Remember all that free water Michgan gave Nestles?

May 7, 2018

Swiss food giant Nestle (click here) announced Monday it will pay $7.15 billion in cash for the rights to market Starbucks products around the world, outside of the company’s coffee shops.

The agreement gives Nestle, which owns the Nescafe and Nespresso brands, a strong platform for continued growth in North America, the company said in a statement.

Nestle is focusing on coffee as a main growth area and has already made some acquisitions in the sector, including buying a stake in California’s Blue Bottle Coffee last September....

Given the amount of profit Nestle will make having an exclusive Starbucks franchise; it was only right the company took Flint under it's wing.

May 11, 2018
By Ron Fonger

Flint, MI -- Nestle Waters (click here) is restocking Flint's bottled water supply, agreeing to donate 4,200 cases a week for the next 16 weeks.

Mayor Karen Weaver announced the commitment in a news release, praising the donation as "generous' and thanking the company, and Nestle spelled out the extent of the help Friday, May 11.

"We've been working closely with the Flint community to understand their current needs, and how we can best help meet those needs," Jason Manshum, Ice Mountain community relations manager, said in a statement to MLive-The Flint Journal.

"Nestle Waters" sells bottled water under multiple brand names, including Ice Mountain in the Midwest....

..."We've been providing support to Flint since October 2015, and have been humbled to work with amazing local organizations supporting the city's students through financial and product donations," Manshum's statement says....

To estimate the retail cost to Nestles:

Nestle is delivering 4200 cases a week for the next sixteen weeks. A pallet as in the picture (click here) holds 1872 half liter (16.9 ounces) bottles. It takes about 2.24 pallets per week to Flint.

The cost of each pallet is $1618.60. The total donation to Flint by Nestle per seek is $3625.66. Nestle will provide the bottled waters for 16 weeks for a grand total of $58,010.64.

Now, ultimately, it won't cost Nestle that much to manufacturer that water, but, in a way it does. The Nestle waters going to Flint will never be sold on the retail market. This is a very generous gift from Nestle through the summer months to Labor Day when children return to school. This gift is very special.

...State officials maintain, and testing has shown, Flint's tap water meets all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Lead and Copper Rule, but Weaver has threatened to sue the state over this and other issues related to the city's water crisis....

The State of Michigan should be grateful for this gift to Flint, but, it needs to return bottled water shipments to Flint until ALL the pipes are replaced. The idea Governor Snyder is still saying Flint's tap water meets all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Lead and Copper Rule is nonsense. It is nonsense because there is water in Flint that is still flowing through contaminated pipes. That means the tap water in ALL homes is not safe.

I also have to wonder if the US EPA under Pruitt has changed the acceptable limits of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Lead and Copper Rule. What is not mentioned is The Clean Water Act. See, I don't trust the government either. Not since Trump took office.

The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972 and the Clean Drinking Water Act was passed in 1974. There is zero tolerance level of lead in drinking water. What is the question about providing bottled water to Flint residents, especially where the pipes are not yet replaced?

In 1974, (click here)) Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur with an adequate margin of safety. These non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs). The MCLG for lead is zero. EPA has set this level based on the best available science which shows there is no safe level of exposure to lead....

I don't ever recall HEALTH GOALS for drinking water so much as HEALTH STANDARDS. By stating the levels issues by the law of the USA is nothing more than goals defeats the law altogether. That is how the petroleum industry is getting away with contaminating the land. But, I digress. 

The laws governing the water of the USA when it comes to contaminants and toxins has been in existence since the early 1970s. If the federal government hasn't gotten it's act together by now what does that say about the USA government at all? Anarchy? I don't think so.

Coming soon to a theater near you.

"A Man of His Word" (click here)

Tehran saids to look elsewhere for Israeli attacks.

The USA is not following proper channels through the UN in regard to Israel's grievance regarding the Golan Heights. There has been military activity in that area by the Syrian Army to eliminate all the remnants of Daesh. The statement by Israel that it was the Quds Force, the elite branch of the Iranian military, that carried out missile launches against Israel is very specific as to Israel's assessment. Where is the proof it was Iran? 

If there are still Daesh forces in the area, which there was according to Syria's reporting within the past two weeks, it may by Daesh. There needs to be verification of all these facts and not simply reported by Israel or Iran as fact. Their hatred of each other really shows through when these wide ranging assumptions are made.

There is no doubt Israel can act to defend itself, but, it always had that right. My concern is that while Israel is pointing a finger at Iran, the facts may be the military armaments Israel destroyed may have belonged to the Syrian military fighting the remaining presence of Daesh. Why is it that Trump and Netanyahu are jumping to these decisions without facts? The attack on chemical weapons a few weeks ago resulted in assumptions being used and not facts. There were no chemical weapons according to a long standing and reputable journalist and a medical doctor.

Israel and the USA military are acting on suppositions and not facts. That was the case when the USA revealed new technology that was not obvious before in the Syrian chemical weapons attack and now Netanyahu is making statements that are not founded in fact. I don't doubt there were missiles at issue, but, why and who did they belong to. By attacking Syrian forces in the area, Israel could be acting in it's worst judgment and allowing Daesh to continue to have a footprint. 

May 10, 2018

An Iranian official denied (click here) Thursday that the Islamic Republic was behind an overnight barrage of missiles on Israel, saying it does not have military forces in Syria, despite the fact that Israel blamed Iran's Revolutionary Guard for the attack.

"Iran does not have any connection to the missiles fired at Israel. If Iran did it we would have announced it immediately. When [ISIS] attacks Iranian targets in Syria we responded and made it known. Iran does not have any military presences in Syria and it was the Syrian army that fired missiles," the deputy head of Iran's national security council....       

In regard to Fake News; I believe it was the Hillary for President campaign that first brought the issue to the public.

The Democratic campaign proved to be correct with Russians that sought to subvert the USA through postings online.

When President Trump employes the idea of "Fake News" he is taking a legitimate complaint by a major US political party and plotting his own propaganda. The "Fake News" that originally was addressed by the DNC received attention through congressional hearings featuring "Facebook's CEO."

President Trump can't simply pull up the words "Fake News" without validating the fact it actually is. Congress and Facebook took this issue seriously and didn't use it as a campaign slogan.

What is even more worrisome is the insistence by President Trump press credentials are in the balance. That is being stated without any proof as to that statement and leans heavily in the progression of propaganda taking hold in the USA. If ever credentials need to be reviewed by Trump's FCC it should begin with FOX News, the propaganda arm of the RNC.

Given the strong use of media by Trump, the US Senate and House should be holding hearings on "Fake News." In the Senate it is "Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications Technology, Innovation, and the Internet i"

When threats are made by a President in regard to credentials of the free press in the USA, the legislative branch really should investigate the policies being toyed with by the FCC and take testimony from the media industry, including journalists both domestic and foreign.

Other countries sincerely struggle with a free and pluralistic press. One that is unbiased for the people to understand. The USA currently does not have that issue as much as other countries, including Russia. My sincerest worry is that by removing credentials, the news vital to the American people will become fragmented with conflicting information and views. The press will then be used to serve the politicians and plutocrats if that is not the same thing.

Congress needs to continue to hold hearings about "Fake News" and determine the migration of false facts into the American media. I realize the Pakistani example of disastrous pressure on the media seems extreme, but, the point is when the President of the USA begins to make threats to journalists, it is time to pay attention to our freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment.

A free press can be lost if Americans don't act to protect it. Any threats are not important to the public unless it is to intimidate the free press. Any malpractice by the media can be brought to the FCC and such data is collected. Licenses and credentials can be impacted, but, it has to be through due process and not a dictatorship.

Do I believe threats being made can be turned into something else more threatening to the media as in Pakistan? We have heard about threats related to this administration once before. Anything is possible when power and not governance is exerted.

May 1, 2018
By Walid Tariq

A free and pluralist media (click here) is vital to the democratic functioning of a country. However, media actors in Pakistan continue to face challenges including physical assault, threats, illegal detention, arrest and at times murder.

At least 157 such cases were recorded across the country in last one year, according to a report by Freedom Network.

The media watchdog, in its Press Freedom Barometer 2018, documented cases against media freedom from May 1, 2017 to April 1, 2018.

The violations included killing of five journalists for their work, 11 cases of attempted kidnapping or abduction, 39 illegal detention and arrest, 58 physical assault and vandalism, and 23 occurrences of verbal and written threats....

Is this lottery (duty - free) an international lottery? If it is, the Pakistani treasury is in for a treat.

May 10, 2018

A Pakistani woman (click here) and an Indian man who purchased their tickets online have won $1 million prize in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw at the Dubai airport, Khaleej Times reported.

Lamia Mustafa, a 34-year-old housewife from Karachi bought her second Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire ticket online with ticket number 4912, a number chosen based on her husband’s date of birth.

A regular participant to lucky draw, Mustafa could not believe her luck saying: “I never lose hope, I know that one day I will win and this is the day.”

I think it is really foolish for Cohen and the Trump Administration to attempt to drive poll numbers when real charges can be are pending.

This isn't like Guiliani's divorce proceeding giving him an election headache. This is real and the willingness to douce the public every day with revelations never heard before to attempt to put out fires is really stupid.

I have seen video clips from the past of Donald Trump claiming "Fake News." He is creating the idea the news media cannot be counted on and only he can be the one source without original sin. Enough.

The American news media is winning the public opinion polls because they are reporting real actions by real authorities. If there was no hush money and there was no Russian influence, Trump could claim the news reports are fake. But, he cannot make those claims. There are real facts before this administration and they aren't good. The Trump administration and Michael Cohen need to realize they need to protect their 5th Amendment rights and stop this hideous idea it will go away by a populous vote. This is not going away.

Mrs. Trump's campaign of kindness is overshadowed by all of her husband's antics and it isn't right. She has never appeared to be less than a kind person interested in serving as First Lady. I like Melania and she is not the person her husband is in regard to discrimination and racism. I reject the idea she has influence over her husband. I like Melania and her dedication to her son. She is good mother. 

Nothing changes, the reality of a corporation formed before the election received large sums of money.

Michael Cohen #1 is now admitting the information received by Mr. Avenatti is correct. The only other question is who is Michael Cohen #2? And what was he doing with deposits of smaller amounts (which isn't that small) related to the election of Donald Trump?

Stephen Ryan needs to be prepared to defend his client when he openly admits documents received by Mr. Avenatti are partially correct. That doesn't change the reality of his client and questions remain about that relationship with the campaign and Russian oligarchs.

Who are these other Michael Cohens or are they myth, too?

If this is the only defense Michael Cohen has, he needs a new lawyer.

May 9, 2018
By Tom Winter, Brandy Zadrozny and Sarah Fitzpatrick

Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is calling into question part of a report released by Stormy Daniels' attorney about Cohen's alleged banking transactions.

In a court filing on Wednesday, Cohen's attorney said some of the transactions attributed to Cohen were actually tied to other people with the same name.

"This document is concerning for a number of reasons, including the number of blatantly incorrect statements it contains," Cohen attorney Stephen Ryan wrote in a 24-page complaint letter to a federal judge.

Cohen's camp does not dispute the report's contention that a company he created in 2016 — and used to pay hush money to Daniels, an adult film actress who claims she had sex with Trump — received large payments from companies like Novartis and AT&T, which confirm they hired him as a consultant or adviser....

Events in the Middle East are not as optimistic as with the Korean Peninsula.

Since President Trump has stated he will not certify the JCPoA the tensions between Israel, Syria and Iran have deteriorated. There is a great deal to consider in this exchange of missiles over the Syrian border, including the fact Israel has not been engaged in Syria to defeat Daesh. Syrian forces were in that area about two weeks ago to take on a remaining group of what was reported as a Daesh remnant.

There is every indication that war in Syria is not over. It is being used as a proxy war for the hate fomented by Israel through it's extremist arm of the Likud party. This posture was not engaged by the previous Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

War is always a convenient posture for politicians. Israel has the right to defend itself and that is never an issue, but, to the extent the escalation has occurred following President Trump's tantrum over the JCPoA only proves a pre-planned posturing. If Iran had military and equipment in this area of Syria it can easily be attributed to the continued efforts regarding Daesh. There is every indication Israel creates it's own crisis, along with an extremist President from the USA.

This will be the second strike within Syria in a few weeks, the first being based on false reporting of a gas attack on civilians.

May 10, 2018

Missiles over Daara, Syria

Iranian forces in Syria (click here) shelled Israeli army outposts across the Syrianfrontier overnight, Israel said, prompting one of the heaviest Israeli strikes in Syria since its civil war began in 2011.

The attack into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights marks the first time Iranian forces have hit Israel from Syria, where they have deployed along with Iran-backed Shi'ite militias to support President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

Syrian state media said dozens of Israeli missile strikes hit a radar station, Syrian air defense positions and an ammunition dump, underscoring the risks of a wider escalation involving Iran and its regional allies.

The Israeli military spokesman said the Iranian attack with around 20 projectiles or rockets was carried out by the Quds Force, an external arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said that Israel intercepted "a few" of the rockets and there were no reports of casualties and that damage to Israeli positions was "limited."

The attack took place at around 12.10 a.m. "We have retaliated but I have no further details about this," he said....   

Welcome home to three Americans detained in North Korea. This is a great moment for the USA as it always is when these events occur and families are reunited. I wish them and their families well and happiness. 

A great deal of credit belongs to President Moon Jae-in of South Korea when he opened the possibility of peace on the Korean peninsula with a unified Korean Olympic Team. It has been an incredible cascade of events since that moment.

Pakistan is unafraid to level criticism at the Trump administration and ineffective US Congress; where is everyone else?

This could make the world more dangerous for everyone. Stand up to this lunatic. Are wars the future of diplomacy? Is that the only way sovereignty will be decided? There needs to be more to support Iran's decision to sign the agreement and others to continue to participate in it.

May 9, 2018

FO says arbitrarily rescinding such agreements will undermine confidence in the value of dialogue and diplomacy.

Hours after President Donald Trump (click here) announced pulling the United States out of an international agreement aimed at stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb, Pakistan expressed on Wednesday its serious concerns over the move.

Trump on Tuesday said he was reimposing economic sanctions on Tehran and pulling his country out of the deal, achieved through months-long negotiations.

In a statement issued on today, Pakistan said it believes that international treaties and agreements concluded through painstaking negotiations are sacrosanct.

“Arbitrarily rescinding such agreements will undermine confidence in the value of dialogue and diplomacy in the conduct of international relations and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” it added.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) represented a very good example of a negotiated settlement of complex issues, through dialogue and diplomacy....

There are two kidnappings today in Pakistan. Karachi construction boss . Probably ransom money.

May 9, 2018

Construction tycoon Latif Sorathia (click here) was abducted by unidentified suspects on Tuesday.

CCTV footage showed the noted builder being kidnapped by two, one sporting a police uniform. Police said an FIR of the incident had been registered following a complaint by Soarathia’s son.

Earlier in February, an eight-year-old girl was recovered by police six days after being kidnapped. Officials also claimed to have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the kidnapping.

Fida Hussain, the father of the abducted girl, had registered a complain at the Boat Basin police station on January 25 pm the kidnapping of this daughter against Nazeran Bibi alias Rani and Nazar  Muhammad alias....               

President Rouhani and the Supreme Leader need to remain civil in their dealings with partners of the JCPoA.

I understand the anger and passion that is exhibited in Iran, but, it would be a folly to end all contacts with Europe, Russia and China. Instead of the P5+1, it is now P4 + 1 and the USA is beginning to practice isolationism anyway.

There are not many in the USA that have confidence in the Trump administration and while it is difficult to tell whether the majority Republican Congress will act there is still vast opportunity with Iran and the P4 +1. Considering there is no emergency session of the US Congress or it's committees that is a sign as to the future of any action by them. They are easily intimidated by Trump and his anger.

The real concern is the US Military and what will occur if Israel launches into a war in the region. President Putin has already addressed that in calling Israel's Prime Minister to Moscow, but, the future is not set in stone. There are many that want to see Iran succeed. I have a strong suspicion former US Presidents are already involved in their own initiatives to protect from the zealotry of Trump and Israel.

Tomorrow is a concern, but, today is business as usual until all the ships captains have a chance to reassess and set a path forward. Hopefully, Wall Street will convey the message to the US Congress it will be hurting for campaign dollars that will go elsewhere on the political spectrum and the Congress will decide Trump is not so important in the first place. Lots can happen, the only question is, will it?

US President Donald Trump’s decision (click here) to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal prompted furious reaction in Tehran, regret in Europe and cheers from Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The following is a selection of reactions from around the globe to Trump’s biggest foreign policy move since taking office:

“This decision was an act of psychological warfare against Iran.” – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

“I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation to take the necessary measures for future actions so that, if necessary, we can resume industrial enrichment without limit.” – Rouhani

“Stay true to your commitments as we will stay true to ours and together with the rest of the international community, we will preserve this nuclear deal.” – European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini

“France, Germany and the UK regret the US decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake. We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity and stability in the Middle East, notably Syria, Yemen and Iraq.” – French President Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter, referring to the Iran deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action....
                            

The US EPA is worthless even in protecting American lives.

May 7, 2018

Wilmington, NC (WECT) - National Gypsum (click here) has announced that it is reopening its plant in Wilmington.

“We expect to have the plant operational by the end of the year,” said National Gypsum CEO Tom Nelson in a statement. “Wilmington will allow us to better respond to customer demand as the construction industry continues to build momentum.”

The company says it plans to hire 51 associates and will spend $25 million over the next five years to upgrade existing machinery as well as install new equipment....

There are high levels of formaldehyde affiliated with this company. It causes cancer. The children of Wilmington, North Carolina will be experiencing cancers in 20 years.

The US EPA is throwing the American people back to the 1960s when clean air and water were first an issue. See, Pruitt will change the toxic levels to provide for old industries to reignite their profit structure. Believe me, the Trump economy is a killer.

Especially in the south, the state and not the federal government will change the toxin levels to allow the companies to begin their production again. Acid rain will be back and all the nasty issues Americans used to face. There will be compromising lung disease in children and the list is too long to mention here.

However, one of the reasons National Gypsum seeks out east coast cities (the other being Miami) to produce it's product is the winds. The winds will help dilute the pollution. It will carry the pollution out to sea. There won't be mitigation of the toxins by the company, they will simply add wind movement into their formula to justify their toxin levels.

The problem for the people is who do they turn to and the answer is the courts. The people won't have ready organizations, except for the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association, to bring suit to end the assault against their health. They will have to organize and raise funds to advance their wellness through scientific information to end the return of these companies.

The reason Trump wants everything defunded in Washington is to remove any authority that can be used in the future to return regulations. I would think that obvious. He enjoys having long time staffers leave their jobs because that means a return of expertise to the agencies will take time in recruiting experts to work for the USA government. With Trump being the current reality there will be less and less confidence in a see-saw system of government in DC. The USA is a banana republic. It is now. Unless the people stabilize their government again and end the huge deficit spending of Trump, the USA will forever be untrustworthy.

Communities need to have at the ready organizations that can carry them into court with experts to end any assault against their health now that the US EPA is as corrupt as the day is long.

One would say, the elections have to prove to produce people that will act in the best interest of a communities health, but, whoever expected this? No one. So, trusted officials are now the enemy and it is difficult to direct policy and monies once such individuals are in place. The South has a horrible economy without such attacks on community health. North Carolina defaults to "the internet" for it's economy and the cities are basically ghost towns except for pawn shops and colleges and sparse sprinkling of Wall Street companies like McDonalds. "The Family Businesses" in the fashion of The Kochs is what Red State politicians seek to provide jobs. Companies like Dell don't stay. They accept all kinds of tax breaks and function for a short time, but, ultimately they leave. 

At any rate, that is the federal government now. It functions to bring companies back no matter the price and they call it governance. That is not governance, it is simply incompetents that allow the government to flounder and misdirect.

The current Department of Energy is a disaster zone. The issues in Puerto Rico regarding the energy grid is due to the lack of expertise in the Department of Energy right now. The Army Corp. is being used to shore up efforts. The Army Corp of Engineers is a stop gap until the Department of Energy prepares a strategy and revamps such problems. The Army Corp. is the only real agency of the USA government that can solve domestic problems right now. The US Army Corp. and the National Guard will be the infrastructure to domestic emergencies. The problem is that their role is extended far past what it should be. And then realize the National Guard is training others like Ukraine and the picture domestically gets really sad and stupid. Governors have to rethink the roll of the federal government now and into the future until things improve, if they ever do and the American people understand the importance of expertise and complexity.

Citizen's United disarmed the American people. Money can buy corruption. The really interesting thing is that Wall Street bought incompetency and greed in family owned businesses, not one of it's own and now Wall Street is a target.

It gets really scary to realize Trump is probably the smartest guy in the room at cabinet meetings.

There is a really cool story out of Afghanistan.

May 8, 2018

One of the games (click here) designed by the all-female team has caught the eye of developers and gamers as it illustrates the scourge of opium cultivation and the challenges the Afghan security forces face as they try to stamp it out.

The US Congress can legislate continuance of the Iran Deal.

It is really easy to understand what is occurring in the White House. It is called "Making it happen for Koch."

I can't believe the Trump White House is this corrupt. This is astounding to think they thought they could get away with it, but, Trump figured with Comey out of the way he had control. That is why the White House staffing, especially the State Department is so sparse.

Wall Street is used to looking at the USA government to help decide about the future and where adjusts need to be made to compete. THERE IS NO COMPETING WITH TRUMP. Trump is pulling all the strings to benefit Koch. Koch Industries is a private company and the only information available to Wall Street to read the tea leaves is to measure it's moves. There is no prospectus for Wall Street to understand Koch's balance sheets. Koch is undermining Wall Street, whether it means it or not. There needs to be hearing held by Congress as well. This is outrageous. The White House has become an arm of Koch Industries.

March 7, 2018
By Ed Lin

Koch Industries (click here) is probably as well known for its leadership in the Koch brothers as its brands, which include Dixie and Lycra.

Koch Industries Chairman and Chief Executive Charles G. Koch and executive vice president David H. Koch are high-profile philanthropists and libertarians. The brothers are not supernatural, but they recently helped a company buy some time.

The Kochs recently did some buying on their own. Koch Industries initiated positions in Qualcomm(ticker: QCOM), Groupon (GRPN) and Synders-Lance (LNCE) in the fourth quarter. They also bought more shares of Time Warner (TWX) and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI).

Qualcomm’s contested relationship with would-be acquirer Broadcom (AVGO) has been a messy drama that anybody obligated to read daily business news has been involuntarily bingeing on. Now, national security is the latest terrain the dance of the chip makers has trampled upon. Koch Industries bought 31,000 Qualcomm shares in the fourth quarter, the same time frame of Broadcom’s initial overture. Qualcomm eked out a 2% gain, excluding dividends, in 2017 but has given all that back so far in 2018 through Tuesday’s close....

Oil has reached $77 per barrel which is the highest in a long time. When realizing ATT was paying Michael Cohen for advice to understand the current administration, it was to control the outcomes of mergers. The ATT merger with Time Warner went to Koch. This is all manipulation for the benefit of Koch Industries since they are the primary contributor to the GOP.

Former Secretary John Kerry and/or President Obama should be educating Congress to the corrupt and illegal measures being employed by the Executive Branch. This is simply unbelievable. This is something that no one ever conceived would be possible by the USA. The most Wall Street every have hoped for is competition for US Contracts; not paying to play in commodities. Wall Street is slowly floundering into major losses since they celebrated Trump in the White House after the election and there were huge gains in the market.

I dislike Wall Street for many reasons, but, hate them to the point where they are destroyed by their own greed is not what I call prudent government policy. This is simply outrageous. The White House has few staff and advisors to conceal the corruption. Wall Street needs to take the information provided by Mr. Avenatti and file suit against President Donald Trump, Trump Company, Michael Cohen, Koch Industries and the Koch Brothers themselves. What are their names, David and Charles. They need to end this insult to the markets. The markets are lost at least up to this point. US Justice needs to put mergers on hold until the criminal content is realized and recorded and acted on.

China, India and Korea (click here) could all be hit by Trump’s decision.

As this chart shows, they are the biggest customers for the oil which Iran has been pumping vigorously since sanctions were lifted in 2016.

Donald Trump’s decision has gone down predictably badly in Iran.

MPs symbolically burned a US flag in the country’s parliament this morning and chanted “death to America”

The Iranian parliament’s speaker, Ali Larijani, accused the US president of conducting a “diplomatic show” and claimed that president Trump “does not have the mental capacity” for the job....

There are currently issues in the Middle East and Netanyahu is on his way to Moscow to coordinate bombing in regard to Syria. To say, Trump's plans are not going well is an understatement. Trump needs to resign.

The US military should be on alert that the President is incompetently using the military for personal goals and not national policy. However, that has to happen it needs to happen.

With Iran burning the USA flag in its parliament, Saudi Arabia has intercepted missiles over Riyadh. Israel was bombing missile sites in Syria supposedly justified by the discovery missiels were pointed at Israel. No one knows the real truth at this point and the USA military needs to be coordinating with the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council to establish a common understanding of hot spots around the world and how best to move forward. The President is not capable of leading without corruption. (click here)

Pakistan and India are definitely trying to move to stable borders. There has been some issues in Kashmir and there are some attacks against police with casualties. But, the two countries are trying to establish better relations. The Pakistani Courts are doing their level best to rule according to law, but, the ISI and other police groups are causing issues. There was a raid on a party with about 40 people, about half were women. The raid was without a warrant because it was based in religious practices and not the law in Pakistan.

The power of local elders are a real issue in Pakistan. 

I think the Koreas are stable and moving forward with their peace initiative. I don't see that changing. Russia and China are strong authorities in the region to insure stability and Kim Jong Un should be aware of his position in the region so there won't be insults from the outcome of corruption by the USA. Basically, everyone hold on to their hats and continue to move forward toward stability and peace. The USA military has to be secure and the generals and the Joint Chiefs will make it so. Everyone needs to be talking and ignoring Trump.

There is no telling what the USA Congress will do next, because the Republican majority are political cowards. The idea the Kochs are in trouble should be their reality.

As far as oil goes, China needs to work with Russia and Iran if it is highly impacted by price. India is seeking outside companies in bids to the government to squeeze current oil fields. I think Halliburton is involved. Perhaps an appeal to Saudi Arabia for oil might be an advantage. Everyone is going to have to find oil allies. I don't I just stated that. I hate the petroleum industry, but, that is mostly the USA petroleum industry, it is lead by idiots. I would think that would be evident by now.

I will take this opporunity to state, EVERY COUNTRY NEEDS TO WORK TOWARD ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES. I would think this havoc reeked by Trump and Koch is a good example of what can occur with commodities. It is unbelievable to realize the extent Trump has been able to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Who knows what is next?

To be clear, the Russians are consistent through the Manafort investigation as well.

6 April 2018
By Amanda Macias

...Victor Vekselberg, (click here) founder and chairman of the Renova Group asset management company.Treasury said two of his associates in the company had been arrested by Russian prosecutors in a bribery investigation connected to a power generation project.

It isn't as if there are separate Russians involved with Manafort, they are the same Russians involved with Paul Manafort. These men were known to be involved with Manafort when he left the campaign because of these Russian connections. So, when Cohen was taking donations for Trump's inauguration; Victor Vekselberg was known to be involved with his former campaign chairman.

Viktor Vekselberg can be considered a friend of President Putin.

April 9, 2018

By Tara Patel, Albertina Torsoli and Alexander Sazonov

Viktor Vekselberg (left) (click here) speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the National Children's Sports and Health Centre in Sochi, Russia, Oct. 11, 2014.

Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg’s (click here) constellation of Swiss industrial companies got hammered by investors on Monday after the U.S. imposed sanctions on the oligarch and his Renova Group investment vehicle.

Renova owns stakes in three Switzerland-based equipment manufacturers, Sulzer AG, OC Oerlikon Corp. and Schmolz + Bickenbach AG, as well as a holding in United Co. Rusal, the giant aluminum producer owned by Oleg Deripaska, another billionaire hit by the measures. Shares in the companies tumbled even as Vekselberg, 60, took steps to lower his stake in Sulzer to below a majority in a bid to insulate the company.

The U.S. Treasury on Friday included Vekselberg and Renova on a list of oligarchs, companies and senior government officials subject to sanctions that it said were intended to punish the country for actions in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria, and for attempting to subvert Western democracies. After founding Renova in 1990 and accumulating interests in Russia’s oil, gas and aluminum industries, Vekselberg bought stakes in Oerlikon in 2006 and Sulzer the following year as part of an expansion outside his home country....

With the picture above:

St. Petersburg is very near Europe. There is a strong European influence in St. Petersburg.

January 20, 2018
By Bendon James

A man looks at jeweled egg 'Cock' created by Peter Carl Faberge at the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg, on November 19, 2013. Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg opened a museum to display his glittering collection of Faberge eggs, once owned by the tsars, in the former imperial capital of Saint Petersburg. 

...After International Business Times (click here) reported Tuesday that Gawker CEO and founder Nick Denton was seeking outside investment cash, Denton announced a planned partnership with Vekselberg’s investment firm Columbus Nova in the New York Times. Gawker, it turns out, plans to sell a minority stake to Columbus Nova, pending approval from Gawker’s shareholders, to finance the company's ongoing legal fight with Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan.

The Times article didn’t mention the oligarch connection, but soon the Wall Street Journal pointed out that Columbus is the U.S. investment arm of Vekselberg's oil and metal conglomerate. That makes him the latest player in the ongoing saga that is Gawker Media, and perhaps the most important after Denton himself....

Sanctions reach far deeper than just and= individual's investments. Because of the large percentages these Russian men hold in companies, the markets are effected and the company losses asset value. When asset values drops the ability to have liquidity diminishes. Liquidity is what any Wall Street stock relies on for daily expenses and incomes.

Sulzer is exposed to the sanctions because Vekselberg’s shareholding is above 50 percent, according to Baader Helvea analyst Reto Amstalden, adding that this is not the case for Oerlikon and Schmolz. Vekselberg holds a 43 percent stake in Oerlikon and 25 percent in Schmolz, according to the companies.

“Oerlikon is neither considered a sanctioned nor a blocked party because Mr. Vekselberg’s ownership interest in Oerlikon is less than 50 percent,” the company said in a statement.

Sulzer stock fell 14 percent to 108.30 francs at 3:37 p.m. in Zurich, according to data on the Swiss exchange’s website. At this price, the transferred shares would be worth about 542 million francs ($567 million). Oerlikon shares fell 5.7 percent while Schmolz dropped 6 percent.

Michael Cohen should never have accepted such large sums of money from a Russian oligarch. It is not good practice. I take it those monies were never returned.

This is typical of Trump's need for money. Evidently, donors are never vetted because the money is the focus, not national security. All these people are known to be Putin's friends.

April 6, 2018
By Leslay Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle

Oleg Deripaska, Vladimir Bogdanov, Suleiman Kerimov, Krilli Shamalov, Viktor Vekselberg, (middle L-R) Mikjhail Fradkov, Sergi Fursenko, Alexei Dyumin, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Konstantin Kosachev, (bottom L-R) Andrei Kostin, Alexei Miller, Nikolai Patrushev, Vladimir Ustinov, Viktor Zolotov.

Washington -The United States (click here) imposed major sanctions on Friday against 24 Russians, striking at allies of President Vladimir Putin in one of Washington’s most aggressive moves to punish Moscow for its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and other “malign activity.”...

President Trump cannot deny knowledge of these activities. He and his family participated in them.

How much is lunch with members of Donald Trump's cabinet and House and Senate leadership worth? According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, a cool $1 million....

... the "58th Presidential Inaugural Committee Underwriter Benefits." Those perks include a luncheon with "the ladies of the first families," an "intimate dinner" with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and a "candlelight dinner" with "special appearances" by Trump and incoming First Lady Melania Trump as well as the Pences....

As to the sanctions, Western companies that  found themselves with Russian oligarches as share holders bought back as many shares as it could and reduced the explosure of the company by any office holder's dismissal. Most of the assets still remaining in The West were frozen and could not be accessed.