Images

But don’t get too excited for the economy, Garcia’s is opening in the former Chili’s location, which shutdown without warning, or explanation, towards the end of last year.

A Montana based ramen restaurant opening in Pocatello despite pandemic.

Photo by AAron Hutchins, October 2020.

In Pocatello, the iconic and beloved Chang’s Garden shutdown without warning last October, just confusing signs reading “Sorry we are closed” and “Hiring server” on the door.

Photo by AAron Hutchins, October 2020.

It was known to loyal Chang’s fans that the husband and wife owners had been wanting to retire for several years, and they apparently used the pandemic as an excuse to sell the location to New Yorkers who created Tokyo Belly Sushi (they chose Idaho because New York is too expensive to start a restaurant). I don’t like fish.

Photo by AAron Hutchins, February 2013.

Chang’s opened in1994, and I had been eating there since 1997, 20-plus years of awesome General Tao (not Tso!) Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup, and occasionally Honey Walnut Shrimp.

CoViD-19 Shenanigans 2020:

Photo by AAron Hutchins, October 2020.

Golden Corral shuts down 18 years old Pocatello location.

Iowa; Despite one in six restaurants shutting down due to the pandemic restrictions, one buffet chain is actually expanding operations.

Massachusetts; Pandemic restrictions final nail in the coffin for Boston Tex-Mex.

Nebraska; Restaurants create delivery co-operative in an attempt to stay alive!

New Hampshire; Pandemic and bad weather puts restaurants “in survival mode”.

New Jersey; Restaurant owners say despite expanded outdoor seating, reservations are way down.

New York; Pandemic not stopping racist promotional event for restaurants owned by a specific ethnic group.

Restaurant owner declares New York “the worst run state”.

Domino’s and other food joints fail inspections with numerous violations!

North Carolina; Local restaurant defies state order, warns customers that staff does not wear masks!

Pennsylvania; Restaurants slated to get millions in state taxpayer funded CoViD relief funding!

Lancaster County restaurant inspections find soil and pink slime.

York County restaurant inspections find rodents and dirty deep fryers.

Ohio; Restaurant that managed to stay open despite pandemic, is shutdown by vandals.

Oregon; Snow storm causes multiple outdoor restaurant tents to collapse!

List of permanent CoViD restaurant shutdowns in Eugene and Springfield.

South Carolina; Social media post sparks shooting at Spartanburg restaurant.

Texas; A single day closure cost a Dallas restaurant “at least $100-thousand”!

List of Austin eatery shutdowns, blamed on weather.

Washington; Restaurant shifts to retail sales to stay alive!

Restaurant owner says vandalism of his eatery might be an act of racism.

Washington DC; Bill proposed to loan restaurants as much as $10-million each for CoViD relief! (Is it truly ‘relief’ or just kicking the can down the road?)

Wyoming; Restaurant owner says they are struggling with CoViD seating restrictions.

Capital Press: 110-thousand U.S. restaurants shutdown in 2020!

Pandemic Shenanigans: Anti-vaxers using CDC’s own vaccine data to support their cause, as many U.S. states stop using CDC data now that Joe Biden is President!

Combination of pandemic, logistics, market and labor shenanigans: Global Sugar Shortage, better stock up now!

International

U.S. Taxpayers fund Japanese military vehicles for Iraq, again!

Image February 13, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Once again, Toyota is involved with supplying vehicles for military forces, and this time they’re openly being paid for by U.S. taxpayers!

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

On 26JAN2021, almost U.S.$1-million worth of militarized Toyota four-by-fours were given to Iraqi ‘security’ forces, paid for through the U.S. Al Asad Air Base Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

The Toyotas were part of a total package of $6.6-million worth of vehicles, that included HMMWVs, “divested” to the Iraqi security forces!

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

U.S. taxpayers have a long history of supplying Iraq with vehicles.

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Roger Jackson.

Divestment of U.S. HMMWVs to Iraq, 29JUN2019.

U.S. Army photo by Master Sergeant Horace Murray.

A U.S. purchased Mercedes truck being staged for ‘divestment’ to Iraqi security forces at the Besmaya Range Complex, 20JAN2018.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Travis Jones.

U.S. supplies Iraqi security forces with Toyota 4X4s, at Camp Al Asad, 26DEC2017.

U.S. Army photo by Corporal Tracy McKithern.

U.S. funded vehicles divested to Iraqi security forces at the Besmaya Range Complex, 03AUG2017.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero.

This U.S. supplied Iraqi HMMWV was nicknamed Project One because it was the first to be overhauled by an Iraqi maintenance crew at Taji.

Photo by Specialist Sarah De Boise.

In April 2008, U.S. and Iraqi military leaders met in Mosul to discuss supplying Iraqi security forces with new vehicles. It was believed that by providing U.S. taxpayer funded vehicles to Iraq, that Iraq would be able to take care of its security concerns and the U.S. could draw-down its military forces.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Joshua R. Ford.

In September 2006, the U.S. military gave the Iraqi city of Bayji $670-thousand worth of sewage trucks, trash trucks and a 25-ton crane. None of them made in the U.S.

World War 3: RUSSIA BACKS UP BLIND-BAT-NEWS’ CLAIM AS TO WHERE ALL THOSE TOYOTAS ARE COMING FROM!

False Flag 2015: U.S. ALLY JAPAN SUPPLIES ISLAMIC STATE WITH CONVOYS OF NEW TOYOTAS! NISSAN & FORD AS WELL!

International

U.S. Taxpayers give German and Japanese vehicles to Georgian Border Police!

Image February 13, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Defense Threat Reduction Agency photo by Andrea Chaney.

On 27JAN2021, the U.S. Embassy in Georgia presented 15 vehicles, made by Suzuki and MAN, to the Georgian Border Police.

DTRA photo by Andrea Chaney.

The vehicles were funded through the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Proliferation Prevention Program (PPP).

Georgian Border Police photo.

For several years the United States, other NATO members as well as the European Union, have been spending their taxpayer’s money on building up Georgia’s border police.

29JUL2020: European Union peacekeepers deploy new observation vehicles to Georgia’s border with Russia.

27JUL2020: U.S. provides Georgian border guards with modern all-terrain vehicles.

19OCT2019: Georgia receives 15 brand new vehicles from NATO.

January 2019: U.S. multi-agency Super Surge

International, U.S.

Texas spread thin: تحالف مصر وتكساس Egypt and Texas form alliance!

Image February 8, 2021 Hutchins AAron

On 29JAN2021, it was announced that armored vehicles assigned to 3rd Squadron of the 278th Armored Cavalry (Cav-all-ry, not cal-va-ry) Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, are being shifted to Texas Army National Guard, to support The Lone Star State’s military alliances with Chile, Czech Republic, and now Egypt: “The Texas Military Department is proud to play a key role in the overall U.S.-Egypt relationship. From the Texas National Guard’s continued participation in Exercise Bright Star – a decades-running, multilateral defense exercise, to Texas National Guard units supporting the MFO’s [Multinational Force Observers] mission in Sinai, Texas is a key player in the military partnership between our two countries. The formal establishment of our partnership through the State Partnership Program codifies and makes official a relationship between our militaries that has been in the making for decades.”-Major General Tracy R. Norris, Adjutant General of the State of Texas

There is a town in Texas named Egypt, but in August 2020 the U.S. state of Texas and the government of the country of Egypt formed a military alliance.

In 1993 (end of the Cold War), Texas joined Nebraska in a military partnership with then newley created Czech Republic at the behest of the U.S. Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Herschel Talley.

During the January 2021 presidential inauguration SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fucked Up) the Czech Republic’s embassy staff provided traditional Czech goulash and bread to five-hundred Texas and Nebraska National Guard personnel deployed to the failed ‘state’ of Washington DC.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Herschel Talley.

Then in 2008, the Texas Military Department (aka National Guard) formed an military alliance with Chile.

Photo by Charles E. Spirtos.

On 24AUG2020, Egypt officially became a new military partner at a signing ceremony at Camp Mabry, Texas (another signing ceremony took place in Cairo, Egypt, later in the year).

Photo by Staff Sergeant Eliverto Larios.

Earlier in the year, March 2020, Texas Army National Guard took over ‘peace-keeping’ ops from Guam Army National Guard in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

As part of the official alliance, Egyptian military and civil officials toured border operations along the Texas-Mexico border.

The border tour included a ride in an air-boat on the Rio Grande/Río Bravo del Norte.

In 2018, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) began hosting border patrol training for Egyptian border guards at its academy in New Mexico: “The [Egyptian] delegation was surprised that we were willing to share so much information about our training program.”-Doyle E. Amidon Junior, CBP’s attaché to Egypt

Photo by Master Sergeant Mindy Bloem.

The official information about the new ‘long-term partnership’ says Texas and Egypt will conduct operations involving C-130 transport aircraft, F-16 fighter aircraft, cyber defense, logistics, special forces, homeland security response preparedness, military support to civilian authorities, and humanitarian and disaster assistance response.

Photo by Sergeant First Class Nicholas Salcido.

In March 2015, officials with the Egyptian Military Nursing Training Academy came to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to seek advice from the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, as well as the Christian (Catholic) University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, in how to deal with the increasing medical problems of the Egyptian population.

The State Partnership Program boasts that 84 countries have signed alliances with various state National Guard organizations.

“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt

Great Reneger: DEPLOYMENTS SO COMMON EVEN BEERS ARE NAMED AFTER THEM

Great Reneger: IDAHO MILITIA’s RECORD NUMBER OF DEPLOYMENTS IN ONE YEAR?

My immigrant Idaho: Do you know that Singapore has an air base in Southern Idaho?

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Kuwaiti C-17 الكويت

Image February 7, 2021 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

On 22JAN2021, a Kuwaiti C-17 Globmaster-3 landed on Dover Air Force Base (AFB) in Delaware, United States.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Kuwaiti C-17 was visiting Dover AFB as part of a completion of a military sales deal. Dover AFB is directly involved in $3.5-billion worth of yearly U.S. military sales to other countries.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

2021 is also the 30th Anniversary of the U.S. liberation of Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

The information released with the photos does not go into details about the U.S.-Kuwaiti military sales deal. However in December 2020, the U.S. Department of State announced a $4.2-billion sale of U.S. military equipment to Kuwait, which included AH-64 Apache gunships and parts for Patriot missiles.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

Snowblind: C-130 OHIO C-17 PENNSYLVANIA

Bare Metal: C-17 STRIPPED

2018: USAF WINS FEMALE RECRUITS WITH BABY C-17

C-17 NOSE ART

Vehicle I-D: C-17 DUMPS HMMWVS ON SOUTH CAROLINA, AWESOME VID!

Technology, U.S.

Total Force/Pivot to Asia: Operation Turning Point

Image February 7, 2021 Hutchins AAron

07 February 2021 (02:38-UTC-07 Tango 06) 19 Bahman 1399/24 Jumada t-Tania 1442/26 Wu-Yin 4718

Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Defense is steadily shifting focus towards the Asia/Pacific region. Sometimes known as Pivot to Asia, Pivot to Pacific, Total Force training for Near Peer Threats, maybe they should just bring back the phrase Cold War.

All photos by Petty Officer Second Class Michael Schutt.

It will be interesting to see how the new U.S. president, Joe ‘flip-flop’ Biden, handles the Department of Defense. This month, the U.S. Navy SeaBees (construction engineers) and U.S. Marine Corps engineers have begun training to quickly build Expeditionary Advanced Bases (EAB) and Advanced Naval Bases (ANB), in case a major war in the Pacific breaks out. (The U.S. Navy also just completed multinational Pacific region wargame Sea Dragon 2021)

On-loading of personnel and equipment, USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), 04FEB2021. The training is called Exercise Turning Point, and is held every year by the Pacific Naval Construction Force (PacNCF).

Photo by Petty Officer Second Class Michael Schutt.

USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) heads towards San Clemente Island from Port Hueneme, 04FEB2021.

Photo by Petty Officer Second Class Michael Schutt.

06FEB2021, an Assault Craft Unit ONE (ACU-1) landed on San Clemente.

Obama era Force Design 2030: U.S. Marines get rid of all their main battle tanks!

Vehicle I-D: The Real Avengers, with the return to ‘Cold War’ mentality, many ‘force-on-force’ weapon systems are making a come-back.

Pacific Partnership 2017: U.S. TAXPAYERS FUND POLICE TRAINING & CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN VIETNAM!

Great Reneger: TEXAS ARMOR DEPLOYS TO POLAND, PROOF WORLD WAR 3 IS NEAR?

World War 3: “NEAR PEER THREATS”, CODE FOR RUSSIA & CHINA AND THE COMING 3RD WORLD WAR?

World War 3: ICT is the USAF’s version of Total Force warfare

World War 3: “This is where armor fights!” Idaho Army National Guard returns to Total Force warfare

May 2015: According to the U.S. Naval War College “Starting in 2010, the U.S. and Vietnam accelerated this process effectively forming a partnership on several fronts. The Obama administration identified Vietnam as one of the new partners to cultivate as part of its ‘rebalancing’ of U.S. priorities toward the Asia-Pacific region, a move commonly referred to as the U.S.’s ‘pivot’ to the Pacific.”

October 2013: “Although Mr. Obama has cut military spending in various parts of the world, it has remained largely unchanged in Asia. By 2020 the Pentagon plans to deploy 60 percent of its warships in the Pacific and 40 percent in the Atlantic, compared with the current 50-50 split.”-New York Times

Vehicle I-D:

U.S. Navy’s 1967 purchase price.

RAT ROD 1967 BLH AUSTIN-WESTERN USN SEABEES ROAD GRADER $14,794

Technology

NASA’s 737, test-bed for the civilian airliner industry!

Image February 4, 2021 Hutchins AAron

In a country where the capitalist corporate world is supposed to be independent of government interference, or even assistance, the U.S. airliner industry has been totally reliant upon taxpayer funded NASA for developing more efficient, and safer, technologies.

NASA’s Boeing 737-130 was the workhorse of such taxpayer funded testing and developments. Serial Number SN-19437 (N515NA, tail #515) was born in 1968 (some sources say 1967), and reported for duty at NASA’s Langley Research Center in 1973. Apparently 515 was the first prototype Boeing 737 built.

I must point out that between 1938 and 1978 the U.S. airline industry was under the total regulation of the federal government, being de-regulated beginning in 1978 with the hopes that capitalist competition would reign in growing costs of operation, but in reality has created the money-grubbing passenger unfriendly monstrosity of today. Even with de-regulation the airliner industry still relies on taxpayer funded testing of new technologies.

515 took part in dozens of developments: Microwave Landing Systems, velocity vector display development, CRT electronic cockpit displays, profile descent control law development, total energy control law development, helmet mounted displays. Also, satellite-based Global Positioning System for auto-landings, ground-air data-link in lieu of voice communication, traffic flow management ATC-compatible 4-D Flight Management System development, wind shear detection research. Just to name a few.

In 1985, 515 joined several other NASA and FAA aircraft in the U.S. state of Maine, as well as in Canada, to study Runway Friction in bad weather.

In 1989, 515 got a new paint-job.

According to NASA, 515 was constantly modified, and even had two cockpits, the second cockpit being located where the airliner’s first class passengers would sit.

1990s NASA video showing 515 is use for wind-shear research. The research was done because of the increasing number of crashes being caused by the weather phenomenon called wind-shear:

High lift wing testing, 1990s.

515 retired in 2003, and now resides at the Museum of Flight, in Seattle, Washington.

NASA: F-16XL LAMINAR FLOW, ONCE AGAIN NASA SAVING THE AIRLINER INDUSTRY!

NASA’S C-133 APOLLO DROP SHIP

Influenza

Pandemic Shenanigans: U.S. vax sucks, Russian vax kicks ass!

Image February 3, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Here’s an incomplete list of links to news media reports/scientific studies on the latest pandemic related shenanigans:

ABC News: Another study says cleaner air caused by Pandemic shutdowns is actually increasing Global Warming!

Aljazeera: European capital cities hit by pandemic lockdown riots

Pandemic lockdown protestors in Lebanon shot with live ammo

Photo by Sergeant Laura Bauer.

Arizona Army National Guard Soldiers administer the CoViD-19 vaccine to Gila County residents, 01FEB2021.

The Atlantic: The Second COVID-19 Shot Is a Rude Reawakening for Immune Cells

The Bronx Chronical: ‘Expert’ Doctor Fauci flip flops on his pandemic advice, again!

Photo by Senior Airman Thomas Karol.

Approximately 15-tons of masks for U.S. service members across Germany arrived at Ramstein Air Base, 02FEB2021.

DWTV: Apparently Germans think beer causes CoViD, as beer sales crash

Germany will accept CoViD vaccines from any country!

Germany deploys military medics to Portugal, to fight the pandemic

Denmark to require pandemic passports!

France24: France says AstraZeneca vaccine not good for old people

Full Fact: British news media misleads on Pfizer vaccine effectiveness in Israel!

Global Times: Deaths caused by Pfizer vaccine used in Spanish nursing home?

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Orthodox protesters in Israel burn bus as riots against COVID restrictions continue across the country

The Lancet: Russian vaccine 91.6% effective, no serious side effects!

Photo by Master Sergeant David Kujawa.

Michigan Army National Guard administer vaccines at the Luther Haus Senior Independent Living Center, 01FEB2021.

MIT Technology Review: Pfizer admits it doesn’t know if its vaccine actually prevents the spread of CoViD-19!

Nikkei Asia: Japan’s contact tracing phone app failed back in September, but only now are people being told about it!

NHK: Japan creates new punishments for pandemic lockdown violations

AstraZeneca vaccine only 76% effective

UN World Health Organization says new versions (variants/strains) of CoViD found in at least 75 countries

Photo by Master Sergeant John Hughel.

Oregon National Guard conducted a a walk-in vaccination clinic at the Oregon Convention Center, 01FEB2021.

Quartz: Pfizer will make $15-billion from Covid-19 vaccine sales

RT: Bill Gates unveils global pandemic early warning system

From May 2020 to 02FEB2021, the South Carolina National Guard administered more than 268,095 CoViD-19 tests.

South China Morning Post: Netherlands sees worst riots in four decades over coronavirus curbs

Successful Farming: PANDEMIC EXPOSES LOW WAGES AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT FOOD-DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, WORKERS ARE STRIKING

Viruses: Plant toxin Thapsigargin could prevent viral infections ( but it is known to cause tumors)

Photo by Joseph Siemandel.

Washington National Guard now issuing vaccinations at four locations across The Evergreen State.

Vaccine Fail: CALIFORNIA

“Season of Paradoxes”: HYPOCRITE DEMOCRATS NOW SAY ECONOMY MORE IMPORTANT THAN PANDEMIC!

CoViD Shenanigans: YET ANOTHER NEW VERSION OF THE VIRUS! IDAHO INFECTIONS DROP! THAILAND ROUNDING UP TOURISTS!

Technology

NASA Viking, no not the Mars landers! Or, last flight of a Viking.

Image January 27, 2021 Hutchins AAron

In July 2021, NASA retired the last operational S-3B Viking. It’s home is now the San Diego Air & Space Museum-El Cajon Gillespie Field Annex. This ended 20 years of NASA service for an aircraft that had already completed a career with the U.S. Navy.

NASA photo dated 2001.

In January 2009, the U.S. Navy officially retired (from ‘fleet service’ aboard aircraft carriers, with final USN retirement in 2016) its Lockheed S-3B Viking aircraft. In 2001, one lucky Viking got a new life with the National Aeronautics Space Administration.

Glenn Research Center, Ohio, NASA photo dated 2001.

Even before the USN began retiring their Vikings NASA was already prepping to use it, in 2006 awarding Boeing a contract to rebuild the Viking.

NASA photo dated 2006, Glenn Research Center, Ohio.

NASA Airborne Science Program’s N601NA Viking before getting its new NASA clothing, still wearing its worn-out U.S. Navy uniform.

NASA photo dated 2007, Glenn Research Center, Ohio.

This NASA image, of Viking N601NA with its new NASA uniform, is from 2007.

NASA photo dated 2007, Glenn Research Center, Ohio.

NASA began using the Viking, to supplement their other aircraft, to fly aircraft SatCom (satellite communication) relay viability missions over Illinois.

NASA photo dated 2007, Glenn Research Center, Ohio.

Photo by Louis DePaemelaere.

N601NA stopping in Grand Junction, Colorado, for fuel. N601NA was taking part in icing research.

NASA photo dated 2008.

A 1/3 scale model section of S-3B Viking wing inside NASA’s icing tunnel.

In 2010, NASA’s Viking began airborne environmental science missions (like the growing problem of algae blooms in The Great Lakes) and aeronautics research.

Final approach to the runway at Air Force Plant 42, NASA Dryden’s Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, California, October 2010. The large cargo pod has been modified by NASA to carry electronic sensing devices for various missions.

S-3B Viking taking off from Cleveland Hopkins Airport, Illinois.

In the hanger at Glenn Research Center.

In 2014, USN’s VX-30 hosted N601NA, as the NASA crew visited the Bloodhounds for simulator training.

U.S. Navy photo, 18DEC2015.

The last flight of two U.S. Navy Air Test & Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30 Bloodhounds) S-3B Vikings over Point Mugu, California, 18DEC2015.

U.S. Navy photo, 18DEC2015.

According to the information that came with these U.S. Navy photos, in January 2016 one of these Air Test & Evaluation Squadron 30’s Vikings was sent to be mummified in ‘the boneyard’, while the other got a new life working for NASA. However, I can’t find anything from NASA confirming they took possession of another Viking. I’ve even seen some blogs that claim NASA has three Vikings which, again, I haven’t found anything from NASA backing that up. Current NASA information indicates there was only one Viking in their possession, N601NA, operating out of Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

WINGLETS, OR ONCE AGAIN NASA SAVES THE PRIVATE SECTOR!

Vehicle I-D: NASA DC-8 climate warrior

Bare Metal: NASA trucks save the trucking industry

NASA’S Russian TUPOLEV 144 SST

Vehicle I-D: NASA CANBERRAS, B-57B ‘HUSH KIT’ & WB-57F RIVET CHIP/SLICE

Blind Bat News

Images

Vaccine Shenanigans: U.S. military personnel join U.S. healthcare workers in refusing the shot!!!

Pandemic Shenanigans: Restaurant Hell!

U.S. Taxpayers fund Japanese military vehicles for Iraq, again!

U.S. Taxpayers give German and Japanese vehicles to Georgian Border Police!

Texas spread thin: تحالف مصر وتكساس Egypt and Texas form alliance!

Vehicle I-D: Kuwaiti C-17 الكويت

Total Force/Pivot to Asia: Operation Turning Point

NASA’s 737, test-bed for the civilian airliner industry!

Pandemic Shenanigans: U.S. vax sucks, Russian vax kicks ass!

NASA Viking, no not the Mars landers! Or, last flight of a Viking.

News you didn't know mattered