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, U.S.

Global Economic War: After raising prices in U.S., GM lowers prices in China, losing out to VW

“The next 12 months look tough.  Incentives brought forward buying in a very dramatic fashion in 2009, 2010, and now we are seeing a lack of pent-up demand.”-Ashvin Chotai, Intelligence Automotive Asia

General Motors can’t stand the heat of the competition in China, so they’re sacrificing profit margin by dropping their prices, on minivans.

“GM does not rely on the minibus for profit, they only contribute volume.”– Jenny Gu, JD Power & Associates.

GM might not rely on minivan sales for profits in China, but they’re sure taking the competition serious.  GM’s sales of minivans, in China, dropped 3% this year, so far.  That’s important when you realize that China, not the United States, is now GM’s largest auto market.

The minivans that GM sells in China, are made in China, not the U.S.  One in eight vehicle sales in China are minivans.

It looks like VolksWagen is taking up the slack in GM’s lagging Chinese made minivan sales.  GM sold 1.27 million vehicles in China in the first half of this year, compared with VW’s 1.1 million.  This means VW could soon overtake GM’s number one foreign car maker position in China.

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? East Idaho Salvation Army declares “food crisis”, 20% of Idaho kids going hungry as Idaho politicians slash and burn social services

“We’ve had an increase in requests for that type of service, and so our food supply is dwindling rapidly.”-Brenda Ames, Pocatello Salvation Army

A recent survey by Feeding America revealed that the economic situation in Idaho is much worse than elected leaders claim.  At least 20% of Idaho kids do not know where their next meal is coming from.

“Children are aware that the parents are struggling to feed them. They don’t know if there is enough in the house for breakfast, enough food for dinner.”-Joye Jones, Idaho Food Bank Pocatello Branch

The problem is made worse by the facts that because more people are making less money, donations to food banks are down, and, the state of Idaho has been cutting federally funded social programs.

The state with the least food insecurity is also the state with the best economy; North Dakota with less than 12% of kids going hungry.

 

International

Typhoon Talas on track to blast Japan

Talas has been a slow but steady tropical storm, building strength as it heads towards the center of Honshu.  It’s expected to become a full blown Typhoon on August 30.

The projected path of Talas brings it onshore, on September 1, in south central Honshu, west of Tokyo.  Then it almost splits the island as it heads north to the island of Hokkaido.   Japan is still recovering from the March 11 disasters.

Fukushima

Tropical Storm Talas heading for nuclear damaged Japan, will become a Typhoon before landfall

Tropical storm Talas, directly south of Japan, is heading right for the center of the nuclear damaged island nation.

It’s predicted that by 29 August 2011 Talas will be a category 1 typhoon.  Japan is still recovering from the 11 March 2011 quake and tsunami. Also, the damaged nuclear plant Fukushima Daiichi could get hit.

U.S.

Nuclear Power Plants in the path of Hurricane Irene

The Virginia earthquake shutdown at least one nuclear power plant, but Hurricane Irene could hit dozens more.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has sent personnel to the Brunswick nuclear plant, on the North Carolina coastline where Irene is expected to make landfall.

NRC regulations call for nuclear reactors to be completely shut down several hours ahead of the arrival of hurricane-force winds of 75 mph or greater.

There are at least seven nuclear power plants in the projected path of Hurricane Irene.

Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of America: Adelanto, California, makes deal with private prison devil GEO, former prison guards still unemployed, prison to be replaced by immigrant detention center

More than one year ago, the city of Adelanto, California, sold their prison to GEO Group.  The Adelanto Community Correctional Facility was being used to house state prisoners.

City officials say they got a promise from GEO that the former city prison guards would be hired.  City officials also thought the prison would be reopened shortly.  One year later those former city paid prison guards are still unemployed.

GEO is remodeling the prison, because it is now going to be used as an immigrant detention center.  It’s been renamed the Adelanto ICE Procesing Center East & West.  GEO wants to start taking in immigrants by August 2011, but doesn’t expect the new detention center to be completed until August 2012.

GEO also runs the Desert View Modified Community Correctional Facility, in Adelanto.  GEO Group is the second largest for profit prison corporation in the United States.  GEO run prisons have histories of violence and sexual assaults.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

United Police States of America: FBI investigates Florida prison deal involving GEO and the Republican Party

August 24, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized a Santa Rosa County commissioner’s computer. It’s in connection with an investigation involving former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom, and GEO Group.

Sansom is being investigated for improper use of the Republican Party of Florida credit card, in which thousands of dollars in charges where made, that do not appear related to Republican Party of Florida business.

The FBI now suspects that GEO Group, and Sansom made improper deals in order to guarantee that GEO Group would get the contract to run the Blackwater River Correctional Facility, in Santa Rosa County.

Back in July the FBI issued three subpoenas to the Florida legislature. One for all travel vouchers relating to Sansom, and his aides: Melanie Phister, Eric Edwards, Dort Baltes and Samantha Sullivan.

The second subpoena was specifically for Samantha Sullivan, and related to campaign finance.  The third subpoena related to GEO Group, and Sansom’s role is getting GEO the prison contract.  GEO Group is one of the biggest supporters of the Republican Party of Florida.

GEO run prisons have histories of violence and sexual assaults.

 

 

 

 

U.S.

United Police States of America: GEO run prison in Oklahoma site of violent prison riot

August 22, a massive riot broke out in the Lawton, Oklahoma prison.  The prison is run by GEO Group.  GEO officials will not release any info on the riot.

However, Lawton Police Chief Ronnie Smith, told local media that there was a violent riot, which required several prisoners to be taken to local hospitals.

At least 15 prisoners were stabbed and six went to hospital.   GEO run prisons have histories of violence and sexual assaults.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: FDIC sues failed bank executives, board of directors were the cause of Georgia’s biggest bank failure ever, more proof that the bad economy is the fault of Corporate America

In 2009, Silverton Bank, in Georgia, failed.  The FDIC spent $385 million taking over the bank, it was the biggest bank failure in Georgia’s history.

Now the FDIC is suing the former board of directors, for gross incompetence.

The FDIC alleges that Silverton executives engaged in “extravagant spending on unnecessary items”, with “a complete disregard of a declining economy.”  Also,  they accuse the bank’s top dogs of “robotically voting for approval of transactions without exercising any business judgment.”