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Study: Half of supermarket meat may have staph bug
ATLANTA (AP) — Half the meat and poultry sold in the supermarket may be tainted with the staph germ, a new report suggests.
The new estimate is based on just 136 samples of beef, chicken, pork and turkey purchased from grocery stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Flagstaff, Ariz. and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Proper cooking kills the germs, and federal health officials estimate staph accounts for less than 3 percent of foodborne illnesses, far less than more common bugs like salmonella and E. coli.
The new study found more than half the samples contained Staphylococcus Read more…
China-Russia relations and the United States: At a turning point?
By Dr. Richard WeitzSince the end of the Cold War, the improved political and economic relationship between Beijing and Moscow has affected a range of international security issues. China and Russia have expanded their bilateral economic and security cooperation. In addition, they have pursued distinct, yet parallel, policies regarding many global and regional issues.
Yet, Chinese and Russian approaches to a range of significant subjects are still largely uncoordinated and at times in conflict. Economic exchanges between China and Russia remain minimal compared to those found between most friendly countries, let alone allies.
Although stronger Chinese-Russian ties could present greater challenges to other countries (e.g., the establishment of a Moscow-Beijing condominium over Central Asia), several factors make it unlikely that the two countries will form such a bloc.
The relationship between the Chinese and Russian governments is perhaps the best it has ever been. The leaders of both countries engage in numerous high-level exchanges, make many mutually supportive statements, and manifest other displays of Russian-Chinese cooperation in what both governments refer to as their developing strategic partnership.
The current benign situation is due less to common values and shared interests than to the fact that Chinese and Russian security concerns are Read more…
Saudi US Rift widening
goldandsilverlinings
Back when Egypt was falling apart, not that it still isn’t, the Saudi king was very upset with the US for allowing his good friend Hosni Mubarak to fall. Rumor has it that the King almost or in fact did suffer a heart attack after talking to Obama about the way things were going in the Egypt.
The Saudi’s are now raising concerns that the Bushehr reactor is another Fukushima waiting to happen. The US is turning a blind eye to Saudi Arabia’s concerns, granted the Saudi’s are likely taking advantage of Fukushima to draw attention to their objective of halting Bushehr coming online. Israel has also been very quiet on Bushekr Read more…
IRS to increase “pre-crime” enforcement
Did you ever see Minority Report? It’s one of Steven Spielberg’s often forgotten about movies based on the short story by Philip K. Dick. In the movie, pre-couch Tom Cruise plays a police officer in the year 2054 who works for the highly specialized ‘pre-crime’ division.
Using a bizarre array of technology and metaphysics, the pre-crime division sees into the future and stops criminals in their tracks, arresting them before they commit a crime… sometimes before they even think about committing a crime.
This very elaborate and morally ambiguous law enforcement system is predicated on the government determining what your actions and intentions will be, often before Read more…
Supervolcano plume sized up
University of Utah
This image, based on variations in electrical conductivity of underground rock, shows the volcanic plume of partly molten rock that feeds the Yellowstone supervolcano. Yellow and red indicate higher conductivity,green and blue indicate lower conductivity.
By John Roach
The volcanic plume beneath Yellowstone is larger than previously thought, according to a new study that measured the electrical conductivity of the hot and partly molten rock.
The findings say nothing about the chances of another cataclysmic eruption at Yellowstone, but they give scientists another view of the vast and deep reservoir that feeds such eruptions.
“It’s a totally new and different way of imaging and looking at the volcanic roots of Yellowstone,” study co-author Robert Smith, an emeritus professor Read more…
China and US gang up on N Korea
THE strategic rivals China and the US have been secretly sharing intelligence about North Korea.
Leaked records of highly sensitive US-China defence consultations reveal that despite Chinese complaints about US arms sales to Taiwan, and American concerns about a growing Chinese espionage threat, the CIA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the US Defence Department have held secret talks on North Korea with Chinese military intelligence.
According to US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and provided exclusively to the Herald, US-Chinese defence talks held in Beijing in July 2009 included long exchanges about North Korea between the US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, Michele Flournoy, and top Chinese generals.
U.S. braces for floods as Red River rises
Movers this week pulled furniture from the lower level of the Sterns’ house and ripped out the carpet to reduce damage from seeping water as the Red River continued a rapid rise.
“Any spring there is anxiety,” Sherri Stern said on Thursday. “We didn’t expect to have water that we would have to start pumping this fast.”
The Red River swelled to within four feet of its forecasted crest at Fargo-Moorhead on Thursday as volunteers piled up sandbags. At the forecasted level, the Red River crest would be the third highest on record behind 2009 and 1997.
The flood has potential to force thousands of people from their homes in North Dakota and Minnesota based on past similar floods, but protection is better this year, said Cecily Fong, spokeswoman for the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.
RED TO CREST SUNDAY AT FARGO
The Red, which forms the boundary between the two states, rose to 35.9 feet at Fargo- Read more…
CBO: Deficit on the rise
The federal government’s deficit continues to grow, according to the latest numbers from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The government is expected to run a deficit of $830 billion in the first six months of fiscal 2011, a $113 billion increase from the same period last year, the CBO reported Thursday.
The latest numbers could serve as fresh ammunition for Congressional Republicans caught in a fight over government spending with their Democratic counterparts. Lawmakers are currently haggling over both a short-term spending package to avert a government shutdown and a longer-term budget proposal for fiscal 2012. And indications the deficit is still on the rise could bolster arguments to make major spending cuts.
The CBO reported that both government spending and revenue collection were up in 2011 when compared to 2010, by 11 percent and 7 percent, respectively.
In March alone, the federal deficit stood at $189 billion, which is $124 billion more than the same month last year.
The organization’s data shows government spending rising in nearly every major category. Spending on defense, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid were up in preliminary fiscal 2011 numbers when compared to 2010, as CBO estimated government outlays were up $179 billion in the first six months of fiscal 2011. Spending dropped 22 percent on unemployment benefits over that same period.
Government revenues were also slightly up over that time frame, growing 6.9 percent or $66 billion. However, receipts in March were down about $3 billion when compared to March 2010, driven by declines in individual income as well as payroll, estate and gift taxes.
The CBO noted that vital information about the government’s fiscal picture will be coming in the next several weeks, as individual income tax returns are filed for 2010 and estimated payments of income taxes will be made by corporations and individuals for the first quarter of 2011.
USGS maps NOT REPORTING known significant earthquake data near New Madrid Fault
Legislation Repealing Controversial Form 1099 Rules Passed By Senate, Headed To White House
Florence Delva/Getty Images A stack of coins is shown in this file photo. A new IRS rule that will start in 2012 will require sellers, buyers of gold coins to file IRS paperwork.
(Kitco News) Both chambers of the U.S. Congress have approved legislation to eliminate controversial new Form 1099 tax-reporting requirements that coin dealers and other business organizations had complained was too onerous.
The measure is on its way to the desk of President Obama after Senate passage by an 87-12 vote Tuesday. A number of news reports suggested that the White House is expected to sign the bill into law.
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), who introduced Form 1099 repeal seven times, said the Senate measure was identical to a version that already passed the House of Representatives. This means the measure does not have to go to a conference committee and instead goes directly to the White House. An amendment that would have resulted in further delay of 1099 repeal was rejected, he said.
“I appreciate that my colleagues have seen the wisdom of avoiding further delays and getting this costly, looming paperwork burden off the backs of our job creators,” Johanns said. “We now need only a simple signature from the president and this bill will become law, saving jobs and much needed capital for our small businesses.”
The House passed a bill for repeal of the Form 1099 rules in early March. Both parties have favored repeal for months now, although it was held up by a fight over how to offset to any health-care funding that purportedly would be lost. According to news reports, the House and Senate bills would limit health-care subsidies for families over a certain income threshold.
The Industry Council for Tangible Assets said Tuesday night it was cautiously optimistic that the repeal will become law. ICTA is a trade group for the rare coin, precious metals and tangible assets industry.
The group noted that as of early last month, a statement of administration policy indicated that the White House did not agree with Read more…
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