Category Archives: International

Fukushima, International

More Fukushima Fallout: New radiation leak, can kill you in 20 minutes! Too many illegal & incompetent employees! 65% of evacuees refuse to return home!

07 December 2013 (19:51 UTC-07 Tango 06 December 2013)/03 Safar 1435/16 Azar 1392/05 Jia-Zi (11th month) 4711

“Yes, we did a shoddy job. The quality of what we did was low, but what else would you expect…”-unnamed illegally hired Fukushima Daiichi employee

A Reuters report says the numerous leaking water storage tanks around Fukushima Daiichi were built by illegal employees, most had no training.

According to the report, a third party contractor hired the nuke plant workers from the poorest parts of Japan.  It is supposedly illegal in Japan for a third party to hire your employees.  On top of that, the third (fourth?) party contractor is not even registered to do work in Japan.

Blame it on Japan’s corporate policy to sub contract all work.  Here’s how it went: Tokyo Electric Power Company hired Taisei to handle the construction of the massive contaminated water storage tank farms.  But Taisei sub contracted to Tokyo Engineering Corporation (TEC).  TEC then sub contracted the job of hiring employees to a Token Kogyo.

Those employees were told to keep quite about how they got their jobs, and not to complain: “Even if we didn’t agree with how things were being done, we had to keep quiet and work fast.”-Uechi Yoshitatsu, former bus driver hired to work at Fukushima Daiichi who blew the whistle on the illegal hiring operation

I’ve written before about how nuclear plant workers in Japan are considered the untouchable class, most of the workers are the least educated in a country that leads the World in test taking skills.   They’re called “throwaway workers”.

“I have seen many younger workers drop out of the clean-up after they had their wages skimmed or after facing dangers that were not explained to them. Without stronger labor protection, there’s no way the decommissioning project will succeed.”-Uechi Yoshitatsu, whistleblower

Uechi actually made an audio recording of his boss, who works for TEC, admitting they lie to government officials and the general public: “When it comes to our sub-contractors, we register them all as TEC. If you want to say that’s a forgery, then, yes, it’s a forgery.”-unnamed TEC supervisor at Fukushima Daiichi

Now realize that if those in charge of the never ending nuke disaster at Fukushima Daiichi knowingly lie, then we should expect the next revelation to be much worse than reported.  TEPCo is reporting a new radiation leak, from a vent pipe, that is emitting 25 sieverts per hour!  That will kill you after 20 minutes of exposure!

The pipe was originally installed after the nuclear explosions, to help vent radioactive gasses from damaged reactor buildings.

Remember when the Japanese government promised evacuees they’d be returned home within six months?  I do, I wrote about it (check my Fukushima archives).  Well, the majority of nuclear evacuees are now refusing to go home!

This involves the towns of Okuma and Futaba.  A survey showed about 65% of the evacuees now realize they can not return to their homes.  They blame the comedy of corporate errors led by TEPCo as the main reason.

Most evacuees are living in temporary mobile homes.

In the city of Minami-Soma, the Shoei High School finally closed down due to lack of students.  The 110 students have never returned to the school that is only 22km (13.6 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi.

Remember when I reported that British Bilderberger, Barbara Judge took over the ‘safety programs’ for TEPCo?  Now there are reports Japan is about to create a whole new nuclear agency based on United Kingdom’s National Decommissioning Authority.

Japanese officials told Reuters that it’s looking more and more like the national government will have to take direct charge in “decommissioning” Fukushima Daiichi, because TEPCo continues to prove its incompetence.

Japan currently has no government agency for oversight of nuke plant decommissioning!  Sometimes I just want to yell at the Japanese “Baka!”

Fukushima, International

More Fukushima Fallout! Canada confirms spike in radiation! Tritium to be flooded into Pacific Ocean, on purpose! Victims being screwed over, someone stop TEPCo!

05 December 2013 (22:30 UTC-07 Tango 04 December 2013)/01 Safar 1435/14 Azar 1392/03 Jia-Zi (11th month) 4711

“You cannot keep storing the water forever. We have to make choice comparing all risks involved.”-Tanaka Shunichi, with Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, commenting on why deadly tritium will be intentionally flooded into the Pacific

The International Atomic Energy Agency is supporting the plan to purposely release tritium into the Pacific Ocean.  Juan Carlos Lentijo, of the IAEA, gave this explanation: “…what we are trying to say here is to consider this as one of the options to contribute to a good balance of risks and to stabilize the facility for the long term.”

Officials from the IAEA and Japan’s NRA, admitted that at least 700-thousand metric tons of radioactive water has been poured into the Pacific Ocean since 2011.  That contaminated water contained cesium, iodine, strontium and tritium.

Tritium has a half life of about 12.4 years (it’s still a threat after 12.4 years).  It can be absorbed through skin, inhaled or ingested when you eat contaminated food or drink contaminated water.

Canadian officials have admitted that on 20 March 2011, there was a huge spike in radiation readings on the Pacific coast of Canada.  This data was apparently kept secret until now, however, a journalist reported towards the end of 2011 that Canadian radiation detection sites recorded iodine-131 levels “…nearly 1,000 times background levels in the air at Resolute Bay, Nunavut.”

Keep in mind those radiation levels were after the Fukushima Daiichi  airborne radiation plume had traveled across the Pacific Ocean.  Back in 2011 Health Canada, which is in charge of radiation readings, continued to downplay such reports and said there was no health risk.

To add insult to injury, the Japanese government is limiting victims of the ongoing Fukushima Daiichi disaster.  Japan’s Diet is giving victims ten years to sue for damages.  The arrogant politicians think they are being generous because that’s an increase from the previous three year limit!  Remember, Tokyo Electric Power Company says the ongoing disaster, I mean “decommissioning process”, will last at least 40 years!

Nuclear power analysts say TEPCo is full of shit and needs to be stopped: “With the sheer number of things that are going wrong, they should be more openly bringing in help. TEPCo is a nuclear power producer, not a cleanup operation. There are people with expertise in decommissioning reactors, and they need to be brought in whether they are Japanese, European or American. Every time they have a problem, they come up with a solution that takes a long time to bring in, and then doesn’t even solve the problem!”-Ken Buesseler, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Victims should be given indefinite time to sue for damages!

International, Technology

China about to land Jade Rabbit on the Moon!

02 December 2013 (20:31 UTC-07 Tango 01 December 2013)/28 Muharram 1435/11 Azar 1392/30 Jia-Zi (10th month) 4711

“We will strive for our space dream as part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation!“–Zhang Zhenzhong, director of Xichang launch center

China is about to become the third country to land on the Moon.   The rocket carrying the probe and lunar rover blasted off early this morning.

The Chang’e-3 carries a lunar rover called Yutu (Jade Rabbit).  If successful China will follow the Soviet Union and United States, and become the third country to land on the Moon.

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 09-12 November 2013: Illegal drugs set new records under U.S. watch! Big bank gives away $220-million! U.S. Spec Ops interferes with investigations into their crimes! Afghans want U.S. zero option! U.S. vets suffer lung damage!

Ghazni Province: In Moqor District, four National Directorate of Security (NDS) agents were captured by Mujahideen.  Mujahideen will let the spies go if the Afghan government releases people held in prisons.

Helmand Province: In Greshk District, battles between Afghan government forces and Mujahideen left at least five people dead and dozens wounded.

Kabul Province:  On the west side of Kabul City, the evil British empire inaugurated the official opening of the largest military academy in Afghanistan.  It’s also known as the Sandhurst of Afghanistan. It will employ 120 trainers mainly from United Kingdom, and it cost British taxpayers about $42-million USD.  Also in Kabul City, the Ministry of Interior Affairs reported that 20 metric tons of illegal drugs were destroyed.  Ministry officials admit that Kabul City, where U.S. military leaders are headquartered, is now the main transit hub for illegal drugs trafficking.

Kunar Province: The NGO Integrity Watch Afghanistan is accusing local police of stealing valuable Chromite from mining operations.  The Ministry of Interior Affairs denies such a thing is happening, yet also revealed that some local cops have been arrested for that very crime!

Maidan Wardak Provence:  The NDS has ended its investigation into U.S. special forces involvement in the torture deaths of at least 17 men.  NDS officials said they could not proceed because U.S. special forces are actively interfering with the investigation! (and these special forces ass holes will probably be turned loose on the U.S. population when the shit finally hits the fan in the United States)

The Asian Development Bank is giving Afghanistan $220-million USD, supposedly for road construction.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports massive increases in the seizure of illegal drugs in 2012: Heroin 250.4%, opium 212.6% and hashish 328%.   This corresponds to the increase in opium production.  It’s obvious that the U.S. is behind such drugs production since opium production skyrocketed after the U.S. invasion.  However, dumb UNODC ignorantly said “…this report will serve as an effective step in capacity building of national institutions in the country in order to address the drivers of poppy cultivation, trafficking and drug use.”   Gee, you’d think after a hundred years of fighting illegal drugs the Western World would have that figured out by now!

Evil British empire Defense Secretary, Philip Hammond, warned the government of Afghanistan that the United Kingdom will end relations if Afghanistan does not sign onto the Obama regime’s so called “security” deal for 2014 and beyond.

More and more political groups in Afghanistan are openly opposed to any “security” deal with the Obama regime.  Obama threatens a “zero option”, meaning all U.S. personnel will be pulled out if a deal is not signed.  Mmmm, isn’t that what Obama led the people of the U.S. to believe would happen in 2014?   Today the Afghan National Unity Front, made up of religious clerics, tribal elders and university students, said bring on the Zero Option you Obama biyatch!

The U.S. Department of State continues to refuse visa applications from Afghans who work as interpreters for U.S. forces, even though it is public knowledge they will be assassinated if the U.S. ever leaves Afghanistan.

The U.S. Department of Defense might require mandatory lung testing for personnel returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.  That’s because there’s a huge increase in the number of veterans developing lung disorders.  Even U.S. government contractors are developing lung problems and are filing lawsuits against their employers.  Don’t blame depleted uranium as the only cause.  It turns out that military personnel are burning not just ordinary trash in their burn pits, but highly toxic plastics and even heavy metal laden batteries, and this is done without respirators!

Six National Guard soldiers returned home to the U.S. state of North Dakota.

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 05-08 November 2013: Denmark gives away more of its taxpayer’s money! “Hugely experienced” Red Coat killed! HRW accuses U.S. of torture killings!

Helmand Province:  In Lashkargah City, an evil British empire Red Coat was killed during a suicide car bomb attack.  Lieutenant Colonel Hywel Lewis said the Red Coat was “A hugely experienced soldier…”  Also, a British court found an evil Royal Marine Red Coat guilty of summarily executing a wounded Afghan (a war crime).  It was caught on video, as well as the evil Red Coat admitting on camera that he “broke the Geneva Convention.”  The incident happened in 2011, two other Red Coat Marines were acquitted.

Kandahar Province: In Spin Boldak District, police shot a suicide bomber, who still managed to blow himself up.  Cops claim only the suicide bomber was killed, and nobody was wounded.

Khost Province:  In Khost City, a motorcycle bomb killed three National Directorate of Security (NDS) agents, and wounded two others.

Kunduz Province: In Imam Sahib District, the nephew of a prominent anti-U.S. political party leader was arrested for killing a cop by running him over, and shooting a civilian dead, and for picking up prostitutes (adultery).

Logar Province:  Russian officials have denied reports that they are in talks to free a pilot who was captured by Mujahideen.

Maidan Wardak Province: Human Rights Watch accusing U.S. special ops forces, known as ODA 324, of conducting torture killings in Nerkh District: “The Nerkh incidents should be investigated rigorously, impartially, and transparently….it is clear that crimes occurred, U.S. authorities need to establish what exactly happened and who is responsible.”-Andrea Prasow, HRW

Zabul Province: In Qalar City, the bodies of seven Afghan National Army soldiers were found.  ANA officials say they were killed by Mujahideen last month.  Also, four women, two children and an old man were killed when they drove over a landmine.

A U.S. Department of Defense report says Afghan government forces casualties are up 79%!  The increase coincides with a decrease in U.S. led NATO/ISAF casualties, because Afghan forces are taking on more battles with Mujahideen as U.S. led forces back down.

Reports that more and more analysts inside the U.S. Department of Defense now believe the only way to end the illegal war in Afghanistan is to officially recognize the Taliban.

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. government spent $7-billion USD supposedly trying to stop opium poppy growing in Afghanistan.  The Washington Post also called Obama’s supposed anti-opium efforts “one of the starkest failures” of his administration.  That’s because Afghan opium production continues to set World records.  Realize that despite the lies of the the Bush Jr administration, the Taliban actually eradicated opium production once they were in charge of Afghanistan. It was the U.S. that brought it back after the 2001 invasion!  Mmmm, was that 7-billion in U.S. tax dollars really spent to stop opium production?

Time reporting that the official U.S. policy for what to do with billion of dollars worth of U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan is to “Sell, Give Away and Destroy”. 

A video has surfaced of U.S. troops overseeing the torture of prisoners by Afghan cops.  Watch it here.

The Afghan Interior Ministry claims government forces killed 14 Mujahideen and captured 53, in battles in the provinces of Helmand, Ghor, Farah, Paktia, Ghazni, Kandahar, Kunduz and Nuristan.

The Afghan Finance Ministry reported that $5.7 million USD has been stolen.  Two ministry employees are under arrest.

The Kingdom of Denmark promised to give Afghanistan $100-million every year for the next five years.

The Army National Guard MedEvac soldiers from the U.S. state of Utah, deploying to Afghanistan.  For some it’s their 3rd deployment.

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 01-04 November 2013: U.S. taxes deliver more Russian helicopters! Government cops extorting money from civilians! Afghanistan buying fuel, from Russia!

Baghlan Province: A wedding was bombed.  At least eleven people wounded.  No explanation for the bombing, but local officials are conveniently blaming “anti-government forces”.

Ghazni Province: Major battles between Afghan government forces and Mujahideen reported in Andar and Geru districts.  At least 21 people killed, dozens wounded.

Ghor Province:  In Du Layna District, a truck carrying election officials was blown up.  Six election officials wounded.

Kandahar Province: In Kandahar City, a cop was shot and killed in a drive by shooting, police have little info to go on.

Logar Province: Confirmation that Mujahideen captured a pilot working for Russia early in the Gregorian year.  Associated Press reported that Russian official are now trying to work a deal for his release.  Mujahideen also captured a pilot from Kyrgyzstan.  They’ve already released all the Turkish passengers on the helicopter they captured.  In Pul-E-Alam, a U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class (E7) from Kansas was killed when attacked by Mujahideen.  He was also a former Military Science Instructor with the Department of Military Science at Pittsburg State University.

Maidan Wardak Province:  In Syedabad District, four children killed, one wounded, after a mortar round exploded.  They were collecting scrap metal and found it and took it home, were it exploded.

Paktia Province:  In Gardez City, Afghanistan’s version of Homeland Security, National Directorate of Security (NDS), reported they captured a truck loaded with 50 metric tons of TNT explosives.  NDS claim the TNT was meant for terrorists, but who knows, there are so many mining ops going on now maybe some mining company was trying to smuggle in dirt cheap TNT?

Paktika Province:  In Khair Kot District, a bomb exploded in a Mosque.  There were cops in the Mosque at the time, three were killed one wounded.  Local police officials did not mention any civilian casualties, or why the cops were in the Mosque.

Uruzgan Province:  In Dehrawood District, a cop was killed when Mujahideen attacked a checkpoint.  Police say four Mujahideen were killed.

U.S. led NATO and Afghan government forces claim to have killed 17 Mujahideen in battles in the provinces of Kandahar, Paktika, Farah and Nimroz.

Integrity Watch Afghanistan says their latest investigation reveals that 60% of Afghan government highway cops are extorting money from civilians!  They say it’s happening at police checkpoints, and involve an average of six out of every ten checkpoints.  The claims by Integrity Watch Afghanistan are based on admissions by at least 370 cops!

The Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Trade announced the purchase of 22-thousand metric tons of fuel from Russia. Mmmm, I wonder where they’re getting the money to do that?

Russia announced they will deliver 30 helicopters to Afghanistan in 2014.  The Mil Mi-12V-5 ‘copters were paid for by the U.S. Department of Defense.  This is on top of the 12 Mi-12V-5 ‘copters paid for by U.S. taxpayers in 2012, and the 12 Mi-17V-5 ‘copters as well!

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 28-31 October 2013: Australia says war is worth it! India rethinks economic investments! Mujahideen kill 3-thousand people! People forced to vote, with help of U.S.! More rip offs for U.S. taxpayers!

Ghazni Province: In Andar District, villagers beat a man to death.  They accused him of being the one who planted a land mine that exploded when a bus drove over it.  The explosion killed at least 18 women and children.  However, earlier reports by provincial officials said the perpetrator of the land mine was killed during the explosion.

Kandahar Province:  Government cops say they arrested a man armed with an exploding computer.  They say that Pakistani Mujahideen are now packing desk top computers with explosives and sending them into Afghanistan.  On FOB Walton, the Missouri Army National Guard has been training Afghan cops.  One of the courses being taught to Afghan police is how to use computers and the internet.  Another course being taught is enforcing political elections.  That’s strange because I was in the National Guard and I don’t recall ever being activated to enforce elections in the United States.

Paktika Province: In Khair Kot District, a suspected suicide bomber was shot and killed by police.  The cops shot the driver of the car saying he rammed a National Directorate of Security (NDS) building.  But the car exploded anyway and wounded two NDS cops.

Parwan Province: In Charikar City, a fuel supply convoy was set on fire.  City officials say many buildings were damaged when some of the the fueler trucks blew up.

Sar-e-Pul Province: In Kohistanat District, a battle between Mujahideen and Afghan National Army (ANA) troops. At least one Mujahid killed and two ANA troops killed, dozens wounded.  Independent reports say as many as 20 people were killed.  The ANA troops were taking part in a government program to force people to register to vote.

Uruzgan Province: On British empire Aussie controlled Tarin Kowt base, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared the war over, but said it was worth it: “Our mission in Afghanistan has been critical to our national security. We have worked to ensure Afghanistan does not again become a safe haven for terrorists and have worked with our allies to make the world a safer place.”

According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, the Mujahideen have killed almost 3-thousand government personnel and civilians in the past seven months.  The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) backs up the claim, saying civilian deaths have increased by 16%.  So much for Obama constantly saying the Mujahideen are decimated.

The government of Afghanistan is going to crack down on the use of boys for homosexual sex.  The Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan (AIHRC) demanded an investigation into the age old practice of Bacha Bazi, or using boys to substitute for sex with women.  Many ignorant elders (who can’t read) have reasoned that it is the only way to remain true to Islamic morals, however it is actually a violation of written Islamic rules.  It’s also interesting that most of the Afghans calling for a stop to Bacha Bazi are women.

According to Reuters, a consortium of Indian companies, which were awarded a contract for the extraction of iron ore in Afghanistan, are now demanding better contract terms from the government of Afghanistan.  Afghanistan’s iron ore reserves, covered under the contract, are estimated to be worth $10.8 billion USD.

According to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), another $100-billion in U.S. taxes are at risk for being stolen.  SIGAR discovered there is no oversight regarding the U.S. taxes that’re to be given to Afghan government forces, supposedly to buy fuel and spare parts.

The British empire’s United Kingdom just pledged another $200-million in U.K. taxes to Afghanistan!  That’s not all, it’s $200-million per year until 2017!  I thought the taxpayers of the U.K. were broke.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Sears Canada to be gutted? Sears to close more U.S. stores in 2014! Crashing sales caused by closing stores!!!

25 November 2013 (11:13 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Muharram 1435/04 Azar 1392/23 Gui-Hai (10th month) 4711

“Eddie Lampert has milked Sears Canada for years — and now he’s looking to gut the company for good.”-New York Post, 24 November 2013

“When legitimate companies sell assets, they reinvest by paying down debt or using the funds to invest in the business. What’s Eddie Lampert doing? Putting the money in his pocket. If anybody harbors the illusion that this guy has any capability or intent of running this company anyplace but into the ground, he’ll lose that illusion real fast.”-Mark Cohen, Columbia Business School and former CEO of Sears Canada

The New York Post claims they have insider info that says Eddie Lampert is going to shut down the 61 years old Sears Canada.  Most of Sears Canada will be sold off (some stores will be bought by Walmart and Target) , then bankruptcy will be declared.

Just days prior, Reuters reported that Eddie Lampert said sales in the U.S. were still so bad that he was going to close more Sears and Kmart stores in 2014: “I would have seen the tide turning by now.  It hasn’t turned yet.”

This news comes as Sears Holdings reported a $534-million USD loss for its 3rd quarter 2013.  Ironically the Sears Holdings report actually blames store closings for its crashing revenues: “The revenue decrease was primarily due to the effect of having fewer Kmart and Sears Full-line stores in operation…..”-Sears Holdings, Third Quarter Revenues and Comparable Store Sales

So the “primary cause” of revenue loss is because they’ve closed more than 300 stores since 2010, and Eddie Lampert’s plan of action for 2014 is to close more stores?  Maybe the New York Post is right.

In Georgia, the 22 years old Kmart in Hiram will close in mid-January 2014.

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).

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 (at least 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.

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).

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), recently revealed Hiram Kmart (53 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).

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

Vacant bedroom/bathroom section.

One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).  No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?  On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

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).

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),  Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 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).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

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!).

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.

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

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).

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.

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).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

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

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.

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

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

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost),  Fulton Kmart (51 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).   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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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:  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).

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).

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).

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)

International, Technology

Don’t take your Crapper for granted, it’s time to celebrate World Toilet Day!

20 November 2013 (14:53 UTC-07 Tango)/16 Muharram 1435/29 Aban 1392/18 Gui-Hai (10th month) 4711

The words crapper and crap, for that matter, are ligit.  They come from the name of a real person.  Thomas Crapper was a successful British plumber who was incorrectly associated with inventing the modern flush toilet.

The idea of a flushing toilet is ancient.  Archeologists say the first example was created for the King Minos more than 2800 years ago.  The first patent for a modern flushing toilet went to Alexander Cummings in 1775.  The first use of indoor plumbing and flush toilets was in 1825 by a hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.  But toilets back then were for the elites.  It wasn’t until after 1910 that flushing toilets took on a design similar to current toilets, and became affordable for us commoners.

And it wasn’t until after the Second World War that most commoner families of the Western World got indoor flush toilets.  I was in Scotland in 1991 and visited a museum dedicated to the history of sewage.  It even had a full size replica of a 1800s sewer system complete with stinking crap and piss (of course it was replicated, but who’d of thought somebody could be paid to make models of craps, other than those joke crap toys)!  But what awakened me to the fact that we take our crappers for granted was a small display that pointed out that most Scottish homes didn’t have indoor plumbing, or toilets, until after the 1950s!

Then you have to wonder at the Japanese, for taking toilets to the extreme.  Apparently the Japanese are so afraid of their rear ends they created toilets that blast their asses with water jets so they don’t have to wipe.  The latest Japanese toilets provide imaging systems and soothing female computer voices to tell them if they still have a nasty ass, and then it blasts them again.  (there are some people in the U.S. that are the same way and will pay top dollar for a robot toilet from Japan)

By the way the first production toilet paper wasn’t invented until 1857.   And the technology to make modern toilet brushes was used to create the first artificial Xmas tree, in the 1930s, thus linking Xmas and toilet cleaning.

Now to get serious,  the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) marked 19 November as World Toilet Day.  They want people to be aware of the major impact toilets have on reducing disease.  Even so, UNICEF says one reason for the rise of new diseases is the fact that (in their estimation) as many as 2-thousand children die every day because they live in areas that have no toilets, or way of handling sewage: “Access to toilets remains the unmentionable, shameful secret for even some very prosperous countries.  But its invisibility doesn’t make it harmless; in fact it is quite the reverse. Lack of access to toilets is quite literally killing children, making adults sick…”–Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

So those of us commoners who have toilets should be proud, and thankful, for they truly are our porcelain thrones!

Oh commodus selarium deus, forgive me for taking you for granted. I am truly thankful to have you.

Oh commodus selarium deus, forgive me for taking you for granted! I am truly thankful to have you!

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

Economic Decline: JH Kelley blocked by federal court, Hoku auction done in violation of court order! Proof the property will be broken up, into more than 1-thousand lots!

19 November 2013 (13:24 UTC-07 Tango)/15 Muharram 1435/28 Aban 1392/17 Gui-Hai (10th month) 4711

When it rains…..

The auction of Pocatello, Idaho’s White Elephant, Hoku Materials factory was ruled in violation of federal court rules.   JH Kelley made a high bid after the piecemeal and bulk auctions ended.

Judge Jim Pappas also pointed out that the massive property was split up into 1364 lots, and that all but 300 lots were bid on.   That’s interesting because after the auction JH Kelley stated they would help Pocatello “…attract a new user to the property…”

The judge will set a date for a new auction.

Idaho politicians give away tens of millions to companies that shut down! 

Hoku factory bought by construction contractor