Category Archives: U.S.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence: More U.S. citizens renounce their citizenship, American exodus continues, if you leave you are now a terrorist

“What we have seen is a substantial change in mentality among the overseas community in the past two years. Before, no one would dare mention to other Americans that they were even thinking of renouncing their U.S. nationality. Now, it is an openly discussed issue.”-Jackie Bugnion, American Citizens Abroad 

Since 2008 the numbers of U.S. citizens rejecting their citizenship has only gone up.

2008: 235

2009: 743

2010: 1,500+

And these are the people who left the United States and officially rejected their citizenship.  The number of people who still have U.S. citizenship, after leaving,  are in the millions!

The exodus has got government leaders so riled up that they’ve passed tax laws (like FATCA & FBAR) that essentially makes anyone who leaves the United States a tax evading terrorist.

This is redundant because expatriates are already required to pay U.S. taxes even though they live in another country: “The U.S. is the only developed nation in the world that taxes its citizens on income they earn abroad.“-William McGurn, Wall Street Journal

By one count, 5.2 million U.S. citizens live outside the United States, and pay taxes to the United States!

Recently a U.S. citizen, who’s been living in Sweden for 25 years, got hit with a huge FBAR fine: “I was potentially looking at a seven figure fine.”-‘Pamela’

‘Pamela’ also explained how she was treated like a suspected terrorist: “I was treated like a criminal. I was told that even in the Voluntary Disclosure Program it would be assumed I was a ‘willful violator’ of the tax laws and would need to pay 25% of all my overseas assets, based on the highest balance in the sum total of all my bank accounts, retirement accounts, apartment, car, etc. over the last eight years.”

The U.S. government even puts pressure on other countries to go after the U.S. expats: “We have heard of banks calling in mortgages and refusing pension fund and insurance coverage for U.S. citizens.”-Mary Louise Serrato, American Citizens Abroad

Serrato says the U.S. government is even going after people who were born in the U.S., to foreign parents, but then left immediately afterwards never to return: “Many individuals are not even aware that they are American and should be filing, such as Green Card holders and ‘accidental’ Americans (born in the U.S., left when they were three and never returned), children of Americans now living overseas (even if U.S. citizenship was never claimed)!”

“I really can’t believe it! This nice country that I respect, have they gone mad?”-Peter Hallworth, U.K. citizen, who’s two adult sons (raised in Britain) are being forced to pay U.S. taxes because they were born in the United States

U.S. expats living abroad, yet paying U.S. taxes with little or no representation.  Isn’t that what the U.S. Revolution of 1776 was all about?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Yemen & Bahrain

March 22, 2012, The Associated Press reported that U.S. Navy ships shelled the city of Zinjibar, in the southern Yemeni province of Abyan.  USN officials claim they were attacking “al-Qaeda” forces.  29 people were killed.

Reports say the USN shelling was done over a 24 hour period.  However, other Western media sources say the U.S. Navy is now denying they attacked the city of Zinjibar.

March 24, 2012, Chinese media reporting that Yemeni Mujahideen have taken control of the city of Azzan in Shabwa Province.  An unnamed city official says most of the Mujahideen are foreigners, but are supported by residents: “Some local residents are from the al Qaeda wing and accept the terrorists to enter their town without any resistance.”

The fighters are known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The current government of Yemen is still controlled by the United States.  The new president was “elected” in an election that was held on such short notice that most Yemenis didn’t get to vote.

More people protesting the U.S. puppet government of Bahrain have been killed and raped by police, and Saudi Arabian forces.

The latest death was a woman in her fifties was killed by tear gas.  Also, a 16 year old boy was found lying in the streets, unconscious, with his hands tied behind his back and his pants pulled down.

Locals say Saudi forces left him there after they pulled out of the neighborhood.

“We have been receiving worrying reports of the disproportionate use of force by Bahraini security forces, including the excessive use of tear gas, the use of birdshot pellets and rubber bullets.”-Rupert Colville, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

On March 23, 2012, Police attacked the funeral procession for the woman who died from tear gas.  Teenagers responded to the police with a challenge:  “Come and fight hand to hand, you cowards, you animals!”

By the way, the tear gas used by the Saudi and Bahraini forces is made in the United States, by a company called Combined Systems.

At the end of 2011, Physicians for Human Rights tested some of the tear gas and found that it “…may be using unidentified chemical agents…”

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

One Year later: Japanese fishing boat found off coast of Canada, first of 3 million tons of debris still heading for North America

“The vessel is considered an obstruction to navigation.”-Transport Canada statement

A 65 meter (210 feet) long fishing boat from Japan was found off Haida Gwaii islands (some reports say Queen Charlotte Islands), about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) north of Vancouver, Canada.

The fishing boat was washed away from Japan by the March 11, 2011 tsunami.  Senator Maria Cantwell, of the U.S. state of Washington, estimates another 50 days before the ship hits land, and warns it is the first of many more to come: “This 150 feet fishing vessel is the first major West Coast tsunami debris confirmed by Japanese officials. And now, we’ve learned that larger debris could reach our coastlines sooner than expected. With some debris already moving towards the West Coast, we need more data and better science to track and respond to tsunami debris….Coastal residents need to know who is in charge of tsunami debris response, and we need clearer answers now.”

Japan’s Coast Guard has identified the boat as coming from Aomori Prefecture.

Also, Russians found a 20 foot Japanese fishing boat near Midway Atoll.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans attack NATO/ISAF soldiers, militants from Pakistan being detained

March 24, 2012, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) announced that militants attacked a NATO/ISAF base somewhere in western Afghanistan.

ISAF refused to give any more details, but, the Italian government admitted the base was manned by Italian troops.  One was killed, at least five wounded. The attack took place in Farah Province.  The base was hit by heavy mortar fire.

In Helmand Province, provincial intelligence (National Directorate for Security) claim they detained seven people.  Yet again they claim one is a “Taliban” leader (ever wonder how many Taliban leaders there are?).

Afghan officials claim the seven men were trained in Pakistan.

In Kandahar Province, officials there claim they’ve detained two people planning a suicide bombing.  Officials say the two men are Pakistani.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Battles continue between Government forces and freedom fighters, 2 NATO/ISAF soldiers killed

The Afghan Interior Ministry reporting that military operations in several provinces are continuing.  They claim dozens of mujahideen have been killed.

Afghan police, Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and U.S./NATO/ISAF forces have been engaged in battles in Nangarhar, Uruzagn, Ghazni and Herat provinces.

On March 22, a U.K. soldier was killed in Helmand Province, when the vehicle he was in hit a mine (aka roadside bomb, IED).

Also on March 22, a French soldier was killed in Kapisa Province.  ISAF officials claim it was not due to combat, but they refused to give a reason for his death.

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

Class Warfare: Elitist Canada to increase the cost of college, again! This time by 75%! University is a “privilege”?

Provinces across Canada have been increasing the cost of college, just as their neighbors to the south (U.S.A.) are doing.

Currently the cheapest place for Canadians to go to college/university is Quebec. As of March 2012, the average yearly cost for attending college in Quebec is $2,519 CAD ($2,539.91 USD).  But provincial officials want a 75% increase over the next five years!

One student pointed out that college students in Quebec have less debt than other Canadians, and implied that forcing young Canadians into debt was the intent:  “Tuition fees are lower in Quebec than the rest of Canada, but so is the student debt, which is a good impact of low tuition fees.”-Hugo Bonin, attending Concordia

Many people are torn over whether college should be made more expensive, or free.  Many with an elitist attitude say it is a “privilege” not a “right”.  Well in actuality it’s neither!  If our business leaders, and government leaders, are constantly harping about the lack of “skilled” employees, and they are constantly pushing grade school students to “Go On” (higher education campaign slogan used by the state government of Idaho, U.S.A.) so that we can be more competitive in the global economy, then it is not a privilege or a right, it is a requirement!

Why should we pay for college (more like getting into massive debt for life) for the benefit of industry and government?  Unless our leaders are lying to us (would they?) it is obvious that higher education is now a requirement, which means if they want qualified workers then they need to pay for the education to create the qualified workers, goddam it!

So how much is the average price of a “privileged” higher education in the rest of Canada?  $5,366 CAD ($5,410.55 USD)!

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Hewlett Packard going down, HP to cut even more jobs in Boise?

“We didn’t make the investments we should have during the past few years to stay ahead of customer expectations and market trends. As a result, we see eroding revenue and profits today.”-Meg Whitman, CEO of HP, February interview

There’s rumors that Hewlett Packard is considering merging its computer production, with its printer production.  Boise, Idaho, is home to a huge HP compound that includes  printer manufacturing.

Analysts say they don’t know what good will come from such a merger, but agree that people are going to lose their jobs: “HP has some massive structural fixes that they need to make, and this doesn’t come close. I don’t see how this changes anything apart from probably giving you an excuse to cut some heads and cut some costs.”-Rob Cihra, Evercore Partners

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

World War 3: Germany sells more Dolphin Submarines to Israel

March 20, 2012, Germany’s Defense Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, announced that Germany will sell Israel at least one more Dolphin submarine.

The Dolphin submarine is made specially for Israel, and is a smaller version of the 209 class sub.  It can carry SLCM (submarine launched cruise missiles) which can be armed with nuclear warheads.  Oh, but I don’t hear any Western powers complaining about that!

Not only is Germany selling more of these submarines to Israel, but according to an unnamed source in the German government, they’re covering one third of the cost (about $178 million) and providing easy loans to Israel in order to pay for the rest!

Israel has three of the 2,800 mile range submarines, with two on order not counting this latest announcement.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: More Hypocrisy; the U.S. exempts EU & Japan from Iran oil sanctions

In a move that is hypocritical, the United States has exempted 10 European Union countries, and Japan, from U.S. imposed Iran oil sanctions.

It also brings up the question: What was the point?

I already showed how, under the Bush jr administration, U.S. corporations were exempted from future sanctions against Iran, back in 2000!

The countries now granted exemptions from the U.S. oil sanctions are Belgium, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Japan.

Again: What was the point of the U.S. imposed sanctions against Iran, if the U.S. is going to grant exemptions to other countries, and, a Republican created law in 2000 already exempts U.S. corporations from having to obey any sanctions anyway?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia supports UN resolution on Syria, but only if….

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said Russia will support a resolution on Syria proposed by Kofi Annan, but only if two conditions are met.

One: The details of the resolution are made public.

Two: That it is not an “Ultimatum”, but an on going process of dialog to “…end to violence on all sides…”