Tag Archives: food

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Food Crisis: Hundreds of squid, and thousands of herring commit mass suicide!

“I’ve never seen anything like it!”-Hlynur Pétursson, Marine Research Institute of Iceland

15 December 2012, officials in Iceland reporting that tons of valuable herring committed mass suicide.

An estimated hundreds of tons of herring beached themselves over a one square kilometer area (0.62 square miles).  Preliminary investigation found no signs of disease.  A smaller mass suicide of herring, in Iceland, took place last December.

In Santa Cruz County, California, on 11 December 2012, hundreds of squid committed mass suicide.  Even attempts to put them back in the ocean failed, they just beached themselves again. The dead squid were spread out over 19 kilometers (12 miles) of beach, from Aptos to Watsonville.

Scientists said the squid were not full grown, and had just finished feeding (they had full stomachs).  Speculation is that anything from climate change to the accidental eating of poisonous algae is the cause.  Perhaps it was some kind of early warning of the 6.4 and 6.1 magnitude offshore earthquakes that occurred just a few days later?

For many people around the world, squid and herring are important food sources.

International, U.S.

2012: Return of mysterious dead birds. Oil company admits fault! New Bird Flu?

15 December 2012, an oil company operating in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska has admitted fault in the death of hundreds of migratory birds.

The Colorado based company, SM Energy, pled guilty to charges from the U.S. Attorney General: “These charges arose after a multi-year pattern of bird deaths at company sites, notification by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and failure of the defendant company’s subsidiary to take reasonable measures to make the hazardous sites bird-safe.”-Michael Cotter, U.S. attorney for Montana

The investigation revealed that birds were being killed by the oil company’s fluid pits, as far back as 2005.  SM Energy is to pay a paltry $22,500 fine.  Some of its subsidiaries have paid smaller fines. The money will go to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.

This perhaps explains years of mysterious bird deaths across the United States.  The birds come into contact with deadly oil production wastes in the fluid pits, then fly off to die.

However, cases of new bird deaths are popping up, around the world.

02 December, local Texas media reporting dozens of dead birds in McKinney. They reported that the birds were bleeding from their mouths: “By our count there are close to 50 dead birds, mostly Grackles, Starlings and Pigeons.”-NBC 5

02 December, India media reporting the “sudden death” of 38 cranes from a possible new strain of avian flu. It happened in salt pans close to Victor village in Rajula range of Amreli district.

At the end of November, officials in Missouri are baffled by the death of 100 birds in a road of a Springfield neighborhood.  Residents say some of the birds were still standing, yet none of the birds were found on grass or sidewalks.  They noted they seemed to be avoiding the powerlines.  One man claims he witnessed the deaths.  He says for some reason the entire flock of birds flew in front of a red pick up truck.  The pick up, and the vehicle behind, hit at least half the flock.

In October, 20 dead starlings were found outside a Saint Lawrence County, New York, home.  Officials determined they were poisoned, but have yet to identify the poison.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 01 – 04 December 2012. More illegal U.S. led night raids! Pakistan threatens military action in Afghanistan! Soldiers running over cops! Longest war in U.S. history!

04 December 2012

In Balkh Province, the people of Chahar Bolak district said U.S. led forces conducted an illegal night raid, which led to the men and women of 15 families being separated from each other, and then the women were raped!

Amnesty International says the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan has resulted in at least half a million people living in refugee camps.  The camps are not equipped to deal with cold winter weather:  “We are in dire need of help, the weather is getting cold but we don’t have blankets, fuel, and warm clothes. I don’t know how to keep my children warm.”-Shahzada Khan, refugee who fled Laghman Province because of the violence caused by the presence of U.S. led forces

Afghan government leaders are angry over statements made by Pakistan’s Interior Minister.  Pakistan is now accusing Afghanistan of being the home base for terrorist operations in Pakistan: “…if they do not halt their terrorist activities in Pakistan…..We will reply if there is any activity from Afghanistan…”-Rahman Malik

Afghan Interior Minister, Mojtaba Patang, criticized Afghan National Police (ANP) saying the ‘national’ police units are totally influenced by local politics: “Our police forces have been linked with the political and other groups, they are not national police forces. Issues are created by regional police forces. They are supporting the crime intentionally or unintentionally in their areas where they belong to and are performing duties in the same areas.”  

03 December 2012

In Nuristan Province, the deputy district governor and chief of intelligence were killed and six cops wounded, after Mujahideen attacked the building they were in.

In Paktia Province, in Masto village, an Afghan National Army troop ran over and killed a policeman.

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

In Uruzgan Province, five people killed, nine wounded, by an explosion near the local Afghan Intelligence Department in Tarinkowt city.  The explosion was the result of a remote detonated motorcycle bomb.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, say 10,500 people die from tuberculosis every year in Afghanistan.  In a round-a-bout way they blamed the U.S. occupation.

02 December 2012

In Farah Province, locals in the Gulistan district say U.S. led forces raided homes and kidnapped several people.

In Nimruz Province, local government officials say the U.S. struck a suspected Mujahideen home, killing three people.

In Nangarhar Province, Mujahideen attacked the Jalalabad airbase.  According to local government officials, five suicide bombers attacked at once, then firefights broke out.  Some reports say as many as 18 people killed, 40 wounded. Other reports say the Mujahideen made it onto the airbase complex.  ISAF would only say that there were “…multiple explosions in the vicinity of Jalalabad airport.”

Former Afghan Central Bank Chief, Abdul Qadir Fitrat, said government officials were involved with the collapse of Kabul Bank.   Billions of USD were withdrawn or issued as fraudulent loans.  Several reports say the money went to people in other countries and at least 19 individuals and companies in Afghanistan.  Fitrat says no one has yet to be arrested, and even accused the President of being involved: “In Afghanistan we have president who is acting over the law who is not prepared to be inquired regarding the monetary crime which has been committed by himself and family members.”

01 December 2012

In Paktia Province, in Kahiar Kot district, locals say a U.S./NATO transport plane crashed killing everyone on board.  Locals say it looked like the plane was having technical problems. No word from ISAF.

In Uruzgan Province, a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle killing three people and wounding four others. Also, locals from Char Chino district say U.S. led forces attacked them, killing four people and kidnapping two others.

Deputy Afghan House Speaker, Haji Zahir Qadir, apologized for the beating his body guards gave to a Afghan cop.  The incident took place near a U.S. military base in Wazir Akbar Khan area, right after a suicide bombing.  Apparently the cop thought the body guards were Mujahideen and tried to attack them.

The Afghan government is now investigating the creation of an official provincial Mujahideen Council, in Herat Province. It was formed a few months ago, and involved redistributing captured Mujahideen weapons back to the Mujahideen.  The stated goal of Herat’s Mujahideen Council is to unite all local Mujahideen groups into one powerful organization, that works similar to the U.S. state run National Guard.  One national government official says Herat officials have misused funding for water and energy projects to create the Mujahideen Council.

German defense officials announced they will close down two of their Afghan bases in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces, sometime in 2013.

The United States Senate has voted, 62 to 33, to accelerate the pullout of U.S. troops: “It is time to end this war, end the longest war in United States history!”-Jeff Merkley, Senator from Oregon

Fukushima

Government Incompetence: Radiation decontamination of cities a big fail in Japan!

04 December 2012, more than a year after the GE designed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor disaster began, decontamination of residential areas isn’t anywhere near completion.

Japan’s Environment Ministry released the results of their study of the progress of radiation cleanup.  More than 80% of homes have not been decontaminated!

Of nearly 100,000 homes picked for decontamination only 18% have been cleaned up.

69% of educational facilities were cleaned up, as well as 51% of roads.   Only 38% of parks and sports facilities have been decontaminated.

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 27 – 30 November 2012. Britain refuses to hand over prisoners! New U.S. general in Afghanistan? Unknown disease kills fast, chemical warfare? Georgia sending more troops! More evidence of international tax money laundering!

30 November 2012

In Ghazni Province, at least four people killed, one wounded, after they drove over a landmine.

United Kingdom is refusing to hand over prisoners to Afghan control.  British say it’s because they suspect the Afghan security officials will torture the prisoners (kettle calling the pot black).  This comes after President Hamid Karzai ordered the execution of dozens of suspected Mujahideen held in Afghan controlled prisons.

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee is backing the appointment of USMC General Joseph Dunford Junior, to take over command of ISAF in Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, confirmed that U.S. personnel will stay in Afghanistan past the official 2014 pull out, but refused to say how many: “The fundamental mission in Afghanistan is to establish an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself and ensure that al Qaeda never again finds a safe haven within Afghanistan from which to conduct attacks on the United States or any other country.”

In Faryab Province, fighting going on in Almar district.  At least two Mujahideen killed by airstrikes, and one U.S./NATO armored vehicle destroyed by landmine.

29 November 2012

In Baghlan Province, two people have died and at least five people are sick with an unknown disease in Uruzngan village in Deh-Salah district.  Locals say those who died did so within ten minutes of showing symptoms: “One of my relative died after receiving a short shiver and another neighbor died within 10 minutes from the same disease.” (nerve agent?)

In Uruzgan Province, ten people killed and eight wounded after a bus ran over a landmine.

In Helmand Province, U.S./NATO launched heliborne operations in Kajaki district’s Loe Manda area.  The battles lasted from the morning until midnight.  U.S./NATO forces retreated. Mujahideen at first said one of their own was killed, but later said they suffered no casualties. Also, in Nawzad district Mujahideen claim they destroyed a Georgian tank with multiple rocket propelled grenades (RPG).

28 November 2012

More scandal for the Kabul Bank.  After it was revealed that international customers have withdrawn billions in cash from the Afghan bank, a new report shows that bank employees helped 19 individuals and companies take as much as $861 million USD in fraudulent loans (92% of all loans issued), in what the International Monetary Fund called a Ponzi scheme.

In Kandahar Province, at least seven people wounded after a suicide bomber exploded his motorcycle.  The bomber was killed.

In Helmand Province, four people killed after they drove over a landmine.

In Badghis Province, three Afghan National Army personnel killed, four wounded, after they drove over a landmine.

U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, has resigned.  The reason given was that he wanted to “…return to private life”.

The country of Georgia revealed they have increased the number of troops in Afghanistan. They currently have 1,570 personnel in country, which is about double what they originally offered to send. According to Georgian Minister of Defense, Irakli Alasania, they are willing to send more if the U.S. requires, and they will remain past the official 2014 pull out.

27 November 2012

In Herat Province, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) reports one of their drones crashed while on recon mission in Mujahideen territory.   Mujahideen say they did not shoot it down, that it crashed because of technical problems.

ISAF reports that 250 U.S./NATO bases have been turned over to Afghan government forces.

In Baghlan Province, local elections resulted in cop on cop firefights.  Police loyal to outgoing district security chief attacked police loyal to the newly elected district police boss. Local officials say at least two people killed, several wounded.

In Uruzgan Province, officials from Char Chino district report that U.S./NATO forces raided local homes in the Kakarki, Gohergeen and Nojoi areas. One man was killed, another wounded.

The government of Germany says Afghanistan is not ready for U.S./NATO pull out in 2014.  In the Afghanistan Report, Germany says too many Mujahideen remain operational, and there has been no efforts at reconciliation (blame the U.S. and even U.S. based NGOs for that).    Germany is planning on giving the Afghan government the equivalent of $558 million taxpayer dollars every year until the year 2016  (not counting the taxpayer funds going directly to Afghan security forces).

 

 

Fukushima, International

26 years later: Chernobyl expected to remain a threat for the next 100 years, at least! Warning for worse things to come from Fukushima Daiichi!

29 November 2012, two days ago workers in Ukraine raised steel arches over the entombed Chernobyl reactor: “This is a very significant milestone, which is a tribute to the ongoing commitment of the international donor community, and an important step towards overcoming the legacy of the accident.”-Suma Chakrabarti, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Those new steel arches weigh 5000 metric tons (5,511.5 tons), and are 22 meters (72 feet) tall!  The steel container won’t be finished until 2015.  It’ll weigh 20000 metric tons (22,046 tons) and is designed to allow ongoing decontamination work for the next 100 years!

26 years ago the Soviet designed reactor melted down, and it’s still spewing radiation.

The Soviets slammed Chernobyl with tons of concrete, sand and boric acid.  The impromptu concrete tomb was breaking down and a new one was built.  But even that one is breaking down, so a new massive steel tomb is being built, hopefully to contain the radiation for the next century.

Now realize that Chernobyl is only one reactor, with no spent fuel storage, and Japan’s General Electric designed Fukushima Daiichi melt down disaster involves at least four damaged reactors with four spent fuel pools that contained hundreds of fuel rods, each.

Initially Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) said they could have Fukushima Daiichi cleaned up by July 2011!!!  In December 2011 the Japanese government published their own report, saying cleanup will take at least 40 years, TEPCo downplayed the government report.  Then in March 2012, TEPCo admitted that reactors actually melted down.  Now, at the beginning of November 2012, TEPCo is admitting that clean up will take much longer, and they’ve even doubled their estimated cleanup and compensation costs from $62.5 billion USD to $125 billion!

Business/Economics, Opinion, U.S.

Corporate Evil: After blaming Unions for their shut down, Hostess now wants to pay out big bonuses to their execs! Shut down really part of Romney style crony vulture capitalist plan!

29 November 2012, gee after saying they didn’t have the money, and blaming unionized labor for the shut down of Hostess, suddenly they’ve got the bucks to pay bonuses to their incompetent executives!

Hostess officials are asking a bankruptcy judge to approve the paying out of $1.8 million USD in bonuses to their 19 executives.  Company officials say it’s necessary to keep the execs on board until they finish selling off their brands.

It’s starting to look like the running into the ground and eventual shut down of Hostess is really a Romneyesque vulture capitalist plan to chop up and sell the company off.  Hostess officials say there are more than 100 potential buyers chomping at the bit.

Hostess product sales were down, but last week a company official told the bankruptcy judge they still had $2.3 billion in sales last year!

So 18,500 people lost their jobs, and Hostess wants to pay $1.8 million in bonuses to 19 executives, that’s about $94,736 each (if my math is correct).  And those execs are still being paid big salaries as well; for example, CEO Gregory Rayburn has a monthly salary of $125,000!

I don’t think the Hostess shut down is about not having enough money.

 

 

International

Breaking news: Israel breaks ceasefire, wounds five Gazans, kidnap fishermen, sinks their boats!

“In a new violation of the ceasefire, the Zionist enemy arrested nine citizens and sunk several boats in the sea off the northern Gaza Strip!”-Islam Shahwan, Hamas

28 November 2012, typical of Israel, they are always the ones who break agreements, despite what the Israeli controlled U.S. media says!

According to Palestinian/Gazan medical reports Israeli troops open fired on people near the al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza.  Four Palestinians wounded.

In an area north of the refuge camp, another person was shot and wounded by an Israeli soldier.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) say they shot at people who were approaching a border fence “acting violently”, even though those people were not armed.

IDF navy also kidnapped nine Palestinian fishermen from Gaza, and then sunk their fishing boats.

Palestinians in Gaza consider this a violation of the ceasefire agreement, but are giving Israel a chance if they release the kidnapped fishermen.

U.S.

U.S. West Nile virus update, 21 November 2012: No end in sight? Health officials incompetent?

“As of November 20, 2012, 48 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 5,207 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 234 deaths….”-U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In Louisiana, 15 new human cases and one death in the past week: “Not only do we continue to find more cases….we have three parishes reporting their first human cases of West Nile for the year. Clearly, this virus remains a threat, and it’s important to protect your health and avoid mosquito bites even as the weather gets colder and drier.”-Bruce D. Greenstein, Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals

In Florida, health officials with the Alachua County Health Department are now saying the three people that tested positive for West Nile, when they tried to donate blood, actually tested negative!  But officials with the Duval County Health Department say they’ve confirmed two more people have West Nile virus.

As of 21 November, California reports 424 human cases, 16 people have died.  According to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division, another dead bird tested positive.

Pennsylvania reporting at least 49 human cases.

On 19 November, Texas confirmed 1,763 human cases, up nine from last week.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Warmonger Obama orders 3 USN ships to Gaza!

Even while U.S. President Barack Obama was warning against any “ramping up” of military action between Israel and Gaza, he ordered three assault ships to reverse course and head back to the Mediterranean.

Amphibious assault ships United States Ship Iwo Jima, USS New York and USS Gunston Hall were halfway home when Obama made the order this past weekend.  There are an estimated 2,400 Marines and 2,000 sailors aboard the ships.

The ships were at the end of a six month deployment.  It’s assumed they are to be used to evacuate U.S. citizens in Gaza or Israel.