Time to invest in canned goods, ammunition, and of course the mineral rights to Jefferson Island...
- Putin Firmly Defends Russia's Sovereignty for Kurile Islands, Japan Insists on Their Return
The return of the islands is the basis of the peace treaty with Russia, Japanese politicians say
The scandal between Russia and Japan regarding the sovereignty of Kurile Islands has resumed this week again. Answering a question from a resident of Sakhalin in Russia's Far East during a call-in conference held on September 27, President Vladimir Putin stated that the sovereignty of Russia's four Kurile Islands was not to be discussed. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said two days later, though, that Japan would continue to insist on the return of the islands. According to Koizumi, it would be the mandatory condition upon which Japan would agree to sign the peace treaty...
...The territorial dispute heats up around the four islands: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai ridge. Russia considers the four islands its own territory. According to the peace treaty signed after the end of WWII, all Kurile Islands were put under the USSR's sovereignty. Japan, however, differentiated the legal and geographical notions of Kurile Islands and emphasized that it always distinguished them from the remaining group of islands. Japan agreed once for the return of only two islands, Shikotan and Habomai, which used to be a part of Hokkaido prefecture. However, when Junichiro Koizumi took the office, the Japanese administration demanded the return of all the four islands and refused to sign the peace treaty with Russia.
Japan obviously has its weak points in the dispute, the energy dependence on Russia, first and foremost. Japan is not rich with mineral resources, but there is also a question of defensive weakness as well: Japan has been deprived of the right to have a real army for more than 50 years already...
You know, I just realized: I don't care if the author of this piece doesn't think they're real; I really wouldn't want to fight them.
...The Japanese government is not likely to change its standpoint regarding the future of South Kurile Islands. To crown it all, EU and US officials in the face of the Pentagon chief, Donald Rumsfeld, advised Russia should return all the four moot islands to Japan. Russian President Putin was supposed to visit Japan in the beginning of the current year, but the trip was not meant to take place. It brings up the idea that Putin's scheduled visit to Tokyo in November is not likely to bring any positive results either.
- Russia and Post-Soviet States to Challenge USA's Global Dictatorship With a New Economic Block
The West is interested in Russia solely as an exporter of natural resources, oil and gas first and foremost
Excerpting some interesting paragraphs; read the whole thing...
...International cooperation is generally built on either bilateral or coalition grounds (Moscow-Warsaw, Kiev-Tel Aviv or NATO, EU, etc). There can be another variant in the organization of international relations, when one state has to deal with a coalition of other states. A small single Baltic state (Lithuania), for example, made it clear to Moscow after the accident with the crashed Russian Su-27 aircraft that Russia would have to deal not only with a small state, but with the big NATO block...
...Russia currently faces a similar problem too. When the USSR broke up, a lot was said about the need to integrate in the global economic system. The wording implied the incorporation of something new in a stable system. It is possible to become a part of a system either wholly or partially. It is noteworthy that a system always takes what it needs and disregards everything else. Examples can be found on the American continent. Venezuela is rich with oil resources, which makes it highly attractive for the USA. Cheap and skilled labour force is available in Mexico, where it is possible to establish the car production and earn millions of dollars of profit on it. It goes without saying that many Latin American states do not wish to make up with such a situation. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez set forth an initiative to form a closed market of oil for 16 countries of Latin America. According to Chavez's ideas, members of such an association would be able to purchase oil at special prices which would be lower than their market versions...
...Current anti-Russian policies run by many states of the former USSR can be explained with the fact that the republics were completely deprived of any choice when the Soviet Union broke up. Russia's suggestions seemed either unacceptable or nonviable to them. Choosing between Washington/Brussels and Moscow, Kiev, Chisinau and others were forced to look westwards. Russia has a good chance to become the center of attraction to its neighboring states again, when advantages of the strong pro-American orientation have been weakening steadily. Unlike Venezuela and Cuba, the masterminds of anti-American policies in Latin America, Russia has been a strong superpower for centuries. Moscow only needs to gain more political will.
- Uruguay's President to Behead Military if Disappeared Are Not Found
Tabare Vazquez may oust top military commanders after weeks of unsuccessful search for the remains of people detained and disappeared in military grounds
I think they need some new headline writers
- USA intends to bring economic sanctions against Uzbekistan and jail Uzbek president
The USA's attitude to Uzbekistan turned to negative when Uzbek President Karimov did not let the US army base stay on the republic's territory longer
So there he was, sitting in the refrigerator, minding his own business...
The European Union is expected to make a decision pertaining to the imposition of sanctions against Uzbekistan. EU's ministers for foreign affairs are holding a meeting in Luxembourg, at which they are supposed to vote for the resolution to impose a weapon sales embargo against Uzbekistan, cut the volume of financial help to the former Soviet republic and bar Uzbek officials from visiting European states.
The imminent sanctions mark the continuation of tough measures, which are currently being taken against Uzbekistan on the US initiative. A draft resolution to file a criminal case against the incumbent President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, was submitted to the US Congress on September 30. Legal proceedings against Karimov are to be instituted at the International Criminal Court. According to the document, the US administration intends to impose international sanctions against the Asian republic of Uzbekistan in general and against President Karimov in particular. The Committee for International Affairs of the Congress demands President George Bush use the US influence in the UN Security Council and to apply penalties against Islam Karimov in connection with a mass uprising in the town of Andijan that took place in May of the current year.
According to official information, 169 people died as a result of the mutiny in Andijan.
A mutiny? Were military forces in revolt, or was some other definition being used?
Western observers and local human rights activists affirm, though, that the number of victims reaches 800 people.
Wait... the article subtitle implied that all that was going on was power politics in what was otherwise a vacuum...
Until recently, the Bush's administration insisted on the need to conduct an international investigation of the Andijan tragedy. An official spokesman for the US State Department, Sean McCormack, said that the USA was willing to render all adequate help to Uzbekistan. The administration of the former Soviet republic turned down the suggestion, though. In return, Washington decided to freeze the financial help of $22 million to Uzbekistan.
Observers say, however, that the USA has taken such a negative attitude towards Uzbekistan shortly after unsuccessful attempts to convince Uzbek President Karimov of the need to extend the term for the US army base to stay on the territory of Uzbekistan...
So the shooting happens, and then by sheer coincidence Karimov decides to get rid of the US bases, and then relationships deteriorate?
| I'm surprised. Aren't you surprised? |
...To crown it all, the current trial of 15 men accused of May's unrest in Andijan, which currently takes place in Tashkent, added more fuel to the fire: it was said during the process that the US embassy in Uzbekistan had sponsored the mutiny.
What would be the purpose? So the US could protest and get itself kicked out?
Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Daniel Fried attempted to bring Islam Karimov to reason last week. Fried had to acknowledge later, though, that negotiations with the Uzbek president did not bring the desired result. Daniel Fried stated during a press conference in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, that US troops were going to leave the territory of Uzbekistan without any additional talks on the matter. The US official said that Uzbekistan and the USA had experienced a rather complicated period of their relations, which was additionally aggravated with serious concerns of the US administration about human rights in Andijan. The US diplomat did not specify if the period was still going on or not.
Russia has thus remained the only reliable partner of Uzbekistan. "We approach the events in Uzbekistan as a tragedy, although our estimations of the basis of this tragedy are absolutely different from the opinion of Western organizations," Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Friday. The minister added that Russia did not practice any restrictions regarding arms deliveries to Uzbekistan. "Our relations with Uzbekistan have been strengthening in all areas, including the defense field. There are no restrictions on arms deliveries to the republic, except for globally recognized international rules," Ivanov told reporters.
It is worthy of note that the USA has imposed economic and other sanctions against a wide range of countries. Such measures are presumably instigated by foreign states' activities to violate the non-proliferation regime and human rights, support terrorism and conduct anti-American actions. The scale of sanctions differs in every particular case: there can be both universal and selective restrictions introduced. The USA imposed all-embracing sanctions against Cuba, for example, but barred weapon sales and other defense contracts with China. The USA imposed export trade sanctions (they are considered most comprehensive restrictions) with the following states: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Serbia, Afghanistan and certain African states. The list is complete with China, India, Pakistan and Syria, with which the US administration practices restrictions on certain goods only.
- Al-Qaeda Trains 50 Suicide Bombers to Conduct Terrorist Attacks in Turkey
The terrorist network reportedly plans to perform a series of bloody terrorist acts during the holy month of Ramadan
Almost reads like Debka...
- 7,000 People Evacuated From Flaming Ammunition Depot in Russia's Far East
Powerful explosions blew out windows and shook houses not far from the site of the accident
"The territory near the arms depots, where explosions continue to occur, has been cordoned off, local residents have been evacuated, no one has suffered as a result of the accident," Georgy Romanovich, the chairman of the press service of the North-Eastern Armed Forces of Russia said.
Vice Governor of the Kamchatka region, Yevgeni Laukhin, stated before that over 1,200 of 4,500 residents living close to the site of the tragedy had been evacuated. "Other people preferred not to leave their homes being afraid of looters," the vice governor said.
According to Georgy Romanovich, explosions have become less powerful. "The last powerful explosions rocked the burning ammunition depot two or three hours ago," said he.
The burning ammunition depots are located some 50 kilometers far from the regional center, the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Officials say that it is still impossible to start extinguishing the fire because of ongoing explosions. "Special services can only observe the area for the time being," said he...
...No one has been reportedly killed with the explosions. A source from the Internal Affairs Ministry of the region told Interfax that there could be five security guards staying on the site during the time when the depot went ablaze and explosions started. "The security guards could use a bomb shelter on the territory of the ammunition depot. There is no information about them due to the absence of communication," a spokesman for the source said...
- The Black Day of Russia's White House
It is dangerous in Russia to take armed people out in the streets to fight the regime
Mostly an opinion piece on the attempted coup.
- Condoleezza Rice Leads Solitary Life, But Surprises the World With Her Slim Figure and Determination
No one has ever heard anything about Ms. Rice's friendship with women although everyone knows the names of her male friends
An uninteresting and I suspect at least incomplete puff piece...
- Earth to Stretch Sideways and Then Turn Into a Cold Star
Experts state that in 100 million years a day will last for 25 hours
But probably not long enough for me to get caught up.
Earth is a living body: its form varies from time to time, its continents go apart and crawl against each other, whereas earthquakes and convulsions of nature shake Earth on a regular basis. NASA's recent research works show that Earth is stretching to the sides. Furthermore, there is every reason to believe that some day the planet will inevitably become brighter than the Sun and the latter will turn into a cold planet.
There wouldn't happen to be a more specific cite than "NASA Experts," would there?
The shape of the planet determines gravity, and consequently it influences the trajectories of satellite orbits and the accuracy of telecommunication signals going to space centers on the surface. This explains why NASA is so much anxious about the problem. In the mid-19th century, artillery general Alfred Drayson studied bomb trajectories and arrived at a conclusion that the planet was getting wider, a rather courageous statement for that epoch indeed.
The great spirits have spoken! Wider is better!
| Sorta like my old AMC Pacer ... |
NASA experts have modernized the old theory. The ice melting on the poles results in the elastic return effect in the mantle. The mantle, a thick layer of melted rock between the core and the earth's crust, acts like a sponge ball recovering after squeezing during glacial periods and global warming. In the recent years, the planet has suddenly started to swell. The phenomenon is even registered with high-accuracy lasers tracing satellites in the orbit. None of the surface processes can entail such an effect. The Earth's radius increases by about one millimeter a year and the ocean level goes up. For example, the Baikal Lake gets 2 centimeters wider every year. The NASA statements are also confirmed by paleo-magnitology experts restoring continents outlines as they were millions of years ago.
Getting serious for a second... the Earth might become minutely more oblate as material moves from the poles to the equator, or less oblate as the reverse happens, but it's a very small process, that we can only notice now that we're measuring ocean surface elevations to the millimeter. This article also doesn't mention that the polar ice caps shrink or grow depending on the various ice ages, which are generally thought to have been caused by the Milankovitch Cycles; more can be read about them here
Paleo-magnetologists have determined that the speed of the Earth's rotation dropped in the prehistoric times already. The reconstruction demonstrates that the planet rotated very quickly 3 billion years ago. At that time, the day lasted for 19 hours, and experts state that days will last for 25 hours in 100 million years.
It is difficult for the "swelled" planet to rotate around the Sun; the day becomes 0.0023 seconds longer every century. As a result, the Earth is inevitably moving away from the Sun. In addition to tectonic processes, the planet gets wider also thanks to the interstellar dust coming to its surface. According to even modest estimates, this dust adds at least 1 billion tons every year. Some experts say that dinosaurs became extinct because of the planet's growth and the proportional increase of gravitation; under those conditions dinosaurs could no longer bear their own weight.
How long will the Earth's swelling last? In several billions of years, collapse processes typical of all stars will begin on the heavy Earth. When the planet's weight exceeds the breaking point, a chain reaction will start inside the planet. The Earth will become some sort of an atomic bomb under the enormous pressure and will reach the temperature of the Sun. This means our planet may become another star.
People on this planet will be able to witness a similar process when Jupiter, the biggest planet of the Solar system, will become a star. In some parts of Jupiter the surface temperature reaches 1,000 degrees. Astrophysicists believe that Jupiter will become a star, move away from the Sun together with its 12 satellites and form a new planetary system.
Huh. Where's the Mayan Calendar? Where's 2012? Where's John Titor? Where's the Bible Code And The Great Pumpkin?
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