The Japanese government is considering drastic ways to increase government revenue to pay for rebuilding, due to the March 11 disasters.
They are considering raising utility fees, increasing existing taxes, and creating new taxes. In a recent NHK poll only 37% of people had no problem with paying higher taxes.
“I was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit, and everything stopped. Trains stopped, buses were in chaos and cars were jammed. Within that, you could just see bicycles swimming through. Some of our stores stayed open until 4 a.m. to meet the surge in demand.”-Susumu Shimoda, Asahi Co. President
Bicycle sales in Tokyo tripled thanks to the March 11 disasters. People needed a way to get home after all normal modes of transport got shut down.
For the retailer Asahi, sales surged 200%. It’s not just the disasters that are pedaling bike sales upward: “In addition to the disorder in the public transportation system, rising gasoline prices are also boosting the demand for bicycles.”-Akinori Sato, Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Company
Bike parts maker Shimano also reported increase in sales, as well as Taiwan bike maker Giant Manufacturing Company.
The United Kingdom (Britain), a member of NATO, and a United Nations coalition member supposedly enforcing UNSCR 1973, announced they are sending 20 commandos to train Libyan rebels.
UNSCR 1973 states that efforts should be made only to protect civilians.
Recently NATO members (including the United States) announced that their main objective is to get rid of Moammar Gadhafi (Gaddafi), which is also a violation of UNSCR 1973.
The United Kingdom has admitted to sending 1,000 suits of body armor, and satellite phones, to the rebels. NATO members are also considering sending the rebels electronic counter measure equipment.
The total disregard for UNSCR 1973, by coalition forces, and the lack of condemnation by the United Nations, is proof that any resolution passed by the UN is worthless.
Cuban President Raul Castro announced that Cubans can now sell, and buy homes. Up ’till now Cubans could only pass on their homes to children, or arrange complicated trades.
Raul Castro warned that Cubans will not be allowed to collected large amounts of property, under the new rules.
Fidel Castro approved of the communist party decision. The Cuban communist party also agreed to let the general population have access to credit. Since October 2010 more than 200,000 Cubans have started businesses.
The Cuban communist party also made the revolutionary statement that they will not be involved with the administration of the state government.
18 people were killed, and 155 injured after a major hail and wind storm hit southern China.
Most people were killed when 45 houses collapsed. The storm struck on April 17.
Many farms were destroyed, creating tens of millions of U.S. dollars in damage. It now adds to the growing concern over world food supply.
So you voted for Barack Obama because you’re hoping to go to college, but can’t afford the skyrocketing costs. You thought Obama was going to help you pay for college? You’re right, if your going to college in China!
Last week Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced that the U.S. State Department will spend U.S.$3 million on scholarships for study in China. On top of that First Lady Michelle Obama announced that they have convinced U.S. corporations to help fund U.S.$3.25 million for the “100,000 Strong Initiative”. Those corporations include Caterpillar, Citigroup and Coca-Cola.
The program is in addition to the usual Fulbright scholarship program.
So now even college students are being shipped off to China! I guess it makes sense, you know, follow the jobs.
For the fourth month in a row, China is selling off its U.S. Treasury bonds (U.S. Sovereign debt). China is the biggest holder of U.S. bonds, but since February, they’ve been getting rid of them, a little at a time.
So far the Chinese have sold U.S.$600 million in U.S. bonds, that’s according to the U.S. Treasury.
Japan has the second biggest holdings of U.S. Treasuries, but there is concern that Japan will sell them off, to help pay for rebuilding after the March 11 disasters.
“It seems to me that the attitude of the State Department has to do with my investigations in the U.S. National Archives.”-Gabriela Weber, investigative journalist
Gabriela Weber, known for investigating NAZI war criminals in South America, has followed a trail of illegal child adoptions right to the United States government. And that has gotten her banned from entering the U.S. legally.
Weber discovered that U.S. embassy officials were involved with illegal adoptions of children belonging to people who were “disappeared” during Argentina’s “dirty war“.
U.S. officials refuse to comment on the grounds it would violate the privacy of those who were “adopted”.
Weber claims that she has evidence directly linking former U.S. military attache William Desreis to the illegal “adoptions” of Argentinian children, whose parents were “disappeared” by the military dictators of Argentina, at that time (1976-1983).
Weber tried to go to the United States in 2010, to follow the trail, and confirm her findings in Argentina, but she was thrown out after only seven hours, even though she had proper visa documents.
“If we didn’t import from China, we’d import from somewhere else.”-Henry Paulson, former U.S. Treasury Secretary
Henry Paulson is saying that if U.S. corporations didn’t have China to ship jobs to, they’d ship off U.S. jobs somewhere else. He, and others, believe that by shipping off U.S. jobs to other countries, it helps to keep inflation down.
Of course it does, because that means less people working which brings down consumer spending which helps keep inflation down. Inflation traditionally goes up when the economy is good and people spend more money, which is what is happening in China right now.
There is worry that the fast growing inflation in China could spread to the rest of the world. For those countries whose economies are in trouble it’s not a good thing: “If China has problems, our problems would be more difficult.”-Henry Paulson
The Red River has flooded North Dakota, now flooding in Manitoba, Canada is being called “unprecedented”.
Emergency Measures Minister, Steve Ashton, says this is one of the worst flood situations Manitoba has seen in 150 years. The flood is expected to hit Winnipeg by the first of May.
“Flood fighters” in North Dakota are still dealing with the flooding. Officials there say it’s being caused by ground that is too saturated to handle the snowmelt, along with rain. The flooding will affect U.S. spring wheat production, and sugar beat production.
In Canada, the flooding will affect wheat and canola production.
It’s not just the Red River that’s flooding. About 100 North Dakota National Guard personnel are working to shore up the levee along the Sheyenne River.
Flooding in Canada also damaged rail lines used by the Canadian Pacific railways.