Category Archives: International

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran increases anti-aircraft drills, U.S. to give ‘green light’ to Israeli airstrikes

Israeli media claims Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are stepping up anti-aircraft training.  The report comes immediately after the UN’s IAEA passed a resolution against Iran.

Despite Israeli media’s claim, there’s no detailed info about such action on any Iranian media site, so far.

On Russian media sites, they’re claiming the U.S. has just threatened Iran.  U.S. officials have asked Iran to suspend all nuclear activities until the spring of 2012. If Iran does not, then the United States will give Israel the green light for air strikes.  Again, I can’t find any info about this on U.S., or Israeli media sites.

International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: IAEA approves resolution against Iran, Russia & China resist the resoluton

“But this is the magic of diplomacy. If you want to get everyone on board you have to sacrifice something. I hope it will lay the ground for future (UN Security Council) resolutions … I really hope so.”-Ehud Azoulay, Israeli envoy

November 18, the International Atomic Energy Agency has passed a resolution against Iran.  However, no details were included in the resolution, as to exactly what action is to be taken, this was the only way the IAEA could get Russia and China to vote for it.

Out of the 35 countries voting on the resolution, 32 voted for it. Cuba and Ecuador voted against.  Indonesia abstained.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3, What Economic Recovery? U.S. Defense Secretary says war with Iran will destroy World economy, yet Israeli officials say the World should attack Iran anyway

“I have to tell you… there are going to be economic consequences to that, that could impact not just on our economy but the world economy.”-Leon Panetta, Defense Secretary of the United States

Despite the warmongering rhetoric coming from the White House, and Capitol Hill, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is warning of an economic Armageddon scenario if the ‘West’ attacks Iran.

Panetta made the remarks a day before going to Canada, to discuss the very plan to attack Iran with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Meanwhile, Ehud Barak is trying to fan the flames of warmongering by claiming that Iran’s alleged, and unproven, nuclear weapons program is targeting the whole world: “In order to do this we must convince world leaders and the public that the Iranian nuclear program is not only targeting Israel, but the foundations of the entire world order as well.”


 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate America Incompetence: Toyota opens new U.S. factory, two years behind schedule, blame Wall Street

A new Toyota factory opened in Blue Springs, Mississippi.  Company officials hope sales of Corollas goes up enough they can produce 150,000 new Corollas every year.

They also hope no more parts supply issues will hamper U.S. production.

The Mississippi plant could employ 2,000 people, and is the 14th Toyota factory in North America.

The factory was supposed to open more than two years ago, but the credit crisis hit Toyota’s financing for the construction, which caused the delay.  Toyota officials specifically blamed the Lehman Bros. scandal.  Thanks Wall Street!

 

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

Corporate Incompetence: Olympus scandal deepens as company officials destroy documents, investigators say lost money went to organized crime, U.S. investor sues

“Olympus was exploited over its cover up totaling losses of 50 billion yen, and since 2000, over 200 billion yen has disappeared into the underground economy.”-leaked Japanese government memo

The New York Times claims to have seen an official memo, from Japanese investigators, which says it is highly likely that the fraudulent investment schemes that Olympus optical company was part of, were done for organized crime.

Investigators say U.S.$4.9 billion of the money Olympus invested, are unaccounted for! This is far more than initially reported.

This info comes as NHK reported that Olympus officials held a press conference in which they swore they were reforming their policies, and that they really are going to make money this year.

But that doesn’t help the fact that a new unnamed source says what we’re hearing is just the tip of the iceberg, because for years Olympus officials destroyed data, to cover up losses involving foreign investments.

Here in the United States a major holder of Olympus securities is so fed up that he’s filed a lawsuit.  Lloyd Graham says Olympus violated the U.S. securities and exchange laws.  Graham holds Olympus securities specifically issued to the U.S. market, called American Depository Receipts (ADRs) of Olympus.

Graham says Olympus officials intentionally hid investment losses, and released false reports on the firm’s finances and earnings for at least five years.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Occupy the World! Greeks attack U.S. Embassy, Hundreds arrested in New York, Bank of America occupied in California, retired Cop says police work for the 1%!

“All the cops are just workers for the 1%…As soon as I’m let out of jail, I’ll be right back here and they’ll have to arrest me again.”-Ray Lewis, retired Philadelphia Police Captain

Don’t think the OWS movement is dead, thousands are trying to shut down Wall Street today, November 17.  Those thousands include health care workers, retired police officers and even investment brokers!

“The fact of the matter is, there is a schism between the rich and the poor and it’s getting wider.”–Gene Williams, bond trader

The NAZI NYPD physically attacked the protestors, so far more than 200 have been arrested.  At one point, when the protestors stared to sign the National Anthem, the NYPD blasted them with sound cannons.

Across the country, in California, at least 100 protestors were arrested after they tried to take over the Bank of America, California HQ, in San Francisco.  For awhile the protestors were successful, disrupting bank operations for about four hours.

In Greece, in what could be a revival of the anti-U.S. revolutionary movement, known as 17 November, thousands of Greeks attacked the U.S. Embassy.  In 1973 the Greek people overthrew the U.S. backed military government. Now they see what’s happening in their country as an attempt by the corporate world, specifically Corporate America, to take over their country again.

More than 20,000 people marched through central Athens, while another 12,000 protesters joined a rally in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki.  The Greek government called out 6,000 cops to handle the protests.

Thousands of Italians also took to their streets, to protest their new non-elected technocrat controlled government’s draconian budget cuts.  Italian college students tried to use firecrackers as weapons against the cops.

Transportation unions shut down Italian public transportation services for several hours.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: U.S. hospitals shipping medical waste to Brazil, calling it “Textiles”

“I hope that the United States is looking into this case, and the guilty party is properly punished for the crime against Brazil.”-Wilson Damasio, Social Defense Secretary of Brazil

Brazilian authorities have confiscated two containers with 45 tons of hospital waste from the U.S.  They say they have info that another 14 containers are on their way from South Carolina.  They are being illegally shipped as “cotton textiles with manufacturing defects”.

Inside the two containers were found used and bloodstained sheets, pillowcases, bath towels, robes, pajamas, diapers, syringes, hospital gloves, catheters, and bandages.

Brazilian officials are pushing for a formal complaint to be filed against the United States.

 

 

International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Pentagon to kill computer hackers, pushing for cyber weapons

A 12 page U.S. Department of Defense report, given to Congress, says all options are on the table for dealing with computer hackers: “When warranted, we will respond to hostile attacks in cyberspace as we would to any other threat to our country. We reserve the right to use all necessary means; diplomatic, informational, military and economic, to defend our nation, our allies, our partners and our interests.”

The President of the United States would make the ultimate call. But analysts say the policy could open a can of worms, after all, if China was able to trace a hack back to the U.S. who’s to say they wouldn’t be legally justified in attacking the U.S. hacker?

Back at the beginning of November, Pentagon officials revealed they are pushing for offensive cyber weapon systems: “We are shifting our investments to activities that promise more convergence with the threat and that recognize the needs of the Department of Defense. Malicious cyber attacks are not merely an existential threat to our bits and bytes. They are a real threat to our physical systems, including our military systems.”-Regina Dugan, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

The irony is that most of the destructive computer hacks, and/or virus attacks, seem to be coming from the United States!  Does that mean our own military is going to start bombing our own computer geeks?

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: Olympus now under investigation by the British, FBI also invloved. Olympus officials beg banks for more money

Scandal with Japan’s Olympus only gets deeper.  Now the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) confirmed they are investigating.

The SFO, located in a building known as Elm House, says they’re getting help from a former Olympus CEO, Michael Woodford.  He’s already turned over corporate documents he kept after he was fired from Olympus last month.  The SFO also confirmed that the U.S. FBI is involved.

This comes as Olympus held an emergency meeting with 40 banks, to  essentially beg them for more money.

According to NHK, Olympus officials swear they’re actually going to make money this year, however overall sales are slightly down from last year.  Olympus stated they will release their accounting books by the government ordered date of December 14.  They will also reveal who’s responsible for the huge losses from securities investments, as well as buyouts of other companies.

NHK gave no indication of how the bank officials reacted to the emergency meeting with Olympus.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery: WalMart profits down, again, don’t blame the U.S. consumer, blame inflation

WalMart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, saw its 3rd quarter profits fall below what they expected.  They blame price cutting in an effort to boost overall sales.

WalMart says that compared to the same time last year (3rd quarter, ending October 31), their net income was down 2.9%.  The lower prices did increase overall sales, by 8.2%, but WalMart had cut their prices below what it was actually costing them, which explains the drop in net income.

WalMart officials claim they will continue to keep prices low, despite their suppliers raising their prices (inflation).  They also admit they expect their 4th quarter net revenues to be down as a result, Merry X-mas!