Category Archives: International

International, U.S.

Palestine opens Embassy in Lebanon

“The Palestinian flag is now flying in Lebanon’s heart and the heart of every Lebanese who loves Palestine.”-Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority Chief

As far as Lebanon is concerned Palestine is a legitimate country.  August 17, the Palestinian people opened an embassy in Beirut.

So far 100 countries have recognized Palestine as a country.  The only way to get recognition from the United Nations, is if the U.S. controlled Security Council recognizes a Palestinian state.  U.S. officials have stated they won’t let that happen.

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

President Obama wants war with Syria, EU leaders want war with Syria, Canada wants war with Syria, it’s all about the oil baby!

“The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way.  We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way.  He has not led.  For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.”-President Barack Obama, written statement.

“Our three countries believe that President Assad, who is resorting to brutal military force against his own people and who is responsible for the situation, has lost all legitimacy and can no longer claim to lead the country.”-joint statement from British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel

“I join with (U.S.) President Obama and other members of the international community in calling on President Assad to vacate his position, relinquish power and step down immediately.”-Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister

Syria is “…a proxy for Iran, a supporter of terror, and a threat to United States interests and our allies in the region.”-Eric Cantor, U.S. House Majority Leader

All these statements were made after President Assad announced an end to the crackdown on the insurgency.  He also invited the United Nations to investigate claims of human rights abuses, however, U.S. officials, and the U.S. media are reporting that some how the UN already conducted an investigation and found Assad guilty.  That was fast!

Major oil pipelines run through Syria, from Iraq and Iran to Turkey, Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea.  90% of the oil goes to Europe.  Remember, we’re attacking Libya, and the majority of Libyan oil goes to Europe, in fact almost all of Italy’s oil supplies come from Libya.

It’s really starting to look like Europe, with the help of the United States, is trying to save its sorry economic ass by taking direct control of their major suppliers of oil.

International

United Police Kingdom: British Bobbies taser man to death, on his daughter’s birthday

For the second time in one month British cops killed a man.  The first time resulted in riots that lasted a week.  It’s been proven that police lied about how the killing happened.

This time cops used their tasers to kill.  A professional bodybuilder, and father of two, was pepper sprayed and then tasered three times before dying.  Some reports say it was his 4 year old daughter’s birthday.

Read the pathetic police statement: “The man became unwell following the arrest and was taken to Furness general hospital by officers. At around 9pm the man, who was in his 20s and lived locally, was pronounced dead.”

Details of the incident are strange.  Police claim the man was acting violent, the only problem is that he was home and alone.  So who was he acting violent with?

Police claim they were called about a disturbance at an apartment building.  Neighbors say it’s normal to hear people yelling in that neighborhood.  Most locals said they didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, so they were shocked to hear that British Bobbies had killed one of their neighbors, apparently for disturbing the peace.

Here’s what friends and relatives had to say about the victim: “The police went overboard with the taser. They didn’t need to taser him three times.”-unnamed friend of bodybuilder

“Dale was definitely not a violent person.”–Stan Dewhurst, owner of Flex Appeal gym, where victim worked out

“You will always be my pride and joy, Mum’s baby boy.”-victim’s mother

“You were not just my big brother, but my hero and idol.”-victim’s sister

“Dale was a really good lad, we went to the gym together, he’d been going since he was 15.”-another unnamed friend

International

Syria declares end to crackdown on insurgents, will allow UN inspectors in

August 17, Syria’s President Assad told the United Nations that military operations against insurgents were a success, and are now complete.  I watched reports from the Middle East showing Syrian forces leaving several major cities, with the local population cheering them on.

In fact, the city of Deir ez-Zor suffered a brutal insurgency occupation that lasted several days: “These bandits blocked the roads, put up barricades – it became a ghost city. We were hiding at home, we were just like hostages.”- Hiba Deir Ezzor, resident

When the Syrian army showed up, the residents welcomed them as  liberators, not oppressors.

President Assad also told the UN that they could send inspectors in, to assess the humanitarian situation.

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

What Economic Recovery? Chrysler owner Fiat looking to move to Russia

“Fiat is intensively examining St. Petersburg along with Nizhniy Novgorod. No decision has been made yet. Most likely the Italian automaker will select a green field site. We expect that they will make a decision on the site in the fall.” –Dmitry Levchenkov, Russia’s Economic Development Ministry

Fiat, the owner of Chrysler, is actively looking to start factories in Russia, to build cars and spare parts.  The reason?  Car sales are booming in Russia.

Just in the first 8 months of 2011, Fiat saw a 59% increase in sales in Russia.  That’s impressive when you realize that most Russians are hesitant to own a Fiat: “Few Russian drivers opt for Fiat because the service and spare parts are difficult to find in Russia. However, if Fiat builds an assembly facility and handle the production and create a unique distribution channels with service centers its world popular five door hatchbacks could invade the Russian cities frequently.”-Alexandr Tsipin, journalist

Fiat has already made deals with Russian car maker GAZ.  Fiat hopes to build 120 thousand cars per year in Russia.

The major reason for Fiat’s huge jump in sales, they’re the cheapest foreign car in Russia.

I wonder what Fiat will do with it’s Chrysler operations in the U.S. and Canada?  Canadian labor unions have been warning that Fiat will shut down Chrysler factories.

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

Government Incompetence: Obama says he wants jobs for the U.S., but spends $1.1 million on a Canadian made bus

It’s called Ground Force One, a $1.1 million dollar bus made in Canada, and used by the Obama administration.

There’s also a Ground Force Two, because your government bought two of these behemoth buses.  And your taxes paid for them!

Ground Force Two is actually being called Stagecoach. But don’t blame Obama, the second bus will be used to transport the Republican candidate for the 2012 election campaigns.

Officially the public is being told the buses came from a Tennessee company, but ABC News found out they were built in Canada, and only modified in Tennessee.

 

 

Business/Economics, International

Government Incompetence: Spanish taxpayers forced to pay for Catholic Pope’s visit

“We criticize this scandalous show at a time of such a terribly distressing economic situation, with entire families unemployed.”-Evaristo Villar, Christian Networks

The Pope is visiting Spain, and the taxpayers are paying for it, to tune of U.S.$70 million to $150 million.  This comes at a time when 20% of Spaniards are unemployed.

One protestor called the Pope’s visit a “huge Christian circus”.

72% of Spaniards claim to be Catholic, but that’s not stopping younger Catholics from joining the protests.  However, Catholics have also joined riot police in attacking protestors: “I was at the protest with my father, and one of the Catholics punched me in the face.” 18 year-old protester

When you break down Spain’s unemployment by age, 45% of teenagers and young adults are jobless.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: China sells record number of Yuan bonds, pushing to dominate bond market and influence the Yuan as the New World Currency

A record amount of Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong.  And investors are buying them up.

Several types of yuan based bonds, which mature between 2 and 10 years, were sold, totaling U.S.$3.1 billion, a record.

This was the third Chinese yuan bond issue in Hong Kong.

Demand was so high for this latest issue of yuan bonds that orders had to be stopped.  There were 4.6 times more demands to buy the yuan bonds than there were yuan bonds to sell!

Analysts said China plans to issue more yuan bonds, with the goal to help promote the yuan as the next world currency, replacing the U.S. dollar.

Business/Economics, International

Government Incompetence: Plastic Recycling actually destroying environment in China, government shut it down, now as many as 70,000 people in one city are unemployed

So much for saving the environment by recycling plastic bottles.  One city, Wen’an, serves as the plastic recycling center for Beijing.  The problem is that the process of recycling plastic was actually destroying the local environment.

The recycling is done by very small businesses, or even families, and their processes of recycling plastics has destroyed their air and water.  It got so bad the Chinese government shut down the whole city.

To make sure the locals didn’t restart their recycling operations, the Chinese government cut off electricity to most of the city.  Also, Chinese police patrol the roads leading to the city, to stop any vehicles that look like their carrying plastic to be recycled.

You can see more in the Chinadaily video report.

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Germany & France pushing for tax on stock market deals, taking steps to turn the EU into a single economic & political entity

August 16, France and Germany decided against creating and selling Euro Bonds, and came up with another way to help raise money for EU governments; a stock market transaction tax.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Euro Bonds would come later, when the economic situation was more stable.  Instead he, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are pushing for a new tax (as if Europeans didn’t have to deal with enough taxes).

The new financial transaction tax would affect the purchases made on stock markets.

Merkel and Sarkozy are also calling for more economic and political unity for the EU.  They want EU members to modify their constitutions to reflect commitment to building a strong, more united European Union, and, they want to create a new EU council to oversea efforts to create a more unified EU.  That council will meet twice a year, and have a president who serves a two year term.