Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 23 May 2013. More massive school & health care cuts!!!

In Utah a British Empire owned mining company, Kennecott, laid off 100 employees!  More layoffs are planned.  It’s blamed on a major landslide at the Bingham Canyon Mine, and the price of copper doesn’t justify the expense of clearing the landslide.

In Saint Louis, Missouri, non-profit Lighthouse for the Blind medical packaging company laid off 24 employees.  85% of its business comes from the federal government, specifically the Department of Defense, and those contracts are being cut.

In Oklahoma, the Christian God can’t stop 210 layoffs at the non-profit health care organization known as Saint John Health System!  Governor Mary Fallin is being blamed for refusing to expand Medicaid coverage, and they also blame the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act cuts to Medicare/Medicaid.

The McCready Memorial Hospital/Alice Byrd Tawes Nursing Home in Delaware, laid off 18 employees, and turned five full time jobs into part time jobs. It’s blamed on declining customers.

In Connecticut, the Christian God can’t stop an undisclosed amount of layoffs at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center!  It’s blamed on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

Want to burn your body fat with a laser?  Too late, the Texas company that sold such a device, Primcogent Solutions, now bankrupt.  Company officials said they were supposed to making money off licensing the use of the fat burning laser, but their investigations showed that the laser was a money losing operation.

Kansas based Cessna Aircraft lays off more employees. One month after offering voluntary buyouts to employees, Cessna officials say they will begin laying off an undisclosed number of employees.  Company officials blame crashing sales on the bad economy.

The Yeager Airport, in West Virginia, could layoff up to four employees, and eliminate three other positions.  It’s blamed on declining customers, and the loss of a route to Florida.

In Michigan, one week after announcing that 70 employees would be let go, Ann Arbor Board of Education gave the axe to 233 teachers!  The school district is short $8.67 million USD!

The Hattiesburg Public School District, in Mississippi, wants to layoff 20 teachers. They’re short $1.8 million!

In Pennsylvania, the state auditor general’s office laid off 67 employees.  The state office is short several million dollars, and they blame it on the governor.  A major east coast convenience store supplier, Cooper-Booth Wholesale, now bankrupt.  Apparently the federal government seized their bank accounts in connection to illegal cigarette smuggling.  In the Germantown section of Philadelphia, the NewCourtland nursing school closed after only three years of operations!  NewCourtland opened the school to provide nurses for its nursing homes operations, but then turned around and sold them off! And 56 employees with the Reading School District could lose their jobs.  The district is short $12 million, and apparently most people didn’t know it: “There’s a train wreck ready to happen, and the school district and the public need to hear it.”-Robert Peters, district CFO

The Elmbrook School District laying off 30 employees in Wisconsin.  It’s blamed on declining student enrollment and reduced government funding.

New York based flash sales website Totsy shutting down(?), after laying off all 83 employees! The company targets eco-freindly moms. Reports say the company burned through investors money as fast as they got it.  It also appears that flash sales websites were just a short lived fad.

In California, 115 years old Clifford’s Jewelry shut down in Chico! The owners wanted to retire, and apparently nobody in the family wanted to continue the business.  Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) closed down in Fountain Valley.  The Sears owned Hardware chain went bankrupt in June. The latest news is that Lowe’s might buy OSH from Sears.

And another Office Depot in Virginia bites the dust!

Another cafe closed in Maine, this time the Coffee Pot Cafe in Lincoln.  The owner blames the bad economy.

In South Carolina, Fred’s retail store closed down in Columbia. It’s the third store to close in the city this year. Since 2008 the company has been shutting down underperforming stores, due to the bad economy.

21 people became unemployed when the 45 years old Bienville Club closed down in Mobile, Alabama.  The owner blamed it on declining customers and increasing rent.  He says the property owner more than doubled the rent!

In Ohio, apparently the privately run children’s social program provider, Children’s Connection, shut down in Mount Vernon. And John Q’s Steakhouse closed in Cleveland. It was originally one of the first Stouffers Restaurants.  The owner wants to retire.

No more Gotham Tavern in Portland, Oregon.

In Hawaii, the Da Kitchen shut down in Honolulu, after only three years in business.  The restaurant owners did not like what the property owners wanted for rent.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 22 May 2013. Domestic spy company lays off even more employees!

Shell Vacations Club just put 45 employees on permanent vacation in Illinois.  Company officials say they’re restructuring.  And the Chicago School Board shutting down 49 schools!  They’re $1 billion USD in debt!

And California based domestic data collection and storage company (spying), NettApp, laying off 900 more employees around the World.  This is apparently in addition to the 1400 layoffs they announced just days prior!   Reports say NettApp refused to say how many jobs would be cut in the United States, however, they did say they were hiring 400 people for their Kansas spy center operations!

No more toys for Xmas?  Fisher Price laid off 100 people in Aurora, New York!  Company officials said they were moving production to California.  And Alteva phone company laying off about 20 people at it’s Warwick operations. They’ve been laying off employees since the beginning of the year.

In Ohio, the Fairport Harbor Village Council laid off two employees, and more layoffs are expected: “We have a lot of belt tightening to do around the village. With cuts to the local government funding, a major reduction in property tax evaluation and the defeat of the levy, we are where we are now financially.”-Tim Manross, Mayor

New York based public relations company Weber Shandwick laid off nine employees in Minnesota.  Company officials said it was consolidation of positions, as they expand operations in Europe.

In Mason County, West Virginia, the Felman Production electric arc furnaces at its ferroalloys factory are being shut down.  Employees, including managers, have been laid off.  The company says the price of silicomanganese is too low to justify continued operations.  They hope prices will go up so they can re-start operations.

In Pennsylvania, a Office Depot shut down in the West Goshen Town Center. It was store employees who notified the local news media. And the Christian God can’t stop the closing of the thrift Shop of Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr.  The manager resigned because he was tired of it, and church officials say none of their members want to take over management.

ACO Home, Garden & Hardware is closing 14 stores in Michigan!  They are trimming “underperforming” stores to make their investors happy.  The stores will close when they’ve sold off their inventory.

In Connecticut, the African-American Kente Cultural Center shut down.  The founder is blaming it on many things like competition, decreased revenues, lack of grants, and the existing board of directors want to quit and they can’t find anybody who wants to replace them!

What automotive industry recovery?  Florida based Allied Specialty Vehicles closed their Monaco RV factory in Indiana! 520 employees affected!  The company is moving production of their upscale Monaco recreational vehicle to Illinois.  Also, Allied Specialty Vehicles took over RV production from its competitor Navistar.

In Florida, the China Grill at the Hilton shut down.  The company that owns the restaurant says they are focusing on new restaurant projects.

In Ogden, Utah, two furniture stores, Knight’s Mattress & Furniture and Crown Elite Bedrooms, closed down.  The owners of Knight’s Mattress & Furniture say they are moving to a smaller store in another part of town, as well as focus mainly on mattress sales. No comment from the owner of Crown Elite Bedrooms.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 20-21 May 2013. More school cuts, more massive health care cuts!

Proof privately run charities can be evil: The 130 years old KidsPeace eugenics behavioral institute (aka Wiley House until 1992) now bankrupt after two decades of scandals.  The scandals involve seven children whose bones were broken, one boy who was raped and killed, one girl who died from an overdose of methadone, another girl who is now paralyzed from an overdose of methadone,  and a counselor who pled guilty to raping a teenage boy.  One more scandal, the current KidsPeace CEO, William Isemann, is blaming the bankruptcy on employees’ retirement plan.

In Sandusky, Ohio, the Christian God can’t stop one of His(Her?) book shops from shutting down.  J&R Gospel Gift Shop succumbed to financial apocalypse.  The owners stated that so far this year they sold a total of only three Bibles!  The 20 North Gallery closed in Toledo.  One of the owners is a property developer and says he will pursue other interests, including finding a new tenant to take over the art gallery space. In Miamisburg, the 115 years old Suttman’s Men’s & Boys’ Wear closed down.  The owner, who lived through the Great Depression, said the bad economy was a sign that it was time to retire.  The Contemporary Arts Center laid off four employees and cut salaries by 20%!  The art museum’s financial problems being blamed on the bad economy.   And Ohio based educational materials printer TPO Hess, now bankrupt.  Company officials blame massive cuts in the U.S. education system, due to the bad economy.

In Florida, the Manatee School District laying off 282 employees!  A spending freeze in effect, following state requirements for dealing with financial crisis: “We have not met our state mandated fund balance for the past two years. This will be the third year.”-Rick Mills, Superintendent

The state of Delaware announced more cuts to education.   State officials blame federal funding cuts, and are calling the situation “bleak”.  Several school districts have already begun laying off employees.  Interestingly, while other states are reporting declining student enrollment, Delaware is reporting increasing enrollment.

Fremont Community Schools in Indiana wants to layoff four teachers, and reduce the hours of seven others.  Ambulance maker SJC laying off 165 employees!  The company sold out to a competitor from Florida.

In Michigan, Ludington schools losing seven teachers, even though the school board approved a $1 million USD bond issue and hired a new superintendent.

The Spring Cove school board, in Pennsylvania, laid off four employees and raised local taxes.  Local news media report that the school board has done a good job of not explaining the schools’ budget problems to the public.  One local news report said that after a two hours school board meeting local taxpayers, who attended, were even more confused about what is going on.

In Louisiana, the Terrebonne Parish Schools closing four schools and laying off 60 employees! It’s blamed on declining enrollments and reduced funding.

You might not have heard of it but China’s Lenovo is the World’s 2nd largest personal computer maker, and it’s laying off employees in North Carolina.  The company blames crashing PC sales on smart phones and tablets.  The company refused to reveal how many people in the United States would lose their jobs, but the layoffs come as reports say Lenovo is about to buy IBM’s x86 server hardware business.  In 2009 Lenovo laid off 2500 employees around the World!

Supervalu laying off 700 Shaw’s supermarket employees!  Company officials claim they are not shutting down any grocery stores.  Shaw’s is the oldest supermarket in the U.S., founded in the 1860s.  They have stores in several north eastern U.S. states.  Supervalue officials blamed the layoffs on the fact that there is no economic recovery taking place!

Texas based Uranium Resources closing it’s offices in Albuquerque, Crownpoint and Grants, New Mexico.  The company is consolidating operations.

In Alabama, the state court system to layoff 150 employees starting in October!  This despite the governor increasing funding for the courts.  Court officials say they still need $8.5 million to stop the layoffs!

Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s making money.  Hollywood.com laying off employees.  It was revealed by laid off employees posting their job loss on the internet, unknown how many people got laid off.   In 2000 Hollywood.com laid off at least 35 employees.

Like your sports channel?  ESPN laid off 400 to 700 employees!  No exact number given but reports say at least 10% of ESPN employees are now unemployed.  Company officials say they are making changes “to enhance our continued growth”.  A former employee said no warning was given!

In California, Riverside County laid off more employees, this time 11 code enforcement officers.  In January they laid off nine code enforcement officers.   County official say they’ve lost more than $200 million in tax and fee revenues since 2007.  The Saint Anne’s Thrift Shop in Hollywood shut down.  They blame the property owner for jacking up the rent.  In Ripon the 33 years old Barnwood Restaurant closed.  The owner/chef blames it on physical injuries he suffered last year.  12 employees let go.

Xerox owned student loan processor, ACS, announced a second round of layoffs in Utica, New York.  At least 55 more employees unemployed.  It’s part of Xerox’s plans to shut down ACS, due to lack of student loan processing business (due to reduced student enrollments at colleges).  The Orange Regional Medical Center laid off 80 employees.  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!  The Catskill Regional Medical Center laid off 60 employees.  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

In Kanasas, the Christian God can’t stop 400 layoffs at the Christian health care organization known as Via Christi Health!  They blame it on declining hospital admissions and physician visits, as well as the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act cuts to Medicare/Medicaid.

In Wisconsin, the Christian God can’t stop 250 layoffs at the Christian hospital system known as Ministry Health Care!  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

In New Jersey, Toms Rivers Hospital laid off 68 employees and eliminated 85 positions!  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

In Minnesota, 500 people lost their jobs with medical device maker Medtronic!  It’s blamed on a decline in demand for heart devices, and, the new Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act medical device tax doesn’t help either.  Medtronic is also laying off 2000 employees around the World!  Last year they laid off 1000 employees globally!  Also, Sassy Pantz closed in Hopkins.  It’s being replaced with an estate sales store.

In Missouri, Macy’s closing their 89 years old Saint Louis store.  94 people out-o-work!  This apparently in addition to the closing of six other stores!  Macy’s officials blame crashing sales on the bad economy.   The Peoples National Bank and the PNC Bank announced they are closing one office each in Saint Louis.

After 91 years of business, the O’Donnell’s Sea Grill closed down in Maryland!  The owner said he’s tired of it.

In Tennessee, the Grand Pearle Assisted Living facility closed down.  Their license to operate was suspended after complaints were filed.  An investigation is ongoing.  And the 99 years old Knoxville Glove Company shut down!  The owner blamed it on cheaper imports and the fact that he can’t find enough young people who want to learn the tedious job of making gloves.

A Capri Jewelers store, in Virginia, closed down.  The company says they are now down to just one jewelry store.

In Washington, Star Video in Port Angeles is no more.  Reports say it was the last video store in Port Angeles.  The store manager said it had nothing to do with online competition, because her sales were good.  She had a lot of customers that did not use internet movie services.  She said the store’s owner sold out to a property developer!

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 17-19 May 2013. Another domestic spy company in trouble? Proof the recession is worse than the Great Depression!

Louisiana based Sandia Drilling, along with its Texas operations, now bankrupt.  The company provides drilling services to the oil industry.

A Houston, Texas, piano dealer now out-o-business, becasue California based Sherman Clay & Company said they are going to focus on other money making schemes and “…end our nearly 143 year run in the piano retail business.”

In Montana, after 90 years of business the Saverud Paint Shop in Kalispell closed down.  Even though the store survived the Great Depression of the 1930s, the current owners, Dale and Wayne Saverud, say this economic ‘recession’ is too much to handle!  And 300 people out-o-work!  A Texas based contract road construction company, Highway Technologies, shut down without notice!  A Montana employee who’d been with the company for 28 years said “My boss said….he had gotten a call from his boss that says today at 5 o’ clock that we were done, everybody. You feel like you’ve been kicked in the stomach.”-Steve Zetterberg

It turns out that Highway Technologies ceased operations without notice and laid off about 90% of its employees country wide!  Bankruptcy is in the works, with no explanation why.

The Eastern Oregon University eliminating 14 jobs and jacking up tuition by 5%.  It’s blamed on declining student enrollment.

In Ohio, the Bedford Public Schools laying off 17 teachers.  It’s blamed on declining enrollment and reduced state funding.  The school district has been laying off employees since 2011.

Yes AOL is still around, but the internet company is laying off about 40 employees from its Patch division.

In California, video game maker, Trion Worlds, laid off 100 employees according to some reports!  Company officials deny the reports, but did say people were laid off as the company moves from launching new games to development of existing games.  And another advertising company getting hit hard.  Goodby Silverstein & Partners laid off as many as 100 people!  Company officials blame it on clients canceling contracts like rats fleeing a sinking ship.

Blockbuster video closed stores in Colorado and Louisiana.  Its all part of the ongoing plan.

In New York, Big Picture DVD Superstore closed in Syracuse.  The owner specifically blamed movies being watched on computers and cell phones.  This was the last video rental store the owner had, after 30 years of operations.  And after more than 40 years of business,  Joe’s Dairy closed down in New York City.  One of the co-owners said they’ve been “burned” by unAmerican corporate America: “We can’t keep up with everybody else. It’s not the way it was when we first opened the store. It was more family oriented. The superstores came into existence and they blew everybody away.”-Anthony Campanelli

In Pennsylvania, the Arcadia Boutique closed. The owners are expanding their other stores.

Several Hooters restaurants closing in Wisconsin.  Its all part of the ongoing plan.

In Iowa, after 40 years of business The Nickelodeon Bar closed forever.  The property was sold to a bank.  And after 37 years Carter Lake Hardware & Variety shut down.  The family run store even had a contract post office.  The family says the economy sucks really bad: “The last five years have been really bad. We weren’t selling enough to go on. We were living from bank deposit to bank deposit. When you can’t even pay yourself, you’re done.”-Barb Melonis

In Hawaii, Sears announced the Kauai store closed.  40 people unemployed.  In Honolulu the GGP owned Sears closed down, 327 people out-o-work!

Party Planner shut down in Webster, Massachusetts.  The owner said after 25 years of running a business that’s almost consumed his life, he wants to retire.  And yet another domestic spying company is laying off employees.  This time provider of open sensor and big data processing systems, software and services for critical commercial, defense and intelligence applications, Mercury Systems laid off 142 people!  Company officials blame it on reduced federal funding.

In Nebraska another nail in the coffin of alternative fuels.  Ag Processing will permanently close their ethanol factory: “It just reflects the general industry trend of difficult economic times for ethanol plants.”-Matt Caswell

Hancock Bank and Whitney Bank have merged and are closing as many as 45 offices across five states, from Texas to Florida, beginning in August.

In Maryland, Comcast will layoff 145 employees in September!  Comcast has been consolidating call center operations and laying off hundreds of people across the country.

What automotive industry recovery?  Harley Davidson motorcycles laid off 140 full time and seasonal employees in Kansas City, Missouri!  Company officials refused to give local news media a reason.  Area Harley dealers told the media that sales are good, so they don’t understand the need for layoffs.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 16 May 2013. Property owners to blame!

Swiss based Novartis Consumer Health laid off 72 employees, and closed 41 open positions in their Lincoln, Nebraska factory.  Apparently these new job cuts are in addition to the 300 layoffs announced in April.

In Kentucky, Jefferson County Public Schools laying off 41 employees.  School officials blame it on declining enrollments of special needs children, and reduced federal funding.

After 37 years of selling teachers their supplies, Teacher’s Delight closed down in Indiana.  The owner says her business was destroyed when school officials began dictating to teachers where they could buy their supplies.  Perhaps school districts are getting kickbacks from certain school supply vendors?  In Bloomington, medical product manufacturer Hartmann USA halting production.  72 jobs affected.  Production being moved to South Carolina.

More advertising agencies making drastic cutbacks. BBDO and Goodby Silverstein & Partners laid off an undisclosed, but “significant” amount of employees.  The U.S. advertising industry is suffering from the bad economy.  After almost 80 years of working together, BBDO just lost their biggest client, Gillette, because of the bad economy!

In Minnesota, Communications Systems laid off 12 employees, blaming it on crashing sales in the fiber optics business.

The City of Hamilton, in Ohio, laid off six fire fighters.

In Nevada, the Smith Center for the Performing Arts laid off four employees.  They’ve been laying off employees since last year.

In Pennsylvania, Susquehanna Bank closing 16 offices!  Bank officials say they are trying to save money, and they blame customers switching to online banking.  The Eastern Dragon restaurant closed in Towamencin Township.  The restaurant is yet another business to leave the failing Towamencin Shopping Village.

In New Jersey, District 611 pizza restaurant closed after only seven months of business!  The owners blamed it on lack of customers, and an unreasonable property developer.  The Endless Vine wine store closed after 16 years of business.  It’s blamed on a death in the family.

In New Hampshire, the successful Saffron Bistro shut down.  It’s blamed on the property owner demanding unreasonable rent!

Authentically Amish Fine Furnishings out-o-business in Virginia, because the property owner jacked up the rent!

In Farmingdale, New York, Whirling Disc Records out-o-business.   Blamed on a death in the family.

In Jacksonville, Florida, the Taco Del Mar shut down after only one year in business in the Golden Oaks of Butler Point retail plaza!  The plaza is cursed with a history of high turn over of restaurants.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 15 May 2013. Another domestic spy company going down? Blue Cross outsources jobs from Idaho!

Rumors that California based domestic spying data collection and storage company, NettApp, is laying off 1400 employees!  Part of the rumors came from former EMC (also a domestic spying company, laid off 1800 employees) employees who said they’ve been hit with thousands of job inquiries from NettApp employees.  The NettApp layoffs are part of the company’s plans to get rid of poor performing departments.  Rumors also say NettApp is laying off employees in United Kingdom.  Also in California, Applebees closed their Arroyo Grande restaurant, Applebees is bankrupt.  The restaurant manager said Applebees plans on closing restaurants in Colorado and New Mexico.  Apparently the Dairy Queen in Livermore closed.  The city of Turlock plans to layoff 19 employees.  City officials say they’re short $1.7 million USD!

The Energizer bunny just keeps losing steam.  Reports that an undisclosed amount of employees at the Asheboro, North Carolina factory will be laid off. Energizer already laid off 100 people at the factory in March!  Advertising agency McKinney laid off 30 people in Durham. They blamed it on the loss of a major client, Qwest, who got bought out by Century Link. Two branch offices of BB&T bank closed in Columbus County.  Apparently the locations were too small townish for the bank, revenues being too low.  For many people they’ll have to drive 20 miles to the nearest bank!  (I say go cash only!)  And North Carolina based pharmaceutical services giant, Quintiles, announced 400 layoffs worldwide!  Interesting because at the same time company officials claim they have 900 positions available?

CPM Federal Credit Union closed three branch offices in South Carolina.  The credit union is “restructuring”.

In Pennsylvania, the PNC Bank closing ten offices in the Pittsburgh area!  They’ve already closed 65 offices, and plan to close a total of 200 offices across the eastern U.S. by the end of this year!  Bank officials claim that most of their customers have switched to online banking.

In Maryland, the First Mariner Bank to close three offices in three cities.  Bank officials said they had to cut costs, and that many customers switched to online banking.

United kingdom based Too Big to Jail HSBC bank laying off 14000 people around the World!!!  Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver is already responsible for killing 46000 jobs and 52 businesses around the World!!!  Gulliver told analysts “We’re not even halfway through unlocking the value in HSBC.”  HSBC has hundreds of offices in the U.S., and owns several buildings in New York.

United Kingdom based Too Big to Jail RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) revealed they will layoff more people around the World (at least 1400), and close more offices.  In 2008-09 RBS got the biggest bank bailout in the World!  They’ve already laid off 37000 people!  RBS operates in the U.S. through Rhode Island based Citizens Financial Group (Citizens Bank and Charter One).

In New York, Ulster County warned employees at the Golden Hill nursing home that layoffs were coming.  The nursing home is being sold!  And the Malone Veterans Affairs clinic being closed down in August.  Apparently it has something to do with the number of veterans seeking help dropping below the magic 700 mark.

In Ohio, Mercy Hospital eliminated 18 jobs, blamed on decreased customers and decreased funding caused by the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance laid off 55 people across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Utah (some reports said 56).  Regence is outsourcing claims processing to a company in New Jersey.

In Hood River, Oregon, CenturyLink closed a call center and laid off 51 employees.  After 40 years of business, For What It’s Worth Records shut down in Clackamas.  The owner doesn’t blame internet competition, because he says he has stuff you can’t get on the internet.  Instead he blames the recent 60% increase in international shipping rates by the USPS.  Most his customers are in other countries. (I can relate to that, and the main streamer news media said the rate hikes wouldn’t affect online businesses!)

In Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Building 19 discount store closed down.  The owners blame the bad economy: “We did everything we could to keep that store alive, but it just didn’t make sense for us. We have people who have worked at that store for 20 years, 30 years, back to the days of Spag’s.”-William Elovitz

IBM laid off 17 contract workers at its Essex Junction factory in Vermont.  IBM is moving jobs to Argentina and China.

In Michigan, New Yorker children’s clothing store closed after 76 years of business!  The owners said their decision to get out of the business is “Just in time.”, regarding the bad economy.  They also blamed unAmerican corporate America for destroying mom & pop operations: “It’s just mom and pop retail. It’s just old time retail. We talk to everybody and try to help them out. We’ve been here a long time.”-Jack Karr

Germany based steel company, ThyssenKrupp, to layoff at least 3000 people around the World, and sell off its Brazil and U.S. steel factories!

In Florida, the city of Vero Beach says it needs to cut $2.2 million from the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, which means layoffs are coming.   Flagler County Schools warned of possible layoffs for 28 employees.  It all depends on voters who are willing to screw themselves by voting for a new tax to support the schools.  In Sharpes, Corky Bell’s Seafood Restaurant closed.  It’s blamed on NASA downsizing at nearby Kennedy Space Center.

The publisher of Parenting and Baby Talk magazines sold out to the publisher of Parent and American Baby magazines.  The result is 65 people lost their jobs.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

U.S. Civil War / Martial Law: Michigan first to go down, meets definition of “Failed State”!

25 July 2013 (15:53 UTC-07 Tango)/17 Ramadan 1434/03 Mordad 1391/18 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711

“A failed state is a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government.”-Wikipedia

The metropolis of Detroit became the biggest U.S. city to go bankrupt!  Yesterday, a federal judge blocked any challenges to the bankruptcy, including a challenge by a Michigan state judge!  Detroit is in debt by at least $18 billion USD.  The bankruptcy will rob retired and current city employees of their retirement funds (which they paid into).

Despite, or maybe because of the bankruptcy, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) board approved issuing up to $450 million in bonds to finance construction of a $650 million project, that includes a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings!  The MSF also approved $200 million for other parts of the bankrupt city of Detroit.  Hello, aren’t bonds a form of debt that the taxpayers have to cover?  So now the state of Michigan is going deeper into debt for the sake of failed Detroit?

And despite state officials putting state taxpayers on the line for the Detroit Red Wings, the governor of Michigan just stated that he wants no federal bailout money for Detroit.  Do you see how mixed up things are at the leadership level?

A Detroit area physical therapist assistant pled guilty to taking part in a scam that ripped off Medicare by $22 million!

The city of Flint, like Detroit, is under emergency management.  However, today the Emergency Manager, Mike Brown, said they are not currently considering bankruptcy.  The smaller city of Flint is in debt by at least $19.1 million.

Get this, a man was just found guilty of stealing $100000 worth of tools and metals from General Motors.  The man is suspected of being the ringleader of a metal pirate group that targeted metal items belonging to GM in a storage facility in Howell.  They were selling the metal to recyclers.

According to Bridge Magazine, things are so bad in Detroit and Flint that people are stripping buildings of metal, including the buildings that are still occupied!  Even the Christian God can’t stop the metal pirates from stripping churches.  They take everything metal, like plumbing, wiring, siding, metal statues of Jesus.  Even the mausoleum doors from Woodmere Cemetery and parts of the copper roof of Holy Redeemer Church were stolen.  It’s so bad that retired FBI agents have formed NAZIistic non-profit pseudo-governmental groups to fight the metal pirates, because the government has failed: “Right now the burden is on the property owner. What are you supposed to do, stand guard seven days a week? Because that’s what it would take.”-Andrew Arena, non-profit pseudo-governmental agency Detroit Crime Commission

Michigan’s oil refining industry is a big fail, even with the glut of oil coming from North Dakota and Canada!  According to U.S. News & World Report, four out of the five refineries in the Great Lakes region were out of action at some point due to maintenance problems.  The result is that many Great Lakes states pay more for fuel than Hawaii or California.  Michigan has one of those five Great Lakes refineries, and only now the NAZIistic right to work you over lawmakers decided maybe Michigan should build a second refinery!   The plan would give the company that builds/operates it massive tax breaks for ten years, however, Detroit’s bankruptcy just might have nixed any financial support for such a plan.  Perfect example of too little too late.

And while Michigan ‘elected’ officials love to give unAmerican corporate America huge tax breaks, they’re refusing to use any of the state emergency school funds to stop the wholesale destruction of public schools.  Schools across Michigan have laid off thousands of employees in the past few years.  Inkster Public Schools laid off all their teachers!!!  The entire Buena Vista School District ceased to exist!!!  Prime examples of Failed State!

The Michigan Department of Transportation claims so far this year 440 people were killed on highways.  State Transportation Director, Kirk T. Steudle, called that number a “startling statistic” but expects it to go much higher, despite all the other police enforced campaigns to make people drive safer.  What does that tell you about the mind set of the people who drive Michigan’s highways?  They don’t care anymore!

Michigan’s ‘official’ unemployment rate went up in June, compared to May.  In May it was 8.4%, in June it hit 9.4%! (all 17 of Michigan’s labor markets reported increased unemployment!)

Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) warning people to beware of scammers posing as unemployment consultants.  However, it turns out that those consultants were part of the 400 UIA employees who got laid off last year! Those former UIA employees say they started their consulting businesses to help people apply for unemployment compensation through a government system that’s obviously set up to fail: “It’s like an act of Congress sometimes to try to get through to them and people are frustrated when they do call. They’d tell me we were on hold for an hour then the system kicked them off for high volume.”-Manuel Delgado, former UIA employee

Michiganders recently demonstrated for an increase to state and federal minimum wages.  And increasing part time jobs are not considered a good thing: “When we see that the number of involuntary part time workers more than doubled, that’s yet one more indication of the severity of the damage caused by the financial crisis.”-Charles Ballard, Michigan State University

Anyone watching news reports should notice an increase in violet crimes, however the latest ‘official’ federal government data are from 2011.  It shows property crimes in Michigan at 26 per 1000 residents, the national median is 29 per 1000.  Violent crime in Michigan hit 4.4 per 1000 in 2011, the national median being 3.9 per 1000.   ‘Official’ 2012 data will not be released until Autumn 2013.

At the end of 2012, Wayne State University held a two day forum on the increasing level of crime in Detroit. They called the forum City Under Siege.

I have neighbors who recently moved to Idaho from a suburb of Flint.  The man expressed how peaceful it was here in Chubbuck.  He told me how they were afraid to be outside their house when the sun went down in Michigan, because there were so many random shootings.  He also told me about the lie of the great automotive industry.  Even though he spent decades working for GM (I think he said GM) he never went a full year without being laid off.  Jobs were never ever steady.  He followed his son to Idaho, who recently got a job with an east Idaho school district.  I assume his son was one of the many victims of the slashing and burning of Michigan’s education system.

Another sign of a Failed State is “loss of control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force”.  This means the government can’t enforce laws, usually because the public has lost all faith in the government (after all, you pay your taxes and what do you get in return? Less and less year after year!).  Becoming a police state is actually a sign of “loss of control”.

The creation of the pseudo-governmental agency known as Detroit Crime Commission (DCC) is a prime example.  In 2012 the DCC began asking retired FBI and retired state police officers to volunteer with their group to conduct law enforcement patrols.  The non-profit “charity”DCC was founded and is run by former FBI agents, and receives federal grants besides public donations.

It looks like the DCC has also taken over the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.  DCC even partnered with Geofeedia for the 2012 World Series games, and used social media to spy on the public: “The end result was a large volume of social media reviewed and monitored by the law enforcement agencies entrusted with providing security for the World Series.  As social media posts emerged that developed into situations, the Command Center directed field officers to those locations.”-Detroit Crime Commission: Securing the 2012 World Series through real-time, location based social media monitoring

I think Detroit/Michigan qualifies as failed under the “loss of control of its territory“ category, because government officials have turned over their “monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force“ to a non-profit pseudo-governmental agency known as Detroit Crime Commission.  It won’t be long before Michigan becomes a police state run by government contractors.

Michigan is a failed state.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 13-14 May 2013. Massive education cuts in Michigan, entire school districts closed down!!! Massive health care cuts!

Despite all those print media companies blaming the internet for their demise, an internet news media source is now bankrupt.  New York based Main Street Connect, which operates “hyperlocal” news websites, blames it on debts that are double their assets, and two lawsuits by former employees claiming the company violated federal labor laws.  Back in March, Main Street Connect shut down all its Massachusetts websites and laid off 45 employees.  And a New York based internet wine seller laid off another 11 employees.  Lot18 now has 36 employees, last year they had 100.  It turns out that shipping wine from internet or mail order sales is actually expensive.

Publisher of print and digital learning services, Cengage Learning, warned of a coming bankruptcy after a 22% drop in revenues: “….There can be no assurance that any of our attempts to refinance our indebtedness will be successful…..any of the forgoing alternatives may individually, or in aggregate, have material adverse effects on our business and therefore raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern…”

The Northport-East Northport School District, in New York wants to layoff off 18 teachers.  It’s blamed on an expected loss of 189 students for the upcoming school year!

The school districts of Trumbull and Shelton, in Connecticut, canceled their contracted First Student bus service contracts.  170 bus drivers unemployed!

In New Jersey, Deptford Township Schools laid off 11 employees. It’s blamed on declining student enrollment.  In Bernardsville, BaseCamp Adventure Outfitters shut down.  The owners said they can not compete with internet stores.

In Michigan, the Howell Public Schools laid off 21 employees.  Pontiac School District officials warning of “massive” layoffs.  The Goodrich School District will layoff teachers, staff, outsource bus drivers, eliminate assistant principals, outsource athletic directors, eliminate bus stops and outsource secretaries.  The Flint School District laying off 138 teachers now, and 150 more over the next three years!  After laying off 127 employees last year, the Saginaw School District wants to layoff 150 more this year! Marshall High School shut down in Albion. Ypsilanti and Willow Run consolidating their school districts, rendering 200 employees jobless!  Wealthier Ann Arbor Public Schools laying off 70 employees.  Inkster Public Schools laid off all their teachers!!!  The entire Buena Vista School District ceased to exist!!!  The people of Michigan have pointed out that NAZIistic right to work you over state officials are refusing to use the hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in emergency school funds to stop the wholesale destruction of public schools, while unAmerican corporate America continue to get massive state tax breaks!  To make things worse, Hemlock Semiconductor laid off 50 employees at its Thomas Township factory.  It’s blamed on the solar power polysilicon industry crash caused by Obama.  And New York based Pall Corporation closing its Ann Arbor Pall Life Sciences operations.  71 employees affected.  It might have something to do with its new office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  The city of Ann Arbor now suing Pall Corporation, saying the company contaminated the local water supply with dioxane (locally known as the Unit E Plume).

In Missouri, Chartwells Dining Services lost their contract with the Saint Louis Public Schools.  217 people out-o-work!  And Liberty Hospital laid off 129 employees!  Hospital officials say they are prepping for Obama’s Affordable Care Act that will reduce Medicare/Medicaid payments to hospitals when it takes effect in January 2014.

The merger of U.S. Analogic with Canadian Ultrasonix Medical will result in 140 people losing their jobs in Colorado and Vancouver!

In California, Dignity Health laying off 150 employees in Sacramento, and 300 in Stockton!  It’s due to the sale of their lab services to a New Jersey company.  And California based Agilient Technologies laying off 450 people!  The company makes medical testing equipment, and has been busy taking over European companies.  Video game maker, Gree, laid off 30 people in San Francisco.  Company officials say it’s part of their plans to move to the next gen of social media games.

The labs of Astellas’ OSI Pharmaceuticals subsidiary at the Broad Hollow Business Park in Farmingdale, New York, and of the Perseid Therapeutics subsidiary in Redwood City, California, will be closed.  At least 200 jobs lost to the company’s new Tsukuba Research Center in Japan!

Liberty Medical Supply, in Florida, laying off 211 employees!  Liberty Medical already laid off 260 employees in January, then went bankrupt in February!  Local employment services have been asked to help as more layoffs are planned.

The Pfizer operations in Bristol, Tennessee, laid off 25 employees. It’s blamed on the second recall of their drug Levoxy.

In Texas, Galt Medical shutting down their Garland factory over the next two years.  139 people unemployed!  Galt specializes in medical devices, which are going to be hit with a massive tax under the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!  And electrical power company, AES NA Central, shut down its Woodlands office.  59 Texans laid off.

In Indiana, a new company that hoped to help people with disabilities, is already out-o-business.  Warner Transitional Services shut down and laid off 112 people!  Company officials said the state Family and Social Services Administration would not approve their operations.

In Pennsylvania, the Schuylkill County Housing Authority laid off six employees.  The Pottsville Housing Authority laid off one employee.  It’s blamed on reduced funding.   University City’s Tria Wine Room closed down.  The owner said business wasn’t good enough.

The Eddie Bauer store closed in the Bayshore Town Center, Wisconsin.  And Ruhama’s Yarn and Needlepoint shut down after 52 years of business.  The owner wanted to retire years ago, but was trying to sell the store.  She finally gave up.

In Arlington, Massachusetts, the Holovak & Coughlin Sporting Goods shut down after 49 years in business.  The family owners say the economy is too bad for retail sales, they will switch to other types of sales.

Schreiber Foods shutting down their Gainesville, Georgia, factory.  250 employees affected!  Company officials blame “competition”.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 11-12 May 2013. Thousands more layoffs! More education cuts! More Obama Care cuts!

In Washington, the Spokane Country Club now bankrupt after losing gender discrimination lawsuit.  And Boeing will layoff 1500 IT employees in Puget Sound!  Over the next three years IT operations will be moved to Missouri and South Carolina.  The Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital laid off 19 employees.  It’s blamed on declining customers, and that damned Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care) for drastic cuts to Medicare and Medicaid funding. And Tacoma Public Schools wants to let go at least 10 career and tech teachers.  It’s blamed on reduced state funding and declining enrollment. (I’ve asked this before: Where are all the students going?)

In Indiana, orthopedic products maker Zimmer laid off at least 50 employees.  Company officials blame it on that damned Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care), which created a new federal medical device tax.

In New York, the volunteer run children’s charity High Top Shop shut down.  The operators think they can raise more money by going back to their grass roots fundraising efforts.  The Ticonderoga School District says it needs to layoff about 12 employees and raise local taxes. They’re in debt, and funding is being reduced.

The Brandywine School District, in Delaware, laying off 19 employees.  Teachers blame the state government: “The state needs to recognize and fund technology support. The state has so many demands on the school districts to implement all this technology that they don’t want to pay for people to run it, and that’s where we’re stuck right now.”-Karen Kennedy, Federation Local 762

In Kentucky, Union College laid off 11 employees.  College officials said they must become more efficient, it was cut the jobs or raise tuition by 30%!

In oil rich North Dakota, the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota laid off eight employees. It’s blamed on reduced federal funding, and reduced funding from energy companies.

South Carolina based Kemet laid off 202 employees globally.  More layoffs planned.  They blame it on crashing sales of their capacitors.  Beaufort County’s only camera and photo shop shut down.  The owners of Island Photo and Camera blamed the bad economy and internet competition.

In Florida, food service company FreshPoint North Florida let go at least 79 employees.  The company has been laying off employees and closing operations around the country since last year.  I haven’t found an article that explains why.  Also, U.S. Navy contractor East Coast Repair and Fabrication announced more layoffs.  At least ten people will loose their jobs in August.  In April 25 people lost their jobs.  It’s blamed on uncertainties about federal taxpayer funding.

More layoffs for Pratt & Whitney.  At least 3000 jobs to be cut by the end of the year!  The company is ending its military F100 and F117 jet engine programs.

In Texas, Texarkana’s Twice as Nice Fashions shut down after 41 years in business.

The August Wilson Center for African American Culture, in Pennsylvania, laid off about 10 employees (half its staff), and ended free admissions.  The Center has not been able to make payments on a $7 million USD loan!

In Ohio, J. Gumbo’s Cajun & Creole restaurant closed.  It actually closed at the end of April without notice.  The owners are not happy campers: “Wasn’t in the budget. Hence we’re closed!”

Loopy’s Dollar store closed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The stores have been closing across South Dakota in the past two years.

In Michigan, Second Chance Clothing closed after 30 years of business.  The owners said the economy is so bad they can’t even break even.

Louisiana based IberiaBank closing nine branch offices by the end of this year.  It’s not the first time, and bank officials blame the bad economy: “We’ve taken small bites of this before, but again considering circumstances, a larger bite is necessary.”-Michael Brown, COO

In New Jersey, after 60 years of movies, the Allwood Cinema 6 in Clifton  closed.  The theater is another victim of the Romney style vulture capitalist Bow Tie Cinemas.

After 62 years of operations, The Floor Shop in Fredericksburg, Virginia, closed down.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

Business/Economics, International

Environmental Martial law: No more charcoal fired BBQs?

24 July 2013 (23:14 UTC-07 Tango 23 July 2013)/16 Ramadan 1434/02 Mordad 1391/17 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711

A study is blaming increased particulate mater (PM) in the air on open air BBQs.

The Beijing News and Green Beagle Environment Institute study done in Beijing, China, said open air charcoal fired Bar-B-Ques increased PM by 2.5 levels.  It’s also claimed that charcoal BBQs produce poison gas as well.

You can see where the environmental NAZIs are going with this study.