Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International

Business owner dedicated to customer service to the rescue in Japan

“Since these people are having trouble getting to stores, we will bring the store to them.”-company spokesperson

A convenience store company, called Lawson, is sending “Mobile Lawson” stores to the areas of Japan devastated by the March 11 disasters.

The company is using food service trucks, originally designed for construction sites, to deliver food and other items.  The trucks are small (you can say ‘cute’) by U.S. standards, but they get the job done.

Company officials say they have been considering such an idea, as a way of expanding their business, before the disasters struck.

Business/Economics, International, Technology

A Bread maker that uses Rice

Just as Japan’s rice production takes a hit from radiation, Sanyo makes a hit with its rice bread maker.

Sanyo is resuming production of its bread make that uses rice, called “Gopan”, because they are getting swamped with orders.

Sanyo didn’t stop production because of the March 11 disasters, they stopped because their factory just couldn’t keep up with demand.  In just the first three weeks on introducing their Gopan, orders hit 10,000 per month.  They’re now ready to meet those orders.

International

Miyako City has Tsunami height record: 127 feet, town saved by ancestor’s forethought

A team from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, has determined that the Aneyoshi district of Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, suffered the highest tsunami damage.

They found evidence that the surge hit 38.9 meters (127.6 feet).  This beats the 115 year old record, held by the same prefecture, of 38.2 meters.  That record was set in 1896.

Professor Akio Okayasu said despite the high surge there was little damage.  That’s because the town’s ancestors learned from the 1896 tsunami, and rebuilt most of their town on higher ground.

International

Japanese being hit by big time Swindlers

Con artists are scoring big in Japan, using the March 11 disasters to milk people of their hard earned money.

A woman in Kure City, Hiroshima, was tricked into donating 120,000 yen to a non-existent family.

A man in the Hokuriku area reports: “Several days ago, two men in business suits came to my house and introduced themselves as workers from the city office. They requested a donation for quake relief, and trusting them, I gave 5,000 yen.” The men were con-artists.

Even legitimate businesses are ripping off consumers: A woman in the Koshinetsu region bought some King Crabs for 12,000 yen, a real bargain for how many she was getting. But she says when the order arrived the poor quality was so bad, she knew she had been ripped off.  The seller had told her it was a “Tohoku disaster” sale.

The National Consumer Affairs Center has received thousands of complaints.  The scams involve swindlers posing as government officials, charity officials, building inspectors and contractors offering to quake proof your home.  The scams also include internet swindles.

Most people who’ve been scammed say the same thing, they had a gut feeling that told them not to give their money, they should have obeyed that feeling.

International

People risk Radiation to save Man’s Best Friend, Operation Pet Rescue

“My heart trembled. They looked just like my dog. I started searching for them right away.”-Ogino, a 56-year-old volunteer

While some Japanese label evacuees ‘hibakusha’ and publicly bully them, other Japanese are risking contamination to save the animals left behind.

Many members of dog clubs around Japan, were so moved by pictures of abandoned dogs, that they demanded the media tell them how to get to them.

The first rescue team found a pack of dogs waiting at the train station: “They were waiting for their owner.”-Tamiko Nakamura, volunteer

The team was only able to get 20 dogs out, many ran away.  They left dry food for them, in the ghost town of Minami-Soma.  Volunteers say they will continue their efforts.

 

 

International

Child “Hibakusha” bullied in public by fellow students

Another example of Japanese ignorance about radiation, an elementary student, who evacuated from the radiation zone, has been labeled a ‘hibakusha’, and bullied in a public park.

No one stopped it, but an anonymous caller reported it to the Funabashi school board.  School board officials suggested that the bullying by the students was brought on by the fears of their parents.  The school board also demanded that their students be kind to the evacuees.

Hibakusha is a term originally applied to survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, by the U.S., during World War 2.  It’s a negative term, and you’re treated like a Leper (someone with Leprosy).

International

Food Crisis: World Food prices in “Danger Zone”, creating Mass Poverty

The U.S. based World Bank says international food prices have entered the “danger zone”, and are heading towards the “tipping point”.

World Bank president, Robert Zoellick, blames in on several things.

People in countries where the economies are good, are buying more meat.  The problem is that increasing meat production means more grain crops going to ranchers, instead of food for people.  Crops used for bio-fuels, instead of food,  is also a problem.

Then there’s a supply system problem; it’s taking longer to rebuild stocks of basic food ingredients, once they are used up.  This is made worse by the fact that many countries are facing lower crop production mainly because of climate change (cold wx, flooding and drought).

Add to that oil.  Petroleum is used for fertilizers, pesticides, etc, and that is adding to the cost of food production.

One country, China, is so scared of lack of food that they’re buying up huge tracts of land in Africa for food production.

Zoellick says this is a long term problem, we’re only at the beginning of higher food prices.  Also, while countries with more money to buy food are seeing higher prices, the poorer countries are paying far more for their food.

Zoellick says just since last year the higher prices have pushed 44 million people into poverty.  He predicts another 10% increase in food prices will push another 10 million people into poverty.

International, Opinion, U.S.

NATO and Coalition members will openly fund Libyan Rebels

Despite the fact that UNSCR 1973 doesn’t say anything about taking sides, and supporting a militant group (it’s supposed to be about protecting civilians), NATO, and other UN coalition members say they are now going to give money to the Libyan rebels (where’s the money coming from? taxpayers?).

They’re calling the funds a “temporary financial mechanism”.

The coalition has already recognized the non-elected rebel council as the new government of Libya.

Rebels say they want more weapons as well, but coalition members still say, officially, they are not supplying weapons.  Here’s what one rebel leader said publicly: “We’re discussing weapons deals with countries that officially recognised the council; we’ve been getting positive replies.” They also said: “…participants in the contact group agreed to continue to provide support to the opposition, including material support.”

Sounds to me like the rebels are trying to tell the truth and the coalition members (including the U.S.) are flat out lying.  It makes you question the motive of the coalition for supporting the rebels.   It wouldn’t be the first time western powers supported one group, only to put another group into power once the dirty work was done. 

Franco Frattini, the Italian foreign minister,  was most honest when he demanded: “…either we make it possible for these people to defend themselves, or we withdraw from our obligation to support defending the population of Libya.” Many analysts say the UNSCR 1973 includes an arms embargo, but Frattini doesn’t interpret the resolution that way.  This is an example of the continued division within the UN coalition, which is proof of the lack of coalition building by Sarkozy and Obama.  Which, again, is another reason to question this whole adventure into North Africa.  Where’s Erwin Rommel?


Business/Economics, International, Technology

Iran announces they have their own Nuclear Fuel

“Our scientists took action to supply fuel for the Tehran research reactor and this fuel which is the fruit of the efforts made by our country’s scientists will be loaded into the Tehran Research Reactor this year.”-Ali Baqeri, Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Undersecretary

Iran decided to provide its own nuclear fuel, after several deals to get fuel from Western countries fell through, due to complaints from the U.S. and France.

In April 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the domestic production of nuclear fuel. They claim to have produced uranium fuel at 20% purity.

International, U.S.

Israeli officer says he was ordered to kill U.S. citizen

More than eight years ago U.S. citizen Rachel Corrie was bulldozed to death by Israeli troops.

In court testimony, on April 4, 2011, the Israeli captain in charge of the demolition operation, of Palestinian homes, says he questioned his orders to bulldoze while civilians stood in the way.  He said he was ordered to continue the operation anyway.

“Today’s testimonies provide further strong evidence regarding the Israeli military failure to take necessary and reasonable measures to protect Rachel’s life and prevent her avoidable tragic death. They also underscore the systemic inadequacy of the military investigation system which in this case, was nothing but a whitewash.”-Hussein Abu Hussein, attorney for the Corrie family.

The Israeli captain, as well as the driver of the bulldozer, both contradicted the official report by the Israeli army.  They both said it was clear Corrie was run over by the bulldozer, which the official Army report denies.

The Israeli captain also testified that the order to continue bulldozing, with civilians present, violated the Army’s own policies.  Standard practice on the ground was to stop if someone was within five meters of the bulldozer.  He also confirmed that the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) had video of the incident.