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

Sign of the times: Fast Five showing in Russia before United States

Fast five had a midnight opening, April 29, in the United States.  But, the Vin Diesel, U.S. franchise success, opened in Russia first.

In fact Vin Diesel told Russian media, on opening night in Moscow, that he “…wanna shoot a movie in Moscow so badly…”, adding that “…when you see Fast Five, you’ll hear Mia and Brian talk about Russia a lot.”

Fast Five opened in more than 10 countries, in the week prior to opening in the U.S., and has become the top money maker in most of those countries.

So what’s the sign of the times? The big money for “Hollywood” movies is not to be found here in the U.S. anymore, no thanks to the bad economy.

Business/Economics, Opinion, U.S.

Obama ignores pleas for help from Texas Governor, FEMA out of money

“If you hit Houston with a Category 4 or 5 (hurricane), and we’ve only got a couple billion dollars in the rainy day fund, instead of going in and rebuilding and recovering, we’re talking about bankruptcy. That’s the choice that we have here.”- Rick Perry, Governor of Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry asked President Obama for help, two weeks ago, in fighting the biggest fires in Texas history.  Obama has not responded.

FEMA is still trying to reply to the request for help from Texas.  The problem? No money!  Rachel Racusen, FEMA spokeswoman, says they’ve approved 22 grants to help local firefighting agencies, by there’s no money to fund the grants.

Maybe FEMA would have the money if our government wasn’t so happy with spending it on wars?

 

International, Opinion

Mexicans don’t trust their government, cops or religion

An annual Enadis 2010 survey, released on April 12, reveals Mexicans don’t trust the police or religion.

The survey asked what Mexicans fear most. Number one was violent robbery, followed by violent act by drug gang, and at number three; being a victim of the police or other government enforcement agencies.  Gee, the government is a criminal organization?

The survey also asked Mexicans who they thought were the most intolerant.  The police came in with the most votes, followed by religious organizations.  Wow, the two groups that’re supposed to be protective and supportive of human rights are actually the worst violators of human rights?

I wonder if this War on Drugs has anything to do with it?

 

Business/Economics, International, Opinion

World’s largest oil producer, Russia, halts fuel exports, could drive up gas prices

Russia has stopped exporting refined fuel, officially to deal with fuel shortages in Russia.

Russian officials hope the export ban will last  only through May, but after that Russia will increase to costs of exporting their fuel.  In any event, this move by Russia should add to the increasing fuel prices the world is paying.

I can’t help wonder if Russian leaders are taking advantage of a domestic situation to make things worse for the West, in retaliation for what the West is doing in Libya, and what the West is trying to do in Syria.

 

 

International, U.S.

U.S. Red Cross investigating where donations for Japan are going

“We are completely committed at the American Red Cross to make sure that they would feel proud about how the money is being spent.”-Gail McGovern, President American Red Cross

McGovern admits that inspecting how U.S. donations are being spent was a key reason for her trip to Japan. The American Red Cross was criticized for its handling of gifts after the 9/11 terror attacks, and Hurricane Katrina.

McGovern claims $100 million of the $187 million collected has been handed over to the Japanese Red Cross.  The donations will help the Japanese Red Cross provide medical care for thousands of people, and relief items like blankets and helped people find missing loved ones.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Chrysler paying back government loans, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul

Chrysler announced that it will pay back the U.S. and Canadian governments (taxpayers), but not because of increased profits.

Chrysler is trying to get money from private lenders, in order to pay back the government loans.  This is a sign that Chrysler doesn’t think it can pay back the taxpayers, based on its sales/profits.

Also, Chrysler is hoping the private loans will be at lower interest rates, than what it’s paying to the governments.  The interest rate for the U.S. loans are between 7%-14%, and the Canadians up to 20%.  Gee looks like they didn’t get a deal, like most corporations.  Is it because Chrysler is owned by a foreign company?

Business/Economics, U.S.

WalMart brings back guns

WalMart is going to sell guns again.  It realized that part of its declining sales is because it stopped selling guns in about 2,000 stores back in 2006.   Here in Idaho WalMart never stopped selling guns.

The move back to selling guns comes after seven straight quarterly losses for WalMart.

Selling guns is good for the U.S. economy, WalMart officials say most of the guns they sell are made in the U.S.