Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Major East Idaho Employer makes surprise layoff announcement

September 19, a change of contractors with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) resulted in a surprise announcement; 204 employees will be let go at the end of the month.

On September 30, the existing contract with AMWTP (Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project) ends.  A new contract with Idaho Treatment Group begins on October 1.  The new contractor says they can do the same job with 204 less employees.

The contract involves preparing transuranic nuclear weapons waste stored at the INL, for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

False christian Rick Perry a Poverty Miser?

“There are parts of Texas that are doing well. And there is a tremendous number of Texans, more than Perry has ever wanted to acknowledge, that are doing very, very poorly.”-Miguel Ferguson, University of Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry likes to claim having created jobs for Texans, but he’s also to blame for increasing the poverty rate!

In the past two years Texas has created 40% of new U.S. jobs, but also has the fastest growing poverty rate in the whole country. That means most of those new jobs are not paying enough to cover the basic cost of living.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics about 550,000 workers last year were paid at, or even below, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau the national average poverty rate is 15.1%, and as of 2010 the poverty rate in Texas is 18.4%.

The main reason for the poverty; Perry’s so called job creation isn’t happening fast enough: “The middle class are losing their jobs and are not able to replace them fast enough. That’s driving them straight into poverty.”-Bradley Manning, Texas Neighborhood Services

To make matters worse, Texas has one of the worst social service programs in the country: “We don’t have the support system in place to provide economic support or economic opportunity to help families lift themselves out of poverty.” said Frances Deviney, Center for Public Policy Priorities

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? New G20 meeting will reveal how bad the situation is, the United States is now a beggar thy neighbor nation

September 19, later this week the Group of 20 developed and developing economies will meet in Washington DC.  The main issue, as always, the collapsing global economy.

Actually the main stream western media wants you to think the “global” economy is collapsing, in reality it’s just the ‘western/capitalist’ economies that are going down the toilet.

Demands from the European Union, United States and Japan are revealing how bad the situation is: “The consolidation plans to be undertaken in most EU countries, in the U.S. and in Japan need to be accompanied by appropriate policies in other regions of the world so as to avoid an undesired compression of global demand.”-European Union statement

What this means is that the economies that are going down the toilet need more help from the economies that are actually booming (the “other regions”).  Basically the EU, U.S. and Japan have become beggar they neighbor nations; needing to borrow from the wealthier BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), just to survive.

In order to get the much needed cash, expect the EU, U.S. and Japan to make some huge concessions at this weeks G20 meeting.  One thing China and Russia would like to see is a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar as the World’s reserve money.   It’s unlikely the U.S. would support that, ’cause it could make the economic situation in the U.S. even worse.

However, the latest European Union statement indicates that if the EU, U.S. and Japan don’t get financial help from the BRICS, then it could be lights out for the ‘West’.

Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of Incompetent America: 28 TSA guards fired in Hawaii, proof that the TSA is a waste of tax dollars

September 19, three TSA guards quit, and the Transportation Security Administration fired 28 other guards, as well as suspending another 15.

This after an investigation was started back in 2010.  TSA guards assigned to the morning shift allowed checked bags to be loaded onto flights without being screened for explosives, at Hawaii’s Honolulu International Airport.

This proves that the government is not only incompetent, but that the people of the U.S. don’t need the tax money sucking TSA!!!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oliver Stone, and son, to make movie in Iran, despite pissing them off with his version of Alexander the Great

On September 26 Oliver Stone will join his son Sean, in Iran. They are trying to get permission to shoot a movie there.

Stone’s last documentary was about anti-U.S. Latin American leaders: “South of the Border”.

Stone’s last big budget movie was “Alexander: Fortune Favors the Bold”, and yes like most people who saw it, Iranians did not like it.

Alexander the Great is not a hero to the Iranians, especially since he massacred most of the Zoroastrian priests, and destroyed their temples. Iran banned the movie from being shown in theaters.  Oliver Stone’s version is based on an outdated 1970’s history book.

In 2009, Stone tried to do a documentary on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but claims scheduling conflicts ended that project.  No word on what kind of movie he wants to make now.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia acusses the U.S. led NATO of recruiting al Qaeda to invade Syria

“We have information that NATO headquarters in Brussels and the Turkish High Command are in fact drawing up plans for the first military step into Syria.  And we also know that NATO is in fact recruiting mujahedeen and jihadists to assist them in their campaign in these various countries.”-Michel Chossudovsky, Center for Research on Globalization

Members of Russia’s upper house of Parliament are currently on a fact-finding mission to Syria.

Russian officials believe outside forces (U.S., Europe, anti-Ba’athists al Qaeda, etc) are trying to destabilize Syria by funding and supporting an armed insurrection, which does not represent the majority of Syrian society.

Many Russian officials believe that any outside military intervention in Syria would immediately lead to escalation involving Israel, Lebanon and Iran.  Israel has already threatened as much. Russian companies have lost tens of billions due to U.S. led invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? China invests billions into America’s backyard, the U.S. is no longer a beacon of Hope

“China represents hope for the poorest nations of the world and its impressive development springs from its own resources…not exploiting or pillaging other nations.”-Orlando Hernandez Guillen, Cuban Vice Minister of Trade and Investment

China is fast replacing the influence of the United States on Caribbean countries.

“China has become an important source of foreign direct investment for us.”–  Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister

The China Development Bank will issue U.S.$1 billion in loans to countries like Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas.  China has already invested billions in Caribbean countries in recent years.

China buys nickel, sugar and other products from Cuba, and Cubans buy Chinese made cars.

China is planning to invest more than U.S.$400 million to revive a beachfront resort project in the Dominican Republic.

The Chinese are helping Jamaica build new ports, a conference center, highway projects and a cricket stadium.

If anybody remembers the Cold War, or knows that history, they would know that there was a time when the U.S. government would not tolerate Chinese involvement in “America’s backyard”.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. citizens smuggling drugs in and out of Mexico

A month ago it was revealed that U.S. citizens have been smuggling prescription drugs into Mexico.  Arrests have included doctors!

Now, Mexican army officials say U.S. citizens are smuggling marijuana out of Mexico into the U.S.

They say U.S. citizens are bringing Meth into Mexico, and on their return trip they take out marijuana.  Captured drug lords say U.S. border patrol agents don’t suspect U.S. citizens, and many people in the U.S. are desperate to make extra money!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Japanese Police finally uncover illegal immigrant operations, hiding in plain sight, Americans need not apply

In order to fight illegal immigration Japanese police decided to check out all those free classified ads newspapers.  They should’ve looked sooner!

40% of free newspaper ads, in Japan, are geared towards inciting illegal immigration. The number one type of add offers illegal employment, while the number two type of add offered illegal marriage as a way to stay in Japan.

The search of free newspapers involved just 58 publications, not really a lot when you think about it.

So which nationality was the most sought after?  Not people from the United States, that’s for sure, they’re looking for people with money.  The top four requested illegal immigrants in Japan are Chinese, South Koreans, Brazilians and Filipinos.

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Global Economic War: Suzuki wants out of deal, VW could seek hostile takeover

There’s been a lot of news about a possible break up of the merger between  German VolksWagen and Japanese Suzuki.  Last week Suzuki demanded an end to the deal, but VW officials say there’s no way they’re gonna sell their stake in Suzuki.

Now, Der Spiegel says not only is VW not gonna sell it’s Suzuki stocks, but it’s looking like they’re going for a hostile takeover!

Currently VW holds 19.9% stake in Suzuki, and under current contract could acquire a majority holding.  But, under the current contact the same could be true for Suzuki taking over VW.

Such takeovers would require the consent of whoever is being taken over.  Right now Suzuki wants out.  Also, in the recent past VW officials say it’s become obvious that something was lost in translation concerning the partnership.

Originally VW officials thought Suzuki wanted German hybrid technology.  VW thought it was a good opportunity to get into the booming Indian car market, because Suzuki already had a strong presence in India.  Apparently that’s not what Suzuki had in mind.