Category Archives: International

International, Opinion, U.S.

Should we fear a government shut down? Ask the Belgians, they’ve been without a government for almost a year

Who cares if our government shuts down?

I, and many other citizens of the United States, get absolutely nothing from the Federal government. I didn’t even get a tax refund this year, or last year, or the year before that. I didn’t even get one of those extra checks from the IRS under the Bush Jr administration. I served in the military, I worked for government contractors, but I have no retirement (forget about SS).

I have not been able to find steady work for more than two years now. Yet, because of rules changes (and the fact that all my kids are adults now) I don’t qualify for Food Stamps, or AFDC.

I wasn’t even able to get Medicaid for my son when he had a hemorrhagic stroke at the age of 18! Now we’re dealing with $150,000+ in medical bills (on top of other debts, and no I don’t have $2,000 to hire a bankruptcy attorney, we don’t have free bankruptcy programs in our state [at least where we live], the only thing we can get is a waiver of Federal court fees). What were all my Federal taxes for, damn it?!

I live in a state that gets next to squat from the Federal government. Yeah, you people on the East (like New York City [get a rope]) and West (mainly California) coasts suck up most of the Federal tax moneys we all pay. California has redundant State social services programs that mirror and supplement the Federal programs. My state doesn’t, so no tears for you California! Any Federal government shut down will be barely noticed where I live.

The world has plenty of examples of countries doing fine without a government. As of March 30, 2011, Belgium had gone 290 days without any government. In fact it’s possible Belgium will now split into two countries.

But Belgium isn’t the only country that’s gone a long time without a government. Cambodia has the record of 353 days without a government, from 2003 to 2004.

So bring on a Federal shut down, it’ll save a lot of tax payer money.

International

Government and charities will meet to decide how to spend donated money

Japanese charities, and central and local government officials are planning to meet to figure out how to distribute donated money.

It’s been more than three weeks since the disasters and no aid money has been distributed.  Complaints have not only been filed by foreign aid groups, but by other countries as well.

Aid that has been distributed was handled by the donors themselves, such as Iran who sent officials to witness the handing out of the aid supplies. China has recently complained that the Japanese government was actually impeding their efforts to get supplies in.

So far supplies are slowly getting through, but the money hasn’t gone anywhere.

International, U.S.

Body of JET teacher from Alaska found after Tsunami

Monty Dickson, 26, teaching in Japan as part of the JET program, was swept away the March 11 tsunami.

His family in Alaska recently received an email, then a phone call, notifying them that his body has been found.

According to reports, Dickson was on the third floor of a building when the huge tsunami washed over the building. He was in Japan on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.

An Alaskan businessman gave the family a days proceeds to help them go to Japan.

 

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

Thinking about a trip to Japan? Good timing!

Tourism numbers are looking really bad for japan, thanks to the ongoing nuclear disaster. Don’t let that stop you from taking a trip to Japan.

In fact, because of the huge drop in tourist money coming in, you’ll probably get some really good deals in the near future. Even the Japanese airlines will start making unbelievable deals. JAL just got out of bankruptcy and now they’re in trouble, again, because of the ongoing nuke crisis.

The nuke disaster is taking place in northern Honshu.  The prevailing winds blow east of there, offshore to the Pacific. Think about visiting southern Honshu (south of Tokyo), and Shikoku & Kyushu.  Their locations mean they will avoid most or all airborne (waterborne contamination might be an issue) radiation contamination from northern Honshu.

Also, they are least affected by power outages.

Not only could you get a good deal on a vacation to Japan, but your tourist money will really help Japan to recover.

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Toyota Parts employees in United States told to take time off, without pay

I know an employee of the Ontario, California, Toyota North American Parts Center distribution warehouse.

He says they have been ‘requested’ to take “leave without pay”, due to the parts shortage in Japan.

While they are enjoying time with their families they are concerned about how long their time off without pay will last, they can’t go too long without getting paid.  Toyota is not certain about when parts will start flowing into the U.S. again.

International

Volcano coming back to life, Korea to hold second round of talks about what to do

A couple of weeks ago the governments of North and South Korea met over the resurrection of a dormant volcano, Mount Paekdu (Baekdu).  The Korean volcano stirred to life after the 9.0 quake off the Pacific Coast of Japan on March 11.  The last time it erupted was in 1903.

Korean officials have decided the situation is urgent enough to have another meeting about it. The volcano sits on the border of North Korea, and China.

South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research said that an eruption now could drop temperatures by two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for two months, devastating agriculture.

International, Opinion

More than a year after the 7.0 Haiti quake, still no aid getting to the people, bad sign for Japan

Haiti was hit by a 7.0 quake in January 2010, which devastated several cities.  Donations came in, officially anyway, but according to the UN (United Nations) only a fraction has gotten through.

Donations to Japan, after their catastrophic disasters on March 11, still lag behind the official donation numbers reported for Haiti. Japanese media is already reporting problems getting aid to their people.

“Tanks, armored vehicles and soldiers should have given way to bulldozers, engineers, more police instructors, experts in support to justice and to the penitentiary system.”-President René Préval

Outgoing Haitian President René Préval has pleaded with countries, and charities, to hurry up and get the aid out. President Préval is the only Haitian president to complete two terms without being jailed or exiled.

“Now that we’ve had this election, and the international community has accepted the results and verified and participated in the oversight of it, I think greater donor disbursements are important.”-Bill Clinton, UN Secretary General’s special envoy for Haiti

This is not a good sign for the people of Japan. Haiti got more aid money than Japan, so far, and yet, more than a year later, Haiti is still waiting to see it. I don’t think Japan, with its catastrophic disasters, can rely on any help from the world community.