Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? My employer says no paychecks until US Bank pays up!

1 June 2012, after working weeks of overtime, my paycheck never arrived!

My employer, who has contracts with unAmerican Corporate America banks, says she can’t pay because US Bank (which is now her main contract on the eastern side of Idaho) failed to pay her!

This is strange because US Bank (aka US Bancorp, USB) recently reported 1st quarter earnings that were up!  Maybe my employer is lying?

Whatever the case, since my employer pays only once per month, all us employees have burned through last months pay and are in need of our well earned paychecks just to be able to buy necessities for the next month, let alone pay our debts!  Don’t tell me the economy is getting better!!!

(I’m writing this because it’s not the first time we’ve had problems with our employer paying us on time. You’d think a contractor working for the too big to fail banks would have such a problem.)

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Idaho’s Coldwater Creek loses money again! Executives oblivious? Stocks worth less than $1.00

Idaho’s Coldwater Creek women’s clothing retailer just posted their 1st quarter 2012 results.

For the 1st quarter, which ended April 28, the struggling apparel company reported a loss of $23.8 million USD.  But that was less than company execs thought they were going to lose!

Chairman and Chief Executive, Dennis Pence, actually takes the news as a good sign: “Customers responded favorably to our spring and early summer collections, which offered an increased emphasis on color, print, and pattern.”

The problem with that train of thought is that Coldwater Creek lost money for the same reason as always, their sales are down!  Pence calls that “responding favorably”?

The news caused Coldwater Creek stock prices to drop to 84 cents per share before the closing bell on 30 May.  But, it’s dropped to 74 cents in after hours trading!

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Problems, and hopes, for east Idaho’s Eagle Rock owner; Areva

Back in March, Areva announced a $3.2 billion USD loss, which is what it would cost to build the planned Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility near Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Now Areva, based in France, is struggling to raise cash just to survive.  But there is also some hopeful news for Areva.

29 May 2012, Areva announced “outstanding” performance results from their Steam Generator Repair Services crew.  They just finished work on the Indiana Michigan Power Donald C. Cook nuke plant:  “Constant monitoring and good peer checking by our team were the key factors that contributed to zero safety incidents and very low dose [radiation exposure].”-Mike Jefferson, Field Operations Manager

 

 

29 May 2012, Finnish media reporting that Areva is five years behind scheduled, for completion of Finland’s third generation nuclear power plant.  Areva officials blame it on the fact that no nuclear plant has been built in Europe for 20 years, resulting in troubles finding reliable supply chains for proper construction materials.

28 May 2012, The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency started taking final public comments on the possibility of Areva operating a uranium mine located 700 kilometres north of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

15 May 2012, Areva announced that it will partner with Japan’s Mitsubishi to search for uranium in Australia.

2 May 2012, Areva announced it was selling its nuclear radiation measurement unit in Australia, to raise needed cash.  CEO, Luc Oursel, says the company needs to raise at least 1.2 billion euros by the end of 2013, to make up for huge loses!  He plans on doing that by selling off Areva assets.

At the end of April 2012, the country of Jordan announced that Areva and Mitsubishi were being considered to build the country’s first nuclear reactor.

 

 

 

Fukushima, Idaho

East Idaho Gamma Ray detector not functioning? Gamma levels higher than “typical”? Evidence of Fukushima Daiichi?

As the Japanese nuclear disaster continues on, with no end in sight, I discovered that a public radiation detector, or High Pressure Ion Chamber (HPIC)/gamma detector, in the middle of nowhere eastern Idaho, apparently is not working.

It’s part of the Idaho Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP), which is actually run by a conglomeration of Federal and State agencies.  They include the State of Idaho, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

Big Lost River IEMP Tower

IEMP is located at the Big Lost River rest stop along U.S. 26/20 highway.  It’s sandwiched between the INL complex and EBR 1.  The area is home to at least 50 nuclear power projects, a sign at the rest stop claims it’s the most nuclear projects in one area in the whole world.

HPIC gamma detector. Note that it is made by GE, the same company behind Fukushima Daiichi.

At the rest stop there is also a display that presents current IEMP data to the public. However, the gamma radiation display is blank.  There is a website, www.idahoop.org.   The website is not put together well, but when I clicked on the Rest Area Tower (found under the Community Monitoring section) it does display the gamma levels.  As of 25 May 2012 background gamma radiation is at 16.1 μR/h (micro Roentgens per hour).

Big Lost River rest stop IEMP display board

This might be a little high, but how are we in the general public supposed to know?  Here’s a couple of examples: According to Wikipedia 9.8 μR/h equals approximately 86 mR/year, which is considered “less than typical”.  Another example is that of the ghost city of Pripyat, which was contaminated by Chernobyl in the 1980s.  As of 5 January 2012 the city was still showing gamma levels as high as 66 μR/h, which is why no one can live there!

The IEMP website also gives you locations of several other gamma stations throughout eastern Idaho. They surround the INL. Here’s what the many Towers were picking up on 25 May 2012: Blackfoot  10.4 μR/h, Idaho Falls 13.8 μR/h, Fort Hall reservation 14.5 μR/h, Rexburg 13.0 μR/h and Terreton 15.0 μR/h.

The major problem with this IEMP website is that it does not give you any historical gamma readings.  The system was put into place in 1997, and having that historical data would be the best way to see if gamma radiation was increasing or not.  We also don’t know if the current, slightly higher than “typical”, micro Roentgens per hour of gamma radiation is the result of the record number of nuclear projects in the area, or from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi!

Big Lost River IEMP station

There are many EMP sites throughout the United States, such as CEMP in Nevada.  But not all monitor gamma radiation. The CIEMP checks only solar radiation (net radiation).  You can search under “environmental monitoring program” to see if any are in your area of the U.S.

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

What Economic Recovery? HP to layoff up to 48,000 more employees! Texas to be hit hard? Idaho’s printer factory targeted? Blame lack of recovery in Europe!

23 May 2012, Hewlett-Packard (HP) is expected to layoff another 25,000 employees according to an unnamed source, reported in a CNN/Fortune article.

The original report of the 25,000 job cuts came from Bloomberg on 17 May 2012.  It includes about “…10,000 to 15,000 from Hewlett-Packard’s enterprise services group.”  HP’s enterprise services is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

However, on 16 May 2012, Business Insider reported that HP wants to layoff up to 15% of its employees. “Layoffs are going to be significant.” HP has about 320,000 employees, if they go for a 15% cut that’s 48,000 people losing their jobs!

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is reporting that HP will report huge losses after the stock markets close today, 23 May. The WSJ Market Watch is expecting HP to report a quarterly earnings decline of 27%, with overall revenues down by 5%.

Fox News reporting that HP is suffering from the bad economy in Europe, which makes up 37% of HP’s business: “The increasing uncertainty and resulting macro weakness in Europe will likely act as an ongoing headwind to growth.”-Chris Whitmore, Deutsche Bank Securities

CNN is reporting that “Many of the job cuts are expected to come from the printing unit.” Back in march, HP announced it was merging its computer and printer factories.  However, this is not the first time HP has combined computer and printer production.

The last attempt was made in 2005, and was reversed six months later.

According to the IdahoStatesman, more than 50% of HP’s Boise, Idaho operation is printing and imaging.  When the IdahoStatesman questioned HP’s Boise campus boss (back in March), he claimed he was unaware of the merger of computer and printer operations.

Hewlett Packard has been slashing and burning ever since 2009, when employees got a 5% pay cut.  Then in 2010, about 9,000 jobs were cut. In February 2012, 275 people lost their jobs due to the canceling of HP’s webOS.

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3: Cops & bombers killed. Drone crash. UN gives 60 vehicles to Afghanistan. Afghan war criminal begs NATO to stay. Prisoner swap deal for Idahoan?

May 10, 2012,  Logar Province, at least three U.S./NATO personnel wounded in rocket attack.  Also, another U.S./NATO recon drone has crashed in Logar Province.

A large co-ordinated suicide bomber attack has left at least six bombers and two Afghan police officers dead.

The attack took place against a government compound in Yahia Khel district, Paktika Province.  Afghan officials did not say that any of the bombers succeeded in exploding themselves, but that the deaths were the results of firefights between the Mujahideen and police.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 10, 2012: 17 tons of explosives found in Kandahar Province.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

In Uruzgan Province Mujahideen tried to ambush a Afghan/occupying force patrol.  ISAF says one Mujahideen was killed.

Operations to capture “leaders” took place in Paktika and Ghazni provinces.

May 9, 2012, General Zahir Azimi said the Afghan army is ready to begin phase 3 of security operations: “Several regions including cities and 230 districts across the country are going to be handed over to Afghan security forces. Afghan national army soldiers have the capabilities to take security lead in cooperation with the other security institutions.”

Phase 3 should take place in the next two weeks.  However, war criminal, and Afghan politician, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, is begging U.S./NATO forces to stay: “President Barack Obama should know that the Taliban group will resume civil war if U.S. and NATO decides for a rapid pullout of their troops from Afghanistan, and there will be no achievements despite efforts international community who have spent billions of dollars and have lost several soldiers.”

Dostum was involved in the murder of hundreds of “Taliban” prisoners in 2001 (known as the Dasht-i-Leili massacre).

May 9, 2012, the United Nations began delivering the first of 60 vehicles to the Afghan government: “I am very happy to announce that as part of our forthcoming donation of around 60 vehicles, we are starting the first round with our crucial partners of the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Justice.”-Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reports that 550 schools in 11 provinces, mainly for girls, have been closed because of the ongoing war!

The parents of the only known U.S. prisoner of the “Taliban” are demanding that President Obama include their son, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, in an upcoming prisoner swap deal.

Bergdahl is from Hailey, Idaho. According to the Idaho Mountain Express, his parents have become frustrated and are pushing for a swap deal for their son and Afghan prisoners in Guantánamo Bay.

“I’m pushing it hard. We started out by trying to encourage the Taliban to take care of our son…. Now, we’re worried that the government isn’t concerned enough to put him on the (negotiating) table.”-Bob Bergdahl

 

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

Economic Recovery? Idaho’s Micron Technology invades Japan! Micron on the offensive!

May 4, 2012, Japanese media reporting that failed Elpida Memory has chosen Idaho’s Micron Technology as its corporate savior.

According to NHK: “Elpida is Japan’s sole DRAM memory chip maker. It filed for bankruptcy protection in February after suffering losses stemming from the strong yen and intense foreign competition.”

But here’s the irony; Idaho’s Micron is also having revenue trouble.  Idaho media, real estate web sites, etc, have been reporting Micron as the Boise area’s largest employers.  But Micron’s employment in Boise dropped to 5,000 in 2009, and has been trickling down ever since.

Micron has had a lot of investors, yet their quarterly reports for 2011 were loss after loss (in the hundreds of millions each quarter).  This is because the memory chip market basically crashed.

However, since the beginning of 2012 Micron officials have been busy buying up other factories, and now companies.  Micron recently took over a Toshiba owned factory in Virginia, called Dominion Semiconductor.

Here’s what the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch said: “The current state of the memory-production business is looking like the hotel business, where various facilities are bought and sold like trading cards from company to company.”

One reason for that is that memory chips have become a dime a dozen (actually less) and there’s no brand loyalty among chip users.

Micron officials seem to have scouted the next wave of memory innovation correctly, they are now pushing their RealSSD (Solid State Drive) and computer companies are buying it up.

On May 4, 2012, Elpida officials chose Micron, out of three bidders, to take over their company.  It’s reported that it will cost Micron $2.5 billion USD.  The take over will be finalized at the end of May, and new company plan submitted to Tokyo District Court by August.

Originally Micron offered $1.9 billion for Elpida, but Elpida shareholders threatened legal action.

 

 

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

Oil & Gas Prices: Iran 100% increase in shipments! Nigeria oil & gas boom. North Dakota oil jobs draining Idaho & Washington. Ohio’s oil industry refuses to hire locals? Chevron big profits. Texas is proof that Obama is an oil man.

Despite U.S. oil sanctions against Iran, Iran experienced a 100% increase in refined petrol (gasoline) exports in 2011!

Iranian officials say their gasoline sales in 2011 hit a record $134 million USD!  Some of the countries buying Iranian petrol are Armenia, Afghanistan, the UAE, Iraq and Oman (some are U.S. puppet states).

By the end of 2010 Iran became self supporting in petrol production, ending years of dependance on foreign suppliers of refined gasoline.  Iran is now a major exporter of refined fuels.

Officials in Nigeria announced plans to increase oil production to 4 million bpd by the year 2020.  They are also close to increasing liquefied natural gas production by an additional 20 million metric tons a year, from the current level of 26 million tons.  Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa.

Texas oil and gas surplus equipment supplier, Jhump & Associates, is reporting a 117% increase in sales in 2011!  But that’s nothing compared to the 300% increase they had in 2010!!!

The Texas based company started in human resource solutions, but has seen a huge boost after they moved into surplus oil equipment sales.  They now plan to move into off shore drilling technology. They say their increased sales is due to a huge increase in oil and gas exploration and drilling in the United States.  What was that about Obama not doing enough to increase oil production?

In the panhandle of Idaho, and eastern Washington, people are leaving for oil jobs in North Dakota: “I’ve had guys come running through the door, saying, ‘I need my CDL [commercial drivers license] now! I’ve got a job lined up in North Dakota!’ .”-Tina Sykes, Sage Truck Driving Schools

Sage Truck Driving Schools now offers a shortened course for those Idahoans and Washingtonians heading for North Dakota.

North Idaho College is experiencing a jump in enrollment for electrical and plumbing programs that end with apprenticeships in North Dakota.

While educators are warning job seekers to do their homework before heading for North Dakota, there seems to be more than enough jobs available: “We’ve had both types of people, those who jumped in the car and left, and others who did prior research on companies. We’ve never had anyone who didn’t get employment.”-Tina Sykes, Sage Truck Driving Schools

In contrast, Ohio is seeing a seeming rejection of local people for consideration of employment in the oil and gas industry there.

One union member claimed that not a single contractor in Coshocton County, Ohio, has been hired by the shale oil and gas industry: “…I have been a local construction laborer for more than 30 years. I have talked with other construction laborers living in the Carroll, Harrison and Jefferson county areas. They are totally discouraged on the lack of, or in other words zero percent, work they are getting from this construction based shale gas industry.”-Timothy Mulford, Business Manager Laborers Local 134

Chevron reported a $6.5 billion USD profit for the first quarter of 2012.  High oil prices driven by speculators was one of many reasons for the huge profits.

According to Visiongain, all oil refineries around the world are now worth a combined total of $46.64 billion USD.  Visiongain expects huge investments and developments will be made in refineries until 2022.

 

 

 

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

Corporate Evil: Did Monsanto create mutant wild dogs in Vietnam? Vietnam’s Kanup 480 SL is called “Roundup” in the United States.

Farmers in Vietnam, who’ve only just started using herbicides in the past two years, are suffering from terrible symptoms, even dozens of deaths.  On top of that, and seemingly in coincidence, wild mutant dogs have been terrorizing villages, attacking and killing domestic animals.

Local Vietnamese media reports are now blaming an herbicide that farmers were tricked, I mean convinced, into using.  Most of the farmers had never used herbicides before.

In Vietnam the herbicide in question is called Kanup 480 SL.  It’s made by a company called Thang Bac Giang (Vithaco).   Turns out that Kanup 480 SL is the very same herbicide known as Roundup in the United States.

Roundup was patented in the 1970s by Monsanto.  The patent expired in 2000.

Here’s the thing: In 1996 Monsanto was sued by the state of New York for lying about the safety of its products.  In 2007 Monsanto was convicted by the European Union for lying about Roundup being safe and biodegradable.  It turns out that Roundup is not safe or biodegradable (under European standards). The main ingredient, isopropylamine salt of glyphosate, is “dangerous for the environment” and “toxic for aquatic organisms”.  Another ingredient of Roundup is polyethoxylated tallow amine, it is known to be highly toxic to animals (humans are animals too, you know).

Lab test showed animals that were contaminated with Roundup resulted in mutated offspring.  Some media reports say Monsanto knew of this as early as 1980.  It’s interesting that the wild mutant dogs in Vietnam showed up in the very same areas that Kanup 480 SL is being used.

There have been dozens of studies on Roundup, showing it causes mutations and death. How much Roundup does it take to kill a human?  It depends, but studies have found as little as 85 ml could kill you, while some people have survived accidental doses of as much as 500 ml. The latest study was in 2009.

Another interesting point: Monsanto is also behind genetically modified plants (which involve using deadly bacteria to make the modifications stick).  The modified food crops are meant to be resistant to Roundup.  However, some of these crops (the first being Soy) cross pollinated with weeds and created super weeds.  The super weeds can not be killed with Roundup, however many people don’t know that and will just spray more and more Roundup.

I still deal with weeds the old fashioned way; I pull them up with my hands, or run over them with my electric lawn mower, or chop them down with a weed whacker.

Why just yesterday, after writing my article on the Mystery disease, I saw employees of the city of Chubbuck, in Idaho, busy with their yearly spraying of Roundup in the park adjacent to my back yard.  They like to run that crap along the fence lines of everyone’s property that butts up to the park. It’s so strong you can smell it.

I used to work for a retail property management company. The boss was obsessed with using Roundup, even on a single weed that was growing in the middle of a parking lot that could hold a hundred cars!  In less time than it took to mix the Roundup, then prime the pump and go about spraying, I was able to simply pull the weeds out of the asphalt. But I actually got reprimanded for that!

People in the United States better wake up and stop smelling the Roundup before you can’t smell the Roses anymore!

Warning!  Roundup’s warning label is misleading.  It basically says Roundup is just an ‘irritant’. Yet, on some Roundup warning labels (on their larger containers) it tells you to immediately call your local poison control center for help!