The Japanese Meteorological Agency says Roke has stalled because three high pressure systems in the east, west and north are blocking its path.
The problem is that Roke is stalled over warm water near Okinawa. The high water temps could help it become a Typhoon. Japanese weather officials say Roke could be stalled near Okinawa for three days.
On September 16, in a scene reminiscent of what sparked the recent Tunisian Revolution, a Greek man who lost his business set himself on fire. Police put out the fire and the man is in the hospital.
On September 17, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, suddenly canceled his trip to the United States. He claims it’s to ensure that all of Greece’s bailout loan commitments are fulfilled. That doesn’t make sense because those loans just didn’t suddenly materialize, they’ve been in the works for awhile now. So why the sudden cancellation of his trip to the U.S.?
Some analysts think it’s because Greece is too close to default now: “It’s a sign that things are very tight. Papandreou’s presence is crucial to make sure there are no setbacks with issues that need to be resolved.”-Theodore Krintas, Attica Bank.
“You need a scorecard to keep track of all the things that corporations have done that are bad for this country.”-Bill Steyert, 68, Queens, New York
New York Times reporting that Day of Action Against Global Capital (aka Occupy Wall Street) demonstrators are finding some of the routes blocked.
New York City officials decided to block off sections of Wall Street near the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall.
“When you idealize financial markets as salvific you embrace the idea that profit is all that matters. You start thinking only as yourself.”-Dave Woessner, 31, Harvard Divinity School
Protestors are being threatened with arrest, simply because no permits to hold a public demonstration were acquired.
“If you look at history and you look at recent history, ancient history, even the middle road, this is what creates revolution and this is what causes everything.”-Anna Lekas Miller, freelance writer
September 17 was supposed to be marked by protests in the United States and Europe. Some foreign media are reporting thousands of people across the U.S. are protesting, but most U.S. media is reporting only hundreds (Business Week claims at least 1,000 people around Wall Street).
The people of Poland are putting to shame any U.S. protests; the Washington Post reports that 50,000 people are peacefully protesting in the streets of Wrocław.
“Serious questions about Mr. Davis’ guilt, highlighted by witness recantations, allegations of police coercion and a lack of relevant physical evidence, continue to plague his conviction.”-William S. Sessions, former FBI Director
Former FBI Director William S. Sessions is joining Pope Benedict XVI, former President Jimmy Carter and thousands of protestors demanding the release of a man about to be executed on September 21, for a murder he didn’t commit.
In a stereotypically racist trial in Georgia, in 1991, the black man was convicted of killing a Georgia cop. Since then seven of the nine witnesses have changed their stories, and there was no gun or other physical evidence presented!
William S. Sessions served as Director of the FBI under Presidents Ronald Regan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Many people in the U.S. state of Georgia are planning more than 100 protest marches and events: “It becomes less about who did it and less about the search for truth, and more about holding someone accountable, because people of African descent and minorities and people who don’t have money are treated as expendable, it doesn’t matter if we get to the truth.”-Deirdre O’Connor, activist
The United Kingdom is proposing a new United Nations resolution for Libya, and Russia demands that an end to the no fly zone be part of it.
Also, Russia is demanding the Libyan rebels release Russian and Ukrainian hostages. They were detained early in August, but released on August 27, then detained again on September 7!
Fact: New prescription drugs have a really bad track record regarding safety and effectiveness.
Fact: Most U.S. citizens think new prescription drugs are safer, and more effective than proven older drugs.
Researchers at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and the Veterans Administration Outcomes Group, asked people about the difference between benefits and risks of new medications, and old medications.
In one study people were asked about taking a heart disease drug. 41% of those that were not told about side effects picked the newer but less effective drug. Yet when they were told about the side effects, 71% picked the older more effective drug with less side effects.
In the other study people had to choose between an old heartburn drug, and a new heartburn drug. The older drug had the better track record, yet only 34% picked the older safer drug when not told about the track records of both drugs. When told about the safety record of both drugs 53% picked the older drug.
The conclusion of the U.S. studies is that if people don’t know the track record, or side effects of a drug, they automatically assume the newer drug is safer and better!
Also, the studies show that four out of ten U.S. citizens think an FDA approval means the drug is “extremely effective”! One in four think the FDA would never approve a drug that has bad side effects! Fact: The FDA constantly approves drugs that have not been fully proven, and have extremely bad side effects! Look how many approved drugs being advertised today have stated “may cause death” as a side effect!
The South American country of Bolivia has sent a trade delegation to Iran. They want the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company to set up shop in Bolivia.
Bolivian officials say they’re impressed with Iran’s industrial advancements, despite all the decades of sanctions from the United States and Europe.
The building of an Iranian tractor factory in Bolivia, is part of the South American country’s agriculture modernization program.
Iran has economic agreements with numerous Latin American countries, like Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil and Ecuador.
Chinese officials say the latest round of tariff increases in Europe have essentially closed off the European market to Chinese businesses.
On September 15, the EU placed tariffs on Chinese flooring tile, as high as 69.7%! This will directly affect more than 1,000 Chinese businesses!
Chinese officials say the Europeans are raising their tariff rates to protect European tile makers, who’ve seen a 40% drop in sales since the debt crisis began. Europeans says it’s to make up for ‘dumping’ of Chinese products on European markets.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta met Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and defense chief Stephen Smith in San Francisco, California, for talks on September 15.
The subject was cyber attacks. Panetta called cyberspace the battlefield of the future, and most of the intensive cyber attacks in the past year are believed to have originated in China.
The new cyber war policy involves putting U.S. troops in Australia, for training purposes.
Starting with the October 12, and then the November 9 and December 7 loan tenders, the European Central Bank will make U.S. dollars available for three-month loans.
The Bank of England, the Bank of Japan and the Swiss National Bank made similar announcements. This is being done in coordination with the U.S. Federal Reserve (the privately run central bank for the United States).
The European banks will trade their money (Euros, Pounds, Yen and Swiss Francs) for U.S. dollars, for a fixed exchange rate. This is an attempt to prevent money markets in Europe and Japan from locking up.