In watching the video below it is demonstrated the soldiers know exactly what they are doing. There are no mistakes. The soldiers are well trained.

They use RPGs to drive any opposition back. Once that is done to their satisfaction, they look for opportunity to move forward with rifles to clean up what the RPGs didn't kill. Then the soldiers just move on to the next row of homes or another village. I looks as though they are taking villages a street at a time. Block by block.

There is a reason Putin pulled it's navy from Syria. He had made other plans. He knew NATO would not simply allow Russia to march across the former Soviet states. He needed to intimidate Europe.

The sanctions matter, but, if the allegations of genocide prove out, then Putin and his military already has a price on their heads. Life is more important than money.

The occupation of Ukraine by Russia has been taking place for some time now.

Staunton, October 16 – Citing the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty (click here) between Moscow and Helsinki, Russia took control of a 1.78 hectare undeveloped parcel of land in Finland’s Aaland Islands in 2009 and transferred it to Vladimir Putin’s office, according to Jarmo Ratia, a former Finnish official who said he was talking now because of “changes in the international situation.”

Ratia’s statement was reported October 15 by Finnish television, which added that in 2009, the Russian consul in Marienham approached Finnish officials about this. Finnish officials did not challenge that claim but handed over the parcel — although they did not publicize their action....

January 9, 2015
Kommersant
By Catherine A. Fitzpatrick

There has been a horrific discovery in Stavropol,(click here) less than 300km from Sochi. Kommersant reports that 6 people (the BBC says 5) have been found shot to death in 5 cars, and an improvised explosive device has gone off near one of the cars. The BBC adds that authorities have already identified some suspects, and those men have ties to Islamic terrorism:

According to the Russian news website Life News, which has close links to the security forces, three suspects from the neighbouring region of Kabardino-Balkaria are being sought by police.
Two of the men named are already on a Russian federal wanted list for the murder of a hunter last year. and are said to be members of an Islamist militant group.

Kommersant reports that vehicles entering the territory will now be inspected....

The occupation began under Yanukovych. The people of these lands are reporting genocide of ethnicities. When these facts are confirmed it places Russia and it's rebels in the path of human rights abuses and the World Court.

The attacks near Sochi appears to be an attempt to impress on Russia the dissent of those aggrieved.  

The events in the Maidan become more and more clear with the discovery of the history of Russian aggression in these circumstances. 

The conflict is less about economics with Europe, although I am sure it is important; it is saving their own lives. 

May 24, 2014
By Paul Goble

Staunton, May 14 – In another case of blow-back from Moscow’s actions (click here) in Ukraine, activists in Karelia are seeking international recognition of the occupation of their republic and the holding of a referendum on independence, a step they say will end the genocide the Russian authorities have inflicted on the region and restore historical justice.
On their own site, “Stop the Occupation of Karelia,” and in a petition on the site of the US White House, the Karelian activists appeal to the international community to “help return the territory of the Ukhta Democratic Republic into the legal field and to recognize the fact of its occupation”.
In their appeal and petition, the activists also call for an end to “the genocide of the indigenous population of Karelia which has been organized by the authorities of Russia” via the imposition of “unbearable conditions” on the places of “the historic settlement of Karels, Finns, Wepsy and Saami peoples.”
And they also call on all residents of Karelia to view as “illegitimate” the Moscow-imposed authorities in the republic and to set elections for a new president and council of ministers and to support a referendum on restoring the existence and sovereignty of the Ukhta Democratic Republic....

February 10, 2015

BBC

Fighting has surged (click here) in eastern Ukraine as government forces and pro-Russian rebels try to make gains ahead of possible peace talks on Wednesday.

Separatist forces have carried out rocket attacks on a key military headquarters and a residential area in Kramatorsk, officials say.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's volunteer Azov battalion has launched an offensive against separatists around Mariupol.
More than 5,400 people have died since the conflict began last April.
The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany hope to meet in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Wednesday to hammer out a peace deal after months of fighting.
Russia denies Western and Ukrainian accusations of sending troops and supplying the rebels and has warned the West that sending arms to Ukraine would worsen the crisis.
US President Barack Obama said on Monday that he had not ruled out supplying "lethal defensive weapons" to Ukraine if diplomacy failed....

Where are the refugees. Europe was building some housing for them last year. It looks as though they'll need more. 

There is since doubt regarding the extent the rebels will seek to take land. I don't believe they intend to stop. There is no reason for them to stop advancing. They are starting from zero and with every success they will continue to build hatred and desire for more and more. Crimea has proven to be just the beginning.

The peace process is a facade to allow the rebels breathing room to advance.  

Published on Feb 8, 2015

Ukraine War 2015 - Novorossian Rebels In Heavy Clashes And Fighting With Ukrainian Army In Tchernukhino Near Debaltseve. After Novorossian rebels captured the town of Vuhlehirsk they know aim to capture the Ukrainian held town of Debaltseve. Novorossian rebels took positions in the town of Tchernukhino Near Debaltseve where clashes and fighting erupted.

 

There are days worth of cancelled consumer flights.

The Boston Transit system is down.

Severe Weather Update - February 9-10, 2015 (click here)

What to expect when winter weather hits.
On Tuesday, all MBTA rail services (Subway, Trolley, and Commuter Rail) will be suspended all day while maintenance crews continue to clear snow and ice from tracks, the third rail and switches. Mechanical forces will continue to assess the damage done to subway cars, trolleys, locomotives and passenger coaches....
Cancelled flights website (click here). 

The storms are causing financial hardship in the northeast.

February 10, 2015
By Bob Salsberg and Denise Lavoie

...The steady run of winter blasts (click here) has already sucked up over 70 per cent of New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation winter maintenance budget. Rhode Island, too, said Monday’s storm will use up what’s left of its $14 million budget for snow removal and nearly the entire salt stockpile. The mayor of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, said snow removal was eating up so much of the city’s budget that he ordered officials to hold off on hiring new personnel or purchasing non-essential items. Baker has asked Massachusetts lawmakers for an additional $50 million in snow removal funds even as the state grapples with an overall budget deficit of $768 million....

Some towns in Massachusetts have so much snow there is no place to dump it until it melts. They are considering dumping the snow into the ocean.

Australian principals warn the country about schools conducting radicalisation.

February 10, 2015
By Harrieta Cook

A growing number of Victorian schools (click here) are grappling with the radicalisation of students and parents, the Australian Principals Federation has warned.
One Melbourne principal told Fairfax Media two children at their government primary school had parents who were fighting for Islamic State in Syria.
It comes as the Education Department appoints a senior adviser to work with government and non-government schools to promote racial and religious tolerance and social cohesion.
New APF Victorian branch president Peter Kearney said the organisation received frequent inquiries from principals who were struggling to deal with the radicalised behaviour of students and parent....

February 10, 2015
By Nick Mckenzie, Richard Baker and Michael Bachelard

A man police suspect was a mastermind of the Bali Nine (click here) drug importation is living a life of luxury in Sydney while two junior members of his syndicate, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, await the firing squad in Bali.
The man's lavish lifestyle is funded by a multimillion-dollar lottery pay out, which he won about the time the two young Australians, who acted as the local leaders of the syndicate in Bali, were being sentenced to death.
Former senior police sources said the man has previously been the subject of police drug trafficking investigations. He is believed to have halted his criminal activities after he quite literally won the lottery....

The transition must be rough on the Lockheed treasury. Everyone want to buy Lockheed Martin access? Ask Edward what we need to do.

February 10, 2015
By Lia Timson

Lockheed Martin, (click here) missile maker, aerospace giant and defence contractor, wants the world to know it for something else: IT.
The $US33 billion company, already the US Government's second largest IT provider, is ready to compete with IBM and other "tier 1" technology vendors in bidding for more humble projects.
After announcing an engineering hub in Melbourne in September, the company wants Australia to be the launch pad for deals in Asia Pacific, where it has a small, but developing presence.
"We're well on our way to 450 [people] by 2015-2016, we have over 200 in Melbourne right now and some additional resources with the Victoria government," Lockheed Martin vice president, Australian Programs, Julie Dunlap told Fairfax Media.
Canberra-based Dunlap heads the company's Information Services & Global Solutions (ISGS) division in Australia. Globally, ISGS is one of five and the second largest revenue contributor to its coffers - $US8.5 billion in 2013, behind aeronautics....

Guess who is going back to Iraq? Why is this a solution because it isn't. It simply escalates the entire mess.

Here we go again!

February 10, 2015
By Audrey Young
 
New Zealand troops (click here) have been given the go-ahead to begin training for a likely deployment to Iraq.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said the training would take place at Linton and Waiouru.
The work of the 10 military planners assessing a role of New Zealand to fight ISIS in Iraq was not completed, he had agreed to a request by the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Tim Keating, to begin specific training for what Mr Brownlee called a "Building Partners Capacity" role in Iraq.
"this does not pre-empt any cabinet decisions," Mr Brownlee said "but is prudent given defence officials are close to providing final advice on a possible mission."
Contingency training would cover areas such as force protection, cultural awareness and skills relevant to a possible deployment.
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday that a decision could be as close as the last week in February - which is when Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due in New Zealand for scheduled bilateral talks.
New Zealand has been asked by Australia to contribute 100 troops to work alongside Australia to train Iraqi troops to fight ISIS on the ground.

From Afghanistan back to Iraq, watch the bouncing ball play wack-a-mole. When Iraq is decided to be stable enough to leave, we'll be back to Afghanistan. The forever war.

Who's paying for it? How many more have to die to satisfy the USA Congress? Thirteen and a half years and this again. 

February 10, 2015
By Deb Reichman

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama (click here) is expected — as early as Tuesday — to ask Congress for new war powers, sending Capitol Hill his blueprint for an updated authorization for the use of military force to fight the Islamic State group.

Haggling then begins on writing a new authorization to battle the Sunni extremists, who have seized territory in Iraq and neighboring Syria and imposed a violent form of Sharia law.
That will lead to the first war vote in Congress in 13 years — one of the most important votes faced by members of the House and Senate.
To get Congress to approve his request, Obama must find a balance between lawmakers who want wide authority to fight the Islamic State group and others, including members of his own party, who worry that a new authorization to use military force will lead to U.S. entanglement in another protracted war....

The war assessment is STUCK. The beginning of this IS mess, there were 30 thousand fighters. It has been over a half a year and those 30 thousand are still alive and occupying the lands in Syria and Iraq. It is all propaganda.

The emails aren't all that. There is something like 45 pages with groomed content. (click here) I type at least 45 pages of email a week.

The State of Florida should be tapped with a Freedom of Information Act petition to retrieve all the emails. I would be most interested in any emails and/or memos leading up to the crowning of "W". As a matter of fact the entire of correspondense from the Secretary of State needs to be reviewed as well.

I am not going to waste my time on Judge Moore. He is breaking the law and for the people still unable to obtain a marriage license, they may have grounds for a lawsuit against Moore for pain and suffering.

He is a prime example of a bought and sold judge. His election to the chief judge in Alabama was conducted by the Christian Family Association. They share in the liability.

Yesterday, out of the blue, Senator Ted Cruz stated there are already boots on the ground in the Kurds. He stated the USA could use the Cruds to fight the war.

Correction!

The USA doesn't use anyone. The Kurds are a dedicated people to protect the land where they live. The Kurds live in northeast Iraq. They are not fighting a war for the USA, they are very much fighting a war against killers that would see them dead.

As long as Cruz is focused on the Kurds, he should know they have been having a great deal of trouble obtaining weapons for their efforts. They are not at the top of list for supplies the USA is paying for in Iraq. The Kurds need to receive their own munitions and humanitarian aid from the USA to continue to defeat the killers in the region.

It is necessary for the USA to empower the regional powers t defend their lands because they will be there after the fighting is finished. They will protect their lands and borders forever. It is far better to back a fighting force capable of holding their land then to do it ourselves.

The Economical War

US Congressman Duffy (click here) has the answer to bring the American people into the Middle East with "boots on the ground."

He said the government can't lie and say only 1000 troops are going only to have it escalate and return to a full, fledged war. Additionally, the USA would save money entering a war now in the Middle East than in the future.

According to Duffy, Americans are better off killing people in the Middle East today before the cost increases a decade from now. He states the USA will be attacked sometime in the future so pre-emption allows the USA to fight the mystical war. It is cheaper today to fight the mystical war now.

Where do these people come from to imagineer a war? He needs to stop playing violent games on his cell phone. 

In the days leading up to the invasion that brought about the disaster in the Middle East as it exists today, there were questions as to the number of soldiers required to occupy Iraq after the battle was finished. As a rule generals don't guess 1000 soldiers will begin the war and then it may be an escalation afterward. 

In this question a Congressman realized there would be problems in Iraq after the actual battle ended. How about that, huh? Some people in the USA with power to decide the future of war for the USA knew there would have to be a prolonged occupation. 

The statement by Duffy that the American people are lied to about entering a war is not the issue. The TRUTH was not spoken by the Commander and Chief, he did not allow the United Nation's to determine that there was a reason for entering Iraq. George W. Bush planned to enter a country with a cabal to provide a forever deployment of soldiers.

Bush lied and people died. It would appear they are still dying. 
 

This editorial in the Arab News reminds us of the fact extremism preyed on the poor.

Mr. Barai reminds us the road to success in removing the very real dangers of extremism from their countries requires a battle for hearts and minds at home. The poor fall victim to these predatory groups and offer their finest sons to die in a perverted idea of righteousness. 

It is important for the leaders of these lands to embrace the poor and find solutions for their condition. Their children need schools to be a help to the family. In properly educating the sons and daughters of the poor they offer hope to a future beyond the devotions they have to Allah. Their devotion has to realize the love of their faith and their countries. 

Young sons grow into adult sons who can work and bring relief to the family with the use of their education. Adult sons grow into men with a family that will know lives very different than the poverty he leaves behind. Adult sons' families will no longer be a victim to the methods of hate and will be educated as well to end the cycle of poverty and victimization.

February 10, 2015 
Hassan Barari

Apparently in an attempt to scare Jordan (click here) and perhaps other Arab countries, which are part of the US-led coalition to battle the self-ascribed Islamic State (IS), the latter released a video last Tuesday showing Jordanian pilot, Maaz Al-Kasaasbeh, burned to death.

Stunned by the brutality of the militants, Jordanians called on the regime to avenge the death of the pilot. The following morning, Jordan executed Sajida Al-Rishawi, who was convicted for being involved in the terrorist attacks on three Jordanian hotels in 2005, and Ziad Al-Karbouli, a top lieutenant of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Additionally, Jordan stepped up its air raids against IS.

Indeed, the release of the video has had the opposite effect. First, it raised fresh alarm over IS’ ruthless tactics. But, far from being scared, Jordanians demonstrated a high sense of patriotism. Indeed, IS failed to drive a wedge between the regime and the people or among people themselves over Jordan’s participation in the international coalition against IS. And yet, the public opinion in Jordan shifted dramatically after the killing of the captured pilot....

...While Jordan is most likely to continue its war on militants, there is a need to think thoroughly about the internal scene and how to deprive militants from sympathy inside Jordan. It is no longer a secret that some disgruntled poor and unemployed youth sympathize with militants. Hence, it is the duty of the government to create the necessary conditions in the countryside for proper and sustainable development. Short of doing that, it will be hard for the government to integrate the poor and unemployed youth into the wider society....

The Quran and Islam were never the discipline of violence until two men took it out of context with the help of a the one eyed Mullah Mohammad Omar. 

The Islamic State is a descendant of these men. It isn't difficult to state the true defenders of Islam are Kings such as King Abdullah of Jordan. His place in this effort to end the dreadful reign of death and violence is historic and inspiring others to fight for their rightful place as the leaders of Islam and the protectors of the Quran. There isn't anything standing in the way of the people of the Middle East reclaiming their religion away from heretics of violence.

Greece has been planning a military base?

February 9, 2015

ATHENS, February 9 (Sputnik) – The agreement on Russian-Cypriot (click here) military cooperation that is planned to be signed by Greek President Nicos Anastasiades later in February in Moscow does not foresee creating a Russian military base in Cyprus, RIA Novosti reported Monday, citing a diplomatic source in Athens.
“The issue of creating a Russian military base is not being discussed. We’re talking about providing the possibilities of using an airbase in Pathos that other countries such as Germany and France use,” the diplomatic....

There is a lot more to the difference between the EU and Greece. More Russian Speaking people?

February 9, 2015
 
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia (click here) could engage in a dialogue with the Turkish-controlled northern area of Cyprus even if the the self-proclaimed republic is a mere "state formation," a member of the local parliament told Sputnik Turkey radio on Wednesday.
"If Russia merely admits the existence of a state formation in northern Cyprus, it will be able to engage in a dialogue with the North's representatives without recognizing it officially [as a state]," Mehmet Hasguler, a member of the Turkish Cypriot parliament, said.

China is still growing. They need to adjust to a Middle Calls to be sure they are competitive.

February 9, 2015

...“Along with rising labor costs, (click here) these factors will pressure the profitability of Chinese port operators in the next two years.”
Moody’s has just-released a report on the Chinese port sector in which it says operating efficiency and the ability to provide comprehensive and high-quality services along the supply chain will become more important to Chinese ports’ standalone credit quality.
“As China’s growth model shifts the contribution of low-value-added manufacturing to domestic consumption and higher-value-added industries, throughput growth will progressively shift from commodities to containerized and high-value goods,” said Zhang.
Moody’s says core ports in the three prosperous economic regions – Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Rim – are well equipped to benefit from this shift.
“While overcapacity will dampen the need for capacity additions, the growth in ship size and the structural change in the cargo mix handled by Chinese ports will drive port operators to improve their infrastructure in order to remain competitive,” said Zhang.
As such, Moody’s expects that port operators will incur relatively high capex, making deleveraging unlikely over the next two years.
Further, Moody’s notes that government support remains key to the overall credit quality of major port companies in China....

There is a lot changing. Patience is a better idea. Everything is rebalancing in preparation for increased trade, but, it isn't there yet and won't be for awhile.

...But China’s slowing economic growth since 2011 has caused total cargo throughput growth to drop to 9.2% in 2013 and 4.9% in the first 11 months of 2014.

Everyone is rebalancing. 

February 9, 2015
The mega container ships (click here) raising concerns among vessel operators, insurers and regulators about the potential for catastrophic accidents. 

Shipping lines have sought to stay competitive by running larger, more fuel-efficient container ships in major shipping lanes, holding down the cost of ocean shipping and reducing their cost per container.

But the gigantification of container ships and tanker vessels, as well as more particular stability problems of car carrier designs, need to be addressed from an insurance risk perspective, says Dieter Berg, president, International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI).

There are huge security issues.

February 9, 2015
Government officials (click here) are refusing to release details of how many stowaways were discovered at Felixstowe, Harwich and Parkeston Quay – because it could give criminals an insight into security and resources at the ports.

Nationally, 1,463 illegal immigrants were found hiding aboard vessels arriving at UK ports last year – twice as many as in 2013....

Nothing is in place. There is a lot of work to do to have an infrastructure that works. I really don't understand how any trade agreement can exist without all these challenges being met. Every country's tariffs should be in place. What is in this agreement? Certainly nothing that is appearing in the news today. All this should have been done already and part of any agreement. This is ridiculous. There is no agreement, there is a wish list.

February 9, 2015
Port News

Efforts to reform tariff-setting practices (click here) at the 13 ports owned by the Indian government have gathered speed. Two key developments in the last fortnight bear this out. First, India’s attorney general, the government’s chief legal advisor, agreed with a shipping ministry plan to move private cargo handlers operating under a tariff guideline framed in 2005 to a new market-linked tariff regime announced in July 2013 for new projects. Secondly, the government issued policy guidelines to set rates for services provided by the government-owned port trusts, which had thus far been governed by the 2005 guidelines. These two developments are significant in many ways. But, more importantly, it shows how the shipping ministry has moved smartly to dilute the role of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), the port tariff regulator, even while it braces to introduce an amendment to the Major Ports Trusts Act in Parliament to transform TAMP from being a rate setter to a performance monitoring and grievance redressing authority....

Fast tract what? No one is ready!

There are port worker strikes in several countries. The wheels are coming off everywhere. Sydney's mayor is replacing the entire shipping board by April and have no clear way to replace empty seats on the board. India has strikes. The USA just got back on line on the West Coast. Libya is having security issues.

February 9, 2015
Sydney (AFP) - Australia's Great Barrier Reef (click here) could be "severely damaged" if the government does not completely ban the dumping of dredge waste in the World Heritage-listed waters, a report commissioned by conservation group WWF said Monday.

The Australian government in January ordered a ban on dumping dredge spoil in the marine park as part of a push to stop the United Nations declaring the site in danger....

The world is not ready for the trade agreements. I have no doubt Wall Street is ready, but, the infrastructure in the Third World is not up to par. It is too much too fast. These countries are developing their people who are part of their infrastructure. They shouldn't be pushed into it, they should be leading the interest in trade and not experiencing disaster in it's face.

Africa doesn't want to be left out.

February 9, 2015
IMPROVEMENTS at the Dar es Salaam Port (click here) have enabled Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to host MSC Martina, one of the largest container vessels, to dock at the country’s major port.

TPA Acting Director General, Madeni Kipande said in Dar es Salaam that the Mediterranean Shipping Company’s container vessel with an overall length of 244 metres and width of 32.2 metres and carrying capacity of 2,411 containers docked without any problem.

“The arrival of such large vessels is a major achievement to be recorded by the Tanzania Ports Authority,” noted the TPA boss. Eng Kipande explained that the MSC Martina is one of the largest container ships owned by the Geneva-based Italian Company to dock and offload consignment at the port....

Countries want to develop a Middle Class. Please don't hurt them. This is vital to a vibrant economy for every country willing to practice democracy and improve the quality of life of their people.

Excuse me? The President of the USA is expected to sign the TPP and there is no infrastructure to support it?

So, Wall Street got together with "W" at a table and/or conference of some kind and decided all that was needed to increase trade in the Pacific was a signature? Why does that sound right to me?

February 8, 2015

Insufficient port capacity and productivity (click here) are looming large as restraints on trade growth, with Asia likely to suffer the most if delays in upgrading infrastructure threaten the sustainability of thriving intra-regional trade.
For many working in the logistics industry, last year will be remembered as one of gridlock on the docks, with a number of ports around the world, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Qingdao, Manila, Rotterdam and those on the US west coast, suffering from congestion.
Tim Wickmann, the chief executive of MCC Transport, the intra-Asia container shipping arm of AP Moller-Maersk Group, was among those who dealt with delayed shipments on a daily basis. "In my 25 years' experience in shipping, 2014 was the worst I've seen in terminal congestion in Asia," he said. "Congestion in Manila and Hong Kong was a huge problem for us."

Wickmann estimated trade growth would create three million extra handling moves for Asian terminals.... 

Maybe the business world hasn't kept up with what is happening in ship building? 

For perspective, this is that little tiny man in the picture.

This is just an example and maybe the best example of the LACK OF PREPAREDNESS Wall Street practices while believing they are making the deal of the century with the White House. While Wall Street is playing with all it's exotic instruments the potential to reality isn't there.

Trade Agreements like the TPP or the Atlantic Ocean version is suppose to happen BECAUSE there are problems to iron out, NOT, because there is reason for political pledges of money. 

The potential to the ability of trade for the countries involved in these so called agreements has already been realized. Why do you think so many ports along these trade agreements are on strike? The entire reality hideous. The ability of the countries involved to handle the increased trade is not there. It is already maxed out.

I am curious what the injury incidents have been with the USA ports seeing all these ships coming in ?

There have been some deaths on foreign ships (click here).

This probably says it all. The video below occurred about ten months ago. The treaties aren't attached to reality. They are more than likely being touted as a way to higher job numbers and better economic growth. It just isn't there and won't be until all the ship routes and docks are ready. There are videos of ships within the shipping lanes colliding. Over crowding the shipping lanes themselves.

There is too much stress in the system. Yes, the shipping industry is a system. It has infrastructure and is a system. When stressed there are problems that manifest. More demand on the lanes, more potential to accidents and ship incidents. All the statistics go through the roof along with the lust for greed on Wall Street. So, while big box stores in the USA are promising lots of new opportunity to jobs, the liability all along the way is increasing and causing losses unmeasured at Walmart. Companies that utilize international commerce don't have their own fleets and have no clue what is occurring there.

More is not better. Better is better.

Only $28,000 fine for a company that caused the death of an employee.

Dangerous work environment and the company only is fined $28,000 dollars. A human life is only taken remotely seriously by industries that have employees working in dangerous circumstances? Really? I don't think this is acceptable. As a matter of fact, a fine of $28,000 is criminal.

I am sure the supervisor is sickened over the death, but, this isn't satisfactory. There is nothing here to make the company take this man's death seriously. Ohio liability laws might bring a lawsuit, but, OSHA isn't taking human deaths nearly serious enough to deter same in the future.

The fail safe system should be automated and difficult to turn off in order to begin production of the product. After a period of time when the machines aren't producing a product the fail safe system needs to automatically kick in to prevent use again until it is unlocked. This isn't at all acceptable.

February 4, 2015

NILES, Ohio. – A 49-year-old machine operator (click here) was fatally crushed while reaching into an extrusion press to remove unprocessed aluminum parts because his employer, BRT Extrusions Inc., failed to ensure the machine's power was fully off so that it would not turn on during maintenance, a procedure known as lockout/tagout. An investigation into the Aug. 6, 2014, incident by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration resulted in citations for the Niles, Ohio, facility for six serious safety violations for exposing workers to dangerous machinery and other hazards.
"This death was preventable, BRT Extrusion should have properly trained their workers on lockout/tagout and ensured the extrusion press had adequate guarding," said Brigitte Frank, OSHA's acting area director in Cleveland. "Failure to protect employees from dangerous machinery all too often leads to catastrophic injury or death. These violations are among the most frequently cited by OSHA."
The investigation found that the press had been placed in automatic mode by a supervisor while the employees working the press took a lunch break....
...OSHA proposed penalties of $28,000 for the company, which specializes in the manufacture of aluminum extrusion components and employs about 200 workers....

Four employees of DuPont in Texas died from poor design of gas pipeline.

February 5, 2015

Federal regulators (click here) say design flaws with a network of pipes and valves at a Houston-area DuPont chemical plant contributed to the leak of a poisonous gas that killed four workers in November.

U.S. Chemical Safety Board investigator Dan Tillema said in a news briefing Thursday that the events leading to the deaths of the workers Nov. 15 in La Porte began days before....

Shipping Channel continues to be polluted by chemical spill that occurred last year.

Paraxylene (click here) is a basic raw material used in the manufacturing of many plastics, containers and packaging, films and clothing fabrics.

Darcy Schroeder, a spokeswoman for Wichita, Kansas-based Koch, says in an email Sunday the company was recommending that traffic no longer be restricted on the ship channel as the spill was contained to a small area around one of the docks near the refinery....

Is there anything still alive in the Texas intracoastal waterway? My guess is no and even if there were fish I am sure none of that makes the retail market for man or beast.

This photograph from the International Space Station shows 18 kilometers (11.2 mile) of the Intracoastal Waterway, the 4,800 kilometer-long (3,000 mile) barge channel that lies on the protected inshore of coastal islands of the southern and eastern United States, including coastal Texas. 

Cleanup continues (click here) at the Corpus Christi Ship Channel after a chemical leaked from a refinery.

Vacuum trucks with Flint Hills Resources, a subsidiary of Koch Companies, were working on Sunday to clean the water after an undetermined amount of paraxylene leaked a day earlier from the company's West Refinery....

Things are a bit of a mess.

UNISYS West and North Hemisphere (click here for 12 hour loop)
February 9, 2015
1230.18z

There are many manifestations of 'stalled air masses' in this satellite.

There is also one over Europe. The reason for these stalled air masses is due to the fact the Jet Stream has little influence in our troposphere. Why? Because on October 4, 2002 two tropospheric vortexes manifested, one in the north Atlantic and one in the north Pacific. On the very same day, a team of scientists in Antarctica reported the reversal of flow of an entire ice river named C-0 (zero). 

The number of vortexes increased over the years while the Jet Stream was forced to the background. The heat since the vortexes manifested that first day has been moved around the planet. It is physics. In that is a realization the planet is experiencing extreme changes in the climate.

In that reality of the climate changing includes changes in air pressure and air mass volume. It is far more difficult to move air masses by any jet stream if they are less dense and diffuse into the troposphere and tropopause and stratosphere. It doesn't take much heat in a surface area the size of Earth to change the dynamics of  air circulation around the planet.

This is a European satellite from today. There are stalled air masses here as well. That means the air masses over Europe has to move before the one over the Atlantic and North American can move. That dynamic is what dictates weather because of climate change of a heating planet. 

To note in the satellite picture at the top of the page is the absence of the ICZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone). The ICZ is the air mass normally at the equator. There are always clouds within that zone under a normal troposphere. The clouds are gone and carried north by the strong air movement offshore of North America. The dark white vertical cloud mass. That same vertical cloud mass is noted in this satellite of Europe at the edge of Greenland and Iceland.

So, with things that completely terrible, the cat is going to have snow to dig for awhile until Earth reorganizes it's physics. The end of the video tells the tale really. The cat just wants out of the house. I can completely understand that.