Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? Bail out delays; Greece needs loans equal to its total GDP! Greece warned of Third World status. Greeks believe the World is against them, sinister plots

February 20, 2012, European Union finance minister, Johan van Overtveldt, said one of the reasons bail out loans keep getting put on hold is because everyday new problems are revealed.

He says Greece now needs loans at least equal to its GDP, in order to get through the next few years: “So we are talking now about a package that in reality is about 200 billion euros, which happens to be exactly the amount equal to Greek gross domestic product.”

Overtveldt also said what many independent, and traditional economists have been saying; that cuts to Greek government spending will only make things worse: “The negative spiral in which the Greek economy and Greek society have been imprisoned for almost two years will only get worse. The austerity program that is imposed on the country will worsen the recession, which in its turn will worsen the budget outlook.”

He added that it was probably a good thing for Greece to leave the European Union: “It will lead, of course, to a devaluation of the new drachma but that is exactly what is needed to get the economy growing again through international trade.”

In fact many Greeks have been wanting their government to leave the EU, because they think it’s all part of a sinister plot.

Greek author, politician and songwriter, Mikis Theodorakis, says there is a conspiracy to destroy his country: “Germans, for instance, as well as the French, English and Americans, earned billions of Euros from annual sales of war materials, to the detriment of our national wealth….Siemens, for instance, maintained a special department for buying off the influential Greeks in order to sell its products in the Greece market.”

Theodorakis might be right about his beloved Greece being destroyed.  Economist Harlan Green, said the Mediterranean country is on its way to Third World status, and implied that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was behind it: “Greece is sliding very quickly into being a third world country, and the IMF knows how to deal with third world countries.”

As far as sinister plots go; don’t forget that the new unelected Prime Minister of Greece is a member of the Trilateral Commission!

…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!”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. sanctions against Iran means death knell for French steel factory

On February 20, 2012, French steel workers are occupying the ArcelorMittal steel plant in northeast France.  Two blast furnaces have been shut down since October 2011.

I’ve posted how U.S. sanctions against Iran include the steel industry, and it’s having negative affects, not for Iran but the West!

The shut down of the ArcelorMittal blast furnaces is supposed to be temporary, but last week company officials announced an extension to the shut down.  About 200 employees responded by taking over company offices.  Employees fear the temporary shut down is going to become permanent, no thanks in part to the U.S. and European sanctions against Iran.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & World War 3: United States increasingly isolated over Sanctions against Iran. India and Japan still buying Iranian oil. South Korea gets exemption

“India’s decision to walk out of step with the international community on Iran isn’t just a slap in the face for the U.S. – it raises questions about its ability to lead. The Indian government’s ill-advised statement last week that it will continue to purchase oil from Iran is a major setback for the U.S. attempt to isolate the Iranian government…”-Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs

India joins a growing list of countries basically telling the U.S., and U.K., to go stuff themselves.  Indian government officials are working with Indian companies to create a system that will let them pay for Iranian oil with Indian rupees.

In Japan, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, says they will continue buying Iranian oil despite pressure from the U.S. government. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK is Japan’s 5th largest refinery, and uses 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil.  Officials say they are affiliated with Royal Dutch Shell, but they operate independently and have their own contracts with Iran.  This is also why Iran has not stopped oil shipments to Japan (Royal Dutch Shell is a British/U.S./Dutch controlled company).

Then there’s South Korea, which has managed to convince U.S. lawmakers to exempt more than 2,000 Korean companies from the sanctions.  Not only that, but South Korea’s Woori Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Korea, do business directly with Iran Central Bank.  Their transactions are done in Korean money, thus avoiding the U.S. petro-dollar.

International, Technology

World War 3: Russia makes giant underwater Taser cannons, claim they’re to fight terrorism, really for taking out U.S. SEALS.

Russia is building giant underwater stun guns, that create a powerful shock wave meant to knock out any would be terrorist underwater.

Russia’s Interior Ministry seems to think their ports are prime targets for anti-Russia terrorists: “The current state of security at our ports and dams leaves a lot to be desired, so the new systems will provide a layer of defense.”-unnamed Interior Ministry official

They claim the target of the giant water proof taser gun are terrorist divers, like the U.S. Navy’s SEALS (SEa Air Land teamS).

Russia is not the first country to make giant stun guns. Israel has developed a shock wave cannon, officially to help Israeli farmers scare off birds.  Most likely “birds” is code for Palestinians.

Israel’s stun cannons explode gas in impulse chambers to create a shock wave that can stun.  Russia’s underwater stun guns use electricity to create basically a powerful electro-magnetic pulse on the same frequency as human hearing, thus knocking out the SEALS.

International, U.S.

Red Horse & World War 3: More proof that the U.S. is in bed with al-Qaeda, Iraqi militia joining U.S. supported Free Syria Army

“…if we look back at the number of secular regimes the U.S. has undermined, destabilized or toppled: Afghanistan in the 1970s and 80s, of course we’ve had Libya, Yugoslavia….so it’s a great myth to think that the U.S. and al-Qaeda will always be on the opposite side. They’re often on the same side.”-Neil Clark, contributor to the Guardian

Russian media have interviewed Iraqi militia, who are associated with al-Qaeda, as they prepared to go to Syria to join the U.S. and Israeli backed Free Syria Army.

The group was once known as the Army of Free Iraqis, and with support from al-Qaeda they regularly fought against U.S. troops.

In one photo an Iraqi held up his hand, which had written on it “Free Syria” indicating he was heading to Syria to join the U.S. backed insurgency.

Both Syrian, and Iraqi government officials have stated that many of the so called democracy demonstrators were actually from outside Syria.

Even Director of U.S. National Intelligence, James Clapper, said recent bombings in Syria “…had all the earmarks of an al-Qaeda-like attack, and so we believe al-Qaeda in Iraq is extending its reach into Syria.”

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran, Afghanistan & Pakistan on verge of forming military pact, warns U.S. officials to stop making secret deals with the Taliban

On February 17, 2012, the presidents of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan vowed to create an alliance that would prevent anymore ‘foreign’ interventions in the region.

At a meeting held in Pakistan, President Hamid Karzai, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and President Asif Ali Zardari issued the statement to U.S. officials.  So far no response from U.S. officials.

They also told U.S. officials that only Afghanistan has final say in peace talks with Taliban: “Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reiterated their full support for an Afghan led and Afghan owned inclusive process of peace and reconciliation. They assured the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan that they would extend full cooperation and stressed that any initiative in this regard must have authentic Afghan ownership.”

The above statement was issued because they believe the United States is making secret deals with the Taliban!

Pakistan also pointed out, that despite criticism from the U.S., more Pakistanis have died than Americans in the so called War on Terror.  Pakistan claims 35,000 civilians and security personnel have died, in the name of helping the U.S., since the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

 

 

International, Technology

Pale Green Horse & Global Food Crisis: Scientists say best defense against Climate Change is Adaptability

The following are statements heard at the ongoing American Association for the Advancement of Science annual show taking place in British Columbia, Canada.

“If there’s greater variability, the odds the temperature being so high that you can’t grow a crop are greater.”

“Food insecurity is likely to (be) higher than it has been for some time.”

“We need to understand how the region will fare under projected future scenarios…adapt or mitigate potential consequences.”

“A super-generalist can co-exist with other species if it focuses on just a few of its possible prey at a time and switches prey regularly. It’s stabilizing the system because it allows populations to recover.”  [in other words, if you have a diet that is very specific your chances of starvation are higher]

“biomass processing depots” “would process 100 to 200 tons of feedstock per day. Once processed, we could ship it much longer distances to the large scale refineries.”  farmers “could own part of the depot and share in some of the income from it.”

In other words, those who will fair well in the radically changing climate are those who can quickly adapt, with new ways of acquiring food.

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? China tells U.S. to back off trade war, dumps more U.S. government Bonds! More proof that China does not need the U.S. market!

Despite rosy depictions, by the U.S. mainstream media, of the Vice President of China’s visit to the United States, things are not warm and fuzzy!

Vice President Xi Jinping, recently restated demands from China, that the United States end economic restrictions against China: “It is very important when addressing the China-U.S. trade imbalance that the United States adjusts its economic policies and structure, including removing various restrictions on exports to China, in particular, (and) easing controls on civilian high-tech exports to China as soon as possible.”

China’s restatement of such demands comes as reports revealed that China dumped another $3.19 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds, back in December 2011.

In total, for all of 2011 China sold off $59.4 billion in U.S. Treasuries.  But China still holds a lot of U.S. bonds; $1.10 trillion as of December 2011.

This means China has a lot of room to maneuver, when it comes to monetary action.  Some analysts say China is dumping U.S. bonds in order to provide cash to help the European economy, and because the U.S. dollar just isn’t a safe haven anymore: “The overall movement away from the U.S. dollar indicates that people are not looking for a ‘safe haven’ as much as they were in late 2011, when the markets globally fell hard on concerns about the situation in Europe. The Chinese are boosting their purchases of European and other bonds because of the need to help stabilize those economies around the world that are major markets for Chinese goods [this also indicates that the U.S. is no longer a major market for the Chinese].”-David Riedel, Riedel Research Group

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3 & Government Incompetence: Iran shuts down global Steel industries, blame the United States, Russians pissed off. “Iran is King”

“Iran is the only market in the world that can move billet prices and now trading has basically come to a halt.”-unnamed British steel trader

Not only is the U.S. oil sanctions on Iran backfiring, but so are U.S. sanctions on steel sold to Iran!

“Now you can really feel the effects of the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe…It is very difficult to do any business with Iran at the moment.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader

U.S. and European sanctions might have stopped the sale of steel to Iran, but it’s also shutting down U.S. and European steel makers!  Why?  Iran is the biggest buyer of steel billet, and with the biggest buyer of steel out of the game steel prices are dropping like a rock!!!   (unlike oil, where everyone is trying to get their hands on it, thus causing oil prices to go up)

Russia is upset because they supply much of the steel Iran uses (Iran buys 15% of the steel exported by Russia): “Russian producers are not selling to Iran as they need pre-payments and won’t accept letters of credit. If I find a way to do that I won’t tell you. Iran is the king market in steel and if we can find a way to trade with them again we certainly would not share the know-how.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader dealing in Russian steel

Unlike the oil market, where Iran has established a successful trade system that avoids the U.S. dollar and U.S. & U.K. banks, the global steel market is still dominated by U.S. & British banks.  But some Russian’s are hopeful they’ll find a way ’round it: “Steel demand is pretty strong, the problem is the banking system. Russian banks do not have trading lines with Iranian banks to facilitate ruble transactions.”-Dmitry Smolin, URALSIB Capital