Tag Archives: u.s.

U.S.

On average, 18 U.S. veterans kill themselves everyday

“No more veterans should be compelled to agonize or parish while the government fails to perform its obligations.”-Stephen Reinhardt, Federal Judge

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to get its rear in gear.  It has been revealed in court that the VA is dragging its feet on helping military veterans with mental problems.

On average it takes four years for a veteran to get help with mental issues.  For vets who’re suicidal it takes two weeks before their first mental health appointment.

For years now the Department of Defense has reported on the record number of suicides of active duty personnel, and veterans.  Apparently the VA can’t deal with it.

 

International, U.S.

Lack of Death Drugs Forcing executioners to use drugs for animals and epileptics

“We oppose the death penalty in all cases and are clear that British drugs should not be used to carry out lethal injections.”-Vince Cable, British Business Secretary

Mississippi has joined the growing list of U.S. states forced to use drugs used to put down animals, to execute prisoners.  Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina have also begun using pentobarbitol.

The United Kingdom has already banned drugs sent to the U.S. for lethal injections.  Germany is pushing the European Union to do the same: “We have to make sure that no drugs from Germany or the EU will be used to carry out executions.”-Markus Loening, German Human Rights Commissioner

U.S. prisons can’t get their usual death drug, thiopentol sodium, because the only U.S. maker of the drug stopped making it in January.

Amnesty International says the only countries using lethal injections are China and the United States.

But prisons could also see a shortage of pentobarbitol, because the only FDA approved maker of it, Lundbeck, has publicly denounced its use for lethal injection in humans: “Lundbeck does not condone the use of [pentobarbitol] or any other product for capital punishment.”

Lundbeck officials say they have already sent letters of complaint to the states that are now using their drug to kill prisoners.  Lundbeck will now look at ways to blockade access to their drug by prisons.

 

International, U.S.

Japan tells U.S. get your Marines out of Okinawa

“There is no change in our policy to carry out the Japan/U.S. accord steadily.”-Yukio Edano, Chief Cabinet Secretary

On May 12, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, said Japan will stick to the plan.  This after U.S. Congressman reneged on a promise to move a USMC base on Okinawa.

For decades the people of Okinawa have wanted the removal of the Futenma Air Station.  One of the reasons has been the crimes, including rape, committed by U.S. Marines and sailors.  In 2006 the U.S. and Japan signed an agreement to move the air station.

One option was to merge the Marine Corps Air Station with the USAF Kadena base, also on Okinawa.  But even that plan is being questioned by U.S. Congressman.  The main issue is money, apparently the United States doesn’t have enough money to move an air base.

Fukushima

Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 3 still flooding ocean with Cesium!

Even after Tokyo Electric Power Company plugged a leak, Reactor 3 is still pouring water contaminated with cesium into the Pacific Ocean.

The water is pouring out of a pipe containing electrical cables, but officials still don’t know where the water is originating.  The latest tests of the ocean water showed cesium contamination at 620,000 times safe limits!

Fukushima

Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 1 springs mysterious leak, fuel rods fully exposed, melting!

Tokyo Electric Power Company says contaminated water is pouring from Reactor 1.  This after workers were finally able to enter the building and check gauges.  The gauges showed that despite hundreds of tons of water being injected, the water levels were low.

TEPCo suspected faulty gauges. Workers checked the gauges again, after more water was pumped in, and they discovered the water levels actually dropped.

Now officials are worried that the water could be pouring from a hole in the reactor itself.  When checked on the morning of 12 May, workers discovered the fuel rods fully exposed.   Water levels are a full meter (3.2 feet) below the rods!

TEPCo is pumping in water, but the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency believes rods have started melting.

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Argentina bans Smokeless cigarettes, U.S. FDA will treat them as real cigarettes

Argentina has banned smokeless cigarettes (aka electronic cigarettes), because there is no proof they help people stop smoking real cigarettes.

Electronic cigarette makers say their product is not dangerous, but Argentina says some of the aerosols used in the cigarette actually contain nicotine.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration lost a court battle to regulate the e-cigarettes as “drug delivery devices”.  Now the FDA says it will regulate the e-cigarettes as if they were real cigarettes.

Some U.S. states have banned smoking the e-cigarettes indoors, because they can contain nicotine.

It seems the makers of the electric cigarette don’t understand the problem with real cigarettes; they contain nicotine and are addictive.  So how can they claim you can quite smoking if their product contains nicotine?

International, U.S.

A Clue that U.S. plans on staying in Iraq & Afghanistan: Romania

On May 11, the President of Romania got a visit from USAF General Duncan J. McNabb.  Was it because the Romanian government agreed to let the United States base a “missile shield system” in their country?  No, it was because, in a quietly done deal, Romania agreed to be used as a transit point for troops and supplies going to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Two bases shall be used for the “multi-mobile” operations.  General McNabb thanked President Traian Basecue for the agreement.

President Basecue hinted at U.S. money for Romania: “I am thanking you for the attention granted to Romania’s infrastructure.”

If the U.S. is supposed to leave Iraq at the end of 2011, and then Afghanistan in 2012 (as originally stated), then why do they need to establish new “multi-mobile” (quoting Gen. McNabb) bases to support operations in those countries?

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

China gets to open factory in United States

Days after the U.S. and China signed an agreement to promise to work together, a Chinese company announces they will spend $161 million building an aluminum plant in the U.S.

Shandong Nanshan Aluminum company will open an extrusion plant in Lafayette, Indiana.  If there are no complications with the deal, they hope to start building the plant next year.  It could employ 150 people, and produce 40,000 tons of aluminum per year.

International

Gaddafi international man of mystery, Libyan TV says he is alive, NATO bombs again

Libyan state TV showed video of Gaddafi meeting with tribal leaders.

On April 30, Gaddafi’s youngest son, and three grand children were killed by a NATO airstrike.  Italian media has been speculating that Gaddafi was also killed, because he stopped making public appearances.

Libyan TV did not give a date for when the video of Gaddafi was made.  Hours after the video was aired NATO bombed Tripoli.