Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Global Food Crisis: Killer Cantaloupe, given away in Idaho

The number of people sick and dying from cantaloupe contaminated with Listeria could hit record levels in the United States.  In Idaho they were given away to the public after a grocery distributor decided they were not ripe enough to sell.

So far 16 people have died, and 56 people are sick across the country.  The cantaloupe are from Colorado, but not all are labeled, so the CDC says if you’re not sure where it came from don’t eat it.

At the end of August 43,000 pounds of the cantaloupe were shipped to southeast Idaho.  They were considered too ripe to sell and were donated to the public between August 28 and September 2.

Jensen Farms in Colorado says it shipped cantaloupes to 25 states.  But, the FDA says illnesses have been discovered in several states that are not on the shipping list.  The FDA has reversed an earlier statement about the fruit being shipped to Europe. They now say none of the cantaloupe left the U.S.

Listeria is more deadly than salmonella and E. coli.  The bacteria can grow at room temperatures and even in your refrigerator. It can linger long after the source of the contamination is gone, people should clean and sanitize any surfaces the killer cantaloupe might have touched.

Symptoms of Listeria can show up as soon as three days after eating the contaminated fruit, or as long as 70 days later.  Symptoms could include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

 

 

Idaho, International, U.S.

U.S. soldier, from Idaho, confesses to killing 15 year old Afghan for the hell of it

“I could see his hands were empty, I could see he didn’t have a weapon.”-PFC Andrew Holmes, U.S. Army

September 22, Private First Class Andrew Holmes, from Boise, Idaho, pled guilty to killing an unarmed teenager in Afghanistan.

“I knew I should have taken cover, but instead I pulled the trigger.”-Andrew Holmes

When Holmes says he “should have taken cover” it’s because a fellow soldier just threw a grenade at the unarmed boy, who was working in a farm field.  Holmes shot the boy with “six to eight rounds” from his machine gun.

Pictures of Holmes with his ‘trophy kill’ were published in Der Spiegel and Rolling Stone magazines.

Two other U.S. Army soldiers have already pled guilty, two more are waiting for their day in military court.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Occupy America Corporate Rip Off: Gas prices in Idaho go up despite most of the U.S. seeing prices go down, blame decreased production

September 19, gas prices in Idaho are about 70 cents above the national average.  One local TV station tried to give the usual explanation by saying it’s a mix of regional demand and state taxes.  FAIL!

I just checked on demand, and according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, demand for gasoline across the country is still below last year’s numbers.  On August 26, 2011, the four week average demand for gasoline was at 9.169 million barrels per day.  Compare that to the four week average of a year ago at 9.261 million barrels.  So there is a slight decrease in demand.

Regarding fuel taxes; there has been no increase in Idaho fuel taxes since 1996!

What is happening is that production of fuels has been dropping.  In other words, production is falling faster than demand, and that has the same effect as demand going up; prices go up (when there is less of something, in relation to demand, it becomes more valuable).

According to U.S. Energy Information Administration, PADD 4 gasoline production is down from last year. PADD 4 includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.  The four week average for “finished gas” production, for August 2011 was 0.273 million barrels per day.  Compared to last year’s production of 0.296.

In other words, fuel producers are deliberately keeping production just under ‘demand’ in order to keep prices high.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Major East Idaho Employer makes surprise layoff announcement

September 19, a change of contractors with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) resulted in a surprise announcement; 204 employees will be let go at the end of the month.

On September 30, the existing contract with AMWTP (Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project) ends.  A new contract with Idaho Treatment Group begins on October 1.  The new contractor says they can do the same job with 204 less employees.

The contract involves preparing transuranic nuclear weapons waste stored at the INL, for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

United Police States of Corporate America: Largest corporate prison operator in the pockets of Idaho Republicans

CCA, Corrections Corporation of America, is the largest corporate prison operator in the United States.  CCA is also in the pockets of Idaho Republicans, and a few Idaho Democrats, as shown by 2006 and 2008 election campaign donations (known as the “Sunshine Summary” or “Sunshine Law”).

Recently CCA announced they were settling dozens of lawsuits claiming prison violence, and lack of medical care for prisoners.  One of those prisons is south of Boise, Idaho.  It’s known as “Gladiator School” because of the level of violence, and the fact that prison guards were caught on security cameras just standing around watching as prisoners were beaten for hours.

Is your favorite Idaho Republican/Democrat on the list of CCA donations?

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!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho makes top ten foreclosure list, Bonneville County leads Eastern Idaho in foreclosures

“The big increase in new foreclosure actions may be a signal that lenders are starting to push through some of the foreclosures delayed by robo signing and other documentation problems.  It also foreshadows more bank repossessions in the coming months as these new foreclosures make their way through the process.”-James Saccacio, CEO RealtyTrac

The latest RealtyTrac survey put Idaho in the top ten for foreclosures.  One in every 348 Idaho homes were in foreclosure in August 2011. The report also says one in every 570 homes in the United States was facing foreclosure in August 2011.

The three most populous counties in eastern Idaho broke down like this; Bannock: 238 foreclosures.  Bingham: 132 foreclosures.  Bonneville: 320 foreclosures.

Nevada still holds onto the number one position for home foreclosures, for the 56th straight month!

California is number two with a 55% default rate, and one out of every 226 homes being foreclosed in August!

Arizona was number three for the second month in a row.

The rest of the top ten list is made up of Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Florida, Illinois, Colorado and Utah.

 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

United Police States of Corporate America: Big Republican supporter, CCA, about to settle lawsuits claiming prison violence, medical neglect, includes Idaho’s “Gladiator School”

Septmenber 14, a man who sued a corporate run Idaho prison, known as “Gladiator School”, for extreme violence and medical neglect, has reached a settlement with Corrections Corporation of America.

CCA is the largest corporate prison operation in the United States, and also has the worst reputation.

Dozens of other inmates across the U.S. are also suing the Nashville, Tennessee, based CCA.

Reports are that CCA wants to settle all cases as quietly as possible, and soon. CCA officials hope to have all cases settled by the end of the week.

The Idaho Correctional Center, run by CCA, is so violent that it’s called “Gladiator School”.  Lawsuits claim that guards used inmate on inmate violence as a management tool, and then denied injured prisoners adequate medical care.  In one case, security camera video was leaked, showing a prisoner being beaten for hours, while guards watched.  That’s your Idaho tax dollars at work folks!

By the way, CCA is a major supporter of the Idaho Republican party!!!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Surprise Postal Service announcement, will close distribution centers not mentioned on public Post Office closing list. Poctello, Idaho, targeted

September 15, Pocatello, Idaho, to be hit by latest USPS closings.  Local postal workers told me that the Gateway distribution center, on Flandro Road in Pocatello, could be part of the surprise announcement made by U.S. Postal Service officials today.

This would mean all east Idaho mail would be shipped off to Salt Lake City, Utah, to be sorted.

I checked the USPS mail processing facilities list of closings, and the Pocatello distribution center is the only facility in Idaho on the list!

Postal officials say it will result in much slower delivery times.  That’s not all, the USPS is considering ending First Class letter service altogether!

Local postal workers told me they were notified yesterday, September 14.  This latest announcement of closings are for as many as 252 mail processing facilities (distribution centers), cutting 35,000 jobs, across the country.  They were not listed on the recent Post Office closing list!

Local postal workers also told me that they suspect the U.S. Congress is conspiring to fully privatize the Postal Service.  There is no reason for that, since the USPS does not get any taxpayer money!!!

The United States Postal Service does not make money off taxpayers, they are solely funded by the postage they charge.  The U.S. Congress controls what the USPS can charge, and, according to testimonies by the U.S. postmaster general, Patrick Donahoe, and Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the U.S. Congress has forced the USPS to over pay into several federal funds.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Once again, Idaho property values down, yet government raises the property tax, blame those damn levys people keep voting for!

“Even if the budget stays the same, the levy is going to go up to compensate for the decline in value of your property.”– Chris Rich, Ada County Clerk

Ada County, Idaho, just raised their property tax rates, even though property values are down.

In fact property values dropped 42% since 2006.  But county officials say the rates are going up because people keep passing levys.  The levys are paid for by increasing property taxes, despite what many of those who trick you into passing those levys say.

Some good news for property owners; under Idaho law levys can only affect your taxes so much, until they ‘max out’. As a sign of our bad economy, many officials say the levys are very close to being maxed out.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Drug companies pay Idaho doctors big bucks

A ProPublica report shows more than 1,000 Idaho doctors were paid by 12 drug companies, to the tune of more than $2 million within the last year.  The Idaho Board of Medicine sees no harm in it.

Some of those payments were in the form of free meals (a Boise doctor got $607 worth) in exchange for attending seminars that pushed new drugs.  Others made money giving the talks at those seminars.  A Sun Valley psychiatrist made more than $100,000 for giving such talks.

The ProPublica.org report is part of their ongoing investigation into how Corporate America, and possibly your doctor, are ripping everyone off. Many people, who’ve left comments on the ProPublica story, expressed surprise to learn their personal doctor was on the list.

Beginning in 2013, drug companies are supposed to publicly report who they gave money to.