Tag Archives: education

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 22 – 23 June 2014: “Our stores never recovered…” No more Avon? Confirmed, no more Motor Trend, Super Chevy or Import Tuner! More jobs going to Mexico! School study blames Obamacare for education cuts!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It has been confirmed that the publisher of many automotive magazines (Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Camaro Performers, GM Hi-Tech, Super Chevy, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning, Super Street, etc), Source Interlink, killed more than 5-thousand jobs at the end of May!  Those jobs were in California, Florida and Michigan.  The parent company, Source Home Entertainment, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  Officials with the publisher-distributor blame e-books and “the continuing overhang of the economic downturn”  creating  a “difficult operating environment”.  Company officials also admitted that hundreds of each magazine issue has had to be destroyed at additional costs, because nobody is buying them!   20 years ago there were about 400 magazine wholesalers in the U.S., with the demise of Source Interlink there are now only two!

California: In Palo Alto, California Pizza Kitchen announced it will shutdown in August, 52 jobs lost.  In Universal City, NBC Universal announced they will kill 113 jobs in August!  What housing market recovery?  In Livermore, roof truss maker MiTek announced they will shutdown in September, 28 jobs lost.

Florida: In Pompano Beach, after 73 years Carl’s Furniture shutdown its last three retail outlets.  At one point Carl’s had 27 stores in Florida and California, with 600 employees: “Our stores never recovered from the 2008 recession back to a profitable level.”– Jeff Baker, owner

Kansas: In Kansas City, after 58 years Lipari Brothers Thriftway grocery store shutdown.  They blame competition from bigger grocery stores.

Massachusetts: Medical device maker Invivo Therapeutics announced they will kill about 1/3 of their jobs.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, after only four years the West Sahara Firefly Tapas and Kitchen Bar shutdown.

New Jersey: Obama Care medical device tax forces another medical device maker to Mexico.  In Totowa, California based CareFusion announced it is killing 390 jobs and moving disposable respiratory products production to Mexico!

New York: NYC based Avon Products killing 600 jobs!  That’s on top of the 1-thousand job cuts announced at the end of 2013!  It’s blamed on the steady decline in sales.  In Syracuse, TV station WCNY laid off seven employees.  The layoffs come after the PBS affiliate moved to a bigger building.  Hypocritically the management said the layoffs were their way of being “fiscally responsible”.   After spending $23-thousand dollars to find out why the Guilderland schools are losing students, the shutdown of Altamont Elementary School is now being discussed.  The study not only confirmed that students have been disappearing since 2008, but predicts the disappearance of students will continue for the next ten years.  The study blamed “Declining community population”, “Declining job market” and “underemployment”, “44% less growth in property values”, as well as blaming the federal government for “Unfunded mandates” and Obama Care for “Increasing health insurance and employee pension costs”!  New York based national retail consulting and investment banking firm, Davidowitz & Associates, said there is no gott damned recovery: “More people are not looking for jobs than have gotten jobs, and the jobs that are available are part time jobs.”-Howard Davidowitz

North Carolina: In Winston-Salem, after 24 years Erickson’s Hush Puppies shoe store shutdown.  The owners blamed it on crashing sales.

Oregon: Roseburg based Umpqua Bank announced it is shutting down 27 offices across Oregon, Washington and California!  It’s blamed on their merger with Sterling Financial.  Bank officials warned more shutdowns are planned for 2015!

Virginia: In Fredericksburg, after 32 years C.I.S. Sportswear shutdown.

West Virginia: Six of the state’s 10 Aging and Disability Resource Centers shutting down!  Ass-hole politicians said the old folks homes were not “efficient”.

20 – 21 June 2014: 9000+ newly unemployed in California! 

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

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 20 – 21 June 2014: 9000+ newly unemployed in California! Local tax revenues crash! Austria kills off U.S. steel company! Another women’s clothing chain dies?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Ireland based legal drugs pusher and medical device maker Mallinckrodt revealed they killed as many as 15% of their jobs at factories in Missouri and New York!  They blame crashing demand for their products.

California: First Idaho’s Coldwater Creek, now the Golden State’s Juicy Couture is dead, or is it?  This women’s clothing retailer got a new owner last year, but apparently the sale doesn’t include the brick-n-mortar stores, just the right to the brand!  Unnamed employees told fashion news sources that all U.S. brick-n-mortar stores will be shutdown, thousands of jobs affected!  Reports say the new owner, Authentic Brands Group, is working deals to sell the Juicy Couture brand through other retailers such as Kohl’s (that doesn’t stop the killing of all those Juicy Couture U.S. brick-n-mortar jobs).   Apparently the 60+ foreign Juicy Couture brick-n-mortar stores will remain open.  Tulare County’s Office of Education’s Behavioral Health Services laid off 44 employees.  It’s blamed on a contract not being renewed.  120 students with emotional problems or mental illness affected!  What automotive industry recovery?  Another California Superstores car dealer shutting down, this time in Sacramento.  34 jobs lost in August.  In Seal Beach, taxsucker Boeing announced that 118 people will become unemployed in August!  What housing market recovery?  San Francisco based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo announced they are killing an additional 249 mortgage jobs across the U.S.!  Despite the federal government claiming that new jobless claims are down, officials in California report an increase of 9,935 new jobless claims, in just one week!  Irvine based Corinthian Colleges (CCi) is in big trouble not only with state officials but federal as well.  The latest reports say the for profit college has failed to provide  federal officials with mandatory documentation.  CCi is accused of falsifying student data to get big taxpayer bucks from state and federal governments.  The U.S. Department of Education is cutting off funding as a result.  CCi officials now say they will be forced to shutdown dozens of their Everest, Heald and WyoTech campuses across the U.S.   15-thousand employees and 75-thousand students affected!

Connecticut: The city of Groton laying off nine firefighters, and not filling four vacant positions.  The city has 700-thousand taxpayer dollars less to work with this year, than they did last year!  After 29 years William W. Backus Hospital shutdown their child care center.  12 jobs lost.  They blame Obama Care for stealing $14-million USD in Medicare funding!

Florida: Valley Bank of Florida has failed.  Landmark Bank N.A. has taken over Valley Bank’s assets.  The failure cost FDIC $7.7-million.

Illinois: In Oak Park, after 37 years Competitive Foot shoe store shutting down in July.  Just days after announcing a major shutdown in Minnesota, the country’s largest printer of magazines Quad/Graphics shutting down printing ops in Woodstock, 550 jobs lost!  It’s the result of Quad/Graphics’ takeover of Brown Printing.   Valley Bank of Illinois has failed.  Great Southern Bank has taken over Valley Bank’s assets.  The failure cost FDIC $51.4-million.

Indiana: Parkview Whitley Hospital sold off a nursing home and will layoff 52 healthcare workers in September.

Louisiana: State officials approved the killing of 123 healthcare jobs at the Huey P Long Medical Center!  The hospital was shutdown.  Officials blamed Obama Care for causing “lack of funds due to a reduction in federal funding”.

Massachusetts: In Woburn, Kraft Foods announced they are shutting down a 95 years old food factory in 2016.  200 jobs will be lost!  Company officials say it’s the only way they can remain “competitive” in the global market.

Michigan: The Ferndale Public Schools warned they must eliminate 30 jobs.  It’s blamed on disappearing students.  School officials say they will go into the 2014-15 school year missing 300 students!  The Detroit Institute for Children revealed they shutdown three outpatient clinics last week!  It’s blamed on “changes in the health care industry”.  27 jobs lost and 250 special needs children affected!

Mississippi: Steel pipe maker PSL America now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The company is now up for sale, 70 jobs affected.  Company officials blame it on an Austrian company for selling them defective steel.  PSL America is now suing that company.  However, company officials also stated that they’ve suffered crashing sales over the past four years.

New Mexico: In Santa Fe, Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill shutdown.

New York: In Mount Vernon, grocery delivery company Peapod killing 239 jobs in September, because they’re moving to New Jersey! Big Apple based upscale snooty retailer Coach announced it is shutting down 70 stores across the U.S.  Company officials blame the bad economy.  Also in NYC, Rouge Tomate restaurant shutting down in August, 105 jobs lost!

Ohio: GMO seed company DuPont Pioneer announced a third round of layoffs.  They didn’t give numbers, but in May they laid off 50 employees.  Where’d the money go?  A court says the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation overcharged 24-thousand employers, and now those employers want their money back.  The only problem is that state officials don’t have it.  And how much do the employers claim they’re owed?  $859-million!

Oklahoma: The city of Tulsa revealed they’ve killed 150 police jobs since last year!  The city has halted hiring as well.  If taxpayer revenues don’t improve more cops could become unemployed.

Virginia: Patrick Henry Community College laid off 22 employees.  Since 2013 the college has experienced declining enrollment, lower tuition revenues, increased costs and decreases in taxpayer funding.

Wisconsin:  In Fond du Lac, Planned Parenthood shutdown.  It’s the 5th Planned Parenthood to shutdown.

18 – 19 June 2014:  More idiot politicians

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

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

Business/Economics, Idaho

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 10-12 January 2014. God can’t stop ObamaCare layoffs! Spy ballon layoffs! More government action killing local businesses! More refinery shutdowns!

Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

Retail giant, Target, announced it will shutdown eight stores in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Nevada and Tennessee.

Turbo engineering company, Concepts NREC, laid off nine employees across several New England states.

Alabama: Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital shutdown its labor and delivery unit, directly blaming Obama Care: “There’s a lot of good people that will lose their job due to no fault of their own……On a national level, we are dealing with the biggest change in the healthcare business since the implementation of Medicare in the 1960s!”-Mike Marshall, CEO

Arizona: In Scottsdale, the owner of the Searsucker restaurant decided to shut it down, with no warning.

Arkansas:  Marketing data collections and management company, Acxiom, laid off 50 employees throughout their operations.  The company is restructuring.  In Clarksville, the Hardwicke Funeral Home shutdown, because the owner died (no joke).

California:  Sutter Health Alta Bates Medical Center continued with its drastic Obama Care layoffs.  This time 120 health care workers lost their jobs in Berkeley and Oakland!  In South gate, Brookshire Tool laid off 90 employees.  In Ontario, Covidien Distribution laid off nine employees.  In Adelanto, Maork laid off 16 employees.  In San Bernardino, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo laid off nine employees.  In San Diego, the owner of the Gaberdine restaurant decided to shut it down, with no warning.  In San Louis Opisbo,  the quirky store Kwirkworld shutdown.  The manager blamed the suck ass economy and the landlord: “We’re not making the money we used to make, and the rents are really high here.”-Pete Ray

Florida: In Brandon, the Babies “R” Us store shutdown.

Idaho:  In Boise, the Saint Luke’s affiliated non-profit Elk’s Rehab Hospital laid off “…less than 20 positions, all licensed practical nurses within the inpatient unit…” in an effort to adjust to reduced funding caused by Obama Care.   Elk’s Rehab Hospital began in 1947 to help victims of polio.

Illinois: In DeKalb, U.S. tax sucker GE (General Electric) warned it will be shutting down the factory by 2015, 94 jobs lost.

Indiana:   The German owned U.S. tax sucking British Rolls Royce killing 400 jobs in Indianapolis!  Company officials blame decreased U.S. military spending.

Iowa: In Marengo, Quad Graphics shutting down its printing presses. 138 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on a merger.

Kentucky: The Newport Kmart shutting down in April, 81 jobs lost!

Maryland:  U.S. tax sucker spy ballon maker, TCOM, laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  It’s blamed on decreased U.S. military spending.  In Annapolis, clothing store Chico’s shutdown.

Massachusetts:  In Malden, a Stop&Shop grocery store shutdown.  Basically company officials don’t think the suck ass economy can support all their stores.

Michigan: What automotive market recovery?  Five Suski’s used car lots across two counties shutdown!

Minnesota: The Elmore Academy and the Wildcat Cafe shutdown to assess “the programmatic needs”.  In Pine Island, Pine Cheese Mart shutdown after 44 years in business.   It’s blamed on local government planners who, in 2013, decided to implement new road construction that actually made it more difficult for customers to get to the shop!

Mississippi: In Ocean Springs, reports say the Salamundi Gifts store shutdown.

Nevada:  In Reno, after 41 years Reno Mountain Sports shutdown.  A co-owner told local TV news because of the suck ass economy the end came sooner than they expected.

New Mexico: In Santa Fe, after 28 years electronics store Baillio’s shutdown.  Company officials blamed the suck ass economy: “Due to current economic conditions we regretfully announce that the time has come to close Baillio’s Santa Fe and liquidate our entire Santa Fe inventory.”

New York:  The Schenectady City School District chief, Larry Spring, warned “We’re going to have staff layoffs, we’re going to have program cuts, absolutely.”  The District is short $10-million USD!  Employees were also laid off last school year.  In Olean, Advanced Monolythic Ceramics shutdown, 65 jobs lost.  In Long Island, fashion designer Carlisle Etcetera shutting down by June, 63 jobs lost.

Ohio: In Cleveland, the Blind Pig restaurant shutdown.  Management refused to say why, but the co-owner of another restaurant blamed the suck ass economy: “People just aren’t coming to the Warehouse District in the numbers you used to have. You don’t see 5,000 people on a Friday or a Saturday and New Year’s Eve was a disaster down there because everyone was at Public Square. Places are struggling and it’s a shame to see a longtime place like the Blind Pig close.”-Hank LoConti

Pennsylvania: In West Chester live entertainment joint, The Note, shutdown.  The owner said he needed a break.

South Carolina: In Columbia, the Sears will close in April, 97 jobs lost.

South Dakota: After 74 years, nonprofit South Dakota CARES (aka South Dakota Society for Crippled Children) shutdown.  It’s blamed on lack of funding: “We stuck it out for as long as we could as a non-profit. We served a lot of great people and made a lot of amazing memories.”-Chad Miner-Ratigan

Tennessee: In Ooltewah, the Southern Burger Company shutdown.

Texas: In Sherman, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital-WNJ laid off 18 employees.  In Round Rock, Dell computers announced it will kill 20% of its U.S. jobs, along with 30% of its global workforce.  The suck ass economy has killed Dell sales for seven straight quarters!

Washington: In Bellingham, France based Zodiac Aerospace laid off an undisclosed amount of employees.  It’s blamed on a sudden decrease in orders for airliner interior upgrades.

Wyoming: In Rock Springs, oil giant Chevron shutting down their natural gas plant.  Chevron bought out the original owners in 2008.  Chevron officials say they are not happy with the natural gas refinery.

08-09 January 2014. More massive grocery store shutdowns!

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

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

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

More Economic Decline: Red State Idaho ripped off by Blue Blood Washington DC? Or is it that Red State politicians got caught cheating? Idaho schools shorted by $7-million & growing!

01 February 2014 (16:44 UTC-07 Tango)/30 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/12 Bahman 1392/02 Bing-Yin (1st month) 4712

“All contracts made in violation of these statutes are void and any money advanced by the state, must be repaid.”-Justice Jim Jones, Idaho Supreme Court

Old mister poopy diaper pants supposedly for improving education, Barack Obama, is once again living up to his lying liar reputation!  Or is it the lying liar Republican officials in Idaho?

The Idaho legislature has just been informed that the Obama regime’s FCC (Federal Communication Commission) has withheld $7-million in tax dollars from Idaho’s high speed internet system for the Gem State’s High Schools!

It took Idaho’s Department of Administration’s Teresa Luna (a Mormon) this long to tell ‘elected’ officials about the missing funding!

Luna has known that the primary contractors, CenturyLink and Education Networks of America have not been paid, by the Obama regime, since March 2013!  Teresa Luna just happens to be the sister of Tom Luna (a Mormon), former George W. Bush regime official and Idaho’s current State Department of Education boss!

Oh but wait, there’s more to this story:  Turns out that Syringa Networks is suing the Gem State on the grounds the CenturyLink contract for the Idaho Education Network is illegal!  The case has been stuck in the Idaho Supreme Court since last year, and the Obama regime’s FCC says they are not going to pay their share of the funding until the case is settled! (it’s expected that Idaho schools will lose another $7-million during the 2014-15 school year)

So maybe this is actually another case of corrupt Idaho ‘elected’ officials screwing things up by playing favoritism and awarding contracts under the table?  It wouldn’t be the first time.

By the way, Teresa Luna was appointed to her position by corrupt governor Butch Otter in 2011, to replace the guy that suspiciously awarded the contract to CenturyLink.   Tom Luna miraculously won elections after the fact in 2007 (and suddenly Tom Luna has announced he won’t run for re-election!).  I could’ve sworn that Tom Luna was initially appointed to the position by Otter, but everything on the internet says he was ‘elected’.  Like George Carlin said, “You voted them in. You caused the problem.”

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 18 June 2013. Jack in the Box clown turns Mexican! More school & health care cuts!

In Brooklyn, New York, the 153 years old state run SUNY Downstate Medical Center/Long Island College Hospital shut down!  1714 people out-o-work!!!  At least 420 employees were laid off in 2012!  Hospital officials blamed crashing revenues. The Brooklyn Supreme Court has ordered hospital officials to account for every “stick” of hospital assets.  Also, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the five star Dressler restaurant closed suddenly.  The owners blamed the greedy property owner: “With much regret, an agreement could not be reached for a lease renewal.”-Dressler Family

The Christian God can’t stop Saint Mary’s Hospital from laying off 83 people in Michigan.  Currently open positions will not be filled.  “As our fiscal year 2013 comes to a close, we are facing declining volumes due to fewer people seeking inpatient care services, as well as sequestration shortfalls and lower reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare and other payers.” 

Video gamer maker EA continues to layoff employees.  This time 20 positions were cut.  In April 900 positions were cut as EA officials said they had to reorganize their company!

In Louisiana, Caddo Parish School Board axed another 105 jobs.  The positions include special education teachers, administrators, aides, reading specialist and secretaries.  The new budget also eliminated teaching supplies and reduced substitute teachers.

In Indiana, the Fremont School board laid off at least five teachers.  It’s blamed on budget cuts.

In North Carolina, military contractor DRS laying off 150 to 230 employees in Elizabeth City, despite winning a five year Coast Guard contract to maintain C-130 aircraft!  It’s blamed on federal sequestration budget cuts.  In Raleigh, Hewlett Packard laid off 147 people!  HP officials blamed it on the loss of a contract.

In Arizona, military contractor General Dynamics laid off 22 employees indirectly connected to the NSA domestic spying scandal.  It involves the company’s C4 project, which “….develops and integrates communication and information systems and technology for U.S. government programs, allied nations and select commercial customers.”  Company officials cryptically said the layoffs were caused by changes in business conditions.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shutting down 16 offices around the country.  According to some reports most of the closures will take place in regions hardest hit by the mortgage scandal.  The closures will affect 900 employees!

In Virginia, Smithfield Foods laid off 120 people!  This is the latest round of layoffs regarding the closure of their hot dog and deli meats factory.  In toto at least 400 people will be unemployed!

In Illinois, Spree thrift store (aka resale shop) closed.  35 employees affected.  No specific reason given for the closure.

Pennsylvania based maker of slipcovers, Sure Fit, taken over by Illinois based Focus Products Group.  The Lower Macungie Township distribution center being closed down, positions being moved to Illinois and California.  75 jobs affected.

In California, Nordstrom closing their Long Beach Rack store.  Company officials said they did not want to renew the lease.  Jack in the Box closing 67 fast food stores!  Company officials say they are switching to Qdoba Mexican Grill restaurants.

In New Mexico, Navajo blanket seller Packard’s on the Plaza closing down after 69 years in business.  19 employees will be unemployed in September.  The business is located in the 400 years old Santa Fe Plaza.  The current owners, who live in California, said they had to focus on family issues.  Another Plaza business, ACC Fine Furnishings, also closing down.  The company is consolidating operations, which is blamed on the bad economy.

In Colorado, Brueggers Bagels shut down.  The franchise owner did not want to renew the lease.

In Tennessee, the Nashville Symphony halts in house food service, laying off at least 37 employees. The Symphony is facing foreclosure of their Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

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

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 15-17 June 2013. Obama Care making the health care industry sick as a dog! Universities suffer massive decline in student enrollment!

Provider of equipment and management services for cancer clinics, OnCure Holdings, now bankrupt.  The Colorado based company is being parted out, sold off, mass layoffs.  320 employees affected!  Company officials blame Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act for slashing and burning Medicare/Medicaid payments. OnCure is the third health care company to go bankrupt between April and June!  The other two bankrupt health care companies, Rotech Healthcare and Sound Shore Medical Center, both blame Obama Care!

The University of Missouri Health Care is laying off, or reducing the hours of 35 employees, plus 90 vacant positions will not be filled.  It being blamed on reduced Medicare/Medicaid payments!

In Michigan, non-profit health care research company, Altarum Institute, laid off 15 people.  They’re blaming it on the federal sequestration funding cuts.  What automotive industry recovery?  Germany based Benteler Automotive shutting down their Grand Rapids factory, in March 2014.  220 employees affected! The company said that all signs point to tougher competition in the automotive industry and they must become more efficient.  And two staffing contractors working for Detroit Public Schools laid off 650 employees!  The staffing companies say it’s because the school district has failed to pay them for services rendered!

In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia School District laid off another 76 employees.  The week prior they laid off 3800 employees!!! A new tax on cigarettes was created to help fund the school district.  They are also considering raising the liquor tax.

In Illinois, the Chicago Public Schools laid off 850 employees!   Schools are being closed.

In Virginia, Isle of Wight Schools laying off 21 employees.  The budget for the district is $4 million USD less than last school year’s, despite an increase in local taxes!

Washington DC’s Howard University eliminated 75 jobs.  Apparently the school is in big financial trouble.

Iowa’s Ashford University is begging employees to voluntarily quit!  This includes employees at its Colorado and California campuses.  Reports say the university has suffered huge declines in student enrollment.  One report says enrollment is down 16000 from the year before!

The parent company of University of Phoenix, Apollo Group, laid off 24 people in Arizona.  It’s part of a planned layoff of 1000 employees!!!  It’s blamed on massive declines in student enrollment.

In Wisconsin, heavy equipment maker Caterpillar continues its trend of layoffs.  260 people unemployed due to crashing mining equipment sales!  Caterpillar has already laid off more than 500 hundred people in Illinois!

In Florida, the Palm Beach Ritz Carlton hotel laid off 452 people!  It’s the result of a major management change at the hotel.

California based OneWest Bank laying off 725 people in Texas!   OneWest was taken over by Georgia based Ocwen Financial.  And in Dallas, Saks Fifth Avenue shut down.  123 people out-o-work!

Speaking of the Golden State, the YWCA Thrift Store closed in Watsonville.  After 54 years of operations the bad economy did the non-profit store in.   In Sacramento, two The Beat music stores shut down after 30 years of business.  The business owner blames the property owner for jacking up the rents!

In Portland, Oregon, Solopower shut down. 29 people unemployed.

What oil boom? In Fargo, North Dakota, the 109 Consign store closed down.

Della Notte restaurant shut down in Baltimore, Maryland.  No reason given.

The 29 years old Sassafras Gift Shop closed in South Norwalk, Connecticut.  The owner blamed it on a declining market for gift shops, and on the fact that city officials expect businesses to be money makers for the city.

Another Mitt Romney Staples closing down.  This one is in the Barrington Shopping Plaza in Rhode Island.  It’s part of the Romney wounderkind’s plans to close stores across the United States and Europe.

In New York City, New York, Gleacher & Company Securities laid off 55 employees.  And Royal Health laid off 39 people.  In Syracuse, Scolaro, Shulman, Cohen, Fetter & Burstein, law firm, laid off 50 employees.  In Yonkers, Belmay closed.  60 people laid off.

And the Christian God can’t stop the North Grafton United Methodist Church from shutting down.  The 166 years old Massachusetts church is blaming it on lack of members.

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

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 13-14 June 2013. California hit hard, again! The “system is just broken”!

Eddie Lampert (Sears Holdings) controled Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) now bankrupt.  The California based company has $261 million USD in debt.  Over the past two years OSH has lost $132.8 million!  Apparently the attempt to sell OSH to Lowes fell through.  OSH is now being parted out, which means lots-o-people will be out-o-work!

Also in California, the Los Angeles County Superior Court eliminated 511 positions, demoted 139 employees and transferred 223 to new jobs!  The county court is short $85 million!  Computer security company, Symantec, laid off 1700 employees!  In January, a company official referred to the U.S. capitalist crony corporate “system is just broken”.

The New York City Housing Authority will layoff 500 employees!  It’s blamed on reductions in federal funding.  Oak Beverages shut down in Brooklyn, 53 people laid off.  And BorgWarner Morse TEC ends their new Powdered Metal Operation in Cortland.  35 people laid off.   Originally the new Cortland location was to have employed 70 people.  I couldn’t find an explanation for the closure.

Too Big to Jail, JP Morgan Chase, announced 1800 layoffs at its New York and Florida mortgage offices.  It’s part of their plans to layoff 17000 people by the end of 2014!

Also in Florida, Okey Dokey Grocery shutting down all 11 stores!  157 people out-o-work!  Originally the company was planning on opening 50 new stores!  Reports now say the company is trying to find tenants for their stores.  Local business analysts think the company rushed into the grocery business without a true gameplan.

In Minnesota, IntriCon of Arden Hills laid off 35 people.  The maker of wireless monitoring devices for medical products is moving production around from a couple of states and a couple of countries.

In Missouri, after 99 years the last Garavelli’s Cafeteria closed down.  The owners blame the increasing costs of doing business, and declining customers. It’s now up for sale.  The non-profit Boone Hospital Center laid off 13 employees, and reduced hours for seven others.  It’s part of non-profit BJC Healthcare’s 160 employee layoffs at several of its hospitals!  It’s blamed on Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act: “…experiencing reductions in our reimbursement for the healthcare services that we provide…”-June Fowler, BJC Healthcare

In Alabama, the Christian God can’t stop Catholic Providence Hospital from laying off 35 employees.  It’s blamed on the federal government’s ‘sequestration’ of funding.  Hospital officials say they’ve lost $2 million in Medicare funding!  And medical bed manufacturer, Hausted Patient Handling Systems, sold their factory to Graham Field Health Products.    Clothing brand, Russel Brands, shut down their Wetumpka factory.  191 jobs lost!  This is in addition to the closing of its Alexander City factory.

In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Atlanta Bread Company restaurant shut down.  Local news media reports say it’s not clear why it shut down.  SMS Sportsworld closed in Aiken.  The owner blamed it on too much competition and the bad economy.

Oak Farms milk packager in Waco, Texas, laid off 150 employees!  Production is being consolidated, a few months ago they closed their Louisiana plant.

What booming oil industry? Texas based Enerflex Limited shut down its Casper, Wyoming, natural gas operations.  89 people unemployed.  It’s blamed on a market shift from coal-bed methane to shale gas.

Edinboro University, in Pennsylvania, warned of layoffs due to declining student enrollment, for the first time in decades.  And Kissel Hill closed its North Cornwall Township store.  11 people out-o-work.  The owners said the store was an experimental operation opened last year.

In Cheshire, Connecticut, Bovano’s Retail Store closed.  Seven people out-o-work.   In Fairfield, Cargo Bay clothing store shut down. The owner is taking a break.

Local finished arts & crafts store Sarida, in Maine, closed up shop.  The owner said her first year was great, but by the Autumn of 2012 business crashed: “We started panicking in November.”-Tammy Cook

In Wisconsin, Oshkosh Defense laid off 700 employees!  It’s blamed on reduced government spending.  More layoffs are expected.  In Holman, Blue Cup Coffee House restaurant shut down after ten years of operations.  The owner blames the bad economy: “It’s been a tough couple of years. Last year was significantly down…..Different marketing techniques did help, but at the end of the day, it was too little, too late.”-Kim Granum

In Oregon, Georgia Pacific announced it will layoff 100 people over the next three years.  The paper product maker is replacing them with machines.

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

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 11-12 June 2013. 4000 hospital employees laid off, blamed on Obama! U.S. model kit company shutting down? Illinois & New York hit hard, again!

IBM is ending operations and laying off as many as 8000 employees in Vermont and North Carolina!!!  A company press release basically blamed it on tough competition.

British empire owned Kearfott laid off 96 employees in North Carolina.  Kearfott makes guidance systems for UAVs (recon and assassination drones) for the military.  The report of layoffs came from employees, company officials refused to talk to local media about it.  In Lewisville, Shallowford Hardware shut down after only five years in business.

What automotive industry recovery?  Delaware based Lio Energy Systems and China based Miles Electric Vehicles joined California based Coda Automotive in bankruptcy.  Coda is the parent company of Lio Energy and Miles Electric.  It’s blamed on lack of sales of their electric cars.

In Pennsylvania, Wissahickon School District laid off six people, and reduced the pay for two other employees.  Also, the Altoona Area School District closed two elementary schools.  It’s blamed on declining student enrollment.  Philadelphia’s most famous restaurant, Le Bec Fin, shut down.  The restaurant has closed before, and re-opened, but the owner says it’s for good this time.

In Georgia, the Muscogee School Board wants to layoff 20 teachers.  They’ve already closed two elementary schools.  It’s all about balancing the budget.  The city of Columbus warned of massive layoffs.  The city has already laid off hundreds of employees over the past couple of years.

The Louisiana Civil Service Commission laying off 3976 employees at LSU’s hospital in Shreveport!!!  Most of those are classified as state employees.  It’s part of the state’s plans to privatize the hospital, partially blamed on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act for reducing Medicare/Medicaid payments to the state.

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

The University of Maryland Medical Center laying off an undisclosed number of employees.  Hospital officials are directly blaming the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act.  They also blame federal sequestration, which will cut several billions of dollars from Medicare.

In New York, Lakeside Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and Inpatient Unit shut down, 343 people unemployed! Hospital officials blame it on lack of customers.  In NYC, CNN America-Starting Point laid off 40 employees.  And Artio Global Investors closed, 94 people laid off.  Direct Access Partners closed, 62 people laid off.  Post House Investors closing, 59 employees out-o-work. In Dunkirk, The Carriage House closed, 133 people out-o-work!   In Farmingdale, OSI Pharmaceuticals shut down, 96 people unemployed.  Rochester Beer & Beverage shut down, 63 people unemployed.

Massive layoffs in Illinois, again!  Plastic model kit company Testors laid off 107 employees at it’s Rockford plant!  Testors has operated out of Rockford since 1929, they also make paint and other model building supplies.  Company officials say the bad economy is forcing them to eliminate some of their model supply brands.  This means closing their 84 years old Blackhawk Park Avenue building, and moving operations into a smaller building.  Commercial Vehicle Group shut down its truck parts factory in DeKalb.  75 jobs lost.  Illinois Central School Bus lost its contract in South Beloit.  107 people unemployed!  Life sciences equipment manufacturer, PerkinElmer, shut down operations and laid off 53 people in Downers Grove.  In Chillicothe, warehousing company HK Logistics laid off 59 employees.  Hubbell Central Distribution Center closing its South Holland facility. 82 people laid off.  Book publisher D.B. Hess for sale, 148 employees affected!  Chartwells Dining Services lost their contract in Waukegan, 113 jobs lost.  Chartwells has been losing contracts across the country.  In Edwardsville, Berkeley Contract Packaging shutting down and laying off 161 people!  Commercial building construction firm, All Tri-R, lost a major contract.  173 unemployed!  Military contractor, KBR, closing it’s Chicago office, 83 people out-o-work.  Drug maker AbbVie laid off another 96 employees.  Manufacturer of automated toll collection systems, TransCore LP, closing a call center and laying off 196 people!

In Indiana, reports that Slingshot SEO laid off ten employees.  Company officials say they’re “…right-sizing our organization for our next wave of growth.”

In California, JDSU laid off 125 people at its optical products division in Sonoma County!  The company has ended production of some products.  In Santa Barbara, after 29 years of business the Travel Store closed down.  The owner blamed it on internet competition and declining local customers.

Donation funded PBS NewsHour closing offices in San Fransisco, California, and in Denver, Colorado.  Most employees at those offices laid off.  It’s blamed on declining corporate sponsors.  Current open positions will not be filled.  Because of reduced corporate sponsorship, PBS NewsHour is short $7 million USD!

Commercial cable TV sports channel, ESPN, began a second round of layoffs.  Company officials say they plan to layoff up to 400 people this year!  Reports say the first round of layoffs, in May, came with no warning.

Greyhound bus company shut down their Clearwater, Florida, bus station.  Local news sources say the company would not comment on why they’re closing the station.  JP Morgan & Chase laying off 435 people in Tampa!  It’s part of the Too Big to Jail bank’s plan to layoff 17000 people across the country by the end of 2014!!!

Julie’s Gold Crown Hallmark closed in Arkansas.

In Manassas, Virginia, it was revealed the Kmart would close in September.  71 people out-o-work!

The Lai Thai Restaurant closed in Casper, Wyoming.  Health and family issues forced the owners to sell to a new owner, who will hopefully re-open the restaurant.

In Oregon, FOSS Maritime laid off 60 employees.

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

Business/Economics, Idaho, Opinion, Technology, U.S.

What Democracy? Idaho voters fools, lap top proposition a done deal to help save HP!

The Idaho media reported that the majority of Idaho voters turned down propositions that were an attempt to make public education better (Idaho consistently ranks low in quality of education in the United States, I guess most people in Idaho are happy with that).

What the dumb voters (encouraged by the dumb Idaho media) don’t know is that those propositions are not going away.  State legislatures will simply revisit those proposals, and can even pass them as laws without voter input (they’ve done it before).

But here’s one good reason that Proposition 3 (provision of computing devices and online courses for high school graduation, aka lap tops for students proposal) isn’t dead: Hewlett Packard was already awarded an eight year $180 million USD contract to provide those lap tops, back on 23 October!

Now you voters in Idaho don’t want to be responsible for anymore layoffs there at the Boise HP Center, do you?

Here’s some of the latest data to show you how bad education is in the Gem State:

Montana State University:  Idaho ranks 33rd for teacher quality.  Idaho ranks 35th for education input.  Idaho ranks 33rd for education social impact.  Idaho submitted no data for the education output & education efficiency rankings.

Quality Counts Education Survey, 2012: Idaho ranks 47th (tied with Nevada). 

CNBC Business ranking 2012:  Idaho ranks 48th in the survey’s Education category, a drop from 45 in 2011.

U.S. Census Bureau: Idaho ranks 50th in school spending.  I’m normally against increased spending, especially since most of the money goes to administrative costs and not actual education, or is not even accounted for, (and it seems year after year I have to pay more fees, besides property taxes, for my high school aged kids).  But maybe there is a correlation here?  However, according to National Kids Count Program (2009 data), when you adjust spending on regional cost of living then Idaho actually spends more than California, per student! Ah ha!

Here’s the problem I have with increasing funding: For example, School District 25 gets millions and millions of dollars from local property taxes (technically they’re called fees, which is why school officials get away with telling voters that school bonds/levies will not raise “taxes”.  A few years ago a local newspaper article revealed that just one major employer in Pocatello pays $1 million yearly in school fees on their property tax bill!).  Then they get money from the State and Federal governments (again from our taxes we pay).  Then, supposedly, they get millions from Powerball Lottery (at least that’s what the lottery advertisements say).  Oh, and I almost forgot the grant money, and computers they get donated from corporations, like the Albertson’s Foundation (I remember when my kids were attending Chubbuck Elementary [little more than ten years ago], seeing the school get new computers almost every year, and one year one of my kid’s teachers admitted that she didn’t even use them ’cause it was too stressful for her to learn how!)!  Yet school district officials are always whining that they don’t have enough money!  I want to see an investigation and a detailed breakdown of where all that money goes!

And if the votes of Idaho voters really count, then what’s going to happen to the $180 million HP is getting for Proposition 3, the Proposition voters just rejected?

(Here’s an update for 09 November 2012: my youngest daughter came home from school [she’s a Junior at one of the local high schools] saying that teachers were trying to explain that the “lap tops for students” was still happening, despite the election results.  You see, your votes really don’t count!)

U.S.

Dumb ‘Mericans: Investigation reveals U.S. Schools continue to FAIL, standardized test scores off the charts

“These findings are concerning.”-Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) has published the results of their investigation into standardized test scores across the United States.

Sompin’ fishy in Denmark! The chilins ain’t gettin’ an edjumacation!

Scores from 69,000 public schools, in 49 states, were compared.  Standardized test scores should not vary greatly from year to year.  The norm is considered 5%.  Yet the AJC found percentages in variation as great as 29.17% (a school district in Rhode Island)!

In many cases, students who scored well one year absolutely crashed and burned the very next year!  If teaching was consistent from grade level to grade level, and the students are answering the questions honestly, something like that shouldn’t happen.

Such high variance suggests the test result were falsified, although the AJC is not going so far as to make that claim.  Investigators are asking the U.S. Department of Education to look into it.