All posts by Hutchins AAron

Born in Deutschland 1965, hometown was Bütthart, parents were not U.S. government employees. However, when father was tricked into joining the U.S. Air Force Civil Service, in 1969, with the promise that we could remain in Germany, we were promptly shipped off to Iran. Due to one of my Iranian educators being disappeared, along with her husband, by the U.S. ally Shah of Iran's Israeli & U.S. created Savak (for the then official terrorist act of promoting the idea that women can vote), and due to my U.S. citizen mother being placed on Savak's Terrorist Arrest List (for supporting the idea that women should vote, at that time the U.S. ally Shah of Iran did not allow women to vote, now they can) we left Iran for the United States in 1973, literally in the middle of the night. At the U.S. Embassy airbase the CIA operated Gooney Bird (C-47) was so packed with other U.S. citizens fleeing our ally Iran (because the Shah gave the OK to arrest any U.S. citizen for such terrorist acts as promoting the concept of voting) that we were turned away by the Loadmaster and had to take a chance on a civilian flight out of Tehran's airport. My father told me he and my mother had three culture shocks; first when they arrived in Germany as civilians, then after being shipped off to Iran as U.S. government employees, then again returning to the United States as unemployed civilians (because so much had changed in the U.S. while they were gone, their only news source was the U.S. Armed Forces Radio & Television Service which heavily censored information about the home front). Since I graduated high school in 1982 I've worked for U.S. government contractors and state & local government agencies (in California), convenience store manager in California, retail/property management in Georgia, California and Idaho. Spent the 1990s in the TV news business producing number one rated local news programs in California, Arizona and Idaho. 14+ years with California and Idaho Army National Guard and the U.S. Air Force. Obtained a BA degree in International Studies from Idaho State University at the age of 42. Unemployed since 2015, so don't tell me the economy has recovered.
International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan: More secret prisons revealed! Disruption Operations!

06 June 2013/27 Rajab 1434/16 Khordad 1391/28 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Helmand Province, Nawzad District, seven Georgian ISAF  troops killed, nine wounded by suicide bomber.

In Uruzgan Province, an Australian Special Operations Task Group Digger was shot and wounded while on a “disruption operation”.  Digger officials are investigating if the gunshot was intentional or accidental.  They claim Disruption Operations help keep civilians safe!

In Herat Province, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) reported that 366 civilians were killed in the first two months of 2013.  That’s a 10% increase from the same time in 2012.

In Sar-e Pol Province, Sar-e Pol city, a hotel was bombed.  At least one person killed, 15 wounded.

In Kunar Province, Manogi District, local government officials say U.S./ISAF carried out a night time drone strike.   Three children killed, two women wounded.   ISAF outright denied the provincial government claims: “This claim is not true.  ISAF takes allegations of civilian causalities very seriously.  We do not have any operational reporting that supports these allegation that civilians were killed in Kunar province.”

The U.S. state of New Jersey welcomed home 135 members of the 508th Military Police Company, Army National Guard.

05 June 2013/26 Rajab 1434/15 Khordad 1391/27 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Paktika Province, Gayan District, Mujahideen claim they killed five NATO/ISAF troops, and wounded four others in an ambush on the NATO/ISAF convoy.  Three armored vehicles destroyed.

In Helmand Province, Sangin District, two explosions killed six people.

In Uruzgan Province, Char Chino District, people living in the Khod area claim Australian ISAF troops launched a heliborne assault on their village.  Five villagers were assassinated by the Diggers.  (is this what the Diggers call “disruption operations”?)

In Maiden Wardak Province, Maidan Shar city, hundreds of Afghans protested U.S. Special Operations Forces kidnapping, torture and murder operations.   This after a mass grave was found near an abandoned U.S. SOF base, and an Afghan National Army (ANA) officer was arrested for his role.  Reports say local cops open fired on the protestors, killing three and wounding two.

NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says NATO is getting prepared for a new mission in Afghanistan after 2014.

04 June 2013/25 Rajab 1434/14 Khordad 1391/26 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Helmand Province, three ANA troops killed when they drove over a landmine.

In Farah Province, Lash Wa Juwayn District, a father and his three kids killed when they drove over a landmine.  The mother survived but is seriously wounded.

In Maiden Wardak Province, an ANA colonel was arrested for his connection to U.S. SOF personnel torturing and murdering Afghans in Nerkh District.   Several days prior a mass grave was found at an abandoned U.S. special operations base.

In Uruzgan Province, it was revealed that the Australian army has been holding Afghans prisoner in a secret prison on their Tarin Kowt military base.  Afghan legal officials say the prisoners have never been charged with any crime and are calling the Digger run prison “illegal”.

The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is urging Afghans to stop entering Iran illegally.  More and more Afghans have been flooding into Iran, illegally, in search of jobs and security.  However, Iranian border guards have shot and killed many Afghans, mainly because of illegal drug trafficking.  Iranians say not only is opium being smuggled in, but the U.S. drug meth as well.

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Martial Law: Operant conditioning alive & well in the U.S. of A.!

10 June 2013 (14:12 UTC-07 Tango)/01 Sha’ban 1434/20 Khordad 1391/03 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

“Operant conditioning techniques will and are currently being used to program the behavior of susceptible Internet users….”-The Atlantic

An article on ‘Skinner Marketing’ in The Atlantic reveals how far down the rabbit hole unAmerican corporate America is going.  The scientific term for Skinner Marketing is Operant Conditioning.

The article points out that the latest version of Google Maps is designed to target people with corporate products based on their location.  Other internet applications are totally about collection of your data, mainly for marketing by corporations.

The most common form are free gaming applications.  While you play those games the software somehow is able to guesstimate what kind of person/consumer your are.

The Atlantic article has some warnings: “The beauty of the Internet is that by combining big data, behavioral targeting, wearable and mobile devices, and GPS, application developers can design more effective operant conditioning environments…..[sounds almost like the Matrix movies, don’t it?]……big data, behavioral targeting, Internet cookies, and GPS positioning can all be integrated with operant conditioning techniques to motivate us to lose weight and study harder. But as with any technology, they can be employed to less admirable ends.“

U.S.

Global Martial Law: Reporter overhears NSA talking about disappearing hero whistleblowers and the journalists that publish them!

10 June 2013 (13:55 UTC-07 Tango)/01 Sha’ban 1434/20 Khordad 1391/03 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

Reports that The Atlantic editor at large, Steve Clemons, was following attendees of the Intel & National Security Association dinner on 07 June 2013.   While sitting in the United Airlines lounge, in the Washington DC Dulles airport, he says he hears “….4 US intel officials saying loudly leaker & reporter on #NSA stuff should be disappeared…”

Clemons said you couldn’t help but hear what the intel officials were saying because they “were loud. Almost bragging”.

Were these National Security officials intentionally being loud?  Did they recognize Clemons and were playing a joke on him?  Are U.S. security officials so arrogant that they have no fear of the general public overhearing their nefarious plans?

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 10-11 April 2013. Government makes hundreds of businesses illegal! Schools hit hard, again! At least 2000 more layoffs!

Drug maker, Eli Lilly, to layoff 1000 people in Indiana!  They blame crashing sales.

In New York, Tetra Tech in Schuylerville laid off an undisclosed number of people.  Xerox owned student loan processing plant, ACS, will close in August.  149 people out-o-work!  Pizza Box restaurant closed.  It started in 1957, a Spanish restaurant is willing to pay more for the lease (reported to be $19500 per month).  Frontier School District wants to get rid of 35 employees, and raise taxes by 3.5%, for this coming school year.

In Ohio, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools wants to layoff employees.  No numbers given.    Dale’s Bike Shop closed in Oberlin.   The owner says he can make more money renting out the shop, and selling bikes on the internet.

In California, the Orcutt School District wants to layoff ten people.   School officials blame uncertain state funding.

School supplies, equipment and furniture company, School Specialty, closing its operations in Pennsylvania.  148 people unemployed!  Company officials blame crashing sales.  Scarlet Fiorella clothing store closed up.  The owner is moving out-o-state.

In Illinois, O’Fallon School District to layoff 90 people.  School officials blame it on voters who rejected a tax hike. Cahokia School District #187 to layoff at least 87 employees.  The district is facing the loss of nearly $5 million USD in state and federal funding.  Johnsburg School District #12 cutting 39 jobs.  Contact lens maker, CIBA Vision, laying off 262 people starting in June!  It’s blamed on a merger with Alcon.

FairPoint Communications laying off 90 people in three northeastern U.S.  states.  Company officials said it’s necessary to stay competitive.

Government contractor, General Dynamics, laying off 110 people by July, at their Saco, Maine, factory: “It’s primarily a result of a sharp decline in the U.S. Army’s demand for heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers.”-Karl Johnson, General Dynamics

100 years old Hamilton Jewelers closed in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.  The owners said it was in response to customer surveys and recent thefts.  The Newark Museum laid off 14 people.  They blame the bad economy: “We are coming to terms with the economic realities. We are grateful for the public and private support we receive, but we must be realistic and not operate beyond our means.”-Mary Sue Sweeney Price

Boeing warned the engineers that fixed the flaming battery problem on their new 787 Dreamliner, that they’re going to be laid off.  Boeing wants to layoff 700 engineers by the end of 2013!  At least 100 are in Washington.  Boeing officials say the mass layoffs are because orders aren’t coming fast enough.  Analysts speculate that Boeing is moving work from union strong states to states that are ‘right to work’.

In Tennessee, electronics maker Cerrowire warned of layoffs.  They gave no numbers.  Company officials blame “…the economic condition.”

In Montana, Vann’s appliance seller closed two stores.  The new owner of the retailer said they could not get the landlords to agree to a cheaper lease.

In Connecticut, Klaff’s lighting and decorative hardware store and Chic Jolie women’s clothing store closed down due to flooding fears after hurricane Sandy.  After 48 years, The Emporium eclectic gift store closed in Mystic.

In Florida, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill into law that bans internet cafes!   It could shut down 200 businesses in the Sunshine state: “We never broke a law, we always obey the rules, all the sudden we became illegal, I think it’s just dirty politics, I think somebody who wrote the bill who is responsible for it should be kept accountable somehow, it’s a travesty really.”-Chris Firleg.

Amcor Tobacco Packaging closing in Virginia.  At least 35 employees laid off.

In South Carolina, the Summerville Plaza Piggly Wiggly grocery store closed.   Company officials say sales aren’t good enough to justify renewing the lease.   Jewelry Warehouse closed in West Columbia.

The Three Streams Family Health Center, which helps people without insurance, closed down in North Carolina.  They blame out-o-control health care costs.

In Greenville, Michigan, Julie’s Coffee House closed up.  The owner is moving to Arizona.

Unconfirmed reports that the Las Vegas Club and Gold Spike hotels shutting down in Nevada.   Hundreds of people will be out-o-work!

In Maryland, Jake’s Steaks out-o-business.  The owner said she tried everything but the economy is too bad: “I have tried everything. I have done healthy items. If someone orders something that isn’t on the menu, I do my best to make that. I even did lunch specials trying to get people in the door. It just didn’t work.”-Barb Gossett

Skyburgers closed in Vermont.  The owners claim business was so good that a corporation offered to buy their restaurant, and the owners agreed.

In Oklahoma, Days Inn motel closed down in Norman.  Employees said little or no notice was given.  The motel had a lot of long term residents, mainly elderly and disabled, who’re now homeless.  The motel was also part of local government plans for emergency housing in case of natural disaster.  The greedy owners sold the property to a car dealer.

LandoZ Hometown Grill, in Massachusetts, closed after only one year.  The owners blame medical reasons.

In Missouri, Dierdorf & Hart’s Steak House closed at the Westport Plaza.  The owners did not want to renew the lease.

In Hawaii a 54 years old shoe store, The Slipper House, closed down.  The owners were forced to close by mall company GGP (General Growth Properties), which is the same company that shut down the biggest Sears store in the Aloha state.

 

International, Technology, U.S.

Global Martial Law: Whistleblower Hero reveals himself!

10 June 2013 (21:53 UTC-07 Tango 09 June 2013)/01 Sha’ban 1434/20 Khordad 1391/03 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

The following is from The Guardian interview with NSA contracted employee turned whistleblower, Edward Snowden, who fled the U.S. to live in communist controlled Hong Kong.

Q: Why did you decide to become a whistleblower?

A: “The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost everything. With this capability, the vast majority of human communications are automatically ingested without targeting. If I wanted to see your emails or your wife’s phone, all I have to do is use intercepts. I can get your emails, passwords, phone records, credit cards.

“I don’t want to live in a society that does these sort of things … I do not want to live in a world where everything I do and say is recorded. That is not something I am willing to support or live under.”

Q: But isn’t there a need for surveillance to try to reduce the chances of terrorist attacks such as Boston?

A: “We have to decide why terrorism is a new threat. There has always been terrorism. Boston was a criminal act. It was not about surveillance but good, old-fashioned police work. The police are very good at what they do.”

Q: Do you see yourself as another Bradley Manning?

A: “Manning was a classic whistleblower. He was inspired by the public good.”

Q: Do you think what you have done is a crime?

A: “We have seen enough criminality on the part of government. It is hypocritical to make this allegation against me. They have narrowed the public sphere of influence.”

Q: What do you think is going to happen to you?

A: “Nothing good.”

Q: Why Hong Kong?

A: “I think it is really tragic that an American has to move to a place that has a reputation for less freedom. Still, Hong Kong has a reputation for freedom in spite of the People’s Republic of China. It has a strong tradition of free speech.”

Q: What do the leaked documents reveal?

A: “That the NSA routinely lies in response to congressional inquiries about the scope of surveillance in America. I believe that when [senator Ron] Wyden and [senator Mark] Udall asked about the scale of this, they [the NSA] said it did not have the tools to provide an answer. We do have the tools and I have maps showing where people have been scrutinised most. We collect more digital communications from America than we do from the Russians.”

Q: What about the Obama administration’s protests about hacking by China?

A: “We hack everyone everywhere. We like to make a distinction between us and the others. But we are in almost every country in the world. We are not at war with these countries.”

Q: Is it possible to put security in place to protect against state surveillance?

A: “You are not even aware of what is possible. The extent of their capabilities is horrifying. We can plant bugs in machines. Once you go on the network, I can identify your machine. You will never be safe whatever protections you put in place.”

Q: Does your family know you are planning this?

A: “No. My family does not know what is happening … My primary fear is that they will come after my family, my friends, my partner. Anyone I have a relationship with …

I will have to live with that for the rest of my life. I am not going to be able to communicate with them. They [the authorities] will act aggressively against anyone who has known me. That keeps me up at night.”

Q: When did you decide to leak the documents?

A: “You see things that may be disturbing. When you see everything you realise that some of these things are abusive. The awareness of wrong-doing builds up. There was not one morning when I woke up [and decided this is it]. It was a natural process.

“A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed in Obama’s promises. I was going to disclose it [but waited because of his election]. He continued with the policies of his predecessor.”

Q: What is your reaction to Obama denouncing the leaks on Friday while welcoming a debate on the balance between security and openness?

A: “My immediate reaction was he was having difficulty in defending it himself. He was trying to defend the unjustifiable and he knew it.”

Q: What about the response in general to the disclosures?

A: “I have been surprised and pleased to see the public has reacted so strongly in defence of these rights that are being suppressed in the name of security. It is not like Occupy Wall Street but there is a grassroots movement to take to the streets on July 4 in defence of the Fourth Amendment called Restore The Fourth Amendment and it grew out of Reddit. The response over the internet has been huge and supportive.”

Q: Washington-based foreign affairs analyst Steve Clemons said he overheard at the capital’s Dulles airport four men discussing an intelligence conference they had just attended. Speaking about the leaks, one of them said, according to Clemons, that both the reporter and leaker should be “disappeared”. How do you feel about that?

A: “Someone responding to the story said ‘real spies do not speak like that’. Well, I am a spy and that is how they talk. Whenever we had a debate in the office on how to handle crimes, they do not defend due process – they defend decisive action. They say it is better to kick someone out of a plane than let these people have a day in court. It is an authoritarian mindset in general.”

Q: Do you have a plan in place?

A: “The only thing I can do is sit here and hope the Hong Kong government does not deport me … My predisposition is to seek asylum in a country with shared values. The nation that most encompasses this is Iceland. They stood up for people over internet freedom. I have no idea what my future is going to be.

“They could put out an Interpol note. But I don’t think I have committed a crime outside the domain of the US. I think it will be clearly shown to be political in nature.”

Q: Do you think you are probably going to end up in prison?

A: “I could not do this without accepting the risk of prison. You can’t come up against the world’s most powerful intelligence agencies and not accept the risk. If they want to get you, over time they will.”

Q: How to you feel now, almost a week after the first leak?

A: “I think the sense of outrage that has been expressed is justified. It has given me hope that, no matter what happens to me, the outcome will be positive for America. I do not expect to see home again, though that is what I want.”

Influenza

H7N9 update: Outbreak considered finished! Class BSL-3 virus!

10 June 2013 (20:53 UTC-07 Tango 09 June 2013)/01 Sha’ban 1434/20 Khordad 1392/03 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission considers the H7N9 outbreak over.  No new cases have been reported.  Official updates will take place once per month.   The official count is 131 human cases, 39 deaths.

On 07 June, the UN World Heath Organization reported 132 cases (one man in Taiwan) and 37 deaths.  Apparently two more people died between then and now.

The UNWHO continues to insist that it comes from poultry, even though testing doesn’t show that (Chinese officials tested a total of 899758 bird samples. Only 53 were positive!  51 were chickens in live markets.  The other two were wild pigeons.).  UN health officials admit that there were four “clusters” of possible human to human cases.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified H7N9 as a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) virus.  Laboratories around the world are now studying the virus.  The CDC also reported that vaccines don’t work against H7 viruses.  A recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study came to the same conclusion.

The MIT study also said the H7N9 contains a protein that can easily evolve to make it infectious to humans.  It then can infect you in your upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, throat).

What I find interesting is that it’s taken U.S. researchers this long to conclude what Japanese researchers concluded just days after the outbreak began.

A recent study by National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) says the H7N9 does not follow the currently accepted medical dogma about how flu viruses evolve.   They warn pandemic is still possible.

International, Technology, U.S.

Global Martial Law: NSA outright lies about capabilities! Meet the info beast ‘Boundless Informant’!

09 June 2013 (14:38 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Rajab 1434/19 Khordad 1391/02 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

The same United Kingdom news source that revealed massive phone, internet and credit card data stealing by your U.S. government, The Guardian, is now revealing that the U.S. National Security Agency has lied to your exalted ‘elected’ officials again.

In March 2013, NSA officials outright lied to a question from U.S. senators about collecting data on U.S. citizens:  “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?”-Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator from Oregon

“No sir.”-James Clapper, NSA

To other questions, this nimrod answered: “…We do not have….the equipment in the United States to actually collect that kind of information.”-U.S. Army General Keith Alexander, NSA

NSA officials even lied to questions from The Guardian, about tracing the data they officially didn’t collect.  Here’s the NSA response: “….we do not have the ability to determine with certainty the identity or location of all communicants within a given communication. That remains the case.”-Judith Emmel, NSA

The Guardian was given masses of documents by an unnamed whistleblower, those documents revealed that not only is the U.S. government stealing your info, but they know exactly from who and from where it’s coming from.

Meet the info beast Boundless Informant, a computer system that can track individuals right down to the IP address their internet service is operating from.

From my own experience I know internet companies, like Google, already have this ability.  So it only makes sense that your big brother/sister government control freaks would as well.

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan: U.S. troops gettin’ whacked! Bodies of people kidnapped by U.S. forces found! More proof the U.S. ain’t leaving!

03 June 2013/24 Rajab 1434/13 Khordad 1391/25 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Paktia Province, Samkanai District, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 15 people and wounding 25.  Ten of the 15 killed were children on their way to school.  In Zurmat District, Afghan National Army (ANA) says six Mujahideen were killed by U.S./NATO/ISAF attack helicopters.  And local U.S. news reports revealed that a U.S. Army Specialist (that’s an Army rank), and a 2nd Lieutenant were killed.  They were part of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, based in Tsamkani.   The local U.S. news reports say the U.S. Army reported that the foot patrol was hit by a suicide bomber near the border with Pakistan.

In Nimruz Province, Khashrood District, the district governor says a U.S. convoy hit a landmine, U.S. troops were killed.  No confirmation from ISAF.

In Laghman Province, a family of eight were killed when they drove over a landmine.

02 June 2013/23 Rajab 1434/12 Khordad 1391/24 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Maiden Wardak Province, the bodies of six Afghans last seen being kidnapped by U.S. SOF seven months ago, were found.   They were found near a now vacant U.S. military base in Nerkh District.

In Helmand Province, Lashkar Gah city, the U.S. Army reported that a SOF Warrant Officer was killed by an explosion.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group.

In Uruzgan Province, four people killed, eight wounded when the van they were riding in drove over a landmine.

01 June 2013/22 Rajab 1434/11 Khordad 1391/23 Wu-Wu (4th month) 4711

In Kandahar Province, Maiwand District, a Louisiana Army National Guard Specialist was killed by explosion.  He was part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, where he was an assistant gunner and vehicle commander on an MRAB (Mine Resistant-Ambush Protected vehicle).

In Ghazni Province, a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant was killed by RPG (rocket propelled grenade).   He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

In Paktika Province, Sharan city, the U.S. Army is investigating the death of a Private First Class.  The PFC was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.  He was a mechanic, the Army did not give anymore details.

In Ghor Province, Dolaina District, three people killed, 11 wounded, after the vehicle they were in drove over a landmine.

Iranian news media reported: “The delegation which consists of members of Taliban’s political mission in Qatar and is headed by Tayyeb Aqa has already held talks with the security officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran.”

Former USMC General John Allen has recommended that in addition to the U.S. personnel that will remain in Afghanistan after 2014, a new “bridging force” should be created: “For two to three years after 2014, the United States may need an additional force package of several thousand personnel to help the Afghans finish building their air force, their special operations force and certain other enablers in the medical realm, in counter-IED capability and in intelligence collection.”

A report by the Center for a New American Security says Pakistan will remain the key player in controlling Afghanistan.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 08-09 April 2013. More than 2000 losing their jobs!

In Oklahoma, Too Big to Jail bank insurance company, BancInsure, ordered by state officials to spend more money!  This is after the company went bankrupt, and then the company was sold to New York based Foster Jennings, for only one dollar!!!

The 38 years old Wine Cellar in North Redington Beach, Florida, shut down.  It was sold to a property developer.  In Winter Park Village, the Truffles Grill closed up.  It’s part of the new business plan by parent company Ruby Tuesday.

In Virginia, taxpayer assisted MicroAire laid off 22 employees.  The state paid the company $100000 to move to Albemarle County.  The county gave the company $151000 as well.  County officials say the money was in exchange for creating 51 new jobs, not cutting 22 jobs! County officials also pointed out that they’ve been waiting for those 51 new jobs since 2011!  Company officials gave no reason for the layoffs.   In Woodbridge, Uno Chicago Grill closed up.

The Baltimore Museum of Art laid off 14 employees.  Officials with Maryland‘s biggest museum blame the bad economy.   And Boonsboro Video closed down.   The store opened in 1989.  The owners say they can’t compete against all the alternative forms of viewing movies at home.

In New York, a major maker of disposable catheters, Covidien, will close its Argyle factory by June 2014. 183 jobs lost!  In Horseheads, the Belden factory to close at the end of the year. They make parts for the cable TV industry.  At least 123 jobs lost!  And government contractor SRC laid off 77 employees, blaming cuts in government contracts.  Company officials also sounded a warning for more layoffs to come: “We need to take action now to prepare. The government is our largest customer.”-Lisa Mondello, SRC

Another government supported company, Wisconsin based Oshkosh, announced they will layoff 900 people!  Company officials say they are preparing for a huge reduction in sales of their military vehicles.  And the popular Confucius Restaurant in Appleton closed down.  The owners retired.

In Kentucky, body armor maker Ceradyne will layoff 93 people on 10 June.   The company has been getting less money from the U.S. Department of Defense, and they were bought out by 3M.

The University of Southern Maine will be laying off an undisclosed amount of employees, in an effort to save $5 million!  Union reps say at least seven people were let go.

In Washington, the Port Angeles School Board will layoff 15 people.  Last year they laid off or cut 47 positions.  School officials blame declining enrollment and lack of state funds.

The San Luis Coastal Unified School District, in California, announced 43 layoffs.  Officials blame a $6 million deficit!  The College of the Sequoias, in Visalia, laid off 11 child care workers.  The building the college normally used was closed due to mold contamination. Then the lease on the church the college was renting for child care, expired.  College officials say they did not renew the lease because of declining enrollment.  In San Fransisco, Live at the Rrazz (Rrazz Room) shut down.  It’s blamed on legal problems and failed business plans.

In Ohio, maker of home healthcare products, Invacare, laid off 68 people.  Company officials are blaming declining sales on an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.   Back at the end of 2012, company officials made the same excuse when they laid off 143 people!

Harrison Steel Castings laid off 85 people, just two months after laying off 70 people.  The Attica, Indiana, steel company gave dire warning about the economy saying the layoffs are needed “to weather the current storm.”

General Electric shutting down production at their Pennsylvania locomotive factory.  950 people will lose their jobs!  Company officials blame competition: “Cost is becoming more and more of a factor.  We’ve got to match our competition and that’s what we’re trying to do.”-Lorenzo Simonelli, GE

In an ironic move, South Carolina’s De­part­­ment of Employment and Workforce laying off 100 people in June!  State officials blame huge reductions in federal funding, and a modernization program.

The New London Police Department, in Connecticut, laying off 20 employees.  Officials blame a $1.4 million cut in their budget.

In Iowa, the Muscatine County Jail laid off 14 employees.  Prison officials blame it on a huge reduction in federal prisoners.  No explanation why the number of federal prisoners are being reduced.

Caribou Coffee announced it will close 168 coffee shops around the United States.  Company officials said that 80 stores will be shut down and 88 will change names.   Officials said the closures are necessary for the long term.

The Plainview ISD, in Texas, closing two schools.  School officials blame it on the closing of the Cargill plant.  In Austin, Fran’s Hamburgers on South Congress Avenue closed down.  The lease on the 40 years old business was expiring, and the owners said it wasn’t worth it to renew.

The Wheaton Paper House closed down after 40 years of operation in Illinois.  The owner blamed competition from national chain stores.

Live event, tech service and marketing service company, UBM, laying off as many as 300 people!  Several offices around the U.S. will be closed.  The company will stop printing its publications in July (which includes Game Developer), and switch to digital only.  The company will also stop servicing certain live events.  Company officials blame “dramatic changes” in the industry in recent years.

In Massachusetts, Beehive Art studio shut down. Owners blamed a “neighbor” and the “landlord”.  After almost 100 years, Sealey’s restaurant closed down.  The owners said they were given an offer they couldn’t refuse.

In Fairmont, Minnesota, Premiere Video out-o-business.  The owners blamed internet services.  And god can’t stop another shut down of another Christian run business.  Journey Church and its alcohol free social center, U-Turn, shut down.  The pastor blames the bad economy, but is now concerned about the community at large, because “80% of our congregation is now recovering ex-cons.”-Rich Bontrager

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Martial Law U.S.A.: Government tracking your credit card purchases! Is there a government connection to increasing credit card scams!

08 June 2013 (22:29 UTC-07 Tango 07 June 2013)/29 Rajab 1434/18 Khordad 1391/01 Wu-Wu (5th month) 4711

“…[It’s] like giving someone the keys to your expensive car, letting them drive it around the block in a potentially dangerous neighborhood and saying please don’t get carjacked!”-Kumar McMillan, Mozilla developer on using credit cards on the internet

The Wall Street Journal reporting that it’s not just Verizon turning over phone records, but AT&T and Sprint Nextel.   The WSJ also reporting that the government seizure of your phone and internet data includes your credit card purchases.

A Democrat tried to downplay the whole thing, but inadvertently revealed this has been going on for a long time: “Everyone should just calm down and understand this isn’t anything that is brand new.”-Harry Reid, U.S. Senator from Nevada

The WSJ says credit card companies are refusing to comment.

The revelation that credit card transactions are being tracked causes me to question why there have been so many credit card scams, that are not stopped until after hundreds of millions of dollars are stolen.

Here are the most recent cases of massive credit card fraud, just from the past week:

The Too Big to Jail banks (like Bank of America, JP Morgan) have been ‘robo-signing’ credit card collections.  In other words just like some mortgage foreclosures made against people who had actually paid off their home loans, some credit card holders with good credit had their accounts falsely frozen or canceled (like me).

Another case involves the alternative money system, Bitcoin.  Apparently a credit card scam has managed to run $200 million USD through Bitcoin.  So far 11 people have been arrested.

In Ohio, it took two years to bust a credit card fraud ring.  At least 19 people have been arrested.  Eight suspects on the loose. The investigation involved a federal agency, known as the U. S. Marshals of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitives Task Force.  An investigator said massive credit card fraud is going on now, and involves big construction companies: “This is happening all over, it’s everywhere. Think about just about every retailer it has been occurring at. Primarily at the construction, home-improvement businesses because some of this was being funneled back into construction trades.”-Jim Gross, Perrysburg Township police

In Alabama, two men have been arrested for making $1 million per year by ripping off credit cards.  Other people were involved.  Investigators say the ringleaders ripped off credit cards by attaching ‘skimmers’ to card machines in stores.

In San Fransisco, California, a bail bonds company discovered people using fraudulent credit card info to post bail for people recently arrested.

If the federales have been tracking credit card transactions, in the name of law enforcement, then why have the numbers of credit card fraud been going up?