Tag Archives: disaster

Business/Economics

“…situation is pretty dire…numbers they gave Wall Street were inflated….management don’t want to say no to the big guys…” : U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 19 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Netherlands based Royal Dutch Shell began eliminating hundreds of oil industry jobs in Louisiana and Texas, as part of their plan to eliminate 6-thousand 5-hundred jobs globally!

Alabama: Alabama Media Group announced it is eliminating jobs across the state.  The Video Warehouse announced it’s shutting down their 17 years old Ozark store.

California: The Orange County Sheriff laid off five staffers and now they’re suing.  Grocery store Raley’s announced it will eliminate 29 jobs from their West Sacramento HQ and their Natomas warehouse.  Company administrators are excited about killing off so many jobs because it makes them feel “…optimistic about the future and we continue to hire in areas to support future growth.”  Raley’s also revealed they’ve leased out their Winnemucca store to Idaho based Ridley’s Family Markets, affecting 50 Raley’s employees.  The Winnemucca store is the fourth Raley’s to shutdown this year.  Administrators of Los Angeles based clothing chain American Apparel admit it is on its death bed: “…decline in comparable sales…We believe that we may not have sufficient liquidity necessary to sustain operations for the next twelve months. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt that we may be able to continue as a going concern.”

Colorado: More proof tech jobs are not recession resistant, Denver based video game maker IllFonic laid off six software developers.

Illinois: It’s been revealed that Eastern Illinois University eliminated 118 civil service jobs!  50 of those former employees were forced to quit or retire early.  In Chicago, God refuses to stop ‘his’ Catholic Church from using the excuse of lead contamination to suddenly shutdown the Saint Elizabeth School.  After six years restaurant Browntrout shutting down because sales suck: “We just can’t seem to hold it together….It’s drying up on us…It’s so erratic. What’s really stopping us now is we can’t make payroll…..I can’t keep a Band-Aid on it.”-Sean Sanders, owner

Indiana: In South Bend, New Jersey based Bed, Bath & Beyond shutting down their Erskine Village store in time for Thanksgiving.  Local news reports many businesses leaving the Erskine Village shopping center, and that the property owners missed their loan payments for February and March!

Michigan: ObamaCare forcing HealthPlus to shutdown their Saginaw and Troy offices, about 250 jobs lost!  HealthPlus abandoned the Medicaid and MIChild business.

New Jersey: In Paramus, Denmark based drugs maker Lundbeck Research issued a WARN saying 68 employees will become unemployed in October.  It’s part of their plan to eliminate thousands of jobs around the World (1-thousand jobs to be cut just from their Denmark HQ)!

New York: ObamaCare forcing addict rehab operation Phoenix House to issue a shutdown WARN for their NYC and South Kortright residential programs, at least 50 jobs lost in time for Thanksgiving. In Jamaica, God refuses to stop ‘his’  Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services from shutting down their Monica House homeless shelter in time for Thanksgiving, 26 jobs lost.  Administrators say it now costs too much to maintain the building.  More proof the internet is not recession resistant, NYC based HarperCollins shutting down their seven years old internet community for wanna-b writers, Authonomy, in September.

North Carolina: Divine Wine and Beer shutdown, the owner blames it on his wife who became the new pastor of the Church of Asheville.  Winston-Salem based Too Big to Jail BB&T shutting down 25 branch offices as part of its merger with Pennsylvania based National Penn Bancshares.

Ohio: The Quaker Square General Store and NewsStand Comics being forced to shutdown by the property owner, which is the  University of Akron.  New Albany based clothing chain Abercrombie & Fitch is reportedly going to shutdown an additional 60 stores, on top of the 52 already shutdown.  In Springdale, Dillard’s announced they’re shutting down their clearance center at the Tri-County Mall.  It’s blamed on their new $350-million USD store at the Liberty Center Mall in Liberty Township.

Oregon: After more than 12 months the anti-GMO Moreland Farmers Pantry shutting down, according to local news reports it has something to do with the owner also being anti-homosexual marriage.

Pennsylvania: Jameson Hospital moving up their date to end childbirth services, no thanks to ObamaCare mergers.  Now, instead of the September shutdown the maternity ward will shutdown on 20 August! The earlier shutdown date seems to be blamed on a lack of medical staff.  God refuses to stop ‘his’ Catholic Church from shutting down the Saint Patrick Grade School. Local news reports say Catholic leaders tried to secretly stop parents from protesting. In West Point, union members revealed that their employer, drugs maker Merck, will eliminate “thousands” of jobs and then force those still employed to work 16 hours shifts!  An unnamed employee warned you should avoid medication made by Merck: “The situation is pretty dire. We’re making medicine, not coat hangers. The numbers they gave Wall Street were inflated and not realistic. Lower and middle management don’t want to say no to the big guys because they don’t want to lose their jobs.”

Tennessee: In Gallatin, Nationwide Studios (akaTeddy Bear Portraits) laying off 69 employees between now and the end of September, as a result of the shutdown of their portrait printing ops.

Texas: California based Demand Media shutting down their Austin office, 30 jobs lost.  At one point Demand Media employed at least 1-hundred Texans!

Utah: What housing market recovery?  Too Big to Jail financial/mortgage industry company MCS Valuations shutting down their Sandy office.  Basically they said that after a year of review it wasn’t worth it to them to keep their Utah ops going.

18 August 2015: Federal Reserve says college does not pay-off!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics, International

False Flag or Incompetence? 21,000 kg thermobaric ‘bombs’ hit Toyota & John Deere!

18 August 2015 (14:56 UTC-07 Tango 01)/27 Mordad 1394/03 Dhu al-Qa’dah 1436/05 Jia-Shen (7th month) 4713

“…it’s some kind of dysfunctional process of planning!”-Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University, interviewed by CCTV-America about why residential units were allowed to be built so close to Tianjin warehouses containing massive volumes of volatile chemicals

The latest casualties as a result of last weeks earthquake causing thermobaric explosions in China are economic; Japan’s Toyota and the U.S. based Deere (formerly John Deere) have halted their operations in Tianjin.  (all three production lines at Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Company shutdown, Deere reports windows and doors at their Tianjin factory blown out)

Just over five days ago the Rui Hai International Logistics operated warehouse caught fire, then two massive explosions equivalent to 21-thousand kilograms (21 metric tons) of TNT knocked people who were 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) away on their asses!  (There’s plenty of cell phone video of the Tianjin explosions on the internet.)

The explosions nearly leveled the entire Binhai new district.  An investigation is underway to find out the cause, and why so many highly volatile chemicals were being stored together in one massive warehouse, and why more than 7-hundred metric tons of toxic sodium cyanide were also in the warehouse (that’s 30 times the allowed limit for warehouse storage).

The cyanide has contaminated the ground for at least 5km (3.1 miles) radius.  The city’s sewage treatment plant has been dumping activated charcoal into the water due to high levels of cyanide.  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been spraying hydrogen peroxide in an attempt to neutralize the cyanide.

Despite the past week’s decontamination and search & rescue efforts, yesterday the PLA and city administrators revealed they still have not entered the epicenter of the explosion site due to massive chemical contamination.

The sodium cyanide was being stored for a Chinese mining supply company whose many customers are mining ops in North and South America.  If anybodies been paying attention to mining industry news then they’d know that the mining industry is undergoing massive shutdowns due to collapsing commodity market prices.  This could explain why more than 7-hundred metric tons of cyanide had built up in the Rui Hai warehouse.  Sodium cyanide is used to separate precious metals from rock.

It wasn’t just cyanide in that warehouse; massive amounts of benzene, hydrogen and various oxidizing agents, among other chemicals, as Rui Hai specializes in transporting volatiles. But these chemicals can also be used to make thermobaric bombs (fuel-air bombs), which are the next best thing to nukes.

Today it is raining in Tianjin, residents have been warned not to touch the rainwater runoff.  Pics show foaming effect as rainwater mixes with contamination on the ground.

Tianjin is China’s third largest port city, the biggest commodities handled there are oil, natural gas and iron ore. However, the explosions at the warehouse did not affect port operations.

The latest stats:

114 people dead (mainly firefighters, police and warehouse employees)

692 wounded (more than 50 Toyota employees wounded, it could have been more as the majority of Toyota employees had the day off, U.S. farm vehicle maker Deere also reported wounded employees, but refused to give specific numbers)

57 missing

322 rescued

Blast radius 3km

779 buildings damaged or destroyed

1-thousand+ new Toyotas destroyed

1-thousand 5-hundred new Renaults destroyed

2-thousand 7-hundred new VWs destroyed

Evacuation radius 5km

10 hectares (24.7 acres) confirmed contaminated with sodium cyanide

6-thousand people evacuated

12 schools and 3 apartment buildings now evacuation shelters

 

Business/Economics

Economic War on ‘Fat’ People! Federal Reserve says college does not pay-off! Zulily has been sold! : U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 18 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: News media in The Golden State are finally starting to question the unAmerican corporate America excuse that there aren’t enough qualified techies in the U.S. for offshoring such jobs to places like India.  This after massive layoffs announced over the past few months by California tech companies such as Qualcomm (who refuses to give exact layoff numbers).

Illinois: Deerfield based but Switzerland owned Walgreens Boots Alliance eliminating 370 jobs, 270 just within Illinois the other 1-hundred will take place across 20 U.S. states! It’s a direct result of the merger between Walgreens and Boots Alliance.  In Elizabeth, clothing store Something Special announced it will shutdown after Xmas.  What automotive industry recovery? Moline based farm vehicle maker Deere (formerly John Deere) shutdown their Tianjin, China, ops as a result of last week’s 21-thousand metric tons explosions that rocked the port city. It’s still not know what sparked the earthquake causing blasts.

Massachusetts: In Cambridge, after 35 years Berk’s Shoes shutdown, the general manager blamed the suck-ass economy and never ending local road construction: “…the climate in the country makes it really difficult for small business, local business, independent business to survive. It’s a sad day for us…”-Mickey Holland

Michigan: Grand Rapids Board of Education voted unanimously to layoff seven teachers. For every student the district loses it also loses $7,391 USD in funding.

Minnesota: Restaurant Zen Box shutdown their skyway location last week.  

Missouri: A new study by the Federal Reserve Bank‘s Saint Louis regional office has concluded that getting a college degree does not do anything to improve your financial position, at least not if you’re ‘black’ or ‘hispanic’!    

Montana: Stillwater Mining laid off 119 employees! Back in July they laid off 11, it’s blamed on crashing prices of platinum and palladium.

New Hampshire: Macy’s shutting down another store, this time in Bedford, just in time for Thanksgiving.  It’s part of the retailer’s plan to eliminate 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs by the end of the year!

New York: NYC based Harper’s Magazine revealed that college edumacation is a economic ripoff (How College Sold its Soul).

Ohio: God’s ‘christian’ president of Ashland University eliminated 23 faculty positions despite strong student enrollment numbers and a $3-million USD surplus at the end of the 2014 school year!  The Cleveland Clinic announced it is kicking McDonald’s out of its food court, as part its new War on Fat People.  To show you how a-feared people are of the Anti-Fast Food Police State a technician at the clinic was caught by news media eating a Mickey D’s meal and he wimp assedly confessed “Every now and again I stray just a little. I don’t eat too much of it. I just wanted it right now.”   I don’t like McDonald’s but you better not come here to Idaho and try and take away my Carl’s Junior!!!

Pennsylvania: In State College, gas station-convenience store Sheetz shutdown on East College Avenue. Administrators indicated that food and beverage sales were too low.  Finland based mining equipment company Metso announced that it will shutdown its York factory, 80 people will become jobless by March 2016. And as more proof that your average ‘Merican employee doesn’t pay attention to economic news, one Metso employee said “I feel like I was on a 10-foot ladder and got knocked down. It’s a shock.” 

Washington: More proof the internet is not recession proof; the 3-thousand employees of shopping network Zulily are demanding to know what’s going on as their boss announced the surprise sale of Seattle based Zulily to Pennsylvania based QVC.   The CEO of five years old Zulily bold faced lied and said “This acquisition is not about cost savings”, my decades of experience with unAmerican corporate America is that such sales or mergers are precisely about “cost savings” (job cuts), and that managers are not above bold face lying about job security to the faces of their employees!

17 August 2015:“everything is on the table”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics

“everything is on the table” “It takes a lot of money to pay the bills.”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 17 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

“…Biopharmas are already in consolidation mode, and they will cut jobs and curtail operations more and more as they struggle to recoup the costs of associated with a wave of mergers and acquisitions.

Between January and July of this year, pharmaceutical employers announced the elimination of 6,334 jobs—up 1% from the same period in 2014….”–JobWatch: More Layoffs Loom as M&A Zooms

Alabama: US Steel announced it will shutdown their Fairfield blast furnace, 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs lost!  Administrators say the U.S. economy is so bad that “everything is on the table”!

Arkansas: In Redfield, Entergy Arkansas said it’s not worth it to upgrade their White Bluff coal fired power plant because it cannot afford to meet new EPA emission standards.  The upgrade is estimated to cost $1.1-billion USD, the shutdown will affect at least 110 employees!

California: Los Gatos based Netflix announced it will shutdown its last brick-n-mortar data center.  Netflix will now put customers’ data on the publicly accessed ‘cloud’.  As is typical with tech news, no mention of the location of the data center or how many humans (jobs) will be affected.  In La Quinta, psychedelic Rock ’N’ Roll MiniGolf shutting down by the end of the month, the owner said sales are not enough to pay the rent.

Florida: After 51 years the Paradise Palms Inn shutdown, and is being torn down.  News reports say a new hotel will take its place by 2017.

Illinois: After more than 20 years the Royal Appointments gift shop shutting down due to the property owner selling-off the building. Eastern Illinois University began eliminating an undisclosed number of jobs. It’s partly blamed on the Failed State ‘lawmakers’ who’ve failed to come up with a budget for the new fiscal year.   In Forest Park, after 12 years the Flavour (note incorrect British empire way of spelling Flavor) Cooking School shutting down by the end of the month.  The owner admits “…the business has been struggling for some time now.”

Maryland: What home construction industry recovery? After 27 years American Home Interiors shutdown: “Not very many new homes are being built and there’s more competition than there was in 1988 when Harry Hammond and I opened American Home Interiors.”-Harry Brown, owner

Minnesota: After more than 40 years the Golden Valley VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) shutdown.  The management admitted that due to crashing membership they sold-out to a property developer.

Mississippi: The Pisgah Headstart Center shutdown.  Parents are being told to send their kids to other Headstart education centers even though other Headstart ops are shutting down as well.  Many single parents relied on Headstart to watch their kids while they went to work, now they say they’ll have to quit their jobs because their jobs don’t pay them enough to afford child daycare.  In Jackson, a Piggly Wiggly grocery store on McDowell Road is shutting down.  Local news says it’s the second grocery store in the area to shutdown this year.

Missouri: It’s been discovered that Springfield based Bass Pro Shops actually eliminated 5-hundred jobs across the U.S., in July!  And if you remember my Job Loss report for 24 July, Bass Pro administrators told local news media it was less than 60!

Nebraska: In Hastings, after 31 years Moore Music shutting down by the end of the month.

Nevada: 86 years old casino Las Vegas Club was shutdown, the property was sold to a competitor.

North Carolina: After 25 years Tony’s Furniture Outlet now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and being liquidated.  A Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Wilson is shutting down, 30 jobs lost. Officially it’s blamed on low sales.

Ohio: After 98 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Tom’s Cigar Shop shutdown.  The owner blames increased competition and the city of Cincinnati for trying to force him to put a new $60-thousand USD roof on his shop: “It takes a lot of money to pay the bills.”-Joe Wright

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, after 20 years the Prairie Star Gallery shutdown.

Texas: In Austin, music venue Red 7 shutting down a month earlier than originally planned because the multiple owners “…unfortunately, none of them really get along…” 

14 – 16 August 2015: “You’re creating parameters under which I can’t possibly succeed.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Idaho

Idaho Wildfires kill woman

16 August 2015 (04:17 UTC-07 Tango 01)/25 Mordad 1394/01 Dhu al-Qa’dah 1436/03 Jia-Shen (7th month) 4713

Repeat offender, I mean 3rd term gov’na Butch Otter declared a state of emergency.

In northern Idaho’s Idaho County a 70 years old woman died and it’s blamed on the wildfires.  She was preparing to evacuate her home when she fell and hit her head, fatally.

In the southwestern part of Idaho, in Owyhee County, the Soda Fire is currently the largest in the United States, forcing a delay to the start of the new school year and prompting voluntary evacuations.

Pokey Airport DC-10 Water Bomber

Charlotte Fire 2?

Pocatello Charlotte Fire update

 

Business/Economics

“You’re creating parameters under which I can’t possibly succeed.” Mass grocery store shutdowns!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 14 – 16 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Events Center now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

California: Haggen Foods announced it will shutdown six San Diego County grocery stores!  Haggen will shutdown four stores in Orange County, local news reports say more shutdowns are in the works!  In Bakersfield, Haggen shutting down their Stockdale Highway store in time for Thanksgiving! Administrators implied that all the Albertsons-Safeway stores they took over are losing money! A Los Angeles Times report says Haggen incorrectly overpriced 1-thousand items and at the same time underpriced other items, resulting in loss of business and revenues.  San Jose based Extreme Networks laid of 20% of its employees, due to crashing revenues since 2013.

Florida: Motorola issued a WARN saying 198 people in Plantation will be laid off in time for Thanksgiving!   It’s been revealed that Broward Clerk of Courts laid off 17 people and forced another 14 to resign.  News reports say over the past two months 88 positions have been eliminated due to lack of taxpayer funding.  Alumni Research now bankrupt busted after the state Attorney General launched an investigation into the company.  Customers claim they have yet to get the products they’ve paid for.

Hawaii: Ohio based Macy’s shutting down their Windward Oahu store saying it was not worth renewing the lease.  70 jobs lost by the beginning of 2016.

Illinois: More proof the internet is not recession proof;  Chicago based Groupon announced that it will eliminate 20% of its restaurant software jobs.  It’s connected to the job cuts at New York based Ideel.  Groupon took over Ideel in 2014.  Lincoln-Way District 210 decided to shutdown their Lincoln Way Community High School North.  They say that even with the 5% property tax hike each year for the next two years they still won’t have enough money!

Iowa:  Chicken giant Tyson shutdown their Denison beef slaughter house, 4-hundred jobs lost! Administrators blame the drought in the western U.S. for causing a lack of cows for the food market.

Kentucky: Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples is shutting down their Owensboro store in September.

Maine: In Portland, after 28 years Videoport shutdown.  18-thousand videos being donated to the local library.

Minnesota: Blue Point Restaurant shutdown both their seafood joints, one in Wayzata and one in Bloomington.

Mississippi: In Tishomingo, the only Headstart education program shutting down apparently due to lack of funding (local news say Headstart administrators refuse to comment).  This pisses off many parents as they say “We worked hard to keep this place open. We volunteered hours and hours of our time, and our effort, and our money to keep this Headstart going!”-Santanna White

Nebraska: Omaha based Union Pacific railroad eliminated “hundreds” of managment jobs, blaming a 26% crash in coal shipments.

New Jersey: After allowing ‘his’ Saint Michael’s Medical Center to go chapter 11 bankrupt, God made it official and allowed administrators to issue a mass shutdown WARN, saying 1,445 people will become jobless by October!  The city of Trenton warned 64 firefighters of layoffs.

New Mexico: Freeport-McMoRan warns that it could conduct mass layoffs at their Tyrone and Chino mine operations.

New York: In North Tonawanda, after almost 20 years Hodepodge Gifts and Home Decor shutting down by the end of the month.

North Carolina: In Blowing Rock, Hatchet Jack’s Trading Post shutting down as soon as the inventory is sold: “I want to change up and do something different.”-Jack Hall

Ohio:  In Columbus, after 45 years Ron’s Furniture shutting down in October.   The new property owners are selling the building.  The furniture store owner says they’re not giving him enough time to get out: “Thirty days isn’t enough time to liquidate inventory, I can’t do that!”-Ron Weyer

Oklahoma: In Norman, after ten years Dreamer Concepts art gallery shutdown due to “Failure to secure sustainable financial support…”.  Oil industry company Samson Resources now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, claiming they can’t pay their debts.

Pennsylvania: The Nemacolin Post Office shutdown without warning, supposedly due to toxic black mold.  Residents must now drive 12 miles to the nearest post office.

Tennessee: In Memphis, corporate relocation company Cartus shutting down, 61 jobs lost in time for Xmas.

Washington: Restaurant Gastropod and brewery Epic Ales shutting down in September.  China (Taiwan) based tech company HTC laid off 47 people in Bellevue and Seattle, without warning.  It’s blamed on crashing international sales of ‘smart’ cell phones and tablets. Bellingham based Haggen Foods announced it will shutdown at least 27 grocery stores across the western U.S.  Analyst blame it on the sudden take over of 146 Albertsons-Safeway stores: “The requirements of the deal almost made it impossible for them to succeed. If you tell me that I’ve got to drive my car from Portland to Connecticut, but you’ve got to do it in four days, going no more than 50 miles per hour……You’re creating parameters under which I can’t possibly succeed………Haggen is lucky if they get out of this with the 18 stores they started with.”-Kevin Coupe

Wisconsin: Plastics company ACS Group laid off as many as 35 employees, no reason given.

13 August 2015:A “major economic engine” conducts mass layoffs!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Idaho, Technology

Idaho Wildfires 2015: Pokey Airport DC-10 Water Bomber

Image

15 August 2015 (10:37 UTC-07 Tango 01)/24 Mordad 1394/29 Shawwal 1436/02 Jia-Shen (7th month) 4713

Fast winds have pushed the smoke from the dozens of wildfires burning across drought stricken Idaho into the eastern part of The Gem State.  Just in time for the arrival of 10 Tanker number 910, dispatched to Pocatello Regional Airport on 11 August 2015.

Click the pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

2012 Idaho Wildfires: Canadair CL 215

Pocatello Tanker Base: 13 September 2012

Idaho Wildfires 16 August 2012: MAFFS C-130s return

Idaho Wildfires 2012: Sikorsky Skycrane

S-70 Firehawk

Business/Economics

A “major economic engine” conducts mass layoffs!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 13 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  Chevron laid off another 56 people in San Joaquin Valley, that’s on top of the 1-thousand 2-hundred people laid off since the end of 2014!

Connecticut: ObamaCare forced Colorado based AxisPoint Health to issue a WARN saying 45 people in Wallingford will become jobless in September.  College student loan provider Higher One laying off 29 people by March 2016.  Noank Community Market shutdown.

Florida: At the Tampa International Airport, food service company HMS Host Corporation issued a shutdown WARN for October, 796 jobs lost due to loss of contract!

Illinois: In Chicago, Motorola laid off 5-hundred people!  At one time Obama regime stooge Rahm Emanuel called Motorola Chicago’s “major economic engine”.

Iowa: In Windsor Heights, after 30 years Golf Headquarters announced they will shutdown, hoping to find a new location with better lease rates.   The Rookie baseball card shop, Maria Grocery and Gift, and Fitness Sports being kicked out by the end of September due to the building being demolished.

Maryland: After seven years Baltimore Sun Media Group gave up on its free newspaper –b-.

Massachusetts: In Pittsfield, Madeleine’s Patisserie & Cafe shutting down after less than two years. It’s blamed on the greedy landlord.

Michigan:  After 17 years the Village Pharmacy II in the Maple Village Shopping Center shutdown without warning.  The business was sold to Walgreens who bought it just to shut it down (they don’t like competition).  The coal fired electricity maker Eckert Power Plant shutting down in less than four years .

Montana: In Great Falls, grocery store Vans’ IGA shutting down by the end of September.  It’s blamed on the greedy property owner.

Nebraska: God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 47 years old Christ Child Society Center, blamed on The Rapture, I mean declining enrollment.

New York: Warren Buffett revealed that he will shutdown the Tarrytown Heinz food factory, 149 people to become jobless between now and Thanksgiving!  It’s a result of the merger with Kraft.

North Carolina: Warren Wilson College promoted two people and created three new jobs at the expense of laying off seven people.

Ohio:  Target shutting down their store on Soldano Boulevard in Columbus.  Local news reports say it’s the third “major retailer” to leave the area.

Oregon: Albertsons-Safeway announced the NE 181st Avenue Safeway grocery store in Portland will shutdown before the end of the month.  It’s blamed on the fact that 25% of the people who live in the area are paupers.  It was pointed out that the area has “…lost four grocery stores over the last 20 years. And the access to food is poor already and getting worse.”  But guess what?  It was revealed that Albertsons-Safeway will continue paying the rent on the property for the next five years: “…Safeway signed a five-year lease earlier this year with California-based developer Retail Opportunity Investments Corporation (ROIC)….they will continue to pay rent for the space rather than lease it to another grocer.”–The Skanner News 

Rhode Island: Providence based Too Big to Jail, and proven thief, Citizens Bank eliminating as many as 150 U.S. jobs in time for Xmas, by shipping those jobs off to India!

South Dakota: In Rapid City, after 31 years Shotgun Willies shutdown.  The owner blames the hypocritical religious prudes who rule Rapid City.

Texas: Houston based Hercules Offshore claiming chapter 11 bankruptcy to justify radical reorganization (job cuts).

Virginia:What automotive industry recovery?  Despite reporting increased revenues Roanoke based Advanced Auto Parts announced it will shutdown 50 stores across the U.S., as well as eliminate 1-hundred corporate level jobs!  In King George, 38 years old grocery store Dutch’s Mart shutting down in September, blaming lack of sales: “…it is what it is. We have a very loyal following, but you still need certain numbers.”-David Clare, owner

Washington: So much for legalized marijuana, the city of Tacoma announced they plan to shutdown 48 out of 60 marijuana shops.   

Wisconsin: It’s been revealed that Warren Buffett is shutting down the Kraft-Heinz owned Oscar Mayer meat plant in Madison, 165 factory worker jobs lost, another 147 corporate positions lost!

12 August 2015: Warren Buffett slaughters more Heinz jobs!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Idaho

Amy’s-Gate: Mormon leaders of Idaho keep screwing over taxpayers!

13 August 2015 (08:30 UTC-07 Tango 01)/22 Mordad 1394/27 Shawwal 1436/29 Jia-Shen 4713

Hoku-Gate, PaveGate now Amy’s-Gate!  It’s been revealed that the Mormon dominated Bannock County administrators were under investigation by the Idaho Tax Commission over massive local tax breaks given to California based frozen veggie food maker Amy’s Kitchen.

At the end of 2014 Amy’s Kitchen took over the abandoned Heinz frozen food factory in Pocatello, but it came at a price to individual taxpayers.

Amy’s Kitchen is already getting a big state tax break called the Tax Reimbursement Incentive, but the county of Bannock also threw in their own local tax incentives, which could have violated state Law 63-602NN.

According to the Idaho State Journal “All four Idaho Tax Commissioners were at the Bannock County Courthouse Tuesday to get answers about the county commissioners granting of a 5-year tax break to Amy’s Kitchen as an incentive to the company last year that cut its county tax liability by about 75 percent.”   Apparently the issue was settled between state administrators, Bannock County and the cities of Chubbuck and Pocatello behind closed doors, so all us happy taxpayers will never know what went down.

No wonder the family owners of Amy’s Kitchen were so happy to take over the old Heinz factory.  With all the massive taxpayer funded tax breaks our exalted leaders give away to foreign companies (both outside Idaho and outside the United States), they could have used that money to create programs to help unemployed Idahoans start their own Idaho based corporations!  Or how about a much needed medical university in Pocatello?  A study done years ago said the state university system could make money hand over fist if that happened, and Idaho State University’s enrollment would explode, but for some reason Mormon dominated state Department of Edumacation (Education) administrators put the kibosh on that real fast (for some unjustified reason).

Pokey Pavegate fallout: Taxpayers asked to clean up their own streets, while paying more taxes! 

Conservative Idaho jacks up taxes!

Idaho Falls to submit to Obama regime Courts! Under the False Flag of “saving taxes”! 

the unemployed are leaving the Gem State!

Idaho politicians give away more than $18-million in Idaho taxes, to out-o-state lawyers!

Idaho politicians give away more than $1-million in Idaho taxes, to France! 

One Idaho city wants to give itself a raise, taxpayers say Bull Crap! City does it anyway! 

Bannock County, Idaho, jacks up property taxes on farmers by 90%!

Related:  NSA paying Mormons big bucks to guard data centers!

Sears & Kmart closings: Catholics, Mormons & Jews conspiring or is it just about the money? 

Mormon security company Vivint is facing sanctions by 11 states, as well as a class action lawsuit, for fraudulent and deceptive practices! 

Utah militiamen spreading Mormonism in Afghanistan?

Mormon takeover attempt and federal investigation causing newspaper layoffs? 

Mormon Mitt Romney co-founded Bain Capital destroying jobs since 1984! Destroyed jobs in Idaho! 

Business/Economics

“We…ran out of funds.” No more Sunny D? It ain’t ketchup! Warren Buffett slaughters more Heinz jobs!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 12 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Warren Buffett co-owned Kraft-Heinz announced it will eliminate another 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs in Canada and United States!   Apparently most of the new layoffs will affect corporate level employees in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and jobs considered redundant as a result of the merger between Kraft and Heinz.

More evidence the internet is not recession proof:  After raising $5.5-million USD, and in a span of 24 hours “the secret weapon of successful people” Zirtual shutdown and told 4-hundred employees they were not needed, then Startups.com announced “We’ve acquired Zirtual and we’re excited to bring it to new levels. With that being said, we’d like to invite you back.”   No word on what will happen to the Zirtual employees.  Some news reports said work for Zirtual suddenly slowed down with no explanation.

More evidence the internet is not recession proof:  Reports that the newly merged Razorfish-Rosetta has resulted in an undisclosed number of layoffs, at least 20 in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia.

Arkansas: After 27 years of yummy peaches Collins Round Mountain Orchard shutdown for good due to climate change: “Unfortunately, the weather has not been in favor of our crop……

….the fruit just will not produce this summer. With that being said, Collins Orchard is officially closed permanently.” 

California: God refuses to stop ‘his’ 82 years old Ventura based Gospel Light Publications from going chapter 11 bankrupt busted and being put up for sale. Administrators partly blamed God’s financially scandalous Family Christian retail chain (For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10).

Colorado: What housing market recovery?  Former contractor to Bank of America Home Loans, Urban Fulfillment Services, eliminating 265 jobs!

Florida: In Pensacola, after 30 years Chan’s Nightclub shutdown.  In Orlando, ObamaCare medical device tax forced Rotech Oxygen and Medical Equipment to issue a WARN saying 90 people will become unemployed in October.

Iowa: In Mason City, employees of Warren Buffett have gone to the local news media to report mass layoffs at the local Kraft plant.

Massachusetts: In Littleton, Sunny Delight Beverages shutting down their Harvard Road factory in December.  Sunny D has been laying off Littleton employees since 2014.  As with other corporations Sunny D is consolidating operations, and selling off their Littleton juice factory.  Vermont based Champlain Cable Corporation shutting down their Northampton factory by October.  Production being moved to Texas.

Michigan: The East China School District announced that Eddy Elementary school will shutdown for the 2016-17 school year.  Apparently the school needs to be refurbished but the district doesn’t have the money.  In Grand Rapids, after less than a year the Memphis Smokehouse restaurant shutdown, due to a death in the family.  God refuses to stop ‘his’ Battle Creek Evangelical Friends Church from shutting down their Little Friends Child Care Center.  However, it’s not due to a loss of members but an explosion of church members requiring the use of the space taken up by the child care center.  ObamaCare forcing non-profit Kandu to shutdown due to funding cuts for Ottawa County Community Mental Health: “It has become evident that current public policy and funding levels will not sustain our model now, nor in the foreseeable future:”-Tom Vreeman, ceo

Mississippi:  Isle of Capri Casinos shutting down its Natchez casino due to declining revenues.  The non-gambling assets are being sold-off for $11.5-million.

New Jersey:  ObamaCare forced three hospitals in Hudson County (Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital and Hoboken University Medical Center) to layoff less than 80 employees.

New York:More evidence the internet is not recession proof; in NYC, internet shopping site Ideel issued a layoff WARN saying 39 people will be laid off in time for Xmas.

Ohio: The new owner of the Telling Mansion branch library shutting it down in September, the financially desperate county sold it off in 2013 claiming it had become a maintenance money pit.

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, Pro Image Sports shutdown their Promenade Mall store.

Pennsylvania: God refuses to stop ‘his’ British empire founded Salvation Army from restructuring their Ellwood City service center from paid employees to unpaid volunteers.  Universal Well Services issued a WARN saying they shutdown their Bradford ops, 85 jobs lost.

Washington: In Bellingham, the Firehouse Performing Arts Center close to shutting down, the owners had it up for sale since April 2014, but so far no interested buyers.  In Seattle, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 33 years old Zion Preparatory Academy. At one point the school had 6-hundred students, but because of the bad economy people can’t afford to pay for private school: “We just basically ran out of funds.”-Doug Wheeler, owner

Wisconsin: The Oilgear Company issued a shutdown WARN for its Milwaukee building, 70 jobs lost by October.

11 August 2015: “We get sued by so many people we can’t keep track.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”