11 April 2013 (15:49 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“…..If the DPRK conducts another missile launch, or nuclear test, we committed ourselves to take further significant measures…..supported the commitment to strengthen the sanctions….and further significant measures in the event of a further test or launch by DPRK.”-Foreign Secretary’s Remarks on Constructive G8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
11 April 2013 (10:53 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
The Connecticut based gun maker, PTR (which makes Heckler & Koch clones), is looking for a new home, now that the so called Constitution State has passed new anti-gun laws.
“….On Thursday April 4th 2013, upon reading the full text of Bill 1160, our worst fears were confirmed. What emerged was a bill fraught with ambiguous definitions, insufficient considerations for the trade, conflicting mandates, and disastrous consequences for the fundamental rights of the people of CT……..It should be a shock to us all that such landmark legislation could be written in one week, and seen by no one (including the rank-and-file legislators) prior to its emergency certification. Having been present in the deliberations in both legislative chambers, it was clear that a majority of our legislators had not even read the bill……With a heavy heart but a clear mind, we have been forced to decide that our business can no longer survive in Connecticut – the former Constitution state…….We are making a call to all involved in our industry to leave this state, close your doors and show our politicians the true consequences of their hasty and uninformed actions. We encourage those in our industry to abandon this state as its leaders have abandoned the proud heritage that forged our freedom…….over the coming weeks the company will be actively considering offers from states that are friendly to the industry.”
Come to Idaho, PTR! In 2010 the state passed the Idaho Firearms Freedom Act, aka; made in Idaho gun law.
I posted about it back in 2011. The law supposedly gives breaks to gun makers who move to Idaho. Several western states have passed their own Firearms Freedom Acts.
11 April 2013 (10:29 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
According to a survey conducted by pro-cop website, PoliceOne.com, the majority of the current and former cops they questioned do not support anymore new anti-gun laws.
“86 percent feel the currently proposed legislation would have no effect or a negative effect on improving officer safety”
“…92 percent feel that banning semi-automatic firearms, or ‘assault weapons,’ would have no effect or a negative effect on reducing violent crime”
“71 percent support law enforcement leaders who have publicly refused to enforce more restrictive gun laws within their jurisdictions”
“82 percent believe gun buyback or turn-in programs are ineffective in reducing the level of gun violence”
“…80 percent feel that legally-armed citizens would likely have reduced the number of casualties in recent mass shooting incidents”
“Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of firearms.”-Wikipedia
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.“-2nd Amendment, U.S. Constitution
11 April 2013 (10:03 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
More than half of Colorado’s 62 Sheriffs say they will sue the state over the new gun law. But there are other Sheriffs who are also opposed to the new laws, but will not join the lawsuit simply because they are ideologically opposed to lawsuits. Those Sheriffs will not enforce the new laws.
What this means is the majority of Sheriff departments in Colorado have split from the state government!
The new law restricts ammo capacity of magazines, and requires background checks on private sales.
11 April 2013 (09:17 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission reports five new cases and one death in the H7N9 outbreak. Two new cases in Jiangsu Province, and three new cases, including the death, in Shanghai.
The 74 years old man that died was confirmed to have H7N9 Wednesday night, but died today. As with other H7N9 cases, he had been admitted to a hospital with pneumonia.
Chinese health officials say, so far none of the relatives of the sick people are showing any signs H7N9 infection.
Yum Brands, the company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, say sales at their Chinese KFC restaurants are crashing. They blame the H7N9 bird flu for scaring customers off from eating chicken. Sales at Chinese KFCs dropped 16% in March.
However, there is a problem with their blame game for crashing sales: The H7N9 bird flu scare didn’t start until the end of March. Yum Brands own records show their restaurants in China have been losing sales since January. In January and February they saw a 20% drop in sales.
11 April 2013 (23:05 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“….we do not expect global growth to be much higher this year than last. We are seeing new risks as well as old risks. In far too many countries, improvements in financial markets have not translated into improvements in the real economy, and in the lives of people.”-Christine Lagarde, International Monetary Fund
At a meeting of the Economic Club of New York, Lagarde divided up the World into three ‘speeds’ of recovery.
Emerging economies are recovering fastest: First Speed.
The United States is in the Second Speed category, but Lagarde warns “…an outstanding issue is that public finances appear unbalanced. Adjustment is too aggressive in the short term, and too timid in the medium term. This adds to uncertainty and casts a shadow on the recovery.”
Apparently Europe and Japan are in the worst Third Speed category. It is interesting to note that the IMF is behind many of the European bailouts and austerity measures.
11 April 2013 (22:26 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“Because of the situation in North Korea, all tours are canceled from now. We will announce when tours begin again as soon as we get official information from North Korea.”-China based travel agency Explore North Korea statement
“We are in constant contact with our partners in North Korea, and they have told us that the North remains open to tourists and have encouraged us to run our scheduled tours.”-U.S. based travel agency Uri Tours statement
ROK and USFK upped security status to Watchcon 2, the second highest level. However, some analysts in South Korea think the DPRK is playing mind games with their ICBMs: “…the North has been repeatedly moving its missiles in and out of a shed….”
It now appears that North Korea is purposely moving mobile ICBM systems all along their east coast. One ROK analyst says the DPRK is trying to “fatigue” intelligence gatherers for South Korea and United States.
10 April 2013/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
In Ghor Province, an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier shot and wounded two Lithuanian/ISAF troops, using an RPG. Government officials said the ANA was conducting a roadblock, and a Lithuanian/ISAF convoy refused to stop. The ANA soldier fired an RPG destroying an ISAF armored vehicle, wounding two people inside.
In Herat Province, U.S. forces attacked a bus, killing two people and wounding another. U.S. forces claim the bus got too close to their convoy. Independent reports say the bus was behind the U.S. convoy, when it was attacked.
In Helmand Province, local government officials say a bomb exploded killing at least five people, and wounding five others.
09 April 2013/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
In Nangarhar Province, a U.S./NATO/ISAF helicopter crashed and killed two crewmen. Mujahideen claim to have shot it down. Witnesses say the helicopter suddenly dropped from the sky.
In Kandahar Province, Panjwaee District, Mujahideen say the launched four hit and run attacks on a U.S. patrol. They say that in frustration the U.S. forces fired indiscriminately, wounding a Mujahid, and seven children.
In Kunar Province, Manugi District, local Mujahideen say they attacked Afghan government forces who had just kidnapped two people from a local village. One Afghan government personnel killed, two wounded. No word on the kidnap victims.
In Nuristan Province, Mujahideen overran the main police checkpoint in Paron District. At least two Afghan National Police killed.
The last group of Red Coat British Royal Marine commandos left Helmand Province. The unit had been deployed 12 times to Helmand.
10 April 2013 (15:00 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“California could get new investment worth hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars from China by the end of 2020.”-Wang Chao, China’s Vice-Minister of Commerce
The city of Shanghai, and the provinces of Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong and Chongqing have signed a $1.4 billion USD trade deal with the U.S. state of California.
It’s the biggest trade deal with any U.S. state. It involves more than 70 California companies and at least 100 Chinese entrepreneurs.