“Purchases are really dropping off by the end of the month even more than last year. This end-of-month [purchases] cycle is growing to be a concern.”-Mike Duke, CEO WalMart
WalMart executives are doubting claims of an economic recovery, because their sales are down.
Most WalMart shoppers are low income workers who live paycheck to paycheck. CEO Mike Duke said because of inflation (which official government agencies deny is happening) their customers are running out of money, faster than ever.
Duke admitted that WalMart had to raise prices on produce, but tried to compensate by lowering prices on electronics, but you can’t eat electronics.
WalMart officials are now going to try to lower all their prices, in the hopes it might boost their falling sales.
At least 300 people have been reported killed from Wednesday’s (April 27) tornado strikes that hit the south east.
The latest tornadic outburst hit six states, the unofficial number is 151 tornadoes. TV news weathermen are saying it could be the most devastating one day tornado event in U.S. history.
They also think when the official numbers come in, it will reveal record numbers of tornadoes for the month of April. Officially the worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history occurred in April 1974. 148 twisters hit 13 states in one day, according to the National Weather Service.
So far, unofficially it looks like April 2011 might have a record of 300 tornadoes.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is going to use a loophole in the sanctions against Libya, to oversee oil sales by the rebels.
That means the U.S. will be directly involved in all oil deals will the Libyan rebels.
This is on top of the $25 million in aid Obama is sending, and on top of another $45 million Obama already sent. Just remember that Obama, and Congress, wants to cut your taxpayer funded domestic programs, while sending your money to Libya.
“Washington is all for invading Libya and is putting more and more pressure to intervene in Syria because we want to… clear China and Russia out of the Mediterranean.”
“Those two countries are just in the way of American hegemony in the Mediterranean and certainly the Americans do not want a powerful Russian fleet stationed there and they certainly don’t want China drawing energy resources.”
“Once Russia and China come to the conclusion that the Americans simply cannot be dealt with in any rational way and are determined to somehow subdue them and do them damage, all kinds of escalations can result. This is the real danger and we’re risking a major war.” Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan, and former editor of the Wall Street Journal
“Suddenly, in the middle of the meeting, shooting started. After the shooting started, we saw a number of Afghan army officers and soldiers running out of the building. Some were even throwing themselves out of the windows to get away.”-Colonel Bahader, Afghan Air Corps spokesman
An Afghan pilot shot and killed eight U.S. troops and one U.S. contractor. Witnesses say the shooting happened after an argument between the pilot and the troops. The pilot was also killed. Five Afghan soldiers were wounded.
The pilot was a 20 year veteran of the Afghan government forces, and part of a unit that undergoes strict screening for loyalty. So far no word on what the argument was about. The brother of the pilot thinks the shooting was a result of stress aggravated by financial problems: “He was 48 years old. He served his country for years. He loved his people and his country. He had no link with Taliban or al-Qaeda. He was under economic pressures and recently he sold his house. He was going through a very difficult period of time in his life.”-Dr. Mohammad Hassan Sahibi, brother of the shooter
After a fatal silver mine collapse, in Mullen, Idaho, a Washingtonville, Ohio, man was killed April 25 in a coal mine accident.
Officials with the East Fairfield Coal Company says the cave in was a freak accident. They claim it was the first fatal accident in the mine’s 80 years of operation. State and Federal authorities are investigating.
There are rumors that President Barack Obama is ready to change his military and national security staff.
Current Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to leave. He could be replaced by current CIA chief Leon Panetta. The position of chief of the CIA could go to current Army General David Petraeus, who is about to finish his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Petraeus’ old job, Commander of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan, could go to Marine Lieutenant General John R. Allen.
There seems to be a clear pattern of ladder climbing. Obama is expected to name a new ambassador to Afghanistan, someone who is from the Bush Jr camp (as is Robert Gates); Ryan C. Crocker.
Crocker has lots of experience being an ambassador. Obama even gave him the highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Crocker is currently the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Guess who else was dean of that school? Current Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
So even with all the staffing changes there might not be much change to U.S. foreign policy.
At a press conference in United Kingdom, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates admitted there were no set plans for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“I expect that (the recommendations) will be coming in the not-too-distant-future.”-Robert Gates
Gates said he was still waiting for recommendations from General David Petraeus. President Obama had announced that troops would start coming home in July, 2011. But in February, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made statements that the U.S. would be in Afghanistan “beyond 2014“.
Iraqi Prime minster Nuri al-Maliki, made several statements in the recent past, saying Iraq does not need U.S. troops. Now it seems Maliki is caving into demands from the Obama administration.
His latest statements are that Iraq does not need U.S. help for “internal” security, but help is still needed for training, weapons and financing. “If we talk about the internal need, our security forces are capable now to maintain the situation. But regarding the external challenge, yes, the Iraqi military still needs weapons to defend its sovereignty, especially for the air force.”-Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Maliki also added that the Iraqi government must be unified in wanting the U.S. to stay: “No deal will happen unless there is a national unified stand. Otherwise everything will remain as it is and this pact will be terminated by the end of this year. A deal of any military cooperation with the United States, Britain, France or any other country will not happen unless everyone agrees.”