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

Booming economy in Argentina creates more homelessness

The United Nations released a study which shows that violent evictions in Argentina has increased, despite a booming economy.  The reason is inflation.  Along with a good economy comes inflation, and the cost of housing is leaving thousands of people in Argentina with nowhere to live.

Most of the evictions are from what’s called “informal” housing.  The UN reported that despite Argentina’s attempts to balance the housing issue, demand for “formal” housing still outpaces supply.  This is keeping “formal” housing costs too high for the lower income earners, who turn to “informal” (illegal) forms of housing.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Think gas is high now, wait ’till May. Or: How you can predict next month’s gas prices

Unleaded gasoline is traded on the commodity market.  That’s the price you need to watch.  Oil prices only affect gas prices indirectly.  Yes, as oil prices go up so will eventually gas prices, but for a direct cause watch refined unleaded gas prices (if you use Diesel watch Diesel futures prices).

Oil and gas are traded in the commodities markets as “futures”.  That because they are being bought in advance.  Example: Today’s unleaded gas “futures”, being sold in the commodities market, is for May “deliveries”.  So today’s “market” price of gas is actually for gas that will be sold at gas stations in the month of May.

What is today’s market price for gas? As of April 20, the closing price was $3.25 per gallon.  That price is not paid for by the gas station you get your gas from (and evil “speculators” looking to make fast profits).  It’s the price paid by the companies who supply it to the gas stations.  Of course they need to make a profit, so they’re going to charge the gas stations more.  This is why gas station owners, especially the independents, says they make only a few cents profit on every gallon.

Now, to explain how you can predict next month’s gas prices.

On April 18, the average “retail” price of gas at the pump, in the United States, was $3.84.   The April “futures” price was, on March 21, $2.98 per gallon.  That’s almost a full dollar difference.  You can see that’s not much of a profit split between the gas stations, and the gas suppliers.  But you can also predict how much we’re going to be paying in May.  It’s not good.

Current May “futures” are around $3.25 per gallon.  Add about a dollar for profit and you can see that average “retail” price at the pump, in May, is going to be around $4.25.  Ain’t no trick to it, just stop paying attention to the stock markets, and start paying attention to commodity markets.  What ever is the “future” price of gas that day, just add about a dollar to it to estimate what you’ll be paying at the pump in the next month.  This also applies to Diesel prices.  Also, if you live in the evil state of California, your prices are going to be much higher, due to federal, outrageous state, and even outrageous local gas taxes.  You might as well add at least two dollars onto the commodity market price of gas.

Business/Economics, Opinion

Ignore the Stock Market, it’s the Commodities Market that hits you in your wallet

The main stream media puts so much effort into reporting what happens in the stock markets.  Why?  Because the main stream media is controlled by big corporations.  Big corporations get investment money from stocks.  Big corporations use the main stream media to control the stock markets.

So you got money in your 401k, so what?  That’s for retirement, if you don’t lose it all in the next crash.  But on a day to day, affect your wallet right now kind of way, the stock markets don’t mean squat.   When you go to buy fuel for your car, or buy food for your family, or clothes, or anything, it’s the commodity markets you should be paying attention to.

Commodities affect every thing you buy; gas, food, household goods, a new car, new clothes.  Every basic resource is traded in the commodities markets; from oil to trees to metal, to all kinds of crops and livestock.  It could be that the main stream media’s focus on the stock markets is just a way of distracting the general public from the market that is really controlling everyday prices (or the main stream media is just ignorant).

Unless your an executive in a big corporation, or a big time stock holder in corporations, you should ignore the stock markets and start paying attention to the Commodities Markets.

International

Libyan Rebels say they need NATO ground troops

In a press conference held in Benghazi, Libyan rebel leaders said NATO air strikes were not enough, and that ground troops were needed, official to protect civilians.

The spokesman said that initially rebels were opposed to foreign ground troops, but under present conditions (meaning they are losing to government forces) they will now accept foreign ground troops.  Remember when President Obama said the UN attacks against Libya would be over soon?

Fukushima

TEPCo lays off employees inorder to pay for Nuke plant damages

Tokyo Electric Power Company says it must cut wages and salaries in order to meet expected compensation payments due to the Fukushima Daiichi disaster.

Wages would be cut by 5%, with bonuses cut in half.  Salaries will be cut by 20%. TEPCo will also reduce the number of employees by 100 each year, for the next five years.

 

International

Iran to hold regional War Games

“We are ready to stage such war games jointly with those states on the Southern rims of the Persian Gulf in future.”-Brigadier General Hossein Salami, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps

Iran said that for the 2011-2012 year (Iranian year 1389) observers from other countries will be allowed to watch Iranian war games.  It’s hoped that in the near future regional countries will also take part in the war games.  The purpose is to build regional support for controling the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian/Arabian Gulf.

Fukushima

Radiation into Pacific Ocean 20,000 times safe limits

Tokyo Electric Power Company has given an estimate on the amount of radiation spilled into the Pacific Ocean, during the first week of April: 4,700 terabecquerels, 20,000 times the safe limits for an entire year!  Contaminated water is still getting into the ocean.

Radioactive iodine levels on 02 April 2011, were 7.5 million times safe limits.  As of 19 April, iodine levels had dropped to 1,700 times the safe limits.

 

 

International

Iran calls Saudi Arabia’s invasion of Bahrain a “Historical Mistake”

“If Saudi Arabia had not made the historical mistake of deploying its forces on the Bahraini soil, today the conditions in the Middle-East would not be so difficult and complicated.”-Alaeddin Boroujerdi, Iranian National Security and Foreign Policy Commission

Boroujerdi made the comment while meeting with Kuwaiti officials. Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Jassem Mohammad al-Kharafi, also condemned the Saudi occupation of Bahrain.  Weeks ago Kuwait was going to help with the Saudi and United Arab Emirates invasion of Bahrain, but backed out.  Now Kuwait wants Saudi Arabia and the UAE out.

Even Saudi activists are condemning the Saudi Royal Family for the invasion, and gave a dire warning: “I believe that the fire of Bahrain’s revolution will spread to Saudi Arabia. Any free opinion poll in Saudi Arabia would reveal that at least 70% of the people want the overthrow of the Al Saud dynasty.”-Mohammad al-Mos’ari

What makes the situation more complicated is that Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

International

Kidnapped Iranian contractors freed in Afghanistan

12 contractors have been freed, after being kidnapped in Afghanistan.

Iran officials will only say their diplomatic efforts worked to free the men.  “After the news about the abduction of these individuals, we pursued the case through Kabul’s embassy in Tehran as well as Iran’s embassy in Kabul. We have made several contacts with the Afghan political officials and military forces.”-Ramin Mehman-Parast, Iranian Foreign Ministry