Moody’s downgraded Japan, from double A2, to double A3. Moody’s cited continuing government budget problems, huge government debt, and government incompetence.
One of the signs of government incompetence is what has become a revolving door of government agencies and leaders. The latest change is that Prime Minister Naoto Kan has resigned, effective by the beginning of September.
Japan is the second largest foreign holder of U.S. government debt.
California State Fish and Game reports that 1,000 prize game trout were stolen from a fish farm.
It happened at the San Joaquin State Fish Hatchery. Each fish weighed at least three pounds.
Game wardens are searching fish markets. The trout sells for as much as $7.00 per pound. The thieves would have needed a large truck to get away with 1,000 three pound trout.
Reporters still holed up in the Rixos Hotel, in Tripoli, say the hotel is still under attack by Rebels. That’s because the area is still under the control of the Libyan government. It seems the rebels have not taken Tripoli after all.
CNN’s Matthew Chance said this about the situation: “Just had confirmation that a Maltese boat docked in a Libyan port. Would love to get on board and out of here.”
Another report says that SCUD missiles, supposedly being launched from Sirte, are being intercepted by the U.S. Navy. The SCUDs are targeting Misrata.
East Idahoans are being hit with a phone scam. Someone claiming to be with Wells Fargo is telling them their “card is locked” and they need to give their card info over the phone to unlock it.
Local Wells Fargo officials say it’s called a “fishing” scam, and that you should deal directly with your local bank if there’s a possible problem with your card.
The city of Chubbuck gave city employees a raise in salary and benefits, at the expense of property owners. Property taxes were increased 2%.
Residents had told city officials no way! Not when so many taxpayers have seen their incomes go down, and many don’t have health insurance.
One resident even suggested an end of year performance bonus for city employees. But that fell on the deaf ears of the city council, they ended up voting to increase property taxes.
There are several abandoned homes in the area I live in, the city has taken over lawn care because everything was dying. There are even more homes with ‘for sale’ and ‘for rent’ signs. How can the city justify increasing the property tax?!?
The national average for a gallon of milk is about $4.00. Many people in the dairy business say they’re losing money because people can’t afford to buy the product. They want the Federal government to create new industry welfare programs to bail them out.
In Idaho it’s estimated that Idaho dairymen lost $700 million in 2009. Even Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has jumped on the band wagon calling for more corporate welfare for dairymen. But, you know what, I buy milk at the Pocatello, Idaho, Fred Meyer, and sometimes at the Chubbuck, Idaho, WalMart, and I’ve always paid less than $3.00 per gallon (usually no more than $2.50).
I have relatives in California who complain about the nearly $4.00 per gallon milk price there, but I haven’t seen that price in Idaho. So why are Idaho Dairymen complaining?
The real reason dairy products, as well as other food products, are seeing a drop in sales is because the average consumer doesn’t have the money!
Maybe the Federal government should increase Food Stamps pay outs by greatly increasing the maximum income cutoff. After all, the original purpose of Food Stamps was to subsidize the agriculture industry, by providing lower income people with money to buy food. That’s right Food Stamps was originally created to support Farmers!
Instead it looks like individuals will get nothing, while “industries” get increased direct welfare!
The Idaho Potato Commission, a state taxpayer funded agency, has signed a $2.4 million deal, to rename the college football Humanitarian Bowl game. It will now be known as the “Famous Idaho Potato” Bowl.
Commission officials say they need to spend that kind of money to promote Idaho grown potatoes: “The bottom line, is that we believe we have negotiated a very favorable contract when compared to other similar bowls with similar national media coverage.”-Frank Muir, IPC President
Idaho State Police confirmed that an off duty Oregon cop threatened an Idaho man in a case of Road Rage. The Portland, Oregon, police captain threatened the Idaho man with his gun.
Here’s the thing, ISP let the Oregon cop go! The Portland police said they assigned the gun happy police captain to a new job; the drugs and vice division!
U.S. and European military “experts” are trying to create fears of chemical weapons being used by a desperate Gaddafi.
In the live rebel press conference the rebel official responded that “Everything is possible” regarding fears that Gaddafi would use chemical weapons.
The open Libyan desert is not conducive to chemical warfare. See my earlier posting: Chemical Weapons Primer.
About 100 people protested at the Civic Center BART station at around 5 p.m. San Francisco time, August 22. The protest spilled into the streets.
The San Francisco Examiner says protestors began lighting stink bombs and launching them at police. Other protestors shattered glass at city bus stops and hurled garbage cans. About 35 to 40 people were arrested.