May 11, 2012, Panasonic reporting a record loss for the year ending in March.
Panasonic ended the Japanese year with a net balance of minus $9.8 billion USD, it’s the fourth straight year of loses for the electronics company!
Panasonic officials blame it on a huge drop in TV set sales. In April, Sony and Sharp gave the same reason for their losses as well, and blamed it on the lack of recovery in the United States.
May 10, 2012, Iran announced the discovery of a huge oil field in the Caspian Sea. The discovery was made while exploring a huge new gas field.
The gas field was discovered in December, and named the Sardar-e Jangal field. It’s estimated to contain 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
May 9, 2012, Iran’s Oil Ministry is now allowing the private sector to sell up to 400,000 bpd to international customers.
The decision leaves the National Iranian Oil Company, as well as the Iranian central bank, out of any oil sales involving private sector companies. This means those private sector companies can avoid the U.S./European oil sanctions.
Despite U.S. led sanctions against Iranian oil, Turkey (a NATO member) actually increased oil shipments from Iran.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Turkey imported 270,000 bpd of Iranian oil in March. That’s more than double their February imports!
May 10, 2012, officials from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members are reporting that there is too much oil in the world markets!
OPEC reported that in April they pumped out 31.62 million barrels per day (bpd). According to Reuters, that’s 1.62 million bpd more than what OPEC intended.
Keep in mind that OPEC does not represent all oil producing countries in the world. Reuters reports that even non-OPEC members increased oil production in April!
However, OPEC, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), expect demand for oil to increase, especially since Japan has shut down all its nuclear reactors.
The U.S. EIA also reporting that natural gas supplies increased in the United States. For the week ending May 4, U.S. natural gas storage is at 2.606 trillion cubic feet. That’s 44.5% above the five year average. However, analysts expected it to be more!
May 5, 2012, U.S. drone strike kills at least eight people in Pakistan.
May 2, 2012, U.S. drone strikes kill at least 15 people in Yemen.
From April 30 to May 6, the U.S./NATO increased airstrikes in Afghanistan. They include the use of drones. The result is an increasing number of civilians deaths.
May 3, 2012: U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, numb nuts Ryan Crocker, stated that the new military pact between Afghanistan and the United States could allow drone strikes to continue past 2014.
May 5, 2012: U.S. Mormon news source, Deseret News, supports the FAA issuing civilian licenses for drone operation. Their article points out that many businesses would benefit, like photography, sports, real estate, etc. Despite the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration has yet to issue civilian licenses, Utah State University has already been using a drone, taking pictures.
May 5, 2012: According to The Canadian Press, the Royal Canadian Air Force will expand the testing of drones to include operations by police: “We know we need to use them, and the Canadian Forces from a capability point of view are moving ahead to ensure there is domestic capability as part of its UAV program in the future.”-Lieutenant General Walter Semianiw
General Semianiw admitted the use of drones by Canadian police is to commit acts of violence: “You must remember that, in Canada, within the domestic construct, I do not have the right to be able to apply lethal force in Canada. That is the responsibility of the police.”
Canadian officials also implied that there is a drone arms race going on between the United States and Canada, by pointing out that the U.S. has military drones patrolling along the U.S.-Canadian border.
Canada has used Israeli made drones in Afghanistan.
May 4, 2012: The Seattle Times opinion piece says that since so many people use the cameras in their cell phones to take pictures of just about anything, then police using drones to take pictures of you in your back yard does not constitute invasion of privacy.
May 3, 2012: It’s the opening stage of the first trial for a U.S. citizen arrested with the use of a drone. The man arrested was tasered several times, but local police in North Dakota called in a Predator drone because they were concerned for their safety!
What happens at this trial could affect how drones are used by police against the citizens of the U.S.: “There is, furthermore, no existing case law that bars their use in investigating crimes.”-Douglas Manbeck, ND state prosecutor
May 4, 2012, Japanese media reporting that failed Elpida Memory has chosen Idaho’s Micron Technology as its corporate savior.
According to NHK: “Elpida is Japan’s sole DRAM memory chip maker. It filed for bankruptcy protection in February after suffering losses stemming from the strong yen and intense foreign competition.”
But here’s the irony; Idaho’s Micron is also having revenue trouble. Idaho media, real estate web sites, etc, have been reporting Micron as the Boise area’s largest employers. But Micron’s employment in Boise dropped to 5,000 in 2009, and has been trickling down ever since.
Micron has had a lot of investors, yet their quarterly reports for 2011 were loss after loss (in the hundreds of millions each quarter). This is because the memory chip market basically crashed.
However, since the beginning of 2012 Micron officials have been busy buying up other factories, and now companies. Micron recently took over a Toshiba owned factory in Virginia, called Dominion Semiconductor.
Here’s what the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch said: “The current state of the memory-production business is looking like the hotel business, where various facilities are bought and sold like trading cards from company to company.”
One reason for that is that memory chips have become a dime a dozen (actually less) and there’s no brand loyalty among chip users.
Micron officials seem to have scouted the next wave of memory innovation correctly, they are now pushing their RealSSD (Solid State Drive) and computer companies are buying it up.
On May 4, 2012, Elpida officials chose Micron, out of three bidders, to take over their company. It’s reported that it will cost Micron $2.5 billion USD. The take over will be finalized at the end of May, and new company plan submitted to Tokyo District Court by August.
Originally Micron offered $1.9 billion for Elpida, but Elpida shareholders threatened legal action.
According to a May 3, 2012, Associated Press report, Microsoft is moving 30 to 40 jobs from Boise, Idaho, to Washington state.
Microsoft officials say it’s part of their efforts to cut costs by consolidating similar positions.
“The American planes hovering in the skies for quite some time fired at least three missiles at a house in Zafar town in Miran Shah bazaar that damaged the compound completely….They did not appear to be the local militants.”-unnamed local official
April 29, 2012, a U.S. assassination drone killed at least three people in Pakistan.
The attack took place in North Waziristan (within the Waziristan region), dozens of people were wounded.
Also on April 29, a U.S. drone crashed in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Mujahideen claim they shot it down and have recovered the wreckage.
“We want (police) to be able to use the aircraft sooner because there is a public interest.”-Ben Gielow, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
According to a Boston Herald report, U.S. police are chomping at the bit for their FAA issued drone licenses.
“Rushing to push through applications to fly drones doesn’t seem like a good idea.”-Jennifer Lynch, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Many police departments say they have already bought small drones, claiming they are to be used to find missing people. Until now rules did not allow them to legally use them. Federal Aviation Administration will have new rules in place by May 14, allowing your local police to legally spy on you with drones.
What’s interesting is that some “law” enforcement agencies have already been caught operating drones.
“….instead of having a caucus to feed preschool children, they decided it was more important to have a Drone Caucus and that’s because all the manufacturers in their districts are funding them.” also “Eisenhower was so right, and he was so right when he said it steals money, it robs us of food for our children, of healthcare for our parents, he was so right. And it’s just worse and worse.”-Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK
Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, revealed that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection are operating Predator-B drones, from North Dakota and now into Washington state. They claim to be watching the Canadian border for criminal activity.
Down Mexico way, some people are questioning the effectiveness of Predator drones used on that border.
According to stltoday.com: “…Homeland Security officials who have spent six years and more than $250 million building the nation’s largest fleet of domestic surveillance drones. The nine Predators that help police America’s borders have yet to be very useful in stopping contraband or illegal immigrants.”
Washington Post reported on April 25 that President Barack Obama has authorized the CIA to use drones to kill people, even if they can’t tell who it is they’re killing. The new drone policy is called “signature” strikes.
On April 10, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s Stephen W. Preston, gave a speech which explained why the Obama administration is so gung ho on allowing the CIA, and not the military, to operate the assassination drones. Supposedly traditional “laws of war” do not apply to intelligence agencies.
According to Preston, the CIA answers only to U.S. laws, and those laws favor the CIA: “The courts have long recognized the state secrets privilege and have consistently upheld its proper invocation to protect intelligence sources and methods from disclosure. Moreover, federal judges have dismissed cases on justiciability or political question grounds, acknowledging that the courts are, at times, institutionally ill-equipped and constitutionally incapable of reviewing national security decisions committed to the President and the political branches.”
Speaking of Yemen, the Associated Press revealed that a Yemen Mujahideen claimed to have killed by CIA drone strike last year, is actually alive and well.
April 24, a top FBI official was in Yemen, just two days after a CIA drone strike killed what Yemen officials claim was a top militant “leader”.
Mohammed Al-Basha, Yemen’s embassy spokesman in Washington DC, revealed that the FBI is also involved with drone strikes in Yemen: “Mueller visits Yemen on an annual basis so this is not a special or secret occasion. President Hadi emphasised that he is strongly committed to combatting extremism and working with the U.S. to counter the mutual threat of terrorism.”
FBI director Robert Mueller vowed to crush the Yemen Mujahideen.
April 27, at least 22 people were killed by U.S. drone strikes in Somalia.
“The human obesity receptor binds the hormone leptin and together they play a key role in regulating appetite, fertility, and immunity.”-Pete Artymiuk, University of Sheffield
According to the journal Structure, British scientists have developed a way to manipulate the hormone Leptin.
Excess leptin predisposes overweight people to conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and heart disease. A deficiency in leptin, as occurs in malnutrition, results in infertility and immunodeficiency.
Scientists use X-ray crystallography to block, or stimulate leptin receptors: “Modulating the actions of the obesity receptor provides a novel approach to the treatment of conditions associated with both obesity and anorexia and has the potential to make a massive difference to millions of people whose quality of life and health is hindered by obesity or malnutrition.”-Richard Ross, University of Sheffield
April 29, 2012, after years of development Iranian officials announced they are mass producing their Saeqeh fighter jet. It is not only proof of reverse engineering, but of indigenous designs.
The Saeqeh (lightning/thunderbolt) is a reverse engineered U.S. F-5, with modifications, most notably a twin tail instead of the original single tail.
Prototypes of the Saeqeh has been seen with a single 20 mm gun, as well as two 20 mm guns. Iranian officials say the production aircraft has advanced avionics, radar and carries Iranian developed smart bombs and air to air missiles.
Iran also operates reverse engineered U.S. F-4 and F-14 jets, as well as Huey, Cobra and Chinook helicopters.
On April 27, 2012, the Aerospace Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRCG), Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, announced the mass production of a radar with a 1,100 km (683 miles) range. It’s called Ghadir.
The Ghadir radar system was first tested last year, and was used to monitor low altitude satellites.
Brigadier General Hajizadeh also says they have been mass producing an anti-ship missile called the Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf).
The missile was developed in 2008, and revealed publicly in 2011. It has a range of 200 km (124 miles) and can be mounted on small fast attack boats.
Iranian media mistakenly reported that Iran had radars with 1,800 miles range, but after further reading of the articles it became clear they were talking about ballistic missiles. Brigadier General Hajizadeh stated they will be used to target U.S. forces: “Today, one of our short range missiles can function as an intercontinental missile because they [U.S. military] have been based near us.”
Last year Hajizadeh said their short range ballistic missiles “…will target NATO’s missile shield in Turkey and will then attack other targets.”
On April 24, 2012, IRGC Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, announced: “Our naval forces are so powerful that we have a presence in all the waters of the world and, if needed, we can move to within three miles of New York!”
Last year another Iranian military official gave this warning: “The Navy has a strong presence in the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean and international waters and soon it will be present in the Atlantic Ocean.”-Ahmad Vahidi, Defense Minister of Iran
April 26, 2012, Kyoto-based video game maker Nintendo reported its first ever loss.
Nintendo officials say they lost $530 million USD in fiscal year 2011. Japan’s fiscal year ends in March.
2011 sales crashed 36%. However, total sales was still about $7.9 billion USD.
Company officials blame the sales crash on the high asking price for their 3DS system. They dropped the price in August, hoping to increase sales. By dropping the price they ended up cutting their profits.
Today’s reported loss is the first loss for Nintendo since 1981!
Nintendo has a new game system that will be for sale in Europe, North America and Japan, before December 2012.
A study by Tohoku University says homes are traps for radiation contamination.
Radiation expert, Hiroko Yoshida, led the study. Since September they’ve monitored radiation exposure levels of 125 people in 31 households in southern Miyagi Prefecture.
They concluded that decontaminating the inside of houses would be the most effective way to reduce radiation exposure, because the interiors of houses accumulate radiation contamination.
Yoshida is urging local governments to start radiation decontamination in homes rather than in public buildings, since most people, especially children (who’re most vulnerable to radiation), spend more time at home.