Category Archives: U.S.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Idaho news media misleads public on unemployment! Is it all part of your ‘elected’ officials’ plan to justify ending unemployment assistance?

28 January 2014 (17:00 UTC-07 Tango)/26 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/08 Bahman 1392/28 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

For the past few days Idaho news media have been painting a rosy picture, saying Idaho’s unemployment rate dropped by one percent.  And some even went as far as declaring the bad local economy dead!

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Idaho’s unemployment rate for December fell to 5.7%.   Some Idaho news sources must’ve got hit with complaints about their initial interpretation of the unemployment rate, because some local news sources went on to admit, in later reports, that December’s jobs were almost all temporary end of year holiday hires.

(An east Idaho TV station actually re-edited their initial report.  The initial report had Idaho Department of Labor employee, Will Jensen, saying the unemployment rate went down because “more people found work and there was an increase in people filing for first time unemployment benefits”.  A seeming have your cake and eat it too scenario.  The new version of their report, which is now on their website, not only edits out that comment, but also points out the temporaryness of December’s jobs.)

Here’s a reality check:  The ‘official’ unemployment rate reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the one that the news media and politicians love to point to, is called U-3.  This stat does not include everybody who is unemployed or underemployed.  The stat that tries to included all the unemployed (usually meaning those not getting unemployment assistance and those who quit looking for a job) and underemployed (meaning those working part time when they should be enjoying retirement or those working part time but needing full time hours/pay) is called U-6.

For Idaho, at the end of the 3rd quarter 2013 the U-3 rate was 6.9%, hence why so many ignorant Gem State news sources were virtually declaring the bad economy over when December’s U-3 rate came in at 5.7%.  But what about the U-6 rate?

At the end of 3rd quarter 2013, Idaho’s U-6 rate was at 13.2%!  The U-6 rate for December has not been published, yet.

‘Elected’ Idaho politicians in Washington DC are calling for a halt in an emergency extension of federal unemployment assistance.  They claim it will cost “taxpayers” (keep reading to see who those taxpayers really are) $6-billion USD if it passes.

The unemployment system in Idaho (aka Idaho Job Service) is actually paid for by employers, who’re charged a tax based on how many successful (that’s the key) unemployment claims are made against them.  Some companies even end up getting a tax rebate!

This creates an incentive for companies to lie about the person filing for first time unemployment claim.  In 2011, a PBS program, called Need to Know, reported on the growing problem of TPAs (third party administrators) working to deny unemployment benefits for those who qualify.  Many unemployment  benefits are being denied because the employers are falsely claiming the employee was fired, when they were actually laid off.  Or, in the case of wrongful firings, the TPAs are appealing those cases, even when it is obviously the fault of the employer.

Now realize that federal unemployment assistance is also paid for by unAmerican Corporate America, not employees or individuals paying their individual income tax!  Now you know the real reason Idaho politicians (who actually work for unAmerican Corporate America, the real “taxpayers” they are talking about) want to kill unemployment compensation!

People should be out in the streets with torches and pitchforks!  UnAmerican Corporate America created the mess, and they continue to find new ways to weasel their way out of paying for it, and your ‘elected’ officials are their lapdogs!

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Obama Care Layoffs 2013, part 5!

Incomplete list of publicized healthcare layoffs and closings 01-14 June 2013.

Alabama:  The Christian God couldn’t stop Catholic Providence Hospital from laying off 35 employees.  Hospital officials say they’ve lost $2 million USD in Medicare funding!

California:  In San Diego, Palomar Health laid off 84 hospital workers.  They blame cuts to Medicaid/Medicare caused by the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Connecticut: The Christian God couldn’t stop Saint Vincent Medical Center from laying off 50 employees, and eliminating 100 other positions!  Catholic hospital officials blamed it on competition and decreased federal funding due to the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Florida: The Christian God couldn’t stop 150 people from losing their jobs with Sacred Heart Health System.  Hospital officials blame it on Obama: “….facing daunting challenges because of a decline in revenues caused by government cuts in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.”

Louisiana:  Health care staffer Schumacher Group laid off 32 employees.  This after laying off 41 employees in May.  Company officials blamed in on changes to Medicare/Medicaid due to the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Maryland:  The University of Maryland Medical Center laying off an undisclosed number of employees.  Hospital officials are directly blaming the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Massachusetts: The Jordan Hospital closed the third floor of its East Wing.  64 jobs affected.  Hospital officials blamed it on declining customers and the Obama/Romney Affordable Care Act cuts to Medicaid/Medicare.  (the ‘Obama Care’ was co-written by the same guy that wrote Romney’s ‘Romney Care’ when he was gov’na of Massachusetts)

Missouri: The non-profit Boone Hospital Center laid off 13 employees, and reduced hours for seven others.  It’s part of non-profit BJC Healthcare’s 160 employee layoffs at several of its hospitals!  It’s blamed on Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act: “…experiencing reductions in our reimbursement for the healthcare services that we provide…”-June Fowler, BJC Healthcare

New York:  ProHEALTH closed its North Massapequa location.  24 people unemployed.  In Johnson City, the Methodist Grand Care Children’s Center shutdown.  Lakeside Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and Inpatient Unit shut down, 343 people unemployed!

Ohio: The Christian God couldn’t stop the closing of the Mercy Mount Airy Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit. 

Virginia: Wellmont Health Systems laid off 50 employees, officials expect to lose $25 million next year, no thanks to the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.   Virginia based Inova Health Systems laid off 147 people throughout their hospital network.  Inova is considered one the most financially sound hospital systems in the U.S. Hospital officials are preparing for loses next year due to the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

Wisconsin:  The Christian God couldn’t stop Saint Joseph’s Hospital from  closing its drug and alcohol addiction treatment center.  40 employees affected.  It’s blamed on changes to Medicare/Medicaid due to the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.

“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 4!

ObamaCare Layoffs 2013, part 3! 

ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 2!

 ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 1:

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 18-19 October 2013. More hospitals killing jobs! Obama Care killing health insurance jobs! GMO seed maker kills jobs! Golf course killed to make room for homeless children!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Arizona: In Tucson, tax sucker and baby killer, Raytheon Missile Systems, warned of an undisclosed amount of layoffs.  It’s blamed on reduced government spending.

California: In Sylmar, Ralph’s (Kroger owned) grocery store shutdown, 58 jobs lost.  In Laguna Beach, Sundried Tomato American Bistros and Catering shutdown, the owners say business isn’t good enough to keep up with the rent!  In Thousand Oaks, evil GMO seed maker Ceres laid off 18 people (some in Texas) and will probably layoff more.  The GMO seeds they make are mainly for bio-fuel production, which isn’t really taking off  like everybody thought it would. In El Segundo, it was revealed that Direct TV laid off 100 employees! Company officials said it was necessary “…to remain healthy and competitive”.  Who said the internet is killing video rental stores? In Los Angeles, on demand video service Chill laid off 40% of its employees and canceled their “self serve” premium movie service. This just days after getting good reviews. Company officials said “We discovered that the sales/acquisition cycles around premium content to be somewhat inconsistent……”  What housing market recovery? Real estate data and consulting service, CoreLogic, closed two offices, killing 150 jobs! In Irvine, more layoffs for Labcorp, this time 24.

Connecticut: In New London County, Big Brothers Big Sisters shutdown.  United Way said it could no longer fund the operation due to crashing donations, caused by the bad economy.

Florida: In Orlando, the Holiday Inn laid off 63 employees.  The new owners claim they are remodeling the hotel.  In Tampa, health insurance company WellCare Health Plans killed 150 jobs! They focus on Medicare and Medicaid managed care, which is affected by Obama Care. In Captiva, reports that Joey’s Hot Dog Boat shutdown.

Georgia: In Macon, Bowen Brothers men’s clothing store shutdown after 31 years.

Illinois: In Elmwood Park a Blockbuster video store shutdown.

Michigan: In Lansing, McLaren Greater Lansing hospital laid off an undisclosed amount of employees.  Hospital officials also cut work hours and are reducing the amount of supplies they buy.  They blame Obama Care saying they need to “…position our hospital for long-term sustainability in the face of these unprecedented changes in health care.”

Minnesota: In Lafayette, after 54 years of service the Good Samaritan Society old folks home shutdown. Officials blame the last three years of the suck ass economy!

Missouri: In Jackson, Pioneer Orchard’s Market shutdown.

New Hampshire: In Berlin, Catello and Sons Music Store shutdown after several decades of sales.  The owners say that the past three years of the bad economy killed them.

New Mexico: In Farmington, after 33 years Zia Sporting Goods shutdown.

New York: In Newburgh, Saint Luke’s Cornwall Hospital eliminated 60 jobs.  Hospital officials expect to lose $10-million USD in 2014, no thanks to Obama Care.  In Amherst, the Frog Hair Grille shutdown, despite $500-thousand in renovations in 2012!  In Elmira, American Customer Care call center shutdown, 43 jobs lost.

Oklahoma: What housing market recovery?  Mortgager Adfitech laid off 320 people! Company officials called the crashing demand for home loans “abrupt changes in customer needs”.

Pennsylvania: The Hersey Links golf course shutdown to make room for grade school student housing for low income and homeless children attending the Milton Hersey School.  Yeah, there’s that much need folks!!! More proof the economy sucks!

Wisconsin: In Madison, health insurance company WPS Health Insurance continues to slash and burn jobs despite Obama Care. This time 175 jobs killed!  In January 2013 they announced 415 layoffs, and in November 2012 they killed 600 jobs!!!  The reason is that WPS focused on providing health insurance to people who were refused coverage by other insurance companies because of preexisting health problems.  Obama Care now forces insurance companies to cover anybody with the money to pay, regardless of health problems.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

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

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 17 October 2013. Spice prices going up! The Big banks just keep killing jobs! More British empire caused job cuts! No more led?

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Too Big to Jail, Wells Fargo, laid off an additional 925 people!  This brings the total announced layoffs since July 2013 to 6511!  Bank officials finally acknowledge the bad economy: “We are reducing staff as we continue to align our workforce based on current market conditions…”-Angela Kaipust, Wells Fargo spokeswoman

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association laid off 12 employees. Officials acknowledged the bad economy saying they need to bring “…expenses in line with revenue.”

U.S. spice seller McCormick announced drastic closures or cut backs to its European, Middle East and Asian operations.  The company warned it will mean layoffs.  Company officials said they need to consolidate operations.

California: Yet another video game maker goes down.  2K Marin laid off a “majority” of employees, and some unnamed inside sources say the company actually shutdown.  In Oakland, Sutter Health laid off six more employees.

Connecticut: 85 jobs lost as the 160 years old Stafford Springs Warren Corporation textile mill shutdown.

Florida: In Jacksonville, evil British empire owned school bus service First Transit shutting down.  138 jobs lost.  First Transit is owned by the British First Group. First Group also owns another school bus company called First Student.  The British empire is the mortal enemy of the United States, if you work for them you’re a traitor.

Georgia: In Augusta, Rooster’s Beak restaurant shutdown.

Kentucky: In Butchertown, Blind Pig restaurant shutdown. The property owner kicked out the restaurant owner.  The restaurant owner says for some reason the property owner began refusing to accept his rent checks. Sounds like another case of a greedy property owner looking to sell out to a property developer.

Michigan: Recently formed Catholic Health East Trinity Health laid off another 45 employees.  CHE Trinity Health was behind the layoffs at the non-profit Crittenton Hospital. Pennsylvania based CHE merged with Michigan based Trinity Health, and now they’re drastically cutting costs to deal with Obama Care.  Mount Clemens Community Schools laid off 12 teachers: “When you lose students, you’re going to lose teachers.”-Deborah Wahlstrom, superintendent

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, Heidi’s restaurant shutdown.

Missouri: In Herculaneum, the last led [sic] smelter in the U.S. has shutdown!  145 jobs lost! Doe-Run says the cost of meeting the latest U.S. EPA regulations will kill them, anyway.

New York: Too Big to Jail, International Foreign Exchange Concepts Holdings, has failed.  Now bankrupt.  Company officials are blaming the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System for pulling more than $450-million USD from one of their investment funds.

Pennsylvania: In Scranton, The Bon-Ton department store shutdown.  50 jobs lost. Company officials said it was not worth it to renew the lease. In Manor Township, 53 years old Furniture World Carpet One shutdown two stores (one is in Indiana)! The owner blamed the bad economy and greedy landlords: “We lost the lease…..and we couldn’t afford to buy it.”-Andrea Solomon-Eller

South Carolina: In Charleston, La Fourchette restaurant shutdown. The property owner sold the space out from under the restaurant owner.

Texas: Tax sucker Port San Antonio eliminated 17 jobs, blaming declining U.S. Air Force spending.  In Pasadena, an ALCO store shutdown: “The economy has clearly had an impact on store sales, and we’ve made the very difficult decision to close.”-Ricardo Clemente, Store Operations

Virginia:  The newspaper Virginian-Pilot laid off 32 employees.

Washington: In Bellingham, game and model kit hobby store Eagles Games shutdown.

Wisconsin: In Racine a Sears will close down, 52 jobs lost.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

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

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 19-22 January 2014: U.S. Army drone operator assassinated! Obama’s Presidential Guards conduct massive Israeli style home invasions?

Badakhshan Province: Mujahideen captured a gemstone mine along with 44 local cops and “…a considerable amount of arms and ammo as well as several ranger vehicles.”  They say the police were forcing people to work the mine for the profit of the local police boss-warlord.

Helmand Province: In Nawzad Distict, at least three civilians dead, four wounded when they drove over a landmine. In Marjah District, reports that a nine years old was murdered by a government lapdog, possibly a member of Obama’s Presidential Guards.

Herat Province: In Gerishk District Jangzo village, a midnight Israeli style home invasion resulted in three people being kidnapped. In Pashtun Zarghun District, 63 privately funded NGO personnel working to remove landmines, were captured by Mujahideen. Mujahideen released the ‘deminers’ once they learned they were not government military personnel.  However, local Afghan government forces claim they ‘rescued’ the deminers.

Kabul Province: In Kabul City’s 8th district, for the first time in recent memory (according to Afghan news media) an seven years old boy killed himself by hanging. Nobody knows why.

Kandahar Province: In Spin Boldak District, reports that one cop attacked two other cops with a big knife, he was shot and killed.  In Maiwan District, three civilians killed one wounded when they drove over a landmine.   In Zharai Distirct, a 42 years old U.S. Army CWO from California, was shot and killed during an attack by Mujahideen which included suicide bombers.  Mujahideen claim they killed and wounded many more than what is being reported (including several high ranking Afghan National Army personnel), saying they observed medevac ‘copters flying in and out of the base “well into the night”.  Afghan government sources say nine Mujahideen were killed.  The USA Chief Warrant Officer was an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, drone) operator on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.  Also, five militiamen of the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 849th Mobility Augmentation Company were wounded during the attack: “We got ambushed. We’re all alive, we’re all alive.”-Staff Sergeant Robbie Sheets, Minnesota ANG, hit by shrapnel, during a phone call with his mother

Kapisa Province: In Nijrab District, reports that a stray mortar round fired by the Afghan National Army, killed an eight years old girl and wounded six civilians.

Kunar Province: Once again provincial officials claim Pakistan bombarded their territory with artillery fire. 21 rounds hit Dangam and Kunar Khas districts. No damage or casualties reported.

Maidan Wardak Province: In Syed Abad District, an Israeli style home invasion resulted in three people being kidnapped.

Parwan Province: In Shinwari District, Mujahideen say they captured 47 artillery rounds, 8 rockets and 1500 rounds of heavy and light machine gun ammo.

Sar-e-Pul Province: Three local cops killed, four wounded when they drove over a landmine.

Zabul Province: Obama’s recently created (in 2010-11) Presidential Guards may be behind a terror op targeting civilians. In Nawbahar District, many villagers reported large scale heliborne Israeli style home invasions.  Personal vehicles and other property were destroyed, people beat up, a Mosque vandalized and at least 13 people kidnapped.

USMC General Dunford told U.S. Congress that the U.S. should stay in Afghanistan after the supposed 2014 pullout.  He wants at least 10-thousand U.S. military personnel to stay.

40 militiamen of the Army National Guard’s 415th Military Police Detachment, from the U.S. state of Iowa, in training to be deployed to Afghanistan.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: 2013 sees record high U.S. corporate profits & record low U.S. worker wages?

24 January 2014 (09:05 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/04 Bahman 1392/24 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis is reporting that at the end of 2013 unAmerican Corporate America has made record after tax profits!  $1-trillion 868-billion USD!

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median wage at the end of 2013 was $786 USD per week.  Keep in mind that was for full time employment.  The Bureau points out that only 104.8-million U.S. workers are considered full time or on salary, and there’s almost 318-million people in the United States.

In December 2013 there were 7.8 million part time workers, mostly for the holiday season which means they’re very likely unemployed now.  There were 10.4-million officially unemployed people in December, and 1.5-million had quit looking for work!  Another 2.4-million people are counted as “not in the labor force”, but looking for work (many who did not qualify for unemployment assistance).

The Bureau also reports that actual earnings for those who had a job in December 2013, went down slightly.  Yet worker productivity went up by a full 3%!  These are some reasons why corporations made bigger profits while the average worker made less “Real” wages.

How can unAmerican Corporate America continue to claim it cannot afford to raise wages, or hire more people, when it’s making record after tax profits?

“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

Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: The Hell of ObamaCare Lies! Boise TV station misleads public on Your Health Idaho enrollments! No evidence of “new” enrollees!

24 January 2014 (20:16 UTC-07 Tango 23 January 2013)/22 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/04 Bahman 1392/24 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

KBOI in Boise, Idaho, misled viewers when they reported that 20-thousand Idahoans signed up for Obama Care through the Your Health Idaho exchange.  What they failed to mention is that state Obama Care officials admitted they really don’t have hard and fast numbers!

In an Associated Press report, Your Health Idaho chairman Stephen Weeg, from Pocatello, admitted that most of the 20-thousand reported as “signed up under Obama Care” were probably people already on Medicaid/Medicare!  As far as how many new enrollees there were Wegg revealed that Obama Care is not set up to distinguish between people who were already getting government medical help and people who are new to the system: “We’d love to have that data…..we’ll have to figure out if there’s a way we can collect that information.”

The Associated Press report goes on to say that Idaho insurers admitted that most of the people paying for insurance under Obama Care already had insurance prior to Obama Care!

Boise’s KBOI also reported that Your Health Idaho director, Amy Dowd, told Idaho lawmakers that she doesn’t think the federally mandated exchange will require state funding to operate.  But the Associated Press report says she admitted she’s not really sure about that : “We don’t know how much it will cost to run our call center. We don’t know how renewals will go….”

Amy Dowd is still under fire for awarding a no bid contract to a former Your Health Idaho board member. The corrupt governor even approved the contract even though it violated state law.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 15-16 October 2013. ObamaCare kills ice cream factory? Crashing home loan demand continues to impact housing market! No more bras?

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Tax sucker and Big Brother ass kisser, FLIR (forward looking infrared) Systems to consolidate ops in Europe and the United States.  Company officials said they need to reduce staffing to save $20-million USD, due to reduced government spending on their thermal spying optics.

Tax sucker Lockheed Martin laid off 600 employees at their Mission Systems and Training business!  This is on top of the already 367 layoffs announced two months prior!

Mobile phone application maker, Path, laid off 13 employees.  Company officials said it was necessary to “support continued innovation”.

 California: In Poway, Chicken Pie Diner shutdown. The owner tried to sell the restaurant, but the sale fell through and he couldn’t afford to keep it open.

Colorado: In Fort Collins, Famous Runza Sandwich shutdown.  The owner, sensing the deteriorating economy, said he wanted to finish on top.

Florida: What housing market recovery? Mortgage Investors Corporation, which targets military personnel and  veterans, laid off 476 employees!  It’s blamed on crashing demand for home loans.  The company also had to pay a $7.5-million USD settlement to the FTC for harassing military personnel in violation of a Do Not Call List.  In Jacksonville, Hardee’s fast food joint shutdown after more than 20 years in business.

Illinois: Nonprofit Elgin Opera shutdown.  Operators said donations and ticket sales crashed.  In Belvidere, a Kmart shutdown, 91 jobs lost.

Indiana: In Elkhart, Bonnie Doon ice cream factory shutdown. Company officials said Obama Care health insurance rules will jack up their operating costs so high that it’s not worth it to stay in operation.  Elkhart city officials told local news media that Obama Care is threatening dozens of big employers in the area.

Louisiana:  The University of New Orleans shutdown its daycare center.  It’s blamed on taxpayer funding cuts and declining student enrollment.

New Jersey: Bra maker Maidenform shutting down their HQ, and killing  1330 jobs over the next year!  It’s blamed on the takeover by Hanesbrands.

Nevada: In Yerington, Marathon Equipment shutdown.  35 jobs lost. They’re moving to Arizona.  In Green Valley, Bank of the West shutdown their local office.  The California based Too Big to Fail bank blamed it on lack of business.

North Carolina:  What housing market recovery? Too Big to Jail SunTrust Bank laid off 800 employees!  It’s blamed on crashing demand for home loans.

Ohio: In Trotwood, Sears is shutting down, at least 67 jobs lost.  In Bidwell, BEF Foods shutdown, 52 jobs lost.

Oregon: In Reedsport, Pennsylvania based American Bridge steelworks shutdown, 51 jobs lost.  The company opened their Reedsport ops in 2005, helped by massive local tax breaks, and promised to hire 120 people.  In 2006 a rail line crucial to the steel plant’s operations was shutdown, but then re-opened in 2011.  But it was too late, American Bridge was able to get only one west coast contract to build a bridge, not enough to justify keeping the factory open.

South Carolina: A Mount Pleasant Kmart will shutdown.  43 jobs lost.

Texas: San Antonio, Trinity Mining & Construction Equipment laid off 86 people as part of their shutdown.  In Conroe, US Foods shutdown a distribution center.  84 jobs lost.   In Sealy, Bilderberg British empire tax sucking company, BAE, shutdown it’s M2 Bradley IFV factory.  325 jobs lost, but good riddance to the evil Red Coats: “Through its [BAE] acquisition of American companies it has increased its penetration of the U.S. market and has become the prime contractor for the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle….”-Defense Procurement News

Washington:  TOP Food and Drugs shutdown three stores throughout the Evergreen State. In Yakima, Bemis Stereo First and TV shutdown after 34 years.  The owner blamed crashing sales on the internet, even though there are plenty of examples that even internet stereo and TV sales are crashing (it’s just a bad economy).

Wisconsin: MetJet shutdown, all flights canceled, many passengers stranded.  Company officials blamed it on crashing ticket sales.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

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

Business/Economics, 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.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: ObamaCare Layoffs 2013, part 4!

Incomplete list of publicized healthcare layoffs and closings 16-31 May 2013.

The biggest insurance company in the U.S., MetLife, has laid off 2500 people since 2012!  The insurance and investment company said the United States is no longer the place to do business and will focus on other countries for growth opportunities!!!

California: In San Mateo, reports that Mills Health Center closed its 4th floor Senior Health Services operations, 76 people unemployed.

Connecticut: The Christian God can’t stop an undisclosed amount of layoffs at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center!  It’s blamed on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

Delaware: The McCready Memorial Hospital/Alice Byrd Tawes Nursing Home laid off 18 employees, and turned five full time jobs into part time jobs.

Illinois: The Roseland Hospital laid off 68 employees.  Another 47 people had their workweek reduced by one day.

Kansas: 400 layoffs at the Christian health care organization known as Via Christi Health!  They blame it on declining hospital admissions and physician visits, as well as the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act cuts to Medicare/Medicaid.

Maryland:  50 jobs lost as the Maryland General Hospital shut down its obstetrics and gynecology services.

Michigan: Catholic Ascension Health laid off 350 people at Saint John Providence hospital, and 350 people at four other operating units and seven hospitals throughout Michigan!  Officials with the largest Catholic health care system in the United States blamed it on declining customers and “lower reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare” caused by the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

Minnesota:  500 people lost their jobs with medical device maker Medtronic!  It’s blamed on a decline in demand for heart devices, and, the new Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act medical device tax doesn’t help either.

Nebraska: Novartis Consumer Health laid off 72 employees, and closed 41 open positions in their Lincoln factory.  Apparently these new job cuts are in addition to the 300 layoffs announced in April.

New Jersey: Toms Rivers Hospital laid off 68 employees and eliminated 85 positions!  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

New York: The Orange Regional Medical Center laid off 80 employees.  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!  The Catskill Regional Medical Center laid off 60 employees.  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!  Sound Shore Health System now bankrupt: “As is true with many community hospitals serving a working-class constituency, the Medical Centers have been beset by the financial pressures caused by cuts in Medicare and Medicaid funding.”-Court filed bankruptcy statement

North Dakota: Trinity Health closed its clinic in Parshall.

Oklahoma:  The Christian God can’t stop 210 layoffs at the non-profit health care organization known as Saint John Health System!  Governor Mary Fallin is being blamed for refusing to expand Medicaid coverage, and they also blame the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act cuts to Medicare/Medicaid.

Rhode Island: Lifespan healthcare system laid off 107 employees! They blame a $150 million shortfall on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

Wisconsin:  250 layoffs at the Christian hospital system known as Ministry Health Care!  They blame it on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!

“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 3! 

ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 2!

 ObamaCare layoffs 2013, part 1: