Category Archives: U.S.

Idaho, U.S.

East Idaho Wildfire update, 29 August 2012: Burn areas become dust farms. New Smokey the Bear?

More fires have popped up in eastern Idaho.

On 27 August, four smoke jumpers put out a small fire near Pocatello, called the Bell Marsh Fire.  Also on 27 August, the Lava Tube Fire, near Craters of the Moon National Monument, south of Arco, started and is still active, having burned 800 acres (323.7 hectares) so far.

On 25 August, the Radar Hill Fire burned 1,800 acres (728.4 hectares) in Clark County, north east of Dubois.

Click pics to make bigger

The National Interagency Fire Center reports that Idaho and Montana are tied for number of active wildfires, at eight each.

California leads the country with number of acres burned; 495,544 (200,539.5 hectares).  Idaho is second with 410,783 acres (166,237.9 hectares).

Idaho media reporting that a new Smokey the Bear has been found. A bear cub was rescued from the Mustang Complex Fire west of Salmon, Idaho.  It’s been named Boo Boo.  Click here to see pics.

IDAHO WILDFIRES 16 AUGUST 2012: MAFFS C-130S RETURN TO POCATELLO AIRPORT, IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD JOINS BATTLE!

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. allies attend Iran led NAM. Condemn the United States, condemn the United Nations! Demand U.S. assassination drone strikes stop!

“One of the topics that’s being raised amongst NAM member states is the changes that are necessary in the UN, Security Council and also other UN affiliated bodies.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman

29 August 2012, the 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has been underway for three days in Iran, and some very important officials have shown up, including allies (as well as enemies) of the United States.

“The summit is being held in Tehran at a time when Western countries are facing major financial and social crises. This indicates that the source of global management is suffering from weaknesses and deficiencies. There’s a need for new innovations and initiatives in order to improve the situation in the international domain.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman

Attendees include:  United Nations Secretary, Ban Ki-moon.  Prime Minister of Iraq,  Nouri al-Maliki. President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Ruler of United Arab Emirates’ Umm Al Quwain state, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid al-Mu’alla.  President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir.  Chairman of the State Council of Oman, Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri.  Palestinian Authority Chief, Mahmoud Abbas.  Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar. Indonesian Foreign Minister, Marty Natalegawa.  Head of Arab Relations of Lebanon‘s Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan Ezzedin.  President of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.  President of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi.   Senegal’s Foreign Minister, Alioune Badara Cissé.  Envoy from Russia, Konstantin Shuvalov.  Korea (north) Foriegn Minister, Pak Ui-chun.   India Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.  And many more heads of state.

“…the wave of Islamic Awakenings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa has led to major developments. Countries where people have a greater role for determining their destiny, they are in fact seeking to cut their dependence on the major powers.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman

Egypt will turn over the presidency of NAM to Iran.  Iran will now head NAM for the next three years.

“…the existing crises indicate that these few, specific countries [United States, United Kingdom, etc] are not able to run the affairs of the world, and also they are not able to run the international organizations.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman

Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, announced that a workgroup for Palestine will be formed at the United Nations in New York, U.S.A.: “Heavy pressures should be put on the Zionist regime….and practical suggestions should be offered.”

“The Zionist regime is the source of all regional and international threats.
In line with the issue of the Islamic Awakening, these pro-Zionist Americans did not manage to block this wave of Islamic Awakening and it feels that it has been harmed by the independence seeking waves of this region and also it’s going to lose the supporters of the Zionist regime.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman

Another issue is the use of assassination drones by the United States: “…Pakistan’s position is clear today and has been clear in the past. Our position is that this is something which is counter-productive. It is unlawful. It is illegal, and therefore they must cease.”-Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister

NAM is an international organization with 120 member countries.  The movement stands for “national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries” in their “struggle against imperialism and all forms of foreign aggression”-Fidel Castro, Havana Declaration, 1979 NAM summit

 

U.S.

U.S. West Nile Virus update, 27 August 2012: Dozens more cases. Towns being called ‘Critical’. Indiana death. Pennsylvania death. Texas death. Kansas death. Missouri death. Military infected? Lack of mosquitoes?

“It’s a mystery right now, why we’re having this spike in West Nile virus cases. We don’t have any evidence that there are more mosquitoes around.”-Claudia Blackburn,  Sedgwick County Health Department, Kansas

“Texas is really having a problem with West Nile and it looks like it’s moving this direction. It will become more of a problem and people need to be aware and take precautions.”-Ann Mayo, Flint Hills Community Health Center, Kansas

Kansas reporting first human death, and more human cases.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed that a man who died earlier in the month, died from West Nile virus.

Texas reports 12th person has died from West Nile.  It happened in Dallas County.  Also, several military bases are reporting mosquitoes infected with West Nile, they are Joint Base San Antonio-Randolf, JBSA-Lackland, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Camp Bullis.

A Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, man has died from West Nile.

A Marion County, Indiana, man died from West Nile.

New Hampshire reports first human case of West Nile.

Mississippi reporting 10 new human cases of West Nile.

Duval County, Florida, reporting four new human cases of West Nile.

New York State Health Commissioner, Nirav R. Shah, said cases of West Nile and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are increasing. The State of New York reports 13 human cases, and the City of New York reports five human cases.  Horses are testing positive for EEE.

Massachusetts health officials have confirmed a third human case of West Nile virus.  The Town of Plympton is now considered ‘critical’ for EEE.

Mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile in Vermont, Rhode Island and Maine.  However, officials in Rhode Island are now saying that the latest batch of mosquitoes tested negative for West Nile and EEE.

Michigan health officials are also warning people to prevent mosquito bites while at outdoor sporting practice or games: “Nationwide, we are experiencing the highest number of human West Nile Virus cases since 1999. We are encouraging athletic teams, their fans, and all residents to take protective measures during sporting events such as practice and games.”-Oakland County Health Division statement

 

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

Diplomat Incompetence: Former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan involved in hit & run accident

It has been revealed that on the night of 14 August 2012, Ryan Crocker ran into a tractor trailer, then fled the scene.  He was later arrested.  His blood alcohol was twice the legal limit in the state of Washington.  He pled ‘not guilty’ in court.

Crocker recently stepped down as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: USS Stennis sets sail for Persian Gulf, 4 months early. U.S. says “world calls” for war with Syria & Iran

“…we are not in the habit of repeating a warning and we warn only once.”-Major General Ataollah Salehi, Iranian Army, 03 January 2012 threat against USS Stennis

“We’re asking an awful lot of each of you.  And frankly, you are the best I have, and when the world calls we have to respond.”-Leon Panetta, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 22 August 2012 statement regarding early deployment of USS Stennis

22 August, the aircraft carrier USS Stennis will set sail for the Persian Gulf.  Back in July it was announced the USS Stennis would return to the Persian Gulf four months earlier than planned.  The aircraft carrier will also stay in the region for eight months, four months longer than originally planned.

The Pentagon wants to keep at least two aircraft carrier groups on station in the Persian Gulf at all times. Panetta said it was to fight threats and “Obviously Iran is one of those threats that we have to, we have to be able to focus on……Secondly, it is the turmoil in Syria….”

Back in January 2012, Iranian officials singled out the USS Stennis, threatening military action against that specific aircraft carrier if it ever returned to the Persian Gulf.  They claimed the aircraft carrier deliberately sailed through Iranian naval war games in December 2011.  They also accuse the U.S. Navy of sailing ships dangerously close to Iranian oil platforms.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Class Warfare: Quantitative Easing benefits top 5% of the rich, neutral or negative effect for everyone else! More proof it’s the fault of the Too Big to Fails!

23 August 2012, the Bank of England tried to make it look as though flooding the markets with cash is benefiting everyone. But their own words revealed the truth: “…asset purchases have boosted the value of households’ financial wealth held outside pension funds, although holdings are heavily skewed, with the top 5% of households holding 40% of these assets.”

Quantitative easing is a monetary policy that tries to stimulate the economy by buying up privately held financial assets.  But as the Bank of England (BoE) pointed out, 40% of those assets are owned by only 5% of the people in the United Kingdom!  You can be sure it’s a similar situation in the United States.

The BoE also admitted that traditional ‘savers’ are the ones who’re losing, as interest rates on traditional savings accounts are at record lows.  So much for trying to get people to put money away for a rainy day.

One British company, that offers financial services for people over 50 years of age, pointed out that retirees are the big losers in all this quantitative easing (QE): “…the 21 million over 50s…have been negatively impacted……It is asserted, but not proven, that pension savers are no worse off due to QE gilt buying [gilt is a British term for government bonds], because the value of their pension savings has gone up to offset the fall in the annuity income they will receive when converting their pension fund into a pension income. This assertion is simply not correct and the reality is very different for those recently or soon to be retired.”-Ros Altmann, Saga

The BoE tried to smooth things over by saying the worst that could happen to retirement funds is nothing: “….QE is estimated to have had a broadly neutral impact on the value of the annuity income that can be purchased from a typical personal pension pot invested in a mixture of bonds and equities.”

The British National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) responded by pointing out that if pension funds were already in trouble before the QE started in 2009, and the QE has a neutral impact, then nothing has been improved (except for the rich).  The NAPF states that what has actually happened is that retirement funds are worse off as a result of QE: “…schemes that were already in substantial deficit before the financial crisis are likely to have seen those deficits increased.”

Essentially; quantitative easing only helps the 5% of the people (elites) holding financial assets (such as bonds), it is doing nothing, or actually making things worse, for 95% of the people!!!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Australia’s Quantas reports first loss ever! Will hurt U.S. economy; no more Boeing orders!

23 August 2012, Australia’s Quantas Airways reported its first yearly loss since it was privatized 17 years ago.

Quantas lost $250 million USD from June 2011 to June 2012.  The airline blames the high cost of fuel, coupled with flight cancellations and employee strikes.

The loss means that Quantas will now put on hold a huge order (35 aircraft) for the latest 787 airliners made by U.S. company Boeing.

 

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

Economic Recovery? No food crisis in Idaho, farmers see 15% increase in exports! Thank Canada and Mexico!

“With 96% of the world’s population and 80% of the world’s wealth being outside of the United States, the international market opportunities for agricultural products are great.”-Idaho Department of Agriculture

According to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, farm exports are up 15% compared to 2011, and 2011 was a record setting year!

“Canada and Mexico are Idaho’s largest agricultural export markets, with Japan and China following closely behind.”-Idaho Department of Agriculture

South Korea has also become a top importer of Idaho ag products, seeing a 98% increase since 2011!

Dairy has become Idaho’s number one ag product, making up 35% of Idaho’s exports! Compared to other U.S. states, Idaho’s exports rank 3rd for vegetables and 4th for dairy products (2011 stats).

For the first six months of 2012, total ag exports hit $2.7 billion USD for Idaho!  State officials thank currency exchange rates, strong commodity markets, trade agreements and growing international consumer demand.

It also doesn’t hurt that Idaho’s agricultural industry produces far more than what the state’s population of 1.5 million people can eat.

Unfortunately most of the employees of the Idaho ag industry are migrants.  Idaho employment laws allows farm workers to be paid less than minimum wage.

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Hoku continues downward spiral. Pocatello plant mothballed! Micron dead! Emmett fails! Idaho State government conspiracy?

Famous last words: “Sustainable, renewable energy is going to play a big role in Idaho’s future.”-Butch Otter, current Governor of Idaho, 2011 statement

Reality check: “New projects are non-existent. There’s no support for renewables in this state.”-Peter Richardson, Boise attorney

As of 21 August 2012, Hoku Corporation stock was worth only 9 cents per share!

According to a recent Associated Press (AP) report, all of the promises of support for renewable energy related companies in Idaho, were false.

Pocatello’s Hoku Materials polysilicon factory for solar power panels is now officially mothballed. Boise’s Micron Technology’s energy venture is dead, and Emmett’s biomass power project failed.

Large scale wind power in Idaho is also being targeted.

The AP says the reasons range from federal tax breaks ending for the alternative energy industry, to economic war between China and the United States, to the fact that electricity rates in Idaho are already the second lowest in the country.

But what happened to all those promises of support from the State?  The bottom line is that the government of Idaho does not want to throw money at new alternative energy companies, state officials are all talk, no walk (but they love to take the credit for companies moving to Idaho, Butch Otter did with Hoku in his 2007 State of the State speech).  After all, Idaho’s main source of electricity already comes from decades old renewable and reliable hydroelectric dams (maybe that’s what Governor Otter was referring to in his 2011 statement).

Another thing, state lawmakers have not required local utility companies to buy into these new energy companies, as have the states of Oregon and Washington.  In fact many of these new companies were required to buy their electricity from Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power and Avista!

“LIQUIDATE HOKU MATERIALS”

U.S.

U.S. West Nile Virus update, 22 August 2012: Alarming jump in infections and deaths! Epidemic-Aid response! Pets victims of virus and spraying. Cases being misdiagnosed.

“That’s a significant number. We should expect more. We are about to hit our peak and we still have another month when the majority of cases are going to occur.”-Kristy Murray, infectious disease specialist Baylor College of Medicine

On 22 August 2012, the CDC announced a huge jump in cases.  At least 40 deaths country wide, and more than 1,100 cases. The CDC must wait for state agencies to make official reports before compiling numbers, which is why it seems the CDC is behind the curve.

In Texas, more human infections, and deaths.  On 21 August 2012, two people in the Houston area died.  On the same day a death in Collin County, near Dallas, was reported.  Another person died in Dallas County. As of 21 August Texas now has nearly 600 confirmed infections.  The state of Texas has officially asked the CDC for help.  The CDC is calling their help “Epi-Aid response”.

The CDC responded to questions about why their reporting of cases was so low until a couple of weeks ago. The CDC says one main reason (besides the normal lag time in states reporting in) is because West Nile has symptoms so similar to other infections that many cases are being misdiagnosed.  The best way to diagnose West Nile infection is with a blood test done within 14 days of getting sick.

However, don’t think it’s a simple test that you can just pop in and take: “It’s not a test that you just want to come in and say, ‘I want to be tested for it,’ because it can be painful and costly.”-Chris Hable, East Texas Medical Center

Hable does have advise for differentiating between flu/cold symptoms and West Nile: “We’re talking about patients with high fever, confusion, stiff neck, not acting like themselves, weakness, numbness….those are the patients we need to see here in the emergency room.”

Illinois, Minnesota and New York reporting their first human deaths from West Nile.

California reporting their second human death, in Fresno County: “My concern is we still have a few more months to go in the West Nile virus season, and we’re already at seven cases.”-Edward Moreno, Fresno County Department of Public Health

The Ohio Department of Health issued a new warning, and county officials agree: “It’s not bad in Lake County, we’re just proactive, it’s bad in all of Ohio, it’s bad in 26 states in the United States, so people should be aware of it, not only because they live here in Lake County, but when they go to travel over the holiday weekend, they need to pay attention.”-Nancy Niehus, Lake County Health Department

Officials in Ohio point out that mosquito counts are low this year, but the type of mosquitoes that are out and about are the type that spread West Nile.

Oklahoma reports four more people infected.

Tennessee reporting at least five human cases.

Main reporting possible first two human cases: “One thing we do want to encourage people to do, is that if they see dead birds, to let us know.”-Anne Lictenwalner, Animal Health Lab at the University of Maine

Indiana and Massachusetts reporting dozens more mosquitoes testing positive for the virus.

Alabama reporting at least five new human cases, but also reporting horses infected.  Equestrian veterinarian, Barbara Benhart, has seen almost two dozen horses infected in one day, and some didn’t survive: “I saw it on a Sunday and it did not survive Monday.”

As of 21 August, there are 77 reported cases of horse infections (according to the United States Geological Survey’s disease maps) in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

There is no treatment for an infected horse, but there is a vaccine: “I, from day one, have been told you get your horses vaccinated, just like your dogs and cats. You have to, because you care about them, and for everybody else’s safety as well.”– Rachael Tucker, horse owner

A related disease is also showing up in humans as well as horses, eastern equine encephalitis (EEE): “I would say that EEE activity this year has been particularly intense.”-Anne Roach, Massachusetts Department of Health

The Humane Society of the United States is concerned for the safety of your pets, not only from contracting the virus, but from the pesticide spraying taking place in some parts of the country.  They say keep pets indoors if possible, and cover outdoor food and water sources when spraying is taking place. After all, the pesticides can be just as deadly as the virus.

Famous last words: “West Nile Virus is the most overblown health threat since the ‘killer bees.’”-Howard Garrett, organic gardening guru