Tag Archives: disaster

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 12 September 2012: Another smokey day, more air tankers arrive at Pocatello Tanker Base. Evacuations in effect!

Image

12 September 2012

“Large fires Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho made significant acreage gains over the past 24 hours. In Washington, the Barker Canyon Complex burned more than 75,000 acres, and the Apache Pass fire burned 10,000. The Dutch fire in Montana grew by nearly 16,000 acres, and the Mustang fire in Idaho burned an additional 8,400 acres. About 14,500 firefighters and support personnel are currently assigned to large fires across the country.”-National Interagency Fire Center statement

There haven’t been any new fires reported in eastern Idaho, but there are still major fires burning throughout the state, and region.  More privately run air tankers have landed at Pocatello Tanker Base (Pocatello airport), including a second BAe-146-200; tanker 40 of Montana’s Neptune Aviation (leased from Tronos in Canada).

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

There are now nine large fires burning throughout Idaho.

Halstead Fire: More than 150,000 acres (60,702.8 hectares), evacuations in effect.

McGuire Complex Fire: More than 25,000 acres (10,117.14 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Mustang Complex Fire: More than 289,000 acres (116,954.15 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Porcupine Complex Fire: More than 17,800 acres (7,203.4 hectares).

Powell SBW Complex Fire: More than 42,000 acres (16,996.79 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Sheep Fire: More than 21,600 acres (8,741.2 hectares), evacuations are in effect.

Skull Fire: New fire 35 miles northeast of Roundup.

Trinity Ridge Fire: More than 146,500 acres (59,286.44 hectares), area closures are in effect.

Wesley Fire: More than 3,800 acres (1,537.8 hectares), residences are threatened.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 11 SEPTEMBER 2012: MORE CANADIAN AIRCRAFT ARRIVE AT POCATELLO

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. ambassador to Libya assassinated, blowback for assassinating Gaddafi! Moroccans surround U.S. embassy!

“Desecration is not part of freedom of expression but a criminal act that has now greatly hurt the righteous sentiments of 1.5 billion Muslims all over the globe.”-Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan

12 September 2012, a day after the U.S. consulate in Libya was attacked, the U.S. government revealed that U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. Stevens is being credited as being a player in the push to overthrow and assassinate Moammar Gaddafi. Three other U.S. citizens were also killed.

Gaddafi had made reparations to Europeans and the United States, and even gave up his weapons of mass destruction program, inorder to be accepted by the West.  The Bush Jr administration even took Libya off the terrorist list (do you remember that all you red neck right wing neo-christian conservatives?) The true reason he was overthrown and brutally assassinated, was because he was pushing the African Union to stop taking the U.S. dollar for oil deals, and create their own oil money called the Gold Dinar.  Remember, Saddam Hussien, in Iraq, announced he was not taking U.S. dollars for oil anymore, but instead would take the Euro.

Many U.S. officials say the attack on the U.S. consulate was done under the cover of the protests being held against an anti-Muslim movie produced in the United States. In other words this is another case of payback/blowback against stupid U.S. foreign policies!!!

But wait there’s more! Now people in relatively liberal Morocco have surrounded the U.S. consulate. Protests have begun in the countries of Tunisia and Sudan as well.  Egyptians are again surrounding the U.S. embassy in Cairo!

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Record number of U.S. citizens cash out of Too Big to Fail banks!

12 September 2012, in a survey conducted with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, an unregulated/independent government agency) discovered that by June 2011 nearly 10 million people quit using banks!  24 million have reduced their use of banks!

The survey is called the second National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households. The first survey was done in 2009.

1 in 12 households are no longer using banks.  That’s an increase of 821,00 since 2009.

1 in 5 households have reduced their use of banks. That’s a rate of 20.1%, in 2009 it was 18.2%.

29.3% canceled savings accounts.  10% do not have checking accounts.

People are using alternative financial services (AFS) such as money orders or  check cashing services.

The reasons for cashing out of banks are varied, ranging from being upset at how the banks are being managed to being denied a bank account because of a bad credit/account history.

And he causesth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell…

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 08 Sep – 11 Sep. Lacking money, the UN shuts offices in Afghanistan! Haqqani Network denies they have Idaho POW! U.S. base at Bagram attacked, again! Attacks increase! More cops join Mujahideen! Chinese evacuate!

11 September 2012

UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Jan Kubiš, announced that United Nations’ offices in Kunar Province will be closed.  This is part of the closing of at least nine UN offices throughout Afghanistan.  The official reason is lack of money!

In Parwan Province, Bagram airfield was hit by several rockets. One Chinook helicopter was destroyed and several other helicopters damaged. Three Afghan government intelligence agents were killed. Many personnel were wounded. Mujahideen immediately claimed they launched the attack.

In Farah Province, two Afghan cops were killed in firefights with Mujahideen, three other cops were executed after being captured.

In Herat Province, five Afghan cops, including the police chief, were killed by explosion.  The explosion went off near a meeting of village elders.

In Helmand Province: “We will do our best to kill Prince Harry and Britain’s other troops based in Helmand. It is not important for us to kidnap him. We will target him and we will kill him.”-Mujahideen statement

Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry says: “During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan army and intelligence agency and the NATO-led coalition carried out five joint clearance operations in Laghman, Ghazni, Herat and Helmand provinces, killing 16 armed Taliban insurgents and detaining 16 others.”

In Nangarhar Province, overnight U.S. forces carried out another illegal night raid. Local government officials say one person was killed, a child wounded.  At least three people were kidnapped by U.S. led forces.

10 September 2012

In Kunduz Province, a suicide bomber blew up his car, killing 15 people including seven cops, wounding 25 others.  Police forces were the target.

In Laghman Province, ISAF said four U.S. led occupation tankers (AFV crewman) were wounded when a bomb exploded under the bridge they were crossing.

In Badghis Province, there are reports that as many as 36 cops have joined the Mujahideen.

The United States officially handed over control of Bagram Prison to Afghan officials. Analysts and human rights groups say the move is ceremonial and that the U.S. still maintains control over the use of the prison: “Major questions also hang over the extent of Afghan control, as well as the immediate and long-term fate of the more than 3,000 inmates, said to include around 50 foreigners not covered by the agreement.”-Agence Frances-Presse

09 September 2012

In Farah Province, four explosions killed one child, and wounded nine civilians and six cops. The target was local political leaders.

In Maidan Wardak Province, six people were killed.  Local government officials say they don’t know why, but they’re blaming Mujahideen.

In Herat Province, Afghan army officials say they killed nine Mujahideen.

ISAF said: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan today.”

In Helmand Province, five government personnel were killed, two wounded when they drove over a mine.  Afghan cops also claim they killed three Mujahideen in gunbattles.

In Kandahar Province, U.S. led occupation forces launched airstrikes, killing at least seven people.

U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, has the distinction of being the only prisoner of war.  For some reason the Pakistani group known as Haqqani Network believe they are being held responsible for his imprisonment.  They say they are not the ones holding Bergdahl captive, and accusations by U.S. leaders are more lies: “The American soldier is with the ‘Emirate Center’ [a Mujahideen group based in Afghanistan]……The Americans also know it.”

08 September 2012

In Kabul Province, six people (mostly children) killed, four wounded, after explosions near the U.S. and Italian embassies.  Local government officials say a suicide bomber blew himself up in a market. Then a rocket landed in the same area and exploded.

Also in Kabul, two rival clans got into a firefight during a funeral. Several people wounded.

Afghanistan’s Aynak copper mine is one of the largest copper mines in the world. A Chinese company won a contract to operate the mine, however, the war in Afghanistan has gotten out of hand: “…..Chinese workers have left the Aynak copper mine due to security issues but not all of them. The workers will return back to Afghanistan as soon as the security improves.”-Afghan government statement

In Uruzgan Province: “A bomb placed at the entrance of Malik Abdul Majid’s house killed him and another elder and wounded two of Majid’s sons.”-Abdullah Hemat, provincial government spokesman

 

 

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

9/11 Anniversary: Egyptians & Libyans storm U.S. embassies, at least one U.S. employee killed. Blame it on anti-Muslim movie made in the United States! More proof the War on Terror is nothing more than the old anti-Muslim Crusades brought back to life, by Jews who control the U.S.!

11 September 2012, Libyans attacked the U.S. consulate, killing one staff person and wounding several others.  Other U.S. employees have been evacuated.

In Egypt, Egyptians stormed the U.S. embassy, tearing down and burning the U.S. flag.  Egyptian government forces have pushed the protestors back, but reports say there as many as 2,000 people surrounding the embassy.

The problem in both cases is a new anti-Muslim movie, made by extreme right wing militant christians and jews in the United States.

A preview of the movie was posted on YouTube.

Arab media reports the movie was produced by U.S.-based Coptic-Christian Egyptians, and the infamous Terry Jones Church.  The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli-American, Sam Bacile, made the movie using money from Jewish donations.  He claims Jews paid him $5 million USD to make the anti-Islam movie.

The U.S. consulate in Libya was set on fire, and U.S. officials say they are still trying to regain control.

There are reports that the guards, at the U.S. embassy in Egypt, fired gunshots into the crowd of protestors.

 

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfire Update, 11 September 2012: More Canadian aircraft arrive at Pocatello; BAe 146. U.S. capitalist aviation companies can’t handle the competition?

Image

11 September 2012, a large and new firefighting aircraft has been seen flying in and out of Pocatello airport (Pocatello Tanker Base) the past few days.  It’s a British Aerospace (BAe) 146 flown by Neptune Aviation of Montana (leased from Tronos in Canada).

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

The use of the BAe 146 has been delayed in the United States, due to complaints filed by U.S. aviation companies that do not want the competition from the 146.  The disputes are being reviewed by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO).

The latest update is that Neptune Aviation’s tanker 41 has been given a contract to help fight the fires, from 01 September to 09 November 2012.

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 10 SEPTEMBER 2012:

….and tanker 40. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

CANADA JOINS THE FIGHT AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE!

International, Opinion, U.S.

9/11 Remembered? Who will remember the thousands of U.S. troops killed in Iraq? Who will remember the more than 1 million Iraqis killed in a U.S. war started by lies?

11 September 2012

“The immorality of the United States and Great Britain’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, premised on the lie that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, has destabilised and polarised the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history…….They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand – with the spectre of Syria and Iran before us…….The cost of the decision to rid Iraq of its by-all-accounts despotic and murderous leader has been staggering…”-Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African activist and retired Anglican bishop, 01 September 2012

Approximately 3,000 people were killed on 11 September 2001 attacks on World Trade Center, in New York.

“I think that things have gotten so bad inside Iraq, my belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators.”-Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States, April 2003 Meet the Press interview

4,488 U.S. troops killed, and 100,000 U.S. troops wounded during invasion and occupation of Iraq.

More than 1.5 million Iraqis have been killed since the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Iraq had no connection to 9/11 attacks, Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, the Iraqi government (under Saddam Hussein & the current government) has always been opposed to al Qaeda, no Iraqi has ever been involved with terrorist attacks against the United States (apart from actions during the U.S. led 1991 war against Iraq, and the alleged assassination attempt against George Bush senior in 1993)!

Thousands of U.S. military personnel killed or wounded because of a lie!  Millions of Iraqis killed and wounded because of a lie! Was 9/11 a lie as well?

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Sharp makes deeper cuts than originally planned, blame the Too Big to Fail banks!

11 September 2012, Japan’s Sharp Corporation revealed that the economic situation is worse than they first thought.  They are now cutting wages, salaries and bonuses even more than they first planned.

Sharp will now layoff 5,000 employees by March 2013, the first time since the 1950s!

Workers will get a 5% cut in pay, up from the planned 3% cut.  Managers will get a 10% cut in salaries, on top of the 5% cut back in April!  In June bonuses were cut by 30%, and will be cut again under Sharp’s new plans.

The reason for the new and increased cuts is to hopefully make banks happy, as Sharp needs new huge loans to continue operations!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Global Food Crisis & What Economic Recovery? Despite record Ag exports, many East Idaho farmers being done in by drought more than a decade on! New version of Tale of Two Cities

10 September 2012, officially Idaho’s drought began in the Gregorian/Western/Christian calender year of 2000. It’s still on 12 years later!

According to the latest drought data, the Eastern Highlands of Idaho are in “severe drought”, while the Upper Snake River plain is suffering “extreme drought”.  The rest of Idaho is in moderately dry to moderately wet.

Across the United States, the worst drought in at least 50 years is helping to keep commodity speculators bidding high for the food we eat.

Click on pics to make bigger.

Recently a joint report by National Public Radio (NPR) and Idaho media sources, explained how the drought in Idaho is becoming a Tale of Two Cities.

In Idaho you have what’s called dry farming and irrigated farming. Dry farmers don’t have access to year round irrigation, they have to rely on rain.

Despite the 12 year drought, there’s still enough water in rivers and aquifers for the irrigated farms. Keep fingers crossed for more snow this winter!

The dry farmers are losing crops and money, the irrigated farms are growin’ big crops and makin’ big money.

Because of the panicking commodity speculators, crop prices are way up, and even though dry farms are losing out, overall crop production is up in Idaho: “We dumped 325 trucks yesterday which is roughly 175,000 bushels. That’s a lot of wheat.”-John Peake, superintendent General Mills grain elevators in American Falls, Idaho

Peake said the lack of crops from dry farms will have no impact on Idaho crop production, but it sucks to be a dry farmer: “I mean, being a dry land farmer in southeast Idaho is a tough deal. It was a windy year, it was hot early.  It was just a tough year to be a dry land farmer.”

So the moral of this tale is that while overall crop production might be down for the whole of the U.S., having plenty of farms with enough water to weather a drought means that the Idaho agricultural industry, overall, will benefit from the higher commodity prices.  No food shortage in Idaho, so far.