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.
Fukushima

Farm animals & Pets left to Die in Japanese Radiation Zone!

“I’m sorry about your animals, but your life is more important.”-Kato Tokutaro, head of economics for Tamura City

Hundreds of farm animals, and pets, have been left to die by farmers, and families, who evacuated the radiation danger zone.  Turns out that radiation levels are much higher than officially reported, after one man had his soil privately tested.

Maruzoi Tomishige, a construction worker, got so fed up with the faulty radiation reports that he decided to break police blockades to get back to his home in the farming community.

He said the police were in full nuclear protective suits, they backed down from his demands to let him through.

Maruzoi’s home is in farm territory, Okuma,  just two miles from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. He said it’s like a scene from a disaster movie: Desolation, farm animals wandering free, no people anywhere.

He was greeted by his dog and cat.  He grabbed clothes and a bag full of dirt.  He rushed out, leaving his pets behind, his dog frantically chasing after him.

Upon returning to the city of Tamura, Maruzoi had the dirt tested for radiation. The radiation level is so high, that it’s likely no one will be able to return to Okuma for 20-30 years!

Most residents of Okuma thought they’d be retuning home by now, that’s why they didn’t rescue their animals.

“They said everything was safe, but look at this mess. Of course the tsunami was higher than we all expected, but why did TEPCo always say everything was definitely okay?”-Tochikubo Jiro, another former Okuma resident

Even if the radiation doesn’t kill the livestock and pets, they’ll die of starvation, because no one is coming for them.

 

Fukushima, Technology

Portable Generators sell out in Japan, another lesson to be learned

According to The Japan Times, portable generators are almost sold out, thanks to the 11 March 2011 disasters.  Also, because of power outages (ironic), and parts supply problems, producers will not be able to meet current (pun; electric generators) demand.

“We’re completely out. We ran out three days after the quake, but we’ve been receiving orders from hospitals and factories every day.” -Ryuzo Nishikawa, Fuji & Yamaha generator salesman

Yahoo Japan has actually been auctioning off Honda generators. The highest bid so far is ¥178,000 (about U.S. $2,000.00).

Lesson: If you got the money, buy the damn generator BEFORE the disaster!

Fukushima

TEPCo will use Third Party for Radiation testing, after getting caught lying?

After it was revealed that Tokyo Electric Power Company’s radiation data was totally faulty, the company has now agreed to use third party monitoring of radiation levels.

Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency blasted TEPCo, twice, for untrustworthy data. TEPCo admits that the faulty radiation level readings, at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, were caused by human error.

The third party monitors will include people from government agencies and utility companies.

Fukushima

Testing for radiation in Japanese schools, finally!

Fukushima Prefecture is finally testing for radiation contamination at local elementary schools. Fukushima Prefecture is where the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is.

The tests will only run through Thursday.  It was demanded by parents.

It’s amazing to me that it wasn’t already being done, and it’s amazing that they’re only doing it until Thursday.  The nuclear disaster is still “critical” according to government officials.

International, Opinion, U.S.

al Qaeda taking advantage of Libyan civil war, taking Western supplied weapons for Rebels, for use againt the United States

Gaddafi said it, exclusive reports in some western media sources said it, and even the U.S. Admiral in charge of NATO said it: Al Qaeda is operating with the Libyan rebels we are supporting.  And now they are taking the weapons for the rebels, for later use against the West.

Reuters is reporting that Algerian intelligence has proof that al Qaeda is operating in Libya, and they’re taking Western supplied, and captured Russian, weapons out of Libya.

Algeria, right to the west of Libya, has spent years trying to keep al Qaeda out. Now they’ve stepped up security operations because of the Western backed rebellion in Libya, precisely because they know al Qaeda is involved.

Algerian officials are amazed that the U.S., and other UN coalition countries are supporting, essentially, al Qaeda.

Haven’t we been here before? We supported a certain group who fought in the Afghan/Soviet War, that group became al Qaeda led by bin Laden (by the way not Afghani, but Wahhabi Arab), and that group declared war on the United States.  Then we invade Iraq, supposedly because of connections to al Qaeda, which were false, and as a result al Qaeda actually got into Iraq (Saddam Hussein was actively fighting al Qaeda before we invaded). Now there is more and more proof that we are supporting al Qaeda in Libya.  Sompin’ funny goin’ on here!

Remember the old “Sanford and Son” TV show?  Let me paraphrase Red Fox’s character’s favorite phrase for his son: “Obama, you big dummy!”

Fukushima, Technology

Japan now blames Weathermen for lack of radiation data

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the Japan Meteorological Agency delayed releasing info on radiation data.  He also said, that when the data was released it was so confusing that it has added to the problem of getting people out of harms way.

And as an example of overlapping authority, Meteorological Agency officials say they thought the data was only to be reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency.  They pointed out that the ‘data’ was a only computer projection, a simulation, of what could happen, not actual real time data!

 

Business/Economics, Fukushima

Honda & Nissan Big April production cuts

Nissan says its April production, in Japan, will be about 40% of what was planned before the 11 March 2011 disasters.

Honda says its Japanese production will be half what it was hoping for.

Nissan is actually getting help for its Japanese production, from its engine plant in the United States.

Fukushima, International

Russia offers Nuke Sub Cleaner to Japan

Russia is offering a ‘water cleaner’ used on decommissioned nuclear submarines, to Japan.

State-run Rosatom corporation, which is involved with taking apart old nuclear submarines, has a device that ‘cleans’ low level radiation from water.  TEPCo has to periodically release low level radioactive water into the ocean, to maintain operational safety at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Also, Reactor 2 continues to dump high level radiation contaminated water into the ocean.  However the Russian water cleaner can not handle the higher levels of radiation.

The Russian water cleaner is a 65 meters (213 feet) long floating platform that was build with money from Japan. Rosatom officials say they are ready to tow it to Japan, if requested.

Fukushima, U.S.

Toyota to close ALL North American plants

Despite trying to be optimistic, Toyota has now admitted that the parts supply problem is so bad that it will have to close ALL its North American plants.

Toyota spokesman Mike Goss, said the shut downs will take place later in April. At least 25,000 employees will be affected. How long the shut downs last depends on parts supply issues.

Goss said that the North American plants, in Mexico, U.S. and Canada, get only 15% of their parts from Japan, but they are crucial for assembly of the vehicles.

There is about one week’s worth of parts for North America. Toyota, as well as other car makers, are scrambling to find factories outside Japan to make the parts.

Business/Economics, Fukushima, Technology

Just how much do we rely on Petroleum? No ink, no bleach, no tape, no Shonen Jump

You wouldn’t believe how much we use petroleum products (oil & natural gas) in our everyday lives. The people of Japan are finding out the hard way.

The 11 March 2011 quake/tsunami has resulted in several petroleum plants closing down, due to damage and power cuts. Those plants turn oil and natural gas into everyday products.

How would you like disposable diapers with no tape to seal it shut? Unicharm Corporation discontinued production of special tape used to wrap diapers because of a lack of the chemical needed to make the tape.

Are you one of those people who just have to have your whites their whitest when doing the laundry? No bleach. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co has stopped production at its Kashima factory, because of lack of electricity.

Love your Manga? The publisher of mangas including Shonen Jump, is delaying publication because there’s no ink. Maruzen Petrochemical Co stopped production of Diisobutylene, a chemical product used to make ink. Amazingly Maruzen is the only producer of Diisobutylene in Japan, so bye, bye Manga.