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.
Business/Economics, International, Technology

Government & Corporate Incompetence: TEPCo says new radiation leak is pouring Strontium into the Pacific Ocean

On December 4, Tokyo Electric says they found a leak in a desalinization unit.  It’s not a small leak, so far 45 tons of contaminated water has poured out.

What’s really interesting is that the de-salting unit is supposed to be treating water that had already had radioactive contaminants removed.  TEPCo is saying the water is contaminated with 130,000 becquerels per cubic centimeter of strontium!

Company officials say it is highly likely that the strontium contaminated water made it into the Pacific Ocean, because there is a drainage ditch nearby leading to the ocean.  It’s most likely strontium 90, which has a half life of 28.8 years, and causes many cancers including bone cancer.

TEPCo also made confusing statements; one said workers had checked the unit just 21 hours prior and found no signs of leaking, but then in another statement TEPCo officials admitted they did not act fast enough (a now typical trait of TEPCo management) as it was known that water was building up inside the unit, but they thought it would not leak out.

TEPCO says it will take them two weeks to improve their leak detection of the water treatment units.

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Postal Service forced to close hundreds of processing centers and thousands of post offices, Merry Xmas!

On December 5, the U.S. Postmaster General will announce detailed austerity cuts for the USPS.  This after the U.S. Congress decided to ‘delay’ any action on their part until after next year’s Presidential elections.  The move guarantees the demise of the USPS, because President Barack Obama set the default date for the Postal Service as December 16, 2010.

It’s expected that part of Monday’s announcement will include the closing of 250 processing centers across the U.S., as well as 3,700 post offices!  It could also mean the end of Saturday delivery. The austerity cuts would begin in the spring of 2012.  It’s a sure thing that mail service will be much slower as a result.

By the way, don’t think this is going to save taxpayers money, it wont. The Postal Service operates on money that comes from you and me buying postal products, not taxes!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? East Idaho airline service shuts down, just in time for Xmas! No more taxpayer subsidy?

Beginning December 31, no more SeaPort Airline flights from Idaho Falls to Boise.

SeaPort Airlines only started the route back in July, and of course local east Idaho officials touted it as a sign of local economic recovery.  Airline officials say they will try to issue refunds for people with tickets for after the December 31 shut down.

SeaPort Airlines is based in Portland, Oregon.  The ending of their Idaho Falls route is a surprise, especially since on November 14 it was reported that they were in the running for a Federally funded route from Jackson, Tennessee, to Nashville, Tennessee.

So far there is no official explanation for the cancellation of the Idaho Falls to Boise route.  Could it have something to do with Federal lawmakers voting to eliminate airline subsidies for regional airport routes that are within a 90 miles (144 kilometers) radius of a major metropolitan airport?

 

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Occupy Corporate Prisons, United Police States of Corporate America! Protestors shut down Wells Fargo, because of direct links to corporate prisons, Idaho politicians in the pockets of corporate prisons

On December 2, protestors in Washington DC temporarily shut down the Wells Fargo office.  The reason is that Wells Fargo is a major player in financing corporate prisons.

The OWS protesters say banks like Wells Fargo are profiting from the contracted management of state ‘correctional’ institutes, such as GEO Group managing the Rivers Correctional Institution in North Carolina.

Wells Fargo also supports Corrections Corporation of America, which runs a prison in Idaho known as Gladiator School.

Wells Fargo is also the biggest bank in Idaho.  Reports say Wells Fargo owns 4 million shares in Geo Group, the second largest U.S. private prison corporation, and 50,000 shares in the number one private prison operator, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

Also of interest, Idaho politicians, most of them republicans, receive donations from CCA (supported by Wells Fargo).

Here’s a long list:

Eric Anderson (R): $250.00 in 2008

Steven R. Bair (R): $750.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Clifford R. “Cliff” Bayer (R):  $1,550 combined 2006 & 2008

Scott Bedke (R):  $500.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Maxine T. Bell (R):  $1,050 combined 2006 & 2008

Carlos Bilbao (R): $250.00 in 2008

Dianne Bilyeu (D): $250.00 in 2008

Max C. Black (R): $250.00 in 2008

Darrel Bolz (R):  $1,300 combined 2006 & 2008

Bert Brackett (R): $250.00 in 2008

Joyce M. Broadsword (R): $1,050 in 2008

Mike Burkett (D):  $500.00 in 2006

Dean L. Cameron (R): $750.00 in 2008

Marge Chadderdon (R): $250.00 in 2008

James W. Clark (R): $500.00 in 2008

Denton Darrington (R):  $800.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Bart M. Davis (R): $550.00 in 2006

W.W. “Bill” Deal (R):  $750.00 in 2006

Lawerence E. Denney (R): $750.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Julie Ellsworth (R): $250.00 in 2008

George E. Eskridge (R): $500.00 in 2008

Debbie Field (R): $250.00 in 2006

Russell M. Fulcher (R): $1,300 combined 2006 & 2008

Robert L. Geddes (R): $250.00 in 2006

John W. Goedde (R): $500.00 in 2008

Jim Guthrie (R): $500.00 in 2006

Jim Hammond (R): $500.00 in 2008

Phil Hart (R): $250.00 in 2008

R.J. “Dick” Harwood (R): $1,300 combined 2006 & 2008

Margaret Henbest (D): $300.00 in 2006

Frank N. Henderson (R): $750.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Brent Hill (R):  $300.00 in 2006

Mike Jorenson (R): $750.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Kate Kelly (D): $250.00 in 2008

Dirk Kempthorne (R):   $2,500 in 2006

Shawn A. Keough (R):  $1,500 combined 2006 & 2008

Richard D. Kirkham (R): $500.00 in 2006

Steven A. Kren (R): $500.00 in 2008

Raul R. Labrador (R): $250.00 in 2006

Dennis M. Lake (R): $250.00 in 2008

Brad Little (R): $750.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Patti Anne Lodge (R): $1,500 combined 2006 & 2008

Janice McGeachin (R): $500.00 in 2008

John McGee (R): $1,300 combined 2006 & 2008

Shirley McKague (R): $250.00 in 2008

Mike Moyle (R): $1,000 combined 2006 & 2008

Pete Nielsen (R): $300.00 in 2006

C.L. “Butch” Otter (R): $10,000 in 2006

Monty J. Pearce (R): $550.00 in 2006

Ken A. Roberts (R): $250.00 in 2008

John Rusche (R): $250.00 in 2008

Mack G. Shirley (R): $250.00 in 2008

Kathy Skippen (R): $800.00 in 2006

Elaine Smith (D): $250.00 in 2008

Dean E. Sorensen (R): $250.00 in 2008

Joe Stegner (R): $500.00 combined 2006 & 2008

Gerry Sweet (R):  $1,000 in 2006

Richard Wills (R): $250.00 in 2008

Chuck Winder (R): $250.00 in 2008

Fred Wood (R): $500.00 in 2008

Joan E. Wood (R): $250.00 in 2008

Becky Young (R): $250.00 in 2008

Not one Idaho third party candidate took money from CCA!

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Germany confirms Iran sorry for U.K. embassy attack

Despite what British officials, and U.S. and U.K. media have been saying, more and more governments are confirming that Iran did indeed officially apologize for Iranian university students attacking the British embassy in Iran.

Germany is the latest: Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi “…was deeply sorry for what has happened…” and vowed “…to do everything to prevent such an incident from happening again.”

This follows Spanish officials reporting the same thing.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. troops evacuating from Pakistan

On December 4, U.S. forces began evacuating Pakistan’s Shamsi air base, after the Pakistani government, backed by China, gave them 15 days to get out or else.

Local Pakistani TV stations reported seeing U.S. forces leaving the air base. Their reporters observed U.S. transport aircraft landing at the base, and U.S. personnel loading luggage and equipment on the planes.

GEO also reported that security around the air base has been increased.

To try and convince the Pakistani government to change its mind, the foreign minister of UAE paid a visit to Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari. He said no.

Also, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, tried to get Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to change his mind about boycotting the Bonn Conference. He said no.

Pakistan’s embolden anti-U.S. stance comes after making new deals with China, increasing Chinese military support for Pakistan.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Get ready for stocks to crash! China continues ping pong games with European & U.S. bail outs, now says No Way!

“The argument that China should rescue Europe does not stand, as reserves are not managed that way…China’s purchases of European bonds, International Monetary Fund bonds and U.S. bonds are also based on those principles.”-Fu Yin, Vice Foreign Minister of China

Back on November 28, the Commerce Minister of China, Chen Deming, said they were more than willing to save struggling economies: “Some European countries are facing a debt crisis and hope to convert their assets to cash and would like foreign capital to acquire their enterprises. We will be closely watching and pushing forward the progress.”

Now, December 3, an official higher up than Chen says no way.  The Vice Minister of China, Fu Yin, says China’s $3.2 trillion in foreign reserves should be managed under the principles of “safety, liquidity and proper profitability”.

Apparently bailing out the United States, European countries, or even the IMF, does not meet those requirements.

Fu restated a requirement for future bailouts, that Chen indicated a week ago; any bail outs must play by China’s rules: “Successful investment should be reciprocal.”

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: British embassy bombed in Bahrain

A minivan blew up near the U.K.’s embassy in Bahrain. This happened after it was revealed that the pro-U.S. government of Bahrain was hiring U.S. and British security forces to come in and help squash the ongoing rebellion of the people of Bahrain.

The majority of the people of Bahrain are Shia Muslims, some ethnic Iranians.

On March 14, troops from Wahhabi/Salafi dominated Saudi Arabia, and the Wahhabi/Salafi dominated United Arab Emirates, invaded to help the anti-Shia Bahraini government squash the peaceful protesters.  That hasn’t stopped the protests, so now guns for hire from the United States and United Kingdom have been contracted.

Contrary to what the main stream U.S. media says, the Bahraini royal family are Wahhabi/Salafi Muslims, the same as Osama bin Laden, and the majority of the so called al Qaeda.

Bahraini government officials say Shia dominated Iran is behind the explosion near the U.K. embassy.

Bahrain is also where the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is located.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International

Government Incompetence: 25,700 Brits froze to death because they could not afford to heat their homes! Charles Dickens where are you?

“According the national office of statistics, there were 25,700 deaths relating to fuel poverty in 2010-11, this is shameful. And sadly is likely to rise in line with the fuel poverty figure increase.”-Mike Jeram, UNISON, the U.K.’s biggest public sector trade union

According to U.K. government reports, the number of people who can not afford to heat their homes, called fuel poverty, makes up about one quarter of the British population, an increase from the previous winter.

“The government has yet again made false promises, as it looks likely to fail its legal duty to end fuel poverty by 2016….the government is pushing people further into poverty with its austerity agenda!”-Mike Jeram

The Institute of Fiscal Studies predicts that British households’ incomes in 2015 would be worse than their income in 2002!

International

Scotland issues Declaration of Independence! Your Scotland, Your Future!

“It is a great way to give people the information they want about the road to independence and the kind of Scotland we can build when the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for all the decisions affecting Scotland.”-Nicola Sturgeon, SNP Deputy Leader and Member of Scottish Parliament

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is publishing 500,000 issues of what is essentially a declaration of independence from the United Kingdom!  It’s titled Your Scotland, Your Future!

A referendum on Scotland’s independence is planned for 2014/2015.