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, 06 – 10 June 2014: U.S. taxes pay for Italian goats! More U.S. troops being killed by their own! National Guardsman now facing murder charges! United States now officially a combat zone?

Farah Province: In Khak-e-Safid District, a civilian vehicle ran over a landmine, killing four and wounding five.

Ghazni Province: 25 teachers and ten students at the university were kidnapped.

Helmand Province: In Sangin District, government officials claim five Mujahideen blew themselves up while planting landmines (this scenario seems to happening more and more).

Herat Province: The U.S. Department of Defense, and Colorado State University, are spending your tax money to buy Italian goats for Afghan ranchers: “What we’ve done is set this farm up to be something which is sustainable by the private sector. Ideally, what we would like to see is the markets to open up to Afghan cashmere. We’ve seen the change happening already, but we’d like to see it come around full circle for a fully revitalised industry in Afghanistan, where the cashmere is leaving Afghanistan as Afghan-branded cashmere.”-Benjamin Kolendar, Task Force for Business and Stability Operations

Kabul Province: In Kabul City, the convoy of Obama’s puppet candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, was attacked by two explosions.  Six people killed, 22 wounded, yet Obama’s puppet survived.  It’s being blamed on Pakistan.  Afghan Ministry of Defense reports hundreds of people killed and wounded in ongoing operations.  They include Afghan government forces, Mujahideen and militants from Pakistan.  Afghan President Hamid Karzai congratulated Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for his re-election victory.

Kandahar Province: In Maiwand District, a car bomb exploded next to an Afghan National Army vehicle.  Five ANA soldiers wounded.

Khost Province: In Alisher District, two Pakistani F-16s crossed into Afghan airspace.

Kunar Province: In Shegal District, provincial officials claim Pakistan fired 32 artillery rounds into their province.   In Khas Kunar District, a U.S.-NATO airstrike killed at least ten people, including Pakistanis.

Logar Province: A U.S. Army Specialist from California was killed.  There is confusion as to how he died.  Officially the U.S. Department of Defense said it was a “non-hostile” incident, but, the father of the soldier swears his son was actually in Zabul Province, where he was killed in a U.S. airstrike.  In  Mohammad Agha District, eight members of the NGO Mine Detection Center were executed by men with guns.

Nangarhar Province: In Lal Pur District, officials claim Pakistan fired artillery rounds into their province, killing one person and wounding several others.  In Behsud District, a police station was attacked.  Two of the attackers were killed. One cop killed and 25 vehicles destroyed.  In Jalalabad City, a court house was attacked.  Three attackers killed during the two hours long battle.

Nuristan Province: There are reports that masked Pakistani Mujahideen crossed into the province and hanged 12 Afghan Mujahideen, for failure to follow their orders.  However, Afghan Mujahideen say what really happened was that they caught Afghan government spys trying to infiltrate their group.  The people executed were Afghan government spys.

Zabul Province: Four U.S. Army and one U.S. Marine personnel were killed by a U.S. airstrike.  An Afghan interpreter was also killed.  The U.S. unit got pinned down by a Mujahideen ambush and called in the airstrike.  The family of one of the killed soldiers said the U.S. Army woke them up in the middle of the night to tell them the bad news.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of being behind the recent attack on Karachi airport.

In a hint that the United States is now a combat zone, a recent Defense Videos & Imagery Distribution System (dvids) report stated that “…the 216th Engineer Company, California National Guard, and the 849th Eng. Company, Minnesota National Guard, redeployed to U.S. soil….”   RE-deployed?  The units specialize in looking for bombs, and have returned from Afghanistan.

Dvids has also been reporting that more and more National Guard units are undergoing “IED warfare” training, despite claims that the U.S. is pulling out of Afghanistan.

In the U.S. state of Oklahoma, a highly decorated Afghan veteran and National Guard combat medic is now charged with murdering his uncle.

Two units of the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment (Guam) ended their tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The National Guard’s Operation Support Airlift Command Detachment 6 (Connecticut) deployed to Afghanistan.

Business/Economics, Technology

Mazda’s new 65+ MPG Diesel, but don’t expect to see it in the anti-Diesel car United States!

13 June 2014 (13:17 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Sha’ban 1435/23 Khordad 1393/16 Geng Wu 4712

Mazda claims it has a new 1.5 liter turbo diesel engine that got an impressive 28+ Kilometers Per Liter (about 65+ Miles Per U.S. Gallon) in their test car!  And Mazda says it will be the cleanest burning diesel engine available worldwide in 2015, claiming no NOx system is required!

Well, worldwide doesn’t mean anti-diesel car United States.   In fact the state of California is making it near impossible to even sell new diesel cars, due to their asinine and ever tightening state EPA rules.

Mazda says their main market for their new diesel powered cars will be the diesel loving European Union, as well as any other country that loves saving money and the environment.  Did you known that diesel exhaust soot can be captured (Diesel Particulate Filter) and then used as fertilizer for your plants?  It’s carbon!

The tiny new Mazda diesel engine reportedly produces 77 kW (105 hp) and 250 Nm (184 ft lb) of torque.  It will be available in the 2015 Mazda 2.  Look out Volkswagen!

clean burning Diesel powered CX-5 Crossover, better MPG than Hybrid SUVs

Business/Economics, Technology

Corporate Evil: Ford Hybrid fuel economy a lie! Hyundai & Kia being sued! Obama regime EPA in on the scam? Diesels rule!

13 June 2014 (12:45 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Sha’ban 1435/23 Khordad 1393/16 Geng Wu 4712

Yet more proof those environmentalist do-gooders don’t know what they’re talking about: Ford admits they flubbed on the fuel economy of their hybrid cars.

Ford says it will make a “goodwill” payback to 215-thousand U.S. hybrid car owners (13-thousand Canadians) because the advertised Miles Per Gallon rate on their hybrid Fiesta, Fusion, Lincoln MKZ , C-Max, and plug-in hybrids Fusion and C-Max Energi vehicles are wrong.

The actual MPG of those cars is about 7MPG lower.  The problem is how car companies test their vehicles.  It’s turning out that their road testing does not match real world realities.

Hyundai and Kia are being sued over their MPG claims for their hybrids.

In May, Consumer Reports stated that the new Honda Accord hybrid failed to get the advertised 47MPG.  In fact, the all gas Accord gets better MPG than what its hybrid sibling actually got!

It was Consumer Reports that pointed out that gas-electric hybrids made by Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Ford all failed to obtain their advertised MPG!   They even blamed the U.S. EPA for creating false results: “We’ve found that the EPA tests often exaggerate the fuel economy of hybrids.”-Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports

The lower hybrid MPG figures mean that there are a few all gas powered cars that get just as good MPG, and there are diesel powered cars that outright beat hybrids and all gas cars in MPG!  (Go Volkswagen!)

Hybrid cars are a sham! Honda settles California lawsuit

Idaho, U.S.

2nd Amendment is Citizen run Martial Law: Never use a BB gun to attack an Idahoan armed with a 9mm!

13 June 2014 (11:57 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Sha’ban 1435/23 Khordad 1393/16 Geng Wu 4712

Many anti-gun cops throughout the United States will routinely whip the news media into a frenzy over the use of non-lethal BB and pellet guns (called AirSoft by the NAZI cops and media).  Even children are being arrested if they’re seen in public holding a BB gun (that never happened when I was a kid)!  Yesterday, a dumb female must-uve bought that paranoid anti-gun BS because she shot two men in Idaho Falls with a crappy BB gun!  One problem for the female perp, one of the men was armed with a 9 millie!

Apparently the woman was upset over an argument and pulled her BB gun and started shooting.  Two men were hit, one in the face (the one she was arguing with) and the other in the leg (who came outside to see what was going on), but of course no harm done ’cause it was a non-lethal BB gun.  However, the man hit in the leg immediately pulled his 9mm pistol: “I was in my room.  My wife come up an said that there’s somebody out-front and they had a gun.  I got my gun……..I got shot in the leg.  So I pulled my gun, pointed it at her, she took off running.”-Tim Hanekamp (KIFI interview), shot in leg with a big bad BB gun that NAZI Martial Law cops and the news media are-a-feared of

Hanekamp held his fire probably because he knew then that the suspect was inadequately armed, and because “Lots of kids on this block…..25-30 that live right around me now.”

The female suspect was arrested, as was the man whom she shot in the face because she accused him of strangling her.  Police thanked Hanekamp.

This is what the 2nd Amendment is about, citizen self defense.

Kit Bashing, Reviews

1/72 REVISED comparison A-7 Corsair 2: Fujimi, ESCI, Airfix, Hasegawa, Matchbox, Revell & Hobby Boss. More reason not to trust scale drawings?

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I’ve collected a few LTV A-7 Corsair 2 kits in 1/72 scale, and noticed a lot of difference in shape.  I’ve also learned that the latest and greatest kit issue from Asia isn’t so great.

Update: I recently got the ancient 1979 The A-7 Corsair II in Detail & Scale and immediately noticed a difference in the Ed Moore scale drawings and the Bunrin-Do (1989 #18 Famous Airplanes of the World: LTV A-7 Corsair II Navy Version) drawings I originally used for this review.  The Bunrin-Do drawings look much better than the Ed Moore drawings but does that mean they’re more accurate?

Click the pics to make bigger and read results

The Hobby Boss kit (it needs to die or be completely re-tooled) is disappointing dimensionally, even the Mark 82 bombs are incredibly anorexic!  The Hobby Boss main wing is almost right on with the Bunrin-Do drawings. The elevators are accurate close to the fuselage, but start to slightly narrow at the tip (but nothing like the narrowness of the other kits).   Despite the fuselage being too narrow, the canopy is slightly too fat.  If you think the Hobby Boss kit fuselage is too long and skinny, wait until you compare it to the Ed Moore drawings; it’s anorexic!  Amazingly the wing is almost spot-on in shape, span and chord! The elevators are ever-so slightly short in span. The canopy is still fat.

The 'mold parting' line on this Hobby Boss canopy is not in the right place to be the result of mold halves, but matches the center line used by drafters of scale drawings!

The ‘mold parting’ line on this Hobby Boss canopy matches the center line used by drafters of scale drawings!

And I think I’ve discovered why many Chinese made kits have ‘mold parting’ lines down the center of their canopies: Perhaps they’re not mold parting lines, but the lines from scale drawings?  However the Chinese companies are transcribing scale plans of aircraft to the mold making process, they’re including the line drafters use to indicate the center-line of the fuselage?

(Note: I didn’t check windshields, just canopies.)

The ancient Hasegawa kit (still being issued) fuselage has good shape but is slightly short when compared to the Ed Moore drawings.  The antennae on the spine are in the wrong place.  The old issue kit is missing the ECM antenna on the vertical tail, but supposedly later issues were revised. The elevators are too small.  The wings are slightly short in span but match the shape of the drawings. The canopy profile matches the drawings but is slightly fat in cross-section.  Compared to the Bunrin-Do drawings the Hasegawa fuselage is too short.  Here’s where it gets weird, the elevators and canopy match the Bunrin-Do drawings, but the wings are even shorter in span when compared to the Ed Moore drawings!

When compared to the Bunrin-Do drawings the Airfix (also issued by MPC) kit fuselage is the most accurate shape wise, but the main wings are too short in span, narrow in chord, and the wing tips are cut straight instead of being curved.  The elevators are too short with incorrect shaped tips.  The canopy looks the right width, but the rear portion of the frame is missing as it is part of the kit fuselage, so no way to pose it open.  Compared to the Ed Moore drawings the Airfix main wings have the same problem; too short, wrong shape. The elevators are not only short in span but in chord as well.  The canopy is slightly fat.  The fuselage length matches the Ed Moore drawings, but the vertical tail is further back on the spine and the antennae are in the wrong place.  Interestingly the 1979 edition of the Detail & Scale book praises the Airfix kit as being “the best kit available”.

The Matchbox kit fuselage matches the shape of the Ed Moore drawings almost perfectly (the kit was issued after the Detail & Scale book was first published) but is slightly long.  The canopy is slightly flat in profile, but matches in cross section, it is molded as a one piece canopy-windshield, and like the Airfix kit, the framing for the canopy is molded as part of the fuselage. The wing matches the span and wing tip shape of the Ed Moore drawings, but is narrow in chord.  The elevators match the drawings.  Compared to the Bunrin-Do drawings the elevators are the correct size, but the tips are the wrong shape. The wing is too short and too narrow. The canopy matches the profile and cross-section.  The fuselage is too short, and too narrow at the ass-end.

Revell’s ancient kit (repeatedly re-issued, somebody put it out of our misery!) matches the shape of the Ed Moore fuselage, but is slightly long.  The ECM antenna on the tail (apparently added to later issues of the kit) is too small.  The canopy-windshield matches the drawings, but like the Airfix and Matchbox kits, the framing for the canopy is molded as part of the fuselage.  Revell’s wing is the best as far as how it mounts to the fuselage; it is molded as part of the spine which greatly reduces the need for filling in join lines (debatable), however, the wing is the wrong shape and long in span.  The elevators have too great a sweep.  According to the Bunrin-Do drawings the wing is too short in span and too narrow. The elevators have the same sweep-back problem.  The canopy-windshield seem slightly small compared to the drawings.   Like the Matchbox kit, the fuselage is too short, and too narrow, at the ass-end.

Comparing the ESCI (re-boxed by AMT-ERTL/Italeri) main wing to the Bunrin-Do drawings it is way too short in span, and the elevators are too narrow.  The canopy seems the right width, but the rear portion of the frame is not correct.  The Ed Moore drawings say the same thing about the main wing, the elevators fair better by barely matching the drawings.  The canopy looks good.  The fuselage matches the profile of the drawing but is slightly short. The tip of the vertical tail does not match Ed Moore’s drawing, but none of the kits do as the drawing shows the tail tip being rounded, which is wrong (oh my, you mean an authoritative scale drawing is wrong?)! ESCI kits usually come with good decals.

The Fujimi main wing is barely short going by the Bunrin-Do drawings.  The elevators are way too narrow, and the canopy slightly fat with incorrect rear frame.  The fuselage matches the Ed Moore drawings.  Spine antennae are in the wrong location.  The canopy matches.  The elevators are narrow in chord and have incorrectly shaped tips.  The wing is slightly short in span due to incorrectly shaped tips.  Nice decals came with my kit.

Ordinance:  The only kits in this review with decent weapons load are the ESCI and Fujimi kits, not great, but better than the lumps of plastic you kit with the other brands.  The skinny Hobby Boss Mark 82s come with optional fuse extenders.

IFR (In-Flight Refueling):  The Matchbox kit provides IFR for USAF aircraft only.  The Airfix kit provides IFR for USN aircraft only.  Hasegawa provides IFR for USN only, which is interesting because the AMT re-box (A-693:130) comes with markings for a USAF version.  Revell’s kit has IFR for USN only, despite numerous re-issues with USAF decals.  Fujimi, ESCI and Hobby Boss provide IFRs for both USAF and USN (depending on which issue of the kit you buy).

Out of the kit manufactures I compared none are accurate overall (and none got the main wing tip shape correct).  I read from other kit builders that the only way to get an accurate 1/72 scale A-7 is to kit-bash several kits from different makers.  From my perspective, it might be done by combining the Fujimi or Airfix fuselage with the Hobby Boss wing, for a start.  If you’re planing on building a kit to enter into a highly competitive model contest then kit-bashing is your only choice, but most of us don’t have the time (or money).

The A-7 has such a unique look and all the kits capture that look despite having shape issues, so, if you’re building one just for the heck of it then save some money and buy the cheapest one you can find, and go for it.

Notes: Before re-boxing the ESCI kit, AMT also re-boxed the Matchbox kit (late 1970s) and the super-ancient Hasegawa kit (early 1970s). The AMT/Matchbox issue uses the original Matchbox artwork and the phrase “Molded in 3 Colors” (using the U.S. English spelling of the word colors).

The website ScaleMates reports the Ace Hobby Kit A-7 is a copy of the Hasegawa kit, wrong!  The Ace A-7 is a re-tooled terrible copy of the ESCI kit.  Ace offers it in A, B, D, E versions, but all are wrong, like not having the correct parts, or decals, for the version offered!  Stay away from the Ace kit.

Heller re-boxed the Airfix A-7 in the 1990s when Airfix and Heller were owned by a single parent company (Humbrol).

USAF A-7 CORSAIRS, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO?

1/48 scale comparison A-7 Corsair 2: Aurora, Revell-Monogram, ESCI, Hasegawa & Hobby Boss 

Cold War Aggressor:  EA-7L THE ‘ELECTRIC’ TA-7C CORSAIR-2

Cold War Maintenance Walk Around: A-7D CORSAIR-2

1:72 F-100 SUPER SABER KIT KLASH, OR MORE REASONS WHY YOU CAN’T TRUST SCALE DRAWINGS

U.S.

Martial Law 2014: Arrests of San Diego cops increase!

12 June 2014 (16:29 UTC-07 Tango)/13 Sha’ban 1435/22 Khordad 1393/15 Geng Wu 4712

Is San Diego, California U.S.A., plagued with so many crooked cops that arrests are finally being made?

In the most recent case husband and wife police officers were arrested and charged with being drug runners.  The husband was also charged with being high on drugs while in possession of his government authorized gun.  They both pled not guilty in court today.

What I find interesting is that the local San Diego news media actually published the location where the two cops live, which sounds like vigilantism to me because the two cops are out on bail.   The female cop has children from another relationship, and under California law if a parent is suspected of being a drug user they automatically lose custody.  The children are now with their biological father.  (I’ll admit that their court room pic makes them look like Meth users)

A male San Diego cop was arrest twice, once in April and once in May, on suspicion of domestic violence.  An investigation resulted in charges being dropped.  Probably a case of a vindictive wife.

Before that another male cop was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and sexual assault of several victims.  He resigned and is still awaiting trial.

In February, a male cop (and former Marine) was accused of sexually assaulting  a woman he arrested.  It was revealed that a so called ‘semen sample’ tested negative for semen.  It was also revealed that the so called ‘victim’ originally accused a different San Diego cop of the assault.  The former Marine/cop was never charged with any crime but quit his job due to harassment, and is now suing the city.

Also in February, a female cop was fined and placed on probation after being caught in public while highly intoxicated.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: New trend for Sears & Kmart closings; no more warnings!

12 June 2014 (15:43 UTC-07 Tango)/13 Sha’ban 1435/22 Khordad 1393/15 Geng Wu 4712

An Alabama Kmart shutting down in September.  Another Illinois Kmart going down, this time the Collinsville store will shutdown in September.   North Carolina losing a 35 years old Kmart, in September.  80 Wisconsinites to become unemployed when another Kmart shuts down in July.  A New York Sears Appliance and Hardware shutdown.

In California, a San Diego Kmart shutdown without notice!  Sears Holdings said they signed over their lease to another business rendering the Mid-City Kmart “closed to the public, effective Wednesday, June 11”.

Sears Holdings said it might dump its 51% control over Sears Canada, in order to gain $730-million in desperately needed cash.      Sears Holdings also said it is adding another 80 stores to its 2014 shutdowns in the Untied States, due to the acceleration of crashing sales.

Update from observant reader:  Oregon losing a Kmart (in September) and a Sears Home Services center.  The Sears Home Services center closing was not publicly announced.  (see Comments below)

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, recently revealed Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (72 jobs lost), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost), Laguna Hills Mall Sears, recently revealed San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost). No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers? On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.  Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy.  The Kmart building takes up most of the “pad”.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost), Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, recently revealed Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost).  58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart.

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), recently revealed Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost),  Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), recently revealed Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware.

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), recently revealed High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), recently revealed Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), recently revealed Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), recently revealed Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Martial Law: Your cell phone is assembled in an Asian country, but the tech to spy on you came from Israel!

10 June 2014 (09:25 UTC-07 Tango)/11 Sha’ban 1435/20 Khordad 1393/13 Geng Wu 4712

“…the tech sector has become the backbone of the Israeli economy.  Throughout the global recession Israel saw growth year on year. Just take a look at the NASDAQ….foreign listings, number one is China, number two is Israel.”-Samuel Burke, CNN tech reporter

A CNN tech program inadvertently revealed that while your cell phone, or other electronic gadget, is assembled in an Asian country, the technology to spy on you comes from Israel!

Israeli companies are the ones who “code” the guts inside your cell phones.   The Israeli government even created a Chief Scientist position to oversee such operations.

For some reason the CEOs of these Israeli tech/augmented reality companies, that’re coding your gadgets, stated that they had no problem paying the Israeli government 26.5% in taxes.   The CNN report didn’t explain why.

In 2012, the Israeli government passed a law (Electronic Waste Law) making it mandatory to recycle electronic gadgets.  The law went into effect in January 2013.  The recycling companies employ mentally and physically handicapped people to do the recycling work.

And a new law went into effect this year, in which household appliances equipped with computer tech must also be recycled.

So basically your ‘new’ cell phone has guts made from recycled Israeli electronics, which are then coded by Israeli companies so that your caring government can spy on you.

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 01 – 05 June 2014: Obama regime candidate tied to massive U.S. money laundering? U.S. troops killing their own? Mujahideen growing stronger!

Badakhshan Province: In Jurm District, an Afghan National Army (ANA) patrol was ambushed by Mujahideen.   Government sources say at least four ANA soldiers killed, four wounded.  Mujahideen claim 20 ANA personnel were killed or wounded.

Faryab Province: In Maimana City, a bomb exploded in a market killing three people and wounding 15.

Helmand Province: In Greshk District, Mujahideen attacked the district government compound.  Three Mujahideen killed, two cops killed and one civilian killed.  Three people wounded.   In Sangin District, a police vehicle ran over a landmine, killing four cops and wounding one.

Herat Province:  In Herat City, an Afghan National Army vehicle was ambushed by Mujahideen.  Two ANA soldiers killed, three wounded.  In Zenda Jan District, an Indian working for a NGO was kidnapped.  A suspect has been arrested.  No further details.

Kabul Province: Kabul City,  a magnetic bomb was attached to a police vehicle.  It exploded killing one cop and wounding seven others.  Afghan military officials say hundreds of people have been killed, and even more wounded, in the past five days of battles with Mujahideen across the country.   A new company has been set up, to make computers and other electronic devices.  The company is called Blue Sonic.   The pro-Obama regime presidential candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, is being accused of being directly tied to the scandal involving U.S. taxpayer money and the Kabul Bank.  Last year 21 people were convicted of disappearing billions of dollars out of Afghanistan.  It sounds like a money laundering ponzi scheme.  The majority of the bank’s money had been loaned out to only 19 individuals or companies.  The bank then got a nearly $900-million USD bailout!   Chinese banking officials now deny that they told Afghan banks to stop using the U.S. dollar.

Kandahar Province: In Daman District, two children killed, one wounded, when one of them stepped on a landmine.

Kunar Province: Pakistani officials are now accusing the Afghan government of launching raids into Pakistan, from Kunar. One Pakistani soldier was killed, two wounded. Pakistani officials say they are locked in heated battles with Pakistani Mujahideen, which sometimes cross into Afghanistan.  Afghan officials responded that Pakistan has fired another 120 artillery rounds into Afghanistan.  In Nari District, government officials claim they’ve successfully bribed villagers to kill four Afghan Mujahideen.  12 were captured.   In Watapur District, a U.S.-NATO airstrike killed 18 people.  Seven people wounded.

Nanagarhar Province: In Jalalabad City, a U.S. Army Special Forces Captain, from Pennsylvania, was shot and killed.  U.S. Department of Defense refused to give details, saying the incident is being investigated.   In Behsud District, a suicide bomber killed three Turkish engineers, and wounded two others.   The engineers were working on a military base when the attacker drove in and blew up his motorcycle bomb.  In Khogyani District, government officials report that a Special Forces op killed 17 people.

Nuristan Province:  Provincial officials warning that Mujahideen have established training camps in Kamdish District, and that hundreds of people are now being trained up.  Also, there are reports that Mujahideen executed 11 of their own for failure to follow orders.

Paktika Province: A U.S. Army Private 1st Class, from Missouri, was shot and killed.  The U.S. Department of Defense says his unit was ambushed by Mujahideen.

88 militiamen of the National Guard’s 216th Engineer Mobility Augmentation Company (California) returned from Afghanistan.

86 militiamen of the National Guard’s 849th Mobility Augmentation Company (Minnesota) returned from Afghanistan.

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (Missouri) returned from Afghanistan.

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 1-126th Medical Evacuation Unit (Rhode Island and Delaware) deploying to Kuwait in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Business/Economics

U.S. job losses & store closings 01 – 03 March 2014: ObamaCare forces hospitals to end care for pregnant women? FCC kills Utah company! Too Big to Jail banks excused from paying $1-billion in debt, in exchange for shutting down power plants!

Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

Arizona: In Tucson, after 13 years Kevin Jewelers shutdown.

California:  Coachella Valley Unified School District laid off 51 teachers.  More layoffs in the works.  BEST (Barstow Employment Specialized Training) Opportunities killed 98 jobs, guess their job training wasn’t good enough.  The Alta Bates Summit Medical Center continues to kill jobs because of Obama Care.  This time 227 healthcare workers in Berkely and Oakland became unemployed!  In Oakland, Mexico owned Bimbo Bakeries shutdown, 160 jobs lost!  In Panorama City the maker of wheel chair lifts for vehicles, Ricon, laid off 25 employees.  Are the layoffs connected to the Obama Care medical device tax?   UPS (United Parcel Service) killed 1073 jobs at their Richmond hub!

Indiana:  In Greensburg, Radio Shack shutdown.  It’s part of Radio Shack’s plan shutdown 500 stores across the U.S.!

Massachusetts: In Boston, the 1-800-Flowers shop shutdown on Hanover Street.  An employee told a local reporter that it was the company’s fault because they’ve “mismanaged the franchise” for months now.

Michigan: In Westland, after 26 years Play Ball Sports announced it will shutdown once all merchandise is sold off.   After the announcement the store was robbed of $2-thousand USD of merchandise (caught on security cam) and the owner claims he was almost killed in the process!  Grand Rapids Public Library laid off at least 18 employees.  Director Marcia Warner blamed it on a “new financial reality”.   The South Haven Health System Hospital shutting down its birthing center in May.   Officials directly blame Affordable Care Act (Obama Care): “Some of our board members were born here, and many of our employees, and they’ve stayed in the community, so it’s a sad decision but one that’s necessary for the viability of the rest of the organization…..because we have such a high medicaid population utilizing our services, the program [Obama Care] does not reimburse to the level where we can support the program.”-Joanne Urbanski, CEO

New Jersey: In Wayne, Mitt Romney/Bain Capital owned Toys R Us killed 200 HQ jobs!  It’s blamed on declining sales.   Kimball Medical Center laid off 73 healthcare workers.  Hospital officials say they must consolidate services with other hospitals in order to survive Obama Care cuts.

New York: Electric company Mach Gen now bankrupt busted.  The company is actually owned by Too Big to Jail banks like Bank of America and Credit Suisse.  Mach Gen was created to control natural gas fired electric plants in New York, Massachusetts and Arizona.   As a result of the bankruptcy the Too Big to Jail banks will skip out on paying off $1-billion USD of debt!

Ohio:  Evil Bechtel laying off 155 employees in April, at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station!  It’s because their contract will expire.  In Stow, Wisconsin based packaging company Bemis shutting down their factory in May, despite reporting 2013 net sales of $5-billion!  115 jobs lost!

South Carolina: In Landrum, Ken’s Meats & Seafood shutdown after only three years of operations.  The owners said everything was going good until summer 2013, when sales crashed: “We just didn’t have enough local support to sustain us for the long run. Unfortunately I can count on two fingers how many local businesses bought from us and that was unfortunate…..demand for my products is just not here in our local community.”-Ken Brackett, co-owner

Texas: In Austin, engineering company URS laying off 79 employees in April.  They lost the contract to operate a toll road.

Utah:  Video service provider for people with hearing loss Sorenson Communications now bankrupt busted.  6800 jobs threatened! Company officials blame their decline on a 2010 U.S. FCC rule change, which reduced the amount of fees companies could charge, but forced companies to spend more money on upgrades.

Virginia:  Taxsucker General Dynamics says if the military doesn’t renew their contract then 88 IT employees will become unemployed.

Wisconsin: In Tomah, after 50 years Bob’s Furniture shutdown.

28 February 2014: ObamaCare forcing medical supply companies to commit “suicide”!

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013