Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Before you blame China for job losses realize that China buys more U.S. made products than any other country

“Legislation that would increase tariffs on imports from China is unlikely to create any incentive for China to move expeditiously to modify its exchange policies. Rather, it would likely have the opposite effect and result in retaliation against U.S. exports into China.”-USCBC statement

The latest numbers show that not only does China hold the most U.S. bonds of any other foreign country, but China is also the biggest buyer of U.S. products!

According to the United States China Business Council (USCBC), which represents U.S. companies doing business with China, there was a U.S. $76 billion increase in U.S. products sold to China between 2000 and 2010!  So maybe we need to rethink the growing desire to slap large tariffs on Chinese products?

The USCBC also points out that even if Chinese made products stopped flowing into the U.S. it would not mean a return of U.S. jobs: “Much of what we import from China replaces imports from other countries, not products we make in the U.S. today.”-Erin Ennis, USCBC

So the United States finds itself in a conundrum: U.S. corporations love to ship off U.S. jobs to China.  China holds a lot of U.S. government debt.  China buys the most U.S. made products of any other country.  China is in a real good position to really hurt the United States economically if the U.S. government does anything to reduce Chinese made products coming in, or to reduce U.S. corporations from shipping off more jobs.  Sounds to me like this is proof of the short sightedness of our corporate and government leaders!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. airline pilots leave for jobs in China, being able to speak Chinese not required, but it sure helps

“I had been doing the same job for 20 years and have another 15 years to go.  I said to myself, ‘It’s too boring. Let’s do something else for a few years and then come back’.”-Roy Weinberg, Spring Airlines

Weinberg, quit his job with US Airways and moved his family of four to Shanghai, where he now works for Spring Airlines.

He is not alone. Many of his aviator friends are now flying for airlines in Chengdu and Beijing.  By the beginning of 2011, China was home to at least 1,300 foreign flight captains, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

By 2015, China’s aviation industry is expected to need 18,000 more pilots, according to China Business News.  The reason why China is in short supply of airline pilots is that it takes ten years in China to become a qualified pilot.

A relatively young U.S. pilot can make decent money; Spring Airlines offers foreign pilots from $150,000 to $160,000 a year after taxes.

There is a major problem, most air traffic controllers in China don’t speak English: “What happened to me many times is that everybody around me is getting commands in Chinese, and I’m the only English speaking (pilot) in the air.”-Roy Weinberg, Spring Airlines

International, U.S.

World War 3: Turkey ready for War with Israel

“As you know, Israel attacked three ships, one of which carried over 400 people from 33 countries, in international waters from sea and air. Such an attack in international waters is against international law.”-Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Prime Minister

In an interview with PBS’s Charlie Rose, Erdogan was asked if he saw the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed nine Turkish nationals as a cause of war his answer was “We will do that too if it becomes necessary.”

Erdogan also restated “Israel is West’s spoiled child.”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Census Bureau shows the United States is no longer the prefered destination for immigrants

September 23, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of legal immigrants moving to the United States dropped off after the year 2000.

According to the American Community Survey (ACS) the percentage of “Foreign Born: Entered before 2000” immigrants who responded to the survey (includes those who became U.S. citizens and those who still aren’t) was 65.3%.

The percentage of “Foreign Born: Entered 2000 or later” immigrants drops to 34.7%.

International, Opinion, U.S.

World War 3: Obama recognizes Libyan NTC, after only a few months fighting, but Obama refuses to recognize the Palestinians who’ve been fighting oppression for more than 50 years!

“I know many of you are frustrated by the lack of progress. I assure you, so am I…. There is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace is hard work.”-Barack Obama, President of the United States

No “short cut”!?!  What an ass hole!!!  U.S. President Barack Obama gave the Palestinians a big middle finger the other day at the United Nations!

Let see, how long have the U.S. backed Libyan rebels been fighting for their bull shit ‘liberation’? Six friggin’ months, and already Obama, and the whole world through the United Nations has officially recognized the rebel NTC as the official government of Libya!  Bull shit!!!

Palestinians have been fighting Israeli oppression since the creation of Israel in 1948!!!  On top of that they’ve been fighting the invasion of European Zionism since the end of World War 1!!!

World War 1 ended in 1918, for those of you who’re lacking in the history department.  It was then that the British took over Palestine and began shipping English Zionist Jews from Great Britain to Palestine.  By the way, it’s not just Palestinian Muslims who’re being oppressed by the Israelis, Palestinian Christians, and Palestinian Jews are being oppressed as well!

So you’re talking almost a hundred years of fighting oppression, and fighting for recognition within the international community!  And the President of the United States tells the Palestinians they can’t take short cuts?!?  What an ass hole!!!

International

Wild Polio is back, spreading fast

“The WHO rates as ‘high’ the risk of further international spread of wild polio virus from Pakistan, particularly given the expected large-scale population movements associated with Umra and the upcoming Haj…in the coming months.”-UNWHO statement

The United Nations World Health Organization says Polio type 1 is spreading through Pakistan and China.

Wild polio virus type 1 (WPV1) is more dangerous than type 3 because it is more likely to cause paralysis and spreads more easily.  The disease can affect nerves and lead to partial or full paralysis.

WHO officials are concerned that Muslims from Pakistan who’re going on Haj, to Mecca, will spread the disease to the Middle East.

Chinese health authorities have begun investigations for any further cases and launched a mass vaccination campaign in the region.

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iraqi Vice President tells U.S. to get the hell out, like they promised, if the U.S. wants more security they need to invest in the economy not war

September 21, Iraqi Vice President Khudair al-Khuzaie (apparently Iraq has three VPs) said U.S. forces need to withdraw from Iraq as scheduled by the end of 2011.

Khuzaie met with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey. Khuzaie said the United States needs to focus on “cooperation and partnership with Iraq in the fields of investments and reconstruction.”

U.S. military is supposed to withdraw completely from Iraq by the end of 2011, according to the Status of Forces Agreement signed late in 2008.

However, officials from the Obama administration are pressuring Iraqi politicians to let a small force of U.S. troops stay in Iraq beyond the deadline.

International, Opinion, U.S.

World War 3: NATO to stay in Libya

“So long as the Libyan people are being threatened, the NATO led mission to protect them will continue. And those still holding out must understand the old regime is over, and it is time to lay down your arms and join the new Libya.”-Barack Obama, President of the United States

September 21, U.S. led NATO agreed to extend their air campaign in Libya by another 90 days.  Here’s the hypocrisy in Obama’s statement: He says Libyan people are threatened, well “those still holding out” are on the defensive, it’s the U.S. backed rebels that are (and have been) on the offensive.  On top of that NATO has been bombing the shit out of anyone who doesn’t want to join the rebels!  It looks to me that it’s the U.S. backed rebels that’re doing the threatening!

So, warmonger Obama, is NATO gonna start bombing the rebels, in earnest (they’ve already ‘accidentally’ bombed the rebels a few times)?

 

International

Typhoon Roke, still offshore, already killed two, causing millions to evacuate

Typhoon Roke is about to hit land, near Tokyo, but has already killed two people, and two people are missing.

A man was killed trying to fix a drain on his roof, and another man was killed when he went to look at a rising river.  A 4th grade boy, and an 84 year old man are missing.

Roke’s wind and rain are causing major damage on land, even though the center of the storm is still offshore.  Currently it’s near Cape Muroto in Kochi Prefecture.

In Gifu and Hyogo prefectures, an evacuation advisory covers about 110,000 people.  In the southern Kyushu prefecture of Miyazaki, nearly 40,000 people have been advised to leave due to risk of mudslides.

In Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, more than one million people have been told to evacuate due to the rising water levels of the Tenpaku and Shonai rivers.

 

Business/Economics, International

Proof that India’s economy is booming: World’s first Gold plated car

The Indian car maker, Tata, unveiled what it claims is the world’s first Jewelry car.

It has about 80 kg (176 pounds) of 22 karat gold, approximately 15 kg (33 pounds) of silver and 10,000 gemstones.  Gold is about U.S. $1,700 per ounce!  Silver is about U.S. $40.00 per ounce. 16 ounces in one pound.  That means that the little Tata Nano car is worth, in just the value of the gold and silver, $4.8 million!