Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 27 – 31 May 2014: “the end of an era” No more Super Chevy or Import Tuner? No more Taco Bell or Pizza Huts? More proof housing crash is here! Thousands of job losses announced in California! More ObamaCare job destruction!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

The second largest magazine distributor/publisher in the country, Source Interlink Distribution, laid off employees in California, Florida and Michigan.  This includes the editor of Automobile magazine.  The company also publishes Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Camaro Performers, GM Hi-Tech, Super Chevy, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning  and Super Street.   Word is, all these iconic magazines will be consolidated into just a couple of publications!   Operations in Michigan will be moved to California.  There are rumors the company is actually shutting down due to the loss of their contract with Time Inc.   Six thousand jobs across the country could be affected!

Arizona:  What housing market recovery? Housing market research company Zillow reports that at the end of March Yuma County had the highest negative equity (homebuyers are paying way more than what the homes are really worth) in the state, 38%.  Pima and Cochise counties are close behind.

California: Too Big to Jail Bank of American announced more layoffs, this time 50 employees in Brea will be laid of in July.  In Oakland, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center warned of massive 1584 layoffs by the end of July!   In Montebello, Beverly Hospital laying off 17 people in July.  In Sylmar, God can’t stop the all powerful Obama Care from killing 274 jobs with Saint Jude Medical in July!   In Atwater, Mi Pueblo Foods shutting down in August, 279 jobs lost!  In San Francisco, Grand Cafe shutting down in July, 63 jobs lost.  CDIHS/OMI Head Start laying off 76 people in July.   In Sunnyvale, taxsucker Lockheed Martin warned of 62 layoffs to take place in July.   In Santa Anna, energy supplier AGR Group shutting down in August, 203 jobs lost!  The company is facing a lawsuit by employees over failure to pay for work performed.   In Mountain View, Symantec continues to kill jobs, this time 42 people will become unemployed in June.  In City of Jurupa Valley, QS Wholesale laying off 66 employees in July.  In West Covina, California Pizza Kitchen announced they are laying off 60 employees in August.  What housing market recovery? Housing market research company Zillow reports that at the end of March Lassen County had the highest negative equity, 43%!  Close behind is Imperial, Kern, Tulare, Lake, Merced, Madera, Yuba, Colusa and Del Norte counties, all with more than 30% of homeowners ‘underwater’!

Idaho:  What housing market recovery? Housing market research company Zillow reports that at the end of March Elmore County had the highest negative equity, 42%!  Bingham County came in second with 29%.   It must be noted that realty data from many Idaho counties are not being made public, such as Bannock County (which is the hardest hit economically)!

Illinois: Chicago based investor analyst company Morningstar announced it will no longer work for Sears Holdings.  Apparently the owner of Sears and Kmart stores is doing so bad that Morningstar is leaving the sinking ship now.

Kentucky: On of the largest advertising companies in Lexington, Meridian-Chiles, now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.

Massachusetts:   Zillow reports that the counties of Suffolk, Middlesex, Plymouth, Norfolk and Essex have 78,873 homes with underwater mortgages (homebuyers are paying way more than what the homes are really worth), at the end of March.

Michigan:  In Lansing, Cup of Dessert (aka Decker’s Coffee) shutdown.  What housing market recovery?  Wayne County announced 557 properties to be auctioned off just in the month of June!  These are properties that were seized for failure to pay taxes.  In 2013 Wayne County put up for auction nearly 20-thousand properties, the most in the whole World!  Not all sold, and the county came up short $182-million USD!  In the failed state city of Detroit: “…118,000 properties owe more than $500 million in unpaid property taxes. These properties are in addition to the more than 84,000 Detroit properties to which various public entities already hold title as a result of tax foreclosure.”-Detroit Blight Removal Task Force

Minnesota:  The epilepsy floor of the United Hospital was shutdown, due to cuts in payments and increased costs caused by Obama Care!  The operator of the hospital, Allina Health, revealed just how much Obama Care is killing the healthcare industry; in the 1st quarter of 2013 Allina Health had $22.3-million in operating income (profit after operating costs are subtracted, a little more specific than net profit).  For the 1st quarter 2014 operating income crashed to just $449-thousand!!! The owner of dozens of Minnesota Taco Bells and Pizza Huts is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted! 140 jobs threatened! Border Foods and Sky Ventures already sold off 54 Pizza Huts back in December.  They’ve already been sued for $8-million in back due rent!  The company is asking the bankruptcy court to allow them to sell off more restaurants.  Company officials cry ‘What economic recovery?’: “Sales have remained stagnant, costs have increased….The combination of the factors has led to a condition where the….margins have decreased and making additional capital investments….is not prudent.”-Barry Zelickson, VP   

Missouri: In Kansas City, after 83 years (and surviving the Great Depression) men’s clothing store Jack Henry shutdown, 25 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on “current trends” in clothing: “When the clothes are gone, the Jack Henry brand will be gone as well…the end of an era for a Kansas City icon.”-Spiro Arvanitakis, co-owner

Nevada: What housing market recovery? Zillow reports at least 30% of homeowners in Las Vegas have negative equity, in other words they’re paying way too much for their homes than what they’re worth.

North Carolina: High Point Regional UNC Health Care killed 115 jobs!  Hospital official, Greg Taylor, blames Obama Care for causing not just insurance reimbursement reductions, but “…admissions decrease….surgical procedures decrease, and we think that is part of where the market is headed. It’s been playing out all across the country.”

New York: In Buffalo, Main Court/Main Seneca announced they are shutting down in August, 82 jobs lost.  Canisius College warned it will layoff an undisclosed number of employees for the upcoming school year.   It’s blamed on decreasing students and increasing benefit costs caused by Obama Care.  In Farmingdale, environmental and disaster recovery consultant ProSource Technologies suddenly shutdown after losing their state contract, 366 jobs lost!  In Melville, employment staffing company Adecco Group announced it is shutting down in December, 154 jobs lost!  Who said internet companies are killing brick-n-mortar stores?  Once again an internet upscale clothing store killing jobs.  This time Fab will layoff 90 people, it’s the internet company’s third round of layoffs in the past ten months, and by the way all the layoffs are coming out of its New York operations only!

Ohio:  What economic recovery?  The new company created by the merger of Anchor Hocking and Oneida kitchen ware, EveryWare Global, is in big trouble.  Even with huge layoffs and factory shutdowns the company is reporting it lost $38.4-million in its first quarter of 2014!  In Beachwood, retail property owner/manager DDR revealed that the closure of 400 Office Depot stores will directly affect 50 of their properties.  However, DDR officials also revealed they’ve been cutting Office Depot a deal on rent (below-market value), and maybe they can jack up the rents once Office Depot vacates.  In Perrysburg Township, Ace Hardware announced they are killing 105 jobs in July!  They are shutting down their 40 years old Retail Support Center.  In Toledo, iconic The Blade newspaper announced they are killing 131 jobs!  The 179 years old newspaper is shutting down its Toledo production and mailing operations beginning in August.

Oregon: In Portland, MulvannyG2 Architecture shutdown.  They’re consolidating operations.  In Beaverton, Obama Care medical device tax forcing Greatbatch/Electrochem Solutions to move to Mexcio. 170 jobs lost by the end of 2015!

Pennsylvania: In Canonsburg, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Custom Fabrication Plant shutting down in October, 130 jobs lost!  GE (General Electric) is the same company that designed the disaster reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, and Hitachi helped build them.

Tennessee: God can’t stop the all powerful Obama Care from killing 75 jobs at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare: “…the current healthcare environment is presenting financial challenges for hospitals across the country….As a result, we are examining ways to reduce costs from our system. We’re finding ways to save through measures such as standardizing medical devices and not filling open positions where it makes sense. But even after making those changes, we still need to find additional ways to reduce costs.”-Gary Shorb, CEO

Texas:  What housing market recovery?  Zillow reports that at least 31% of homebuyers in Bell County are paying for homes that are worth much much less than what the mortagages will end up costing the homebuyer!

20 – 26 May 2014: Massive education cuts!

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 20 – 26 May 2014: Massive education cuts! More proof of coming housing crash; massive construction job losses & 237% foreclosure rate! Private employment service now unemployed! Yet more ObamaCare layoffs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Canadian economist David Madani is warning of a housing market crash.  He says Canada could see at least a 25% drop: “While the recent strength of Canada’s housing market has been astounding, the regional breakdown reveals that it has begun to fray at the edges.”

If you’ve been following my U.S. Job Losses reports you’d notice similar “frays” in the U.S. regional housing markets.

Express Employment Professionals reports their survey shows 47% of unemployed have quit looking for work!

Alaska: The National Archives and Records Administration is shutting down their office.  It’s blamed on lack of visitation by the public.  Certain historical documents will be handed over to state agencies.

California: Too Big to Jail Bank of America laying off more employees, this time 22 Los Angeles workers will be let go in July.  In Riverside, Kroger owned Ralph’s grocery store announced they will shutdown in July, 80 jobs lost.  In La Quinta, Kroger owned Ralph’s grocery store announced they will shutdown in July, 60 jobs lost.   In Ventura, New French Bakery/Starbucks Coffee announced they are shutting down in July, 90 jobs lost.   In Huntington Beach, taxsucker Boeing announced they will kill 96 jobs in July.  In Tracy, employment service Jacobson Staffing Company announced they are shutting down in July, 390 jobs lost!  In Long Beach, Verizon killing 100 jobs!  Company officials blame it on the lack of 411 calls!  In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard (HP) warned it is adding 16-thousand job cuts to the already announced 34-thousand worldwide!

Delaware: RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate jumped 94%, from March to April!

Georgia: Who said tech jobs are recession proof?  In Atlanta, tech startup Hypepotamus shutdown its 3-thousand square feet location.  Several tech companies are merging operations, no word on how many jobs will be affected.

Hawaii: The solar power farm Holaniku at Keahole Point shutdown, due to a terminated lease.

Illinois:  In Chicago, after only four years Ing restaurant shutdown.  Also, what housing market recovery?  The Illinois Association of Realtors report home sales crashed 9.9% across nine counties from April 2013 to April 2014!

Iowa: RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate skyrocketed an incredible 237%, from March to April!

Kansas: Personal care products Kimberly-Clark shutting down its distribution center at New Century AirCenter by the end of this year. 60 jobs lost.

Michigan:  In Ann Arbor, Kroger grocery store on South Industrial Highway shutting down in June, 103 jobs lost!  It sounds like the property owners jacked up the rent, they claim they had rented the property out to Kroger at “dramatically under market” rates for decades and it was time they made a profit.  The Performance Network Theatre shutdown on 22 May, without warning according to Carla Milarch, who said “There were no phone calls made to donors, no phone calls made to staff. Where was the plea to the community, where was the outreach to stakeholders saying we’re considering doing this, can you make three phone calls on our behalf? ……If they had run one more week, they could have closed the show on that Thursday. So they ended up having to pay the actors’ final two-week salary anyway, they didn’t even end up saving any money. It was just poor planning on their part.”  Apparently the ‘poor planners’ are now looking for a theater patron.   Lansing Public School District warned it might have to shutdown Eastern High School.  It’s blamed on decreasing students and increasing employee costs caused by Obama Care health insurance and retirement increases.  To add to that, Detroit Public Schools (DPS) warned they might shutdown 26 schools!  Apparently DPS is in the hole by $120-million USD!   In East Lansing, after 50 years (some reports say 77 years) Goodrich’s Shop-Rite grocery store shutting down in July, 80 jobs lost.   It’s blamed on the property owners who have new plans for the property.  In Chelsea, after 25 years Uptown Antiques shutdown.

Minnesota: In Plymouth, Hutchinson Technology announced it is shutting down operations and laying off 100 employees in Minnesota and Wisconsin!

New Jersey:  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction data shows The Garden State lost the most construction jobs of all the U.S. states, and that’s in spite of reconstruction from Hurricane Sandy.    From March 2013 to March 2014 New Jersey lost 46-hundred construction jobs!

New Mexico: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction data from April 2013 to April 2014 shows the Land of Enchantment lost 2-thousand construction jobs!  Apparently half of those losses came just during the month of April 2014!  In Albuquerque, Southwest Airlines announced they are canceling 11 flights, the bad economy is blamed: “Medium hub airports like Albuquerque have suffered greatly over the past few years, one reason is the economy.”– Daniel Jiron, Albuquerque International Sunport

New York: In Canandaigua, MV Transportation announced they are shutting down in July, 68 jobs lost.  Company officials blame Obama Care for killing their contract for Medicaid Head Start transportation service!  In Walden, Circor Flow Technologies announced the last of their 91 employees will be let go at the end of June.  In Uniondale, LabCorp of America Holdings/Dianon Systems Integrated Oncology/Histology shutting down in September, 24 jobs lost.  In Hornell, God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Saint James Mercy Hospital, Mercycare Facility, from shutting down their Ventilator Department in August, 13 jobs lost.  In Auburn, air conditioner maker Daikin Applied shutting down in 2015, layoffs to begin this September, 415 jobs will be lost!  Anti-gun laws kill jobs; gunmaker Remington laying off at least 80 New Yorkers as it moves production to Alabama.  Alabama is set to pick up 1-thousand new gunmaking jobs!  RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate shot up by 142%, from March to April!

North Carolina:  Who said tech jobs are recession proof?  Charlotte based Too Big to Jail Bank of America “dismantling” their electronic market-making unit, which was created for Merrill Lynch.  In Greensboro, mid-to-upscale retailer Belk shutdown its Four Seasons Town Centre store, 58 jobs lost.  Belk was started in 1888.   In New Bern,  after 79 years Maola Milk & Ice Cream shutting down in July, 98 jobs lost.

Ohio: In Cincinnati, nightclub PLAY shutdown, no reason given.  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, a government mandated privately run company) shutdown Columbia Savings Bank. Most of the assets were sold to United Fidelity Bank, the FDIC gets stuck with the rest.  In Dayton, Ringo’s North Star Mobile Eatery shutdown.  The owners admitted that running a food truck doesn’t jive with raising children.

Oregon: Beaverton based Nike revealed it killed 100-thousand contracted jobs worldwide, in the past year!  The shoemaker is consolidating operations, and switching to the use of robots on a massive scale.  RealtyTrac reports that foreclosures of homes is up in Oregon, by 91% from March to April!  The number of homes scheduled to be auctioned off skyrocketed an unbelievable 229%!

Pennsylvania:  Another clothing retailer biting the dust.  American Eagle Outfitters announced they are shutting down 150 stores!  70 will shutdown this year, the rest by the end of 2016.  In Monaca, Anchor Hocking laid off 400 employees temporarily!  Company officials say it is a money saving move.  Anchor Hocking was consolidated with Oneida under the new EverWare name.

Texas: Vantage Bank shutting down its San Antonio office in July.  It’s blamed on lack of individual customers.  In Houston, after 19 years Crapitto’s Cucina Italiana shutdown.  The property owner sold off the property to a developer who wants to tear everything down.

Washington DC: Specialty Hospitals of America now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The hospital operator paid a $4.2-million fine for frauding Medicare.  The Capitol Hill and Hadley long-term acute-care hospitals were sold off for an undisclosed amount.

14 – 19 May 2014: “I have been a loyal employee!”

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

False Flag Bio-War: United Nations GMO Food Aid = Ebola Outbreak

07 August 2014 (12:50 UTC-07 Tango)/10 Shawwal 1435/16 Mordad 1393/12 Ren-Shen 4712

“Go out and use genetic engineering to create a better virus… 25% of the population is supposed to go in Contagion.”-Charles Arntzen, Biodesign Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, supposedly worked on ebola serum

Some people are blaming the current ebola outbreak on the consumption of monkey or bat meat (there are at least five versions of ebola), but the revelation that the United States has been working on an ebola serum (apparently in secret) for some time now only reinforces my hypothesis that the current ebola outbreak is caused by genetically modified crops (aka GMO, GM, GE [genetically engineered], transgenic).   You see, the life saving serum is made from Kentucky grown GM tobacco soaked in ebola virus.

From 1976 (by coincidence, Monsanto’s Roundup was “commercialized” for the U.S. market in 1976) to 2012 the major ebola outbreaks have been centered in central Africa; in the two Congos, Uganda and southern Sudan (now called South Sudan).  But suddenly, at the end of 2013 ebola shows up with a vengeance in western Africa.

The three countries at the new center of the “unprecedented” EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) outbreak are Liberia (a former[?] U.S. colony), Sierra Leone and Guinea.  All border each other and all are prolific users of GM crops.  This is interesting because all the GMO tracking sites I checked don’t show these countries as being involved in GMO use (and the most recent data is from 2011).

Nigeria has also joined the EVD outbreak club.  At the beginning of July the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development swore there was no GMO in Nigeria.  But get this, he wants to use nuclear tech provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to increase food production, and he sure seems confused about what GMO is: “We must never be afraid of atomic technology in food production. We want to raise productivity, good health and environmental sustainability. We must not listen to those who want to create fear in the minds of people on things they should not be scared about with half-baked knowledge……We can use science to make our food safe and for the issue of food security…..The fact remains that we have nothing in this country called GMO. People confused modern day science to GMOs.”-Akinwumi Adesina

Here’s another fact from Nigeria:  While the Minister of Agriculture denies GM crops are being grown in his country (while appearing to not know what they are), the Minister of Science and Technology announced, in 2013, the creation of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agric-biotech Application.  The main purpose of this “Application” is to promote the growth and use of GMO in Nigeria!

When did Nigeria report its first cases of ebola?  Earlier this year, however the Minister of Health recently said what’s really going on in Nigeria is a hemorrhagic  version of dengue fever (which can kill you just as good as ebola).

The problem with GMO is that some genetically engineered plants involve the use of “transfer vectors”, normally a type of  agro-bacteria or other microbe, to force genetic change or prevent rejection of the genetic changes.  It is not the same as Mother Nature’s pollination technique.  Deadly microbes act as firewalls within the DNA strand, preventing the host’s genetic immune system from eliminating the foreign DNA.

GMOs are so risky that in 2002 Liberia joined the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.  Last year Liberia held a two week risk management course for GM crops, run by their new Liberia National Biosafety Framework Implementation Project.  It was funded by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Environment Facility.  If GMOs are so safe why the need for such biosafety programs?

I’m not the only one who thinks this ebola outbreak is connected to GMO: “The toxic substances embedded in GMOs that make them pests, insects and disease resistant are poisonous bacteria that kill these insects aiding pollination of flowering crops. Nature has a way of doing things, in human race we called that unexpected happenings as Miracles and this could happen in GMO. The insects contacting GMO crops might not die instantly but could manage to carry pollens grains from GMO to non-GMO crop. This would cause the changes of traits of the traditional crop which means that the new crop might manage to survive the environment around it and the cause of the crop adjusting to the new environment, could develop complications not unknown to science hence possible outbreak of new crop disease similar to that of Ebola Virus Disease. This would cause the ailing agriculture to bleed to death.”–

Now lets add the fact that scientists say this current ebola outbreak is different from the 1976-2012 outbreaks: “What’s going on is unprecedented.  Usually these things last two or three weeks and then get isolated.  That is more than a little unnerving to me as a virologist because it suggests that maybe this strain is a little different or has adapted in a different way to cause disease in humans.”-Thomas Hope, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

But don’t blame it all on farmers growing GMOs.  Turns out the very same African countries suffering the EVD outbreak are huge recipients of United Nations food aid, which arrives in the form of GM products.  That’s right, the main sources for UN food aid are GM crops, and there’s a conspiracy to dump as much of it on African countries as fast as possible.

Liberia is a huge recipient of UN World Food Programme (WFP) genetically modified food, partly because Liberia has become a refugee camp for people fleeing Côte d’Ivoire.  But wait there’s more!  The new WFP GMO food dumping Hunger Free Liberia program began in 2013, the same year the ebola outbreak started!

In Sierra Leone the WFP is dumping GMO food aid in the name of preventing malnutrition in children.  The WFP says most farmers in the country are unable to get their crops to market because of bad roads, justifying the dumping of GMO food aid.

In Republic of Guinea, the WFP is ‘bartering’ their GMO food aid for locally produced iodized salt.  The salt is used to supplement WFP’s food program.  At least 114-thousand Guineans live off WFP’s food for salt program, which apparently began at the end of 2013.

In 2012 UN officials proudly reported that they finally got Nigerian officials to admit they have food insecurity.  Since 2009 the UN claimed there were 30 regions in Nigeria in need of food aid.  In 2012 the UN expanded that to 383!  Food aid is being dumped by such globalist groups as UNICEF (dumping what they call Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods or RUTF), European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and the terrorist group known as USAID.   UN officials also claim that by dumping this RUTF they are helping to fight inflation in Nigerian food prices (sounds like economic warfare).  It should be noted that the expansion of the RUTF began in 2013!

This year the UN’s WFP announced even more GMO food aid to Nigeria, blaming increasing violence which is creating a refugee crisis.  The food aid will also be shipped to refugee camps in Cameroon, so don’t be surprised if you hear about ebola spreading to Cameroon.

For an example of a conspiracy to increase the dumping of GMO food aid in Africa, in 2011 the African government of Kenya fired its National Biosafety Authority boss after catching him ‘expediting’ the distribution of milled UN/African Union food aid.   African Union food aid officials were pissed: “When you have people starving in your country you don’t simply turn your back on food at your door-step just because it is labelled GM, it is expected that biosafety risk assessments should have been conducted before the importation of the food to see whether it does indeed pose a threat before taking a decision. Taking this decision so late in the day could have serious consequences for the suffering people.”-Diran Makinde, New Partnership for Africa Development’s African Biosafety Network of Expertise

Who should we blame?  According to a 2011 Popular Science article, U.S. based Monsanto is responsible for 90% of the GM crops around the World (grown mainly in the U.S. and South America)!

Then there’s the United Nations, African Development Bank, USAID, World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other ‘western’ globalist organizations that are pushing the use of GM seeds, and even dumping GM food aid in African countries.

It’s ironic that the genetically modified tobacco plant is being used to create a serum for ebola, after all the tobacco plant was the first plant to be genetically modified by humans (in 1982).

More deadly GMO reading:  DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans, study confirms 

U.S. wildlife refuges phasing out GMO crops, some pesticides to help bees

Globe-Trotting GMO Bananas Arrive For Their First Test In Iowa

Ugandan scientists grow GM banana

BBN GMO archives:  GMO CROPS INTENDED TO CREATE STARVATION IN THE U.S. & CANADA?

Outlawed GMO wheat shows up on Oregon farms!

Corn syrup + GMO corn crops + Pesticides = Honey Bee Colony Collapse! Human collapse next!

GMO CREATES SUPERBUGS, DESTROYING OUR FOOD SOURCES! INDIA SAYS GMO RESEARCH “FRADULENT”!

EUROPEANS NOW BLAMING EGYPT FOR DEADLY E COLI……ARE GMOS TO BLAME?

Business/Economics, Idaho

Sears & Kmart closing update, 06 August 2014: “Day of reckoning” Finally it’s official Chubbuck Sears going down! No more Converse shoes? Sears Canada being sold for $2-billion!

“When one player starts to get worried, that’s something that can potentially spread fast. People are very worried about getting stuck with a lot of liability…..There’s a day of reckoning at some point.”-Steven Dennis, former Sears vice president, commenting on the recent ‘disappearance’ of Converse/Nike brand shoes from Sears stores

My past articles showed how the Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears was slowly being killed off.

I’ve been warning and now it’s official; the Sears in the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho, is shutting down.  The mall’s current property manager, Covington Realty Partners, says Sears Holdings gave no “verbal” warning.

North Carolina losing a Kmart in November.  Missouri losing a Kmart in November.  An Oklahoma Sears shutting down in November.  Massachusetts losing a 35 years old Kmart in October.  112 people losing their jobs at 46 years old Kmart in Florida, by November.  Turns out the property was quietly sold to Walmart back in 2012!  Wisconsin losing a Sears.

Reports that Sears Canada might have a new owner.  New York based Sycamore Partners considering paying Eddie Lampert $2-billion USD for Sears Holding’s share of Sears Canada!

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears (jobs lost unknown), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown.  Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why?

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, recently revealed Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost). Finally an official announcement; Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost).  Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the “pad”.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) recently revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, recently revealed Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost).

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road!

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), recently revealed South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware.

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), recently revealed Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), recently revealed Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga Kmart (jobs lost unknown, but the store was advertising for new hires!), Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (no job loss info given), recently revealed Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 14 – 19 May 2014: “I have been a loyal employee!” No more Red Lobster or Land Rover? Ford kills off thousands of steel industry jobs! California & New York hit with hundreds of job losses! More healthcare job cuts!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Russian steel company Severstal will sell off its factories in Deerborn, Michigan, and in Columbus, Mississippi.  At least 25-hundred jobs affected!   The company was supplying steel for Ford tough trucks, but the new Ford F-150 will be made of aluminum (cans?).

California:  In Orange, Obama Care killed 28 jobs at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.  In Ontario, Landmark Medical Management killing 418 jobs in July!  In Fort Irwin, taxsucker Northrop Grumman laid off another 813 people!  In Palo Alto, Hewlett-Packard (HP) laid off 32 employees.  In Menlo Park, Intuit added an additional 21 employees to their layoffs in July.  In Anaheim, MV Transportation killing 232 jobs in July!  In San Francisco, Golden Gate Capital could be the new owner of Red Lobster restaurants.  The agreed to buy it for $2.1-billion USD!  However, the sale won’t be finalized until the first half of 2015.  No word on what Golden Gate Capital has in plan for the restaurant.  The executives of the original owner, Darden Restaurants, blames the sale on pressure from stockholders.

Illinois: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, a government mandated privately run company) shutdown AztecAmerica Bank.  $58-million of the assets were sold to Republic Bank of Chicago, the FDIC gets stuck with the rest.

Iowa: Mercy Medical Center laid off 29 employees.  Hospital President Bob Ritz blames U.S. President Obama: “As the federal government and state payment systems continue to ratchet down on what they pay us and our costs go up, we have to look for opportunities to create cost efficiencies.”

Kansas: In Derby, after 40 years electronics maker Q Corporation dissolving.  Unnamed inside sources reported the company has been quietly laying off employees, and is selling off it’s buildings.  Last October the company reported a 200% increase in profits, but now it’s being taken over by vulture capitalists.  The inside informant blames the sudden downturn partly on the company’s inability to  sell off its failing robotics line.  In Kinston, Spirit AeroSystems laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  The company does work for the European Union’s Airbus, and blames the layoffs on “progression” with the A350 production.  In Delano, after only three years art supply store Bluebird Arthouse shutdown, the owner blamed the challenging economy.

Michigan: In Ann Arbor, a 35 years old Le Dog hot dog stand shutdown.  The owners are focusing on just one restaurant.  After only four years Mercy’s Restaurant shutdown.  The owners blamed the bad economy for creating inconsistent business.  In Lansing, the Frandor Rite Aid pharmacy shutdown “indefinitely”, apparently due to a shooting that left two people dead.  What economic recovery?  The Lansing Public School District privatizing their school bus system, trying to cut more than $700-thousand from their budget.  School bus drivers make about $12 per hour, part time, so just imagine what kind of contracted drivers they’re going to get for minimum wage.  School bus driver Keisha Boose is pissed: “I feel like I have been a loyal employee and the Lansing School District does not have my back!”  The Charlotte Public Schools could shutdown the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.  School district officials revealed the taxpayer funded Center has been losing tens of thousands of dollars since 2010.   Wayne County approved drastic plans to try and get rid of $175-million in debt.  It includes laying off employees as well as reducing prison population by 200 homeless and mentally ill detainees, and cutting $1-million from the Detroit Prosecutor’s Office. County officials admit their tax revenues are crashing because residents are up and leaving in droves.

Minnesota: What automotive industry recovery?  In Minneapolis, Borton Volvo shutdown.   They were the last new car dealer in the city.  The owner blames city officials for changing zoning laws, now he’s building a mega dealership outside city limits (less tax revenue for the dumb city officials).

New York: In Bethpage, taxsucker Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Electronic Attack Center announced they will layoff 352 employees between now and the end of the year!  Company officials say they are consolidating operations.  In Bronx, financially troubled long term health care provider HHH Choices Health Plan/HHCS shutting down in August, 152 jobs lost!  ABCO Carpentry Service & Steel Door shutting down in August, 52 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on the bad economy.  What automotive industry recovery?  In several cities across New York Long Island Automotive Group-Land Rover shutting down in July, 243 jobs lost!  In Brooklyn, Moneygram announced they’re shutting down their HQ, 376 jobs affected!  The money transfer company is moving its HQ to Texas.  Company officials told state officials that the jobs will be eliminated or transfered by December.

North Dakota:  In Harvey, after several years of operations (and several shutdowns) the Branded Beef & Pack is being auctioned off on 04 June.  The owner, Minnesota based Maas Companies, says the operation cost them more money then they were making: “Due to challenging economic conditions during the start up phase, the plant was forced to cease operations.”  

Ohio: Maker of Oneida and Anchor Hocking eating/cooking utensils, EveryWare Global, announced it is shutting down two factories, one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania.  This is part of its ongoing consolidation plans, which involve moving most production across the U.S. to Ohio.  A New York private equity fund, Monomoy Capital Partners, took over Oneida and Anchor Hocking in 2011, and  combined them into one company called EveryWare Global in March 2012.

Oregon: What was that about internet businesses killing brick-n-mortar stores? In Portland, Webtrends laid off 26 employees as it refocuses its internet sales operations.

10 – 13 May 2014: Maryland hopes Japan will save 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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 10 – 13 May 2014: Maryland hopes Japan will save their jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In San Jose, Singapore based electro-optics maker Avago/LSI killing 86 jobs by the end of the month.  In Los Angeles, Sheraton Hotels laying off 17 employees in July.  In Laguna Niguel, Kroger announced it is shutting down their Ralph’s grocery store in July, 66 jobs lost.  In Stockton, Exel-Mondolez shutting down in July, 28 jobs lost.

Maryland: The bankruptcy court is allowing the sale of industrial container maker Hedwin to Japan.  It’s hoped the deal will save 300 jobs!

Michigan:  The Lansing Mall Cinema announced it will shutdown in July.  Frontier Airlines halting its Detroit to Delaware flights in September.

New York: In Coram, Acme Bus laying off 58 employees in June.  In NYC, Dallas Restaurant Management renovating Fireside Restaurant and Lounge, 38 jobs lost until the renovations are completed.  In Copiague, Baumann & Sons Buses laying off 100 employees by the end of June!  In Philmont, public officials blame Obama Care for forcing them to consider three options for the Pine Haven Nursing Home; shut it down, sell it off or spend $32-million building a new one.  160 jobs affected!   A public hearing is planed for the end of May.

Texas:  In Austin, NBC canceled the TV show Revolution.  It was reported that a “large number” of employees will become unemployed.

06 – 09 May 2014: 3-thousand+ jobs lost in Illinois! 1750 jobs gone in Tennessee!

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 06 – 09 May 2014: 3-thousand+ jobs lost in Illinois! 1750 jobs gone in Tennessee! Mystery massive layoff in California!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

As a result of the merger with OfficeMax, 400 Office Depot stores will be shutdown across the United States!

Taxsucker Northrop Grumman lost a big Navy bombing range contract, 57 jobs lost.

California: In Irvine, cell phone service provider Verizon shutting down in June, 152 jobs lost!  In Corona, Ireland based legal drugs pusher Actavis laying off two employees in July.  In Menlo Park, software company Intuit laying off seven employees in July.  In Fullerton, Illinois based credit info service TransUnion shutting down in July, 106 jobs lost!  What automotive industry recovery? In San Jose, car dealer Courtesy Chevrolet shutting down in July, 100 jobs lost!  In Los Angeles, Trinity Sports shutting down in July, 135 jobs lost!    In Fort Irwin, taxsucker Northrop Grumman notified state officials that 899 employees will be let go in July!  Golden State Employment Development Department officials report that Northrop Grumman gave no reason for the massive layoff!

Hawaii:  God can’t stop Obama Care from killing 110 home healthcare jobs with Saint Francis Healthcare System!  The hospital system will also shutdown their hospice operation in Oahu.

Illinois: In Bolingbrook, meat processor Quantum Foods lost a major contract.  Company officials told 1100 employees not to come to work!  The company has been losing revenue since 2012.   Accretive Health warned that “restructuring” could kill 170 jobs!  It was revealed that Passages Hospice was forced to shutdown in February, 88 healthcare jobs lost.  The owner was charged with frauding Medicare/Medicaid.  Plastic container maker Graham Packaging warned it will kill 170 jobs starting at the end of the month.  The company is consolidating operations.   The Chicago Tribune reports they’ve obtained a memo from  OfficeMax-Office Depot which states that 1600 Prairie State residents will become unemployed as a result of the recent merger!  Chicago based Jet Magazine announced it will cease paper publications, unknown how many jobs will be affected.

Kansas: Too Big to Jail Bank of America selling off 11 branch offices.

Michigan:  After first announcing (in March) they would not privatize their school bus system, Battle Creek Public Schools privatized their school bus system! 41 jobs affected.   The once Detroit based (now based in Chicago since January) civil engineering firm Lakeshore TolTest now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.

Minnesota: Plymouth based fertilizer maker Mosaic killing 500 jobs across the United States!  It’s blamed on a 43% drop in earnings for their 1st quarter 2014!  Grocery store operator Roundy’s sold off 18 Rainbow grocery stores, 1-thousand jobs affected!  At this point the new owners say they will continue operating the stores, but the names might change.

New York: In Rochester, Eastman Kodak continues its slow burn layoffs, announcing that five more employees will be laid off in July.  In Long Beach, Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home being shutdown and sold off, 372 jobs lost by the end of July!  Buffalo based Center for Transportation Excellence says the loss of a state Medicaid transportation contract will result in 40 people becoming unemployed.   In Long Island, warehouse operator Gwynnie Bee shutting down in July, 96 jobs lost.  In Norwich, First Transit laying off 31 employees in August.  Company officials blame the bad economy.   In NYC, National 42nd St. Realty/LIR Management shutting down their TGI Friday’s Restaurant, Tim Horton’s/KFC Food Court restaurants in August, at least 130 jobs lost!  Company officials blame the bad economy.

North Carolina: In High Point, furniture maker Steelcase shutting down their factory and over the next two years is moving 230 jobs to Mexico!

Ohio: In Cleveland, Champlain Enterprises shutting down their aircraft Maintenance Hanger in July, 177 jobs lost!  After only two years in operations, Believe to Achieve Academy shutting down two schools in June, 63 jobs lost.  Tax collector IRS shutting down their West Chester office on 15 May, 23 jobs affected.

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, family owned home decor store John Adam Collection shutdown.

Tennessee:  The TVA killing 1750 jobs!  It’s being done through the elimination of 1-thousand vacant positions and forced early retirements.   It’s the biggest layoff in 20 years by the federal government utility provider.

03 – 05 May 2014: “They’re going to miss us when we’re gone.”

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics

Government & Corporate Evil: $6-billion proof ‘Wall Street’ is a scam! Fake company still being traded!

01 August 2014 (23:08 UTC-07 Tango 31 July 2014)/04 Shawwal 1435/10 Mordad 1393/06 Ren-Shen 4712

Ever here of a corporation called Cynk?  That hasn’t stopped investors from putting $6-billion USD into the company.   But wait, the company is fake!

On 11 July 2014 the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority declared an “extraordinary event”, after Cynk stock surged 23-thousand percent over two months!  The Securities and Exchange Commission halted trading of Cynk penny stocks.

Turns out investigations into the company showed it doesn’t exist!  No employees, no revenues, no assets!  Yet, the company reported a $1.5-million loss for 2013.

A man from Belize listed as the CEO of the company denied he was the CEO!

A reporter for Bloomberg went to Belize to find the HQ of Cynk: “I went to the place where it listed its headquarters…..it’s the nicest building in town…the 4th floor where the address is…is an offshore brokerage….the brokerage held Cynk shares for clients.  I don’t know who those clients are…….Don’t buy penny stocks!”-Zeke Faux (can we trust a guy with a last name that means Fake?)

Since Cynk is OTC (Over The Counter, aka Penny Stock), and not traded in the Dow or NASDAQ, it does not have to prove itself to investors.  It’s been reported that even the company’s phone number is fake.

The only reason federal officials looked into the company was the outrageous surge in the stock prices.  If the stock maintained a ‘natural’ price it’s possible they could’ve gone on for a long time taking investor’s money: “The challenge really is that those who engage in stock manipulation are so far ahead of the regulators….it really is a race…it’s only once the manipulation starts…that the agency is able to respond.”-Jacob Frenkel, former SEC

How many other fake corporations are being trading in the stock markets?

Despite the evidence showing Cynk is fake, on 25 July 2014 Cynk was allowed to continue trading!   However the stock price dropped from $21 per share to about one dollar.

Business/Economics, International

MERCOSUR joins BRICS to destroy U.S. Dollar with new Bank of the South!

31 July 2014 (13:51 UTC-07 Tango)/03 Shawwal 1435/09 Mordad 1393/05 Xin-Wei (7th month) 4712

“Central America and the Caribbean also constitute a vital space for economic integration and the political unity of Our America…we need to consolidate regional articulation that allows for integral development, to confront poverty, social exclusion and that is based in solidarity and cooperation.”-MERCOSUR/MERCOSUL statement

On 30 July 2014, MERCOSUR/MERCOSUL voted to implement their U.S. dollar killing Bank of the South (aka South Bank) by the end of this year.

Also, Bolivia became a full member of MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market).  Caribbean, Central America and South American countries are joining together to create a Complementary Economic Zone.

BRICS to destroy U.S. dollar with new Global Bank!

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 03 – 05 May 2014: “They’re going to miss us when we’re gone.” More proof there is no housing recovery! More coal job losses! Carnegie rises from the dead to kill steel jobs! Yep, more ObamaCare healthcare job loses!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Who said internet businesses are making money?  British empire based Future Publishing announced it will layoff employees as part of a restructuring program.  The internet publishing company operates in Australia, United Kingdom and United States.

California: In Oakland, Sutter East Bay Hospital laid off another eight employees.

Illinois: Rockford School District shutting down nine schools, and tearing them down to created “green space”!   It’s not clear why, even a local news source stated “parents expressed extreme curiosity in the district’s plans”.

Indiana: What housing market recovery?  After 56 years Oakbrook Homes shutdown.  The owner said before the 2009 recession he was building 100 homes per year, since then he’s been lucky to build 25 homes per year!   On Ball State University campus, Hiatt Printing shutdown.  The owner blamed University officials.

Iowa: Genesis Health System laid off 80 employees.   Company executives even cut their own pay.  Yes, they blame Obama Care: “We agree that health systems across the country are facing increasing challenges from changes in reimbursement levels…”

Kentucky: Northern Kentucky University laying off 20 employees for the upcoming school year.   It’s blamed on “financial challenges”.

Maine: University of Southern Maine shutdown Dickey Wood Hall.  It’s blamed on disappearing students.  The Hall was designed to accommodate 360 students, but this past spring there were only 40 living in the dorm!  In Gardiner, Too Big to Jail Key Bank shutdown its branch office.  The 139 years old building is being sold off.

Michigan: The Hamburg Historical Museum shutdown.  The operators said they can no longer pay the $20-thousand USD in yearly utility and insurance costs.  In Lapeer, Sears Holdings announced the Kmart will close in July, 56 jobs lost.  In Saline, after 22 years The Drowsy Parrot coffee shop shutdown without notice.  Local news reports said employees were just as shocked as customers.  There was no explanation from the owner, only confirmation via text message (the owner didn’t even have the guts to tell employees in person).

Mississippi: In Jackson, after 68 years elitist golf course Colonial Country Club seized by the banks.  The operators blame the bad economy.

New York: What housing market recovery?  In Garden City, Too Big to Jail JPMorgan Chase killing off 161 mortgage industry jobs in July!

North Carolina:  Raleigh based medical diagnostic company LipoScience laid off 22 employees, due to a lost contract.

Ohio: After 57 years Bargar Jewelry shutdown.

Pennsylvania: In Pittsburgh, U.S. Steel announced it will kill an undisclosed number of jobs across the United States.  Company officials say it’s part of their cost cutting operations called Carnegie Way Initiative.  According to company officials, U.S. Steel has lost money five years in a row!  And coal miner Consol Energy laid off 188 people, despite spending $24-million upgrading operations at its Buchanan Mine!

Tennessee: In Chattanooga, after 63 years Grant’s Auto Glass shutdown.  The owner’s daughter said “They’re going to miss us when we’re gone.”

Texas: In Austin, after 36 years the Tamale House shutdown, the owner died.  The global leader of geosynthetic linings, Houston based GSE Environmental, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The bankruptcy does not affect the company’s operations in Chile, Germany, Thailand, China and Egypt.  Company officials say the U.S. bankruptcy is needed to help it “restructure”.  Is that code for massive offshoring of U.S. jobs?  In Fort Worth, taxsucker Bell Helicopter laid off another 325 people!  It’s blamed on crashing orders for the controversial V-22 Osprey.  Bell Helicopter laid off 115 engineers in March, and more than 300 employees in 2013!  In Georgetown, health clinic operator Lone Star Circle of Care laid off 65 employees.  Company officials would not elaborate as to why.  The CEO also quit.  The company provides services to underinsured people, so maybe Obama Care is to blame.  The company relies on donations to operate.

Virginia: In Fairfax County, dry cleaner Max Cleaners shutdown without notice, and locked up all their customers clothing in the stores!  Turns out the store owner was evicted by the property owner after legal battles.

Wisconsin:  In Berlin, the Grede Foundry laying off 77 employees in July.  Company officials blame the bad economy for crashing sales.

01 – 02 May 2014: “a kick in the gut!”

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.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013