Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Study says U.S. citizens too stupid to compete in Global workplace! Older U.S. workers smarter!

25 October 2013 (15:17 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/03 Aban 1391/21 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

Despite the fact that people in the U.S. have decent access to computers and the internet, they actually score lower in intelligence than even countries who lack access to technology!

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released the results of their comparison of average workers in a couple dozen countries, including the United States.  U.S. workers lose!

The average U.S. worker earned a “Mean proficiency in literacy” score of 262.  Only France, Spain, Italy and Cyprus scored lower.  Surprisingly German workers scored only 267.1.  The average score is 270. Russian workers scored 275.2.  Not surprisingly, Japanese workers are way ahead of the pack with a high score of 293.6 (but their high technical intelligence still doesn’t make them much money).

Those scores include people in the age range of 16 to 65 years.  When OECD cut the age range to just 16 to 24 years, U.S. workers scored even lower, dropping to 260.9, meaning the older U.S. workers are smarter than the young workers.

This contrasts with most other countries, who saw a jump in their literacy score when the older workers were left out of the equation.   This is not good for the United States, because it suggests that as more older workers retire, or are refused jobs because of their age (like me), the overall global competitiveness of U.S. workers will continue to fall in the coming decades.

When it comes to the “adjusted” math (numeracy) score the U.S. worker does worse.  Only Cyprus and Italy scored lower than the U.S.  And it gets even worse when you throw out the old fogies: U.S. workers aged 16 to 24 suck with the lowest score of 240!  Even the young workers of Cyprus beat the U.S. in math!

The OECD also gave the U.S. poor IT and problem solving scores, but my dumb ‘merican brain couldn’t take it anymore (I is college edumacated, yes I is, Idaho State Uni).  Check it out for yourself: OECD Skills Outlook 2013.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: EU to sanction U.S. companies! End sanctions against Iran! France & Germany to make joint anti-U.S. statement! EU makes historic deal with Canada!

25 October 2013 (23:01 UTC-07 Tango 24 October 2013)/20 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/03 Aban 1391/21 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“We are allies facing challenges together. But such an alliance can only be built on the basis of trust. I repeat that spying among friends is not at all acceptable against anyone and that goes for every citizen in Germany.”-Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Merkel used to live in the Stasi police state of East Germany so she knows the U.S. NSA spying ops are evil

“It is inconceivable and unacceptable that there should be acts of espionage of this type.”-Enrico Letta, Premier of Italy

“I cannot imagine to sign an EU-U.S. free trade agreement given that basic privacy rights have been breached.”-Sigmar Gabriel, German Social-Democratic Party

For those who don’t think the U.S. spying on its allies is a big deal, guess what? The U.S. has lost Europe as it’s only major ally!

At least 28 European Union leaders are being spied on by the NSA.   The NSA spied on at least 35 leaders around the World.

At least 70 million French phone calls have been monitored by the NSA.

Germany summons U.S. ambassador, John B Emerson, over NSA spying.

The former head of the DGSE (French intelligence), Alain Juillet, is surprised at the scale of “pillage” conducted by the U.S. NSA.  The rogue actions of the U.S. against its own allies now jeopardizes the U.S. led War on Terror.

French President Francois Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are working together writing up a joint anti-U.S. statement. It’s reported they will make demands on the U.S. government concerning what it can and cannot do in Europe!

The European Union (EU) has sanctioned the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) agreement with the United  States.  That’s because the U.S. NSA used it to spy on Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).   SWIFT supplies secure messaging services to legitimate financial companies.

The EU now says the World’s biggest free trade deal is now in jeopardy because of the United States!  It’s known as TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership).  At the current EU summit members of parliament will debate imposing sanctions against the U.S. IT companies involved with helping the NSA.  The TTIP deal could have benefited the U.S. economy by $150-billion USD.

On top of that, the EU delegate to Iran, Hannes Swoboda, stated that EU sanctions against Iran should be ended “…in a step by step manner…”

Canada and the EU have agreed, in principle, to the historic CETA (Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement).  Under the deal the EU will end 100% of its tariffs on Canadian industrial products within seven years!  The EU would also accept certification of Canadian products by Canadian inspectors.  For the Canadian auto industry it could result in a 12 times increase in exports to Europe (the Canadian auto industry is not happy with the U.S. imposed NAFTA).  Canada is supposed to apply the same trade policy to European products.  CETA also affects trade of food and intellectual property.

 

Business/Economics, International

Postal service cuts delivery days by half!

24 October 2013 (11:53 UTC-07 Tango)/19 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/02 Aban 1391/20 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

While package volume is up, letter volume has crashed so low (30% drop), government officials have decided to drastically cut delivery service.

In the British empire country of New Zealand the government announced they are cutting New Zealand Post delivery from six days per week down to as few as three!  At least 1-thousand people will lose their jobs!

Postal Worker’s Union blames the 1997 law that allowed private companies to collect and delivery letters.  The government Post service is limited to standardized service and rates, but private companies are not. The PWU says in a way the 1997 law is actually subsidizing the private postal companies, but even with that the private companies are handling only 10% of the mail.

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing union has pointed out that cost cutting within the New Zealand Post have already been made, and moving to three day a week delivery is unnecessary.

It’s also been pointed out that moving to three day a week delivery will result in massive backlog in postal centers as packages and letters will pile up.  The three day a week delivery schedule begins in 2015.

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3, Afghan Front: U.S. led NATO falling apart! Calls emergency meeting!

24 October 2013 (11:29 UTC-07 Tango)/19 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/02 Aban 1391/20 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“….they are telling us ‘no panic yet’.”-unnamed NATO official to Rueters

As I’ve written in a previous Afghanistan update, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is being destroyed by continued deployment to Afghanistan.  Now it’s not just financially, it’s for legal reasons.

NATO leaders have just called for a “strategic planning assessment”, all because Afghan President Hamid Karzai is refusing to sign a new military pact with the United States: “….we can’t finalize our preparations until we have finalized negotiations on the legal framework.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary-General during NATO press conference

NATO member Germany kind-o-blamed the United States: “Our decision depends on these decisions. We have made an offer, but we need clarity on the rights and duties of our soldiers and we need clarity on the U.S. decision.”-Thomas de Maiziere, Defense Minister of Germany, interview with BBC

NATO officials told Reuters that despite the official 2014 pullout, they expect to have 12-thousand NATO troops remain in Afghanistan!

International, U.S.

Martial Law Gun Control BS! International Police boss says give everyone guns like in Texas!

24 October 2013 (20:56 UTC-07 Tango 23 October 2013)/19 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/02 Aban 1391/20 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“Ask yourself: If that was Denver, Colorado, if that was Texas, would those guys have been able to spend hours, days, shooting people randomly? What I’m saying is it makes police around the world question their views on gun control. It makes citizens question their views on gun control. You have to ask yourself, ‘Is an armed citizenry more necessary now than it was in the past with an evolving threat of terrorism?’ This is something that has to be discussed.  For me it’s a profound question.  People are quick to say ‘gun control, people shouldn’t be armed,’ etc., etc.  I think they have to ask themselves: ‘Where would you have wanted to be? In a city where there was gun control and no citizens armed if you’re in a Westgate mall, or in a place like Denver or Texas?'”-Ronald Noble, Secretary General of Interpol, interviewed by ABC News 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Mystery dog deaths in the U.S., China strikes again! Your local butcher can sell you healthy soup bones & meat scraps for less money!

23 October 2013 (20:16 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now blaming jerky dog and cat treats made in China for years of mystery deaths.

Since 2007 more than 3600 dogs and 10 cats have gotten sick, 580 pets have died.  The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has narrowed down the cause to duck or chicken jerky treats made in China.  They want pet owners to report to them if their pet has gotten sick or died after eating the treats.

I have an answer: I’ve been buying soup bones and meat scraps from local butchers.  I’ve been able to get them for less than not only what dog and cat treats cost, but sometimes less than canned and dry pet food (sometimes I can get fresh cut soup bones, with lots-o-meat on ’em, from WinCo, for about one dollar per pound)!   The majority of dog and cat food is not meat, but grains and other fillers, even the expensive brands.  Dogs and cats are carnivores (in fact we humans share a similar digestive system, which should tell you we are carnivores), meat scraps from your local butcher are better for them than processes and expensive pet food or treats!

International

What’s in a Prophecy? Pope Francis says ideological Christians are sick in the head! Wants to unite all western Christians!

23 October 2013 (20:01 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“The faith passes, so to speak, through a distiller and becomes ideology, and ideology does not beckon. In ideologies there is not Jesus: in his tenderness, his love, his meekness. Ideologies are rigid, always. Of every sign: rigid.  When a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought…..For this reason Jesus said to them: ‘You have taken away the key of knowledge.’……it is a serious illness, this of ideological Christians. It is an illness…..”-Pope Francis, on Radio Vatican 17 October

Francis also blamed arrogant Christian right wingism on false praying.

Today, Pope Francis ordered Catholics to pray for other Christian denominations, specifically for reunification with Lutherans: “But we Catholics must pray with each other and other Christians. Pray that the Lord gift us unity!.………..Catholics and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have caused one another and for their offenses committed in the sight of God. Together we can rejoice in the longing for unity which the Lord has awakened in our hearts, and which makes us look with hope to the future.”

“I already hear concerns that the reformist church of 76-year-old Pope Francis might not survive his pontificate. I hear talk that the anti-reformists who took back the Second Vatican Council will likely do it again once Francis is gone….will Francis fade like the council, a meteorite in the night sky? Francis is the first pontiff educated during the council. He is a product of the council. In this sense, he is the first post-conciliar pontiff.”-Thomas C. Fox, Catholic National Reporter

“Seven months after ascending the throne of Saint Peter, Pope Francis is in the midst of a crusade against the sins of Vatican City……Francis personally moved to oust top officials of the secretive Vatican bank…..backed a push for greater financial transparency, while moving faster than many expected to replace Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone……who once wielded the power of a vice pope……the pope is preparing to consolidate the Curia’s myriad operations, with the aim of reducing the size of the bureaucracy. Francis has recently suggested that clerics should focus on their home dioceses rather than angle for prestigious postings in the Holy See. His new advisory board of eight cardinals from around the globe is seen as a counterweight to the power of Vatican-based authorities.”-The Independent, 23 October

Esquire Magazine declared Pope Francis the most interesting man in the world.

“Speaking of Pope Francis, obviously as an observant Catholic, I believe the pope is infallible. But he’s also wrong about a lot of things.”-Stephen Colbert

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 04-06 October 2013: Taxpayers fund World’s largest solar power plant! U.S. kills people hunting for food!

“Thousands of our men have been martyred and as for your soldiers, we did not go after them to other countries. They came to our country and they have been torturing us and have sabotaged our government!….We are approaching total success as most of the country is now under our control…..when NATO leaves it will be as it was before, the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan.”-Qari Nasrullah

Bamyan Province: Taxpayers in New Zealand can be proud that they’ve paid for the World’s largest “off grid” solar power project!  It cost $18 million USD.

Farah Province: Bala Baluk District, U.S. led NATO forces launched an attack, destroying one Mosque and several homes.  Four Mujahideen killed, one Mujahid killed.

Farayb Province: Qaisar District, two Afghan border police were killed, nine wounded when a bicycle bomb exploded.

Kandahar Province: Zhari District, four U.S. Army personnel were killed by explosion. They were from California, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Oregon.  U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command said one of those killed was a CID agent assisting Special Forces in investigating a possible crime by U.S. personnel.  Mujahideen say they were defending their area from a heliborne op by U.S. forces.  They say dozens of U.S.-NATO personnel were wounded from multiple explosions.  Mujahideen say they captured M4 assault rifles, a rocket launcher, three night vision goggles and other equipment.

Kunduz Province: During a surprise visit the German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere, and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerewelle, turned over one of the German army bases to the Afghan government. The unnamed base is in the northern part of the province.

Helmand Province: A U.S. Marine Lance Corporal from Wisconsin was killed in a non-combat incident.  That’s the officials U.S. story, however, Mujahideen claim they killed one, and wounded another, U.S. personnel in a firefight in Nad Ali District.

Maidan Wardak Province: Chak District, Israeli style U.S. led Afghan government home invasions left eight people dead, and five people were kidnapped.

Nangarhar Province: U.S.-NATO airstrike kills five civilians hunting for food!  Local police confirm a group of as many as 20 men were out hunting wild birds for food!  Police say the men were using air powered rifles, not military weapons.  U.S.-NATO officials are refusing to comment.  In Khogiyani District, a man was kidnapped by U.S. led government forces during an Israeli style home invasion.

Nuristan Province: Wama District, a police chief was killed while on his way to inspect police personnel.  His vehicle ran over a landmine.

Zabul Province: A U.S. Army Specialist from Ohio was killed in a Green on Blue attack.  The Afghan government personnel was killed.

The Afghan Interior Ministry claims that 107 Mujahideen were killed, and 52 captured in military ops around the country.

Mujahideen claim another dozen or more Afghan police and army personnel have switched sides.

“…..67% of the 72,000 equipment items have already been removed from our Marine Corps portion of the joint and coalition Afghanistan battle space. We have reduced 5.35 million square feet of aviation matting to 150 thousand square feet today. Additionally, of the over 42,000 total items retrograded to date, 60% of those are being inducted for reset actions at our depot maintenance plants.”-USMC Lieutenant General William Faulkner

“One cost driver is multi-modal transportation. While over the past several months multi-modal has been the primary means to move retrograde and redeployment cargo out of Afghanistan, projected volumes of cargo along the Pakistan Ground Lines of Communication are increasing and are currently trending at or near 50%. Surface lines of communication, the Northern Distribution Network and PAKGLOC are critical to achieving the retrograde velocity necessary to meet timelines and they are less expensive than multi-modal and direct air transportation.”-U.S. Army Lieutenant General Raymon Mason

 

International, U.S.

World War 3, South East Asian Front: Japan & Vietnam practice war on China, under the guise of rescue ops!

21 October 2013 (05:06 UTC-07 Tango)/16 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/29 Mehr 1391/17 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force is taking part in “rescue” games with the navy of Vietnam.

It’s interesting that some of the crews of the rescue training operations took part in familiarization with anti-ship missiles!  The three Japanese ships taking part are totally combat oriented, and are not true rescue ships.  Japanese naval officers also gave their Vietnamese counterparts a computer presentation about the combat capabilities of the Japanese ships.

Japan and Vietnam have increased military relations, in July the Japanese Coast Guard made a port call in Da Nang.

Several Japanese and Vietnamese news sources admitted that Vietnam and Japan are joining forces against China in ongoing territorial disputes.  Japan occupied Vietnam during World War 2, claiming they were liberating the country from French control.

During the Second World War, the U.S. government promised the Vietnamese independence if they rescued U.S. aircrew who were shot down by the Japanese.  Then after the war the U.S. government stabbed them in the back by letting France retake control of Indochina.

Japan is now a major lender of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.

Vietnam has also contracted with Japanese companies to build nuclear power plants.  Why isn’t the U.S. government upset over that?