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

H7N9 update: Chinese and Japanese have evidence of rapid mutations, almost AIDS like! Resistance is futile?

10 April 2013 (02:29 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Chinese and Japanese researchers have made independent reports, indicating the new H7N9 is rapidly mutating.  This could explain the difficulty in detecting it.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo said H7N9 samples from four Chinese victims showed noticeable differences in gene sequences, from person to person. The Researchers think the infections were from multiple sources.

In China, researchers at South University of Science and Technology said they noticed rapid mutation in nine of H7N9’s 560 amino acids. They estimate the new virus is mutating eight times faster than ‘normal’ flu viruses: “It happened in just one or two weeks. The speed may not have caught up with the HIV, but it’s quite unusual for a flu.”-He Jiankui, South University of Science and Technology

The rapid mutation will make it almost impossible to develop vaccines or anti-virals for the new ‘bird’ flu.

 

Fukushima

Corporate Incompetence: Leaking inground ponds at Fukushima Daiichi versus above ground sealed tanks

10 April 2013 (02:13 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1392/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Tokyo Electric Power Company has been ordered to stop using in-ground waste water ponds to store radiative water.  Three ponds are now leaking (several hundreds of tons so far) and some of the contamination includes strontium.

TEPCo said they used the in-ground ponds because they are not enough above ground steel tanks available to hold the massive amount of contaminated water coming from the damaged GE designed reactors.

TEPCo hopes to have new steel tanks delivered in the next few days.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, Economic Front: U.S. job losses & store closings 22 February 2013.

Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks furloughs 100 shipyard workers, pending federal government budget cuts. Also, the Pearl Harbor shipyard threatening to layoff 350 employees!

12 firefighters in Lorain, Ohio, now unemployed.  City officials blamed the expiration of a federal grant.

Giant City School District, in Illinois,  laid off 14 employees. School officials blame massive state funding cuts.  And after 30 years, Chiasso furniture store closed down in Chicago.  The owner blamed the bad economy.  Also, Chicago Public Schools wants to close two charter high schools. School officials say their budget is short $1 billion USD!

In New Hampshire, cable company MetroCast laid off 16 employees. The company will outsource (contract out) its installer positions, in an effort to make bigger profits.  And Hubbingtons Furniture closed their Hampton store. Operators blamed the property manager for making it not worth renewing the lease.

In Tennessee, Lincoln Memorial University refused to renew contracts for 13 teachers.  School officials blame declining graduate student enrollment.

In Plano, Texas, J.C. Penny laid off 300 more employees!  More layoffs are expected. Company officials refused to talk to local media.

In California, Abbott Vascular laid off another 450 employees! The cardiac and vascular care product maker laid off workers at their Temecula factory, and their French Valley distribution center. In 2012 they laid off almost 500 employees.  Company officials will only say they are trying to make the company more efficient. Also, the Fresno County Assessor’s office lays off 14 people, due to lack of funds.  In Mill Valley/Strawberry, the Ethan Allen furniture store closed down.

In North Carolina, recumbent bike retailer, Neighborhood Transportation, closed down.  The owner blamed health reasons.

After 23 years, Bonnie’s Place restaurant closed down in Michigan. The owners blame road/bridge construction for destroying 90% of their business.

In New York, the Wappingers Central School District says they must close down an elementary school.  School officials blame declining enrollment.

In Georgia, the Unity Elementary School in LaGrange could close. School officials say they need to save $4 million!

In Pennsylvania, Caterpillar tractors could close its York Distribution Center in Springettsbury Township.  250 employees would be affected!

Wausau Paper closing their Brainerd, Minnesota, factory. 130 employees affected! Company officials say the toilet paper competition is fierce.

Supermarket Marsh closing stores in Columbus and Marion, Indiana.  Company officials don’t want to renew the leases.

In Virginia, Weiman’s Bakery closed down in Richmond, with little notice.  The bakery supplied many restaurants, and many were left scrambling to find a new source of bread.  Local media said no reason was given for the closing.

Bay Hills Card and Gift Hallmark store closed in Maryland.  The owner opened the store in 1987, he says the bad economy did him in.

In Helena, Montana, Pet Town closed down after 30 years of operations. Local media said regular customers cried as animals in the store were shipped off.  The owner blamed the bad economy: “The last four years were just brutal!”-Dana Coil

International, U.S.

World War 3, East Asian Front: China closes border! Multiple Missiles ready for launch!

10 April 2013 (00:29 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

China has closed a border crossing with North Korea: “Travel agencies are not allowed to take tourist groups to go there, since the North Korean government is now asking foreign people to leave.”-unnamed official with the Dandong Border Office

South Korean media reporting that military satellite imagery shows multiple ICBMs ready for launch in North Korea.  The missiles include short range Scud, medium range Nodong as well as the BM25 Musudan: “There are clear signs that the North could simultaneously fire off Musudan, Scud and Nodong missiles.”-unnamed ROK spokesman

International

H7N9 update: 9 people dead! Still no connection to birds!

10 April 2013 (19:50 UTC-07 Tango 09 April 2013)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

A 35 years old woman has died in Anhui Province. So far 28 cases, nine deaths since the end of March.

Chinese health researchers have yet to find a definite connection between birds and humans.  This suggests the H7N9 infecting humans is unique to humans.  The new strain of H7N9 hasn’t been found in pigs either.

Yesterday, the top veterinarian in China stated that this new H7N9 came from outside continental Asia, which backed up what health officials in Thailand said a couple of days ago.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3, Gun Control Front: Man wounds 14 college students….with a craft razor!

09 April 2013 (15:17 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

A college student decided to take out as many of his fellow students as he could, with a razor knife.

14 Lone Star College students were stabbed in Cypress, Texas.  12 hospitalized, two are in critical condition.

Police are calling the edged weapon and “unknown weapon”.  A witness called the “unknown weapon” an ‘X-acto’ type razor knife used in making crafts. Apparently the ‘mass shooter’ stabbed people in the neck.  (he must’ve had the type with multiple blades in the handle, oh no, now they are going to be banned)

I use those X-acto blades when I build my model kits.  Oh my god!   Am I going to have to go through a background check just to buy my crafts supplies?

You know if one of those students had a gun…….

 

International, U.S.

H7N9 update: Chinese Agriculture Ministry joins Thailand in accusing the United States of spreading the new disease!

09 April 2013 (14:50 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Yesterday, Thai health officials pointed out that H7N9 is new to continental Asia, that it’s only been found in Japan, Europe and United States.

Today China’s chief veterinarian, Yu Kangzhen, revealed that this is the first time the H7N9 virus has been detected in China.  To make things more interesting, Yu says so far no connection has been found between the poultry cases and the human cases.  He believes the source of infection for both poultry and humans came from outside China.

This announcement by China’s Ministry of Agriculture comes two days after a Chinese air force Colonel, Dai Xu, accused the United States of biological warfare.

International, U.S.

World War 3, East Asian Front: South Korea accuses North of psyops! U.S. will not shoot down missile!

09 April 2013 (14:35 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

“We believe that foreigners in South Korea as well as our nationals will be unfazed as they have great confidence and trust in our military and the Republic of Korea.”–Kim Haing, ROK presidential spokeswoman

Officials in Republic of Korea say the DPRK’s warning that foreigners should leave South Korea is nothing more than psychological warfare.

And in front of the U.S. Congress, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Locklear, said that U.S. forces would shoot down a DPRK missile if it was targeting the United States or an ally.  But, he “would not recommend” shooting it down if it is truly a test launch that does not target anyone.

Business/Economics, International

H7N9 update: 8 dead, 28 infected! Competition to make a new vaccine threatens co-operation!

09 April 2013 (14:20 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

An 83 years old man in Jiangsu Province died.  Two people in Shanghai and two in Zhejiang province confirmed to have H7N9 infection.  This brings the cases to 28 in the past couple of weeks.

Citing time constraints, Taiwan’s Deputy Health Minister, Lin Tzou-yien, says his country will not co-operate with mainland China in developing a vaccine.  Could this be a capitalist maneuver because of concerns over patent rights?

Here’s how China responded: China’s State Food and Drug Administration is warning medical personnel and local health departments to inspect protective apparel, respirators, anesthesia machines and diagnostic reagents, among other equipment. Chinese officials want to make sure those products have officially-approved labels and manuals.   Also, the Chinese FDA is warning that prosecutions could take place for those who do not follow proper product registration laws in regards to H7N9 research.

The UN World health Organization says that , so far, H7N9 is not showing up in pigs.

 

Fukushima

Corporate Incompetence: For the third time in four days, another radiation leak at Fukushima Daiichi!

09 April 2013 (02:26 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1392/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Tokyo Electric Power Company has just discovered another contaminated water leak in a third waste water pond. This is the pond they’ve been transferring radioactive water (including strontium) into, from two other ponds that are leaking.

TEPCo had also testified before government officials as to why the ponds/in-ground open air tanks were leaking, before they discovered the third leak.  TEPCo officials told the Japanese government they were creating an emergency task force to investigate the growing number of accidents and incidents.  They don’t know why the massive in-ground tanks are leaking.

Between all the leaks more than 120 tons of contaminated water has spilled out.  The third pond was only 55% full when it started leaking.