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, U.S.

United Police States of Incompetent Corporate America: Once again, another Turkey meat recall at Prison Labor (?) meat plant in Arkansas

September 12, once again, Cargill Incorporated issued a recall of ground turkey, from its Arkansas plant.  It’s the same plant that saw one of the largest meat recalls in U.S. history, just last month.

Something that most people in the United States don’t know, is that Cargill has been identified as one of the many U.S. corporations that uses prison labor. Cargill has also been identified as using child labor in its operations outside the United States.  Could prison labor have something to do with the many recent meat recalls?

There are dozens of lessor known meat plants all across the United States that use prison labor, some use prison labor exclusively.  Part of the unemployment problem in U.S. is due to the use of prison labor.  Many regular meat plant employees have been laid off and replaced with cheaper prison labor.

This latest recall covers about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey products. They were distributed nationwide under the Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill’s Honeysuckle White brands.  All ground turkey made at the Springdale, Arkansas, plant has “P-963” or “963” on the package.  People who bought products bearing that identification number can call 1-888-812-1646 for instructions.

International

Common disease killing children in Vietnam, 42,000 infected

The United Nations World Health Organization says 98 children have died, so far this year, due to a common hand/foot and mouth disease.  42,000 people have been infected.

Since 2008 the number of cases in Vietnam has been increasing.  Vietnamese health officials are warning people to maintain cleanliness.

The disease is spread by sneezing, coughing and contact with fluid from blisters or infected feces. No vaccine exists.

 

Business/Economics, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: Colorado company contaminating community with radiation

Cotter Corporation, managers of a uranium mill, want to stop testing a leaking radioactive pond because conditions are too dangerous for workers.

Not only is the pond leaking radiation, it’s leaking TCE’s (trichloroethene) and other contaminants.  It could affect the community of Canon City.

The mill was built in 1958, to process uranium for weapons and nuclear power plants. Cotter Corporation dumped waste in 11 unlined ponds, which contaminated the area groundwater.  The EPA declared the area a Superfund cleanup site, and the company has been moving waste to a clay lined pond.

The problem is that the clay lined pond is now leaking.  On top of that, the company says the pond is too dangerous for their workers to safely check acidity levels.

Colorado officials are considering a request to stop monitoring the pond.

Business/Economics, International

Global Economic Class War: Greek government to screw over citizens, again

Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos announced, on September 11, that a new property tax will be in place over the next two years.

The new property tax is supposed to make up for 2.6 billion dollars in lost tax revenues.  Funny how politicians think that the answer to people not being able to pay taxes, because their incomes are down, is to increase or create new taxes!

To try and placate the Greek masses, the government said politicians will give up one month of pay, big whoop!

Business/Economics, International

Global Economic War: VW says Suzuki broke contract, issues warning

September 11, VolksWagen claims Suzuki violated its contract by agreeing to purchase diesel engines from another car maker.

The two companies joined-up in December 2009, but their alliance stalled in July 2011 when Suzuki said VW does not see their partnership as equal.

VW says it will give Suzuki several weeks to return to buying diesel engines from Germany.

Fukushima

Government Incompetence: Japan’s wild animals and plants highly contaminated with Cesium!

Gakushuin University Professor Yasuyuki Muramatsu, says radioactive cesium on soil and fallen leaves in forests is easily absorbed by mushrooms and edible plants.

On 03 September 2011, wild mushrooms found in a forest in Fukushima Prefecture contained 28,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram, far above the national safety limit.  A wild boar was also found to have radiation amounts about 6 times the safety limit.

Professor Muramatsu is urging the Japanese government to conduct tests on wild animals and plants.

FUKUSHIMA TO EUTHANIZE ABANDONED LIVESTOCK AND PETS!

FOOD CRISIS: HALF MILLION LIVESTOCK STARVING TO DEATH IN JAPAN!

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Housing bubble bursting in Australia, big banks try to offer lower interest rates to get people to buy

“Outside Hong Kong and Shanghai, Australia is the most expensive real estate market in the world compared to income.”-Harry S. Dent Jr, economist

The housing market bubble is finally bursting in Australia, it’s being called an “economic tsunami” in Australian media.

One of the biggest Australian banks, Commonwealth Bank, has dropped its interest rates to try and get people to buy homes.

Also, most of the major home finance banks in Australia are offering refinancing loans to help keep people form defaulting on their home loans.  It’s very much like whats been going on here in the United States.

Home prices in the state of South Australia (SA) have been slashed by thousands of Australian dollars.  One woman cut her asking price by $60,000: “It’s been on the market for nine months now and the way the economy is at the moment it wasn’t even getting a look-in at open. My partner and I came to the conclusion we needed to drop the price.”-Jan Grainger, Fullarton

This weekend, U.S. economist Harry S. Dent Jr stated that the housing bubble in Australia was about to burst, as well as in China and Japan. He also indicated that the housing correction in the U.S. isn’t over: “People in places like Sydney or Tokyo or Miami say, ‘Hey, real estate can never go down here, we’re a great place, everyone wants to move here, there’s not much land for development’, and what I say is that is exactly the kind of place that bubbles.”

Dent said Australia’s house prices need to correct to 1990s levels.

In the Australian state of Victoria (VIC) real estate agents are actually dropping clients who refuse to drop their prices: “An agent only gets paid when they sell a property so if they are investing a lot of time into something they know is not going to sell, then there is no point in wasting time on it.”-Catherine Cashmore, real estate agent

In New South Wales (NSW) the state government announced that a new tax, on existing home sales to first time home buyers, would go into effect after January 1.  That is causing sales to hit 60% rate, due to people trying to beat the new tax (stamp duty).

The problem is that after January 1 you can expect home sales in NSW to hit the floor: “The stamp duty will be a hit of $15,000 – that’s a lot of money for anyone these days. People who haven’t bought or can’t buy by this time have no choice to go back on the rental market. People that don’t buy before January will see rent increase.”-Joel Hollis, real estate agent

 

International

World War 3: Israel bans Druze from annual pilgrimage to Syria, hundreds of Druze protesting

Hundreds of Druze residents, in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights, were waiting for United Nations buses to take them to Syria, early on September 11.

The buses never showed up, and the Druze were told Israel denied their annual pilgrimage, because of security concerns.  Now hundreds of Druze are protesting in the city Kuneitra.

The Druze religion is influenced by Shi’a Islam, Gnostic Christianity and Jewish beliefs.  It was founded by an Iranian mystic in 1017.  The majority of Druze are in Syria (including the Israeli occupied Golan Heights) and Lebanon (which was part of Syria).

International, U.S.

At least 77 U.S. troops wounded in latest attacks in Afghanistan, Afghans say it’s retaliation for unjustified U.S. occupation of Afghanistan

“Each year, 9/11 reminds the Afghans of an event in which they had no role whatsoever.  American colonialism has shed the blood of tens of thousands of miserable and innocent Afghans.”-Afghan insurgent statement

September 11, at least three U.S. troops have been wounded in attacks in western Afghanistan.

This follows a September 10 truck bomb attack against the U.S. Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, in the eastern province of Wardak.  NATO reports that 77 U.S. troops were wounded, two Afghans killed and 25 Afghans wounded.

U.S. Army sources have reported that 50 troops, plus civilians, were wounded in the Saturday truck bomb attack:  “It happened at 5:15 pm on Saturday. It detonated near the entry point at a combat outpost, resulting in 89 wounded in action and a 20-foot (six-meter) hole in the wall.”-David Eastburn, Major U.S. Army

Wardak is where a U.S. Chinook helicopter was shot down recently, killing all 30 U.S. forces and eight Afghans on board.

Also on Saturday/Sunday, a NATO soldier died in an ambush in southern Afghanistan, and  two bombs exploded in Paktika and Kunduz Provinces, leaving a total of 10 civilians dead.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Evil buck passing United States blames evil Europe for world economic problems, but it’s the average Joe & Jone who’s going to pay

“Seventy-five percent of the dark things happening in the world economy are because of the eurozone.”-Timothy Geithner, U.S. Department of Treasury

September 9, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner blamed the European Union for U.S. economic failures!

Geithner made the comments at a G7 meeting in France.  He says EU countries need to make even harsher cuts, and raise even more taxes, in order to solve their debt crisis.  Going by his statements, can you guess what’s coming for the people of the United States?