Only in America

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas.

Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.

Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.

"For her it was like, 'I couldn't abandon my child,'" Sussman said. "She was really afraid of what would happen, that if she showed up they would send her to Afghanistan anyway and put her son with child protective services."

Hutchinson, who is from Oakland, Calif., remained confined Monday to the boundaries of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 10 days after military police arrested her for skipping her unit's flight. No charges have been filed, but a spokesman for the Army post said commanders were investigating.

Kevin Larson, a spokesman for Hunter Army Airfield, said he didn't know what Hutchinson was told by her commanders, but he said the Army would not deploy a single parent who had nobody to care for his or her child.

"I don't know what transpired and the investigation will get to the bottom of it," Larson said. "If she would have come to the deployment terminal with her child, there's no question she would not have been deployed."

Hutchinson's son, Kamani, was placed into custody overnight with a daycare provider on the Army post after she was arrested and jailed briefly, Larson said. Hutchinson's mother picked up the child a week ago and took him back to her home in California.

Hutchinson, who's assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, joined the Army in 2007 and had no previous deployments, Sussman said. She said Hutchinson is no longer in a relationship with the father.

The Army requires all single-parent soldiers to submit a care plan for dependent children before they can deploy to a combat zone.

Hutchinson had such a plan — her mother, Angelique Hughes, had agreed to care for the boy. Hughes said Monday she kept the boy for about two weeks in October before deciding she couldn't keep him for a full year.

Hughes said she's already having to care for her ailing mother and sister, as well as a daughter with special needs. She also runs a daycare center at her home, keeping about 14 children during the day.

"This is an infant, and they require 24-hour care," Hughes said. "It was very, very stressful, just too much for me to deal with."

Hughes said she returned Kamani to his mother in Georgia a few days before her scheduled deployment Nov. 5.

She said they told her daughter's commanders they needed more time to find another family member or close friend to help Hughes care for the boy, but Hutchinson was ordered to deploy on schedule.

Larson, the Army post spokesman, said officials planned to keep Hutchinson in Georgia as investigators gathered facts about the case.

"Spc. Hutchinson's deployment is halted," Larson said. "There will be no deployment while this situation is ongoing."

___

Russ Bynum has covered the military based in Georgia since 2001.

lA lost decade: Americans make less money today than in 1998

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A lost decade: Americans make less money today than in 1998

WHAT'S HAPPENING
-One of the reasons Americans spent themselves into deep debt in the 2000s is that their incomes actually declined in the period from 1998 to 2008. That's the first decade-long decline in household income in more than 60 years, according the U.S. Census Bureau (Economix.Blogs.NYTimes.com 9.10.09).

-In 1998, median household income in the U.S. was $51,295. In 2008, it was $50,303. (The numbers are adjusted for inflation.)

-Analysts say there are three main reasons why income went down during the period: Economic growth has been slower than average, income disparities have increased between the wealthiest and the rest, and healthcare costs have risen far faster than inflation.


WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
-While many U.S. consumers blame themselves for overspending in the period leading up to the Great Recession, they may have actually been simply trying to maintain their lifestyles as costs went up but incomes declined.

-The Census Bureau confirms what many have believed: During the 2000s, the rich became much richer while everyone else stagnated.

A jobless recovery will do little to reverse this depressing trend. Americans can expect to see few raises or job promotions for the foreseeable future.



RESOURCES
U.S. Census Bureau

Nadir Of Western Civilization To Be Reached This Friday At 3:32 P.M.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nadir_of_western_civilization_to

WASHINGTON—An international panel of leading anthropologists, cultural critics, biologists, and social theorists announced this week that Western civilization will reach its lowest conceivable point at 3:32 p.m. Friday.

"From the prehistoric Lascaux cave paintings to the stirring symphonies of Mozart to today's hot-dog eating competitions and action films with comical gerbils, culture has descended into a festering pool of mass ignorance," said Yale sociologist Paul Riordan, who has spent his career analyzing western civilization's fall into the depths of depravity. "If our calculations are correct, this complete erosion of all that is enlightened and unique will reach absolute rock bottom on the afternoon of Sept. 25, 2009."

Added Riordan, "It is scientifically impossible for civilization to sink any lower than it will this Friday."

The panel said the upcoming nadir will be precipitated by a string of smaller devastating events.

At 9 p.m. Wednesday the ABC sitcom Modern Family will premiere, marking the least-inspired creative endeavor ever attempted by modern man. This will reportedly be followed at 12:52 p.m. Thursday by the release of a new energy drink marketed exclusively to U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Experts predict that the penultimate catastrophe will occur at approximately 7:15 p.m. Thursday night, when the social networking tool Twitter will be used to communicate a series of ideas so banal they will instantaneously negate the three centuries of the Renaissance.

"The sciences, the arts, the humanities—all aspects of society as a whole will reach their respective low-points in just a matter of days," said anthropologist Robert Davidson, gesturing toward a nearby line graph illustrating western society's collapse. "We've been charting this cultural descent for generations now, from the advent of New Wave music, to the rise of scientific creationism, right through to the trampling death of several Wal-Mart greeters on the morning after Thanksgiving. Everything has been leading up to this Friday."

According to the panel, the final event will occur at 3:32 p.m., when a tourist, believing the impressive structure to be a giant mall, will enter Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, and, not finding what he is looking for, ask where "the damn Radio Shack is supposed to be."

The man, dressed in Crocs and sweatpants and determined by researchers to be the final catalyst in humanity's epic downfall, will then loudly expel gas.

"This horrible but inevitable day has been a long time coming," said Davidson, before picking up a black marker and, seemingly without thought or intent, drawing a long, thick phallus on his chart. "And by the looks of things, it's almost here."

Some analysts believe the coming cultural sinkhole—the most intellectually and spiritually degrading moment conceivable by science or philosophy—will signal the end of mankind's decay and lead to a steady upward climb. Still, they warned, the event itself could be catastrophically lowbrow.

"With each passing minute, we're getting closer to a second Dark Ages," said noted art critic Mark Lefevre, tearing out pages from his report, folding each into a paper airplane, and tossing decades of hard work around the room. "Unless something is done to protect what little sophistication and refinement we have left, Western society may soon regress to a point of no return. We need to act, and act fast."

"Come on," added the two-time MacArthur "genius grant" recipient, before stripping down to his undergarments and brandishing an automatic assault rifle. "Let's get 'er done!"

Despite the panel's findings, many are skeptical that humanity will reach its lowest depths on Friday, claiming the humiliations are likely to continue as ever-smaller terrier breeds begin to outsmart their owners, and disgraced former congressman Tom DeLay appears in the new season of Dancing With The Stars.

Most chillingly, many agreed, is that while Michael Crichton's death has been a positive step, Dan Brown remains very much alive.

"We're talking about a society in which the name Newton is now more often associated with a fig-filled dessert than the scientist who revolutionized modern thought," biologist Howard Thurston said. "The human mind is endlessly inventive, and our species will always find new ways to completely discredit and embarrass itself."

As of press time, boobs.

Watchmen

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DTE Discounts Give 'Green' Light to Energy Efficient Bulbs

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DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is making it easier -- and more affordable -- for its Detroit Edison customers to make their homes greener and more energy efficient with discounts of up to 50 percent on compact fluorescent light bulbs. The specially priced bulbs are available now through DTE Energy at several area retailers for as little as 99 cents apiece.

"Lighting can be as much as 20 percent of the average customer's electric bill. A great way to reduce that amount is to replace the incandescent light bulbs in your home with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent lights," said Steve Kurmas, Detroit Edison president and chief operating officer. "CFLs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. That can translate into a savings of as much as $44 over the 10,000 hour lifetime of just one CFL."

The discounted CFLs are available at ACO, Costco, Home Depot, Meijer and Sam's Clubs throughout Detroit Edison's southeastern Michigan service territory. The specially priced CFLs also will be available at Kroger stores starting in October.

The CFL discounts are part of DTE Energy's Your Energy Savings initiative, designed to help its customers save money and help the environment by saving energy. As part of this effort, the company is introducing a number of other new energy efficiency programs this month including:

* Home Energy Audits. DTE Energy's MichCon natural gas customers can choose from three different onsite energy audits, starting as low as $25, to assess the energy efficiency of their homes and recommend steps for improvement. Customers who complete an audit can qualify for rebates of up to $1,500 for making those improvements. In addition, DTE Energy has a Web site tool, called MyEnergy Analyzer, which allows all customers to evaluate their homes online. Those who complete an online audit will receive a free energy efficiency kit valued at $25. MyEnergy Analyzer and additional information on home audits is available at YourEnergySavings.com.

* Energy Efficiency Assistance. DTE Energy is helping qualified low-income customers make energy efficiency improvements to their homes at no cost. The program includes: replacement of inefficient refrigerators, furnaces and water heaters with high efficiency models; installation of programmable thermostats and insulation; energy
conservation and weatherization education and more. Qualified low-income customers can enroll in this program through their local Community Action Agency. A list of these organizations is available at YourEnergySavings.com, or by contacting the Michigan Community Action Agency Association at (517) 321-7500.

* Multifamily Dwelling Program. DTE Energy is offering property managers and owners of multifamily buildings with more than five units an array of incentives to make energy efficiency upgrades at a fraction of the cost. Details are available at YourEnergySavings.com.

Since June, DTE Energy has been offering its Detroit Edison customers $50 for their old, energy guzzling refrigerators and freezers and hauling them away for recycling for free. Pick-ups can be scheduled online at YourEnergySavings.com or by calling (866) 796-0512.

In addition, DTE Energy will start offering rebates and special pricing in September to customers who purchase Energy Star qualified programmable thermostats, clothes washers, and low flow shower heads.

Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help consumers save money and protect the environment through the use of energy efficient products and practices.

© MMIX WWJ Radio, All Rights Reserved.

DDOT BUS SERVICE TO BE CUT

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"NO MORE BUS SERVICE ON SUNDAY, NO SATURDAY SERVICE AFTER 6 PM!"

Mayor Bing is going to cut this service starting SEPTEMBER 26, 2009!!!

Detroiters depend on the bus service to get to work, church and school.

Please Call the Mayor's office and ask him to reconsider this decision. "Cutting life essential services is not the solution to balancing the budget."

Mayor Bing's Office # (313) 224-3400
Let your voice be heard!

DDOT Holds Public Hearings for Proposed September 2009 Service Changes.

The public hearings for customer participation and awareness will be held at the following locations:

WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
5901 Conner Avenue, Detroit
Monday, August 24, 2009
10 a.m. -12 noon, and 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

ROSA PARKS TRANSIT CENTER
360 Michigan Avenue (at Cass), Detroit
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
10 a.m. -12 noon, and 6 p.m. -8 p.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD CITY HALL
7400 W. Vernor, Detroit
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
10 a.m. -12 noon, and 6 p.m. -8 p.m.

NORTHWEST ACTIVITIES CENTER
18100 Meyers, Detroit
Thursday, August 27, 2009
10 a.m. -12 noon, and 6 p.m. -8 p.m.

Please attend these hearings and provide input on the proposed changes. Public comments will also be accepted in writing, by mail and electronically from August 28 through September 7, 2009.

Comments may be mailed to:
Detroit Depatment of Transportation
Attention: Service Planning Division
1301 E. Warren, Detroit, MI 48207

Comments may also be emailed to:
ddotcomments@detroitmi.gov

If more information is required, please call DDOT's Customer Service Office at (313) 933-1300.
Sincerely,

Bush White House politics linked to terror alerts

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WASHINGTON — Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says pressure from fellow Cabinet members to raise the nation's terror alert level just before the 2004 presidential election helped convince him it was time to quit working for President George W. Bush.

In a new book, Ridge says that despite the urgings of former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft he objected to raising the security level, according to a publicity release from the book's publisher.

In the end the alert level was not changed.

Bush's former homeland security adviser, Frances Townsend, said Thursday that politics never played a role in determining alert levels.

Two tapes were released by al-Qaida in the weeks leading up to the election — one by terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and the other by a man calling himself "Azzam the American." Terrorism experts suspected that "Azzam the American" was Adam Gadahn, a 26-year-old Californian whom the FBI had been urgently seeking.

Townsend said the videotapes contained "very graphic" and "threatening" messages.

Ridge's publicist, Joe Rinaldi, said Ridge was out of town and was not doing interviews until his book, "The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege ... and How We Can Be Safe Again," is released on Sept. 1.

In 2004, Ridge explained why he didn't feel the alert should be raised. "We don't have to go to (code level) orange to take action in response either to these tapes or just general action to improve security around the country," he said then.

In 2005, months after he resigned, Ridge said his agency has been the most reluctant to raise the alert level. "There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?'" he said during a panel discussion in May 2005. But his book appears to be the first time he publicly attributes some of the pressure to politics.

The Homeland Security Department, which Ridge was the first person to lead, faced criticism in 2004 from Democrats who alleged that raising the alert level was designed to boost support for the Bush administration during an election year.

Ridge, who resigned on Nov. 30, 2004, said the episode convinced him to follow through with his plans to leave the Bush administration.

Townsend said that anytime there was a discussion of changing the alert level, she first spoke with Ridge and then, if necessary, called a meeting of the homeland security council comprising the secretaries of defense and homeland security, the attorney general and CIA and FBI directors. The group then made a recommendation to the president about whether the color-coded threat level should be raised.

"Never were politics ever discussed in this context in my presence," she said.

Asked if there was any reason for Ridge to have felt pressured, Townsend said: "He was certainly not pressured. And, by the way, he didn't object when it was raised and he certainly didn't object when it wasn't raised."

A former Republican congressman and governor of Pennsylvania, Ridge was widely named as a potential running mate to John McCain in 2008 before the GOP candidate chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.