Category Archives: U.S.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Before you blame China for job losses realize that China buys more U.S. made products than any other country

“Legislation that would increase tariffs on imports from China is unlikely to create any incentive for China to move expeditiously to modify its exchange policies. Rather, it would likely have the opposite effect and result in retaliation against U.S. exports into China.”-USCBC statement

The latest numbers show that not only does China hold the most U.S. bonds of any other foreign country, but China is also the biggest buyer of U.S. products!

According to the United States China Business Council (USCBC), which represents U.S. companies doing business with China, there was a U.S. $76 billion increase in U.S. products sold to China between 2000 and 2010!  So maybe we need to rethink the growing desire to slap large tariffs on Chinese products?

The USCBC also points out that even if Chinese made products stopped flowing into the U.S. it would not mean a return of U.S. jobs: “Much of what we import from China replaces imports from other countries, not products we make in the U.S. today.”-Erin Ennis, USCBC

So the United States finds itself in a conundrum: U.S. corporations love to ship off U.S. jobs to China.  China holds a lot of U.S. government debt.  China buys the most U.S. made products of any other country.  China is in a real good position to really hurt the United States economically if the U.S. government does anything to reduce Chinese made products coming in, or to reduce U.S. corporations from shipping off more jobs.  Sounds to me like this is proof of the short sightedness of our corporate and government leaders!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. airline pilots leave for jobs in China, being able to speak Chinese not required, but it sure helps

“I had been doing the same job for 20 years and have another 15 years to go.  I said to myself, ‘It’s too boring. Let’s do something else for a few years and then come back’.”-Roy Weinberg, Spring Airlines

Weinberg, quit his job with US Airways and moved his family of four to Shanghai, where he now works for Spring Airlines.

He is not alone. Many of his aviator friends are now flying for airlines in Chengdu and Beijing.  By the beginning of 2011, China was home to at least 1,300 foreign flight captains, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

By 2015, China’s aviation industry is expected to need 18,000 more pilots, according to China Business News.  The reason why China is in short supply of airline pilots is that it takes ten years in China to become a qualified pilot.

A relatively young U.S. pilot can make decent money; Spring Airlines offers foreign pilots from $150,000 to $160,000 a year after taxes.

There is a major problem, most air traffic controllers in China don’t speak English: “What happened to me many times is that everybody around me is getting commands in Chinese, and I’m the only English speaking (pilot) in the air.”-Roy Weinberg, Spring Airlines

International, U.S.

World War 3: Turkey ready for War with Israel

“As you know, Israel attacked three ships, one of which carried over 400 people from 33 countries, in international waters from sea and air. Such an attack in international waters is against international law.”-Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Prime Minister

In an interview with PBS’s Charlie Rose, Erdogan was asked if he saw the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed nine Turkish nationals as a cause of war his answer was “We will do that too if it becomes necessary.”

Erdogan also restated “Israel is West’s spoiled child.”

Business/Economics, U.S.

Class War: Protesters continue to pound the pavement in front of Wall Street, main stream media criticizes, youth unemployment higher in U.S. than in Egypt

September 23, I have to admit that most of the pics coming out of Wall Street show what look like young hippie wannabes (there are pics of old women wearing yellow ponchos that read “Granny Peace Brigade”) but what else are they gonna do?

When a society has such a high unemployment rate for young people this is bound to happen.  The U.S. Census Bureau says unemployment for young adults is 44.7%!!!

Young people led the revolution in Egypt.  What’s the unemployment rate for young people in Egypt?  According to a February 2011 report by the International Monetary Fund, 25% of Egyptian youth are unemployed.  Mmmm, and there’s 44.7% of U.S. young adults unemployed?

Yet the main stream (corporate controlled) U.S. media continues to ignore the Wall Street protesters, most likely hoping they’ll just go away.  Some newspapers are criticizing the protesters.

On September 21, an Indiana University newspaper called the Wall Street protests the “Ultimate fail”, and accused the protests of being instigated by Canada.

Also on September 21, the Associated Press wrote “What, exactly, they are protesting is somewhat unclear.”, then went on to list the ‘demands’.

On September 22, the Post Chronicle even blamed Barack Obama!  “With millions of Americans unemployed, and millions of others losing their home and their savings, the almost constant anti-capitalist rhetoric — about Wall Street and corporate “fat cats” and “billionaires and millionaires not paying their fair share” — by elected leaders such as President Barack Obama, Senator Harry Reid, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and others is starting to take it’s toll.”

So this writer at the Post Chronicle blames politicians, who’re actually very Wall Street friendly, for the Wall Street protests, despite the fact that the very same writer mentions the true reasons for the protests: “…millions of Americans unemployed, and millions of others losing their home and their savings…”

Classic case of not seeing the forest because of the trees.

Yahoo even blocked protester’s emails from getting through: “People trying to email information about the Wall Street protests on Monday using Yahoo mail, found themselves on the receiving end of messages from Yahoo claiming ‘suspicious activity’.”

My son admitted to me that if it wasn’t for the fact that he finally got a job, after more than a year of looking for one, he’d be on his way to join the protesters on Wall Street.  If corporate America doesn’t want people protesting in front of their Mecca, the answer is very simple, give them jobs!!! 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Census Bureau shows the United States is no longer the prefered destination for immigrants

September 23, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of legal immigrants moving to the United States dropped off after the year 2000.

According to the American Community Survey (ACS) the percentage of “Foreign Born: Entered before 2000” immigrants who responded to the survey (includes those who became U.S. citizens and those who still aren’t) was 65.3%.

The percentage of “Foreign Born: Entered 2000 or later” immigrants drops to 34.7%.

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? No Xmas cheer at Toys R Us

September 22, Toys R Us announced they will not hire as many holiday employees as in the past.

“It looks to me like they are preparing for lowered spending and will be very cautious about hiring people until they really know they need them.”-John Challenger, analyst

Last end of year holiday season, Toys R Us hired about 45,000 temporary employees. This year Toys R Us will be hard pressed to hire 40,000.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

World War 3: Obama recognizes Libyan NTC, after only a few months fighting, but Obama refuses to recognize the Palestinians who’ve been fighting oppression for more than 50 years!

“I know many of you are frustrated by the lack of progress. I assure you, so am I…. There is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace is hard work.”-Barack Obama, President of the United States

No “short cut”!?!  What an ass hole!!!  U.S. President Barack Obama gave the Palestinians a big middle finger the other day at the United Nations!

Let see, how long have the U.S. backed Libyan rebels been fighting for their bull shit ‘liberation’? Six friggin’ months, and already Obama, and the whole world through the United Nations has officially recognized the rebel NTC as the official government of Libya!  Bull shit!!!

Palestinians have been fighting Israeli oppression since the creation of Israel in 1948!!!  On top of that they’ve been fighting the invasion of European Zionism since the end of World War 1!!!

World War 1 ended in 1918, for those of you who’re lacking in the history department.  It was then that the British took over Palestine and began shipping English Zionist Jews from Great Britain to Palestine.  By the way, it’s not just Palestinian Muslims who’re being oppressed by the Israelis, Palestinian Christians, and Palestinian Jews are being oppressed as well!

So you’re talking almost a hundred years of fighting oppression, and fighting for recognition within the international community!  And the President of the United States tells the Palestinians they can’t take short cuts?!?  What an ass hole!!!

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iraqi Vice President tells U.S. to get the hell out, like they promised, if the U.S. wants more security they need to invest in the economy not war

September 21, Iraqi Vice President Khudair al-Khuzaie (apparently Iraq has three VPs) said U.S. forces need to withdraw from Iraq as scheduled by the end of 2011.

Khuzaie met with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey. Khuzaie said the United States needs to focus on “cooperation and partnership with Iraq in the fields of investments and reconstruction.”

U.S. military is supposed to withdraw completely from Iraq by the end of 2011, according to the Status of Forces Agreement signed late in 2008.

However, officials from the Obama administration are pressuring Iraqi politicians to let a small force of U.S. troops stay in Iraq beyond the deadline.

International, Opinion, U.S.

World War 3: NATO to stay in Libya

“So long as the Libyan people are being threatened, the NATO led mission to protect them will continue. And those still holding out must understand the old regime is over, and it is time to lay down your arms and join the new Libya.”-Barack Obama, President of the United States

September 21, U.S. led NATO agreed to extend their air campaign in Libya by another 90 days.  Here’s the hypocrisy in Obama’s statement: He says Libyan people are threatened, well “those still holding out” are on the defensive, it’s the U.S. backed rebels that are (and have been) on the offensive.  On top of that NATO has been bombing the shit out of anyone who doesn’t want to join the rebels!  It looks to me that it’s the U.S. backed rebels that’re doing the threatening!

So, warmonger Obama, is NATO gonna start bombing the rebels, in earnest (they’ve already ‘accidentally’ bombed the rebels a few times)?