Tag Archives: ows

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S./NATO troops killed. Explosions. Even more drugs found!

May 11, 2012, explosion reported near the airport in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province.

A fueler exploded before entering the airport compound.  Local police say the truck was rigged with explosives, and meant to be detonated once it got onto the airport grounds.

Jalalabad Airport is currently being used for occupying forces’ military purposes only.  The driver of the fuel tanker actually escaped!

In Helmand Province, eight people were killed in two explosions.  One explosion took place after a civilian vehicle ran over a mine, killing a family of seven, the other explosion took place after police arrived on the scene, killing one cop.

Two U.S./NATO troops were killed, one by an Afghan army soldier, the other by a Mujahideen ambush.  ISAF did not give any more details, however an unnamed Afghan official said the “friendly fire” incident took place in Kunar Province.

NATO and U.S. allied occupying countries have lost about 150 personnel since the beginning of 2012.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 11, 2012: Attempt to capture “facilitators” in Helmand and Zabul provinces.  Several Mujahideen captured.

In Helmand Province, an Afghan/U.S./NATO seek and destroy anti-drugs mission was ambushed by Mujahideen. ISAF claims several Mujahideen killed.  ISAF claims they found “…a drug cache containing 330 pounds of morphine base, more than 400 pounds of opium, 880 pounds of poppy seeds, and more than 2,000 pounds of drug-processing materials.”

 

 

 

 

International, Technology, U.S.

New even older Mayan calender found! No doomsday for 2012!

“The Mayan calendar is going to keep going for billions, trillions, octillions of years into the future…Numbers we can’t even wrap our heads around.”-David Stuart, University of Texas

Researchers from several universities have studied the most recent find of an ancient Mayan calendar, and concluded there is no “end of days” for 2012.

The calender was part of a mural painted on the wall of an ancient Mayan house.  The house was unearthed in Guatemala in 2010.  The archaeologists who uncovered the house (led by researchers from Boston University) said the wall calender reminded them of someone working out mathematical formulas on a makerboard (“whiteboard”).

Click here to see National Geographic pics.

Researchers did the math and realized that the Mayan wall calender (which could be at least 1,200 years old) projected astronomical observations well past the feared December 2012 date.

What is significant is that it appears that the Mayans who made the wall calender were dealing with mathematical formulas that are beyond today’s understanding!

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Greek Unemployment breaks Records! 60,000 companies went bust!

On May 10, 2012, the Greek Statistical Authority revealed that unemployment continued upward to record levels.

For February 2012, unemployment was at an official record high of 21.7%!

But wait, there’s more!  The reason for the record breaking unemployment was that 60,000 Greek companies went out of business in 2011!  60,000!

Greek business associations say another 60,000 could go bust in 2012!  They blame it all on the “austerity” cuts the Trilateral Commission control government is imposing upon the people of Greece.

On May 6, Greek voters voted to get rid of the U.S. based Trilateral Commission controlled ruling party, but now efforts to create a new government have stalled.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Econimic Recovery? Business profits down, tax collections down, government debt at historic high!

May 11, 2012, the Japanese government reporting that pre-tax profits of Japanese businesses dropped for the first time in the past three years.

For the Japanese fiscal year (which ends in March) 2011 there was a drop of in overall business profits by 13.3%.  This only concerns the 701 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The Japanese Finance Ministry also reports that the debt of the Japanese government is at a record high.  It is now at $12 trillion USD!

That’s an increase of $437 billion USD since last year.  It works out to about $90,000 USD for every Japanese citizen!

Officials blame everything on the rising value of the yen, which is being caused by the ongoing nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, and the lack of economic recovery in the United States.

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Panasonic reports record loses!

May 11, 2012, Panasonic reporting a record loss for the year ending in March.

Panasonic ended the Japanese year with a net balance of minus $9.8 billion USD, it’s the fourth straight year of loses for the electronics company!

Panasonic officials blame it on a huge drop in TV set sales.  In April, Sony and Sharp gave the same reason for their losses as well, and blamed it on the lack of recovery in the United States.

 

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

Oil & Gas Prices: U.S. gas reserves up. Iran allows private sector oil sales. OPEC says there is too much oil!

May 10, 2012, Iran announced the discovery of a huge oil field in the Caspian Sea.  The discovery was made while exploring a huge new gas field.

The gas field was discovered in December, and named the Sardar-e Jangal field.  It’s estimated to contain 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

May 9, 2012, Iran’s Oil Ministry is now allowing the private sector to sell up to 400,000 bpd to international customers.

The decision leaves the National Iranian Oil Company, as well as the Iranian central bank, out of any oil sales involving private sector companies. This means those private sector companies can avoid the U.S./European oil sanctions.

Despite U.S. led sanctions against Iranian oil, Turkey (a NATO member) actually increased oil shipments from Iran.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Turkey imported 270,000 bpd of Iranian oil in March. That’s more than double their February imports!

May 10, 2012, officials from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members are reporting that there is too much oil in the world markets!

OPEC reported that in April they pumped out 31.62 million barrels per day (bpd). According to Reuters, that’s 1.62 million bpd more than what OPEC intended.

Keep in mind that OPEC does not represent all oil producing countries in the world. Reuters reports that even non-OPEC members increased oil production in April!

However, OPEC, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), expect demand for oil to increase, especially since Japan has shut down all its nuclear reactors.

The U.S. EIA also reporting that natural gas supplies increased in the United States.  For the week ending May 4, U.S. natural gas storage is at 2.606 trillion cubic feet.  That’s 44.5% above the five year average. However, analysts expected it to be more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3: Cops & bombers killed. Drone crash. UN gives 60 vehicles to Afghanistan. Afghan war criminal begs NATO to stay. Prisoner swap deal for Idahoan?

May 10, 2012,  Logar Province, at least three U.S./NATO personnel wounded in rocket attack.  Also, another U.S./NATO recon drone has crashed in Logar Province.

A large co-ordinated suicide bomber attack has left at least six bombers and two Afghan police officers dead.

The attack took place against a government compound in Yahia Khel district, Paktika Province.  Afghan officials did not say that any of the bombers succeeded in exploding themselves, but that the deaths were the results of firefights between the Mujahideen and police.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 10, 2012: 17 tons of explosives found in Kandahar Province.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

In Uruzgan Province Mujahideen tried to ambush a Afghan/occupying force patrol.  ISAF says one Mujahideen was killed.

Operations to capture “leaders” took place in Paktika and Ghazni provinces.

May 9, 2012, General Zahir Azimi said the Afghan army is ready to begin phase 3 of security operations: “Several regions including cities and 230 districts across the country are going to be handed over to Afghan security forces. Afghan national army soldiers have the capabilities to take security lead in cooperation with the other security institutions.”

Phase 3 should take place in the next two weeks.  However, war criminal, and Afghan politician, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, is begging U.S./NATO forces to stay: “President Barack Obama should know that the Taliban group will resume civil war if U.S. and NATO decides for a rapid pullout of their troops from Afghanistan, and there will be no achievements despite efforts international community who have spent billions of dollars and have lost several soldiers.”

Dostum was involved in the murder of hundreds of “Taliban” prisoners in 2001 (known as the Dasht-i-Leili massacre).

May 9, 2012, the United Nations began delivering the first of 60 vehicles to the Afghan government: “I am very happy to announce that as part of our forthcoming donation of around 60 vehicles, we are starting the first round with our crucial partners of the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Justice.”-Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reports that 550 schools in 11 provinces, mainly for girls, have been closed because of the ongoing war!

The parents of the only known U.S. prisoner of the “Taliban” are demanding that President Obama include their son, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, in an upcoming prisoner swap deal.

Bergdahl is from Hailey, Idaho. According to the Idaho Mountain Express, his parents have become frustrated and are pushing for a swap deal for their son and Afghan prisoners in Guantánamo Bay.

“I’m pushing it hard. We started out by trying to encourage the Taliban to take care of our son…. Now, we’re worried that the government isn’t concerned enough to put him on the (negotiating) table.”-Bob Bergdahl

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? American’s making $150,000+ per year get financial aid!

Make more than $150,000 USD per year and want to send your brat to a expensive private grade school?  Just join the growing ranks of six figure earners who are actually applying for financial aid!

According to the National Association of Independent Schools, at least 20% of six figure earners apply for financial help to get their kids into a private grade school.

According to PrivateSchools.com, at least one fifth of private school students get “need based” financial aid.  Most of the schools provide the financial aid themselves, and there are also scholarships.

This is a pretty sad state of economic affairs when six figure earners can get private financial aid!

According to Chantal Stevens, national director of programs at A Better Chance, six figure earners are actually taking bigger hits to their incomes than lower income earners.  The non-profit group sees more and more minority upper middle class applicants every year: “Every year we see families with more means outpacing the families with less means. It’s not a pretty trend.”

What this means is that there is no economic recovery in the United States!

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Postal Service to cut operating hours, by as much as six hours per day! Northrop Grumman sues!

May 9, 2012, Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, is trying to alleviate concerns over the possible closing of 3,700 post offices, which were to begin in May.  Now the USPS will try to keep as many open as possible, by drastically reducing their operating hours.

The reduction of operating hours would also take place in post offices that are not slated for closing, as many as 13,000 post offices could see hours reduced by two to six per day.

The other option is the creation of Village Post Offices, which would replace the standard post office.  The Village Post Office would operate through a retail business such as WalMart, Walgreens, etc.

Of course Congress has to approve the new plans.

The USPS is also considering letting go any employee who is not protected by labor contracts, and they’re going to do another round of early retirement buyouts.

The Postal Service, which makes its money off the services they provide, not taxes, is facing an $11 billion USD future retirement pre-payment later in the year, as well as health payments.  There are some people who say the U.S. Treasury is actually using the money for other things.

In September 2011, National Association of Letter Carriers president, Fredric Rolando, said most of the blame is on Congress: “I’m here to tell you that the Postal Service is not broke. The Postal Service just needs access to its own money. And Congress needs to get busy and give them that access.”-PBS Newshour interview

He also pointed out that the USPS does not make its money from taxes: “The Postal Service actually has somewhere between $50 billion and $125 billion in their other funds that is not taxpayer money. They haven’t used a dime of taxpayer money in over 30 years! And the Congress just needs to act responsibly and quickly to give them access to that — those funds.”

Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe agreed: “Fred is exactly right around the issues that we have faced in the last few years. In that same time, we have been required [by Congress] to prepay employee retirement funding.”-PBS Newshour interview

Congress has made concessions, by releasing some Postal Service money, but requiring that the money be used only to reduce the number employees with early retirement buyouts!

The latest Senate bill would allow the USPS to use taxpayer money for the first time in 30 years.  The Senate bailout bill would give the Postal Service $34 billion in tax revenue.

To make matters worse, Northrop Grumman (the third largest USPS contractor) and the USPS are suing each other!

The dispute involves a 2007 automated mail processing contract.  Northrop Grumman says the USPS owes them $180 million USD.  The Postal Service says Northrop owes them $341 million!

They both claim the other failed to meet numerous contractual agreements.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Attacks not being reported by ISAF. Drug war designed to raise the price of Opium.

“The price hike will definitely pressure us a lot. The tendency towards cultivation will grow, it will create resistance, law and order issues, and it will raise the casualty rate.”-Zarar Ahmad Muqbel Osmani, Counter Narcotics Minister of Afghanistan

Anti-opium officials in Afghanistan report that a double whammy of poppy field burning by police, and a fungus that is destroying the plant’s ability to produce opium, is resulting in skyrocketing prices for the drug.

The fungus is attacking crops in Helmand, Kandahar and Farah provinces.  Ending opium production was one of the excuses for the continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, but the opposite has happened (as it always does where ever the U.S. takes over).

2011 saw a 61% increase in opium production under U.S. occupation.

May 8, 2012, Ghulam Gawas Malayar, the deputy provincial police chief of Farah Province, reports five of his police officers killed after they drove over a mine.

In Paktika Province four Education Ministry workers, and their bodyguard, were killed when their vehicle hit a mine, and then they were ambushed by Mujahideen.  The local education director was wounded.

In Logar Province two police officers were killed in a Mujahideen ambush.

None of these incidents were reported in Tuesday’s 24 hour report given by Afghan government and ISAF officials.  The incidents are being reported by local officials.

May 9, 2012, representatives from the 203 Thunder Brigade, Afghan army, say two of their troops were wounded by an explosion in Paktika Province.

And now for the ISAF 24 hour report (Joint Command Morning operational update) for May 9, 2012.: Once again more missions to capture “leaders”, this time in Kandahar, Helmand, Ghazni and Wardak provinces.

The statement said they captured several Mujahideen, but there was no indication that they actually captured the “leaders” they were going after  (Afghan government sources claim they captured the “leaders”).

In Helmand two big drug busts.  One weighing 470 kilograms (1,030 pounds), the other coming in at 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds).  You gotta wonder; ten years of supposedly fighting the drug trade in Afghanistan, and the result is an increase in drug trafficking!