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, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front: Pakistan attacks Iran, Iran executes Pakistanis! False Flag op to justify U.S. invasion?

27 October 2013 (18:02 UTC-07 Tango 26 October 2013)/22 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/05 Aban 1391/23 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

On the night of 25 October, 14 Iranian border police were killed, six wounded and three cops were kidnapped (some reports say six cops were kidnapped), in the region of Saravan.  Iran says the attackers came from the U.S. ally Pakistan.

Iranian officials protested to Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran.  Iran says the attackers are U.S.-Saudi supported anti-Shia terrorists.

Because of a lack of response from the U.S. ally Pakistan, on 26 October Iran hanged 16 captured Pakistani anti-Shia terrorists.  Iran says in the past 30 years more than 4-thousand of their border police have been killed by U.S.-Saudi backed anti-Shia terrorists and illegal drugs traffickers.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Too Big to Jail: Elitists ripped off by their own elite hotel!

26 October 2013 (14:52 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/04 Aban 1391/22 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

The Maryland, U.S.A., based elitist hotel chain, Ritz Carlton, admits to ripping off wealthy customers at their Osaka, Japan, hotel.

In a press conference the hotel’s general manager, Oriol Montal, admitted he knew back in July that customers in the restaurant were not being served what they ordered.  Food items were being made with cheaper ingredients.  Montal also admitted that some food items were contracted out to third party food services.

However, in true elitist style Montal blamed the restaurant’s menus for the bait-n-switch, saying the menus had incorrect item descriptions.  This does not explain why he said nothing for the past three to four months since learning of the problem.  Montal says he will refund his rich customers their money.

Montal admitted there is no oversight regarding how the hotel restaurant is run.  In July he was told of shrimp ingredients that were not what was printed on the menus.  He claims that it was this month (October) that he was told, apparently by a restaurant whistleblower, that other food items, like bread, were not what they seemed.

I hope all those laissez-faire elitists liked their bait-n-switch meals!

Business/Economics, Idaho, Technology, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 10-12 August 2013. Veteran run military contractor stealing bombs from National Guard? Idaho loses 1500 jobs in one day? More health care cuts blamed on the Federales!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs.

AOL (American On [Off ?] Line) announced they are selling off 400 Patch sites!  This after announcing they will layoff as many as 500 Patch Editors!

California: In Alameda County, the Almeda Health System laid off at least 57 employees at two hospitals, this as AHS is actually adding two more hospitals to its inventory. One of those hospitals was donated by a non-profit health care group (probably done in by Obama Care).  Hospital officials say the layoffs are their attempt to comply with Obama Care!  In Long Beach, the Christian Saint Mary Medical Center laid off 86 employees.  In Redwood City, Perseid Therapeutics ended operations.  59 people unemployed. It’s the result of a takeover by Astellas.  In San Jose, IBM laid off 203 people!  The layoffs were part of IBM’s elimination of 3-thousand jobs World wide!

Florida: In Tampa, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase lays off another 208 people!  That’s on top of the 435 cuts announced in June. The evil bank officials admitted that the home mortgage disaster has reached a point where it’s not worth it for banks to continue stealing people’s homes, so they’re now going after their own employees!

Georgia: In Tucker, Park Pet Retreat shut down. The owner of the doggie daycare center blames a suck ass investor:“I am so very sorry to tell you that the Investor that was brought to me and led me on for a month has backed away from the deal.”   But, apparently some good news; it seems Rita MacCallon has such loyal customers that she’s opened a new doggie daycare under the title Rita’s Pet Retreat.

Idaho: In Boise, Micron Technologies (the World’s 2nd largest DRAM maker) announced it will fire 1500 employees!  It’s the result of Micron taking over Japanese competitor Elpida.  Micron officials say the layoffs will be spread around the World, but a Boise financial consultant, Dave Pesto, said “It appears to be pretty heavy here.”  Micron laid off 2-thousand people in Boise back in 2009!

Illinois: In Chicago, Career Education Corporation laid off another 480 people!  That’s on top of the 900 people laid off since last November!  The company has lost more than a hundred million dollars since last year!

Kansas: Wichita City warned of layoffs.  If city revenues are down, as is expected, they want to layoff 13 employees.

Louisiana: Explo Systems bankrupt, company officials in prison.  They are $3 million in debt, and were even served with an eviction notice by the Army National Guard.  The company was supposed to be disarming and destroying out of date munitions for the Louisiana National Guard.   At least six employees were charged with unlawful storage of explosives, reckless storage of explosives, failure to obtain magazine license, failure to properly mark explosive material,  failure to keep accurate inventory and conspiracy.

New York: In Buffalo, yet another non-profit health care provider, Phoenix Frontier, bankrupt because of the federal government.  The IRS claims the disabilities and mental health service provider failed to pay taxes.  In Levittown, magic Shop closed (the store sign actually has magic spelled with lower case m).

North Carolina: The Agricultural and Technical State University laid off at least 50 employees.  The University of North Carolina at Greensboro laid off an undisclosed amount of employees.  In both cases it’s blamed on state funding cuts, and declining student enrollment.  In Greensboro, Cafe Carolina closed down. The owner blames the suck ass economy: “We really wished, we had the ability to keep it going, but under the current conditions we just can’t.”-Ron Hines

Texas: In Waco, Southern Foods Group ended operations.  150 employees let go!

Vermont: Wood burning stove maker, Vermont Castings, laid off 100 employees! Other layoffs took place in Kentucky and Mexico. The company was taken over by its own management, who decided to slash and burn in the name of consolidation.

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.

Exceptional Failed state: More Sears & Kmart closings! Sears selling off its most profitable stores!

26 October 2013 (03:42 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/04 Aban 1391/22 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“….Sears had already sold close to 12 of its most profitable stores in the United States and Canada….”-Alex Kimani, Syncopy Research, warning investors in his article Sears: Get Out Or Get Burned

In Illinois, the Champaign Market Place Mall Sears being closed by GGP.  The store was sold to GGP in 2012.  The store opened in 1975.

In Wisconsin, the Fort Atkinson Kmart will close mid-January.  The store opened in 1979.

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).

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 (at least 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).

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).

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).

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).

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

Vacant bedroom/bathroom section.

One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).  No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

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).

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), recently revealed Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 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).

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!).

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.

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).

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).

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).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

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

North Carolina: 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.

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

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

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost),  Fulton Kmart (51 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).   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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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:  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).

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).

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), recently revealed Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 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)

International, U.S.

World War 3, West Asian Front: The new Zio-Wahabbi Empire of Saudi Israelia, twist on prophecy of Gog and Megog! Palestinians to be sacrificed to create Israel-Saudi Arabia alliance?

26 October 2013 (03:18 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/04 Aban 1391/22 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“When you hear the Saudis talking about what needs to be done in order to prevent a nuclear Iran, I mean it sounds familiar. I think that you can hear that Arabic sounds familiar to Hebrew when it comes to Iran.  In order to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon, we need to cooperate with those [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] who understand that Iran is a threat to them as well. But unfortunately, the open conflict with the Palestinians makes it impossible or very difficult for them to act with Israel.”-Tzipi Livni, Israeli Minister of Justice

“Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East.”-George W. Bush to French President Jacques Chirac.  Reports say Chirac consulted with religious scholars to figure out what the hell Bush was talking about.

“If the Israelis and Saudis merged into one country, just think how much fun they could have together bulldozing Christian and Islamic history, religion and culture!”-Kevin Barrett, political analyst

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 07-09 October 2013: Hundreds of people disappeared! More U.S. taxpayers ripped off! Japanese taxpayers give away $13 million! U.S. puppet warlord admits War Crimes! $12 billion oil deal!

Helmand Province: In Greshk District, a suicide car bomber killed two civilians and two cops, four cops wounded.

Maidan Wardak Province: Three villages in Syed Abad District were hit by U.S.-NATO Israeli style home invasions. Reports say explosives were used to access some residential compounds.  Eight people kidnapped, six motorcycles and three cars/trucks destroyed.

Nangarhar Province: In Shirzad District, a major battle resulted in at least 20 Afghan National Army killed, 27 wounded.  A woman and two kids were wounded, and one Mujahid killed.  In Khogiyani District, a ANA soldier was killed by Mujahid sniper.  In Achin District, villagers report that U.S. forces raided a home, killing a husband and wife and their son, and kidnapping their nephew.  In Khogiyani District, reports that 150 villagers have gone missing!  The reports also say whoever took them also took all their personal possessions.

Uruzgan Province: In Chinartu District, reports that for the past 15 days villages have been hit by Israeli style home invasions by U.S. led government forces.  Mosques and schools have been targeted as well.  Dozens of people beaten and kidnapped.

Zabul Province: In Qalat City, people reported that a security guard working for U.S. forces at Qalat airbase started shooting at U.S. forces in a guard tower.  People don’t know what happened to the guard but think many U.S. personnel were shot.  The airbase was locked down and no Afghan employees were allowed in or out.

Presidential candidate and war criminal,  Abdul Rashid Dostum, admitted his role in murdering fellow Afghans by apologizing for it: “It is the time that we should apologize for the Afghan people who were sacrificed due to our policies. I am taking the first step, and apologize for the people who suffered from the violence and civil war in the country.”

President Hamid Karzai called a grand meeting (Loya Jirga) to decide the fate of the Obama regime’s demands for a new military pact.  Some Afghan senators are refusing to take part.  Karzai also blamed U.S. led NATO for making Afghanistan insecure: “On the security front the entire NATO exercise was one that caused Afghanistan a lot of suffering, a lot of loss of life, and no gains because the country is not secure.”-BBC interview

Despite dealing with natural and man made disasters, the Japanese government gave $13-million USD of their taxpayers’ money to Afghanistan.  Actually it was given to United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which will then give it to the Afghan Independent Directorate of Local Governance.  This is already on top of $21-million Japan gave directly to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance.

The United States Air Force has given the Afghan Air Force two brand new C-130 transport aircraft.  They’re part of a planned total delivery of 24 C-130s.  The U.S. taxpayer is forking over hundreds of million of dollars to pay for the aircraft.  Originally the USAF was going to give Italian C27s to Afghanistan, but after already spending $600-million on the deal it was decided to go with C-130s.  U.S. taxpayers are also giving Afghanistan recon drones and 20 Super Tucano training aircraft.

While the U.S. government continues to spend taxpayer’s money on weapons for other countries, the Pentagon halted death gratuity payments for families who had sons or daughters killed in Afghanistan.  The excuse was the supposed government shutdown, which actually affected only 18% of government spending.

The Afghan Ministry of Mines announced $12-billion worth of oil contracts.  The lucky winners are Turkish Petroleum International Company (TPIC) and Dragon Oil from United Arab Emirates.

“There is a bloody war happening, and no one is talking about it!”-Ahmad Majidyar,  American Enterprise Institute and adviser to the U.S. Army

“Bush stopped talking about Afghanistan almost immediately after he shifted focus to Iraq.  Afghanistan was truly a forgotten war when Obama took over and it became it again after the surge was over.  The result is the public really has no idea what’s going on there.”-A. Trevor Thrall,  George Mason University

“….a lot of Afghanistan’s future depends on whether Western nations feel guilty enough about the mess they made to stay involved.”-Graeme Smith, International Crisis Group

“…we’re tired of it…”:-U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Mike Toole, in Kabul

07 October was the 12th year of the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan.  I found it amazing that the pro-occupiers interviewed on main streamer U.S. TV continue to say the U.S. has to stay in order to get the “remnants” of al Qaeda.  Really, after 12 years of massive repression by the U.S. there’s still “remnants” of al Qaeda?   Most people would considered that a big Fail!

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) blamed the United States for turning Afghanistan into a narco-state.  The UNODC said the U.S. has done nothing to create an economy that is not reliant on illegal drugs or corruption.  Under international law, if you invade and occupy a country you are legally responsible for everything that takes place during your occupation.

17-18 July 2013: MORE PROOF THE UNITED STATES COMMITS WAR CRIMES! PROOF THAT WOMEN ARE WORTH MORE THAN MEN IN AFGHANISTAN!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Study says U.S. citizens too stupid to compete in Global workplace! Older U.S. workers smarter!

25 October 2013 (15:17 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/03 Aban 1391/21 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

Despite the fact that people in the U.S. have decent access to computers and the internet, they actually score lower in intelligence than even countries who lack access to technology!

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released the results of their comparison of average workers in a couple dozen countries, including the United States.  U.S. workers lose!

The average U.S. worker earned a “Mean proficiency in literacy” score of 262.  Only France, Spain, Italy and Cyprus scored lower.  Surprisingly German workers scored only 267.1.  The average score is 270. Russian workers scored 275.2.  Not surprisingly, Japanese workers are way ahead of the pack with a high score of 293.6 (but their high technical intelligence still doesn’t make them much money).

Those scores include people in the age range of 16 to 65 years.  When OECD cut the age range to just 16 to 24 years, U.S. workers scored even lower, dropping to 260.9, meaning the older U.S. workers are smarter than the young workers.

This contrasts with most other countries, who saw a jump in their literacy score when the older workers were left out of the equation.   This is not good for the United States, because it suggests that as more older workers retire, or are refused jobs because of their age (like me), the overall global competitiveness of U.S. workers will continue to fall in the coming decades.

When it comes to the “adjusted” math (numeracy) score the U.S. worker does worse.  Only Cyprus and Italy scored lower than the U.S.  And it gets even worse when you throw out the old fogies: U.S. workers aged 16 to 24 suck with the lowest score of 240!  Even the young workers of Cyprus beat the U.S. in math!

The OECD also gave the U.S. poor IT and problem solving scores, but my dumb ‘merican brain couldn’t take it anymore (I is college edumacated, yes I is, Idaho State Uni).  Check it out for yourself: OECD Skills Outlook 2013.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. Federal Reserve preps for economic collapse! Get your money now! U.S. Comptroller slips up, says crash is coming!

25 October 2013 (23:41 UTC-07 Tango 24 October 2013)/20 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/03 Aban 1391/21 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“…it’s important to demonstrate that both the level and the quality of the capital is there, uh, before the, uh, a crisis emerges.”-Thomas J. Curry, U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, speaking to CNBC’s Nightly Business Report (which airs on PBS)

Yet again, the Federal Reserve Bank is ordering big banks to increase their cash, bonds and assets reserves.  The Federal Reserve ordered an increase in cash reserves back in July.

To give you an idea of what the Federal Reserve is fearing, Too Big to Jail banks are being told they need enough cash on hand to get them through 30 days of “market stress” or “credit drought”!  Small banks now need 21 days of cash reserves.

But don’t blame the Federal Reserve for fear mongering, it was the U.S. Congress and the international Basel Committee on Banking Supervision that ordered the move!

Chairman Ben Bernanke said the reserve levels now being required are more than what’s being required for European banks.  However, at the current European Union summit increasing bank cash reserves there are being discussed.  More signs things are gonna crash.

Regarding the term ‘credit drought’, ironically, ordering banks to hold more cash in reserve will result in even fewer loans to businesses and individuals, which is a major driver of the economy by enabling them to buy stuff.  So wouldn’t this move cause a credit drought?  The credit drought the Federal Reserve is afraid of involves the availability of easy credit for the Too Big to Jail banks, not you and me.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: EU to sanction U.S. companies! End sanctions against Iran! France & Germany to make joint anti-U.S. statement! EU makes historic deal with Canada!

25 October 2013 (23:01 UTC-07 Tango 24 October 2013)/20 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/03 Aban 1391/21 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“We are allies facing challenges together. But such an alliance can only be built on the basis of trust. I repeat that spying among friends is not at all acceptable against anyone and that goes for every citizen in Germany.”-Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Merkel used to live in the Stasi police state of East Germany so she knows the U.S. NSA spying ops are evil

“It is inconceivable and unacceptable that there should be acts of espionage of this type.”-Enrico Letta, Premier of Italy

“I cannot imagine to sign an EU-U.S. free trade agreement given that basic privacy rights have been breached.”-Sigmar Gabriel, German Social-Democratic Party

For those who don’t think the U.S. spying on its allies is a big deal, guess what? The U.S. has lost Europe as it’s only major ally!

At least 28 European Union leaders are being spied on by the NSA.   The NSA spied on at least 35 leaders around the World.

At least 70 million French phone calls have been monitored by the NSA.

Germany summons U.S. ambassador, John B Emerson, over NSA spying.

The former head of the DGSE (French intelligence), Alain Juillet, is surprised at the scale of “pillage” conducted by the U.S. NSA.  The rogue actions of the U.S. against its own allies now jeopardizes the U.S. led War on Terror.

French President Francois Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are working together writing up a joint anti-U.S. statement. It’s reported they will make demands on the U.S. government concerning what it can and cannot do in Europe!

The European Union (EU) has sanctioned the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) agreement with the United  States.  That’s because the U.S. NSA used it to spy on Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).   SWIFT supplies secure messaging services to legitimate financial companies.

The EU now says the World’s biggest free trade deal is now in jeopardy because of the United States!  It’s known as TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership).  At the current EU summit members of parliament will debate imposing sanctions against the U.S. IT companies involved with helping the NSA.  The TTIP deal could have benefited the U.S. economy by $150-billion USD.

On top of that, the EU delegate to Iran, Hannes Swoboda, stated that EU sanctions against Iran should be ended “…in a step by step manner…”

Canada and the EU have agreed, in principle, to the historic CETA (Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement).  Under the deal the EU will end 100% of its tariffs on Canadian industrial products within seven years!  The EU would also accept certification of Canadian products by Canadian inspectors.  For the Canadian auto industry it could result in a 12 times increase in exports to Europe (the Canadian auto industry is not happy with the U.S. imposed NAFTA).  Canada is supposed to apply the same trade policy to European products.  CETA also affects trade of food and intellectual property.