stated!

International, U.S.

World War 3: North Korea mobilizing population for war! “All people are soldiers, the entire nation is the frontline!”

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711

The official news source for the the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is reporting that the entire population is being mobilized for war.

Rodong Sinmun reporting that farm and labor unions have been deployed as militia units. Retired soldiers have been recalled.

Billboards have been posted in cities with slogans like Toward Becoming a Nuclear Power, and Time for a War to Unify the Fatherland.

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

World War 3: South Korea accuses Idaho’s Micron of international price fixing!

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711

As war drums are beating, unnamed officials in Republic of Korea (ROK) are blaming Idaho based Micron Technology of fixing prices for computer memory chips: “It’s quite strange that the global memory chip market is seeing unexpected price rises amid less demand for conventional personal computers. It’s highly possible that the chipmakers are engaged in price-fixing. Among other firms, Micron Technology is apparently using its commanding position to manipulate computer chip prices. We are watching it closely.”

Micron apparently controls half the World’s chip market! ROK’s SK Hynix controls 30%, and Samsung 15%.  Those three companies are the only major memory chip makers left in the World, several years ago there were more than ten!

Officials from ROK base their claim on decreasing computer demand on information recently released by International Data Corporation.

This isn’t the first time Idaho’s Micron has been accused of price fixing.

International, U.S.

Breaking news: South Korean media says North Korea has officially announced the end of the 1953 Armistice!

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711

The Yonhap news agency, in Republic of Korea (ROK), says they’ve listened in on a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) radio broadcast.  The announcement was made by the Rodong Sinmun, the official news source for the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK).

The broadcast said the 1953 ceasefire agreement is now officially void, and it is time for the “showdown war”.

International, U.S.

Breaking news: North Korea severs hot line to South, as promised!

11 March 2013/28 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/21 Esfand 1391/30 Yi-Mao 4711

Chinese media reporting that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has cut the hot line from Pyongyang to Seoul.  They cite Republic of Korean (ROK) officials as saying the emergency phone line is no longer working.

Last week the DPRK said they would cut the phone line and consider the 1953 armistice void, if the United States and ROK went ahead with the Key Resolve war games, which officially started on 11 March 2013.

In several official announcements the DPRK basically said the latest UN sanctions, and the continued uninvited presence of the U.S. military in ROK, were the final straws, and threaten nuclear first strikes.

 

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

World War 3: United States behind most cyber attacks!

10 March 2013/27 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/20 Esfand 1391/29 Yi-Mao 4711

For all the whining the United States government does about cyber attacks, even going as far as making it an act of war and justifying the extra-judicial killing of hackers, it turns out that the biggest perpetrator is the United States.

According to China’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team Coordination Center, between September 2012 to February 2013 89 cyber attacks were made against Chinese public and company websites.  39 of those attacks originated from U.S. IP addresses.

According to China’s National Vulnerability Database, between November 2012 to January 2013, 5792 attempted cyber attacks were launched from U.S. IP addresses.  Also, 2194 of servers using viruses or botnets to control Chinese mainframes are located in the U.S.  And, 73% of phishing sites targeting Chinese e-commerce are based in the U.S.

China is not the only country to point to the United States as being behind most cyber attacks, Iranian officials say they are constantly dealing with cyber attacks coming from the U.S.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Evil: A booming economy equals more corruption! Courts cracking down hard, but no, it’s not in the United States.

10 March 2013/27 Raby’ ath-Thani 1434/20 Esfand 1391/29 Yi-Mao 4711

The booming economy in China has not reduced crime and corruption, it’s actually accelerating it!

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) reported that the Chinese year 4710 (approximating to Gregorian year 2012) was another record setting year for investigations into government corruption.

47388 government employees were investigated for corruption, up 2800 from year 4709. In fact the SPP said corruption investigations have gone up four years in a row.

The investigations included 13000 county/state level officials, and 30 officials at the national level.

China’s Supreme Court system convicted 143000 people of bribery and fraud in 4710!  Why does the United States have such a problem going after corruption?

Fukushima

2 years later: External water injection partly to blame for Fukushima Daiichi melt downs.

A study involving analysts working for NHK (Nippon Housou Kyoukai/Japan Broadcasting Corporation), and University scientists, found that the initial effort to cool the reactors of Fukushima Daiichi, using fire pumper trucks, was a failure and helped caused the melt down of at least three reactors.

The researchers concluded that 55% of the water never made it to the reactors.  This is because there was no power.  Water entering the cooling system ended up in condenser units rather than the reactors, because the system’s pumps were not working.

Since the 11 March 2011 nuclear disasters Japanese nuclear plants, and local fire departments have been practicing cooling down reactors using fire trucks.  The study showed that if there is no power to operate the internal pumps in the nuclear plant’s cooling system, then at least half the water injected by fire pumper trucks is wasted.