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.

World War 3: Russia heats up new arms race, will expand air force by 1,600 new military aircraft

“We are talking primarily about providing our forces with state-of-the-art modern technology.”-Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

11 August 2012, at the 100th anniversary celebrations for the Russian air force, Vladimir Putin announced that at least 1,600 new military aircraft will be purchased through 2020. That’s in addition to existing air force planes.  Putin also said existing aircraft will be upgraded with the latest technologies.

Russia will spend and estimated $620 to 720 billion USD on expanding and upgrading their air force.

 

World War 3: Japan sends navy to Persian Gulf

12 August 2012, two Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) mine sweepers left for military exercises with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf.

The Uraga and Hachijo will join the USN for mine sweeping operations that begin on 16 September.  20 other navies will take part in the operation.

About 90% of Japan’s petroleum comes from the Persian Gulf area, through the Strait of Hormuz.

6th annual car show, 2012 Chubbuck Days (part 2)

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

There were many more vehicles on display.

2010 CHUBBUCK DAYS CAR SHOW IN IDAHO

BUSIEST CHUBBUCK DAYS EVER! DOGS, CARS, FIRE TRUCKS, HAMMERS AND POLES BEING THROWN AROUND, PLUS FOOD, MUSIC & VANDALISM CHUBBUCK STYLE!

6th annual car show, 2012 Chubbuck Days (part 1)

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

6TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW, 2012 CHUBBUCK DAYS (PART 2)

BUSIEST CHUBBUCK DAYS EVER! DOGS, CARS, FIRE TRUCKS, HAMMERS AND POLES BEING THROWN AROUND, PLUS FOOD, MUSIC & VANDALISM CHUBBUCK STYLE!

11 August 2012: Busiest Chubbuck Days ever! Dogs, cars, fire trucks, hammers and poles being thrown around, plus food, music & vandalism Chubbuck style!

I’ve been attending Chubbuck Days since 1998 (I live right next to Cotant Park where they’re held every year), and this year’s events were the busiest ever!

Click pics to make bigger

Busiest Chubbuck Days ever, August 2012: 6TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW (PART 2) 

6TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW (PART 1)

4TH ANNUAL EASTERN IDAHO SCOTTISH GAMES

Chubbuck, Idaho, wind storm leaves fires, downed trees and shuts down businesses with a power outage

“It was all wrapped up in one big thing!”-Robert Survick, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pocatello Airport

10 August 2012, the small city of Chubbuck, Idaho, was hit with an afternoon wind storm that left a lot of damage.

Click on the pics.

Another result of the storm was a wildfire that burned from Chubbuck Road to Interstate 15.  Idaho State Police report that at least two motor vehicle accidents were caused by the smoke from the fire.

The sudden downburst dropped temperatures by 24 degrees Fahrenheit in only a few minutes.

What Economic Recovery? 290 U.S. cities downgraded! Local tax revenues down, again!

“We expect downgrades to continue outpacing upgrades in the second half of 2012 as local governments navigate an increasingly difficult budgeting environment characterized by anemic revenue growth and significant expenditure pressure on wages and post employment benefits.”-Moody’s statement

09 August 2012, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the largest number of U.S. cities/school districts since 2000.

The latest downgrades mark 14 straight quarters in which municipal bond downgrades exceeded increases!

In another report by Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, tax revenues collected by local governments are down, for the sixth consecutive quarter!

The latest reports and downgrades only adds ammo to the “tip of the iceberg” bankruptcies filed by local governments.

 

H3N2 Swine Flu spreading through the United States, children main targets, despite 2011-2012 flu season being officially ended

“So as of today, there are 145 confirmed cases of influenza infection with H3N2v virus, since the current outbreaks began in July of this year.  This includes one case in Hawaii, one case in Illinois, 113 cases being reported from Indiana, and 30 cases being reported from Ohio.  This is clearly a significant increase since last week’s total….”-Joseph Bresee, CDC

09 August 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that cases of H3N2v are now at 145 in the U.S.

Most of the current U.S. cases are in the mid west (some cases in Hawaii), with 90% of the infected people being children.  The CDC also believes there is a direct connection with pigs, and are asking people to avoid pigs if possible.

The H3N2v strain is a new version that showed up last year, and has been spreading around the World.

At the end of May 2012, the CDC warned that H3N2v was already the dominant flu, making up 60% of World cases.  But, the end of May is also when the CDC  announced the winding down of an unusually weak 2011-2012 flu season (weak for the U.S. that is): “This is the first time since CDC started this kind of influenza like surveillance (ILI) that the percentage of patient visits for ILI was elevated for only one week of the season.”-Joseph Bresee, CDC, May 2012

 

 

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 04 Aug – 07 Aug. More Afghan government forces attack U.S. led forces! New Zealand expands military mission.Quran burning by Muslim insurgents?

07 August 2012

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

Also: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died when two individuals wearing Afghan National Army uniforms turned their weapons against ISAF service members in eastern Afghanistan.” 

Also: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan today.”

As of 07 August 2012 at least 214 U.S. led occupiers have been killed since January 2012.

In Nuristan Province, people protested Quran burning, but this time it’s Muslim insurgents getting the blame.  A school was burned down, and it had as many as 300 Qurans inside.

In Kabul city, eight people were killed, four wounded, when the bus they were in drove over a mine.

In Logar Province, a suicide bomber tried driving a bomb truck onto a U.S. led a ISAF/NATO base: “A truck loaded with explosives detonated at the coalition forces’ camp in Pule Alam city.”-Ghulam Sakhi Rogh Lewanai, Logar police chief At least three people were killed, dozens wounded, in the explosion.

In Nimroz Province, local government officials say U.S. led occupiers killed four civilians, and wounded two children, in a night time raid.

After being questioned about claims that Pakistan was attacking, and even invading Afghanistan, the Afghan Defense Minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak, resigned.  The Afghan House of Representatives had already fired him, but President Hamid Karzai has final say, and stated that the guy could keep his job.

In Kapisa Province, one French occupation soldier was killed, another wounded, in battle with Mujahideen. French officials say they killed ten Mujahideen.

In Helmand Province, Afghan cops were ambushed, three killed, three wounded.

06 August 2012

ISAF claims to have killed yet another “leader” from Pakistan, using a NATO airstrike.

The Afghan Interior Ministry claims: “The national police backed by army and the NATO led coalition force have killed six Taliban militants and arrested eight others during series of operations in Logar, Ghazni, and Herat provinces. Three militants were also injured over the past 24 hours.”

In Helmand Province 11 cops defected to the Mujahideen. They took their weapons and three motorcycles with them.

In Sar-e Pol Province, a local government official, and his brother, were assassinated in their house.

In Ghor Province, the local security chief, as well a local development boss, were assassinated by suicide bombing.

In Bamiyan Province, occupation troops from New Zealand were attacked.  This is the second time Kiwis have been attacked.  The Mujahideen are targeting the Kiwis because New Zealand had recently expanded their military mission in Bamiyan.

Pakistani officials are now accusing the U.S. puppet government of Afghanistan of being the ones who are secretly supporting Mujahideen.

05 August 2012

In Bamiyan Province, two New Zealand occupying troops were killed. One was killed when an RPG hit the armored vehicle he was in.  The other was killed while he patrolled on foot.

Military leaders of the United Kingdom are asking the British government to keep their troops in Afghanistan past the 2014 pull out date.  An unnamed British military source said: “The plan is for British and U.S. troops to take a back seat role next year but that is not going to happen in reality. The ANA [Afghan National Army] has been able to build capacity but it lacks quality and that’s the worry.”

In Herat Province, three children were killed after a bomb went off in the area they were playing in.

ISAF claims an al Qaeda “leader” was killed in Kunar Province.

04 August 2012

Afghan Interior Ministry and Afghan National Police Forces claim they killed 21 Mujahideen in the past 24 hours in battles in the provinces of Kapisa, Kandahar, Herat and Farah.

The Afghan House of Representatives officially fired the defense and interior ministers over what could be artillery attacks by Pakistan upon Afghanistan.

 

 

MAFFS 2 & 6: USAF Reserve & National Guard C-130 water bombers @ Pocatello Airport

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

EAST IDAHO WILDFIRES 2012: MAINTENANCE DAY FOR SKYCRANE FIRE FIGHTER @ POCATELLO AIRPORT