Category Archives: U.S.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? MLK jr memorial statue made in China, due to lack of funds

There’s been a lot of praise by the main stream U.S. media for the Martin Luther King Jr memorial, but they don’t mention that the statue was outsourced to China due to lack of funds.

According to Wikipedia, the memorial needed $120 million for construction.  Only $108 million was raised, and that included taxpayer money from the Federal government.  This is the reason the memorial contractor outsourced the making of the statue to China.

Not even the stone came from the United States, it’s Chinese pink granite.  Just another sign of the times!

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Number of uninsured drivers accelerating

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the number of people driving without insurance has hit one in seven.

Some insurance analysts blame the bad economy, and skyrocketing insurance costs: “Laws in most states have proven ineffective in reducing the numbers of drivers who are uninsured. Some drivers can’t afford insurance, and some drivers with surcharges for accidents or serious traffic violations don’t want to pay the high premiums that result from a poor driving record. It is costly to track down violators of compulsory insurance laws, and unless the odds of getting caught are high and the penalties severe, drivers will continue to flout the law.”-Loretta Worters, Insurance Information Institute

The percent of uninsured drivers varies from 4% in states like Maine, to 28% in Mississippi.

Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of Incompetent Corporate America: Once again, another Turkey meat recall at Prison Labor (?) meat plant in Arkansas

September 12, once again, Cargill Incorporated issued a recall of ground turkey, from its Arkansas plant.  It’s the same plant that saw one of the largest meat recalls in U.S. history, just last month.

Something that most people in the United States don’t know, is that Cargill has been identified as one of the many U.S. corporations that uses prison labor. Cargill has also been identified as using child labor in its operations outside the United States.  Could prison labor have something to do with the many recent meat recalls?

There are dozens of lessor known meat plants all across the United States that use prison labor, some use prison labor exclusively.  Part of the unemployment problem in U.S. is due to the use of prison labor.  Many regular meat plant employees have been laid off and replaced with cheaper prison labor.

This latest recall covers about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey products. They were distributed nationwide under the Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill’s Honeysuckle White brands.  All ground turkey made at the Springdale, Arkansas, plant has “P-963” or “963” on the package.  People who bought products bearing that identification number can call 1-888-812-1646 for instructions.

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: Colorado company contaminating community with radiation

Cotter Corporation, managers of a uranium mill, want to stop testing a leaking radioactive pond because conditions are too dangerous for workers.

Not only is the pond leaking radiation, it’s leaking TCE’s (trichloroethene) and other contaminants.  It could affect the community of Canon City.

The mill was built in 1958, to process uranium for weapons and nuclear power plants. Cotter Corporation dumped waste in 11 unlined ponds, which contaminated the area groundwater.  The EPA declared the area a Superfund cleanup site, and the company has been moving waste to a clay lined pond.

The problem is that the clay lined pond is now leaking.  On top of that, the company says the pond is too dangerous for their workers to safely check acidity levels.

Colorado officials are considering a request to stop monitoring the pond.

International, U.S.

At least 77 U.S. troops wounded in latest attacks in Afghanistan, Afghans say it’s retaliation for unjustified U.S. occupation of Afghanistan

“Each year, 9/11 reminds the Afghans of an event in which they had no role whatsoever.  American colonialism has shed the blood of tens of thousands of miserable and innocent Afghans.”-Afghan insurgent statement

September 11, at least three U.S. troops have been wounded in attacks in western Afghanistan.

This follows a September 10 truck bomb attack against the U.S. Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, in the eastern province of Wardak.  NATO reports that 77 U.S. troops were wounded, two Afghans killed and 25 Afghans wounded.

U.S. Army sources have reported that 50 troops, plus civilians, were wounded in the Saturday truck bomb attack:  “It happened at 5:15 pm on Saturday. It detonated near the entry point at a combat outpost, resulting in 89 wounded in action and a 20-foot (six-meter) hole in the wall.”-David Eastburn, Major U.S. Army

Wardak is where a U.S. Chinook helicopter was shot down recently, killing all 30 U.S. forces and eight Afghans on board.

Also on Saturday/Sunday, a NATO soldier died in an ambush in southern Afghanistan, and  two bombs exploded in Paktika and Kunduz Provinces, leaving a total of 10 civilians dead.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Evil buck passing United States blames evil Europe for world economic problems, but it’s the average Joe & Jone who’s going to pay

“Seventy-five percent of the dark things happening in the world economy are because of the eurozone.”-Timothy Geithner, U.S. Department of Treasury

September 9, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner blamed the European Union for U.S. economic failures!

Geithner made the comments at a G7 meeting in France.  He says EU countries need to make even harsher cuts, and raise even more taxes, in order to solve their debt crisis.  Going by his statements, can you guess what’s coming for the people of the United States?

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Palestinian President says U.S. financial aid no longer important

“We will go to the UN to obtain international recognition for the state of Palestine, despite the obstacles and dangers, including U.S. threats to halt $470 million in annual assistance.”-Mahmoud Abbas, Acting Palestinian Authority (PA) Chief

Recently the United States said it would cut off aid (aid which is directly controlled by the Israelis) if Palestinians sought a United Nations vote on statehood.

More than 100 countries have so far officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign state based on the 1967 borders, the boundaries that existed before Israel militarily annexed East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority has declared September 20 as the date when it would apply for United Nations recognition of Palestine as an independent state.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Jordanians demand Israeli embassy be closed down

“The government should take a fast step in removing the Israeli embassy from Amman in light of continued Zionist violations against the sovereignty and interests of Jordan.”-Islamic Action Front (IAF)

Jordanians praised the protests by the Egyptians against the Israeli embassy in  Cairo.

Many Arabs, and Muslims, compare the storming of the Israeli embassy in Egypt with the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran following Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Respected U.S. Economist says deeper recession coming, Australia no longer safest place to be

“We predicted this (current) downturn in the U.S. 20 years ago.”-Harry S. Dent Jr

September 11, U.S. economist Harry S. Dent Jr is predicting a second, deeper downturn between the beginning and the middle of next year.

Dent says the downturn will start in Europe, spread to the United States, China and eventually Australia.  He says Australia might not be the safest place to be: “Australia is probably the best place in the world to survive this, but we do think Australia will not escape as well as it did from the last crisis (in 2008).”

Dent says there are still ‘bubbles’ that need to burst.  He believes gold and silver prices are overrated, and there are still housing bubbles around the world, like in Australia, Japan and China, that need to burst.  The housing bubble that burst in the U.S. still hasn’t fully deflated.

Dent is in Australia to promote his book, The Great Crash Ahead – How to Prosper in the Debt Crisis of 2010-2012.


Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Nike rips off Chinese customers, sells them downgraded shoes at higher prices than in the United States

Nike has admitted to false advertising in China.  This after a Chinese customer, who just happens to be a counterfeit products investigator, discovered that Nike was selling downgraded versions of their Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011.

The shoe sells in the United States for around $125.00, and has two air cushions in each shoe.  According to the Chinese man who filed the complaint against Nike, the Chinese versions sell for $78.00 more than the U.S. version, and have only one air cushion per shoe.