Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 11 June 2015: “We’re not making any money anymore…” Tax breaks for companies getting vicious, companies being paid with tax dollars to kill jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Newport Beach, after 25 years restaurant Jackshrimp shutdown. The owner did not renew the lease and implied he was being pushed out by greedy property developers.  In Red Bluff, after four years the owners of 3 Generations Arts & Shop announced they will shutdown by July.  News reports didn’t say why.

Delaware: In Dover, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 25 years old Branch Christian Bookstore.  The owner said “We just couldn’t compete anymore.”

Florida:  The city of Palm Bay warned that they are so low on cash that they might have to layoff 45 employees, just so they can pay for much needed road repairs without raising taxes.

Idaho: In Boise, the Chili’s restaurant on West Franklin Road (near Boise Towne Square mall) shutting down.  The Montana based franchise owner says they are getting outta Boise and moving to Nampa.   Is bankruptcy next for the unlucky Lucky Friday Mine near Mullan?  The silver mine is owned by troubled Hecla Mining.  In April 2011 the Lucky Friday Mine was hit by a rock fall that killed one employee.  In November 2011 the mine was shutdown for 12 months by a second rock fall that trapped several miners.  At the end of 2013 four of those employees, that were trapped, sued Hecla for $1-million USD saying the company violated federal mine safety rules.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice investigated Lucky Friday Mine and concluded, in 2014, that Hecla committed at least 5-hundred violations of federal regulations (mostly pollution violations).  Just days ago Hecla agreed to pay a $600-thousand fine.  About 1-hundred people work at the mine.

Maryland: The Bel Air Wallgreens is the latest victim of the legal drugs pusher’s (now called Walgreens-Boots Alliance) plan to shutdown 2-hundred stores across the country.

Massachusetts: The city of Fall River laid off 90 employees.  The mayor is also pushing for a new $10 per month trash fee (which is less than what I’m paying here in Chubbuck, Idaho).  Fall River is missing $6.5-million.

Michigan: The city of Saginaw warned it must shutdown two fire stations and eliminate jobs.  Yet again, this is a case of a city relying on federal taxpayer funded grant money, which expires at the end of June.  Suttons Bay Public Schools laid off at least five teachers.  Administrators said they had to take drastic action to get the school district back in the ‘black’, or face a takeover by state administrators.

Minnesota: The Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam shutdown in an effort to stop the spread of invasive carp.

Missouri: Katy Industries WARNed they will shutdown their Bridgeton facility and layoff 155 people!  They’re moving operations to Jefferson City.  It was revealed that Jefferson City and Cole County bribed Kay Industries with tax breaks, which required them to kill off the 155 jobs in Bridgeton (the jobs must be created new for Jefferson City)!

Nebraska: What housing market recovery? Omaha based Mutual of Omaha Bank announced it is shutting down home loan offices in Lincoln and in Fort Myers, Florida.   Mutual of Omaha has contracted out their mortgage serving ops to Guild Mortgage.

New Hampshire: Hamden Board of Education blames what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome for forcing them to eliminate 24 jobs. Reports say the junior high lost 86 students since last year, and the high school lost 4-hundred over the past seven years.

New Jersey: What automotive industry recovery?  “global diversified technology and industrial leader” Johnson Controls issued a shutdown WARN for five locations connected to its automotive division, at least 310 jobs lost!  It’s part of the Wisconsin based company’s plan to get out of the automotive parts making business.  Stop & Shop announced they’re shutting down their Manalapan grocery store in July, 80 jobs affected.  A local grocery store analyst says profits for food stores has become “very, very, tight”.   Another analyst blames the grocery store shutdowns on ShopRite, who is now “dominating the supermarket landscape in New Jersey.”

New York: Clothier J.Crew laid off 175 people at its NYC HQ!  Company administrators said they are preparing for the “future”.  In Forrest Hill, 20 years old teenager clothing store Strawberry shutdown.  News reports say it’s one of many stores that have shutdown in the same area, all blaming outrageously jacked up rents! Reports say landlords refuse to talk to the local news media.  ObamaCare forcing Brooklyn Kidney Center to sell-off their New York Dialysis Services, 65 jobs threatened.

Oklahoma: Sand Ridge Energy laid off 40 people in Alva.  Local news reports say administrators refuse to explain why.  Also, local news reports said the company tried to keep the layoffs quiet, and even refused to acknowledge them when questioned.

Oregon: What construction industry recovery? After 60 years the Allen’s Mill shutdown, 45 jobs lost.  The lumber mill’s general manager blames bad timber and a strong U.S. dollar: “The current log situation is so sad, you can’t buy a predictable supply of marketable logs……It is just a sign of the times, a strong U.S. dollar…..puts log exports at a disadvantage.”-Gerry Lane

Pennsylvania: The second-oldest Jewish newspaper in America, Jewish Exponent, laid off 15 people.  Managers said they are out-sourcing jobs in an effort to save the company, admitting they’ve been losing about $300-thousand per year!

Tennessee: British empire Scotland owned Weir Minerals shutdown their Gallatin operations, 47 jobs lost: “The demands of our customers are declining with plant closures throughout the coal, steel and power industries in recent years and less money being spent on original equipment in the hard rock mining and oil sands markets.”-Aaron Ravenscroft

Virginia: Tax-sucker Raytheon lost their spy satellite contract with the federal government (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency), 59 jobs lost in Springfield.  In Norfolk, decades old O’Sullivan’s Wharf restaurant suddenly shutdown. The owners would only say “Friends, family, customers, neighbors it is with a heavy heart we announce that today will be our final day open for business.”  In Hampton, the 45 years old Cesar Tarrant Elementary School shutdown due to what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.   After 16 years Vacuum Store Sales & Services in Leesburg shutting down.  The owner blames the greedy landlord: “I got priced out of the area. They want way too much money for these spaces and didn’t want to negotiate. We’re not making any money anymore as it is.”-Bob Baird

07 – 09 June 2015: “It was so humiliating to train somebody else to take over your job!” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 June 2015: “It was so humiliating to train somebody else to take over your job! I still can’t grasp it!” Disney kills U.S. jobs with foreigners! World’s richest man shuts down oil company!

Stock market analysts warning of a massive crash coming:

“Companies are tilting the results and the analysts are buying it….

…What if they said they’re going to pay for rent by issuing stock?”-Tom Brown, Second Curve Capital

“The analysts aren’t doing enough to get behind the numbers that management gives them to find out what’s really going on.”-Lynn Turner, former Securities and Exchange Commission accountant

“The longer the rally, the bigger the downside because of all the smoke and mirrors.”-John Del Vecchio, asset manager

“The data is more confusing than it’s been in a long time, and the reason is all the ‘junk’ they put in the numbers.”-Michael Lewitt, Credit Strategist Group

“People [investors] just want to know the number. They don’t care how the sausage is made.”-Michelle Leder, financial analyst with Footnoted.com

Also, what housing market recovery? Federal administrators have changed the real estate sales closing rules.  The Truth in Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (TILA-RESPA) created new home selling rules supposedly to help buyers understand the process, and to ensure that buyers aren’t getting ripped off on their home loan.  Those rules go into effect in August.  However, when I looked at it, it just looks like a heck of a lot more smoke-n-mirrors fine print and it will probably delay home sales, and drive closing costs up.

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: News reports warn that 16-thousand state employees will be laid off if politicians can’t agree on a new budget by 01 July.

California: Albertsons-Safeway issued yet another WARN saying eight more employees will be let go from Safeway‘s Pleasanton HQ, in August.  Back in February, Southern California Edison laid off 4-hundred U.S. citizens, and then replaced then with migrant workers from other countries!  What housing market recovery?  Costa Mesa based 28 years old home decor chain-store Anna’s Linens on the verge of bankruptcy.  Company administrators admit they are trying to sell-off the business.  3-hundred stores across the U.S. will be affected.  Dating app Tinder laid off six employees.  Monterey County has shutdown access to Lake San Antonio, there’s literally no more water.

Florida:  Too Big to Jail Bank of America is shutting down 14 drive-thru teller windows throughout The Sunshine State.  In Orlando, it’s been revealed by former U.S. employees of Disney that they were replaced with migrant workers.  250 U.S. citizens have been laid off at the Disney amusement park in Florida, since October 2014!  An unnamed former employee said they were forced to train their foreign replacements: “I just couldn’t believe they could fly people in to sit at our desks and take over our jobs exactly. It was so humiliating to train somebody else to take over your job! I still can’t grasp it!”

Georgia: Yarn maker Mohawk Industries shutting down their Chatsworth factory in August, 156 jobs affected!  The company is consolidating operations to newer factories.

Idaho: In Coeur d’Alene, youth outreach program Crosswalk North Idaho shutdown due to having its federal taxpayer funding canceled.  Also in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Youth Ranch announced they must shutdown their Anchor House addiction treatment center for boys, it will be re-purposed as a family resource center.

Illinois: God refuses to stop ‘his’ Catholic Charities from shutting down two family shelters and two child development centers by July. The religious organization blames lack of taxpayer funding.  In the U.S., religion is supposed to be separate from government!

Michigan: Injection molder Klein Plastics laid off 74 employees in a first round of layoffs.  Its part of parent company’s Klein Tools’ plan to consolidate its Michigan and Illinois operations to Texas by 2016.  In Ferndale, restaurant Torino suddenly shutdown.  The owners claim that Health Department rules do not allow them to serve the type of food they offer where they are located: “This week we were visited by the Health Department and together we have determined that it is no longer possible to continue serving a menu of our caliber due to the current size of our facility.”

Minnesota: Minnetonka based food processor Cargill laid off 45 more IT (information technology) employees, blaming the not recovered economy.

Missouri:   Chesterfield based oil pipe maker Boomerang Tube now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Reports say creditors could be taking over the company. Boomerang Tube was started by Len Blavatnik, who (according to some news reports) is now considered the World’s richest man. Saint Louis based coal company Peabody Energy eliminating 250 jobs! Administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to cut costs by $45-million USD. In Saint Charles, the Saint Andrews second run movie theater shutdown.  As with many other movie theater shutdowns they probably couldn’t afford to upgrade to digital.

Montana: What housing market recovery?  Cross-laminated lumber maker SmartLam revealed they laid off at least nine employees last week.  Administrators say they are trying to diversify their customer base as they admitted they’ve been focused only on building construction in the oil industry.

Nebraska:  The Nebraska Bookstore shutdown, 20 jobs lost.  Reports say it’s being sold to  the University of Nebraska for $4.75-million.

New Jersey: God refuses to stop the shutdown of two of ‘his’ churches.  In Atlantic City, Saint Michael‘s and Saint Monica‘s will shutdown as the Catholic community will be forced by the Diocese of Camden into one parish.  Catholic administrators blame massive debts and the growing exodus of people on the city’s collapsed gambling industry, and warned more bad things are coming: “The consolidations are not done. There will be more as we go forward.”

New York: Eight years old bakery Sherry Lynn’s Gluten Free shutdown. The owners blamed “struggles keeping this store open”.   Euromarket Designs announced they’re shutting down their big Crate & Barrel store in NYC by August, 137 jobs lost!  NYC based Time Incorporated blasted their managers for apologizing to employees who are being laid off!  At least 11 of their U.S. jobs were off-shored to Philippines.  Local news reports say a total of 80 IT (information tech) workers for Time will be laid off.  A manual on how to fire employees was issued to Time Inc. managers, and somebody  leaked it to the news media, it stated “Don’t say you’re sorry”.  After ten years art venue Proteus Gowanus shutting down, but not because of lack of interest.  The operators said they’ve become too successful, but it was never their intent to create a commercialized/institutionalized/corporatized arts center.  Keep raging against the Machine!  After 40 years the La Marmite restaurant shutdown.

North Carolina: The 20 years old High Point Pier 1 Imports store shutdown.  It’s part of the Texas based company’s plan to shutdown 1-hundred stores this year!

Oregon: The Alhambra music theater shutting down, yet again.  This time it’s blamed on the landlord.

Rhode Island:  The Lonsdale Fire District discovered they have a grand total of $14-thousand to operate on and must layoff all full-time firefighters!  Taxpayers are demanding to know what happened to the money as fire district administrators never warned of any financial problems.

Texas: What housing market recovery?  Houston based real estate company PM Realty Group announced it must eliminated 52 jobs in July.  The jobs were part of a contract to maintain an office building for oil company Chevron.

Virginia:  The iconic Virginia Beach 66 years old Oceanfront Dairy Queen shutting down due to greedy property developers. Property developers forced, I mean convinced family owners to sell it to them. It will be torn down in September to make room for two big hotel developments.  Richmond based Health Diagnostic Laboratory now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, after announcing it will layoff 42 more employees across the country. Last year the medical testing company laid off 162 people! It’s connected to a federal investigation, and subsequent $47-million fine, in which the company is accused of bribing doctors and hospitals.

Washington: What was that about legalized marijuana saving the economy? The evil ‘lawmakers’ passed a new law banning anymore new marijuana shops.  Already the city of Seattle has issued shutdown notices to eight ganja shops!  Three weed sellers have filed lawsuits against the city.  Also in the evil city of Seattle, 38 years old Cinema Books shutdown, the owner was struggling with competing with ‘Big Box’ stores, but the final straw was construction projects that blocked customers. News media say several business in the area report crashing sales due to the fact the construction projects destroyed parking for customers.  What construction industry recovery? After 75 years the Seattle-Snohomish Mill shutdown due to crashing sales.   Cerberus controlled and AB Acquisition owned Albertsons-Safeway decided to shutdown another grocery store: “In Mercer Island, we are also unfortunately facing a substantial rent increase that makes it financially unfeasible to remain in the space.”

04 – 06 June 2015: “…efforts have been unsuccessful…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”—

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 – 06 June 2015: “…efforts have been unsuccessful…” No more House of Blues? Golden State job destruction rolls on! The Rapture kills Christian college?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: What housing market recovery? Warren Buffet owned carpet maker Shaw Industries announced they will layoff 160 people in Dekalb County! Warren Buffet administrators blame crashing sales.  British empire Canada owned Birmingham Coal & Coke now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The parent Canadian company is CanAm, and they’re not happy with the economy: “Over the past several years, the coal markets in the U.S. have faced a number of significant challenges, including increased environmental regulations and reductions in demand due to weaknesses in the U.S. and global economy and lower natural gas prices. This environment has created an extremely challenging financing environment as the company attempted to refinance its existing debt obligations.”

California:  A day after I posted that state employment administrators stopped publicizing WARNs, they began posting new WARNs. A whole lot of them!  Here we go; What housing market recovery?  “It’s against the law for a loan servicer to lie about the debts people owe, or threaten and harass people about their debts!”– Jessica Rich, Federal Trade Commision

Minnesota based evil mortgage servicing company Green Tree Servicing issued a layoff WARN for their office in Rancho Cucamonga, 53 jobs lost in August.  It’s connected to the $63-million USD fine imposed by the federal government for ripping off customers! Amazingly, Fannie Mae gave the mortgage stealer a five star rating in 2014!   In Trona, evil gold miner CR Briggs issued a second WARN saying 31 employees will become unemployed in August (their first WARN said 39 people will be laid off in July).  In Poway, Brooks Automation issued a shutdown WARN for September,  68 jobs lost.   In Mountain View, Alexza Pharmaceuticals issued a WARN saying 28 employees will be laid off in July.  In San Gabriel, Obama Care forcing Compass Pointe Healthcare System to issue a shutdown WARN for August, 68 jobs lost.  In Chatsworth, Warren Buffet owned Heinz food processor announced they’re shutting down in July, 144 jobs lost! In Irvine, Verizon issued a layoff WARN for August, 50 jobs lost.   In Garden Grove, God refuses to stop ‘his’ Crystal Cathedral from shutting down, 27 jobs lost in July.  In Inglewood, Certified Players issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in July, 118 jobs lost!  SureFire issued several WARNs saying 44 jobs in Fountain Valley and Santa Ana will be lost in July.  Boeing issued several WARNs saying 163 Californians will become unemployed in July!  Social program manager Campesinos Unidos announced they’re shutting down operations in several cities by the end of the month, 98 jobs lost.  In San Diego, Envoy stated they will layoff 79 people in July.  In West Hollywood, the House of Blues revealed they will shutdown in August, 197 jobs lost!  Rio Mesa shutting down two farms in July, one in Santa Paula the other in Somis, 135 jobs lost!  In Reedely, Ito Packing Company issued a shutdown WARN for July, 197 jobs lost!  In Yucaipa, after 45 years the owners of the Kimberly Hallmark store announced they are forced to shutdown by July.  In Berkeley, after 51 years the Shakespeare & Co. Books store shutdown without warning, the owner blames crashing sales.  In Fresno, Massachusetts based Blast Fitness club, located at Shaw and Blythe avenues, shutdown without warning.  In Santa Ana, ITT Cannon revealed they laid off 10 more employees than they originally WARNed about.  Kroger announced it will shutdown its Mission Hills Ralph’s grocery store in July, 70 jobs lost.  In West Sacramento, Raley’s shutdown their Mack Road grocery store saying “We made several operational changes in an effort to help the struggling store. We modified the store hours…and implemented several cost-control measures in order to drive sales. Unfortunately, these efforts have been unsuccessful in increasing the store’s performance.” 

Colorado: Privately funded Catalyst High School shutdown after eight years: “We didn’t have enough students or financial support to make it work in the long run.”– Ed Porritt, executive director

Florida:  God refused to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Clearwater Christian College.  Administrators blamed debt and The Rapture (actually what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome, or crashing enrollment).  In Port Saint Lucie, QVC confirmed they are shutting down their call center by March 2016, about 8-hundred jobs lost!  In Fort Lauderdale, after 25 years the pissed-off owners of Thai restaurant Sukhothai announced it will shutdown at a time of their choosing, they blame the lack of economic recovery for not being able to break even: “My heart is broken. Not only will I lose my business, I will miss my customers.”-Susie Komolsane, co-owner

Illinois: Career Education announced it will shutdown in July, 149 jobs lost!  It’s part of the U.S. Department of Education’s crackdown on for-profit colleges who can’t prove that their graduates can find good paying jobs.  The University of Illinois warned of layoffs, and said employees who retire or quit will not be replaced.  The Chicago Tribune laid off 25 employees.

Michigan: Hanover-Horton School District laid off ten teachers.  Administrators blame crashing enrollment, and admitted they do not know how many students will enroll for the upcoming school year.   Recently voted the second best coffee shop in Saginaw County, three years old ThunderBrew Coffee Company shutdown. Co-owner Dan Propp blamed crashing sales and Too Big to Jail banks who refused to debt finance their operation, his wife Elizabeth would only say “We tried, and if you don’t try, you never know. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don’t win. Dan and I have poured our heart, soul, and life into building ThunderBrew. We are thankful for all of the support we have received over the last 3 years. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs….”

Minnesota: Minneapolis based retailer Target revealed it has eliminated 17-thousand 6-hundred jobs in Canada, 2,220 jobs in the United States, and 350 in India!  In Saint Paul, after 16 years Peapods Natural Toys and Baby Care shutdown. The owners blamed the toy companies saying “Many of the brands we helped introduce to the Twin Cities are abandoning specialty stores like ours in favor of big boxes, Amazon.com, or direct sales to customers.”

Missouri: Hallmark began involuntary  layoffs at their Kansas City HQ.  For the past few months they’ve been pushing for employees to voluntarily quit (which would’ve saved Hallmark a lot of money).

New Mexico: A report by The Oregonian says California based computer chip maker Intel is planning on massive layoffs, causing concern for employees at its Rio Rancho operation.  News reports out of The Land of Enchantment say Intel has already reduced its Rio Rancho workforce by 1-thousand since 2013!

New York: Obama Care forcing medical tech company Getinge Sourcing issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Rochester operations in September, 68 jobs lost.  Solid State Advanced Controls (SSAC) issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Baldwinsville op by the end of the year, 47 jobs lost.  HVAC maker Daikin Applied issued a new WARN announcing a 7th round of layoffs for their Auburn factory.  Their Auburn operations will cease by December killing off more than 3-hundred jobs!

North Carolina:  Electrolux laid off an undisclosed number of people in Charlotte.  It might be connected to Electrolux’s takeover of GE’s appliance division, which cost Electrolux more than $3-billion!  Unnamed employees told local news media at least 1-hundred co-workers were suddenly let go: “There was no warning at all. In fact, they ensured us that everything was fine a few weeks ago!”

Oregon: In Springfield, California based Symantec laid off 175 people!   Symantec has been laying off Californians on a regular bases.  It’s all part of their plans to offshore their software security ops.  The owner of the 5 years old Dallas Health & Vitality Center says she’s shutting down by the end of the month.  She says for the amount of work she puts into the business, and the amount of time lost with her family, she gets very little out of it.  In other words it’s not worth it anymore.

Vermont: 13 state employees were laid off.  State administrators reminded taxpayers that they plan on eliminating as many as 4-hundred jobs!  At least 3-hundred employees will be pushed to retire early!

Virginia: In Staunton, a sign on the the ABC booze store on Greenville Avenue said it was shutting down, however, when the property managers were approached by news media they said “They’re negotiating.”

01 – 03 June 2015: “…a long, agonizing death…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis 11 June 2015: Idaho wheat unfit for human consumption?!

11 June 2015 (03:05 UTC-07 Tango 01)/21 Kordad 1394/23 Sha’ban 1436/25 Ren-Wu (4th month) 4713

“We’re talking 1 to 2% is enough bad grain to lower the falling number of a whole load below what is acceptable. The damage was done.”-Cathy Wilson, Idaho Wheat Commission

“I expect a lot of growers are going to expect I am not telling them the truth, and they are going to be, unfortunately, very upset when they get caught.”-Don Wille, Thresher Artisan Wheat

Idaho farmers plant enough wheat to make The Gem State the 5th largest wheat producer in the U.S.  However, new research is warning Idaho farmers that their crops might be worthless!

Agriculture researchers in Idaho have discovered that a single damaged grain of wheat can render entire harvests unsuitable for use by flour mills!

Food processors require harvested wheat grains to meet a milling standard (called a “falling number”) before being turned into flour.  Many farmers have leftover wheat from their previous year’s harvest and save it for the next year’s harvest.  They then mix in last year’s wheat with the newly harvested wheat before they sell it.  That’s now a big problem.

Researchers with the University of Idaho discovered that many of the previous year’s wheat crops suffered sprout damage, which adversely affects the kernels.  Damaged grains produce the undesirable alpha amylase enzyme.  A single damaged grain can render 2-thousand 6-hundred good kernels useless for milling into flour!

Idaho Wheat Commission administrators are now urging farmers not to mix last year’s left over harvest with this year’s.  They want farmers to sell-off last year’s leftover crops as feed for livestock.

This is a new problem for southern and eastern Idaho farmers as sprout damaged wheat used to be a rarity here.  Sprout damage takes place when wheat fields remain too wet early in the season, and it can occur after harvest if it is left lying on the ground for too long before threshing.  Southern and eastern Idaho have been experiencing lingering and late season rains for the past few years.

Like beer? Get ready for skyrocketing prices as Mother Earth kills off malt barley crops in three U.S. states!

GMO Food Aid = Ebola Outbreak

Outlawed GMO wheat shows up on Oregon farms!

Cold, wet weather spreads fungus through Idaho wheat

When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a Black Horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not damage the oil and the wine.”

Business/Economics

Saber Rattling against China about territorial claims? Once again it’s about the oil, the huge oil reserves right underneath China! It’s why China is on the warpath against Uygur Muslims!

11 June 2015 (01:12 UTC-07 Tango 01)/21 Kordad 1394/23 Sha’ban 1436/25 Ren-Wu (4th month) 4713

“China is where all the growth in oil, gas and coal is going to be coming from.”-Lin Boqiang, PetroChina consultant

“China is the third country to achieve shale gas production capacity after the U.S. and Canada.”-Zhai Gangyi, Oil & Gas Resources Survey Center

For years we’ve been told China has no petroleum, but a new oil survey says otherwise.

The China Shale Gas Resources Survey says China is sitting on 25-trillion cubic meters of natural gas.  That’s 6-trillion more than what the United States is sitting on!

The Chinese government is already spending millions of USD developing the shale fields.  China’s state-owned Sinopec is already extracting the gas: “We produce 20 to 40 cubic meters of shale gas every day. That meets just about 50 thousand household’s energy demand for one day.”-Ouyang Liming, Jianghan Oilfield 2nd Shale Gas Platform

Analysts point out that most of China’s shale petroleum is inside mountains, and China does not have the water resources that the United States has.  However, Chinese scientist are trying to create waterless fracking technology.

So what part of China has the most petroleum?  Why, the very region where China is stealing land from the native Uygur Muslims.

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is being turned into a massive energy hub.  Not only does it have the most natural gas, it also has the most oil and coal of all the territories controlled by China.  The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that 40% of China’s petroleum reserves are in the Uygur region.

By the end of this year Uygur natural gas production is expected to hit 30.5-billion cubic meters.  There’s so much natural gas in the area that U.S. based General Electric (GE) is building nine small-scale LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plants.

Not only is the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region sitting on a lot of oil, but according to PetroChina consultant Lin Boqiang “…all the imported resources from Central Asia, oil and gas, go through Xinjiang and then get distributed from there.” 

This massive new oil production and transportation system is what President Xi Xinping is talking about when he mentions “The New Silk Road”.

Operation Pacific Pathways: Obama preps for war with China

Ebola? More likely it’s about all that new found oil

Who buys Islamic State oil? Israel, Jordan, Turkey, United States

ready to invade Syria… It’s about the oil! 

Yemen? It’s about the oil! 

Africa? IMF says it’s all about the oil, baby!

Another $1.3-billion for Afghan oil!

Red Horse, Leviathan & the real reason for War with Iran!

White Horse, Black Horse & controlling the international oil market (the Beast).

More proof it’s about the Oil, not civilians, in Libya 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 03 June 2015: “…a long, agonizing death…” “…the company is required to terminate all employees’…immediately…” France threatens hundreds of Idaho jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It was revealed by Scottish news sources that British empire United Kingdom based Too Big to Jail HSBC will eliminate 22-thousand jobs around the World, including in the United States!  HSBC is the European Union’s largest bank.  HSBC is also in the process of carving itself up and selling off the pieces.

Arizona: University of Arizona warned of mass layoffs in August, this after the new budget forces the school to make $43-million USD in cuts!

Arkansas: Switzerland based Nestlé laid off 75 people at its Gerber Fort Smith baby food factory. Administrators claim its because they switched to using plastic baby food containers.

California: Recently the city of Fresno learned it would lose at least two Vons grocery stores, now Save Mart announced it to is shutting down. The will shutdown before the end of the month, and company administrators claim all 62 employees will be moved to other Save Marts (which doesn’t make sense because Save Mart will then have a lot of redundant employees). Officially administrators blame competition (really, with Vons getting outta town?), but it turns out that Save Mart owns the property, where they’re closing down their Clinton and Blackstone avenues grocery store, and they’ve decided to play the Sears Holdings game and make more money by leasing it out to their ‘competition’!  Palo Alto based Hewlett-Packard (HP) warned of more layoffs.  HP is in the process of eliminating 55-thousand+ jobs by October!  Originally the plan was to eliminate 27-thousand jobs.

Connecticut: Famous Stratford based helicopter maker Sikorsky announced that it is eliminating 1-thousand 4-hundred jobs around the World!  180 jobs will be lost in The Constitution State!  Sikorsky is consolidating operations due to the bad economy.

Delaware: In Wilmington, DuPont chemical company Chemours warned of layoffs.  This is connected to DuPont’s plan to spin-off Chemours.  City administrators are afraid Chemours will pull stakes and move somewhere else after the spin-off.

Florida: Orlando based Golf Channel laid off 30 employees.  It’s part of Comcast’s plan to downsize.

Idaho: France based French taxpayer owned nuclear power company Areva has been sold off and now 6-thousand jobs around the World are threatened!  Areva has been operating under contract at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in eastern Idaho.   On 03 June the French government approved  the sale of the majority of Areva to a company called EDF (Electricite de France).   Areva administrators are challenging the sale.

Kentucky: Rhino Resource Partners announced they’ve issued layoff notices to 192 coal miners!

Michigan: In Ann Arbor, successful Lexi’s Toy Box shutdown, the owner said she want’s to join her husband in retirement: “I just thought it would be a nice time to be free.”-Crystal Metzger

New Hampshire: After 32 years, the owner of Video Headquarters announced he will shutdown in July: “Despite our success, the home entertainment industry has evolved dramatically in recent years with a major shift to digital media and this evolution is impossible to ignore. After 32 years of operation, the time has come to lock the doors for the last time when our lease ends……It would just be a long, agonizing death, this way we can say we got out on top”-Kenneth McAleer

New York: Nirvana Spring Water now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down their Oneida County bottling factory, 70 jobs lost by September. The company owes millions of dollars to the New York Business Development Corporation.  Obama Care forcing Mount Kisco Medical Group to issue a WARN saying 109 employees will become unemployed by August!   In NYC, law firm Mel S. Harris and Associates issued a shutdown WARN for September, at least 53 jobs lost.  NYC based quirky new products company Quirky laid off between 20 and 30 employees.  The news was reported by three former employees.  Company administrators admitted they had to cut costs by outsourcing their manufacturing.  California based clothier Band of Outsiders shutdown their nine months old Soho store! News reports say company administrators refuse to explain.

Oklahoma: Texas based Apache Oil & Gas announced it will shutdown its Tulsa office in August, 160 jobs affected!

Oregon: In Portland, after 36 years Martinotti’s Cafe & Deli was killed off by the greedy landlord jacking up the rent: “Rent has raised considerably! It’s more than what’s doable for us which is why we aren’t staying.”– Martina Martinotti, granddaughter of owner

Pennsylvania: Administrators of the city of Coatesville learned that Sikorsky will eliminate 720 local jobs over the next 12 months (see above)!   In Kingston, after 24 years the Pizza Mill restaurant shutdown: “We’re moving onto other things. We want to have some time with our families and do some traveling and catch up on lost time.”-Mark Cardone, co-owner

Rhode Island: Empire Beauty Schools blames what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome for the reason they’re shutting down their Providence school.

South Carolina: CertusBank announced it is dead!  Administrators are shutting down their HQ and are carving up and selling off the rest of the Too Big to Jail bank.  The Bank of North Carolina and the Community & Southern Bank have been named as some of the buyers.  No indication how many jobs are lost, CertusBank had dozens of offices in several southern states.

Texas: San Benito School District warned they will make additional layoffs.  A week prior eight employees were let go, the district is trying to cut $14.5-million in costs.  Administrators admitted they made mistakes in hiring more employees at a time when they were losing students (Disappearing Student Syndrome).   Administrators also revealed they’ve already saved $5-million by pushing employees to retire early or quit.  The owners of El Paso Saddleblanket will shutdown their warehouse outlet store in July, and will focus on wholesale and internet sales only.  The maker of cowboy stuff will also keep their El Paso Airport gift shop open.  The owners said 80% of their sales are now wholesale/import-export.

Virginia:  The Entenmann’s Bakery Outlet, on Peters Creek and Brandon in Roanoke, shutdown with no explanation.

Washington: What housing market recovery?  Federal Home Loan Bank laid off 109 people in Seattle!

Wisconsin: Golden County Foods revealed it went chapter 11 bankrupt busted back in May, and has been sold-off, threatening 432 jobs: “As a condition to the sale to Monogram, the company is required to terminate all employees’ employment with the company immediately prior to the closing of the sale…”-Tina Check, Golden County Foods

28 – 31 May 2015: Republicans call 9,500 layoffs a “Good Day”!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 10 June 2015: Albertsons Safeway shuts down forgotten Island store! Hospitals take over Safeway stores! Shutdowns negatively affect surrounding stores!

Cerberus controlled and AB Acquisition owned Albertsons-Safeway decided to shutdown another Washington grocery store: “In Mercer Island, we are also unfortunately facing a substantial rent increase that makes it financially unfeasible to remain in the space.”

Local news reports say residents of the island are majorly pissed off because in the recent past they tried to get the city council to allow competing grocery operations to set up shop in their city.  The city council refused!  Albertsons-Safeway claimed that their Mercer Island store was “underperforming”.  A 2008 blog post stated that Mercer Island had a grand total of three grocery stores, and the Albertsons was the worst managed of them all!   The blog post, titled You’ve Got To Be Kidding, said the Albertsons was “hidden” and that “Sometimes I even have trouble finding the food in there.”

In Colorado, KKCO reporting that the recent shutdown of the Redland’s Monument Village Shopping Center Safeway store is drastically reducing customer traffic for the remaining business in the Shopping Center. Chiropractor Ron Engler reports a noticeable decline in customers, so much so that he must now spend money on an aggressive advertising campaign.

Also in Colorado, Yampa Valley Medical Center has signed a contract to buy the abandoned Safeway grocery store. What should be scandalous is that the property is owned by current Craig city council member Kent Nielson.

In Montana, one of two abandoned Safeways mysteriously being torn down to make room for the Providence-Saint Patrick’s Medical Center expansion.  The other Safeway is now a Fresh Market.  The two Safeways were sold off in 2014, as part of the Albertsons merger, after 75 years of serving Missoulans.  Both stores were apparently bought by Orange Street Food Farms-Fresh Market.  News reports, some dated as late as 27 May 2015, said both stores were now Fresh Markets.  The store on Researve Street is a Fresh Market, but according to a news report dated 10 June 2015 the store on Broadway is the one being torn down for the hospital.   I haven’t found any reports explaining what happened to the Fresh Market that was supposed to take over the Broadway Safeway.

08 June 2015: Property analyst calls B-S on official shutdown explanation! 

Updated list:

Manitoba, Canada: Sobeys-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse by 2016, at least 172 jobs lost!

Arizona, U.S.A.: Peoria Safeway and Claypool Safeway will shutdown in June, at least 94 jobs affected. The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

California, U.S.A.: The new Albertsons-Safeway issued more layoff WARNs saying another 21 Safeway employees will be laid off in June. Two Albertsons-Safeway owned Vons stores will shutdown in Fresno, by June, 127 jobs lost! Albertsons-Safeway laid off 129 people from their Pleasanton HQ in April. Albertsons-Safeway issued a WARN saying another 188 layoffs are scheduled for the Pleasanton by the end of May! Albertsons-Vons announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.” Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore shutdown on 18 March 2015, at least 168 jobs lost! The 32 years old Hemet Vons shutdown on 28 December 2014, at least 55 jobs lost. Company administrators claimed it had nothing to do with the hostile takeover by Cerberus. Marina Del Ray Albertsons, shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 80 jobs lost. Pleasanton Safeway HQ laid off at least 26 people in February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway laid off an additional 18 HQ employees in March. A San Diego Albertsons shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; Vons in Palm Desert, Pavillions in Rancho Mirage, two Santa Barbara Albertsons, two Goleta Vons, Lompoc Albertsons, Paso Robles Vons, Arroyo Grande Albertsons, San Louis Obispo Albertsons, Atascadero Albertsons, Los Osos Vons, Palmdale Albertsons, three Bakersfield Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Simi Valley Albertsons, Simi Valley Vons, Oxnard Albertsons, Carpinteria Vons, Camarillo Albertsons, Ventura albertsons, Yorba Linda Albertsons, two Tustin Vons, Mission Viejo Vons, Mission Viejo Albertsons, Trabuco Canyon Albertsons, Laguna Beach Albertsons, Laguna Niguel Vons, Corona Del Mar Albertsons, Irvine (Vons) Pavillions, eight San Diego Albertsons (don’t be surprised if several are closed), San Yisidro Albertsons, Rancho Bernardo Albertsons, Coronado Albertsons, San Marcos Vons, two El Cajon Vons, Santee Albertsons, Poway Albertsons, Del Mar Albertsons, two Carlsbad Albertsons, two La Mesa Vons, three Chula Vista Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), Upland Albertsons, Diamond Bar Vons, Rancho Cucamonga Albertsons, Chino Hills Vons, Burbank Albertsons, Woodland Hills Vons, Westlake Village Albertsons, Thousand Oaks Albertsons, Santa Clarita (Vons) Pavillions, Saugus Vons, Newbury Park Vons, Tujunga Albertsons, Long Beach Albertsons, two San Pedro Albertsons, Lomita Albertsons, Torrance Albertsons, Santa Monica Albertsons, three Redondo Beach Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Los Angeles Albertsons.

Colorado, U.S.A.: Yampa Valley Medical Center has agreed to buy the abandoned Craig Safeway store from city council member Kent Nielson.  KKCO reports instant decline in customer traffic for other business at the Monument Valley Shopping Center after the Redland’s Safeway shutdown.  Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June! Colorado Springs Albertsons shutdown in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

Florida, U.S.A.: Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater store in May, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii, U.S.A.: Drugs pusher Walgreens canceled plans to open a pharmacy in the Kauai Safeway: “As part of this process, Walgreens did a comprehensive financial reassessment of its plans to open a new store in Lihue on Kauai, and have concluded that it is not in the company’s best interests to move forward with opening a store in that location.”

Illinois: The Jewel-Osco HQ in Itasca was sold for $23.7-million. A local news report implied it was the result of the hostile takeover of Safeway by Albertsons.

Montana: In Missoula, two Safeways sold to Orange Street Food Farms-Fresh Market.  Recent news reports said that one is being torn down for the Providence-Saint Patrick’s Medical Center, despite all previous reports saying both former Safeways were now Fresh Markets.

Nevada, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Boulder City Vons, three Henderson Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), three Las Vegas Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed).

Oregon, U.S.A.: Beaverton Albertsons being shutdown on 20 June, 68 jobs affected. In Lake Oswego, Albertsons taken over by Haggen. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

Pennsylvania: The last Safeway owned Genuardi’s grocery store shutdown, 40 jobs lost.

Texas, U.S.A.: Arlington Tom Thumbs shutting down in June, at least 45 jobs affected. In East Dallas, an Albertsons was renamed Minyard Sun Fresh Market. Reports said the grand opening was delayed due to problems switching over the cash register system. A second East Dallas Alberstons became Minyard Sun Fresh Market on 16 February. Only one of the three East Dallas Albertsons will remain Albertsons. One store manager said the changes are a direct result of the takeover of Safeway. Interestingly I found a report that said Cerberus swore there would be no name changes after the takeover of Safeway, but they failed to explain the sale of 12 stores to RLS Supermarkets (apparently the result of a court order). The Tom Thumb grocery stores in Bedford and Grapevine converting to Minyard Sun Fresh Market.

Washington, U.S.A.:  The Merced Island Albertsons being shutdown in July, the pharmacy has already shutdown.  The Poulsbo Albertsons shutting down in July, 60 jobs affected. The Safeway in Spokane Valley shutdown in March, 60 jobs lost. Company administrators said it was not due to the takeover by Cerberus controlled Albertsons, but that the lease expired and it wasn’t worth renewing it. In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

Sears Kmart update 10 June 2015: Sales crash by 67%! Eddie Lampert revealed as False Flag operator?

“What he’s done brilliantly is manage these brands into oblivion while squeezing billions of dollars of cash into his elusive businesses.”-Robin Lewis, The Robin Report, talking about Eddie Lampert’s False Flag efforts to ‘save’ Sears and Kmart

Sears Holdings reports sales that are crashing & burning.

Sales at Kmart have crashed by 67% over the past 14 years (2000 to 2014)!  Is it connected to the fact that Eddie Lampert has shutdown hundreds of Kmarts (and hundreds more were shutdown prior to the merger with Sears)?  News reports say in the Gregorian year 2000 Kmart had 2,165 stores, now it has only 979.

Sales for Sears fell 54% over the past 14 years!  Thousands of Sears stores have been shutdown during that time.  Is there a correlation, less stores equal less sales?  But hey, what do I know, I’m not an exalted corporate administrator like Eddie Lampert.

On top of the gloomy 14 years sales decline, Sears Holdings reported a 7% sales drop for Kmart, and a 14.5% drop for Sears, in their 1st Quarter of 2015!

However, and as usual, Eddie Lampert remains optimistic: “During the first quarter, we made significant progress in our transformation from a traditional, store-network based retail business model to a more asset-light, member-centric integrated retailer leveraging our Shop Your Way platform. As our improved EBITDA results over the last three consecutive quarters demonstrate, we are successfully enhancing our margin rates and EBITDA performance as we become more efficient with our promotional programs and the use of Shop You Way to replace more traditional forms of marketing with targeted and personalized digital interactions. With the completion of the joint venture transactions with three leading shopping mall owners and operators, and the advanced formation of the Seritage REIT, we will become more productive with our physical store space. This will position Sears Holdings for long-term success consistent with our focus on our best stores, rewarding our best members and pursuing our best categories to transform Sears Holdings into a leading integrated retail membership-focused company leveraging our Shop Your Way platform.”

02 June 2015: Finally, stockholders rebel against Eddie Lampert! Sears franchise owner says he can make more money as a lowly assistant manager! 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

ObamaCare job destruction, 2nd quarter 2015: Hospitals overcharge by 1,000%! “The mortality rates will increase, we will have deaths….” “…extremely low…reimbursement levels…have finally proven impossible to bear.”

“This is now part of the fabric of how we care for one another, this is healthcare in America!  It seems so cynical to want to take health care away from millions of people.”-Barack Obama, making an Orwelian Double Speak statement about ObamaCare to the Catholic Health Association, 09 June 2015

Health Affairs has published a study which says at least 50 U.S. hospitals overcharged for services rendered by as much as 1-thousand percent!

Nightly Business Report revealed that ObamaCare insurance companies are merging and that will result in higher costs to individuals and less access to healthcare: “The best available economic evidence out there suggests that when insurers consolidate, premiums go up…..no evidence that to the extent that there are price decreases to providers, that these get passed on to consumers…..when there is less competition in a marketplace…there would be potentially a reduction in quality of plan as well, simply because you don’t have to compete as hard to gain business.

So, the real question is, with these transactions, are any of them motivated by the potential to really bring down cost and improve quality?”-Leemore Dafny, Kellogg School of Management

The following is an incomplete list of healthcare (and other industries) job cuts that took place, or were announced, from April to June 2015, and were directly or indirectly blamed on Obama Care:

Japan based legal drugs maker Eisai announced it will eliminate more than 2-hundred jobs within the United States! Eisai has ops in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Administrators blame the job cuts on a 47% drop in profits.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) laid off employees in New York, Washington DC, California and Wyoming. ACLU administrators blamed it on the loss of a major donor, but also mentioned the increased employee health care costs, caused by Obama Care.

California:  In Sacramento, Response 1 Medical Staffing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Managed health care provider Health Net issued three mass layoff WARNs saying 2,122 health insurance related jobs will be eliminated on 26 June 2015! (and never mind the reports that Health Net is being sued for canceling their customer’s treatments, resulting in at least one death!) In Joshua Tree, Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care issued a mass layoff WARN saying 541 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June! In Yucca Valley, Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care issued a layoff WARN saying at least 42 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June.   Bankrupt Daughters of Charity Health System tried to sell-off six hospitals but nobody wanted to buy, so now at least 280 healthcare workers will become unemployed! Administrators stated that the current layoffs will barely “restore our hospitals to break-even status financially” due to Obama Care insurance reimbursement cuts. To make matters worse, and guarantee a total hospital system shutdown, government Obama Care administrators have told ten insurance companies to stop sending their customers to Daughters of Charity Health System!  In Berkeley, East Bay Perinatal Medical laid off 34 people.  In Burbank,  Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center blood donor service, 34 jobs lost.   In San Pablo, taxpayer funded Doctors Medical Center  shutdown at the end of April, and failing to find a new owner/operator it will be carved up and sold-off. 80% of the customers are on Medicare or Medicaid (Medical in California) and Obama Care drastically cut reimbursements, and even forces Medicare/Medicaid recipients to stop going to hospitals. Local news reports said the loss of the hospital results in the residents of West Contra Costa County losing 79% of their access to healthcare: “The mortality rates will increase, we will have deaths related to the closure of Doctors Medical Center.”-Maria Sahagun, registered nurse

In Poway, Palomar Health shutting down their Pomerado Hospital, hundreds of jobs lost and hundreds of patients affected!  And in Escondido, Palomar Health reports that ObamaCare is causing their Palomar Medical Center to lose $20-million USD per year! As a result they’re considering shutting it down (despite a previous announcement that the 56 acre hospital was going to be doubled in size!), forcing the 8-thousand patients who use the hospital to travel at least 12 miles for healthcare: “The right thing to do and the right decision at the right time is to make the recommendation to the board of directors they should close the downtown campus.”-Bob Hemker, CEO

Head Start Child Development issued dozens of WARNs saying they are shutting down operations throughout California, hundreds becoming jobless by the end of June!  In Laguna Hills, Herren Enterprises to shutdown their Doctor’s Ambulance Service in July and issue a WARN saying 117 EMT related jobs will be eliminated!  Fireman’s Fund Insurnace Company issued a WARN saying they will layoff employees in July.  Hollywood Presbyterian Medical issued a WARN saying 87 people will be laid off in July.  In Elk Grove, Sutter Medical Foundation issued a WARN saying 17 people will be laid off in July.  Western Dental Services to stop taking low income patients at 13 California offices, a shutdown WARN indicated 237 jobs could be lost: “…the extremely low funding and reimbursement levels …..have finally proven impossible to bear.”-official Western Dental Services statement

Colorado: In Longmont, the legal drugs seller Walgreens announced it will shutdown its Main Street store in June. Company administrators would only say “We are closing a number of stores that are underperforming around the country.”

Connecticut:  ObamaCare forced Bristol Hospital to layoff 37 employees, and shutdown six vacant positions. Hospital administrators blamed state ‘lawmakers’ for cutting $2-million in Medicaid reimbursements, but directly blamed ObamaCare for the loss of $3-million in Medicare reimbursements! Administrators also warn of more layoffs as they are expecting another $7-million in losses over the next two years!  Bloomfield based global health insurance company Cigna is fighting off attempts by Indiana based Anthem. Recently Anthem tried to buyout Cigna for $53.8-billion. If a takeover is successful you can bet they’ll be massive layoffs in an attempt to eliminate all the redundant jobs as a result.  Yale-New Haven Health System shutting down their East Haven and Branford clinics, through taxpayer funding cuts. 31 jobs lost. Hartford HealthCare to eliminate 355 full-time jobs, plus many part-time jobs, at two of its hospitals; Backus and Windham.  Hartford laid off 350 healthcare workers in 2014: “Despite our best efforts to reduce costs and increase revenues this year, Hartford HealthCare faces additional Medicaid cuts, bringing our total Medicaid payment reductions from the State of Connecticut to more than $100-million over five years. The magnitude of these cuts makes our model unsustainable going forward.”-Jeffrey Flaks

Florida:  50 years old Campbellton-Graceville Hospital to shutdown, at least 95 jobs lost. Administrators said Obama Care was the final straw, causing a huge drop off in people coming in for help, and causing a huge drop in insurance reimbursements.  Panama City’s Crothall Healthcare issued a WARN saying 167 people will become unemployed in July!  In Lake Mary, Access MediQuip laid off 84 people and shutdown, without warning.  46 jobs lost with non-profit OneBlood blood collection service: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Hawaii: The state run ObamaCare Hawaii Health Connector laid off 25 people. It’s because state administrators are shifting from running their own ObamaCare website to the federal government’s insurance exchange website.  Taxpayer funded Hawai’i Health Systems Corporation’s  eliminating 87 jobs in its East Hawai’i Region. That includes Hilo Medical Center, Ka’u Hospital, and Hale Ho’ola Hamakua. Administrators estimate that increasing costs and decreasing Obama Care reimbursements will cost the state hospital system $7-million USD in revenue losses for fiscal year 2016! Administrators warned that Obama Care is actually restricting access to healthcare: “Some healthcare services for our communities will be reduced and disrupted….As a result of operational efficiencies and cost reductions we’ve already instituted, we are able to complete our current fiscal year intact, but those action are not enough to make up for the coming year’s shortfall….it saddens us that very capable people who help care for our community will lose their jobs.”-Dan Brinkman, interim CEO

Idaho: Assurant eliminating 65 health insurance jobs in Boise by August. It’s all part of their plan to get out of the healthcare insurance business, blaming ObamaCare (see New York below).

Illinois:  Hospital operator Porter Health eliminating 70 administrative/IT jobs. In a complicated way administrators blamed the new electronic medical records system pushed by ObamaCare. Chicago based Allscripts Healthcare Solutions to layoff 250 healthcare information tech employees across the United States! It was implied that electronic healthcare records keeping will be, or already has, been moved to India.  Deerfield based legal drugs pusher, commonly known as Walgreens, announced they will shutdown 2-hundred U.S. stores between now and the end of 2017, in order to cut $1.5-billion from their budget. Walgreens shutdown 76 stores in 2014. This comes after Walgreens spent $16-billion to merge with United Kingdom based Alliance Boots, it’s now officially called Walgreens Boots Alliance. More cuts will follow: “These American markets are ready for more consolidation…..We will be at the forefront of consolidation…..we should every year review all the stores and if every year we have to close ten stores…do it.”-Stefano Pessina, acting CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance

Indiana: Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its Noble County factory by the end of the year, 130 jobs lost (layoffs start in June)!  67 Goodwill employees suddenly lost their jobs at the Richard K. Roudebush VA Medical Center. Goodwill administrators said that “Specifically, the Medical Center unexpectedly ended its longstanding contractual relationship with Goodwill without any prior notice of performance problems.” They also hinted at Obama Care, blaming “unforeseeable business circumstances”.  Mental Health America Day Homeless Shelter shutdown. Administrator Jennifer Flora says the police state federal government is forcing cities to round up homeless people into one location: “They’re wanting individuals who are homeless to be able to go to one place…”

The Community Blood Center shutting down its donor centers in West Chester and Richmond by September. This seems to be part of a secret plan connected to ObamaCare: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Iowa: God refuses to stop ObamaCare from shutting down ‘his’ Quakerdale residential treatment programs.  Administrators say since ObamaCare went into effect referrals have crashed and state funding has dried up.

Kansas: Select Specialty Hospital shutting down their ops within the Saint Francis Hospital in Topeka. Administrators directly blamed Obama Care for changing the rules for reimbursing healthcare providers for long term acute care. News reports say about 1-hundred jobs lost!   In Wichita, after 90 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Rieger Medical Supply shutdown. The owner blamed the internet and “massive government regulations”, but the final straw was when her husband died: “A family business doesn’t do well without a family.”-Karin Rieger

Kentucky: Louisville based health insurance company Humana is considering a takeover bid by Connecticut based Aetna. If the deal is accepted then the 12-thousand Humana employees, and the more than 47-thousand employees with Aetna, will be threatened.  In Louisville, Indiana based Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield laying off 54 people in July. Administrators swear they warned employees back in May. Administrators blame it on mergers with other ObamaCare insurance companies.

Louisiana: State Civil Service administrators revealed that 8-thousand 4-hundred ‘classified’ state employees have been laid off since 2008!  The majority of layoffs are directly connected to the taxpayer funded LSU Hospital system!   Civil Service administrators point out that the number of layoffs reported do not include those employees who were pushed to retire early or quit.  They admitted that the original goal was to eliminate 13,615 ‘classified’ state employees!

Maine:  Parkview Adventist Medical Center now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. They plan to merge with Mid Coast Health Services, 180 jobs affected!

Maryland: The first medical research school in the United States, John Hopkins University, announced they must eliminate jobs due to crashing federal taxpayer funding, and increased costs artificially created by new federal regulations. At this point 109 jobs being eliminated or “reorganized”! However, unnamed employees say they’ve been warned that 10% of the 20-thousand employees will eventually be laid off!  Teen pregnancy prevention op Teens Have Choices shutdown due to lack of funding caused by declining teen pregnancies.

Massachusetts: Medical device maker Grove Instruments now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.  Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its New Bedford factory over the next 12 months. Layoffs begin in June, 190 jobs lost!  In Boston weak, Lahey Health to eliminate 130 jobs at three of its hospitals! Administrators referred to Obama Care as “an exceedingly challenging health care environment”. They also blamed the implementation of a new healthcare information sharing system called EPIC.   Partners Health Care-North Shore Medical Center shutdown their Union Hospital, about 1-hundred jobs lost! Administrators say because of ObamaCare slashing and burning reimbursements they have no choice but to consolidate hospitals.

Michigan: Insurance provider HealthPlus to eliminate 5-hundred jobs! The layoffs will begin in July. HealthPlus is selling its Medicaid and MIChild contracts to a competitor.

Minnesota: Minnetonka based IMRIS (Innovative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems) to go chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Reports say the company could be taken over by vulture capitalist Deerfield Management.   In Saint Paul, after 40 years Pro Pharmacy shutdown. The owner has sold it to Walgreens-Boots Alliance, which just happens to be in the process of shutting down 2-hundred Walgreens stores.

Mississippi: Garden Park Medical Center to shutdown eight of its 10 clinics! News reports say the shutdowns will begin in May and end by October, and that hospital administrators have ordered employees not to talk to the media about it, or they will lose their jobs. Administrators say Obama Care is forcing them to cut costs drastically.

Missouri: Mercy Health eliminating 474 jobs across their multi-state hospital system! I guess ObamaCare showed them (Missouri is nicknamed The Show Me State)! Mercy administrators directly blame ObamaCare: “…Mercy faces increasing challenges to our reimbursement structure as we adjust to reductions mandated by the Affordable Care Act and other budget cuts, as well as the lack of Medicaid expansion in most of our states.”

New Jersey: Continuum Health Alliance killed off 88 jobs. Administrators referred to Obama Care as “today’s rapidly changing health care landscape”.

New York:  The Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System announced it is shutting down its Brooklyn unit in July. VA administrators said that with the drastic budget cuts for next fiscal year, the only way to continue funding programs was to shutdown inpatient care.    Brooklyn Kidney Center announced they are selling off their New York Dialysis Services, 65 jobs threatened.  Medical tech company Getinge Sourcing issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Rochester operations in September, 68 jobs lost.   Ortho Clinical Diagnostics turning over their Rochester operations to Nypro in July. They expect at least 105 of their 1-thousand jobs to be lost in the transfer!   Visiting Nurse Service Home Care issued several layoff WARNs saying at least 50 people will be jobless by the end of July.   Legal drugs maker Forest Laboratories reminded state employment administrators that they’ve been sold to Ireland based drugs maker Actavis, and that Actavis plans to move New York ops to New Jersey, 5-hundred jobs affected!  Non-profit Saint John’s Riverside Hospital shutting down and selling off their Michael Malotz Skilled Nursing Facility, 226 jobs to be lost starting in July!  LifeMed Pharmacy has been sold, 65 employees now unemployed.  Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services issued a mass layoff WARN saying they are canceling funding for all Residences and Day Habilitation operations across the state! At least 719 jobs lost by August! In Rockaway Beach, Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care announced it is forced to hand over their Headstart Program to another operator in July, 48 jobs affected.  Mount Kisco Medical Group eliminating 109 jobs over the next 90 days!  In order to deal with reduced reimbursements the largest physician group in the Lower Hudson Valley is outsourcing billing operations.  NYC based Assurant selling-off their Health Insurance ops, claiming that even with the Obama Care payment reductions they are still going to lose $90-million for their 1st quarter of 2015. Basically the Assurant CEO, Alan Colberg, said Obama Care isn’t slashing & burning health care funding big enough or fast enough: “The health and employee benefits business segments possess differentiated capabilities in their respective markets, but we do not believe they can meet our return targets at the pace we require.”

According to a report by Modern Healthcare “Assurant Health also blamed losses on low recoveries from the ACA’s [Affordable Care Act, Obama Care] insurance risk programs and the policy shift that allowed people to stay in plans that are not compliant with ACA standards.” The sale of Assurant Health will affect access to health care for 1-million people! One more thing; Assurant Health admits that the insurance industry written Obama Care failed in estimating just how many sick poor people there are in the U.S., saying the Affordable Care Act “had worse morbidity characteristics than we had assumed”.

North Carolina: Physicians Choice Laboratory Services laid off 120 people at their Rock Hill Riverwalk Business Park! Christine Marks, vice president for marketing, directly blamed ObamaCare/healthcare reforms for reduced reimbursements from Medicare and private insurance.  It’s been revealed that for-profit managed county owned Yadkin Valley Community Hospital shutdown, 150 jobs lost at the end of May! News reports blame disputes between the greedy for-profit managers and the county over the lease.

Ohio: Regency Hospital of Akron shutting down, 85 jobs lost. New York based insurance company Assurant laid off 125 people in Dayton and Springfield due to lack of sales!  In Dayton, the Community Blood Center shutting down its Donor Testing Laboratory in September. This seems to be part of a secret plan connected to ObamaCare: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Oregon: After 20 years the operators of Oregon Coast Periodontics announced it will shutdown, supposedly because the owner moved to Louisiana, which they called “unfortunate circumstances”.  After 43 years the Grande Ronde Child Center shutting down. It’s blamed on the loss of a contract with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health. State mental health administrators blame ObamaCare: “The services currently being offered by GRCC are not in line with the direction health care reform is going.”-Henry O’Keefe, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health

Pennsylvania: ObamaCare caused a riff between the the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Philly.com and the employee’s Newspaper Guild.  The employers did not want to pay more to cover increased health insurance costs, but after negotiations they agreed to pay more for the ObamaCare insurance but in exchange there will be no pay raises for the next two years!  In Bethlehem, Metro Ambulance Service ceased to exist.  Cumberland Family Practice to be merged with Good Hope Family Physicians, and forcing Baughman Family Medicine to shutdown! Doctor Paul Baughman directly blamed ObamaCare for “…dropping reimbursement, increasing overhead and a few unexpected bumps in the road.” Administrators with insurance company Capital BlueCross admitted that ObamaCare was going to drive up the cost of healthcare, ironically by forcing people back into emergency rooms as more health clincs shutdown or consolidate due to reduced reimbursements: “If they have health issues, they may have to go to the ER, hopefully an urgent care clinic, and the ER is an expensive place to get primary care. That adds to the cost.”-Aji Abraham

Rhode Island: non-profit Rhode Island Blood Center to layoff 60 people. Administrators say changes caused by ‘health care reform’ will increase their costs of testing for blood-borne disease by at least $2-million per year!

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls the Veteran’s Outreach Center shutting down in August due to lack of funding. It’s connected in part to the collapse of New York based Volunteers of America, but also because the Obama regime’s Veterans Affairs (VA) has canceled their contract with Veteran’s Outreach Center. Essentially the VA admitted they can’t pay for the care of military veterans!

Texas: In Heights, Select Specialty Hospital issued a shutdown WARN for July, eliminating 222 jobs! Administrators called Obama Care “business reasons”. Taxpayer funded non-profit El Paso Children’s Hospital to go chapter 11 bankrupt busted! In Houston, Access MediQuip laid off at least 80 people and shutdown without warning.

Virginia: Richmond based Health Diagnostic Laboratory now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, after announcing it will layoff 42 more employees across the country. Last year the medical testing company laid off 162 people! It’s connected to a federal investigation, and subsequent $47-million fine, in which the company is accused of bribing doctors and hospitals.  Thrive Healthcare shutdown blaming debts.   Tax-sucker General Dynamics laid off 137 IT workers! Those information technology employees were supporting the Healthcare Quality Improvement Systems contract to “monitor and improve utilization and quality of care for Medicare and Medicaid”.  General Dynamics lost the contract.

Washington: In Castle Rock, Peace Health shutting down their clinic by the end of September.  1-thousand 6-hundred primary and pediatric care patients affected! Customers are being told they will have to travel to Longview for services.

Wisconsin: Health care provider GeminiCares eliminated 7-hundred jobs!  Assurant announced that 1-thousand 2-hundred people in Milwaukee will be laid off starting in August and running into 2016! It’s the result of Assurant getting out of the health insurance business (see above).  Assisted living center Emeritus Senior Living laid off 10 HQ employees.

So Barack Obama, what was that about taking away healthcare “from millions of people”?

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

1st quarter 2015: “more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.” 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 28 – 31 May 2015: Republicans call 9,500 layoffs a “Good Day”! Students continue to disappear from schools, causing more layoffs! More than 5-thousand Too Big to Jail jobs eliminated, blaming the Federal Reserve!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: San Francisco based “creative agency” Goodby Silverstein & Partners laying off an undisclosed number of people in The Golden State and New York.  In Burbank, god refused to stop Obama Care from shutting down ‘his’ Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center blood donor service, 34 jobs lost.   State employment administrators stopped posting WARNs on 21 May.

Colorado: Boulder based Fresh Produce women’s clothing chain shutting down 12 stores in six states, as part of their chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Florida: Clothier Izod shutdown its Palm Beach Gardens store, then announced their Palm Beach Outlets store will shutdown in June.  It’s part of the parent company’s plan to shutdown 1-hundred Izod stores!  After 43 years Brasington’s Adventure Outfitters shutdown. The owner said 2008, the year of the start of the recession, was their best year but then sales crashed and never recovered.   In Jacksonville, after 30 years Benny’s Sandwich Shop shutdown due to the owner’s health problems.  State employment administrators stopped posting WARNs on 15 May.

Illinois: In Granite City, US Steel has suspended its plans to shutdown its Granite City Works factory.  Instead, 80 employees will be laid off.

Indiana:  Muncie Community Schools warned of layoffs, even after selling off their Wilson Junior High School building.   Administrators said that because of what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome, and years of consolidation ops, their Central High School is now overstaffed.  In Richmond, after 27 years Optical Disc Solutions has been sold to WTS Media and will be shutdown.

Iowa: In Davenport, the more than 20 years old Flowerama store shutdown.  The parent company, Flowerama of America, was taken over by 1-800-Flowers in 2011.

Kansas: Kansas City Public Schools laid off 31 employees and cut pay for hundreds of others, blaming $2-million USD in state taxpayer funding cuts.

Maryland: Baltimore City School District laid off 209 employees!  Administrators blame a $108-million shortfall.  Restaurant Langermann’s of Baltimore now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Owners blame ‘Freddie Gray’ social unrest as the final straw in their ongoing financial nightmare.  In Frederick, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 1-hundred years old Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church.  Attendance was down to less than 13 per week, and administrators said “They were just not going to be able to pay their bills.”  

Massachusetts:  In Cambridge, the award winning Hungry Mother restaurant being shutdown in July due to one of the co-owners leaving, and the other co-owners deciding to try something else.

Michigan: The Garden City School Board laid off 46 teachers, blaming Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) for putting the district into a $4-million hole.    Marshall Public Schools laid off eight people.  Another seven employees are being pushed into retirement.  Administrators say enrollment is fine and blame the layoffs on state taxpayer funding cuts and the loss of grant money.

Minnesota: State administrators warned 9-thousand 5-hundred state employees that their jobs are on the chopping block!  Local news reports said Democrats called it a “bad day”, while Republicans called it a “good day”!  It’s what I call a Failed State!   Minneapolis based Too Big to Jail US Bank (Bancorp) warned of mass layoffs if the Federal Reserve failed to jack up interests rates.

New Jersey: Sussex County Community College eliminating 11 jobs.  Administrators blame a new $3-million renovation project for the Student Center, and five years of DSS.  They expect to lose $1.2-million in the upcoming school year due to crashing student enrollment.

New York: The largest Too Big to Jail bank in the U.S., NYC based JP Morgan Chase, began mass layoffs across the country that will total more than 5-thousand by the end of 2016!   In Commack, import/export company CBC America issued a WARN saying they are joining the exodus from The Empire State.  46 jobs to be moved to North Carolina by the end of the year.   At John F. Kennedy International Airport, Envoy Air issued a mass layoff WARN saying 693 jobs will be lost as they join the exodus from The Empire State and move ops to Texas and Illinois!  The Commission on Economic Opportunity issued a WARN saying they are shutting down their Stepping Stones Two childcare center in Rensselaer, 34 jobs lost in August.

North Carolina: In Winston-Salem, after almost four years District Roof Top Bar & Grille shutdown, the owners blame the un-recovered economy: “It takes time, resources and a bit of luck to establish a restaurant. In our case it was just one winter season too many.”-Mark Skoggard, co-owner

North Dakota: Texas based Warren Buffet owned BNSF Railway  began furloughing employees due to crashing demand for North Dakota Oil Patch shipments by rail.  In Fargo, Case IH and New Holland farm equipment maker CNH Industrial laid off 38 people.  Back in February they laid off 80 employees.  In 2014  they laid off 40 people.

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, after nearly 80 years Triplets children’s shoe store shutdown.

Pennsylvania: Connellsville Area School District laid off 40 teachers.  What I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) is the cause.  Reporters with WPXI did some math and discovered that the district lost 1-thousand 3-hundred students in the past ten years!  In Gettysburg, after 33 years Wentz Stained Glass Studio shutdown.

South Carolina: After 95 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Pruitt’s Grocery shutdown due to the owner’s poor health.

Virginia:  In Orange, after 19 years the Dairy Korner Restaurant shutdown.

24 – 27 May 2015: New word for layoffs is ‘synergies’, “…and unfortunately for a lot of people today we’re realizing those synergies.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”