Category Archives: International

Idaho, International, U.S.

Global Food Crisis: Idaho hit by cold, wet weather, and Potato Worms

The planting season is way behind schedule in the U.S. state of Idaho; at least two to three weeks according to some farmers.  The weather has been too cold, and too wet.  Here in eastern Idaho the Snake and Portneuf rivers are flooding, making it worse.

The flooding Portneuf is hitting farmers in Inkom: “We’ll lose about 4 to 500 ton of hay and probably, I don’t know how much barley, 150 ton of barley. The problem is there’s still a lot of snow to come down, and I think it’s probably gonna be in July or August before we can get in here, and it’s gonna be to late to crop.”-Jim Guthrie, Inkom farmer

The cold is keeping seeds from sprouting: “The cold weather has probably been as much of a delay as the moisture has been. My sugar beets have been in the ground three weeks and they haven’t sprouted yet. With the cold weather we’ve been having, maybe it’s a good thing they haven’t.”-Jim Tiede, American Falls farmer

Potatoes need relatively dry soil to be planted, and they need a hot summer to help them grow big.  Farmers are worried this summer might not be hot enough, or long enough.  Add to that a little worm that likes to eat spuds: “It’s an extremely difficult pest to get rid of.  The thing can last in the soil for decades, and so the process that you go through to get rid of it is extremely long.”-Larry Hawkins, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Hawkins is talking about a microscopic bug that has seen $36 million spent over five years, trying to get rid of it.  It’s shown up in several eastern Idaho potato fields this year.  The nematodes are not native to Idaho; they first showed up in Bingham county in 2006.  They’re not dangerous to people, but can reduce potato yields by 80%.

International

Corporate Incompetence: Japanese train company raided by police after train fire

The Hokkaido Railway Company has been raided by police, after one of their passenger trains jumped the tracks in a tunnel and caught fire.  The police took all the company maintenance and operations records.

Investigators say they found a part that fell off before the train jumped the tracks.  Also, the train conductor called HRC headquarters asking for evacuation of the passengers, but company officials denied the evacuation because they were still waiting for “confirmation” of the fire.  39 passengers were injured.

International

Global Food Crisis: China hit with long drought & big wheat harvest

China is a land of extremes, literally.

In Central China the drought has become so bad that people are being told not to expect any water for another year.  It has drastically cut rice production.  The area is normally flooded at this time of year: “Usually it’s the season to fight floods, local villagers would ride on these boats to reinforce dams along the way. However, the drought has reduced water levels significantly, and as you can see, all the boats are stranded.”-local farmer

At the other end of the extreme, in Anhui, Henan and Shandong provinces, wheat farmers think they will have their best harvest for the first time in five years.  If they do, China hopes it will reduce their need for foreign wheat: “This year is supposed to be a bumper year for wheat harvest. That is of great importance to the whole macroeconomic situation, and stabilization of the price level for commodity prices. It could also enhance China’s capability to minimize the impact of wheat price fluctuations brought by international grain prices.”-Li Guoxiang, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

International

Global Food Crisis: Europe hit by drought & e-coli

French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire reporting that rain fall is only half what it was at the same time last year.  French wheat harvests will be down by at least 11%, and exports will be cut in half.

Russia is banning fresh produce from Germany and Spain. At least 14 Germans died from e-coli.  Initially the e-coli was traced to cucumbers, but is now showing up in other produce.

International, U.S.

African Union pushes NATO to accept their peace deal with Gaddafi

“I can say that the Libyan leader is ready to implement what is in the roadmap by the AU.”-South African President Jacob Zuma

For the second time, Gaddafi has accepted an AU cease fire and peace plan.  The first time U.S. led NATO, and the rebels, rejected the offer.  The South African president said: “…the importance of the ceasefire proposed by the AU on condition that NATO and (others) stop bombing and give the Libyan people a chance to solve their problems by themselves.”

The African Union is upset because Libya is a member of the AU, and the AU sees NATO’s actions against Libya as an attack against the African continent.

 

International, Opinion

Queen Elizabeth II says U.K. could break up, Scots overjoyed call royal family “parasites”. Royals are Ultimate Welfare recipients

“Regardless of Her Majesty’s personal views, it is the job of her private secretary to take these issues seriously and to investigate them and that’s precisely what is going on.”-unnamed Buckingham Palace source

In the Sunday Times Queen Elizabeth II expressed concerns she may be the last monarch of the U.K.

In a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron she discussed the possible break up of the United Kingdom.  So far this year, Scotland has been leading the charge for independence, with word that people in Wales are about to join in.  The Queen’s recent visit to the Republic of Ireland was seen as an attempt to bring that independent country back under the control of the House of Windsor.

Elizabeth II (aka Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor) is especially concerned that Scotland might win its independence through the Parliament.  Scotland and England formed a union in 1707, called the Act of Union.  The Union came about as a result of economic sanctions by the English against Scotland, and bribery of Scottish officials.  It is notable that many Scottish “commoners”, and even the lower clergy of the Church of Scotland, were openly opposed to such a union.

Scottish independence activist Charlie Veitch, called monarchies “…a parasite upon natural order and upon natural law because we are all created equal under the eyes of God, the universe, or whatever you believe in.”

Veitch went on to say: “The Queen, in a way, she is a ridiculous figure head of an old world order…we want to make sure that the new world does not have these old, elitist establishment controls that we saw in the past.”

The Commonwealth consists of United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent/Grenadines, Belize, Antigua/Barbuda and Saint Kitts/Nevis.  (in the 1990s I met a few Canadian Army Sergeants who insisted the United States had been secretly brought back into the Commonwealth)

The United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Is the Queen just a figure head?  Only when it comes to the Commonwealth as a whole, but, in the United Kingdom the Queen has real power:  She is the Governor of the Church of England and Scotland.  She is the Head of the Armed Forces with ultimate say in how the military is used; if she didn’t like British troops being sent on this War on Terror she can just wave her magic hand, and the Parliament would be forced to bring the troops home.  She opens every yearly session of Parliament by dictating what should be discussed, in other words she sets the agenda.  She is the one who signs new laws, not the Prime Minister.

And who pays for the expenses of the Royal Family?  The taxpayers.  Things like staffing, state visits, public engagements, and official entertainment are paid for with public money from funds called Grants in Aid, and Civil List (by making the Royal Wedding a public event they can legally charge the taxpayers for it).

You see, the rich don’t stay rich by spending their money, they spend your money!

Normally British taxpayers pay for Royal Weddings, but with the marriage of Kate and William the Royal Family recognized the financial sufferings of the people, and decided to pay for part of the wedding.  The Middletons also paid for part of the wedding (they are “commoners” by title only, or lack of title).  The British taxpayers still had to pay for security and clean up.

The fact that the taxpayers must legally pay for official expenses of the Royal Family (not the Royal’s personal expenses of course) is the reason rebels like Charlie Veitch call royals “parasites”.  Basically the Royal Family is the ultimate welfare recipient.

 

 

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Karzai gives U.S. final warning, orders Afghan troops to stop “arbitrary” U.S. military action

“The president called this incident a great mistake, the murdering of Afghanistan’s children and women, and on behalf of the Afghan people gives his last warning to the U.S. troops and U.S. officials in this regard.”-Press statement from the office of President Hamid Karzai

On May 28, yet another U.S. led NATO attack killed more civilians than militants. That’s several air strikes killing civilians for the month of May, as well as U.S. led attacks that killed Afghan police.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he’s had enough, and has ordered Afghan government forces to take night combat operations away from U.S. led coalition forces, and, to stop any U.S. led military action viewed as “arbitrary” by Afghan forces.  Karzai said the U.S. led coalition was “…murdering Afghanistan’s children and women.”

As usual coalition leaders apologized for killing civilians: “I want to offer my sincere apologies for the nine civilians who were killed during the incident in Now Zad District, Helmand province, that occurred on 28 May.”-Major General John Toolan, ISAF commander southwest Afghanistan

As usual President Obama said they would take the matter seriously: “President Karzai has expressed on a number of occasions his concerns about civilian casualties. Those are concerns that we share and take very seriously.”-Jay Carney, spokesman for President Barack Obama

You know what president Obama? Actions speak louder than words, and I think the Afghan government is tired of smelling the bullshit!


 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Taliban on the offensive, Obama lied again, our military leaders are in a state of denial

In March 2011, The Taliban (aka Leadership Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) declared another spring offensive (aka Operation Badar, after a Mujahideen leader killed in 2003) against all foreign occupiers, and locals they view as supporting the foreign forces.

“…I can report that thanks to the extraordinary service of our troops and civilians on the ground, we are on track to achieve our goals….But there is no question we are clearing more areas from Taliban control, and more Afghans are reclaiming their communities.”-President Barack Obama, December 2010

Not only did Obama claim the Taliban were on their way out, but so did the Western media.  Many U.S. and U.K. mainstream media outlets stated that the Taliban were on their way out because so many of their leaders had been killed or captured.  Some media claimed that the Taliban were in a state of “shock” from the relentless attacks by U.S. and NATO forces.  Mmmm, the current Spring Offensive shows otherwise.

Not only does Obama seem oblivious to the situation in Afghanistan, so do our military leaders:  In January 2011, USA (under U.S. grammar rules USA without periods stands for U.S. Army, just as USAF means U.S. Air Force, and USMC means U.S. Marine Corps) General David H. Petraeus said this about the Taliban: “The sheer losses that they’ve sustained are tremendous. That in and of itself is very significant, and it’s caused enormous stress on the central nervous system of the command and control structure.”

In a February 2011 USA Today (the USA in “USA Today” is actually, legally, a word not an abbreviation.  It does not mean United States of America Today.  If it did there would be periods behind each letter. But it can not because no one can legally use “U.S.A.” in their business name) interview USMC Major General Richard Mills said this about the Taliban: “This is really the heart of the insurgency. I believe they have been beaten.”

USAF Lieutenant Colonel John Dorrian recently brushed off the 2011 Taliban Spring Offensive as a “propaganda ploy.”

The latest casualty numbers prove it’s not a “ploy”:  In March 2010 the United States suffered 22 KIA (killed in action), in March 2011 the U.S. lost 24 KIA.

In April 2010 KIAs were 14, but this April U.S. KIAs hit 43.

For May 2010, U.S. KIAs were 31.  For 2011 KIAs are at 21, but there are a few days left in the month, and so far there have been attacks and explosions almost daily in the month of May.

For the whole year of 2010, U.S. KIAs in Afghanistan hit record levels of 44o (by the way that was the year the Obama administration claimed the Taliban were beaten back).  So far for 2011, KIAs are at 126, that’s almost the total for all of 2008.

Of course U.S. WIA (wounded in action) numbers are even higher.  While NATO troops are getting hit as well, it’s obvious by the casualty numbers that the Taliban are targeting U.S. forces.  This goes against the claim that the Taliban are on the run, or are afraid to take on U.S. troops (it’s also an indicator of the massive U.S. personnel presence, compared to NATO forces).

Even United Nations officials in Afghanistan are ignorant of the fact that Afghans have been at war for decades.  Ignorant of the fact that the Afghan people have sacrificed themselves for freedom from foreigners.  Ignorant of the fact that the Afghan people ARE the Mujahideen: “Our mission is to make sure that civilians and Afghan people are not affected by now 11 years of conflict. What we are worried about, and I think every Afghan is worried about, is whether the Afghan people and the Afghan civilians will be again the victims of a long conflict.”-UNAMA statement

The people of Afghanistan know full well they could be killed in the fight for independence.  This isn’t the first, second or third time Afghanistan has been in this situation.  The Taliban (who are Afghans) even warned the Afghan people about being collateral targets in the Spring Offensive: “All Afghan people should bear in mind to keep away from gatherings, convoys and centers of the enemy so that they will not become harmed during attacks of Mujahideen against the enemy.”-Taliban 2011 Spring Offensive Operation Badar statement

Silly Western thinking, leaders in Afghanistan aren’t viewed the same as in the West; as in “cut the head off and the body will die”.  Afghan leaders are only representatives of the Mujahideen, if one gets killed they’ll elect another one, and it definitively won’t stop any of their military action plans.

For the latest casualty numbers, for all coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, go here.