Tag Archives: food

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 13 – 14 October 2014: “…they’re all gone, they’ve ceased to exist.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  What automotive industry recovery?  In Sacramento, Harrold Ford car dealer gave state employment administrators a two days notice of laying off 120 employees!  The WARN posting says reason “Not known at this time”.  In Pleasant Hills, Save Mart announced their Lucky grocery store will shutdown in November, 65 jobs lost.  Save Mart administrators blamed the “intense nonunion competitive environment”.  After 48 years The San Francisco Bay Guardian newspaper shutdown, blaming “the economic reality”.

Colorado: The WOLF Sanctuary now bankrupt busted due to the High Park fire.

Illinois: Chicago based CME Group announced it will kill at least 150 tech jobs in order to control “expenses”.  The announcment made investors happy.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 38 years a Time Corners Pizza Hut on Covington Road shutdown due to crashing sales.

Iowa: Six Des Moines area CherryBerry self serve yogurt stores shutdown. Apparently the self serve concept didn’t playout, as the owner said sales totally crashed since last summer.

Louisiana: New Orleans based Peter Mayer Advertising laid off 40 employees after losing a big Century Link contract.

Maryland: In Ellicott City, after 36 years the owners of the Shanty Grille (Crab Shanty) announced they will shutdown after Xmas. The owners called the bad economy a losing uphill battle.

Massachusetts: What automotive industry recovery? Boston based Hill Holiday advertising laying off employees after losing GM’s Cadillac contract.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, only a few months after opening the SLS resort hotel, operators are now laying off an undisclosed number of employees due to lack of business.  The SLS is the result of a $415-million USD remodel of the old Sahara casino.

Pennsylvania: O’Hara Township based Giant Eagle supermarket shutdown in-store child care service at 61 stores across Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Texas: After 113 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Coppel based ALCO (formerly Duckwall-ALCO) is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and liquidating all 198 stores across the United States, at least 3-thousand jobs lost!  In Addison, Too Big to Jail Bank of America laying off another 75 employees.

West Virginia: After 36 years Winfield Hardware shutdown.   One of the founders of the store said it was the last locally owned hardware store in the area: “We had one in Nitro, one in Poca, one in Eleanor, one in Winfield, and they’re all gone, they’ve ceased to exist.”-Ronnie Matthews

10-12 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 12 October 2014: “Because of the economy…the money wasn’t there.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: The U.S. Army Fleet Support to layoff as many as 300 people at Fort Rucker, before xmas!  It was revealed by labor unions.  The aircraft maintenance contracts are based on the flying hours of Army aircraft, and since flying hours have been drastically cut (by 49-thousand hours) to save taxpayer money it follows that people will lose their jobs.

Alaska: In Fairbanks, after 68 years Larson’s Fine Jewelers announced they will shutdown after xmas.

California: Kroger announced they’re shutting down yet another Ralph’s grocery store, this time in Santa Clarita in November.  Taxsucking Boeing announced 139 layoffs for December at three locations!  In San Francisco, evil taxsucking British empire company BAE warned of 201 layoffs for September!

Florida: In Tampa, New York based ‘outsourcing’ company IQor shutting down beginning in December, 107 jobs lost!  In Cape Coral, after 50 years Lisa Lynn Dance World shutdown, the owner blames the suck-ass economy for disappearing students: “Because of the economy, the enrollment dropped and the money wasn’t there.”-Rita Rose Meyer

Illinois: In Galva, after 18 years pet food maker All Feed Processing and Packaging shutting down. Apparently they’ve violated many OSHA workplace safety rules.

Iowa: In Evansdale, video store Digital Dog Pound shutdown.

Kentucky: In Louisville, after 34 years the Saint Matthew’s Batting Cages shutdown.

Michigan:  Detroit Medical Center going to a new contracted janitor service putting 565 jobs at seven hospitals in limbo, right before xmas!  Unions are suing saying it violates current deals.

Missouri:  In Saint Louis, Boeing laying off 70 employees as part of the hundreds being laid off across the country in connection with crashing sales of its 777 airliner.

New Hampshire: Now bankrupt Apple computer-phone sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) now hangs 900+ jobs in limbo!  Factories in Arizona and Massachusetts could be shut down in December.  Local Mesa, Arizona, news reports say GTAT got big time taxpayer breaks for setting up shop there.  GTAT was supposed to make unbreakable phone screens for Apple, but some reports say the screens didn’t work out the way they were supposed to.

New Jersey: Freefall Adventures skydiving now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, administrators blame the cost of repairs on two aircraft.

North Carolina: Poultry food producer House of Raeford announced they’re shutting down their turkey cooking factory by Xmas, 400 jobs lost! Company administrators say the cost to process turkeys for grocery stores has skyrocketed 250% since last year, and they know customers are not willing to pay for it! House of Raeford is also killing their contracts with 140 turkey farms! In 2013 House of Raeford killed 1060 jobs, again because of skyrocketing operating costs!

08-09 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 08 – 09 October 2014: “…the landlord has made the decision to sell…”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: In Spanish Fort, after four years Tacky Jacks restaurant shutdown. The owners say their restaurant needs improvements which they can’t afford.

California: In Davis, eight years old Marrone Bio Innovations announced the elimination of about 35 jobs, blaming crashing sales and a “shareholder revolt”.   In Canoga park, Too Big to Jail Bank of America warned it will layoff 57 people in December.

Florida: Jacksonville based grocery store operator Bi-Lo announced they are shutting down 23 Bi-Lo and Winn Dixie stores by November. That includes the stores in Alabama (mentioned above) and stores in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. At least 1-thousand food jobs lost! It’s blamed on Bi-Lo’s takeover of Winn-Dixie and Delhaize America grocery stores.

Indiana: Miami County approved the termination of 11 jobs, and reduce five full time jobs to part time.  County officials are expecting a $2-million USD tax revenue decrease by 2016!

Kentucky:  Huntington Bank shutting down two offices in December.

Michigan: Administrators with Hiller’s grocery stores warned their unionized employees that “severe financial problems” could lead to hundreds of layoffs if a new contract isn’t agreed to. Hiller’s administrators directly blamed skyrocketing Obama Care insurance costs as a major contributor to their “severe financial problems”!

Missouri: Asset manager DST Systems announced it will kill off 150 jobs in Missouri, Connecticut and India!

New York: The city of Lockport eliminated nine jobs without warning.  City administrators say they must borrow $4.6-million to stay alive!  In Rochester, Eastman Kodak announced more layoffs, this time 71 people to become unemployed in December.  In NYC, healthcare provider SinglePoint Care Network warned they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 22 jobs lost.  In Buffalo, food processor Zemco announced they are shutting down in January 2015,  at least 287 jobs lost! In Ronkonkoma, Bay Shore and Coram Suffolk Bus warned their contracts expire in January 2015, putting 508 jobs in limbo!

North Carolina: In Statesville, JR Cigar announced it will shutdown in December, 77 jobs lost.  The property owners are planning to “redevelop” the land.

Ohio: In Lorain, Republic Steel revealed they had laid off 105 employees back in September!  In Canton, a local newspaper reported that Republic Steel laid off more than 100 employees between August and October!  Company administrators blame competition from foreign steel makers, whom they claim are ‘dumping’ steel on the U.S. market.

Pennsylvania: The Bon-Ton announced it will shutdown a store in Pennsylvania and a store in West Virginia, by January 2015, at least 77 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame crashing sales.

Texas: What housing market recovery?  In Plano, Too Big to Jail Bank of America announced it is downsizing its Home Loan Originations units, and killing off 187 jobs in November!  In Houston, after 10 years Spring Branch Health Care Center shutting down: “The facility is being closed as the landlord has made the decision to sell the property to a third party.”-company statement

Wisconsin: Troubled Manitowoc Ice announced even more layoffs, this time 160 people will become unemployed between December 2014 and March 2015!  Back in March 2014 company administrators said they were shifting production of new ice machines to Mexico.  Tax sucking military truck maker Oshkosh announced it is laying off as many as 370 people!  Company administrators proudly stated that despite the reduction in sales “We’re still the number one global manufacturer of tactical wheeled vehicles for the military”.

04-07 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

International

World War 3 Afghanistan, 26 – 30 November 2014: Mujahideen ramp up ass kicking with Bird Bombs? Afghan parliament declares the Obama regime government illegal! Canadian taxpayers fork over more CAD!

Badghis Province: In Qadas District, a Kamikaze bomber exploded, killing two people, and wounding seven others.  Local cops think the bomber was targeting a convoy of police vehicles.

Balkh Province: In Mazar-e-Sharif City, at least four people wounded by explosion.  The bomb was in a fruit cart, near the police station.

Faryab Province: In Shereen Tagab District, police claim they’ve found pheasant sized live birds with tiny bombs and GPS devices strapped to them!  Police say they shot the bird, but have no clue where the bird came from!  What’s even more interesting is that it’s clear the police were expecting such a weapon to come their way, as they admitted they had snipers waiting for it.

Ghazni Province: In Andar District, a battle killed six people; five Mujahideen and at least one U.S.-NATO trained Afghan National Army soldier.

Helmand Province: In Nawzad District, a Kamikaze bomber killed at least four cops, and wounded five others.

Herat Province: In Shindand District, a police vehicle was hit by an explosive, wounding all onboard including the district police boss.  In Herat City, people are so hungry they’re eating dogs!  Three people arrested for killing dogs for food!

Kabul Province: In Kabul City, the Afghan parliament declared the Obama regime created puppet ‘unity presidency’ to be “illegitimate”, yet approved continued occupation by NATO!  The new illegitimate unity presidents have secretly lifted the ban on U.S. night time raids on civilians!  In the city’s 9th district a vehicle of the British empire’s United Kingdom was hit by a Kamikaze bomber, at least five people killed, 34 wounded.  In another part of the city, at least three Mujahideen attacked the International Relief and Development compound, killing at least two people and wounding another.  Police say one Mujahid escaped.  In another part of the city, Mujahideen attacked a “Christian missionary” base, at least three people killed.  Government administrators called the target a government “guesthouse”.  Mujahideen attacked the compound of the California-based terror group, Partnership in Academics and Development (PAD), killing one PAD employee and his two children, as well as one Afghan.  Administrators of PAD have stated that their purpose is to force Afghans to “become part of the international community”.  Kabul City police chief Zahir Zahir resigned, no reason given.

Kunduz Province: Near the border with Tajikistan, Mujahideen captured 16 Sher Khan Port Authority personnel.

Laghman Province:  In Alingar District, government forces claim they called in a U.S.-NATO drone strike (airstrike) which killed at least three people.

Nangarhar Province: In Khogyani District, a bomb exploded in a Mosque, wounding at least 36 people.  The Imam is in critical condition.

Sar-e-Pul Province: Police report that ten people were kidnapped.  They blame Mujahideen, but admit they don’t know why the people would be targets for kidnapping.

The evil British empire government of Canada is forcing taxpayers to give Afghanistan an additional $500-million CAD for “development” between now and 2017!

The Army National Guard’s 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron (Tennessee U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

Militia-personnel of the Army National Guard’s 143rd Military Police Company (Montana U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

111 militia-personnel of the Army National Guard’s 216th Military Police Company (Arkansas U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

The Army National Guard’s 829th Engineer Company (Wisconsin U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

20 – 25 November 2014: Obama regime dupes U.S. public!

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 – 07 October 2014: “We knew something was going on…Leave us in the dark, that’s all they did!” 10-thousand job cuts announced! More NSA domestic spy contractors killing jobs! More city officials jack up your taxes! More proof Apple has turned evil!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Winn-Dixie shutting down five grocery stores by November, about 325 jobs lost!

California: Palo Alto based 75 years old Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced it will kill off 5-thousand more computer-printer related jobs!  Nothing Meg Whitman has tried is working to save the company, and now (late in the game) she wants to focus on 3-D printing.

Georgia:  Time Warner owned Turner Broadcasting System announced it will kill off about 1475 jobs across the country before the end of the year!  The majority of job cuts will be in Atlanta.

Kansas: 80% Japan based SoftBank owned cell phone service provider Sprint killing off more jobs!  Sprint has already killed off more than 300 jobs and shutdown 55 stores earlier in 2014!  No word on just how many people will become unemployed this time.  The city of Galena warned of a 40% tax increase and the killing off of ten city jobs.  Just like dumb-ass politicians, the city is losing money due to falling tax revenue, which is caused by the suck-ass economy, so the politicians jack up the taxes even more!

Maine: The University of Southern Maine continues to kill off jobs, this time 50 people now unemployed and two programs canceled.  They continue to blame a 30% crash in student enrollment (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome, or DSS)!

Michigan: In Allen Park, after three years the Daily Scoop sweat eats shop shutdown, the owners blaming the suck-ass economy.  Customer’s lamentations prove that just because you have great customer service doesn’t mean you won’t fail: “This breaks my heart. The work you did and the love you have shown this community will be so sorely missed. The individual attention you showed my kids, made them feel so special. Thank you for that. Best of luck to all of you in your future adventures.”-Brandy Shiveley

“Best of luck to you guys, it wasn’t for a lack of trying.”-Douglas LaFond, Allen Park Fire Chief

Montana: In Kalispell, after 40 years the Sizzler steak restaurant shutdown, 25 jobs lost. Local news reports say the owner ran out of money.

Nebraska: After surviving the Great Depression and many recessions, maker of store fixtures Store Kraft shutdown without notice, at least 100 jobs lost: “We knew something was going on, but every time we tried to clarify something they played dumb. Leave us in the dark, that’s all they did! There were people crying, and all those people that you work with are wonderful.”-Cindy Nevaril-Buss, final assembly employee

New Hampshire: Apple computer-phone sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, and they blame Apple: “With a classic bait-and-switch strategy, Apple presented GTAT with an onerous and massively one-sided deal in the fall of 2013. In hindsight, it is unclear whether Apple even intended to purchase any sapphire furnaces from GTAT.”-Daniel Squiller, COO

New York: In NYC, Holiday Inn Soho warned it will shutdown, supposedly for a year of renovations, 74 jobs lost.  In Fishkill, Mid Hudson Medical Group revealed they have sold out to Mount Kisco Medical Group, 746 healthcare jobs now in limbo!  That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop the selloff of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Yeshiva University Substance Abuse Treatment program at three Bronx locations, 189 jobs now in limbo!

North Carolina: There’s no beef in Elizabeth City as yet another Arby’s restaurant shuts down.

Oregon: After three years the owners of the Cosmic Soda & Candy Shop announced they will shutdown in time for Xmas.

Texas: Tax sucking Bell Helicopter laid off 80 employees in Amarillo, and 235 in Fort Worth, due to cutbacks in the V-22 VTOL Osprey program and the loss of the OH-58 Kiowa program!  Bell Helicopter also killed 36 jobs in Mexico and 200 in Canada!

Virginia: Falls Church based tax sucking government security company (which specializes in doing background checks on you) USIS announced it will kill off 25-hundred jobs across the country, due to the loss of U.S. Office of Personnel Management contracts!  In Virginia Beach, management of the Christian founded The Founders Inn and Spa is changing yet again, 208 jobs affected!

03 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

International

World War 3 Afghanistan, 20 – 25 November 2014: More proof of NATO genocide against Afghans! Obama regime duped by con artist! Obama regime dupes U.S. public! Women take up guns!

Farah Province: Government officials are parading three women whom they claim killed 25 Mujahideen.  The women claim their adult son-brother-husband, who was a cop, was assassinated in front of their eyes and they sought vengeance.  The mother, sister and widowed wife of the cop took on Mujahideen in a battle that lasted seven hours.

Faryab Province: In Khawajah Sabz Posh District, a police FOB was attacked, at least three people killed, seven wounded.

Kabul Province:  In Kabul City’s Qabil Bay neighborhood, two U.S. Army personnel were killed when a bicycle bomb exploded as their convoy passed by.  The U.S. Department of Defense calls it a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED).  Local reports say civilians were wounded.

Kunduz Province: In Dasht-e-Archi District, a remote controlled motorcycle bomb exploded in a market killing at least six people and wounding five.

Nangarhar Province: In Shirzad District, Mujahideen claim to have capture a drone intact, and have transfered it to a secret location.

Nuristan Province: In Kamdish District, Afghan National Army claims they called in a U.S.-NATO drone strike (airstrike), which killed six people.  It was part of ongoing battles with Mujahideen, which left at least 22 people dead over the weekend.

Paktika Province: Just hours after the Afghan parliament approved the Obama regime’s occupation plan, a Kamikaze bomber blew up and killed at least 57 people in Yahya Khel District.  About 60 people wounded.

It was revealed that NATO member Turkey was the site of genocide against Afghan refugees.  Nine women and children were shot and killed when they tried to cross from Turkey into Bulgaria.  The remains of their bodies were found on the Turkish side of the border in May 2014.  And at the beginning of November 2014, 24 Afghans were killed as they sailed from Turkey for Romania.  The official Turkish explanation is that they drowned.

The New York Times and Washington Post claim that Obama regime puppets in the Afghan government were conned by a man claiming to be a representative of the Mujahideen.  They thought they were talking peace with a Taliban leader.  He ended up getting away with “a lot of money” from U.S. taxpayers, and has now disappeared.

The New York Times also reported that Barack Obama, the supposed president of the United States, quietly signed an executive order continuing combat ops, despite years of telling the U.S. public that the U.S. military was going to be playing a training and support role only.  The decision to continue combat ops comes right after Obama fired his Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel.

15 – 19 November 2014: U.S. taxpayers stuck with $511-million bill

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 03 October 2014: No more Red Cross?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  In Costa Mesa, Too Big to Jail City National Bank warned of layoffs in December.  In Hawthorne, evil Cerberus owned Albertson’s grocery store warned it will shutdown in November, 78 jobs lost.  What housing market recovery?  In Ontario, maker of windows and doors Atrium warned it is shutting down in December,  131 jobs lost!

Massachusetts: In Easthampton, medical plastics maker Berry Plastics ‘voluntarily retired’ 23 employees.  Company administrators blamed it on crashing sales.

Michigan: The American Red Cross warned it will layoff one third of its employees, in an effort “to shift donor dollars from administrative costs to actual services themselves”.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, Apop Records shutdown.

Nebraska: In Lincoln, after 25 years pumpkin and apple seller Sunwest Farms shutdown. The owners admit they sold out: “…we had an opportunity this spring, we had a buyer, and we took the money and ran…”-Steph Spangler, co-owner

New Mexico: ABQ Health Partners revealed they killed off 54 healthcare jobs.

New York:  In Long Island, advertising company Market Track announced they will shutdown sometime in 2015, about 110 jobs lost!  In Brentwood, Medical Action Industries warned it will shutdown in December due to takeover by Owens & Minor Distribution, 51 jobs threatened.  In Bronx, Pathmark Stores warned they are shutting down store 72613 in December, 127 jobs lost!  company administrators blame lack of sales.

North Carolina: Washington County Hospital in Plymouth laid off 35 employees.  Administrators blamed it on problems with North Carolina’s handling of Obama Care.

Ohio: In Solon, Switzerland based Nestlé laid off 100 Stouffers and Lean Cuisine workers! On top of that Nestlé administrators say another 200 jobs could be eliminated by November!  In Cincinnati, the Urban Active fitness center shutdown suddenly.  Local news reports say the fitness center was still advertising for new customers. It’s the result of the 2012 takeover by LA Fitness.

Washington:  In Bellingham, marine (boating) equipment and art store Pacific Marine Exchange & Gallery shutdown.  The owners told local news sources the final nail in their coffin is high fuel costs.

Wisconsin:  90 people laid off by Associated Milk Producers in Portage. Operations are being consolidated to Ohio.

02 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 02 October 2014: “…persistent and increasingly difficult market conditions…have taken their toll.” No more ShopKo?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Hayward, Khol’s revealed they are shutting down in January 2015, about 70 jobs lost.  In Monterey, McGraw Hill Education warned they are laying off 47 employees in December.

Florida: After 101 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) the iconic Tobacco Road Bar being shutdown by the greedy property owner, who refuses to renew the lease.  In Fort Lauderdale, the franchise owner of The Melting Pot restaurant gave up and shut it down, 20 jobs lost. Administrators for The Melting Pot would only say that the franchise owner ran out of money.

Louisiana: Too Big to Jail Capital One shutdown two offices in Shreveport-Bossier, at least 19 jobs affected.

Maine: Tennessee based Verso Paper (which has operated since the Great Depression) warned they are shutting down their paper mill in December, at least 500 jobs lost!  The small town of Bucksport said the paper mill shutdown will kill off half their tax revenues!

Michigan: In Holland, Visteon took over the old Johnson Controls factory, and laid off 50 employees.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, the Haze Nightclub shutdown.

New York: NYC based clothing chain Aéropostale shutdown all its stores in Quebec, Canada! In 2013 Aéropostale shutdown a total of 27 of their stores in the Great White North.  In Greenport, Sunrise Coach Lines warned it might lose its public bus service contract in December, 49 jobs could be lost.  In Bronx, Display Producers warned it will shutdown in December, 91 jobs lost.  In Hawthorne, Quintiles Medical Education warned it is shutting down in December,  at least 27 jobs lost.  In Buffalo, medical supplies maker Ethox Medical warned it is being sold off sometime after December, 62 employees affected.

Pennsylvania:  Sharon Regional Health System eliminated about 87 jobs, some local news reports said the actual number is a secret.  Administrators directly blame Obama Care.

Texas: In El Paso, after only four years KiPPs Cheesesteak (described as a local fav) shutdown:“A combination of persistent and increasingly difficult market conditions and extraordinarily challenging personal circumstances have taken their toll.”-Kupper Gray, owner

Washington: Taxsucking Boeing revealed they are moving as many as 2-thousand Department of Defense related engineering jobs to locations outside The Evergreen State, between now and 2017.  Some engineers will be offered transfers and some could become employed in Boeing’s civilian aircraft ops, but many will become unemployed.

Washington DC: Taxsucking military equipment reseller Liquidity Services killed off 130 jobs!  Company administrators blame it on their new contract with the Department of Defense.

Wisconsin: ShopKo killed off 40 jobs at its Ashwaubenon corporate HQ.  Company administrators blame the bad economy for their “reorganization”.

01 October 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 October 2014: “Challenges….have become insurmountable.” No more Office Depot? More Kmart deaths! Massive real estate shutdown?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: What housing market recovery? Prometheus Real Estate Group warned it will layoff dozens of real estate agents across several cities by the end of December.  In Santa Anna, ITT Cannon warned of 41 layoffs in December.

Connecticut:  Office Depot shutting down stores in two cities; West Hartford and Wethersfield, in November.  OfficeMax closing a store in Waterbury.  It’s the result of the Office Depot-OfficeMax merger.  After the shutdowns Connecticut will have no more Office Depots, and only two OfficeMax stores in the entire state.  In Torrington, Sears Holdings announced they’re killing off another Kmart, 73 jobs lost.

Florida:  In Zephyrhills, Sears Holdings announced they’re killing off another Kmart, 70 jobs lost.

Georgia:  Atlanta based Weather Channel killing 40 jobs that were newly created in July.  Administrators called it a normal part of “restructuring”.

Kansas:  More proof the internet is not killing brick-n-mortar stores; Amazon shutting down their Coffeyville distribution center after Xmas.  Local news reports say hundreds of people will become unemployed in February.  Local news reports say Amazon is moving distribution centers closer to their main customers, apparently in metropolitan areas (so they can use drones to deliver the products?).

Maryland: In Northwest Baltimore, Sears Holdings announced they’re killing off another Kmart, 107 jobs lost!

Minnesota: Minneapolis based food maker General Mills announced they will kill off as many as 800 salaried jobs by February 2015! These are on top of the hundreds of jobs killed by their shutdown of a cereal factory and a yogurt factory. Administrators of General Mills, the largest cereal maker in the U.S., blame the suck-ass economy for their crashing sales.  After 51 years Bookcase of Wayzata shutdown: “Challenges that we have faced — especially over the last couple of years — have become insurmountable.  Changing shopping habits and the physical reality of the redevelopment and road construction that have been ongoing in downtown Wayzata for several years now have caused a dramatic drop in sales.”-Charlie Leonard, owner

Nevada: In Las Vegas, inside sources revealed that Downtown Project is killing 30 corporate jobs.  The Project is a joint venture between public and private sectors, in an attempt to revitalize East Fremont Street.  It sounds more like an excuse to sell off properties cheap.  Project administrators refuse comment on the reported layoffs.

New York:  Buffalo based “TV everywhere” Synacorp announced it will layoff 70 people.  In Rochester, Kodak laid off more employees, reports say at least 70 this time.  In NYC, food service provider to the United Nations Aramark warned it could shutdown by January 2015, due to loss of contract, 123 jobs lost!   The New York Times killing off 100 newsroom jobs!  That’s on top of those employees who don’t quit voluntarily: “The job losses are necessary to control our costs and to allow us to continue to invest in the digital future of The New York Times…”-official statement

Ohio:  United Rehabilitation Services shutdown its Berry Hearing Center.  Administrators blame increasing competition.

Texas: Oil equipment supply company Quality Lease & Rental (aka Rocaceia Energy Services) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  In Dallas, oil industry law firm Godwin Lewis laid off 17 attorneys.  Administrators said it was the result of successfully defending Haliburton against the people of the United States!

26-30 September 2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

ebay shutting down after Xmas?

11 December 2014 (15:17 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Safar 1436/20 Azar 1393/20 Bing-Zi 4712

“There will be changes; there will be significant changes.”-Devin Wenig, current ebay president

Reports that iconic internet selling venue ebay is killing off 3-thousand jobs beginning right after xmas!

(by the way, the new ‘official’ corporate way to spell ebay is all lower case)

ebay Administrators say it’s part of their plan to spinoff PayPal as a separate company.  But could it be the fact that sales have been crashing?  When sibling companies are spunoff it’s a sign that at least one of them is in trouble (like Lands’ End from Sears).

ebay administrators admitted that their sales-auctions are so low that they account for less than a third of the money transactions on PayPal!   There are also rumors that once PayPal is spunoff from ebay that ebay will be carved up and sold off.

ebay has already laid off dozens of employees with its Magento software unit, and 100 people were let go at ebay’s StubHub ticket seller.  In 2012, PayPal laid off more than 300 employees!

ebay is so desperate they are now working with traditional brick-n-mortar stores as a clearing house operation.

Toy R Us shutting down after Xmas?