Tag Archives: crime

Influenza

Operation Jupiter : New TB killing deer & beef cattle!

13 April 2017 / 19:38 UTC-07 Tango 06 (25 Farvardin 1396/17 Rajab 1438/18 Jia Chen 4715)

“I can’t explain how this is moving around.  My concern is it is moving in something.”-Bret Marsh, Indiana State Board of Animal Health

In the United States, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health warning of what appears to be a new type of Bovine tuberculosis (TB) hitting both wild deer and domestic cows.

Supposedly Indiana’s cattle industry was TB free from 1984 until about nine years ago.  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) testing revealed that the most recent cases of Bovine TB in wild white-tailed deer and domestic cattle are of the same strain of TB.  Also of interest is that one raccoon also tested positive for the same TB strain.

The particular strain of Bovine TB first popped up in 2008 in domestic cattle in Indiana. In 2009 the first wild deer case was found, also in Indiana, and it has spread across the United States.  Since then thousands of cattle and several types of wild deer and elk have been culled.

Last month South Dakota’s Game Fish and Parks Department discovered a herd of cattle infected with TB (the first time since 2011), they will be culled at U.S. taxpayer expense (the USDA will compensate the farmer).  Even the cows that tested negative will be killed.

In February this year the USDA identified cows from Nebraska as being infected.  It was also revealed that infected cows were found in feed lots in Nebraska and South Dakota in November 2016.

Bovine TB is considered the most infectious across animal specie, but I’ve discovered that until 1994 Bovine TB was considered rare in wild animals. Michigan Department of Natural Resources says until 1994 only eight wild deer were documented to have the disease. However, for some publicly unexplained reason, in 1995 Michigan required that wild deer killed by hunters, or found dead, had to be tested for the disease.  Since than not only have deer been found infected but so have elk, black bear, bobcat, coyote, opossum, raccoon, and red fox (‘You big dummy!’ No not that Redd Foxx).

Michigan’s domestic cattle industry is also being hit.  Earlier this month the USDA confirmed that a cow in Newaygo County tested positive.   A study by Michigan State University concluded that the main culprit in the spread of Bovine TB are salt licks set out by cattle ranchers.  Basically the wild deer come onto the farms at night to lick the salt, then move on during the day.  They pick up the TB from the domestic cows and then spread it across state lines.

The country of New Zealand reporting great progress in fighting Bovine TB.  In the Gregorian year of 2000 there were at least 7-hundred documented cases in deer and cattle.  Today the Operational Solutions for Primary Industries reports that there are currently 41 cases.

In the country of Ireland it’s reported that from the 1st quarter of 2016 to the 1st quarter of 2017 at least 2-thousand 8-hundred cases of Bovine TB were confirmed!  Interestingly wild deer are being blamed (even though it’s actually domestic cattle who should be blamed) and the Manor Kilbride Deer Management Project is demanding that hunters be allowed to kill-off as many as 50-thousand deer just in the tiny county of Wicklow!  Local news reports revealed that cattle farmers are blaming the deer for the TB epidemic in the hopes of freeing up more grazing land for their domestic cows.

In the United Kingdom, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales and County Hall is demanding an elk cull, not because they have Bovine TB but to find out if they do!   Turns out that the elk roam on private lands and are not required to be routinely tested, as domestic cows are required to be.

OPERATION JUPITER: RACCOONS HIT WITH UNKNOWN DISEASE?

Influenza, U.S.

Operation Jupiter : Raccoons hit with unknown disease? Spreading like wildfire!

13 April 2017 (16:33 UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Farvardin 1396/16 Rajab 1438/17 Jia Chen 4715

“We do this every year, but this year it’s been an epidemic.”-Jerry Harrison, Alcoa County Animal Control, Tennessee

Since the end of March there’s been a sudden increase in sightings of diseased raccoons in the United States and Canada.

In Tennessee, skyrocketing cases of raccoons being culled due to unknown (so far) disease.  According to animal control employees the average number of sick raccoons put-down in a year is about three, but in Alcoa County they euthanized 18 raccoons just in the month of March!

The symptoms displayed are similar to canine distemper or rabies.  Distemper is not a threat to humans, but rabies is, so as a precaution all sick raccoons are being killed until USDA test results reveal what is making them sick: “Most of the time, it’s going to be distemper, and it kind of mimics the rabies, the tremors, things like that. It’s probably going to be distemper, but we won’t know until the testing is done.”- Eddie King, Maryville  County Animal Control

The problem with canine distemper and rabies is that symptoms are similar; being out in the open during the day, no fear of humans, trembling, foaming at the mouth, walking in circles.

I was surprised to discover that some U.S. states treat raccoons as if they are the source of disease.  Raccoons are unknowing spreaders of disease, but the disease doesn’t start with them.  Canine distemper can be blamed on dogs brought to the Americas by European settlers.  Rabies was first identified more than 4-thousand years ago by the ancient Egyptians, it too could have been spread to the Americas by European settlers and their farm animals.  This is more historical proof that immigration is a bad thing for native specie.

Reports of sick raccoons are coming out of Alabama as well.   Social media reports by residents of the city of Homewood reveal numerous sightings of sick raccoons. One raccoon was killed and is undergoing testing.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is warning the public of all the various diseases that raccoons can unknowingly spread, after a raccoon was found sick with rabies.

In Virginia, towards the end of March a woman in Arlington was attacked by a raccoon while she was sitting on her back porch.  She said the animal came “out of nowhere” and bit her leg. She received rabies vaccinations as a result.  Just today, reports out of Newport News say another raccoon tested positive for rabies.

In South Carolina, a veterinarian broke-up a fight between one raccoon and three dogs earlier this month, this week test results showed the raccoon had rabies.  Interestingly the vet said other than trying to fight three dogs the raccoon showed no signs of being sick.

The true vector of disease isn’t the raccoons, but the fleas, ticks and mosquitoes that love to suck animal’s blood (humans are animals, take that you filthy animal Donald Trump for calling al-Assad an “animal”).

In British empire Canada, the Province of Ontario warning of increased cases of rabies in raccoons.  Significant considering there hasn’t been a documented case of raccoons with rabies in many parts of Ontario for the past ten years!  Rabies can be spread through saliva. Manager of Health Protection for Public Health Services, Jessica Morris, warned “Once the virus…..hits the brain…it’s essentially too late…”

OPERATION JUPITER: SHARK DNA FOR FUTURE SOLDIERS?

OPERATION JUPITER: ANTHRAX IS THE ZOMBIE DISEASE LAZARUS!

OPERATION JUPITER: A SMALL PART OF A LARGER MILITARY OPERATION SPREADING DISEASE!

Business/Economics, Idaho, Technology

Obama Legacy: Death of ‘Outdoors’ stores, and don’t blame the internet!

11 April 2017 (15:54 UTC-07 Tango 06) 22 Farvardin 1396/14 Rajab 1438/15 Jia Chen 4715

Independently owned ‘outdoors’ store Element Outfitters shutting down its 2nd brick-n-mortar store in Pocatello, Idaho.  But don’t blame the internet, they have a website. (elementoutfitters.com)

Element Outfitters, Yellowstone Avenue (aka U.S. highway 91) Pocatello, Idaho

Soon to shutdown Element Outfitters on Yellowstone Avenue (aka U.S. Route 91) Pocatello, Idaho

The original Element Outfitters, towards the south end of town, will continue to operate.  The owners say the economic situation is such that they must consolidate operations to become more efficient.

Interestingly a local news report ignorantly (perhaps lazily) blamed “e-commerce”, failing to mention that most brick-n-mortar stores also have websites that sell merchandise.

Michigan based MC Sports went bankrupt in February of this year, and is shutting down all 66 stores.

Last year the largest ‘outdoors’ chain died.  It was called Sports Authority and it too had a website.  In fact, in its bankruptcy it was revealed that not only did its brick-n-mortar sales crash, but so did its e-commerce sales.  Administrators said there was too much competition for both brick-n-mortar ops and internet ops.  By the end of 2016 Dick’s Sporting Goods took over the remaining Sports Authority operations.

In April 2016, Vestis Retail Group killed off Sports Chalet and then sold off its other outdoors ops Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores.  They had websites too.

The owner of now dead California based clothier Wet Seal, Versa Capital Management, took over Bob’s  and Eastern Mountain Sports.  Then suddenly in February of this year (shortly after killing off Wet Seal) Versa began quietly killing off Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores.  Versa is bankrupt and some reports say it might be sold-off to British empire based retailer Sports Direct International.

In February of this year, VF Outdoor announced it would shutdown its four years old ‘sustainable’ outdoors and  clothing product HQ in Alameda, California, killing 52 jobs by April.  One of the outdoor clothing brands associated with VF Outdoor is The North Face.  VF Outdoor is a division of North Carolina VF Contemporary Brands, which also announced it would kill off nearly 1-hundred manufacturing jobs in Los Angeles and Vernon, California, by April.

Just like with the U.S. apparel industry blaming too much competition (both on and off the internet) for its demise, so too is the related outdoors retail sector. And just like the apparel industry death spiral, the outdoors industry death spiral began under the watch of Barack Obama. 

OBAMA LEGACY: CHINA KICKS AMERICA’S ASS IN JOBS FOR AFRICA!

U.S.

“floods, pests, drought, land use”: U.S. Food Crisis, February 2017

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of February, 2017: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, spread of disease and extreme weather.

Alabama:  Wintzell’s Oyster House suddenly shutdown its six years old Huntsville restaurant with only a one day notice, no reason given.

Arizona: Marana Hooters shutdown not by protesters, but by a $148-million USD state taxpayer funded road project.  Local news reports say the road project will block both access points to the restaurant.

California: Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop shutdown its five years old Vista location with only a one day notice to customers, blaming the landlord without giving details.  In Oak Park, after 28 years Louie’s shutting down by the end of March.  The location is for sale to help fund the owners’ retirement.  In Irvine, after more than 30 years Prego Ristorante forced to look for a new location by greedy landlord, affecting 55 employees.  Texas based Whole Foods Market shutdown their store in Davis due to sales failing to improve.  In Los Angeles, Auntie Em’s Kitchen shutdown, the owner went back to catering (because catering has lower operating costs).

Colorado: Broomfield based Noddles & Company conducting yet another round of restaurant shutdowns, this time 55 starting in April, blaming “negative cash flow”. Noodles & Co. also sold-off $31.5-million USD in stocks to raise cash.

Connecticut: In Middleton, after 80 years Cypress Restaurant shutdown. The owners of the oldest locally owned restaurant say they need to retire.

Florida: Bloomin’ Brands announced it will shutdown 43 Outback Steakhouses across the U.S. due to continued crashing sales.  Bloomin’ Brands reported a $43-million USD loss for its 4th quater of 2016! Bloomin’ Brands has been losing money and shutting down restaurants for years.

Georgia:  Texas based Whole Foods Market shutdown a store in Augusta due to sales failing to improve.

Illinois: After 88 years the Swedish Bakery shutdown due to “Changing times”.    In Loves Park, after more than 40 years Chen’s Cantonese Chef shutdown because the owner says he’s too old to keep running it.  In Chicago, restaurant Three Aces shutdown their seven years old Little Italy location.

Indiana:  In Indianapolis, Pizzology shutdown, the owner will supposedly try a new restaurant theme.

Iowa: In Cedar Rapids, BBQ This! shutdown to be replaced with something “new”.  In Des Moines, after six years Patton’s Restaurant shutdown, the owner is focusing on catering.

Kansas: In Manhattan, Rusty’s bar and Rusty’s Outback shutdown, the owners are now focusing on one operation.

Kentucky:  In Louisville, after 59 years Tim Tam Tavern up for sale as the current owner wants to move on.

Police rescued the Town & Country Foods fiberglass mascot from cow-nappers, back in 2014.

Maine: After more than four decades of beef, Town & Country Foods suddenly shutdown its Greene location.

Michigan: Battle Creek based food-maker Kellogg’s shutting down 39 distribution centers affecting at least 1-thousand-1-hundred jobs!  Believe it or not, the food-maker blames its failed attempt to stop Donald Trump for crashing sales!  Combination restaurant-movie theater Alamo Drafthouse Cinema shutting down by April due to the new owner not wanting to renew the lease.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, Asian-Latin food joint Senior Wong Craft Bar shutdown.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, Monty’s Sandwich shutting down its North Broadway location due to being unable to renew the lease.  Condiment maker French’s Food shutting down their Springfield distribution center, 140 jobs gone starting in April!  The state  Department of Economic Development revealed they’ve known about French’s consolidation plan since January.  In Saint Joseph, after more than 30 years Weidemeir’s Truck Stop shutdown after being put up for sale.

Montana: In Billings, iconic 35 years old restaurant Rex suddenly shutdown, supposedly due to being sold to an employee.  The former owner believes the new owner has plans to re-open Rex.

Nebraska: In Omaha, after only two years Grane Whiskey Dispensary shutdown. Local news reports say the owner is fighting legal claims over alleged unpaid taxes concerning a different booze business.

Nevada: Decades old California based Du-Par’s Restaurant suddenly shutdown its six years old Las Vegas location earlier than publicized.  Local news media reported that it was having problems paying expenses.  Du-Par’s became famous for introducing 99 cent booze.

New York: Christian agnostic Warren Buffet owned Kraft-Heinz issued a shutdown WARN for their cheese ops in Campbell, 380 jobs lost starting at the end of May!  After 91 years Will Foods shutting down the distribution ops in Buffalo, 71 jobs lost between February and the end of March.  “Perishable Prepared  Food” maker Sabra Dipping shutting down their Farmingdale operations, 22 jobs lost between May and June.  Gormet Guru-United Natural Foods issued a shutdown WARN for their Bronx-NYC ops, 77 jobs lost by mid-May.  In NYC, Craftbar Restaurant shutting down at the end of April, 70 jobs lost due to “economic” reasons.  NYC based International Flavors & Fragrances warning of as many as 370 jobs lost over the next two years, because expected sales will not generate enough profit.   In Rochester, after more than a hundred years (surviving the christian imposed prohibition by pretending to be a cigar shop) Dicky’s Bar shutdown.  In Amherst, 27 years old Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine and 17 years old Palm’s Banquets suddenly shutdown. Local news media speculated that the shutdowns are connected to a co-owners 2013 conviction concerning falsified tax returns.  Also in Amherst, TGI Fridays shutdown its decades old Transit Road location, no reason given.  In Brooklyn-NYC, Flatbush Farm shutdown blaming “floods, pests, drought, land use.”

North Carolina:  In Charlotte, after almost 20 years Phat Burrito shutdown, apparently due to losing customer parking spaces due to property re-development.

Ohio: In Fairfield, after 37 years Moon Garden restaurant shutdown, the owners are in their 70s and want to retire. Maumee based agribusiness and farm retailer Andersons shutting down all four stores, laying off 920 people by the end of April!  It’s blamed on millions of U.S. dollars in losses over the past eight years.

Pennsylvania: The Meadville based operator of area Burger Kings and Perkins restaurants, Unique Ventures Group, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Local news reports says Unique Ventures Group owes $1.8-million USD in state and federal taxes! In Factoryville, Ray’s Supermarket shutdown, it was the only grocery store in the town.  The store manager lamented that doing business in a small town doesn’t pay the bills, saying “This building itself is too small to compete, we`re just too small. For 12 years we`ve been trying to do something to expand in town and there`s not much available, and what is available just is not feasible.”   France based food service contractor Sodexo issued a shutdown WARN for their ‘christian’ Temple University operations, 454 jobs lost by mid-May!   Soda pop seller ShopRite laying off 3-hundred people because sales crashed by 50% due to the city of Philadelphia’s 1.5 cents per ounce tax (on top of existing food taxes)! New Jersey based Canada Dry Delaware Valley eliminating 20% of its jobs in Philadelphia, because their soda sales crashed by 45%, again, due the city of Philadelphia’s 1.5 cents per ounce tax (on top of existing food taxes)!

Tennessee: After only one year and U.S. taxpayer funded incentives to build a $22-million USD factory in Kingsport, British empire Canada owned Pure Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  The company also promised to hire 275 Tennesseans, but local news media reported that food production at Kingsport was suddenly halted in October 2016 after the Canadian owners suddenly decided to consolidate operations.

Texas: In Houston, Luv Me Tenders shutdown its brick-n-mortar eatery saying it “didin’t make sense” to sign a five years lease.  Luv Me Tenders food trucks will continue to operate.  Austin based Whole Foods Market shutting down at least nine stores due to crashing sales, in stark contrast to last year’s hopeful claim of opening hundreds of new stores!   Without warning Austin based My Fit Foods shutdown all 50 stores! One local news report said some store managers were bold faced lied to about the shutdowns: “Despite other stores closing earlier in the week, upper management had assured Quiroz that her stores selling healthy prepared meals in The Woodlands would remain open. Saturday’s call felt out of the blue, but there were warning signs.”–Houston Chronicle

Vermont:  It was revealed that state tax collectors forced Flanders Market/North Tunbridge General Store/Chelsea’s Pizza House to shutdown in November! The owner of the stores re-opened them in December after settling the taxes, but then suddenly shutdown them all down in January/February, saying “Everything is financial”.

Virginia:  In Lynchburg, the TastyKake Bakery Outlet on Hollins Mill Road suddenly shutdown due to crashing sales.  University of Richmond shutting down its Center for Culinary Arts by June 30, blaming skyrocketing operating costs and crashing student enrollments.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. Food Crisis, January 2017: “IT’S GETTING TOUGH OUT THERE.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

Dollar General secretly executes Dollar Express & Family Dollar!?! Another blow to Chubbuck?

09 April 2017 (17:23 UTC-07 Tango 06) 20 Farvardin 1396/12 Rajab 1438/13 Jia Chen 4715

In my routine reading of state WARN (Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification) listings I discovered massive listing for Dollar Express shutdowns.  I’ve also found local news reports revealing that Family Dollar stores are also being shutdown.  This is connected to the takeover of Family Dollar by Dollar Tree in 2015, and the takeover of Dollar Express by Dollar General just days ago.

Is the Chubbuck, Idaho, Family Dollar about to bite the dust?

On 30 MAR 2017, Dollar Express notified Idaho Department of Commerce that its store in Emmett was shutting down.

In 2014 I wrote how Family Dollar was being sold to a company called Dollar Tree.   I also wrote how New York based Yankee One Dollar went out of business, blaming jacked up employee insurance costs due to ObamaCare. And in 2013 I reported how Idaho based Honk’s $1.00 suddenly died and was shutting down. Initially Boise news media claimed that no Honk’s stores were shutting down, until days after BlindBatNews posted the evidence, then the Boise main-streamers finally reported the shutdowns!

To get the takeover of Family Dollar approved, the federal government required Dollar Tree to sell-off more than 3-hundred stores.  Those stores became known as Dollar Express in 2015 under ownership of a vulture capitalist company called Sycamore Partners. At the end of March of this year Sycamore Partners quietly sold them to competitor Dollar General, who immediately began shutting them down.

Dollar General’s sudden takeover and shutdown of Dollar Express (not to be confused with car rental company Dollar EXPRESS) is interesting because in 2016 Dollar General administrators said they were about to embark on a massive expansion program.  The sudden shutdown of Dollar Express will kill 2-thousand-7-hundred jobs! That’s according to news media in the state of North Carolina, where Dollar Express is headquartered.

But wait, at the same time news reports are popping up around the country revealing that Family Dollar stores are shutting down as well.  A Family Dollar in Saint Louis, Missouri, and one in Saranac Lake, New York, are shutting down by the end of June.  It turns out that many of the Family Dollar stores sold-off in 2015, to create Dollar Express, were allowed to continue operating under the Family Dollar name!

What this looks like to me is a complicated game that the top U.S. ‘dollar’ store operators are playing with federal regulators, in an attempt to create a monopoly.  Many analysts say which Family Dollar stores will shutdown depends on if there is another dollar store nearby.   Keep in mind that dollar stores target poor people, yet because poor people don’t have enough money to support the dollar store industry desperate dollar store owners are trying to create a monopoly, it’s proof we’re in a depression not a recovery. Thousands of dollar store employees have lost their jobs since the U.S. dollar store wars began in 2013 (under the rule of Barack Obama)!

RUE21, HI-TECH RETAIL FAIL! ANOTHER BLOW FOR CHUBBUCK?

‘ZOMBIE’ PAYLESS SHOES SUDDENLY SHUTTERS 400 STORES! ANOTHER BLOW TO THE CITY OF CHUBBUCK?

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: VANITY DIES IN IDAHO

Business/Economics

Big Box electronics retailer suddenly dies!

08 April 2017 (15:48 UTC-07 Tango 06) 19 Farvardin 1396/11 Rajab 1438/12 Jia Chen 4715

After 62 years Indianapolis based electronics retailer hhgregg suddenly died, all 220 stores and 14 distribution centers shutting down by the end of next month!

Bankrupt hhgregg had until 07 APR 2017 to find a buyer, but nobody came through: “…we had discussions with more than 50 private equity firms, strategic buyers and other investors, unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our plan to secure a viable buyer of the business on a going-concern basis within the expedited timeline set by our creditors.”-Bob Riesbeck, CEO

Administrators blame the death of hhgregg on years of crashing electronics sales and a failed attempt shift to other types of home appliances.

Hhgregg will add thousands more unemployed retail workers to the tens of thousands who will be unemployed by Summer:  RUE21, HI-TECH RETAIL FAIL!

‘ZOMBIE’ PAYLESS SHOES SHUTDOWN LIST OF 400 STORES!

VANITY DIES

MASSIVE MACY’S MELTDOWN!

JCPENNEY HIT-LIST REVEALED! 138 STORES BEGIN SHUTTING DOWN IN TWO WEEKS!

OBAMA LEGACY: U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY DEATH-SPIRAL

U.S.

National Guard responds to chemical attack(?) in Arizona!

07 April 2017 (01:50 UTC-07 Tango 06) 18 Farvardin 1396/10 Rajab 1438/11 Jia Chen 4715

Arizona first responders and National Guard suit-up for toxic gas situation at animal hospital

On 06 APR 2017, employees at an animal hospital in Gilbert, Arizona, thought they smelled a gas leak.  When the fire department investigated they claim to have found a toxic gas “hazmat situation” and ordered an evacuation of the Arizona Veterinary Specialists clinic.

The National Guard’s 91st Civil Support Team was called in, as well as surrounding municipality’s HAZMAT teams.   Apparently first responders called it a hazmat situation because they determined it was not a gas leak, but they were not able to identify what was in the air.

Entering the Hot Zone in Level-A suits

14 dogs and one cat were evacuated, most were connected to medical equipment.  Local news media said the first dog brought out was in critical condition, but didn’t say if it was due to the toxic gas. Veterinarians who checked out the animals after evacuation don’t think the animal’s conditions are connected to the hazmat situation.

Local news media say the employees, and the fire crews that responded to the 9-1-1 call, were checked for contamination.  Finally, investigators determined the toxic gas was ethylene oxide, a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment.

Ethylene oxide is a flammable colorless gas with a sweet odor, and is also used to make toxic bug spray.

PITTSBURGH ASKS ARMY RESERVE FOR WATER!

NATIONAL GUARD PREPS FOR CATASTROPHIC EVENT!

Business/Economics, Idaho, Technology

Rue21, Hi-Tech retail fail! Another blow for Chubbuck?

06 April 2017 / 20:07 UTC-07 Tango 06 (18 Farvardin 1396/10 Rajab 1438/11 Jia Chen 4715)

Rue21 issued a massive 4-hundred store shutdown list, Idaho will lose two stores, click here for the list.  To find out which store is closing click on your state, then click each city listed, the stores that are closing will have “Closing Store” posted above the location name.

Will the relatively new rue21 store in the Pine Ridge Mall be forced to shutdown?

Will the relatively new rue21 store in the Pine Ridge Mall be forced to shutdown?

Unnamed sources inside rue21 told main stream news media that the ‘teen’ clothing retailer is about to go bankrupt, and has hired counselors who specialize in shutting down and/or selling off brick-n-mortar stores.

In Chubbuck, Idaho, the Pine Ridge Mall has a large rue21 store.  The store opened only four years ago. It never seems to have a lot of customers.

Other main stream news media reports say rue21 has massive debts and failed to make loan payments.  Suppliers have even stopped shipments of new clothes for fear of not being paid.

At the beginning of this year rue21 created new executive positions, claiming they would “propel the company forward”.  Last year rue21 was described as being the largest fast growing fashion retailer in the United States, apparently that was a lie.

Don’t blame the internet, or hi-tech, rue21 has a website and uses the latest retail tech platform called Aptos.  The use of hi-tech resulted in rue21 winning the Gold Award for Customer Engagement, just last year!

Last year’s technology upgrades were an attempt to revive the clothing seller, obviously technology failed.

‘ZOMBIE’ PAYLESS SHOES SUDDENLY SHUTTERS 400 STORES! ANOTHER BLOW TO THE CITY OF CHUBBUCK?

OBAMA LEGACY: U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY DEATH-SPIRAL

Business/Economics

“identify additional opportunities for….reduction”: Sears Kmart Death Spiral, April 2017

Sears shutting down 50 more Auto Centers and Kmart shutting down 92 pharmacies!  It’s an attempt to cut operating costs by $1.25-billion USD in 2017!

“Our investigation focuses on whether Sears and related Plan fiduciaries breached their duties in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) by maintaining the Sears company stock fund in the Plan, while the stock price plummeted and the company’s condition deteriorated. These breaches may have resulted in multi-million dollar losses of the Plan participants’ retirement earnings.”-Keller Rohrback LLP, contact attorney Tanya Korkhov

Seeking Alpha: “The option market says investors are willing to bet very hard on Sears going down.”

“Don’t hang onto them for five years from now. If you get a gift card, try to use it!”-Kayleena Speakman, Better Business Bureau of Central California warning people of store gift cards due to massive retail store shutdowns

Motley Fool: REIT Positioned to Profit From Sears Holdings’ Slow Demise

Is Pier 1 Imports doomed?  It was revealed that the newly former president of Kmart is now the new CEO of the Texas based retailer.

Itemlive.com: Man claims Sears did $3-thousand USD damage to his kitchen.

In California, the Southbay Pavillion Sears shutting down in the city of Carson.  Local news media pointed out that earlier in the year the official plans were to “downsize” the store, but as of 13 APR 2017 Sears Holdings confirmed they will actually shut it down in July.

In Florida, it’s been revealed that Sears will not renew the lease on a massive warehouse in Jacksonville.  The lease expires at the beginning of 2018, the $28.8-million USD warehouse was built specifically for Sears in 2008, it’s considered the largest warehouse in Florida.  The Hialeah Kmart shutting down by mid-July.  The Aventura Sears shutting down by Sears Holdings spin-off Seritage Growth, who owns the property.  Seritage Growth will re-develop the property into smaller retail spaces.  The property that the Milton Kmart (on US90) sits on is now for sale. The California based owner says he is not going to wait for Sears Holdings to shut the Kmart down, he’s selling the property while there is still an active Kmart on it.

In Iowa, the Waterloo the 48 years old Sears Auto Center shutting down by the end of May.

In Kansas, the Topeka Sears Auto Center shutting down by the end of May.

In New Jersey local news media discovered that Sears Holdings-Seritage Growth are tearing down the Watchung Sears store and Auto Center.  The Auto Center space has already been leased to Cinemark and the Sears store will be chopped up into smaller retail spaces.

In New Mexico, the Alamogordo Sears is shutting down by June.

Proof the shopping mall isn’t dead. In New York, the New Dorp-Staten Island Kmart (in the Hylan Plaza) shutting down by August.  Local news reports say the property is being redeveloped into a $150-million USD “multi-level shopping complex”. Gee, didn’t they used to call multi-level shopping complexes a ‘Mall’?  (in 2012 I warned that all these store shutdowns were part of a False Flag operation by Real Estate Investment Trusts: ALL PART OF REIT PLAN TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU SHOP, AND THEY BLAME YOU THE SHOPPER!)

In North Carolina, the Monroe Sears shutting down by the end of June.  Local news media reported that Sears Holdings has yet to make public what is now obviously a second round of shutdowns for the year.

In Ohio, the Beavercreek (Dayton) Kmart shutting down by mid-July.

News media in Pennsylvania confirmed that the Meadville Kmart is shutting down.  The store will shutdown by mid-July, the closeout sale starts at the end of April.  Kmart in East Stroudsburg shutting down by Summer, local shoppers say it was the last Kmart in the area and now the only retailer left is Walmart.

In South Carolina, the Northwoods Mall Sears in North Charleston shutting down.  The Auto Center will shutdown by the end of April, and the store will shutdown by mid-June.  Local news media discovered the Auto Center is already scheduled for subdivision. The lease expired and Sears Holdings will not renew it, saying “…we are working to actively manage our real estate portfolio to identify additional opportunities for reconfiguration and reduction of capital obligations.”

In Virginia, mall developer Core Property Capital is demanding taxpayers pay-up to fund the redevelopment of the vacant Christiansburg Kmart property!  They want Montgomery County to declare a special property tax district to raise taxes to pay for the redevelopment of privately owned commercial property!

In Washington, the Spanaway Kmart on Pacific Avenue South shutting down by mid-June.

Sears Kmart Death Spiral, March 2017: “SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT”

JANUARY 2017, SEARS KMART SELF-DESTRUCT, includes list of shutdowns back to 2011

Technology

South Carolina Militia’s switch-blade Apache

Video

06 April 2017 (13:20 UTC-07 Tango 06) 17 Farvardin 1396/09 Rajab 1438/10 Jia Chen 4715

South Carolina National Guard tests their new blade fold kit for making deployments of AH-64 Apaches faster:

British empire Apache with now out-of-date blade fold kit

Boring explainer:

 

VEHICLE ID: AH-64D LONGBOW APACHE, GRAFENWOEHR

OBAMA DISAPPEARS THE LAST OF IDAHO’S APACHES!