The weather forecast, for northern Honshu, is for a week of rain and snow. This will exacerbate landslide conditions. Already there have been 66 confirmed landslides.
Category Archives: 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.
New Quakes & Tsunami for Japan Expected by Thursday
NHK is reporting that Meterological officials are predicting new earthquakes up to magnitude 7 are expected by Thursday, March 17. This would be followed by tsunami.
This is more evidence that a major geological upheaval is taking place under Japan’s main state of Honshu.
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.
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.
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.
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, dealing with drought.
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, 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.
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.
Most university students, and union members, voted to continue strikes.
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).
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.
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.”
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.
Here we go again, Toyota recalls Millions of Vehicles
Today, Toyota announced that they are recalling 1.5 million cars and sport utility vehicles, in Japan and the United States, for faulty power brake systems and faulty fuel pumps.
The US recall includes 2005 and 2006 Avalon, 2004 to 2006 non-hybrid Highlander and Lexus RX330, and 2006 Lexus GS300, IS250, and IS350.
The brake master cylinder leaks fluid, causing reduced brake performance. The electrical fuel pumps can shut off, stalling the engine. Get with your local Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the problems fixed (at Toyota’s expense of course).