Tag Archives: tea party

Waffling Republicans: Michele Bachmann; first a U.S. citizen, than a Swiss citizen, now what?

“I took this action because I want to make it perfectly clear: I was born in America and I am a proud American citizen. I am, and always have been, 100% committed to our United States Constitution and the United States of America.”-Michele Bachmann, Republican politician

Supposed U.S. patriot Michele Bachmann issued that statement after it was revealed that she became a Swiss citizen when she married her Swiss husband, back in 1978.

But according to POLITICO, Michele and her three youngest children became official Swiss citizens on March 19, 2012!  Becky Rogness, a spokeswoman for Michele, basically says Michele applied for the Swiss citizenship, because her children wanted it!

Now it appears the backlash from that revelation has become too much for the stand her ground republican, and she has officially asked the government of Switzerland to revoke her citizenship.

Weird Weather: Last week’s tornado strike on Japan was bigger than first thought, Super Cells spawn multiple tornadoes at the same time!

On May 6, 2012, Japan’s Kanto region was hit by tornadoes.  Now May 12, the Japan Meteorological Agency says the events were bigger than first thought.

One tornado hit Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures, leaving damage zone 31 kilometers (19 miles) long and 650 meters (403.8 miles) wide!  It is the second largest recorded path of destruction in Japan in the past 50 years!

Three other tornadoes hit on the same day, in Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures. The three tornadoes formed at the same time!

Japanese weather experts say a sudden and strong upward movement of air was generated by fast building clouds.  The Super Cells measured up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide!

 

World War 3: Even more U.S./NATO deaths. Yesterday’s drug bust report has been revised upward! Afghan army officers increasingly refusing to co-operate with Occupying forces illegal night raids!

May 12, 2012, ISAF revised the previous days report concerning a huge drug bust.

ISAF revealed that it was a series of drug busts taking place between May 8 and 10. The upwardly revised numbers are; “…6,600 pounds (3,000 kilograms) of hashish, 407 pounds (185 kilograms) of opium, 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) of poppy seeds and 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of morphine.”

As I’ve said before: “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).”

In Helmand Province, an Afghan army soldier was killed by an explosion.

In Badghis Province four Afghan cops were killed when their vehicle ran over a mine.

According to the Washington Post, Afghan army officers are refusing to conduct illegal night raids, despite demands by the United States!

“In the last two months, 14 to 16 (night) operations have been rejected by the Afghans. The U.S. has said, ‘This operation better be conducted. It’s a high-value target.’ Then, my people said, ‘It’s a high-value target. I agree with you. But there are so many civilian children and women (in the area).’ “-General Sher Mohammed Karimi, Afghan army

The Afghan army officers’ concerns over civilian casualties are proving to be justified.  The United Nations announced that the number of civilians killed or wounded has dropped 20% this year!  Gee, maybe the U.S. was intentionally targeting Afghan civilians?

ISAF reports that a U.S./NATO troop was killed in a non-combat incident in  southern Afghanistan.  However, ISAF also reported that three U.S./NATO personnel were also killed in southern Afghanistan; two when they were attacked by Mujahideen (Afghan police say a group of men wearing police uniforms attacked and killed the two U.S./NATO troops), and the third was killed by an explosion.

Here’s tid bits from ISAF’s 24 hour Joint Command morning operational update, for May 12, 2012:  In Kandahar Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “leader”.  They were attacked by Mujahideen.  ISAF claims two Mujahideen killed.

In Logar Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “commander”. They were attacked by Mujahideen.  ISAF claims three Mujahideen killed.

In Paktika Province, Afghan and occupying troops assassinated a “commander”, and one other person. They called in an airstrike on the “commander’s” house.

In Ghazni Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “leader”.  They report capturing one person and explosives.

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.”

 

 

 

 

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!

 

 

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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