Category Archives: International

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

What Economic Recovery? As I warned; Idaho Hoku silicon factory going under, announcing layoffs, violated stock market trading rules

March 6, 2012, Hoku International announced they will layoff about 20 employees at their Pocatello, polysilicon plant.

This comes after many delays in finishing the factory, and threats by Idaho Power to cut off electricity because Hoku hasn’t been paying its utility bill.  Also, Hoku lost big money in 2011.

Officials with Hoku said the layoffs are necessary to keep the company going.

On February 23, 2012, Hoku International was notified that trading of its stocks were suspended, for violating NASDAQ’s Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).  On March 5 (the day before the layoff announcement) Hoku claimed they were now in compliance with NASDAQ’s rules.

CORPORATE INCOMPETENCE: HOKU MATERIALS BEGS FOR MONEY TO PAY ITS OVERDUE IDAHO POWER BILL

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: French Ambassador sneaks out of Syria, Syrian Ambassador tells U.K. bye bye, Canada closes Embassy

Lebanese media reporting that the French Ambassador to Syria has quietly driven into Lebanon. The ambassador and his diplomatic staff are in a convoy heading back to Pairs.

In the United Kingdom, the Syrian Ambassador made it clear to the British government that he will be leaving, after being called back by the Syrian government.

Canada has closed down their embassy in Syria: “All of our Canadian diplomats have left Damascus. The safety and security of Canadian personnel is our top priority and that is not a decision we took lightly.”-John Baird, Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada

After a meeting with officials from the United Arab Emirates, Canadian officials also imposed new sanctions. The new sanctions include a complete ban on financial services, as well as sanctions on the Syrian central bank.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Who’s the official “Best Friend of the American Worker”? China. Mitt Romney has short memory, makes hypocrite of himself.

Former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, has blasted China’s trade policies with the U.S., but China has just won a Massachusetts award for being the Best Friend of the American Worker!

On March 2, 2012, Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, was given the award in Boston by the International Longshoreman’s Association.  For what? For appreciation of China’s strong support of job growth for U.S. workers!

Here’s the thing, while Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts he actually wooed the Chinese to invest in that state.  In fact, at the end of 2003 Romney gave Wen a tour of Boston!

Another thing. Romney has also made a fool of himself.  He has repeatedly stated that China is costing the U.S. millions of jobs every year.  But here’s a sobering fact: U.S. exports to China increase year after year.  That means more jobs created in the U.S. to meet those export demands from China.

How much have exports to China grown?  According to the U.S.-China Business Council, U.S. exports to China skyrocketed 468% between 2000 and 2010!!!   Now you know why China is officially “Best Friend of the American Worker”.

 

International, Technology

Japan invents weapon against Freedom of Expression: The Speech Jammer

Japanese inventors have created a weapon to silence people expressing themselves.

The weapon works by playing back the talker’s words, with a 0.2 second delay.  The inventors discovered that such feedback of one’s own words will cause the speech center of your brain to lock up.

The inventors claim they did it to stop people who won’t shut up: “…some people tend to lengthen their turns or deliberately interrupt other people when it is not their turn in order to establish their presence rather than achieve more fruitful discussions.”  

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices to go up: Oil pipeline blown up in Syria, gas pipeline blown up in Egypt, oil pipeline explodes in Illinois, pipeline fire in Alaska, pipeline fire in Texas

March 5, 2012, pro-U.S. rebels blew up a major oil pipeline in Syria.  It happened in Deir al-Zor.

Deir al-Zor is an oil producing province bordering Iraq.  It has been under attack by rebels who are part of the loosely organized U.S./Israeli supported Free Syrian Army.

Also, a gas pipeline from Egypt to Jordan and Israel was blown up, for the 13th time since the January 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

Over the weekend, an oil pipeline was shut down after two cars crashed into the pipeline, causing an explosion.  The pipeline runs from Canada to Illinois. Two people were killed, three injured. Local Illinois police say it was a terrible car accident.

On March 1, British Petroleum (BP) reported a fire at one of its Alaskan operations. They said employees noticed a flame, then a loud bang at the Prudhoe Bay Gathering Center 2.   They don’t know what caused it.

In Texas, on March 2, three workers were injured by a fire on a Texas pipeline.  It’s being called a flash fire, caused when the workers were trying to repair an out of use pipeline.

On February 24, 2012, a Louisiana gas plant was closed indefinitely.  One employee was injured during a fire at the Basile plant.  The plant will re-open after an investigation.

Now realize that these kinds of things happen on a weekly bases, all around the World.  This proves the petroleum industry is not environmentally safe, is run by incompetents, is a main target of war, and it is the real reason oil and natural gas prices stay high.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Japan reveals plans to airlift their citizens out of Iran!

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have just revealed plans to evacuate Japanese citizens living in Iran!

On March 5, 2012, Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka made the statement in a Diet (parliament) session.

He said they are prepared to use C-130 transports, along with aerial refueling tankers, to “rescue” Japanese stuck in Iran, in case of “emergency”!

According to official Japanese numbers, there are about 700 Japanese citizens living in Iran, many are married to Iranians.

International, U.S.

World War 3: More suicide bombing in Afghanistan. More attacks against NATO. Iran trying to assasinate Afghan leaders? U.S. cancels security meeting.

According to separate reports there were two suicide bombings, March 5, 2012.

One took place in eastern Nangarhar Province, in Jalalabad city.  Local officials say as many as 13 people were killed, including civilians and police.  No group has claimed responsibility.

Then in Parwan Province, a suicide bomber tried to attack the U.S./NATO/ISAF airbase at Bagram.  The bomber targeted a NATO vehicle.  Two civilians were killed. The reports claim the “Taliban” took responsibility, and said it was vengeance for the U.S. burnings of Qur’ans.

It’s been revealed, that last week several Afghans were arrested trying to assassinate several Afghan politicians.  Officials with the National Directorate for Security of Afghanistan, say those arrested are claiming they were hired by the Iranian Republican Guards Corps.

Some Iranian officials point out that the Afghan politicians making the claim are pro-U.S. and are trying to create justifications to keep U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

March 5, Afghan officials say the United States has canceled upcoming security talks. The cancellation comes after Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded the United States/NATO/ISAF stop night time home invasions, and turn over all U.S. controlled prisons to Afghanistan!

Some reports say U.S. officials told Karzai that it was “technically unfeasible” to meet his demands!  (just another way to say ‘beatings will continue until moral improves’)

Over the weekend:  The governor of Kunar Province was attacked. His motorcade was shot at, but no one was hurt. No group is claiming responsibility.

About 30 tons of opium and alcohol were burned by the Afghan Interior Ministry officials in southern Kandahar Province.  200 people were arrested!  Despite claims pushed by U.S. officials (that opium is used to pay for militant operations) tribal elders say poverty is the main motive behind the opium cultivation.

Also, Afghan government forces launched a major military operation that spanned several provenances.  The operations were conducted at Nangarhar, Kandahar, Baghlan and Helmand provinces.  They say dozens of militants were killed, wounded and/or arrested.  At lest five Afghan soldiers were killed.

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Congo explosion takes out Chinese workers, Catholic Cathedral

The Chinese government reports that 140 Chinese construction workers were hit by the large explosions in the south western African country of Congo-Brazzaville.  Six have died, one is missing.

Officials in Congo-Brazzaville expect to death toll to climb higher than 206.

The Catholic Cathedral called Saint Louis was flattened: “Many of the faithful are trapped in the debris of the church. Several of the dead have been taken out and I confirm there are more deaths inside.”-Didier Boutsindi, presidential spokesman

St Louis is the Diocese of the area, and it is not located in Brazzaville, where the explosions took place.  It is located in Nkayi, just west of Brazzaville.  If the report is true it gives you an idea how powerful the explosions were.

Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) has been racked by civil war for decades. In 2003 former French oil company executives testified in court that the oil industry is behind causing civil wars, because they can get access to the oil more cheaply.

International

World War 3: Israel turns parking garages into bomb shelters

Recently senior Israeli lawmaker, Zeev Bielski, said the city of Tel Aviv was not prepared enough for war with Iran.

City officials have now begun turning parking garages into bomb shelters.

The parking garage for the Habima National Theater has just been converted to act as a bomb shelter for 1,600 people. It’s conversion will be used in other buildings and parking garages.  A main component of the Habima bomb shelter are large water containers, providing enough water for 1,600 people, for several days.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? Brazil says the U.S. Elites are cannibalizing their own people

“Instead of using fiscal policies to invest in their own economies in order to avert the crisis, the rich nations have spilled U.S. $4.7 trillion in the world to make problems worse, thus putting emerging markets in jeopardy.”-Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil, and is also an economist

“We have a currency war that is based on an expansionary monetary policy that creates unequal conditions for competition. We will continue to develop (our) country by defending its industry and ensuring that the strategy used by the developed countries to exit the crisis does not cannibalize emerging markets.”

When you realize that the overwhelming number of people living in the United States are now lower income, and that it has come as a result of the Elitist policies within the United states, then you can see that they are cannibalizing their own people as well.

“…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'”-New American Standard Bible, Revelation 6:5-6