Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Idaho call center shutting down, or just more of the same BS game by Center Partners?

23 January 2014 (04:47 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/03 Bahman 1392/23 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

“Awesome products extremely bad job. Management sucks and the people your trying to help take things overboard crying about there gaming systems. It’s almost a pointless job.”–Customer Support Technician (Former Employee), Idaho Falls – January 20, 2014

“I wouldn’t recommend anyone working for this corporation.”-Inbound Sales Associate (Former Employee), Fort Collins, CO – January 2, 2014

Local east Idaho news reporting that Center Partners’ call center in Idaho Falls has told employees they will be losing their jobs.

Unnamed employees immediately called local news sources after they were ordered by Center Partners not to talk to the news media.  The layoffs begin now and run through to the end of March, because word is the place is shutting down by 31 March.  Apparently the company is consolidating operations.

Center Partners refuses to respond to local news media inquiries. But you can find plenty of bad comments from former employees on the internet.

“….I joked with a coworker during training saying, 'I like it here to an extent, but it seems that it's just a bunch of uneducated Idahoans vying for the few semi-decent paying jobs that are here.' We laughed of course, but I didn't realize how true it was until after I finished training.
I also think this is where the unprofessionalism and nepotism come into play. Perhaps if some of the supervisors or managers had experience with other work environments the site would have a more professional tone. But it doesn't. And I think it's particularly unprofessional and UNETHICAL to have a married couple be management level employees, both employed at the same site, and working in the same project.“–SCEA Tier One Agent (Former Employee) Idaho Falls, ID

The Colorado based company touts itself as being a top contracted call center operator, first going into business in 1997.  It has operations in Colorado, Idaho and Washington.

There is little info about the company out there.  The company contracts with major corporations to handle calls from their customers.  Center Partners say they specialize in the following “customer touchpoints”:  Inbound/Outbound calling, Chat, Email, Social and @Home.

“I have worked at multiple call centers in different cities, and I have NEVER encountered a call floor as loud as theirs in Idaho Falls. It’s not the agents that are loud, it’s the trainers and the managers and the helpers who REFUSE TO BE QUIET while they are on the floor. It’s the Trainers and their buddies who carry on full-blown non-work-related conversations (gossip) behind the agents who are trying to deal with (for the most part) upset consumers. The agents need back-up who understand the need for a quiet work area. Consumers who call in deserve to have the full attention of the agent they are speaking with, not one who is constantly distracted by the people that wander the floor.”-CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT (Former Employee), Idaho Falls, ID – December 5, 2013

“I worked for this company for over 2 years….Management…were extremely egotistical, and socialized only with each other…..Benefits are overpriced and a joke….Some employees and management were clearly inebriated at work, and some were known convicted felons…….”-Sales Representative (Former Employee), Liberty Lake, Washington – December 3, 2013

Basically most Center Partners employees report, on internet employer rating sites, the same news that you hear from employees of other call centers; overall it’s a lousy job.

In 2013, Center Partners began laying off and shutting down it’s few call centers, or so it said.  In July 2013 the company announced it would layoff 578 employees in Washington, and 600 employees in Colorado.  Company officials blamed “changing business needs”.

At that point they were not sure what they would do with their Idaho operations.

In August 2013, it was revealed that Center Partners lost their contract with Capital One.  That contract apparently covered the pay for 42% of the company’s employees.

Then, suddenly in October 2013 Center Partners said not only were they not shutting down their Washington operation, but they would hire almost the same amount of staff they were going to fire!  Company officials credited “internal restructuring”.  It turns out that many employees had left the Washington office anyway!  The company also admitted they were still cutting management jobs.

Also in October 2013, Center Partners reported that thanks to “…efforts to reposition people internally…” they were actually going to add 400 jobs in Colorado, instead of layoff 600.  That’s a clear sign of inefficiency and incompetence when on one hand you say you have to kill 600 jobs, then magically on the other hand with some simply repositioning of employees you can suddenly add 400 jobs?  Oh but wait, it turns out that many employees in Colorado had already left as well.

It’s interesting that employees quit simply because they heard they were going to be laid off.  A local Spokane, Washington-Coeur d’Alene, Idaho TV station did interview management for the call center there and they confirmed that many employees quit just because they heard there would be layoffs.  So what this means is the company didn’t really create any new jobs they’re just replacing the people that quit.

The company also says they got new contracts, but didn’t specify.

It sounds like what’s happening is Center Partners is using the threat of impending layoffs to scare some unwanted employees away.  It’s an old trick, if you have a number of employees who’ve been with you long enough to pester you for a raise and benefits or a promotion, you lay them off for whatever reason.  And under Idaho’s Right to Work you over laws an employer is not required to give a reason for laying you off.  And by the way, In Idaho if an employer times their layoffs just right then they can get out of paying unemployment assistance!  They just need to make sure the employees never worked over a certain amount of hours, or never went over a certain amount of pay under Idaho Department Of Labor’s “reporting period”, and the laid off employees don’t get any unemployment assistance!  I know, it’s happened to me.

Idaho

Idaho’s 13+ years of drought add up to big ass wildfire season for 2014! Emergency declared by incompetent Federal government!

21 January 2014 (17:03 UTC-07 Tango 20 January)/19 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/01 Bahman 1392/21 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

“What we need is precipitation that’s 150% of normal between now and April 1!”– Ron Abramovich, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Idaho has officially been in a drought since 2000, and weather forecast say there’s no way we could see 150% precipitation between now and 01 April: “What we’re seeing meteorologically is a blocking pattern that is deflecting all the storms……..when you have fire season and drought, you’ll see more fire.”-Brian Fuchs, National Drought Mitigation Center

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared a drought emergency for Idaho.  This makes available loans to farmers in 40 of Idaho’s 44 counties, but such emergency loans would’ve been unnecessary if Congress got their act together: “If we had a farm bill, they could apply for disaster assistance. But since we don’t, they can only apply for emergency loans.”-Candy Moore, Idaho Farm Services Agency

My question is, what are the farmers going to do with the loans?  Buy more water?  From where? According to the USDA FSA emergency farm loans are to: “Restore or replace essential property. Pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year. Pay essential family living expenses. Reorganize the farming operation. Refinance certain debts, excluding real estate.”

Idaho’s drought isn’t just affecting farmers (by the way, Idaho farmers just saw a 4th straight year of record high revenues), it’s affecting recreation like river rafting, electrical power generation (caused by low water levels in the Snake River, of course Idaho Power will use it as an excuse to jack up the rates) and the dreaded wildfire season.

According to one report, ten years ago the cost of fighting wildfires in the U.S. were about 13% of U.S. Forest Service budget, in 2013 it hit 40%!

IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 20 SEPTEMBER 2012: ANOTHER SMOKEY DAY, STILL LEADING THE NATION, FIREFIGHTER ACCUSED OF STARTING FIRE! 

Idaho, U.S.

Idaho kicks out for profit prison operator CCA! Not for human rights violation, but for ripping off taxpayers!

20 January 2014 (16:19 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/30 Dey 1392/20 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The Gem State’s legislative budget writers have approved funding the state takeover of the notorious Gladiator School.

The state prison has been run, for more than a decade, by Corrections Corporation of America.  It has been plague by lawsuits and accusations of prisoner abuse and medical neglect.  Former victims say prisoners were encouraged to beat the crap out of each other, hence the nickname.

But that’s not what got CCA kicked out of Idaho.  Turns out, as usual, money is more important than human rights.

A 2012 Associated Press investigation accuses CCA of lying to taxpayers about how many employees were actually staffing the Idaho Correctional Center.  AP accuses CCA of falsifying the number of employees at the prison.  The Idaho Department of Corrections admitted they never verified any of CCA’s paperwork! The AP investigation also said Idaho taxpayers were not saving any money by having the prison managed by a for profit private contractor (no shit Sherlock, that’s why it’s called “for profit”).

Also, CCA never explained why it fired some employees.

But note, the AP reported its findings in 2012, and here it is 2014!  The Right to Work you over state officials decided to just let CCA run the place until the contract expires in June 2014.  Oohh, so it’s not like your ‘elected’ officials really care about doing the right moral thing, it’s all about the money, your money!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

More Economic Decline: Idaho’s Coldwater Creek shuts down first store in 2014! As leases expire stores will close! Warning from NASDAQ!

20 January 2014 (11:38 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/30 Dey 1392/20 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The Sandpoint based women’s clothing retailer Coldwater Creek is shutting down a store in the NorthPark Mall in Davenport, Iowa.   It’s all part of their plans to layoff at least 100 employees in 2014.

In December 2013, company officials stated they had shutdown 50 stores since 2011.  They also said they are adopting the Sears Holdings plan of action, as leases expire stores will close: “the actual number and timing of planned store closures depends on a number of factors that cannot be predicted, including among other things the future performance of our individual stores and negotiations with our landlords“-Third Quarter of Fiscal 2013 Operating Results

NASDAQ has given Coldwater Creek until 01 July 2014 to get its stock price back above $1 USD per share, or the company will be de-listed from the stock exchange.  Being de-listed will allow stock holders to buy and sell Coldwater Creek shares anywhere, not just the NASDAQ.  It could be possible to buy a share for less than one penny!

Company officials also said they are halting all quarterly “guidance” until their financial situation becomes more “predictable”.   That’s funny, because it is very predictable, as in 13 consecutive quarterly losses!  I predict sales will continue to go down.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: ObamaCare Layoffs 2013, part 3!

Incomplete list of publicized healthcare layoffs and closings 01-15 May 2013:

Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance laid off 55 people across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Utah (some reports said 56).

Medtronic ended about 230 jobs!

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

The labs of Astellas’ OSI Pharmaceuticals subsidiary at the Broad Hollow Business Park in Farmingdale, New York, and of the Perseid Therapeutics subsidiary in Redwood City, California, closed.  At least 200 jobs lost!

California: The not for profit doctor and hospital network known as Sutter Health announced 169 people lost their jobs! 54 employees at the Porterville Developmental Center laid off.  Dignity Health laid off 150 employees in Sacramento, and 300 in Stockton!

Florida: Liberty Medical Supply laid off 211 employees!  Liberty Medical already laid off 260 employees in January, then went bankrupt in February!

Indiana:  Eli Lilly, announced drastic cuts.  At least 1624 people lost their jobs!  Orthopedic products maker Zimmer laid off at least 50 employees.  Company officials blame it on that damned Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care), which created a new federal medical device tax. Warner Transitional Services shut down and laid off 112 people!

Kentucky: Hospice of the Bluegrass got rid of 16 jobs.  They blame it on cuts to Medicare and Medicaid no thanks to Obama/Romney Care (Affordable Health Care).  Kentucky Spirit Health Plan laid off all its 145 employees!  The company focused on providing Medicare covered care for children.  Company officials say the drastic cuts to Medicare funding by the Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care) forced them to shut down because the new Medicare payments don’t cover the basic costs of operations!

Louisiana: Schumacher Group shut down its Patient Financial Management Services, 41 people laid off.   Blame Obama/Romney Care (Affordable Care Act).

Massachusetts: Blood management systems provider Haemonetics, shut down operations in Braintree. 320 jobs lost!  New England Baptist Hospital in Boston laid off 12 managers.

Minnesota: 79 people lost their jobs with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings.

Missouri:  Liberty Hospital laid off 129 employees!

New Mexico:  The Gila Regional Medical Center converted 70 full time jobs to part time only.  The hospital has also stopped the $40 million expansion project, postponed a new health information software system and shut down its Home Health Services in Luna County as well as Home Health’s D&E wavier and Helping Hands programs in Grant County!  Hospital officials blame it on the increase in uninsured customers who can’t pay and the Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care) which drastically reduces Medicare and Medicaid payments.

New York: Arnot Health laid off 22 employees at Saint Joseph’s Hospital.  They shut down a surgical unit.  Ulster County warned employees at the Golden Hill nursing home that layoffs were coming. The Malone Veterans Affairs clinic closed down.  And 22 people laid off by MVP Health Care: “The health care marketplace is changing rapidly, and MVP must constantly adapt….”   Saint James Mercy Hospital cut 50 positions: “SJMH is continuing to experience significant declines in patient volumes, patient days and revenues, as well as reduced state and federal reimbursement and we cannot continue to support our current operation under these conditions.”-Mary LaRowe, Saint James Mercy Health System

Ohio: Mercy Hospital eliminated 18 jobs.

Pennsylvania:  In Sellersville, Israel based Teva Pharmaceutical shutting down its research and manufacturing facility by 2017.  472 employees affected!

Rhode Island:  Westerly Hospital eliminated 45 jobs.

Tennessee: Pfizer operations in Bristol laid off 25 employees.

Texas:  Galt Medical shutting down their Garland factory over the next two years.  139 people unemployed!  Galt specializes in medical devices, which are going to be hit with a massive tax under the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

 Washington: The Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital laid off 19 employees.

“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

ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 2!

 ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 1:

Idaho, Influenza

Influenza: H1N1 epidemic now official! More pregnant women going down! More evidence vaccines can make you sick!

20 January 2014 (21:15 UTC-07 Tango 19 January 2013)/18 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/30 Dey 1392/20 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Alberta, Canada: Health Services reporting 10 deaths and 22-hundred confirmed influenza cases.  Don’t blame it on people not getting the flu shot, the province is now rationing their remaining flu shots for children who need a second dose, and for an even bigger outbreak.

New Brunswick, Canada: Health officials report four flu deaths, 300 confirmed flu cases, 50 hospitalizations.  Health officials admitted they do not know how many people have been vaccinated versus those who haven’t been.

Saskatchewan, Canada:  Health Ministry officials report 12 deaths, but they’re not 100% sure if they are flu related.  797 confirmed influenza cases since October. Vaccines are being rationed to children under five years of age, pregnant women and people in ‘high risk groups’.  100-thousand nasal vaccines are expected from the United States.

Mexico: Health Ministry reports 32 deaths from influenza, and 556 confirmed cases (468 confirmed H1N1).  30 of those who died did so from the H1N1 version of flu.  They died within six days of getting infected.  Officials say at least 800-thousand people have been vaccinated.

Spain: The number of H1N1 hospitalizations have jumped to 279, and 11 people have died.  Just a few days ago it was around 43 hospitalizations with two deaths.

The U.S. CDC has declared the influenza an epidemic in the United States.  Interested in becoming an influenza spy?  Apply now for the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS).      At least 20 children have died from H1N1 (the CDC does not track adult deaths from influenza).

Arkansas, U.S.A.:  A 29 years old Fort Smith woman is in critical condition with H1N1.  She went down fast, only a matter of days from first symptoms to a medically induced coma.  She was 20 weeks pregnant but lost the baby.  Family members say her body automatically delivered the baby, in response to the infection.

California, U.S.A.:  State health officials report spike in deaths.  Current deaths are almost at the number of all Golden State influenza deaths for all of the 2012-13 flu season.

Idaho, U.S.A.:  Department of Health and Welfare declared the influenza outbreak to be at “widespread” level.  H1N1 is the dominate strain.

Illinois, U.S.A.: McLean County reports two influenza deaths.  One of the men who died was confirmed infected with H1N1.

Iowa, U.S.A.: Department of Public Health reports a child died from H1N1.  They refuse to give the age or sex, or name of the victim.  They also said there were several adult deaths that could’ve been caused by influenza.

Louisiana, U.S.A.:  An 18 years old senior at Oak Hill High School, in Rapides Parish, died from H1N1.  His family says he was hit hard, laying still in his bed, then a few days later he died.

Michigan, U.S.A.: “This year what is concerning is the unusual number of young, previously healthy adults getting sick, needing to be put on life support, and dying from H1N1.”-Matthew Davis, Michigan Department of Community Health

Montana, U.S.A.:  Department of Health and Human Services reports 19-hundred influenza cases, 150 hospitalizations and three deaths since the start of the 2013-14 flu season in October.  Realize that Montana is a sparsely populated state, and you can see their number of cases are relatively high.

Ohio, U.S.A.:  Toledo-Lucas County health officials are warning that they could see record H1N1 deaths this flu season. Seven deaths in the Buckeye State so far.

Texas, U.S.A.: In Denton, a 46 years old mother of two is now in a coma with H1N1.  Doctors say they were forced to induce the coma, to try and save her.

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that their study shows that giving children the flu shot along with the pneumococcal shot can make them sick: “Parents should be made aware that their child might develop a fever following simultaneous influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations…….For the small group of children who must avoid fever, these findings provide important information….”-Melissa Stockwell, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons

Fukushima, Idaho, U.S.

More Fukushima Fallout: U.S. Navy forced to investigate personnel suffering Thyroid Cancer! TEPCo demands victims pay back compensation! Homeland Security conducts False Flag radiation surveys! Scientists asking for your help! Idaho turns your smart phone into CellRad!

16 January 2014 (02:17 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/26 Dey 1392/16 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) says it will conduct medical surveys of at least 71 U.S. military personnel suffering from radiation sickness, as a result of the 2011 Operation Tomodachi.  At least 51 personnel report thyroid cancer.

But wait, the DoD isn’t doing this willingly!  It took an act of Congress to kick the DoD in the ass.  The U.S. House of Representatives mandated the radiation checks as part of the new government spending bill.

Three years later Tokyo Electric Power Company continues to refuse to compensate anymore victims of their nuclear disaster.  TEPCo has rejected the latest arbitrated compensation deal with 180 people in Iwate Prefecture.  TEPCo says the deal is vague.

TEPCo is also demanding that families of employees, who were evacuated because of the March 2011 nuclear explosions, to pay back their compensation!

The national government of Japan has approved TEPCo’s new ten year business plan, but one prefectural governor absolutely refuses.  The governor of Niigata, Izumida Hirohiko, said he will not allow TEPCo to re-start their nuke plant in his prefecture because they’ve proven to be incompetant at Fukushima Daiichi.

Izumida also blamed Too Big to Jail banks and investors: “Shareholders and banks have not taken responsibility, and it is a ridiculous plan from a safety standpoint.”

By the way, TEPCo’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear complex in Niigata Prefecture is the World’s largest!

TEPCo’s ten year plan includes a name change because, company officials admit, customers are now bias against them.  It also funds decommissioning of the disaster reactors with money meant for compensating victims, which explains why TEPCo suddenly is refusing to compensate anymore victims, and is actually demanding those already compensated pay them back! “I was surprised when I heard  from an official of the industry ministry’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy at the end of last year.  Compensation and decommissioning are two different worlds!”-Yamana Hajimu, decommissioning division

TEPCo also said it will raise electricity rates for Japanese, and TEPCo officials blame it on the new higher taxes in Japan. TEPCo also warns they will probably raise rates several times this year!

California assemblyman, Bob Wieckowski, wants the Department of Public Health to start publicizing radiation data concerning the Golden State’s beaches: “I think a lot of people’s questions can be answered if the department would conduct a study or post the results of other studies and monitoring that are already completed…..”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed it will begin airborne radiation checks, on the U.S. east coast.   Helicopters from the National Nuclear Security Administration will take air samples around Baltimore, Maryland.  Homeland Security claims the operation is about protecting the U.S. from future nuclear attack!

Officials from the National Nuclear Security Administration admit that in order to determine if radiation contamination is happening, they need to establish “original background” radiation levels. Government officials also said the heliborne air sampling will take place several times a year for several years!

If you live on the west coast of North America, scientists with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are asking for your help: “We already have dozens of seawater samples from the coast of Japan out to the middle of the Pacific, but now we need new samples, from up and down the West Coast of North America and across the Pacific.”-Ken Buesseler

The problem is funding, and Woods Hole scientists hope people will raise the funds necessary for the project.  In return anybody, or group, who provides $550 to $600 USD will get a 20 liter sample collecting kit (which also covers the cost of shipping).  For more info contact ourradioactiveocean.org

Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (a major nuclear research facility) have come up with a smart phone App that turns your phone’s camera into a gamma ray dosimeter!  It’s called CellRad.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

ObamaCare Hell: FEMA says almost 60% of Idaho’s firefighters screwed over by Affordable Health Care! An ObamaCare backdoor tax increase revealed!

15 January 2014 (22:45 UTC-07 Tango 14 January 2013)/13 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/25 Dey 1392/15 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

“…about $300 per employee per month to insure them…….If we are forced to provide these insurance benefits I think you will see a lot of fire departments out of business.”–Bryan Grover, Central Fire District, Rigby, Idaho

FEMA’s own U.S. Fire Administration says 57.8% of Idaho’s fire fighting operations are considered “volunteer”.  Under Obama Care even volunteer fire departments have to start paying for insurance.

A couple of weeks ago some main stream U.S. news sources reported that the IRS (the ones who’ll be fining those they believe are in violation of Obama Care at the end of the year) gave volunteer fire departments an exemption.  But that’s not true, the ‘exemption’ was only a suggestion on the IRS blog, it still has not been ‘implemented’: “We are going to need to wait and read the final implementing regulations very closely before we can 100% declare victory.”-David Finger, National Volunteer Fire Council

If the exemption is not implemented then not only could there be less fire fighters on hand, but your local taxes will jack up 35%!

But Idaho’s volunteer firefighters are not the ones who’ll be hardest hit, 92.7% of Nebraska’s fire departments are considered volunteer!

Idaho, Influenza

Influenza: Two more prisoners die from H1N1! More U.S. prisoners sick! More grade school kids sick! Canadians say H1N1 kill rate higher than expected! Shutting down banks? Idaho hospital says stay out!

14 January 2014 (15:28 UTC-07 Tango)/12 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/24 Dey 1392/14 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

As of today, at least 27 Canadians have died from H1N1, despite millions of vaccinations across the Great White North. Pharmacies continue to report lack of vaccines.  The Canadian Medical Association Journal is reporting increasing concern over H1N1 infections. Specifically health officials are concerned with the kill rate: “There are more deaths than what we expect for the regular H1N1 influenza.”-Pierre Lebel, McGill University Health Centre

New Brunswick, Canada: A woman described as “in her midlife” became the 27th Canadian to die from H1N1.

Singapore: Despite what is happening in North America, Ministry of Health officials are telling people there’s nothing to worry about.  Now, two Citibank employees in Singapore are confirmed sick with H1N1.  Eight other employees are sick and being tested: “We have informed all employees on the precautions they should take and have distributed face masks and antiseptic wipes to all staff sitting on the same floor as those who are affected.”-Citibank statement to local news media

Alabama, U.S.A.: The Decatur Morgan Hospital reports four influenza related deaths.  They’re not sure what type of flu the patients had.  They are isolating all people hospitalized with flu symptoms.

Arkansas, U.S.A.: A women’s prison has cancelled all visitation after a inmate died, possibly from H1N1.  At least two of the other 899 prisoners are confirmed sick with flu.  Prison officials claim they’ve called in more medical staff.

California, U.S.A.: In Fresno, the 61 years old County Jail prisoner who was sent to hospital with H1N1 last week, has died. Prison officials admit that three inmates have been placed into an isolation “pod” because they have H1N1, at least nine other inmates (8 men, 1 woman) are sick, possibly with H1N1. Kings County reports a new death.  Merced County reports a new death. Sonoma County reporting an H1N1 death. Santa Clara county reports two new deaths, and 13 new “severe” cases. San Mateo county reports one death.  State health officials told California news media they expect the death toll to increase by Friday.  As far as how many people died who did not get a flu shot, officials have admitted that only two of seven confirmed H1N1 deaths did not get the flu shot.  Health officials said they weren’t sure about the others.

Connecticut, U.S.A.: The Department of Public Health says there are more than 683 flu cases, and they expect it to get worse.

Idaho, U.S.A.:  A second man has died from H1N1 in the Gem State.  He lived in Bonner County.  The first Idahoan to die this flu season lived in Twin Falls County.  In Bannock County, the Portneuf Medical Center is asking people sick with mild flu symptoms to stay away (see below).

Illinois, U.S.A.: Hospitals in Chicago are asking people to stay away, unless they have severe symptoms (see below).   Loyola University Medical Center reporting at least 147 cases, 31 in the past week.

Indiana, U.S.A.:  Allen County Sheriff’s Department reporting county prisoners are being made to wear masks.  News sources say there is an outbreak of influenza in the prison, but county officials will not confirm the reports.  Unnamed county health officials reported they had given prison officials kits to test prisoners for flu.  Prisoners are also being vaccinated (which is a total waste if there’s already an outbreak).

Iowa, U.S.A.: Department of Health reports a healthy child died from flu.  They are also investigating the deaths of “several adults”.

Louisiana, U.S.A.: After an eight years old girl died from H1N1 last week, school officials today revealed that at least two other students have H1N1.  Two girls have been allowed back in school after a doctor said they were better.  School officials say janitors are doing “extra” disinfecting.

Mississippi, U.S.A.: Jackson County reports 13 new hospitalizations for H1N1.   The Jackson County Medical Care hospital is now closed to visitors and new patients.

Montana, U.S.A.: State health officials report at least 101 hospitalizations as of 04 January.

North Carolina, U.S.A.:  Health officials are reporting that the first infant to die in their state this flu season, did so yesterday.  This brings the state’s flu death toll to 22, the majority being young and middle aged adults.

Texas, U.S.A.: In Dallas, a pregnant woman lost her unborn child to an influenza infection. She’s hospitalized at Baylor Specialty Hospital.  She can barely talk and has been sick since before Xmas.  State health officials are begging people to get the flu shot.

Utah, U.S.A.: In the past week three people died of flu.  So far five people have died this flu season.

Washington, U.S.A.: The Spokane Regional Health District reports that a woman with other health problems has died from flu.  Currently there are 135 people hospitalized with flu in the Spokane area.  Last year at the same time there were only 31 flu hospitalizations.

Many hospitals are telling sick people to stay away.  What they mean is that if you don’t have severe influenza symptoms stay away, because you’ll just spread the virus in the hospital.  Severe flu symptoms include the usual fever, coughing, aches, plus dehydration and difficulty breathing.  Especially difficulty breathing because that’s how H1N1 kills you.  Hospitals will isolate anyone with severe symptoms to try and keep the virus from spreading.

Anybody notice that H1N1 is targeting adults in their child bearing/rearing years?

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 26-29 December 2013: Crime rate increases under U.S. occupation! Idahoan killed! Afghan woman bitch slaps cop in public!!! Contractor sniped! National Guard gives away taxpayer paid for equipment!

Helmand Province: In Nad-e-Ali District, a motorcycle bomb exploded.  Two people wounded.  General Peter Wall, of the Red Coat Bilderberg British empire Army, said he expects the Mujahideen to take control of the province after 2014. Also, a U.S citizen and former Virginia cop, working for security contractor Pax Mondial (subcontractor for Black & Veatch), was sniped and killed while jogging.

Herat Province: In Shindand District, one border cop was killed, three others wounded when their vehicle ran over a landmine.

Kabul Province: Near Camp Phoenix, a car bomb impacted a U.S.-NATO-ISAF convoy, killing two Slovak-ISAF personnel and one U.S. Air Force Captain from Sandpoint, Idaho. At least nine Afghans were wounded.  Mujahideen say that 16 military vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the attack.  In Kabul City, police say the crime rate has skyrocketed under U.S. occupation.  Police held a press conference to report a record 100 kidnapping, robberies and murder cases in the past month.  More than 200 people have been arrested.  The cops blame it on people from other parts of Afghanistan flooding into the U.S. occupied capital city to look for jobs.  And what was that about Afghan women being oppressed?  Female politician, Human Sultani, publicly bitch slapped a male cop in front of the Pakistani Embassy! Reports say there is video of the incident.  Back to Camp Phoenix, the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment, from the U.S. territory of Guam, gave away more than 120 pairs of boots to the Afghan National Army!  Don’t those Guam guys know that U.S. taxpayers are already giving the ANA billions in cash and material?

Kandahar Province: In Spin Boldak District, police report a explosion killed one child and wounded another.   The cops gave no further explanation.  In Maiwand District, a mini-bus ran over a landmine, killing two people and wounding at least seven.  In Ghorak District, reports that cops turned Mujahideen attacked and killed seven government personnel.  No comment from government officials.

Uruzgan Province: In Dehrawod District, reports that U.S. led Afghan government forces killed a mentally retarded man.  The man had a habit of wandering the desert at night, which caused the government forces to suspect him of planting bombs.  Also, a man claims he shot down a small U.S.-NATO-ISAF recon drone.  He says he recovered the UAV.

The U.S. Army’s 96th Transportation Company, 49th Transportation Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command, deployed to Afghanistan from Fort Hood, Texas.

The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) is predicting that the Mujahideen will take control of many parts of Afghanistan by 2017.

The United Nations praise Angelia Jolie for her role as High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy for girls education.

Iran has opened up its Chabahar Port for Afghan shipping companies.  Afghan shipping companies will use it to make shipping runs to India.  The port is located between the Indian Ocean and Oman Sea.

Pakistan claims a rocket fired from Afghanistan’s Nangarahar Province, killed a Pakistani man in Hashim village of Bajaur tribal region.