The 48 percent

Xmas Special:

48% of Americans are Poor or Low-Income;
48% of the US Tax Dollars Goes to the Military

A record 48 percent of Americans—146.4 million—have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income, an increase of 4 million people since 2009.

[NOTES: Under the new guidelines by Supplemental Poverty Measure for 2011, issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, about 48 percent of Americans, or 146.4 million people, are living in poverty or on low incomes, earning less than $44,700 for a family of four, an increase of 4 million people since 2009.  The poverty level for a family of four was set at income below $23,500 per year. Over 49 million Americans (16 percent) fall below the poverty line.

Poverty v. ‘Power’

The 2012 United States federal budget is a staggering $2,847 billion, of which 48% ($1,372 billion) is allocated to the military. (Source)

[NOTES: The figure includes 30% or $869 billion for current military operations and 18% or $503 billion for past military disasters from Total Outlays of $2,847 billion in 2012 fiscal year. “The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention the Pentagon’s voracious appetite for expensive weapons systems—have been a gold mine for the Big Five:  Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and Boeing.” ~ “From Pentagon, a Buy Rating on Contractors,” Joe Nocera, New York Times, Feb. 11, 2011]

Other Poverty Dividends

According to a new report by The National Center on Family Homelessness more than 1.6 million children are homeless annually in America. This represents an increase of 38% since 2007.

Most Americans (58.5%) will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point in their lives between ages 25 and 75.

Extreme Rain Event Causes Deadly Flooding in Tanzania

Heaviest rainfall in living memory causes devastating floods in Tanzania, killing dozens, displacing thousands

Days of heavy flooding in Tanzania have caused devastating floods in Tanzania, killing about 40 people and leaving more than 10,000 displaced.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 24

[December 24, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,544 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Tanzania. Extreme rain events in Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya regions of Tanzania have causes devastating flooding triggering landslides, killing at least two dozen people and leaving more than 10,000 displaced.
• At least 4,000 people in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, have lost their homes.
• The flooding and mudslides have detryed road, bridges and other infrastructure.
• Hundreds [possibly thousands] of hectares of paddy, maize, sunflower and sorghum were buried in mud and debris, reports said.
• Heavy rain is expected to continue into 2012, forecasters said.

Other Global Disasters

• Colombia. Torrential rains continue to wreak havoc across Colombia.
• At least 200 people have been reported as dead or missing.
•  About 150,000 homes are reportedly destroyed or damaged.
• The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (SIGPAD) has reported about 300 landslides and avalanches and up to 600 flooding events.
• More than 800,000 people in 461 municipalities have been affected.
• SIGPAD has placed many river basins under Red Alerts.
• See previous entry at US 2011 Mega Disasters Costs Exceed $52 Billion*
• Angola. Severe floods near the Angolan border with the Democratic Republic of Cong have destr4oyed or damaged at least 720 homes, leaving more than 1,000 families displaced.
• Kuando Kubango province, Angola. At least 4,000 families have been displaced in Angola’s southeastern Kuando Kubango province following flooding caused by torrential rains.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar