Tag Archives: banks

Business/Economics, Opinion

Iran sells refined gas to Afghanistan for the first time, nice to see other countries making money off our wars

“We have exported a 1,000-ton cargo of gasoline to Afghanistan this (Iranian year), and we are amidst negotiations to export the second and third cargoes to the country,”-Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Alireza Zeiqami

Ironically, Iran’s refined gas industry has gotten a boost from U.S. and European economic sanctions. So much so that Iran is negotiating new contracts with surrounding countries.

The latest sanctions against Iran forbids companies from selling refined gas to Iran.  As a result Iran increased its own fuel refining, and found out that its neighbors, like Afghanistan, wanted to buy it.

Iranian Oil Minister Massoud Mir-Kazzemi said their fuel refining has increased so much that that Iran no longer needs foreign imports.  So much for sanctions.

By the way, does anyone like the idea that were throwing billions of U.S. dollars down the drain in Afghanistan, while other countries make money off Afghanistan?  Where did Afghanistan get the money to buy the Iranian gas?

Business/Economics, Fukushima

Sony has to shut down more plants, better get your Playstation gear while you can

Sony has announced that it will close 5 more plants, due to a lack of parts.  That brings the number of Sony plants affected by the 9.0 quake/tsunami to 14.

Sony officials say they might be forced to move production away from Japan.

“If the shortage of parts and materials supplied to these plants continues, we will consider necessary measures, including a temporary shift of production overseas.”

Fukushima

Japanese Fire Fighters Forced to work at failed nuclear plant

Japanese Industry Minister Banri Kaieda apologized over reports that he threatened to ‘‘punish’’ firefighters if they did not work at the quake-hit nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture.

The apology came after Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara protested to Prime Minister Naoto Kan over the ‘‘forcing’’ of Tokyo Fire Department to engage in an hours-long water-spraying mission, saying they were threatened with ‘‘punishment’’ if they refused.

International

Two faced Obama wants Gaddafi out, but says we’re not trying to bomb him, after we try to bomb him

Almost from day one of the so called revolution in Libya, President Obama said “It’s time for Gaddafi to go.”   He didn’t say that about Mubarak, not for several weeks of the Egyptian Revolution anyway.

Obama has said many times he wanted Gaddafi out.  Then Gaddafi’s compound is bombed by coalition forces, and the official statement from coalition leaders is that they were not trying to bomb Gaddafi. That’s one dumb smart bomb then.

Here is what Obama said today: “Now, I also have stated that it is U.S. policy that Gadhafi needs to go.” President Obama has basically admitted that trying to get rid of Gaddafi IS what he’s trying to do.   Obama then goes on to admit that UNSCR 1973 does not allow him to do that: “But when it comes to the military action, we are doing so in support of U.N. Resolution 1973 that specifically talks about humanitarian efforts, and we are going to make sure we stick to that mandate.”

Obama also says he’s hoping that other “tools” will be used to allow the Libyan people to kick Gaddafi out.  Remember, UNSCR 1973 is supposed to be about protecting peaceful civilians, not regime change.   Lies. lies and more lies!

Fukushima

Pacific Ocean contaminated with Radiation

TEPCO officials say they have tested water from the ocean, where water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant runs off, and it tested positive for radiation.

Iodine 131 was 126.7 times higher than the legal level, cesium 134 was 24.8 higher, and cesium 137 was 16.5 times higher. Cobalt 58 was below the legal limit.

This was the first time the Tokyo Electric Power Company tested the ocean water. They say they will conduct more tests, over a wider area.

Fukushima

Contaminated Tap Water in 10 Japanese Prefectures

Ten prefectures have radioactive tap water, according to the Japanese government.

Fukushima, Tochigi,  Gunma,  Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata and Yamanashi prefectures.

Tap water in Tochigi and Gunma revealed radioactive iodine and cesium.

Radioactive iodine alone was found in Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata and Yamanashi prefectures.

It must be noted that several different government agencies are involved with testing for radiation levels. People have been told the radiation levels exceed safety levels, but officials think that at this point there is not health threat.

Fukushima

Japan expands food ban, 3 more Prefectures hit with contamination

Over the weekend food products from Fukushima Prefecture were banned due to radiation contamination.  Now 3 more prefectures have been added to the food ban.

Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures have now been told their food products are contaminated was well.  Earlier Ibaraki Prefecture had spinach test positive for contamination, but wasn’t told to stop shipments.

Once again the government is confusing people by saying the radiation levels in the food had exceeded established safety levels, but was not harmful if eaten.

Fukushima

Set back at Fukushima Daiichi, Smoke from two Reactors, Workers evacuated

Workers were evacuated from the Fukushimah Daiichi nuclear plant after smoke started pouring from reactors 2 & 3.  Planned water spraying had to be stopped.

White smoke/steam coming from reactor 2, from a crack in the roof, it is probably from the spent fuel pool.

Reactor 3 more serious; black/gray smoke coming from whats left of the reactor (reactor 3 exploded last week).

There is speculation that the smoke might be related to the recently increasing radiation levels.

Fukushima

Who is the Boss of TEPCO, and where is he during this nuclear crisis?

Masataka Shimizu, chief executive of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), hasn’t been seen in a week.

He’s in charge of the company dealing with one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters, Fukushima Daiichi.  Many Japanese want to know where he is.

Even the BP (British Petroluem) CEO held press conferences during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster last year.

Fukushima

Vandenburg AFB sending Boric Acid to Japan

USAF C-17 transport from Vandenburg Air Force Base, in California, has left for Japan loaded with 17 tons of boric acid.

The boric acid is from the stock pile at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California.  It’s to be used on the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.