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: China, France and United States evacuating CAR. France and U.S. increase troop presence. IMF says it’s all about the oil, baby!

31 December 2012, Central African Republic (CAR) government forces are abandoning their capitol city, as rebel forces move in.  The most recent reports say the coalition of three rebel groups (known as Seleka) are one town away from victory.

U.S. President Barack Obama has informed Congress that he is sending 50 additional troops to help evacuate U.S. citizens.

China has evacuated about 300 citizens from CAR.  More are expected to leave in the next few days.

France has increased its troop presence to 400.  Officials say it’s only to help evacuate French citizens.

Reports say that the government of CAR has repeatedly asked France and the U.S. for help fighting the rebels, but got no response.

CAR has significant resources, like oil.  As recently as October 2012, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that there is so much oil in central Africa that the expected revenues have the “….Power to Transform Countries of Central Africa”.

The IMF even published a policy book on it, called Oil Wealth in Central Africa: Policies for Inclusive Growth.  Six countries are talked about: Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo.

One IMF economist said that most of the governments are reluctant to adopt IMF policies regarding economic progress, and implies that those countries need some prodding: “…of all the countries that are in this region, none of them are fully compliant with EITI, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative….” , “To some extent, there is a reluctance to move, because at the end of the day these are political choices…….We think that with greater awareness, and also particularly of the cost of what is not being achieved, these circumstances will change.”-Sharmini Coorey, IMF Institute for Capacity Development

 

 

 

International, U.S.

Norovirus update, 31 December 2012: 1 million sick in U.K.! More deaths in Japan! More cruise ships hit hard! Hospitals refusing service! U.S. prisons getting hit! Mis-diagnosed as flu! New version found in California!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to find out what made at least 400 people sick, on two xmas time cruise ships.

Officials with the CDC suspect norovirus.  The latest cruise ship outbreaks took place on ships belonging to Cunard and Princess Cruises.

In Japan, people are still dying from norovirus.  In a third outbreak just in the Gregorian month of December, four more people have died.  This latest outbreak is taking place in a hospital in Yokohama.  At least 68 patients are sick, as well as  27 hospital staff.

In United Kingdom, more than one million people are confirmed sick with norovirus like symptoms (3,538 have so far been confirmed as norovirus by lab tests, which takes time), and hospitals are being shut down.  The vomiting bug (as it’s called in Britain) has shut down East Surrey Hospital, for the third time in the past two months!  U.K. is experiencing an 83% increase in norovirus cases, compared to the same time last year.  Just in the past two weeks 70 British hospitals have reported outbreaks! To make matters worse, an average of 5,000 health workers have been calling in sick everyday!  Health officials say it’s a little early for the vomiting bug: “The number of laboratory confirmed cases has risen once again as it appears that we have seen the rise in cases that usually begins in January start a little earlier than we normally expect.”-John Harris, Health Protection Agency

Back in the U.S.A., in Illinois officials are reporting norovirus outbreaks in prisons.  At least 140 inmates were sick in the Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet.  Prison officials say the first cases showed up on xmas day.

In Iowa, media in Sioux City are reporting that many cases of norovirus are being misdiagnosed as influenza. In fact, here in the U.S. norovirus is often incorrectly called “stomach flu”.  Another factor is that Iowa doctors and hospitals are not required to report cases of norovirus to state health officials!

A nurse in Maine explains the main differences between norovirus and influenza: “Basically the biggest difference between norovirus and the actual flu is that the norovirus causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The actual flu that we all are vaccinated against every year is mostly respiratory in nature, with cough, aches, fever and chills. As far as numbers of cases, I cannot say exactly how much of either but will say that this is one of the busiest seasons I have seen in a while for both norovirus and the flu.”-Chris Reeder, York Hospital

In California, officials in San Luis Obispo County are reporting what they think is a new strain of norovirus. They are reporting three outbreaks in the past month. It’s thought to have come from Australia.   California has been dealing with norovirus outbreaks all year!  In October a middle school in Oak Park, Ventura County, saw at least 320 students out sick.  A pizza restaurant, in Contra Costa County, was shut down because of the vomiting bug back in June.  In July the Alisal Guest Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, was investigated after customers got sick at the end of June.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since September there have been one confirmed and five suspected outbreaks in several nursing homes.

In Michigan, Lansing area health officials are reporting 75 cases at a local retirement home.

There is no treatment for norovirus, no vaccine, and your body does not develop immunity so you can get sick again and again and again….

Check my previous postings about norovirus.  You’ll notice most outbreaks involve hospitals.  You’ll also read about a recent study that says cleanliness might not have any affect on viruses (it’s actually the first study ever to investigate such claims).

U.S.

U.S. West Nile virus update, 30 December 2012: Resurgence & warning for 2013? Blood donors with no symptoms are carriers! Virus also killing off game birds! Record high average temps being blamed! New version already detected!

“People should be concerned because we found so much more of the virus this year.”-Karen Tobin, Erie County West Nile virus coordinator

Health officials in Erie County, Pennsylvania, are warning that 2013 could be another big year for West Nile virus.

Erie County did not have as many human cases of the virus, as the rest of the Keystone State, but they had a relatively higher percentage of infected mosquitoes: “We didn’t trap as many mosquitoes as we usually do, but a high percentage of the ones we caught had West Nile.”-Jeff Bresslin, Erie County Department of Health

Officials blame it on the weather: “The mild winter enabled many of the mosquitoes to survive through spring.”-Karen Tobin, Erie County West Nile virus coordinator

In South Carolina, officials are also blaming the weather, saying 2012 was a record year for average daily high temperatures. For 2012 the city of Columbia had an average daily high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit (19.4 Celsius).  Normally The Capital of Southern Hospitality, in the Palmetto State, is around 66 degrees for the average.  The National Weather Service has been keeping temp records there since 1887.

Despite stating that they won’t make another West Nile report until Spring 2013, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is already predicting 2012 to be a banner year, but they don’t know why:  “It is not clear why we are seeing more activity than in recent years.”-Marc Fischer, CDC

One CDC official said each state could have its own reasons for West Nile outbreaks: “….the ecology in the United States is extremely varied, so a factor that may affect an outbreak in Colorado may be different than a factor that causes an outbreak in Louisiana. The conditions in an urban area may be different than a suburban area.”-Lyle Peterson, CDC

PLOS Biology reported yet another study that blames lack of bio-diversity for causing all the outbreaks of tropical diseases: “The general logic is that the more organisms you have out there, the more things there are that can interrupt the life cycle of disease, and the less concentration you’ll have of any vector.”-Matthew Bonds, Harvard Medical School, from interview with National Public Radio (NPR)

CDC officials are predicting that by the time the numbers are crunched 2012 will have the most human cases since the Gregorian year of 2004.  More than 80% of cases took place in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

In Texas, health officials are hesitant to say the West Nile season is over, they blame the weather: “We’re telling people if you’re going to be outside and the weather is 55 degrees or higher, you should think about using a mosquito repellent. I don’t want to be blamed if someone gets infected after we announce the end of the season and they stop taking precautions.”-Wendy Chung, Dallas County Health and Human Services

Texas are still getting infected with West Nile, even though it’s Winter.  Health officials say a big concern is blood donors:   “….we also started seeing infections among blood donors who had no symptoms. That’s when we started getting worried.”-Wendy Chung, Dallas County Health and Human Services

In Nevada, a Las Vegas woman was diagnosed with West Nile in December.  Her infection is not considered serious.  The Southern Nevada Health District says that despite cooler weather they are still finding infected mosquitoes.

A California woman has died since the beginning of December. She’s the first West Nile death for Orange County.  During the week of xmas, health officials reported six new human cases, for a total of 459.

A college basketball player in Gibson County, Indiana, reports that even when you get over West Nile infection, the symptoms never seem to go away:  “….I still get headaches. If I stand up fast, I get dizzy. The doctors said this could go on for six months, or it could end tomorrow. I never know if I’ll have a good day or a bad day. Three or four days a week are bad days. I always have a constant headache, but I’ve learned to live with that and with the bad days.”-Rachel Sensmeier

The virus isn’t going after just horses and humans, it’s also killing off birds.  So many Sage Grouse have been killed off in North Dakota that Montana is considering sending some of their own grouse to help the Peace Garden State.  40 female Sage Grouse are going to be sent from Montana to North Dakota by 2014/15.  Since 2007 North Dakota’s Sage Grouse population has been cut in half by West Nile virus. Officials are concerned the birds have reached a point where normal reproduction trends will not allow the birds to recover: “One of the thoughts is that with the population as low as it is, we may be experiencing a genetic bottleneck where bringing in new genes from Montana may help.”-Aaron Robinson, North Dakota Department of Game and Fish

However, Montana officials think the 2014/15 date is too late: “We’re supportive of helping North Dakota out, but it might be one of those things where the timing is off.”-Rick Northrup, former Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks

How much does it cost to transplant Sage Grouse?  About $4,000 USD per bird!  A similar attempt was tried with sending Montana birds to Canada, and it was considered a failure. Only one of the 40 had chicks.

And staying on the subject of birds, officials with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, say they’ve had a record year for treating sick animals, especially crows.  Some encouraging news; they say they might be seeing a new weaker version of West Nile: “In previous cases, once an animal was infected with West Nile, it was almost 100% mortality. There’s a new strain, though, that there’s a belief that maybe the mortality rate is lower and that there are certain things we can do. Most of the time the treatment is rest and feeding, just like humans need when they have flu.”-Phil Jenni, Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Treasury preparing to take “extraordinary measures”!

December 26, 2012

The Honorable Harry Reid

Majority Leader

United States Senate

Washington, DC  20510

Dear Mr. Leader:

I am writing to inform you that the statutory debt limit will be reached on December 31, 2012, and to notify you that the Treasury Department will shortly begin taking certain extraordinary measures authorized by law to temporarily postpone the date that the United States would otherwise default on its legal obligations.

These extraordinary measures, which are explained in detail in an appendix​ to this letter, can create approximately $200 billion in headroom under the debt limit.  Under normal circumstances, that amount of headroom would last approximately two months.  However, given the significant uncertainty that now exists with regard to unresolved tax and spending policies for 2013, it is not possible to predict the effective duration of these measures.  At this time, the extent to which the upcoming tax filing season will be delayed as a result of these unresolved policy questions is also uncertain.  If left unresolved, the expiring tax provisions and automatic spending cuts, as well as the attendant delays in filing of tax returns, would have the effect of adding some additional time to the duration of the extraordinary measures.  Treasury will provide more guidance regarding the expected duration of these measures when the policy outlook becomes clearer.

Sincerely,

Timothy F. Geithner

 

Kit Bashing

Supercharging the old AMT Opel GT kit

Image

Click the pics to see more

KIT BASHING: HOBBY BOSS F-5E TIGER II, NOT AN “EASY ASSEMBLY” KIT, BUT WELL WORTH THE LITTLE BIT-O-MONEY IT COSTS!

U.S.

2nd U.S. Civil War: Government security = More violence

“Many Americans believe that if we simply pass the right laws, future horrors like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting can be prevented. But this impulse ignores the self evident truth that criminals don’t obey laws.”

“The president and other government officials denounce school violence, yet still advocate for endless undeclared wars abroad……U.S. drone strikes kill thousands, but nobody in America holds vigils or devotes much news coverage to those victims, many of which are children…..”

“…….our federal government has zero moral authority to legislate against violence.”

“Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. We shouldn’t settle for substituting one type of violence for another. Government role is to protect liberty, not to pursue unobtainable safety.“

“Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference, not by safety.”

Ron Paul, U.S. Congressman from Texas

Read his full statement here.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Barack Obama deploying U.S. forces throughout Africa! Use of Domino theory is more evidence of U.S. invasion of Mali! UN OKs Mali war!

On 24 December 2012, the Associated Press revealed that the United States is deploying thousands of troops to 35 African countries.

Approximately 4,000 personnel from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Dagger Brigade, based at Fort Riley, Kansas), will deploy in March 2013.  This report follows earlier reports that plans were being made to invade Mali.

On 23 December, the Associated Press published an article which revealed that the United Nations Security Council approved the request of the African Union (AU) for military action in Mali.  It just so happens that the AU invasion plan calls for at least 3,300 troops.

It’s also coincidentally convenient that some of the U.S. Army’s Dagger Brigade soldiers are from Africa: “We do have some soldiers who either came over from Africa and went to school here and then joined the military or came over with their families.”-Colonel Jeff Broadwater

Officially the deployment is for training purposes.

Regarding Mali, a 25 December 2012 National Public Radio (NPR) report gave strong proof that the U.S. is about to ramp up activity in the western African country; one U.S. General is using the old Domino theory to justify war:  “What I worry about more than anything is a growing linkage which I think poses the greatest threat to regional stability across Africa, certainly into Europe and to the United States as well.”-General Carter Ham, U.S. Africa Command

NPR also interviewed an analyst who says ‘terrorism’ in Africa is more about poverty and predatory governments (like the U.S. government?): “Terrorism is really a symptom of a lot of other problems that really the military is not the best organization to solve.”-Richard Downie

You’d think after 11 years of failed War on Terrorism our exalted leaders would understand that.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? United Nations says it ain’t gonna happen

A recent economic report from the UN says western economies (Europe, North America, Japan) will not see any recovery of the tens of millions of job losses since 2008, for at least five more years.

UN economists point to low projected GDP numbers as proof: “This pace of growth will be far from sufficient to overcome the continued jobs crisis that many countries are still facing.”-World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 17 – 24 December 2012. Lil’ol Afghan Woman kills big tough U.S. cop! Police commander kills own cops? Spain says they will stay after the 2014 pullout! More proof taxpayers are fools! Soviet landmines still at work!

24 December 2012

ISAF said: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”

In Badghis Province, local government officials reporting that at least ten local cops joined the Mujahideen.  This is the largest group defection in the province, so far.  People of the Chehl-Gazi area, in Abkamari district, say the cops had been making plans to become Mujahideen for some time.

In Kabul city, a local policewoman shot and killed a U.S. police adviser.  Reports say it happened in a police station. The policewoman has been arrested.  Some reports say the policewoman was seeking vengeance against her male supervisors, however she could not find them in the police station, and her only target of opportunity was the U.S. adviser.

23 December 2012

In Jowzjan Province, five local cops were assassinated, by their own commander! Some reports say the commander joined the Mujahideen and started his rebellion by attacking a police check point, killing his former underlings. However, other reports say the commander was kidnapped when Mujahideen attacked the police check point.  The commander was responsible for recently freeing two Turkish citizens that had been kidnapped.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said: “During an operation in Sherzad district, Nangarhar Province, Sunday, an Afghan and coalition security force killed Obaidullah, one of the top Taliban leaders in the district.”

Possibly in response, Mujahideen attacked a U.S. led military convoy in Nangarhar Province. Reports say as many as ten U.S. personnel were killed, along with three civilians. No comment from ISAF.

In Kabul city, 600 shops burned up after a fire started in a busy market. Some reports say people were hurt, and that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.  However, the city police chief says they are looking for a private security guard, working at the market, who went missing right before the fire stated.

22 December 2012

In Ghanzi Province, Ghazni city, an explosion wounded three people.  It was caused by a bicycle bomb, local police say the target was an intelligence officer.

Pakistan is accusing Afghanistan of torture, and has closed its borders: “The Government of Pakistan takes serious note of the incident involving 29 Pakistanis who were returning from Afghanistan and were badly beaten en-route reportedly by Afghan forces despite having valid travel documents/passports.”-Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement

After several investigations revealed that most of the corruption in Afghanistan involves taxpayer money laundering by foreigners (like the U.S.), President Hamid Karzai blasted them: “Corruption in Afghanistan is a reality, a bitter reality. The part of this corruption that is in our offices is a small part: that is bribes. The other part of corruption, the large part, is hundreds of millions dollars that are not ours. We shouldn’t blame ourselves for that. That part is from others and imposed on us.”

The Spanish Prime Minister, and the Defense Minister, paid a visit to a Spanish NATO logistics base in Herat Province.  It was the first time the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, was in Afghanistan.  He said some Spanish NATO troops will stay in Afghanistan past the official 2014 U.S./NATO pullout.

Afghanistan uses the Solar Hijri calendar system, and their lawmakers have just rejected the budget for the upcoming year of 1392.  The main reasons is that the proposed budget is not balanced and there is hardly any funding for infrastructure.  Most of the funding was slated for police and military.

21 December 2012

Apparently there was a media blackout on this day.

20 December 2012

In Nimroz Province, two Afghan security personnel and five civilians were killed, and one cop wounded, after a large roadside bomb exploded.  Government officials say they’re investigating to find out what happened.

The Georgian Ministry of Defense revealed that one of their soldiers has been missing since 19 December. Georgia has troops based in Helmand Province.

A report says that female cops in Afghanistan are enduring sexual harassment, even rape, at the hands of male cops. One female cop said most of the men wish the Taliban were in charge again: “They want it to be like the time of the Taliban. They tell us every day we are bad women and should not be allowed to work here.”

The United States Army wants to execute Sergeant Robert Bales, accused of mass murder of two Afghan families.  There are those who think the U.S. is making a scapegoat out of Bales because many witnesses said there were at least 20 U.S. soldiers involved.  Afghan police investigation also concluded the killings involved more than one shooter.

19 December 2012

Yet another report says Green on Blue attacks are caused by U.S./NATO personnel treating their Afghan counterparts like crap.  The latest report actually involves U.S. military investigation, which said the majority of Green on Blue attacks were due to “personal issues”, not Mujahideen infiltrating Afghan government forces; 38% were likely to have been triggered by personal motives, 14% were attributed to co-option (insurgents persuaded a member of the security forces to help carry out an attack), only 6% were suspected cases of enemy infiltration.

Yet another report says U.S. taxpayer money being thrown away in Afghanistan.  The U.S. State Department’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that millions of U.S. dollars have been given to contractors who did no work. One example is $5.76 million given to a contractor to do electrical utility work, which was never completed.  The scams involve the military as well: “Almost $12.8 million in equipment purchased to meet urgent needs in support of the counterinsurgency strategy is sitting unused in storage… without a clear plan for installation.”-John Sopko, SIGAR

18 December 2012

In Nangarhar Province, unknown gunmen assassinated a movie actor.  There is no explanation other than the actor might have been a social activist.

In Kandahar Province, four border cops were killed, and three wounded, by a fellow border cop.  Investigators say the victims were first poisoned before being shot.

In Nuristan Province, reports of heavy fighting between Afghan government forces and Mujahideen.  Government officials claim they’ve killed three Mujahideen, the Mujahideen claim they’ve killed or wounded several government personnel.

17 December 2012

In Kabul city, the office of a U.S. military contractor, Contrack International, was hit with a car bomb: “A small truck packed with explosives detonated between Contrack and Najeeb Zarab factories, one person is dead and 15 others are wounded.”-Mohammad Ayoub Salangi, Kabul police chief

In Nangarhar Province, ten girls were killed when they set off a landmine while collecting firewood.  Local government officials said the landmine apparently had been there since the Soviet occupation in the 1980s.

International, U.S.

Norovirus update: Hospital being blamed!

24 December 2012, prefectural health officials, in Miyazaki Prefecture, say the hospital’s bad hygiene habits, and diagnostic incompetence could be to blame for the latest norovirus outbreak in Japan.

The hospital also delayed reporting deaths.

Officials say the hospital did not report any norovirus infections until three days after the first person died. The hospital did not even mention the death in their first report.  It was another five days, and after several more people had died, before the hospital revealed any deaths.

Six people died between the 14th and 22nd of December.

Hospital staff say they didn’t think the patients had norovirus!

Prefectual officials say the way staff handled the bio-hazard waste from the patients’ discharges (vomiting, etc) could have caused the outbreak in the hospital.  There are still at least 44 people sick, five are in serious condition.