Category Archives: International

International, U.S.

World War 3: Russian Delta class submarine fire being investigated as possible sabotage, Hugo Chavez says the U.S. is behind unrest in Russia

“Experienced criminal investigators of the Main Military Investigation Committee flew in from Moscow to provide practical assistance to the investigation team on the site. Fifty witnesses have been questioned. Investigators are studying the documentation seized at the dockyard.”-Vladimir Markin, Investigation Committee

The Russian government said the fire aboard the Yekaterinburg Delta class submarine is no cause for concern regarding nuclear radiation.  The reactors had been shut down, and the nuclear missiles removed before the sub went into dry dock in the Murmansk Region.

However, there is now an investigation, for possible sabotage because of the way the fire ignited the outer rubberized hull.  Workers claimed a scaffolding caught fire, and that set the hull on fire.  The fire was so damaging that officials are deciding if it’s worth it to repair the sub.

In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez said the United States is acting behind the scenes to destabilize Vladimir Putin:  “The United States is trying to undermine his leadership, split Russia and destabilize its government and realize its imperialist project to create world hegemony.”

Chavez said this is how U.S. leaders operate because they do not support true democracy: “What is happening in Russia, they will try here, because these people know they cannot win the elections, either politically or mathematically.”

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

What Economic Recovery? More trouble for Idaho’s Hoku polysilicon factory, looks more and more like the deal is off!

“If service is terminated, these high value systems may freeze, causing irreparable and material damage to Hoku’s plant assets. Any damage would need to be repaired, at additional cost, prior to continuing with the commissioning and operation of the plant.”-Hoku Corporation complaint to Idaho Public Utilities Commision

“The fact of the matter is, Hoku has missed a payment it owes to Idaho Power and has failed to provide….any assurance that such a payment will be forthcoming. Idaho Power has concerns that if the commission allows the Hoku complaint to run the usual course….Hoku could potentially become millions of dollars delinquent in amounts it owes.”-Idaho Power response

Pocatello, Idaho’s, polysilcon factory, run by Hoku Materials (which is a subsidiary of Hoku Corporation, which is 60% owned by China’s Tianwei New Energy Holdings Company Limited) has run into trouble with Idaho Power, again.

Hoku failed to pay its electric bill, and Idaho Power says it will discontinue service.  Hoku was served with the disconnect notice on December 22.  This is not the first time Hoku has had trouble with their electric bill.

Earlier this month, Chinese media reported that Hoku had started operations, but now it’s clear that was just wishful thinking by Tianwei New Energy Holdings Company Limited.  The Chinese claim was based on Hoku CEO Scott Paul saying things were ready to go back on November 21.

This just adds to the ever growing problems with Hoku:  Their CFO resigned, they lost nearly $8 million in their last reporting quarter, they had to sell majority shares to Chinese companies (as well as take Chinese loans) to raise enough money to finish construction of their factory, and the ongoing tit for tat trade war between the U.S. and China (involving U.S. made polysilicon and Chinese made photo voltaic products) could mean curtains for a company that has hundreds of people in the Chubbuck/Pocatello area hoping to get a job with Hoku.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC WAR: IDAHO POLYSILCON PRODUCER, HOKU, QUIETLY STARTS OPERATIONS,  LOSES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AGAIN

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

Political Incompetence & Corporate Evil: Christian/Mormon Mitt Romney co-founded Bain Capital, which has been destroying jobs since 1984! Destroyed jobs in Chubbuck, Idaho. Demise of KB Toys connected to Toys “R” Us

“Mitt Romney’s history at Bain Capital is not going to help his image as a job creator.  Now, we want to disclose that NBC Universal and Bain Capital are each a part owner of the Weather Channel.  Bain Capital’s main business model is buying companies like American Pad and Paper and restructuring [industry code for ‘slash and burn’] them.  In many instances, Bain turned a profit by strip mining these companies.  American,  AMPAD is what it’s known, the stock was driven down [on purpose by Romney, I explain a little further in the article] and the company went bankrupt.  They fired hundreds of workers along the way.”-Ed Shultz, MSNBC

MSNBC is admitting that a company affiliated with NBC, Bain Capital  co-founded by Mitt Romney, has been destroying jobs, not creating jobs as Romney claims.

In 1984 Romney co-founded Bain Capital, which grew out of Bain & Company.  The soul purpose of the company is to buy out other companies, then gut them and sell them off piece by piece. Of course this means jobs are destroyed.

Interestingly, back in October, MSNBC’s Ed Shultz actually downplayed Romney’s connection to Bain Capital.  He and some of his guests, stated that a photo published in the Boston Globe was fake: “…it’s probablly a joke photo.”

Now Ed Shultz is backpedaling.  He, along with other MSNBC anchors and reporters, are revealing that Bain Capital has been behind many of the job loses in this country since the late 1980s!

The New York Times reported that Romney left Bain Capital in 1999, but, as part of his ‘retirement package’ is making money off their continued slashing and burning of U.S. jobs.  According to the article, Romney, 13 years after leaving Bain Capital, is still making millions of dollars off his retirement package!

old kb toys pine ridge mall

Former location of KB Toys, Pine Ridge Mall, Chubbuck, Idaho

Anybody remember KB Toys? I do. I was an employee of the Chubbuck, Idaho, Pine Ridge Mall at the time they closed down the KB Toys store in that mall. By 2004 KB Toys went bankrupt and 3,400 people lost their jobs! Guess what, one of Bain Capital’s affiliated companies was behind that!!!

pine ridge mall

Fading Pine Ridge Mall, Chubbuck, Idaho

Oh, and what about Romney’s connection to Massachusetts? Romney ‘retired’ from Bain Capital in 1999.  The Bain Capital partnership took over KB Toys in 2000.  KB Toys is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Romney became governor of Massachusetts in 2002.  In 2003 the Bain Capital partnership started shutting down KB Toys stores. Mmmm, connection?

Here are some more examples of deals that resulted in job losses at the hands of Romney’s Bain Capital (and affiliated companies like Holson Burnes Group): Clear Channel Communications, 2,500 job cuts.

Photo album factory in South Carolina, 150 jobs lost.

Sensata Technologies, a European company with U.S. operations, several hundred U.S. employees lost their jobs.

American Pad & Paper, or AMPAD, lost 185 jobs.

The case of AMPAD reveals how Romney’s Bain Capital works.  They buy up companies in the same market, then they whittle them down until there is only one or two in the market, who then become big money makers by default.  AMPAD’s competitor was Staples. Romney touts Staples as a good example of his management skills, but what the Boston Globe found out (and reported in a 2007 article) is that Romney simply bought out competitors and shut them down until Staples was just about the only game left in town.

Now how about the KB Toys deal? KB Toys and Toys “R” Us were the top toy stores in the United States.  A company connected to Bain Capital buys out KB Toys and shuts them down.  What about Toys “R” Us? Yes there’s a Bain Capital connection.  In 2005, one year after the KB Toys bankruptcy, Toys “R” Us was taken over by KKR Group, Vornado Realty Trust and Bain Capital for $6.6 billion!  In 2009 Toys “R” Us takes over what is left of KB Toys; website, trademarks, and intellectual property rights.  Mmmm, you seeing the pattern?

This goes against the principle of the free hand of capitalist competition.  The jobs lost because companies went out of business were not actually due to any ‘poor’ performance of the employees, or lack of sales, but because the ‘investors’ Romney & Co wanted it that way!

Also, Bain Capital works the same way the rest of Corporate America does, they don’t use their own money to take over companies, they take out huge loans from the too big to fail banks that got taxpayer bailouts!

One report said Romney’s “investments” have resulted in at least 12,000 U.S. jobs lost!  It’s probably more than that, the way Bain Capital and affiliated companies shut down businesses does not result in net jobs gained, but net jobs lost!  Anybody remember Oliver Stone’s 1987 movie Wall Street?

Opinion: MITT ROMNEY CONSTITUTIONALLY INCOMPETENT. RELIGION BASED MARRIAGE LAW WILL VIOLATE CONSTITUTION.

Washington DC BS: MITT’S MYSTERY MONEY NOT EXPLAINED BY LATEST ADMISSIONS

International, U.S.

Scotland moving fast towards independence from England, independence from NATO, could join Nordic Alliance, yet still be led by the Queen? The Royal Nordic Alliance is a revival of the Hanseatic League, and they’ve got big plans!

“The Scottish Government will of course publish a white paper in advance of the referendum, detailing independence, including the new relationship of equality with England, such as the Queen remaining as our head of state, and this will be the positive platform for Scotland’s future that people will be asked to approve.”-Scottish government statement

In an article found in the Scotsman, Scottish officials are working fast on legislation that would not only free them from the English tyranny but create their own military force.

Plans could also include leaving NATO in favor of a military partnership with the recently created Nordic Alliance. The Nordic Alliance is currently made up of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Despite what some bloggers say about Scotland not being Nordic, a check of Scottish history proves a direct connection with Nordic peoples (and lets not forget the even older pan-European Celtic peoples).

However, it’s now clear that while Scotland wants independence from England, it does still want to be part of the Monarchy. I don’t base that on just the official Scottish government statement, but the fact is that the current members of the Nordic Alliance are monarchies, with direct ties to the Queen of England.

So much for Scottish Independence.  In fact, this whole “independence” movement in Scotland could just be part of bigger plans to create a grand Royal Nordic Alliance, with the Queen of England in charge.

According to the HeraldScotland it’s all about money and control. Their article calls it a Scottish-Nordic financial institution that will eventually include Scotland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and possibly  Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.  These regions were all part of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages.

This new Nordic Alliance is part of an anti-government, pro-privatization (pro-business, modern day feudalism) movement:  “…the public sector is failing to engage with this [business, private] sector when it comes to procurement. There is also a serious funding gap, both the difficulty of obtaining ‘micro’ credit from banks and the total absence of any ‘microinvestment mechanism’.”-Anne-Grethe Eckman, Nordic Enterprise Trust

Supporters of the Nordic Alliance movement claim they are doing this for the good of small/micro businesses. They point to the fact that governments seem only interested in helping big businesses. That sounds good, but the major problem I have is the connection of the Nordic Alliance to the monarchies of northern Europe, like the Queen of England. History shows that the little guy always suffers by the hands of Royalty.

I also wonder if this Nordic Alliance movement is also part of a conspiracy to take down the European Union and replace it with a more corporate/private sector centered system.  (research Club of Rome, Trilateral Commission and Bilderberg)

International, Technology

Military Incompetence: Russian Delta class Nuclear submarine on fire in Arctic

The Russian Emergency Ministry is reporting that a K-84 type nuclear powered submarine is on fire, after wooden scaffolding around the sub caught fire.

The Delta class sub is in a shipyard in the Murmansk region.  Crews are currently trying to put out the fire.  The Emergency Ministry says radiation levels are normal, the fire is external and so far is not affecting the reactor inside the sub.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? New York Times sells off 16 regional newspapers to sinister foreign company, hundreds of layoffs planned

“The sale of our Regional Media Group will enable The New York Times Company to continue our transformation to a multi-platform media company and further sharpen our focus on the development of our brands nationally, globally and in the northeastern U.S.”-New York Times, memo to employees

The New York Times has been in business since 1851, it even survived the Great Depression, now it has sold off its Regional Media Group to raise much needed cash!  But was it for economic reasons?

Late December 27, the New York Times announced it made a deal to sell Regional Media Group to Halifax Media Holdings (aka Halifax Media Group), for $143 million in cash.

Regional Media Group consists of 16 regional newspapers and other related businesses.  Those newspapers and other publishing businesses are spread from the southeastern U.S. to California.

Halifax Media Holdings is reportedly a foreign company, but is listed as based in Florida. The State of Florida’s Division of Corporations says Halifax Media Holdings didn’t register with them until October 2009.  Since the news of the deal was first leaked last week, Halifax Media Holdings removed their website from the internet (website was listed as Halifax Media Group)!

Even though the State of Florida shows Halifax Media registering in October 2009, the Daytona Beach News Journal (owned by Halifax Media) claims the corporation was founded in 2010: “Founded in 2010, Halifax Media is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. The company’s investment group includes Stephens Capital Partners LLC, Jaarsss Media, and Redding Investments. Halifax’s strategy is to invest long-term capital in quality companies positioned in strong markets that are closely connected to the community.”  

The various forms of company names using ‘Halifax Media’ in the title adds to the sinisterness.  There is also a Halifax Media Co-op in Nova Scotia, Canada, which began in February 2009.  It claims to be part of a grassroots socialist media movement started by The Dominion News Cooperative in 2003.

The Dominion News Cooperative does not have any corporate headquarters, they are decentralized and operate ‘guerrilla’ style.  They claim to be anti-corporation which would make them unlikely to be part of the Halifax Media Group.  However their stated purpose of conducting media operations at grass roots level is similar to the Halifax Media Group’s desire to take over media operations “…that are closely connected to the community.”

Whether or not Halifax Media Holdings (aka Halifax Media Group, aka Halifax Media Acquisition) is connected to Halifax Media Co-op, it’s interesting that since 2009 (when Halfax Media Co-op started in Canada) this secretive, possibly foreign controlled corporation, has been quietly buying up U.S. newspaper publishers.

Halifax Media has also given warning to the hundreds of employees of Regional Media Group.  The Atlantic published an article with the full New York Times memo to its employees, which include statements like:“…you will be notified within the next 48 hours whether the buyer will be offering you employment. The New York Times Company has not been involved in that decision.”

Also, in the official New York Times memo, company officials stated they did not put Regional Media Group up for sale, it was Halifax Media that came to them demanding to buy it: “While it [the sale of Regional Media Group] was not planned, we were approached by Halifax Media Holdings LLC.”

Mmmm

 

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

Global Economic War: China could cut Rare Earth mineral exports, expect prices for high tech devices to go up

China is THE biggest supplier of rare earth minerals, which are absolutely necessary for today’s high tech computer devices, like your cell phone that’s almost permanently attached to your ear while you’re driving (stop that, damn it!).

How big? China supplies 90% of the world’s rare earth metals!

Chinese officials say they will try to meet their 2012 quota, but because of new environmental regulations going into effect they expect delays from the mining industry.

China’s Commerce Ministry has granted export quotas of nearly 24,900 tons to 31 companies. That’s only 80% of what they said they would export for all of 2012.  At least 20 other mining companies are having problems meeting the new environmental standards.  If those companies can not meet the new standards, then China will fail to meet their stated 2012 goal of exporting more than 30,000 tons of rare earth metals.

 

 

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

World War 3: Iran will block Strait of Hormuz, if the U.S. is successful in getting oil sanctions imposed, U.S. says that’s all the excuse they need for going to War, oil could hit $500 per barrel

“If sanctions are adopted against Iranian oil, not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz. We take no interest in animosity and hostility, our belief is friendship and brotherhood, but the West will not end its scheming….The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place!”-Reza Rahimi, Vice President of Iran

More than a third of the world’s oil (carried by tanker ships) passes through the 34 mile (54 kilometer) wide Strait of Hormuz.  In the past few weeks Iranian media have been pushing for selective blocking of the Strait, saying the West is already at War with Iran.  A well known British commentator backs that up saying: “War on Iran has already begun….For months the evidence has been growing that a U.S./Israeli stealth war against Iran has already begun, backed by Britain and France.”-Seumas Milne, The Guardian

Some of that evidence includes:

• Two nuclear physicists were killed, and the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran was wounded, after bombs were attached to their cars or detonated near them in 2010.

• The Stuxnet computer worm infected Iranian nuclear facilities in 2010; numerous reports suggest this was a U.S./Israeli attack to cripple Iranian nuclear centrifuges.

• On November 12, 2011, an explosion destroyed the Revolutionary Guard base at Bid Kaneh, killing 17, including a founder of Iran’s missile program.

• On November 28, 2011, an explosion in the western Iranian city of Isfahan badly damaged a uranium enrichment facility.

• On December 4, 2011, it was proven that the U.S. has been sending military aircraft into Iranian airspace after the IRGC used electronic warfare to bring down an expensive stealth UAV.

Read what “christian” U.S. Senator Rick Santorum said: “There have been scientists turning up dead in Russia and in Iran. There have been computer viruses. There have been problems at their facility. I hope that the United States has been involved with that.”  (doesn’t sound very ‘christian’ like to me)

By the way, recent bills for new sanctions against Iran will make it legal, under U.S. law, to designate civilian scientists as military targets!

In a recent interview with CBS Evening News, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the Obama administration now thinks Iran will have nuclear weapons in 2012.  When asked about Israel’s publicly stated plans to attack Iran, Panetta responded: “The United States does not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. That’s a red line for us and that’s a red line, obviously, for the Israelis. If we have to do it we will deal with it.”

But U.S. officials also consider the closing of the Strait of Hormuz a reason to bomb Iran. Texas based think tank Stratfor (Strategic Forecasting) said: “The importance of this waterway to both American military and economic interests is difficult to overstate. Considering Washington’s more general, and fundamental, interest in securing freedom of the seas [for U.S. interests only, of course], the U.S. Navy would almost be forced to respond aggressively to any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz.”

By the way, oil analysts have said that if the Strait of Hormuz was closed for 30 days, or even if one bomb fell on Iran, the price of oil could go as high as $500 per barrel.  Try commuting to work on that!  (maybe this is some kind-a insane conspiracy by the elitist oil industry to drive up oil prices)

 

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: U.K. prepares for collapse of the Euro, believes Britain will be flooded with economic refugees, Swizterland taking action

Several days ago there were reports that banks around the world were preparing for the demise of the Euro.  Banks are getting ready to go back to older European currencies.

On December 28 the British government discussed contingency plans for such a Euro collapse. Her Majesty’s Treasury (that’s the official title, and proof the Queen of England is no figure head) has announced plans to prevent a flood of currency refugees from overwhelming British banks.

The United Kingdom is part of the European Union, but does not use the Euro.  The British pound has been gaining in value as the Euro, and the U.S. dollar, looses value. The collapse of the Euro could see the value of the British pound skyrocket, which is bad for British exports (making them too expensive to buy, thus breaking Britain’s fragile economy).

It’s not just “The Treasury” that’s making plans, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (aka The Foreign Office) announced plans to stop people fleeing the expected chaos of mainland Europe, from flooding into Britain.

The Foreign Office said it would even attempt to rescue British tourists on holiday, and even British expatriates who need help returning to the U.K. 

The British media is also reporting that the rich 10% of Greece, and other EU countries that are in economic trouble, are already transferring large amounts of  wealth to British banks.

This happened to Switzerland a few months ago.  The result was that the value of the Swiss France skyrocketed.  But the Swiss dealt with it in an unusual way; they “attached” the value of their Swiss Franc to the value of the Euro (even though they are not a member of the European Union).

A few days ago there were reports that EU members were going to ground all flights out of their countries, and block all border crossings, to prevent mass exodus of people and cash.  British officials at Whitehall (the part of the British government directly controlled by the Queen of England, and which controls their military, named after a royal palace that once stood there) said they would do the same, but only to prevent foreign people, and their foreign cash, from coming into the United Kingdom.  Whitehall officials said they believe the collapse of the Euro would result in widespread civil unrest in Europe.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Brazil beats out United Kingdom, now 6th largest world economy, soon to become 5th largest

According to the British Centre for Economics and Business Research, Brazil’s GDP will end 2011 at U.S.$2.4 trillion!  That makes Brazil the sixth largest economy in the world.

The United States is still number one (of course most of that money goes to the top 10% in the U.S., no trickle down here), followed by China, Japan, Germany, France, and now Brazil.

On December 27 the Brazilian Finance Minister commented on a new IMF report, saying his country will soon be the fifth largest economy in the world: “The International Monetary Fund expects Brazil to be the fifth economy in 2015, but I think that will happen earlier…it’s inexorable that we surpass France and, in future, who knows, Germany…”-Guido Mantega