The largest magnitude quakes are nearly on the same longitude.

Map (click here)

M6.9 - 96km 

SSE of Raoul Island, New Zealand

2014-06-23 19:19:16 UTC30.118°S, 177.670°W

Less than a degree difference. There has to be an underwater structure. 

Maybe not. It's just the plate. The depths don't even indicate a relationship. It is the trenches along the Pacific Plate. The plate is the only relationship between the two locations.

M7.9 - 24km SE of Little Sitkin Island, Alaska2014-06-23 20:53:09 UTC51.797°N 178.760°E depth=107.5km (66.8mi)
June 23, 2014By Brandon Mercer

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS (CBS SF) — A massive 7.9 (click here) revised magnitude earthquake off Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands has triggered a regional tsunami, with reports of water already leaving some harbors including Adak Harbor, as the waves begin to come in.

California’s coastline is highlighted in the National Weather Service tsunami energy propagation map, however, no warning has been issued for the West Coast.

Seismologist David Oppenheimer stationed in Menlo Park said, “The message is simple: wait for the tsunami warning to say what’s going on, if there is a warning, NOAA will update their advisory.”

He added, “There’s report of a tsunami in Alaska, but it’s small. Had the earthquake been shallow, there could have been big waves and more displacement. NOAA is watching for tide gauges.”

With the small amount of sea floor movement, Oppenheimer was clear, “There’s nothing to be concerned about on the California coast....”

Republicans can ask "Where are the jobs?" They aren't doing a darn thing to protect the ones we have.

June 2, 2014
By John W. Miller

PITTSBURGH-- U.S. Steel Corp. (click here) said it would temporarily close plants in Texas and Pennsylvania and blamed illegally-priced imports, raising the volume on trade disputes with China and South Korea.

The steelmaker said Monday it would indefinitely idle plants in Bellville, Texas, and McKeesport, Pa., that make steel pipe and tube for the oil and gas industries, affecting 260 workers.

TMK Ipsco, which is among the largest U.S. producers of such lucrative tubular steel, is considering similar production cutbacks as well.

The U.S. Steel closures require 60 days advance notice under federal law so are scheduled for early August. That is also when a final decision is expected from U.S. trade officials on whether to impose tariffs on steel from South Korea, whose steel exports to the U.S. increased 73% in the first four months of this year from a year earlier....

The FBI did it again. First it was drug dealers across the country, now it is sex trafficking. Well done.

June 23, 2014

LITTLE ROCK, AR (News release) - During the past week, (click here) the FBI, its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners throughout the United States conducted Operation Cross Country 8 to address commercial child sex trafficking. 

The operation included enforcement actions in seven cities throughout the state of Arkansas and led to the recovery of two juveniles who were being victimized through prostitution and led to the arrest of six pimps. Additionally, 36 adult prostitutes were arrested in these efforts to rescue victims of child exploitation and/or human trafficking.

“Child prostitution and human trafficking exists in Arkansas as it does across our country,” said David Resch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Arkansas. “Sex trafficking of children offends our most basic instincts and strikes at our fundamental responsibility to protect our most innocent from the most despicable. We at the FBI are proud of the work our partners across Arkansas perform each day to protect our children. We appreciate their efforts with us on Operation Cross Country 8. This fight continues and we ask that all Arkansans join us and immediately report information about victims and human trafficking by calling 1-800-CALL FBI (1-800-225-5324).”...

10/30/2011 (click here)

What I wonder about is of those not reported, how many were actually sold by their families to sex traffickers?

FBI: 168 kids rescued, 281 pimps nabbed in sex trafficking crackdown (click here)

Nearly 170 victims of child sex trafficking, many of whom had never been reported missing, were rescued in the last week as part of an annual nationwide crackdown, the FBI said Monday.

Besides the 168 children rescued from the sex trade, 281 pimps were arrested during the same period on state and federal charges.

"These are not faraway kids in faraway lands," FBI Director James Comey said in announcing the annual enforcement push known as Operation Cross Country. Instead, he added, "These are America's children."

This is the eighth such week long-operation, which this year unfolded in 106 cities. The FBI says nearly 3,600 children have so far been recovered from the streets.

"There is no more meaningful work that the FBI participates in than rescuing children," Comey said.

He said one concerning trend is the increasing prevalence of children who are being prostituted online....

Jindal's Anit-American ranting is about waking up the base.

By Bruce Alpert, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune 
May 13, 2014 at 9:17 PM, updated May 14, 2014 at 1:07 PM

WASHINGTON -- A new poll gives (click here) Gov. Bobby Jindala positive job performance rating by 48 percent of Louisiana voters, up 11 percent from one year ago.

The Southern Media & Opinion Research Inc. poll, released Tuesday, also shows Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu tied at 28.9 percent in a poll of candidates and possible candidates for the 2015 Louisiana's governor's race.

Vitter, now in his second term as Louisiana's junior senator, has already announced that he'll run. Landrieu, who was elected to a second term as mayor Feb. 1, with 64 percent of the vote, said during a mayoral debate that he would serve the entire four-year term if re-elected. But he wouldn't be the first candidate to reconsider a run for higher office after a re-election victory....

His approval rating in February was 35 percent. The Rebel Cry is the only means the Republicans have to achieve popularity. The sad truth is the base they wake up and the popularity they rant do want a violent revolution in the country. They do want to kill other Americans.

2.25.14 (click here)

What other news organization would be carry this trash, but, FOX? 

Published June 22, 2014

Associated Press

WASHINGTON –  Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (click here) on Saturday night accused President Barack Obama and other Democrats of waging wars against religious liberty and education and said that a rebellion is brewing in the U.S. with people ready for "a hostile takeover" of the nation's capital....

What would happen if a governor of any state started a violent rebellion in his state? The closest the USA ever came to fighting a state's uprising occurred in Utah.

The Utah War, (click here) also known as the Utah Expedition, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857–July 1858. There were some casualties, mostly non-Mormon civilians, and the war had few notable battles, generally being resolved through negotiation.

There was never a shot fired.

The difference between then and now is we know the right wing extremists mean it and have demonstrated their strategy and willingness to kill other Americans. 

This is unsustainable debt.

Every hour taxpayers in the United States are paying $365,297 for Cost of War in Iraq Since 2003. (click here)

If there was a single word describing The "W" years it is hubris. He not only lied about the invasion into Iraq and it's promise to stabilize the region, but, he also cut taxes and increased spending astronomically. If the USA was to have a credit rating change it should have occurred as soon as the agencies realized how completely out of control the country had become.

But, all the unregulated and undisciplined Wall Street wanted to do was to ride whatever bubble presented itself.

"Dream On"

Where does any journalist get the idea the USA is returning to a country undefined by ability to support their own military?

The USA entered Iraq illegally to carry out an immoral oil war on March 19, 2003. We weren't invited to fight for an established democracy. "W" then went about PRETENDING he could establish a democracy and a Iraq military. It was the biggest joke going. He was hubris. Pure unadulterated hubris.

Where does this idea come from that states, "Oh, no, they ain't doin' so good and the USA has to back." That is not the deal. It was never the deal.

The reason Baghdad is still standing is because the USA built six barrier walls around that city. THAT WAS A CLUE as to what was coming.

Understand these words. 

"Bush lied. He lied alot. When Bush lied people died."

"We don't belong in Iraq."

"We never did."

And now there is proof.

June 22, 2014
By Peter Baker

...But as 2011 opened, (click here) the war had quieted down. After a troop increase ordered by Mr. Bush, a strategy shift by Gen. David H. Petraeus and a change of sides by Sunni militias, Mr. Maliki’s government seemed in a strong position. Gen. Lloyd Austin, the commander on the ground, developed proposals for keeping as many as 24,000 troops in Iraq after 2011, only to run into instant resistance.“The White House looks at the 20,000 number and was like, you’ve got to be kidding,” Mr. Kahl recalled. “This looks like a permanent Korea-style presence in Iraq, which nobody supported.” Mr. Obama’s appointees concluded that the military was trying to still do everything it was doing before, just with fewer troops, rather than changing the mission to reflect a more reduced role. At a meeting in the White House Situation Room, Robert M. Gates, then the defense secretary, made clear that was not acceptable....          

Totalitarianism

Get used to seeing this throughout the world. Russia is spreading totalitarianism in regions of turmoil. The best reaction to such oppression in the world is to send humanitarian aide and be sure those imprisoned have their health attended to by medical professionals. Imprisoned populations will grow with Russia promising what it has to in support of such regimes.

Take to Russia. The USA isn't looking for a global war with repressive governments.

Patrick Kingsley in Cairo
23 June 2014

Egypt's judiciary (click here) has dealt a shocking blow to the principle of free speech after three journalists for Al-Jazeera English were sentenced to between seven and 10 years in jail on charges of aiding terrorists and endangering national security.

The former BBC correspondent Peter Greste, from Australia, the ex-CNN journalist Mohamed Fahmy, and local producer Baher Mohamed were jailed for seven, seven and 10 years respectively. Four students and activists indicted in the case were sentenced to seven years.

The judge also handed 10-year sentences to the British journalists Sue Turton and Dominic Kane and the Dutch journalist Rena Netjes, who were not in Egypt but were tried in absentia.

The courtroom packed with journalists, diplomats and relatives erupted at the verdict which came despite what independent observers said was a complete lack of evidence.

Shouting from the defendants' cage as he was led away, Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian citizen, said: "They'll pay for this." Greste's reaction could not be heard, but the faces of his two younger brothers – both present in court – were grim....

Iraq is a lesson to the USA. There is no way of INSTILLING democracy and freedom in a country. Democracy is developed over time. Nation building is a completely bizarre idea.

The concept of nation building is hubris.

The Iraqi Army didn't learn a thing.

I happen to agree, the USA is meddling where it doesn't belong. How is it every time fighting somewhere in the world breaks out the USA and Russia stick their noses in it. Without fail. China never enters the military fray, it simply sends it's economic team to set up trade relations in the face of war.

After spending billions upon billions on training an national army for Iraq, this technique is nonsense. No USA soldier would stand in full exposure of their bodies to any enemy fire. No wonder the Iraqi units are going down like dominos. The USA is not to spend another dime on this. 

Iraq was never a sovereign country following the fall of Saddam Hussein. The country is divided into religious regions. It has been divided into religious regions since the beginning of time. Saddam oppressed the Kurds and Shia regions of the country with WMD and building mass graves. Once he was gone from power the country simply returned to it's ancient status.

Leave them alone. It will be what it will be.

June 23, 2014
By Kamal Namaa

ANBAR Iraq (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader (click here) accused the United States on Sunday of trying to retake control of Iraq by exploiting sectarian rivalries, as Sunni insurgents drove towards Baghdad from new strongholds along the Syrian border.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's condemnation of U.S. action came three days after President Barak Obama offered to send 300 military advisers to help the Iraqi government. Khamenei may want to block any U.S. choice of a new prime minister after grumbling in Washington about Shi'ite premier Nuri al-Maliki....

Ever since Russia began it's war on the Ukraine, it has returned to the old world paradigm.

2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (click here)

In 2012, the Federation of Russia made a minimal advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Government approved a National Children’s Strategy until 2017 that covers issues such as child protection and access to quality education, and contains a listing of responsible agencies and timelines for its implementation. Russian law, however, still lacks provisions that criminalize the possession of child pornography. Russia also continues to lack a mechanism to coordinate nationwide efforts to combat the worst forms of child labor. Children in Russia continue to be found in the worst forms of child labor, including in work on the streets and in commercial sexual exploitation, and many of these children are victims of human trafficking.

When Russia becomes a place where children are safe it can start to offer residency to those abandoned by parents. USA does not permit child labor. Even the children of illegal immigrants are required to attend public school.

By Kateryna Choursina and Daria Marchak
June 22, 2014

...Putin said (click here) that while he supports the week-long truce that President Petro Poroshenko announced on June 20, the move shouldn’t be an ultimatum to militia groups and won’t be “viable or realistic” without “constructive steps” to start negotiations with rebel leaders  in southeast regions.

In regard to any child death in the Ukraine, Russia has the power to decent on the violence by the insurgents in Eastern Ukraine. Russia has not endorsed the current cease fire Ukraine has entered unilaterally. Russia has called for the insurgents to remain as a unified force.

That is double talk by Russia. It give permission to ignore the ceasefire. There was no ultimatum called by the Ukraine. Ukraine declared a unilateral ceasefire in order for the area to cool down, but, there was no ultimatum made by the Ukraine.

MOSCOW, June 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Children’s Rights Ombudsman Pavel (click here) Astakhov said Friday at least five children had lost their lives as a result of the extensive military operation in eastern Ukraine.

“We know about five confirmed cases of children being killed [in the military operation] in the southeast of Ukraine. But there are probably more. All of them are casualties of Ukraine’s aggression and inhumane policies,” the rights activist wrote Friday on his Instagram page.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported in early June that seven children had been injured in clashes in eastern Ukraine since May 9. The watchdog organization said the crisis was having an increasing impact on children and urged all parties to stop the violence.

Astakhov has said Russian orphanages are ready to accommodate children trapped in war zones in Ukraine.

Since mid-April, Kiev authorities have been conducting a special military operation in the east of Ukraine to suppress the pro-independence movement. The violence intensified after the people’s republics of Luhansk and Donetsk declared their independence from Ukraine after holding referendums on self-determination. Hundreds of people, including civilians, have died in both regions over the past months.