Tag Archives: education

International

Dumbing Down Japan: ‘Secret’ order to eliminate ‘thinking’ classes revealed! “attempt by the government to produce people who accept what it does without criticism.”

08 November 2015 (09:57 UTC-07 Tango 01)/17 Aban 1394/25 Muharram 1437/27 Ding-Hai 4713

Back in June the U.S. backed neo-imperialist government of Japan ordered all 86 taxpayer funded universities to “abolish or convert” courses that are not considered useful to big corporations (using the the Orwellian doublespeak term “society’s needs” when they really meant big corporations’ needs).  Those course to be abolished involve literature, history, philosophy and social sciences.

There is growing protests over the order to dumb down Japan:

“Pursuing studies of humanities and social sciences may not produce quick economic results, but shunning them risks producing people who are only interested in the narrow fields……Studies of literature, history, philosophy and social sciences are indispensable in creating people who can view developments in society and politics with a critical eye….Shimomura’s [Hakubun Shimomura of Ministry of Education issued the order to abolish such courses] move may be interpreted as an attempt by the government to produce people who accept what it does without criticism.“-The Japan Times

“…there is a need for the natural sciences as well as the humanities and social sciences (HSS) to work closely together in order to….play a vital and unique role in critically comparing, contrasting and reflecting on the way in which human beings and society operate.”-The Science Council of Japan

“…abolishing subjects such as sociology and philosophy just because they are not useful in business is incredibly short-sighted….business and making money is not everything in a society….”-Makoto Watanabe, Hokkaido Bunkyo University

Even the federation of Japanese businesses known as Keidanren condemned the order to dumb down their employees, basically saying Japanese businesses need employees who can think for themselves.

Japan admits Fukushima workers dying of cancer!

U.S. created Japan Martial Law: Human Rights apply only to Japanese citizens!

U.S.

Destroy U.S. dollar: Ex U.S. government official reveals National Debt is 3x bigger than what you’re being told!

08 November 2015 (08:34 UTC-07 Tango 01)/17 Aban 1394/25 Muharram 1437/27 Ding-Hai 4713

“If you end up adding to that $18.5-trillion the unfunded civilian and military pensions and retiree healthcare, the additional underfunding for Social Security, the additional underfunding for Medicare, various commitments and contingencies that the federal government has, the real number is about $65-trillion rather than $18-trillion, and it’s growing automatically absent reforms.”-Dave Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General from 1998 to 2008, during AM-970 radio interview in New York

That’s right fellow ‘Mericans, those working hardest to destroy your U.S. dollar are your own ‘elected lawmakers’!

WATCH DAVID WALKER’S 2013 VIDEO WARNING, HE BLAMES BOTH DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS:

To Destroy U.S. Dollar: Irony Par Excellence, Iran imposes sanctions on U.S. corporations! 

Business/Economics

“We can’t stick it out any longer” Humana cancels ObamaCare! “we just can’t keep the doors open” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 06 – 07 November 2015

Colorado:  Broomfield based Noodles & Company shutting down 16 restaurants! The ‘fast-casual’ ramen eatery lost $9.8-million USD in its 3rd quarter of 2015.  Denver-based Fidelity Exploration & Production suddenly shutdown and laid off 106 people: “The E&P business will cease to exist and we’re selling all of Fidelity’s assets.”-Rick Matteson, MDU Resources

Failed State Florida: In Sarasota, VIP Petcare eliminating 15 jobs right after Xmas.

Georgia:  Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe shutting down before Xmas! Employees were shocked by the sudden announcement, even though the hospital is bankrupt busted. News reports say the hospital was actually supposed to shutdown five years ago!  In Savannah, after 65 years Pinky Master’s bar shutdown.  The owners say they’re being hit with lawsuits and were evicted.

Indiana: Alliance Resources issued shutdown WARNs for its Gibson North and Gibson South mines, at least 120 jobs lost after Xmas!

Kentucky: In Sebree, Alliance Resources shutdown their Onton mine, 140 jobs lost!  In Corbin, Whayne Supply laid off seven people, blaming the crashing coal industry.   Louisville based healthcare provider Humana announced they will no longer accept patients under specific ObamaCare health plans, affecting at least 100-thousand people: “Operating results for the company’s individual commercial medical business continue to be challenged primarily due to the volatility related to the start of the healthcare exchange program created under the Affordable Care Act….”–Humana 3rd quarter financial report

Nebraska: In Lincoln, IAC Acoustics laid off 35 people, blaming “improved operational efficiency” and the oil industry.  In Grand Island, after 41 years the Sears Auto Center shutdown.

Failed State New York:  Texas de Brazil Churrascaria issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC restaurant, 34 people unemployed by February 2016.  More proof the internet is not to blame for killing brick-n-mortar jobs; internet ‘members only’ shopping site Ideel issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC operations. They’ve joined the mass exodus from the Big Apple and will move to Illinois, 63 New Yorkers unemployed by March 2016.  The city of Newburgh laying off ten firefighters right after Xmas.  This is what happens when local government weenie heads rely on federal taxpayer funded grants to run their day-to-day ops.  Conde Nast laid off seven employees from their GQ magazine.

North Carolina: Cary based transportation industry company Lord announced they are eliminating 270 jobs!  It’s blamed on crashing orders from the U.S. Department of Defensecaused by the U.S. Congress passing temporary short term budgets.

Ohio:  Wheelchair maker Invacare has conducted a second round of layoffs, this time 30 people were let go.  Back in August they laid off 150 people!  It’s blamed on a 2012 U.S. FDA decree which reduces Invacare’s production numbers.  Texas based Flowserve shutting down their remaining Dayton operations by 2016, 80 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on crashing sales which have caused “a trending loss in operating income.”  Local news reports say at one time 3-hundred Ohioans were employed by Flowserve.

Oregon:  In Beaverton, Micro Power Electronics eliminating 140 jobs after Xmas, New York based administrators refused to say why!

Pennsylvania: In Erie, GE (General Electric) Transportation revealed that 1-thousand 5-hundred people will lose their jobs, due to a sudden and huge crash in orders from the railroad industry!  In Hawley, after 30 years gift store Tiny Treasures shutdown: “…average sale per customer was down and expenses continued to climb.  Everyone, from vacationers to locals, comment on how much they love the store. Unfortunately, many were not buying and we just can’t keep the doors open based on this trend.”-Alec Dazenski, manager

Tennessee: Maryville based Ruby Tuesday announced it is selling eight Lime Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants, and shutting down another eleven!  Administrators say the economy is forcing them to focus on their namesake brand.

Utah:  More layoffs at the British empire Rio Tinto owned Kennecott mines (aka Bingham Canyon Mine).  65 people laid off and 40 vacant jobs eliminated due to crashing metals prices!

Virginia: Tax-sucker General Dynamics warned it will conduct mass layoffs with its National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, due to crashing U.S. Department of Defense spending caused by the U.S. Congress passing temporary short term budgets.  In Portsmouth, after 126 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) M. M. Crockin (aka Crockin’s Furniture) shutdown: “We just kept looking at the numbers, and we were going, ‘We can’t stick it out any longer’. We’d been putting money in this place, hoping things would turn around, but…”-Peter Crockin

Washington: More proof you can’t blame the internet for killing brick-n-mortar stores; Seattle based internet streaming service RealNetworks laid off 60 people, blaming their new contract with evil Verizon.

Washington DC:  According to the U.S.Census Bureau, Canada is no longer the biggest customer of U.S. products, China is.   Canada is now number two but it looks like Mexico could soon take that position.

04-05 November 2015: “a big sense of betrayal”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

Wisconsin loses 10,000+ jobs! Target ups the shutdowns! “a big sense of betrayal” as Warren Buffett kills even more Kraft Heinz jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 04 – 05 November 2015

California: HVAC parts maker Hart and Cooley shutting down their Nampa operations, 75 jobs lost between January and March 2016.

Colorado:  Just months after getting government approval to sail cruise ships to Cuba, Haimark Line now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It doesn’t help that the Breckenridge based company has only one 210 passenger ship.

Connecticut: Evil drugs researcher Bristol-Myers Squibb laying off 78 employees between January and March 2016.

Failed State Florida: West Palm Beach based ‘clean technology’ fertilizer maker BioNitrogen now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The company hasn’t even finished construction on its first clean fertilizer factory!  The company lost a $1.4-million lawsuit, but it was its own fault as the lawsuit was over unpaid debts.   Retailer Target shutting down their Odessa store after Xmas.   Lake Mary based Faro Technologies warned of about 1-hundred layoffs due to crashing sales in China and Japan.

Georgia:  Wisconsin based QuadGraphics shutting down their junk mail/catalog factory in Evans, 250 jobs lost by January 2016!

Failed State Illinois: In Chicago, a leaked internal memo revealed that layoffs are coming for employees of Leo Burnett advertising agency. The memo said the bad economy is forcing them to “right size our accounts”.  Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios began laying off 183 employees as it preps to move to California in December!

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone company Sprint admitted that its planned $2-billion USD in cost cutting will result in thousands of people becoming unemployed!   The layoffs are expected to take place by the end of January 2016.  Not only that, but Sprint administrators say they’re hurting for money so much that for employees laid off after January 2016 the severance package will be cut in half!

Main: The Bucksport Generation power plant now officially chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It’s blamed on the shutdown and sell-off of the Verso paper mill (it’s main customer).

Maryland: Calvert Investments laying off 41 employees right after Xmas.

Massachusetts: Boston Weak based Too Big too Jail finance company State Street announced 6-hundred job cuts, and even hinted at more than that!  News reports say it’s all about the shift to automation (robots).  In Lawrence, textile mill Polartec conducted 90 “seasonal” layoffs, there are rumors the mill could shutdown and move to Tennessee.  Bankrupt 32 years old sporting goods retailer City Sports has thrown in the towel and announced it will shutdown all 26 of its stores, after they failed to find a buyer!

Minnesota: Minneapolis based retailer Target admitted they will be shutting down a total of 13 stores after Xmas.   News reports say that so far for 2015 Target has eliminated 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs! 

Nebraska: Office Depot on Apples Way shutting down next week.

Failed State New York:  That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop Jewish Board of Family and Children Services from shutting down their Copiague Mental Health Clinic & PROS Possibilities program as well as their Central Islip Mental Health Clinic and ACT Program, at least 142 jobs lost by the end of January 2016!  What real estate recovery?  International real estate company Cushman & Wakefield laid off 40 New Yorkers as part of their 250 layoffs across the U.S.!  It’s the result of several mergers with other companies.  In Auburn, after 12 years Pet Depot shutting down before Thanksgiving, 10 jobs lost.  It’s the fourth and last Pet Depot in The Empire State to shutdown, news reports say administrators for the company refuse to say why.  Entergy shutting down its FitzPatrick nuclear power plant, 615 jobs lost by 2017!   Entergy says if taxpayers are willing to fork over more bucks then they’ll keep the money losing nuke plant open.

North Carolina: In Greensboro, Jules Antiques and Fine Art shutting down by the end of 2015, the owner tried selling but nobody wanted to buy his business.  Rotech Healthcare conducting a second round of healthcare layoffs, this time 61 people will become unemployed a few days before Xmas.  In the first round of layoffs 90 billing employees were let go.  Rotech’s Steve Burres directly blames Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare).  In Lexington, after 84 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) McCullochs’ Jewelers shutting down by Thanksgiving: “First the economy changed, with the closing of our local industry. The second is the shopping habits have changed. We have gone from a bustling downtown to the malls and now to shopping online. Now our building owners have changed.”-Jimmie Jean Hunt, owner

Ohio:  After 43 years Coomer Furniture shutting down and being sold-off, the current owner said “I’m just getting worked to death.”

Oregon: In Newport, reports that 15 years old Sandcastle Toys shutting down.  In Hillsboro, after 25 years Bike n Hike shutdown, the owner suddenly decided to sell the property.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh based Warren Buffett & 3G Capital owned Kraft Heinz announced it will shutdown seven food factories in North America and kill off an additional 2-thousand 6-hundred jobs!  The factory shutdowns are apparently on top of the three New York factory shutdowns I reported on a few days ago.  The new shutdowns involve two factories in California, one in New York, one in Pennsylvania, one in Maryland, one in Wisconsin and one in the British empire country of Canada.  The 2-thousand 6-hundred jobs reported as being lost must be ‘low balled’ because news reports out of Wisconsin say the factory shutdown there will kill 1-thousand  2-hundred jobs!  Wisconsin based QuadGraphics shutting down their magazine/catalog factory in East Greenville, 4-hundred jobs lost by January 2016!

Virginia: In Henrico, after 182 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Blair’s Drug Store shutdown, blaming the skyrocketing costs of legal drugs for legal drug addicts: “Some drugs have increased 500 to 1,000% overnight!”-Berkley Rayfield, owner

Washington DC:  The U.S. Department of the Treasury revealed your dumb-ass ‘elected’ lawmakers just jacked up the National Debt by a record one day increase of $339.1 billion USD!  This is basically how much your government borrowed under a presidential executive order in order to prevent the total collapse, I mean shutdown of your exalted government!

Wisconsin: Local news reports say the Warren Buffett shutdown of the Kraft Heinz Oscar Mayer meat factory will kill 1-thousand 2-hundred jobs!  Doug Leikness, the president of the employees’ union, stated “We’re doing very well…..Didn`t see it coming. We`ve increased productivity in this plant. We`ve done it with less workers, and now we`re getting the carpet pulled from underneath us. We just feel a big sense of betrayal from this company.”  Mining equipment maker Joy Global announced they eliminated an additional 30 jobs on top of the 139 eliminations announced earlier in the month!  At this point the state of Wisconsin has lost more than 10-thousand jobs for 2015!

01-03 November 2015: Iconic safe maker abandons New York for Mexico!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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.”

Technology

That High Tech agreement you signed onto just took away your Rights!

“The Ranking Digital Rights 2015 Corporate Accountability Index shines a needed spotlight on corporate practices…We found that many of the world’s most powerful Internet and telecommunications companies fail to disclose key information about practices affecting users’ rights.   ….companies were assessed on 31 indicators across three categories –commitment, freedom of expression, and privacy – drawn heavily from international human rights frameworks, as well as emerging and established global principles for privacy and freedom of expression.    …..Nearly half the companies in the Index scored less than 25 percent, showing a serious deficit of respect for users’ freedom of expression and privacy.”–Ranking Digital Rights  

theguardian: “If this was a test, nearly everyone failed”: how tech giants deny your digital rights

International

Operation Jupiter: U.S. & Korea sign ‘secret’ Global Health Security Agenda!

04 November 2015 (18:45 UTC-07 Tango 01, 03 November 2015)/13 Aban 1394/21 Muharram 1437/23 Ding-Hai 4713

Under the guise of studying MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) the U.S. National Institutes for Health and Republic of Korea’s (RoK, aka south Korea) National Institute of Health signed a ‘letter of intent’, two weeks ago!  Only now is the RoK Ministry of Health and Welfare revealing the deal, which is touted to be part of the U.S. Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) and the Global Health Security Agenda.

The signing did not take place in RoK, but was quietly conducted at the U.S. National Institute of Health in Maryland, on 16 October 2015.

The PMI includes creating a DNA map of a country’s population under the guise of creating medication that is specific to each individual.  RoK health administrators say that by 2018 they will have the DNA of at least 100-thousand Koreans mapped.

RoK Health and Welfare minister Chung Chin-youb admitted it was the intent of the United States to make south Korea the leading ‘precision medicine’ operation in Asia.  Chung also revealed that RoK is about to openly support the “Korean medical industry” inside the U.S., which currently has at least 18-thousand Korean-American doctors, 35 hospital/clinics and 120 drugs makers.  RoK ‘lawmakers’ are about to pass a law called Support of Medical Business Expansion in the Global Market.

Operation Jupiter: Russia accuses U.S. of massive increase in bio-weapons, Putin orders increased NBC protection of Russian civilians! 

MERS: Spawn of Operation Jupiter?

Business/Economics, Idaho

Idaho farmers actually pay to lose money! Iconic safe maker abandons New York for Mexico! No more National Geographic? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 01 – 03 November 2015

What automotive industry recovery? Bermuda based business insurance company Hiscox surveyed mom-n-pop businesses across the United States.  Mom-n-pop auto repair shops are being hit hardest by the lack of economic recovery, 56% say they will be forced to shutdown between now and 2020!

Failed State Alabama: Video Warehouse shutting down their Dothan store.  In August they shutdown their Ozark store.

Arizona: In Phoenix, Paz Cantina being shutdown by property developers who want to build an apartment complex.

California: Irvine based newspapers, websites and mobile applications operator Freedom Communications now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  In Costa Mesa, after 66 years Grant Boy’s outdoor supply (including guns, oh my!) store shutdown.

Connecticut: After 65 years Chick’s Drive Inn Seafood Restaurant shutting down as requested by the now deceased owner.

Failed State Florida: Dade Medical College shutdown all its campuses without warning, thousands of students and hundreds of employees out in the cold!  Basically school administrators realized they are flat broke (for numerous reasons)!

Georgia: In Athens, Vision Video shutting down their Homewood Hills store.  At one time there were three Vision Video stores in Athens, now they’ll be just one.

Idaho: Evil property renters are jacking up rents on farmers!  The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Survey says the cost to rent non-irrigated farmland in The Gem State has gone up to $158 USD per acre (0.4 hectare), a 5% increase from 2014 to 2015.   Irrigated farmland hit $208 per acre, an 8% increase!  However, it was revealed that rent for farmland with a pivot irrigation system and strong water rights access was going for as much as $350 per acre!  Here’s another whammy against farmers; the USDA said many of the current rental contracts were signed when commodity prices were high, this means farmers are actually paying rent so they can lose even more money for what they grow!

Failed State Illinois: What automotive industry recovery? News reports say heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar began eliminating more jobs at its Decatur factory.  Back in May they eliminated 150 jobs at their Decatur factory!

Expect Less, Pay More?

Indiana:  Retailer Target shutting down their Anderson store after Xmas.

Failed State Iowa: The state National Guard shutting down and selling off their Corning armory.  News reports say it’s the 13th state militia armory to be shutdown.   Retailer Target shutting down their Ottumwa store after Xmas.

Massachusetts: GE (General Electric) Oil & Gas shutting down their Avon valve factory and moving it to Florida, 3-hundred jobs lost by mid-2016!  California based computer chip maker Intel eliminating 175 jobs from its Hudson factory, starting January 2016!  At one time the Hudson factory employed 7-hundred people!

Michigan: Advertising agency Doner Partners eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs due to the loss of their JCPenney contract.

Minnesota:  Retailer Target shutting down their New Ulm store after Xmas.

New Hampshire: Nashua Corporation shutting down its Merrimack paper mill in April 2016, 53 jobs lost.

Failed State New Jersey: In Montvale, after 90 years the DePiero family says they were forced by skyrocketing operating costs to sell-off their farm and market to evil property developers.

Failed State New York:   Yet more layoffs in the video game industry, this time 12 New Yorkers lost their jobs with Avalanche Studios.  In Brighton, Mario’s Italian Restaurant shutting down before Xmas, blaming ongoing property development by commercial property developers.  In Hamburg, Tina’s Italian Kitchen shutting down before Xmas.  Sentry Safe issued a shutdown WARN for their Rochester factory, 301 jobs lost by June 2016!  Administrators told state employment weenie heads that they’re getting the hell outta the Empire State and moving to Mexico!    Aluminum giant Alcoa shutting down its Massena smelting ops, 487 jobs lost! 

North Carolina: After 18 years Tír na nÓg pub shutting down before Thanksgiving.

Ohio: Century Aluminum suddenly announced it is killing 150 jobs as it shuts down a ‘pot line’ at its Sebree smelter!  It was also revealed that last month Century Aluminum eliminated 350 jobs when it shutdown its Hawesville smelter!  They blame competition from China.

Pennsylvania: (more proof ‘mericans are a bunch of legal drug addicts) Hatboro based mail order drugs pusher Philidor RX Services shutting down within 90 days, 630 jobs around the country will be lost because of accusations of improper tracking of drugs shipped for another drugs pusher Valeant Pharmaceuticals!  After 37 years the owners of Mandy’s Place pizza joint blame escalating crime for why they shutdown: “I sit at night and I worry that if that phone rings, this time somebody got shot…..Nobody held the meeting! They [mayor’s office] went on media and said they would and it never happened.”-Steve Negri, owner

South Carolina: Mother Nature (flooding) and lack of sales are being blamed for the layoff of 17 employees at the events center known as Cypress Gardens.

Washington: After 30 years Yakima Tropical Fish and Pet Village shutting down. The Yakima Police K-9 unit will be hardest hit as for the past 15 years the pet shop donated 2-hundred pounds of dog food every month to feed the police dogs!  Aluminum giant Alcoa shutting down two smelting ops in Ferndale and Wenatchee.  It’s part of the company’s plan to eliminate 1-thousand 5-hundred jobs!

Washington DC: News reports say National Geographic magazine is asking employees to take voluntary buyouts, or retire early, or be laid off outright.  This comes two months after the iconic magazine sold its soul to evil Rupert Murdoch!

Wisconsin: Retailer Target shutting down their Superior store after Xmas.

30-31 October 2015: “we need…to be growing…that is not happening”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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.”

Kit Bashing, Reviews

1:72 comparison F-86 Saber Fujimi vs Heller, or, Nobody is Perfect!

In 2011, I compared Heller, Hobby Craft (now issued by Academy) and Fujimi F-86F Sabers but did not have any scale drawings to check accuracy.   I’ve gotten my hands on some Japanese 1:72 scale drawings and checked the Fujimi, Heller and a High Planes conversion fuselage (I no longer have the Hobby Craft kit).

Click pics to make bigger

Part One: Heller, Fujimi & Hobbycraft F-86 Sabre kits compared 

 

Business/Economics, Idaho

“we need…to be growing…that is not happening” 15,000+ jobs lost! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 30 – 31 October 2015

California: Grocery chain Fresh & Easy officially chapter 11 bankrupt busted, a few weeks after it announced it was shutting all its stores down.  Oil giant Chevron announced they are eliminating an additional 7-thousand oil industry jobs!  Basically they don’t think oil prices are going to go back up, significantly.  It could also be because after their last job cuts their profits went way up.   In Saint Helena, after 40 years David’s Jewelers shutdown.

Colorado: Denver based Chipotle shutdown 43 restaurants in Washington and Oregon states.  They claim it’s temporary, so they can eliminate  Escherichia coli (E. coli O157:H7) after Washington state health administrators issued an outbreak warning on Halloween.  It should be noted that affected stores posted notices blaming “equipment problems” or “supply chain problems” for their shutdown!

Idaho:  The U.S. Food & Drug Administration slammed shut Ketchum-based Sun Valley Juice Company for repeated violations of federal food safety regulations.   The company got in trouble with the federal regulators back in 2006 as well.   Idaho’s ObamaCare insurance exchange admitted that 78-thousand Idahoans (in a state with about 1.5-million people) whose low incomes (or sex; that fact they’re healthy low income adult males) won’t allow them to qualify for Idaho’s sexist Medicaid program!  Don’t talk to me about equal rights for women until you’ve come here and researched all the anti-men laws in Idaho!

Failed State Illinois: In Woodstock, after 46 years Red Barn Farm Market shutdown. Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar ‘escorted’ an undisclosed number of Global Information Services employees out the door.  Administrators tried to say they were the employees who took the “voluntary buyout” (then why the escort out the door?).    After 12 years Mama Compton’s restaurant in Rock Island shutdown: “We’ve got to find a better place. In order, as a small business, to thrive, we need this downtown area to be growing, and we decided that is not happening.”-Psyndy Compton-Muse, co-owner

Indiana:  United Minerals issued a layoff WARN saying 138 people will become jobless after Xmas!

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone company Sprint warned it will eliminate $2-billion in costs, including labor costs!

Massachusetts: New Bedford based Top Quality Seafood & Shellfish now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.   It’s blamed on massive debts.

Failed State New Jersey: Basking Ridge based cell phone rip-off artist Verizon on the verge of eliminating 6-thousand jobs!  This is according to an investment advisor who says he’s been warned of the massive layoffs from inside sources.

Failed State New York:   Binder & Binder shutting down their Bronx Social Security Disability Advocates operations by the end of January 2016, 109 jobs lost!  Warren Buffett owned Kraft Heinz shutting down three food factories; Avon, Walton and Campbell eliminating about 930 jobs! 

North Carolina: Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar revealed it is shutting down its Franklin factory by June 2016, 122 jobs affected! 

Ohio: Canton based TimkenSteel announced another 90 employees will be laid off, this after 91 employees were laid off in Texas between March and August.  It’s blamed on continued crashing revenues due to the oil industry cutbacks.

Oklahoma: In Muskogee, Vallourec Star laying off an additional 75 people.  In April they laid off 30 people, blaming the oil industry.

Pennsylvania:  What I call Disappearing Students Syndrome is forcing Rider University to eliminate programs and layoff 14 people.  Philadelphia Media Network merging its The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com, resulting in mass layoffs sometime after January 2016.

Texas:  Oil service company Noble Energy warned of additional layoffs, on top of the 230 already unemployed!

Washington:  In Vancouver, after seven years Bad Monkey’s Bikes shutdown: “The last half 2013 and all of ’14 were spent trying to recover from that purchase. We had a rough ’14.  This year was spent trying to get caught up so I could change the business plan and create a different style of bike shop. I wasn’t able to get the money….”-Wade Leckie

Wisconsin: WEC Energy Group laying off just under 2-hundred people as a direct result of their merger with Integrys Energy Group!  Mining equipment maker Joy Global announced they eliminated an additional 26 jobs on top of the 113 eliminated earlier in the month!  

28-29 October 2015: “an industry-wide slowdown…throughout North America”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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.”

International

Skyrocketing Rape in Denmark, blame immigrants!

31 October 2015 (19:06 UTC-07 Tango 01, 30 October 2015)/09 Aban 1394/17 Muharram 1437/19 Bing-Xu (9th month) 4713

“It’s difficult if you come from a country where women never go out.  When you see a girl with a short skirt dancing at a party late in the evening, what kind of message will it give you? It’s important to tell them that this kind of behaviour or clothing doesn’t mean that it’s allowed for you to go the whole way. If a girl says ‘no’, it’s a ‘no’.”-Linda Hagen, refugee center manager

“Between 2013 and 2014, 34.5 percent of all individuals convicted of rape were immigrants or their descendants despite those groups only accounting for roughly 12 percent of Denmark’s total population.”–The Local dk 

Anti-gun laws fail to stop record gun sales, blame illegal immigrants!