Tag Archives: wall street

International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: South America gettin’ riled ’bout Julian Assange. Bradley Manning international hero!

“Inside this embassy in the dark, I could hear teams of police swarming up into the building through its internal fire escape……. If the U.K. did not throw away the Vienna Conventions the other night, it is because the world was watching.”-Julian Assange, 19 August 2012 statement from Ecuadorian embassy in London

“We are continuing to seek a diplomatic solution. We remain ready to continue the conversations we have had, but that is now a question for the Ecuadorians.”-British government statement

“We warn the government of the United Kingdom that it will face grave consequences around the world if it directly breaches the territorial integrity of the embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in London!”-Bolivian Alliance for the People of Our America

“I ask President Obama to do the right thing. The United States must renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks. The United States must dissolve its FBI investigation. The United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters. The United States must pledge, before the world, that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the secret crimes of the powerful!”-Julian Assange, 19 August statement from Ecuadorian embassy in London

“We believe this is a bilateral issue between Ecuador and the United Kingdom and that the OAS [U.S. created Organization of American States] has no role to play in this matter.”-U.S. State Department statement

“They’re [United Kingdom] out of touch. Who do they think they’re dealing with? Can’t they see that this is a dignified and sovereign government which will not kneel down before anyone?”-Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador

“And to the [U.S.] Army private who remains in military prison in Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, who was found by the United Nations to have endured months of tortuous detention in Quantico, Virginia, and who has yet, after two years in prison, to see a trial, he must be released.  Bradley Manning must be released!  If Bradley Manning did as he was accused, he is a hero and an example to all of us, and one of the World’s foremost political prisoners.  Bradley Manning must be released! On Wednesday Bradley Manning spent his 815th day on detention without trial. The legal maximum is 120 days!”–-Julian Assange, 19 August statement from Ecuadorian embassy in London

“This is a sort of declaration of war. The U.S. has degenerated into a rogue state. What the U.S. wants, the U.S. gets from its allies, regardless of if it’s legal or if it’s ethical or in breach of human or legal rights. We’re all lackeys.”-Christine Assange, mother of Julian Assange

“This is not a bilateral dispute between two countries, it is about respect for international law, respect for humanitarian law and respect for embassies and diplomatic corps!”-Nicolás Maduro, Chancellor of Venezuela

“This Friday, there will be an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of Latin America, in Washington DC, to address this very situation.”-Julian Assange, 19 August statement from Ecuadorian embassy in London

“Britain….is wrong. The threat is not only an aggression to Ecuador, it’s against Bolivia, it’s against South America, against the whole of Latin America!”-Evo Morales, President of Bolivia

“To my family, and to my children who have been denied their father: Forgive me, we will be reunited soon.”-Julian Assange, 19 August statement from Ecuadorian embassy in London  (see video of speech here)

International, U.S.

World War 3: South America’s ALBA issue declaration against United Kingdom, in support of Julian Assange

IX Declaration of the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America) Political Council

1. We reject intimidation threats uttered by government spokesmen in the U.K. of Great Britain for violating the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, and the principles of international law.

2. Categorically reaffirm our support for the sovereign right of the Government of Ecuador to grant diplomatic asylum to citizen Julian Assange.

3. We express our opposition to the U.K.’s position of trying to resolve in a manner contrary to international law, disputes with the nations of the world, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean.

4. We support the request for the invitation of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to discuss the hostile position of the Government of the United Kingdom against the Government of the Republic of Ecuador, and set a clear position of support for Ecuador.

5. We believe in promoting relevant United Nations a broad debate about the inviolability of diplomatic premises and full respect by all States of the principles of international law.

6. We warn the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain about the serious consequences that would be triggered worldwide, in case of a direct attack on the territorial integrity of the Republic of Ecuador in London.

7. We call on all governments in the world, Social Movements, the intelligentsia, to oppose this new claim of the British Government to impose by force its will on sovereign nations of the World.

8. We promise to do our best to give the widest publicity with this declaration.

Members of ALBA: Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, Dominica, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Antigua & Barbuda.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

LIBOR: Japan orders investigation

17 August 2012, the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) ordered an investigation into TIBOR, or Tokyo Inter-Bank Offered Rate.

It’s a system similar to Britain’s LIBOR, and tries to regulate interest and currency rates.

18 financial institutions in Japan have been ordered to reveal their TIBOR operations. Specifically the FSA is looking for evidence that bank employees unfairly manipulated rates.  FSA is concerned about the credibility of the TIBOR system.

The Japanese Bankers Association gave an immediate response to the order, saying their were no TIBOR irregularities, despite the European and U.S. investigations into TIBOR.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Ecuador to pursue legal action against Britain, over Julian Assange asylum

17 August 2012, Ecuadorian presidential staff adviser, Alexis Mera, announced: “We are open to discuss with Britain the solution to this problem, and if there is no diplomatic solution, we may resort to the International Court of Justice.”

Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patino, also said that the Swedish sex crimes trial is just a ruse, that Assange would be handed over to the United States as soon as he arrived in Sweden. This qualifies Assange for protection under the “fair trial” clause of the internationally accepted (excepted for the United Kingdom) asylum rules.

“They have to comply with diplomatic and legal obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and respect the sovereignty of a country that has granted asylum.”-Baltasar Garzon, Assange legal team

Fukushima

One Year Later: Japan to create Temp Towns to house victims of Fukushima Daiichi

17 August 2012, people forced to flee their homes, because of the General Electric designed nuclear disaster reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, have been living in temporary prefab homes.  Now the Japanese government wants to know if they will accept living in ‘temporary’ towns as well.

A year ago the ignorant Japanese government told nuclear evacuees that they’d be returning home in a few weeks or months.  It’s finally become clear to the exalted leaders that radiation contamination could last years. Some areas will exceed 20 millisieverts per year for at least a decade!

The Japanese government admits they are now considering the wishes of the evacuees for the first time!  At least 15,000 people can never go back to their homes, and the government says it is willing to build new villages for the victims.

 

Idaho, Opinion, U.S.

Government Incompetence: U.S. Army suicide rate doubles in July! Suicide now kills more troops than combat!!!

16 August 2012, the United States Army says the suicide rate for active duty, reserve and National Guard troops has now surpassed the 2011 high. July 2012 suffered 38 suicides, double from the month of June 2012!  That’s more than one soldier per day!!!

The monthly average is now at 29 suicides.  2011 ended with an average of 23 suicides per month.

The majority of suicides are those troops with combat experience. July was also a record high for active duty troop suicides.

In June dumb ass Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said: “That is an epidemic, something’s wrong.”

No shit Sherlock!  It’s called unjustified War on Terror, police stateism, economy down the toilet!

Things are so bad that earlier in the year the Idaho National Guard demanded that the state re-open a closed suicide hot line (the patriotic Republican state leaders closed it down claiming a lack of funding)!

General Lloyd J. Austin III gave the same bull shit comment I’ve always heard about preventing suicide: “To combat it effectively will require sophisticated solutions aimed at helping individuals to build resiliency and strengthen their life coping skills.”

I’ve heard that rhetoric since the 1980s!  What they really want are troops that are like the compliant monkeys of Japan: Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

But the more our leaders (Republicans, Democrats, religious & unAmerican Corporate America) betray our Constitution, screw over the families of troops by destroying the economy, ship jobs overseas, use prison labor instead of law abiding workers, religious hypocrisy, etc, the more those who join the military to supposedly fight for the American Dream are going to become disillusioned and turn to suicide, or something else (remember Bronze Star awardee Timothy McVeigh?)!

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Nuclear Disaster Reactors: Damage to Belgian reactor impossible to repair?

16 August 2012, after an emergency meeting was held, officials decided it was likely that the Doel nuclear plant in Belgium will be shut down permanently.

But this means dozens of other nuclear reactors throughout western Europe could be shut down as well.  The whole thing started in 2004 when France inspected two reactors and found perpendicular micro-cracks in the containment vessels.

The perpendicular cracks were not from age, but had been there from day one. It was a design flaw!

Belgium decided to check their reactors, since they were the same design, and found even more micro-cracks. The boss of Belgium’s Federal Agency of Nuclear Control told the emergency meeting that they found “something else”; thousands of parallel cracks as well as the perpendicular cracks.

The defects are so numerous that Belgium officials say it is unlikely they can be repaired.  Belgium will shut down two reactors, and continue investigations. A final report will be presented in October.

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 15 Aug – 16 Aug. Black Hawk down, 11 dead! First Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of attcking them, now they blame Iran! NATO says most military contractors are corrupt!

16 August 2012

ISAF said: “An ISAF helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan today. The crash resulted in the deaths of four International Security Assistance Force service members, three United States Forces-Afghanistan service members, three members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan civilian interpreter.”

Mujahideen stated: “Our Mujahideen shot down an ISAF helicopter in Chenarto area of Shah Wali Kot district in Kandahar province at around 11:00 am (0630 GMT).”

In Faryab Province, a firefight broke out between villagers and local police.  Two of the villagers are accused of raping an eight year old girl. The police were trying to arrest them. The villagers are also begging the Mujahideen not to execute the two men accused of rape.

In Maidan Wardak Province, a senior security official was killed while trying to defuse a bomb.

In Baghlan Province, seven Afghan government soldiers were killed, two wounded, when they drove over a mine.

The Afghan parliament is now blaming Iran for coordinated suicide attacks in Nimroz Province.

15 August 2012

ISAF stated: “A U.S. Forces-Afghanistan service member died following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”

ISAF also stated: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan.“

In Herat Province, a bicycle bomb exploded, wounding at least 20 people.

A report by U.S. led NATO says most military contractors are corrupt. General Ricky Waddell revealed that dozens of contractors are under investigation, and some are already facing prosecution.  The cases involve both Afghan contractors, and contractors from other countries.

The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan stated they will work with each other to find out who is responsible for ongoing artillery attacks, being launched from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

In Kunduz Province, an alleged suicide bomber was killed by U.S. troops.  Local government officials claim the suicide bomber was targeting a bus full of cops.

In Badakhshan Province, Mujahideen ambushed an Afghan government border patrol.  Two top border patrol commanders were killed, along with two other border patrol troops. Three border patrol troops were wounded.

In Kabul Province, a fire destroyed a warehouse with $2 million USD worth of electrical equipment.  Local government officials say the fire was caused by a wildfire.

In Khost Province, Mujahideen claim they attacked a U.S. base. ISAF has not confirmed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

World War 3: Assange granted asylum in Ecuadorian embassy, Britain virtually declares war! Removes diplomatic status of embassy, bully bobbies preparing to storm embassy!

“We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so. The United Kingdom does not recognize the principle of diplomatic asylum.”-William Hague, United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary

“We can’t allow spokespeople from the U.K. to gleefully say they have been honest when they have threatened us in such a way!”-Ricardo Patino, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister

“It was not Britain or my home country, Australia, that stood up to protect me from persecution, but a courageous, independent Latin American nation. While today is a historic victory, our struggles have just begun. The unprecedented U.S. investigation against Wikileaks must be stopped. While today much of the focus will be on the decision of the Ecuadorean government, it is just as important that we remember Bradley Manning has been detained without trial for over 800 days!”-Julian Assange, statement made from Ecuadorian embassy in London

16 August 2012, after days of rumors that Ecuador was prepared to grant Julian Assange asylum, it’s now official.  But the United Kingdom won’t have any of it!

“…the British ought to just back off, and the U.S. ought to just back off! He has a legal right to asylum under the refugee convention. Under the UN declarations, there cannot be any adverse consequences for countries granting asylum. It’s considered a humanitarian act. And for the British to say that they’re going to go into the embassy and get out someone who’s been granted asylum would turn the refugee convention and asylum completely on its head. It’s unheard of. As far as I know, it’s never been done before that you’ve gone into an embassy to pull out someone granted asylum. The British are only doing this as bullies, bullies most likely for the United States!”-Michael Ratner, attorney

After Ecuador confirmed they were granting Assange asylum the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office sent a note to their embassy in London, saying Britain will invoke their Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, removing diplomatic status for the Ecuadorian embassy.  Politically, that could be seen as an act of war.

“Julian Assange has been under such incredible pressure, with the threats to go in and get him, with prosecutions by the U.S., etc., that this is an incredibly courageous move by Ecuador. I mean, you have to think about it. Julian Assange, in doing what he and WikiLeaks did, stood up to the great powers of the world. And now you see Ecuador, again, standing up to the great powers.”-Michael Ratner, attorney

There are reports that people are gathering outside the Ecuadorian embassy, to interfere with any attempt by British police to storm the embassy.

Sweden has summoned the Ecuadorian ambassador to explain why they want to stop Assange from being extradited for alleged sex crimes in the Scandinavian country. The real question is why is Sweden, United Kingdom and United States so adamant about having someone prosecuted for alleged sex crimes?  I mean, Britain is willing to basically declare war on Ecuador!  This is proof that the information Wikileaks has on the British and U.S. governments is factual, and damaging, and people should be paying attention to it!

A friend of Assange pointed out that Ecuador offered to let Swedish investigators question Assange in the embassy, but Sweden refused.  Yet, Sweden was willing to question alleged murderers in other countries embassies: “They have interviewed an alleged murderer in Serbia but they choose not to come to London to interview Julian Assange. I think that’s very disappointing.”-Vaughan Smith

Occupy Wall Streeters are reportedly going to protest outside the British consulate in New York city.

International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: NATO member Turkey deploys new SP anti-aircraft tanks to border with Syria

15 August 2012, one day after holding what was officially called ‘war games’ near the border with Syria, Turkey is now deploying Atilgan self propelled anti-aircraft missile batteries to the border.

The Atilgan is a Turkish designed Pedestal Mounted Air Defence System (PMADS) firing U.S. designed Stinger missiles. The PMADS is mounted on a U.S. designed M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC).

It’s interesting that even the Turkish media said yesterday’s war games were actually show of force preparations against Syria.

There are also reports that Turkey is expanding their air force operations at Sazgin Airport.  The same airport was used for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Also, on 13 August the Turkish government held emergency meeting regarding Syria.  The meeting included local government leaders from towns along the border with Syria.