Category Archives: Technology

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho’s Hoku Materials loses $28 million, blames Idaho Power. Takes on 19 new loans to continue operation, beggars China for more money!

On March 5, 2012, Hoku International released its Quarterly 10-Q Report, ending December 2011.

Specifically their Pocatello, Idaho, Hoku Materials polysilicon operations (which has yet to actually begin operations) lost $28.4 million in the nine months ending on December 31, 2011.

Their 10-Q report blames part of the loss on Idaho Power’s electricity bills.  Idaho Power has reported that Hoku has consistently failed to pay their electric bill on time (actually in advance, under Idaho Power’s rules for large businesses)!

Hoku’s March 5, 2012, 10-Q report also revealed that they’ve had to “…obtained an aggregate of $315.5 million of debt financing through 19 bank credit agreements to support our operations.”  

That was as of December 31, 2011.  Hoku has also revealed that they’ve had to beg China for more money: “In January 2012, we entered into a credit agreement with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Limited, New York Branch to provide for one or more term loans in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10.0 million. And in February 2012, we entered into a credit agreement with China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd., New York Branch to provide for a loan in an aggregate principal amount of $10 million.”

AS I WARNED: IDAHO HOKU SILICON FACTORY GOING UNDER, ANNOUNCING LAYOFFS, VIOLATED STOCK MARKET TRADING RULES

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? As I warned; Idaho Hoku silicon factory going under, announcing layoffs, violated stock market trading rules

March 6, 2012, Hoku International announced they will layoff about 20 employees at their Pocatello, polysilicon plant.

This comes after many delays in finishing the factory, and threats by Idaho Power to cut off electricity because Hoku hasn’t been paying its utility bill.  Also, Hoku lost big money in 2011.

Officials with Hoku said the layoffs are necessary to keep the company going.

On February 23, 2012, Hoku International was notified that trading of its stocks were suspended, for violating NASDAQ’s Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).  On March 5 (the day before the layoff announcement) Hoku claimed they were now in compliance with NASDAQ’s rules.

CORPORATE INCOMPETENCE: HOKU MATERIALS BEGS FOR MONEY TO PAY ITS OVERDUE IDAHO POWER BILL

International, Technology

Japan invents weapon against Freedom of Expression: The Speech Jammer

Japanese inventors have created a weapon to silence people expressing themselves.

The weapon works by playing back the talker’s words, with a 0.2 second delay.  The inventors discovered that such feedback of one’s own words will cause the speech center of your brain to lock up.

The inventors claim they did it to stop people who won’t shut up: “…some people tend to lengthen their turns or deliberately interrupt other people when it is not their turn in order to establish their presence rather than achieve more fruitful discussions.”  

International, Technology, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Stolen Laptop had critical Command Codes, 5,408 computer ‘incidents’ from 2010 through 2011, cost taxpayers $7 million

On March 1, 2012, NASA officials admitted to a congressional panel, that they lost critical command codes for the International Space Station!

The codes were stored on a laptop computer, which was stolen last year!

The admission came from NASA’s Inspector General, Paul Martin, in a written statement. NASA experienced more than 5,000 computer security breeches, just in the last year!

NASA also admitted that from 2009 to 2011, 48 mobile computers were lost or stolen!  The cost to U.S. taxpayers, for the lax computer security at NASA, is estimated at $7 million!

 

 

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

World War 3: Japan threatens to cancel U.S. F-35 deal!

The controversial U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is once again causing problems.  This time Japan’s Defense Minister, Naoki Tanaka, said no deal if there were anymore cost overruns, or delays in the F-35 project.

Japan had tentatively agreed to purchase four of the multi-million dollar aircraft.  Currently each F-35 cost $123 million!

But, recently the Obama administration suggested that, in order to cut the Defense budget, development and production of the F-35 should be delayed.  The F-35 has already see numerous delays over the past decade, and seen costs skyrocket.

Japan has yet to sign a contract to buy the F-35, but officials said if the price of the F-35 goes up, or it’s delivery date is delayed, they will not sign any deal to buy it.

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

World War 3: USAF cancels deal with Brazil, over new trainer/COIN aircraft. Will award contract to company that didn’t even take part in the competition!

The U.S. Air Force has canceled a contract with the winner of a competition for the USAF’s new trainer aircraft.

Brazil’s Embraer Defense and Security, along with U.S. company Sierra Nevada, won the contract for the counter insurgency (COIN) aircraft deal in December 2011, for the A-29 Super Tucano.

There are rumors that a company that did not take part in the bidding could get the contract.  Hawker Beechcraft has filed a lawsuit over the whole issue.

The decision to cancel the contract with Brazil could be more about the growing power of the South American country, and its membership in CELAC.

Don’t think awarding the contract to Hawker Beechcraft would create more U.S. jobs. Officials with Sierra Nevada said the contract would have allowed them to hire 1,200 people in Florida, compared to 1,400 with Hawker Beechcraft.

 

 

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

Dengue Fever: Brazil worst hit, Pakistan launches campaign, Dengue survives cold temps, Bolivia on Red Alert, UN says efforts to fight disease failing, energy saving light bulbs spreading disease

“I consider Rio de Janeiro runs the risk of one of the worst epidemics, in number of cases of dengue in its history.”-Alexandre Padilha, Health Minister of Brazil

Brazil’s tourist city of Rio de Janeiro is being hit hard by type 4 Dengue fever.  So far there are more than 3,000 confirmed cases!  However, the rest of Brazil is actually seeing a huge 62% drop in cases (keep in mind that last year Brazil had 106,373 cases).

Across the world, Pakistani health officials (Rawalpindi Development Authority, Water and Sanitation Agency, the Parks and Horticulture Authority and the Health Department) have gone to war to prevent an outbreak of hemorrhagic Dengue fever.

Pesticides are being sprayed, and residents are being told how to fight the dengue carrying mosquitoes. A health official in Punjab said they now know that the dengue virus can be spread in cold winter temps.

Back over to South America, in Bolivia, the city of Santa Cruz confirmed 157 cases of dengue.  There are another 820 suspected cases. They have declared a red alert.

Also on February 25, the UN’s World Heath Organization reported that after 50 years of fighting the disease, cases of dengue in Thailand and Sri Lanka have only increased!

“The floods actually interrupted the Aeges aegypti’s life cycle and has resulted in a reduction in dengue.”-Sanphet Mahamard, Communicable Disease Control Department of Thailand

However, Thai officials say the massive flooding, at the end of 2011, has actually destroyed the breeding grounds of many of the dengue carrying mosquitoes.  So thanks to Mother Earth, they are already seeing a 36% drop in dengue cases (keep in mind that as of January 2012 Thailand has seen more than 1,000 cases and one death).

In Sri Lanka, officials are so determined to reduce dengue cases that they’re even going after business owners who don’t control mosquitoes on their property!

The Chief Technical Engineer of the railway yard of Sri Lanka Railways was fined, and is in prison, after 20 employees got sick, and one employee died, from dengue fever. Investigators discovered that railway officials did not conduct anti-mosquito programs on their property.

There is no vaccine (although Mexico is testing one of their own vaccines), and it turns out the mosquito eggs can survive a full year, even in cold temperatures.  Also, research showed that the mosquitoes are attracted to the light of energy saving florescent light bulbs.

 

 

 

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

More suicides at Chinese Slave Wage Factory Cities

Chinese media reporting that a man jumped to his death on February 18, and a woman did the same on February 15.  The local government officials claim they are investigating.

The two slave wage employees worked at Nanshan International Stationery.  The man had been trapped their for eight years!  Many people in the United States don’t realize these Chinese factory cities are literally walled in cities.  When you sign a contract to work there you’re stuck inside.

Nanshan International Stationery has Western investors, through Hong Kong.  Officials at the factory said “personal problems” were the cause of the suicides. Yeah, I agree that eight years trapped in a factory city would cause personal problems!

 

 

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Mazda in trouble, needs $2.87 billion cash!

After announcing some very fuel efficient vehicles (which will not be sold in the U.S. for some reason), Mazda has announced that it needs at least $2.87 billion cash! (early reports from Japan said $1 billion)

For the year 2011, Mazda’s said it expected an annual net loss of about $1 billion (to be officially reported at the end of March).  It would make four years in a row that Mazda has lost big money!

To raise the billions of dollars Mazda needs, they’re issuing more stocks. Officials want to get $2.87 billion for the new stocks, but hope stock prices stay high enough that they would get at least $1.25 billion.  Also, Mazda plans to borrow more than $870 million, on top of the cash raised by stock issues!

Mazda needs the money to increase production, and build a new factory in Mexico.  The majority of Mazda’s new cars will be sold in South America, Australia and Asia, not in the United States.

Technology, U.S.

United Police States of America: Fat Ass Cop tasers 100 pound woman, now she’s brain dead! More than 500 Americans killed by Cops with tasers

“It’s a nightmare, it’s a nightmare!”-Mother of victim, CNN interview

Last week, the Florida Highway Patrol cleared a fat ass 267 pound Trooper of wrongdoing in a tasering incident that’s left a 100 pound, 20 year old woman brain dead!

The woman was already handcuffed, with her hands in front of her.  When she was tasered she fell and hit her head.  The incident took place in September 2011, but is only now making news.

Florida officials say the fat ass cop was within the law for doing it, but Florida Highway Patrol taser policy states otherwise: “Fleeing cannot be the sole reason for the deployment.”

“When you shoot someone in the back, and they’re running away, all that force, as you saw when Danielle’s head hit the concrete, that’s why they don’t allow you to do that, because you can have horrible tragedies like this.”-Kevin Haylsett, family attorney

The FHP investigators questioned the fat ass cop for the tasering: “Prior to deploying your taser, did you give a verbal warning that you were going to use it?”

“No, I did not.”-fat ass cop’s response

They still concluded that he did not break any rules!

“And to say he would do it again makes me want to puke.”-Mother of victim

Watch cop car dash cam video here.

This just adds to the more than 500 people in the United States killed by so called non-lethal tasers.

On February 15, 2012, Amnesty International reported that “…at least 500 people in the United States have died since 2001 after being shocked with Tasers either during their arrest or while in jail.”

In 90% of those cases the victims were unarmed, and shocked multiple times!

Medical personnel say taserings can cause adverse reactions leading to death, and that in most cases tasers were not justified: “Even if deaths directly from Taser shocks are relatively rare, adverse effects can happen very quickly, without warning, and be impossible to reverse….What is most disturbing about the police use of Tasers is that the majority of those who later died were not a serious threat when they were shocked by police!”-Amnesty International