Fighting Over Debtors

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB, is preparing to launch under Chinese guidance. The USA (World Bank) and Japan (Asian Development Bank) have thus far resisted cooperating, piqued by expected operational overlap with the AIIB.

Japan is further irritated to be perceived a US flunky. Surely Japan's government continues to be a satellite to US government power -- but irritated when their subservience is on display.

Nature shows that apex predators don't play well together...

8 in the Back

A recent police shooting in South Carolina, USA, was recorded by a passerby: Walter L. Scott was killed by North Charleston police officer Michael Slager, who fired eight rounds as Scott tried to run away from a traffic stop.

Can many Americans claim surprise & shock?

The biggest surprise was that the person with the camera continued filming. Being nearby made him a target - maybe lucky the officer's weapon was then empty.

America's police expect obedience. They themselves are scared. If they mistakenly grab you, you still must obey and not resist. Sass 'em -- you may be killed.

You may be brutalized for no reason. Previously, Officer Slager was accused of unprovoked assault, but exonerated by his police department peers. (Justice hinges on what type of American claims damage -- and what proofs are offered -- that ain't changed from ages past).

Americans, taught their rights, are not taught how to survive partial lockdown of their local communities by law enforcement bullies. America needs citizen education courses on being rousted by cops. Anyone suddenly can be drawn into a deadly situation.

Everyday, Americans are trampled by public officials.
Learn to persevere. Obey the Law. Don't complain.
Live -- and protest later.

Welcome AIIB

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB, (亚洲基础设施投资银行 or 亚投行) is just now finishing its drive for founding membership (31 March 2015). Under first-stage leadership by China, those on-board as Founding Members include a large number of Asian & major Western nations, including the UK, Russia, Brazil, Egypt & Turkey. Many have communicated their application for membership in the closing days & hours.

Notably missing are the USA and Japan. The USA has been a critic of AIIB, though in past days has greatly moderated its opposition as American allies have increasingly ignored US disapproval and joined anyhow. (The USA itself may belatedly participate - see these news accounts: here and here).

It seems to be all about influence. The World Bank, for example, has 188 members (IBRD) but in the past was quite explicit about US influence on leadership: "Traditionally, the Bank President has always been a U.S. citizen nominated by the President of the United States, the largest shareholder in the bank. The nominee is subject to confirmation by the Board of Governors, to serve for a five-year, renewable term."  Recent World Bank explanations are less revealing: "Dr. Jim Yong Kim is the 12th president of the World Bank Group. He was selected by the Boards of Executive Directors for a five-year renewable term." [Kim is the 12th US citizen in a row appointed as President] Analysis of this US hegemony can be read here and here (links)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), with 67 members, has been largely controlled by Japan -- at least so far, as to date all nine Presidents have been Japanese.

So tall tales of "fair governance" concerns holding back Japan and the USA are weighty as wind from a peasant's backside. If the AIIB is dominated by China, the process of big-power influence will be nothing new...

For most of us little folk, and for the very poor who need help most, it doesn't much matter if the loans we're supplied (and the bosses who offer aid) are from the USA, Japan or China. More help needed !

Radionuclide Latte

The Fukushima nuclear plant is highly dangerous.

It's dangerously unstable. The Mark I containment structure and spent fuel rods are perched high up in the air on a damaged undercarriage. Another huge earthquake, perhaps even a small earthquake, could rupture the containment vessels, releasing huge amounts of radioactivity into the environment.

Fukushima tries containing their bad news, while they're not containing their radiation. Japan's nuclear disaster is compounded by four years of feeble site repairs. Stabilizing the disaster site is incomplete and inadequate.

Forget debates on how much now is leaking -- how many xray exposures received, and natural base radioactivity...

Japan has regular deadly earthquakes. The scale of a new accident could easily be massive, exposing tens of millions to painful early death. Nobody pretends Fukushima Daiichi is stable - it's not.

RUN !

Flush TPP down Toilet

Trans-Pacific Piracy, the TPP agreement, hugely threatens self-determination.

We're being forced to accept corporate controls. Elite negotiators secretly debate & covertly agree hidden binding rules, in a bold attempt at wide-ranging enslavement.

TPP institution will force communities and national governments to welcome encroachment or pay punitive damages. There's no choice but to accept monstrosities such as the Fukushima nuclear cyst.

A century from now, if society survives, they'll surely hate TPP.
Where's corporate leadership after meltdown?
Corporations evade any & all responsibility.

TPP:  From the devils corrupting Fukushima
TPP = Trans-Pacific Partnership

Holy Indiana

Rastafari can celebrate the advent of Indiana's "religious freedom law" (SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 101) by rolling a big spliff of sacrament. Congrats!

Accompanied Suicide

The recent Germanwings air crash in the French Alps is being described now as a deliberate act (link); the dead co-pilot had a "psychological illness" that reportedly caused the crash.

A similar crash in 1982 killed 24 people, when Japan Air Lines pilot Seiji Katagiri (片桐清二機長) dove his Flight 350 DC-8 (JA8061) into Tokyo Bay. JAL crew reportedly had been unwilling to work with senior pilot Katagiri due to his odd behaviour, so he typically flew with a quite junior crew who'd little or no choice. Captain Katagiri survived the crash; he was cleared of responsibility after being judged insane (心神喪失の状態にあった).

Katagiri's name is officially unmentioned now in Japan, maybe in respect to illness & privacy. In such case of diminished responsibility, Japan Air Lines seems all the more at fault. They had warnings of trouble, did little or nothing, and 24 people died. Very sad...

The world of work can be close to the edge. How many insane people are around us, and what should be done with them? Can trouble be identified before it erupts and kills?

TPP

Trans-Pacific Piracy

Big corporations seek to bind a dozen national governments to the new TPP agreement. The shackles will severely hurt non-corporate interests. We'll be chained to lobbyists and lawyers, taking away all possibility to regulate aggressive businesses.

Remember Enron? Bernie Madoff? They'd be given free entry everywhere, and when the flim-flam unravels, consumers and democracy forfeit all.

This is not a trans-pacific partnership, it's piracy. It makes us each a trans-pacific peon. Pee on.

You nations still not completely enslaved:
You're being tricked.  Wake UP.  Never accept TPP !
There's no "partner" in RAPE

Fiddle

Too often it seems our political economy shuts out the common citizenry: huge corporate interests manipulate our politicians and dominate community resources.

Imagine the worst?