Tag Archives: economy

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghan & Pakistan Taliban joining forces, will jointly attack U.S./NATO forces

Despite reports from Reuters, stating that the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are “at each other’s throats”, Japanese media are reporting that various ‘taliban’ groups have agreed to put aside differences to jointly target U.S. led forces.

Over the weekend representatives from Afghanistan’s and Pakistan’s Pashtun dominated Taliban (Mujahideen) groups met.  Japan’s NHK claims they talked with Mujahideen officials and were told they have decided to put aside their differences, and focus on fighting the U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistani Mujahideen agreed to back off of attacking Pakistani government forces, and, beginning in March, will help their Afghan cousins focus their fight against the U.S.

They’ve established a 5 member council to help co-ordinate their efforts.  This news comes after reports that the Afghan Taliban have accepted an offer from U.S. President Obama, and the government of pro-U.S. Qatar, to open a diplomatic office in Qatar.

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Government & Corporate Incompetence: Ohio suffering mass earthquakes, officials blame Fracking. Not the first time; Arkansas blamed Fracking on increased quakes back in July

“The earthquakes will trickle on as a kind of a cascading process once you’ve caused them to occur. This one year of pumping is a pulse that has been pushed into the ground, and it’s going to be spreading out for at least a year.”-John Armbruster, Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

On New Year’s Eve, Ohio had a 4.0 quake.  It’s part of many quakes the state has suffered since March 2011.  Now state lawmakers are banning the energy industry’s practice of Fracking.

Energy companies inject chemically heavy water, under extreme pressures, deep into the ground.  It releases natural gas from shale. The gas is used mainly for the oil industry’s hydrogen cracking process, which makes fuels cleaner burning.

For a long time it’s been claimed that fracking pollutes underground water sources, but the industry has successfully fought off such claims.  Another claim is that it could cause earthquakes.

Now, seismologists with the U.S. Geological Survey have testified to Ohio officials that the state’s unusual quake activity is directly related to fracking wastewater injection.

In July, the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission banned  fracking wastewater injection, because of increased earthquake activity.

Energy companies doing the fracking are taking their wastewater and injecting it deep into underground sand deposits, to get rid of it.  Scientists say the problem is that the companies have overshot the underground sand beds, and are basically pressurizing fault lines.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: China’s strong economy can not exist without outside supplies, like oil from Iran

Chinese officials reporting that their country is the biggest consumer of natural resources in the world, and most of those resources come from outside China.

Zhang Ping, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said China uses double the world average in energy (based on GDP).  Also, more than 50% of China’s petroleum and iron ore comes from other countries (like Libya and Iran in the case of oil).

Still, the amount of energy usage is far behind China’s incredible economic growth: Domestic economic growth averaging an annual rate of 11.2%, while energy consumption remains at 6.6%.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran warns it will take military action if U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Persian Gulf, U.S. Navy trying to instigate War

“…we are not in the habit of repeating a warning and we warn only once.”-Ataollah Salehi, Major General Iranian Army

January 3, a top Iranian General has made threats of military action against the USS John C. Stennis, saying the U.S. nuclear powered aircraft carrier can not return to the Persian Gulf.  As usual Western media is not explaining Iran’s side of the story.

Iran’s warning against the U.S. aircraft carrier came after it supposedly got too close to Iranian naval war games.  On top of that, the Iranians say the USS John C. Stennis made other threatening maneuvers by sailing right through a group of Forouzan oil platforms, and near Iran’s Farsi Island.

The USS John C. Stennis has reportedly left the Persian Gulf, and the Sea of Oman.  So far the USN has refused to comment.

 

U.S.

NAZI-land & the United Police States of America: Obama signs National Defense Act, now U.S. military can be used as police forces within the U.S., you could go to prison for life just for being suspected of being a terrorist, all in the name of National Security

“If you’re an American citizen and you want to help…destroy your own country, here is what’s coming your way.”- Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina

January 1, 2012, welcome to the new NAZI-land: The United Police States of America!  On December 31, President Barack Obama (the BS Peace Prize winner) quietly signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.

“This is a giant step, this should be the biggest news going right now, literally legalizing martial law…This is big. This step where they can literally arrest American citizens and put them away without trial….is arrogant and bold and dangerous.”–Ron Paul, U.S. Representative for Texas

The 2012 Defense Act gives the President of the U.S. (regardless of who is President) the authority to use active duty military forces to police the United States, in the name of fulfilling the September 18, 2001, Authorization for Use of Military Force law.  That law, signed by former President Bush Jr, was essentially a Congressional order given to the office of the President to conduct a War on Terror, after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

So, this new Defense Act not only provides the Defense Department with more than $600 billion in taxpayer dollars, but it expands the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force law to inside the United States.

It would “…permit the federal government to indefinitely detain American citizens on American soil, without  charge or trial, at the discretion of the President.”-Justin Amash, U.S. Representative from Michigan, one of five House Republicans who voted against the bill

It allows the government to imprison anyone that is suspected of being a terrorist, indefinitely, without being charged or tried in a court of law!  The clause in the new law is the old fail safe for control freak elitists who run this country: “National Security”.

President Obama (a graduate of Harvard Law School) claims he will not use the new law in an arbitrary way: “…I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens. Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation. My Administration will interpret section 1021 in a manner that ensures that any detention it authorizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war, and all other applicable law.”

Happy New Year!

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Some Hope for 2012: East Idaho finally gets its first two Carl’s Jr! Part of 51 store expansion!!!

December 31, 2011, and I just ate at the first Carl’s Jr burger joint in eastern Idaho! Love those Western Bacon Cheeseburgers (been eating them since the early 1980s!), and those luscious teriyaki burgers!

No more finding excuses to travel more than an hour to get Carl’s Jr.  Although I still have to drive 45 minutes to Idaho Falls, but pretty soon, I hope, there’s gonna be Carl’s Jr in the Pocatello area.  That’s according to a 2008 press release.

carl's jr

New Carl's Jr Resturant, Grand Teton Mall, Idaho Falls

One of the new east Idaho Carl’s Jr is located in the Grand Teton Mall parking lot, across from the Barnes & Noble.

There is a second Carl’s Jr in Idaho Falls, located at the intersection of Holmes and Northgate mile. I think they were a little overwhelmed; they were out of large size cups, and they just ran out of five dollar bills on the day I tried them out.

According to a 2008 press release eastern and southeastern Idaho will get five more Carl’s Jr by 2014.  The new restaurants will be spread from Pocatello to Idaho Falls.

carl's jr

Carl's Jr, Idaho Falls, Idaho

The new restaurants are part of a huge expansion by California based Carl’s Jr.  In December, 2008, Carl Karcher Enterprises announced they signed franchise deals for 51 new stores!  Those new stores will be concentrated in Nevada and Idaho.

East and southeast Idaho will get a total of six restaurants, southern Idaho (Twin Falls area) will get three, and the Boise area (southwest Idaho) will get three more on top of the stores already there.

I noticed east Idaho’s local media paid no head to the new Carl’s Jr, but was all over the new Chick-fil-A (I’ve eaten at a Chick-fil-A in Georgia, never again).

Mmmm, how many Chick-fil-A stores will open in east Idaho, oh just the one in Ammon? (I checked Chick-fil-A’s list of future store openings) Lets see, Carl’s Jr opening a total of six stores in east and southeast Idaho (as well as new stores in south and southwest Idaho), I can see who’s gonna be helping the local economy more.

(By the way you can print off coupons from the Carl’s Jr website)

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Foreign banks dumping U.S. Treasury Bonds

Late on December 30, the U.S. Treasury announced that the dumping of U.S. bonds, by foreign banks, continues and is accelerating.

Back in September the Treasury revealed a $56 billion drop in U.S. Treasury holdings by foreign banks, resulting in a 10 year yield of only 1.67%, the lowest yield since 1945!

Now, for December, an even bigger drop, by $69 billion!!! The result is that the 10 year yield on U.S. Treasuries ended 2011 below 1.9%.

Treasury Department officials also admitted that if it wasn’t for Japan buying up U.S. dollars and other Treasury securities (in August and October), the drop in 2011 foreign holdings would be even bigger!

And this despite the Treasury’s attempt to increase sales through their Operation Twist.  Operation Twist basically exchanges long term bonds for shorter term bonds.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: Voting with your wallet works; Verizon reverses $2 fee, GoDaddy does one eighty on SOPA

A day after announcing a $2 one time bill payment credit/debit card fee, Verizon reversed course after being flooded with thousands of complaints, and threats to cancel service.

However, Verizon officials are keeping such a fee in mind for the future: “At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers. Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time.”– Dan Mead, Verizon CEO

GoDaddy has been losing domain names ever since it voiced support for SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act).  According to one source, 32,000 websites, in 36 hours, were transferred away from GoDaddy’s service. Keep in mind GoDaddy lost thousands of domain names even after they publicly reversed course, now officially opposing SOPA!

One reason that GoDaddy is still losing customers is because it’s involved in rogue website/domain lawsuits, in which federal courts have been using GoDaddy to hold web sites that’re being challenged in court.  Most of those sites are being transferred, by court order, from Google and Yahoo to GoDaddy.  In many of these cases the accused never have their day in U.S. courts because they live in another country.

The lesson is that consumers, like voters, must never let their guard down.  Corporate America is not working for your best interest, they’re working for their best interest.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Egyptian police discover evidence of U.S. plot to destabilize their country, pro-U.S. Egyptian Army interferes

“The Secretary expressed his deep concern about the raids that took place on December 29 on the offices of American and other NGOs.”–George Little, Pentagon

On December 29, Egyptian police and court officials raided several non-governmental organizations (NGO), many supported with taxpayer dollars from the United States, on grounds they’ve been funding civil unrest in Egypt.

However, Egypt’s pro-U.S. military government stopped the raids after getting phone calls from U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson.

“…all international NGOs, including those that receive U.S. government support, (to) be able to return to normal operations as soon as possible…”-Victoria Nuland, U.S. State Department

The military government of Egypt has demonstrated they are the puppet of the United States, by their quick kowtowing to U.S. demands concerning U.S. taxpayer funded NGOs.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Corporate Deception: Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital gives campaign money to Romney and Barack Obama

You’d expect the company that Mitt Romney co-founded to fund his presidential campaign, but not to fund President Obama’s re-election bid, but that’s what is happening.

It’s been revealed that between January and September 2011, employees of Bain Capital officially gave Mitt Romney $84,500, and, they gave Barack Obama $27,500!

Not only that but so far this year, Bain Capital employees donated $123,200 to the Democratic National Committee.  Interestingly they’ve not donated any money to the Republican National Committee.  However, they did donate to a pro-Romney super PAC; $1.25 million!

To be sure, employees of Bain Capital, and other affiliated companies, have sent 75% of this years election campaign donations to the Republicans.  But, in the 2008 campaigns two thirds of their money went to Democrats!  Mmmm.

They say follow the money to get your answers, so if it matters who and where a presidential candidate gets their money from then it looks like Mitt Romney will be President.   After all, Bain Capital & Co supported Obama and the Democrats more than Romney in 2008, now it’s the other way ’round.

This is just more evidence that ‘our’ leaders are just two sides of the same coin.

Donation amounts compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Corporate Evil: SEARS & KMART CONNECTED TO ROMNEY’S BAIN CAPITAL! BAIN CAPITAL WORKING WITH CARLYLE GROUP!