Category Archives: International

International

Movie Star Volcano in Southern Japan Erupts

The Shinmoedake volcano on the southern island of Kyushu, has erupted, again.  The volcano started erupting back in January.  This was part of a series of volcanic events that lead some people to predict a major geologic event for Japan.

The volcano had settled down for the past two weeks, but now, after the big quake event, it has roared back to life.  Witnesses say it is hurling huge boulders, and ash.

This volcano is a movie star; it was used as the bad guys hide out in the 1967 James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”.

International

Wild Fires Spreading in Japan

An NHK reporter discovered, in an abandoned fishing town of Kesennuma, that fires that destroyed the city have spread to the country side.

No firefighting capabilities due to the destruction.  Wild fires likely to spread.

The reporter talked to the few survivors in the area and they said the fire was spread by a fishing boat, that was on fire, being pushed around the city by the tsunami.  Kesennuma was destroyed by flood and fire.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Japanese Car Makers Shutting Down, forget economic recovery

Japan’s NHK is reporting that Japanese car maker Toyota is extending its plant closers.  Other auto manufactures are joining Toyota in closing down operation. These include, Honda and Nissan.

It is not damage to their factories that caused them to shut down, it is the near total destruction of Japans infrastructure.  There is no power, and because roads are destroyed employees and supply of parts can not get to the factories.

The near total lose of infrastructure, in the northern half of the state of Honshu, guarantees that there will be no economic recovery for Japan, in the short run.  The northern area of Honshu is home to many of Japan’s major factories. This include factories that are for other products, besides automobiles.  If they can not operate, they can not sell anything.  Don’t forget that the area’s agriculture industry has been wiped out.

The only way Japan can recover quickly is with economic help equal to what the United States provided after World War 2, and the U.S. is not able to do that now.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Libya is Not in the Middle East

March 8, 2011, Chubbuck, Idaho.

I’m getting tired of U.S. media outlets constantly referring to the events in Libya as “more trouble in the Middle East”, or, “oil prices rising due to crisis in the Middle East” (and then showing video of Libya). Libya is not in the Middle East! Is this proof of the dumbing down of the U.S. Media? Ironically, Geography must not be important to media outlets that serve the Empire of the United States. Libya is in North Africa! Egypt, Libya, Tunis, Algiers, Morocco, these are the countries that make up the top half of North Africa. They are also countries that are continuously mislabeled as Middle Eastern. Just because there are a lot of Arabs (a branch of the Semitic) living there, and most of the people are Muslims, does not make it the Middle East.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

From Russia to Coca Cola; Big Profits. From Coke to Russia; $1 Billion.

Coca-Cola reported a third quarter profit for 2010.  Russia being their biggest market, with 30% growth in the past year.  Coke’s North American market (Canada, United States and Mexico) had only 2% growth.  A very obvious sign, I think, of who has the money to spend.

Coca-Cola has figured out where the money is and has announced that it will invest $1 billion into their Russian operation, over the next five years.  Another obvious sign, to me, that the U.S. economy isn’t ’bout to recover soon.

Who loves ya baby?  Not the the United States.  From Russia with love.

Business/Economics, International

Food Crisis: Drought, Floods, now Locust in Australia

Australia is struggling to keep it’s lucrative agriculture industry booming.  Some areas of Australia are dealing with the worst drought on record.  Other areas are dealing with floods, and now Locust.

PARKES, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: A lamb stands in a dry paddock on the 10,000 acre property owned by the Orr family on January 26, 2010 in Parkes, Australia.The Orr family received 13 inches of rain in 2009 and have been hand feeding stock for approximately 8 years. Drought in New South Wales has increased by 1%, the state is now believed to be 95% marginally or fully in drought despite some rain during the Christmas period. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Parkes, Australia, dealing with drought.WANGARATTA, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Floodwaters surround Painters Island Caravan Park on September 6, 2010 in Wangaratta, Australia. Many parts of Victoria were devastated by flood waters when heavy winds and rains inundated the area causing the worst flooding in over a decade. The State Emergency Service has ordered the evacuation of several cities and are warning residents that the threat is not yet over. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Wangaratta, Australia, dealing with floods.
This is a major threat to Australia’s economy.  Their economy is based mainly on service industry, but, it’s their agriculture industry that’s boosting their economy.  Australia has profitable agriculture trade deals with other countries, that’s helping Australia see a 1.20% growth rate this year.  It’s also helping to keep their unemployment rate around 5.10%.
Margaret River Western Australia. 13/01/2010 Voyager Estate Winery www.voyagerestate.com.au Netting protects the crop from Silvereyes Photo Roger Parker
Margaret River, Australia, using Locust nets.

The struggles against Mother Nature in Australia will add to the growing price of agriculture commodities, and the looming Food Crisis.

Business/Economics, International

Senate Passes Retirement Reforms People say Strikes will Continue

The French Senate passed the controversial bill to increase the retirement age, as well as other rules.  At last count there were 250 amendments to the bill.  President Sarkozy issued a directive which allowed the Senate to vote without further deliberation.

General view inside the French Senate where debate on the government's pension reform bill continues in Paris October 22, 2010. French unions hardened their stance on Friday ahead of a final vote on the French government's pension reform raising the retirement age which is expected later in the day. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST)

Most university students, and union members, voted to continue strikes.

French university students raise their hands to vote during the General Assembly at the Tolbiac University in Paris October 22, 2010. Elsewhere refinery labour unions hardened their stance ahead of a final vote on French government's pension reform expected later in the day. REUTERS/Julien Muguet (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION BUSINESS)
Striking workers of French oil giant Total vote to continue the strike during a general assembly in the oil refinery of Donges, near Nantes, October 22, 2010. French police cleared access to the main refinery supplying fuel to Paris early on Friday as unions hardened their stance ahead of a final vote on French government's pension reform expected later in the day. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe (FRANCE - Tags: EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST ENERGY)

Part of the reforms include the number of years a worker must contribute to the retirement plan; increased to 41.5.  The French reforms are still not as drastic as other countries, such as Greece or the United Kingdom (Britain).

Business/Economics, International

French Government Cracks Down, Because they want to go on Holiday

On the day the French Senate is to vote on a controversial retirement plan, French police have been ordered to crack down on protesters.  The first plan of attack for the police; get the oil refineries running again.

French gendarmes stand next to the entrance of the Grandpuits oil refinery southeast of Paris October 22, 2010 as striking workers continue to block the refinery. Police took over the Total installation, the CGT union said on Friday, in an attempt to end a blockade by workers striking over a planned reform of the pensions system. Police were expected to bring in workers who are not on strike later in the day. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS ENERGY EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST)

The French government issued a ‘requisition’ order, which means they believe the strikes threaten public order.  A recent poll shows that 69% of the French support the strikes, but, when asked specifically about the shut down of the oil refineries the support drops to 52%.   It looks like the French government’s crackdown is actually motivated by upcoming November holidays.  Prime Minister Francois Fillon’s office issued this statement; “At a time when many French people wish to travel for the November 1 holiday weekend, it is in everyone’s interest to make all necessary efforts to return the situation to normal, which will take several more days.”

ATTENTION EDITORS : FRENCH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN FRANCE A high school student holds a sign as students French police during a demonstration over pension reform at Place Bellecour in Lyon October 21, 2010. France faced another day of strikes and confrontation on its streets on Thursday as the government grappled to restore fuel supply with senators just a few days away from voting on pension reform. The sign reads, Police everywhere, justice nowhere . REUTERS/Robert Pratta (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST EDUCATION)

French high school and university students continued to protest.  Trash collectors joined the strikes as well.

The delay on the Senate vote is because 250 amendments, to the retirement bill, are being argued over.