Tag Archives: food

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 17 October 2013. Spice prices going up! The Big banks just keep killing jobs! More British empire caused job cuts! No more led?

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Too Big to Jail, Wells Fargo, laid off an additional 925 people!  This brings the total announced layoffs since July 2013 to 6511!  Bank officials finally acknowledge the bad economy: “We are reducing staff as we continue to align our workforce based on current market conditions…”-Angela Kaipust, Wells Fargo spokeswoman

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association laid off 12 employees. Officials acknowledged the bad economy saying they need to bring “…expenses in line with revenue.”

U.S. spice seller McCormick announced drastic closures or cut backs to its European, Middle East and Asian operations.  The company warned it will mean layoffs.  Company officials said they need to consolidate operations.

California: Yet another video game maker goes down.  2K Marin laid off a “majority” of employees, and some unnamed inside sources say the company actually shutdown.  In Oakland, Sutter Health laid off six more employees.

Connecticut: 85 jobs lost as the 160 years old Stafford Springs Warren Corporation textile mill shutdown.

Florida: In Jacksonville, evil British empire owned school bus service First Transit shutting down.  138 jobs lost.  First Transit is owned by the British First Group. First Group also owns another school bus company called First Student.  The British empire is the mortal enemy of the United States, if you work for them you’re a traitor.

Georgia: In Augusta, Rooster’s Beak restaurant shutdown.

Kentucky: In Butchertown, Blind Pig restaurant shutdown. The property owner kicked out the restaurant owner.  The restaurant owner says for some reason the property owner began refusing to accept his rent checks. Sounds like another case of a greedy property owner looking to sell out to a property developer.

Michigan: Recently formed Catholic Health East Trinity Health laid off another 45 employees.  CHE Trinity Health was behind the layoffs at the non-profit Crittenton Hospital. Pennsylvania based CHE merged with Michigan based Trinity Health, and now they’re drastically cutting costs to deal with Obama Care.  Mount Clemens Community Schools laid off 12 teachers: “When you lose students, you’re going to lose teachers.”-Deborah Wahlstrom, superintendent

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, Heidi’s restaurant shutdown.

Missouri: In Herculaneum, the last led [sic] smelter in the U.S. has shutdown!  145 jobs lost! Doe-Run says the cost of meeting the latest U.S. EPA regulations will kill them, anyway.

New York: Too Big to Jail, International Foreign Exchange Concepts Holdings, has failed.  Now bankrupt.  Company officials are blaming the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System for pulling more than $450-million USD from one of their investment funds.

Pennsylvania: In Scranton, The Bon-Ton department store shutdown.  50 jobs lost. Company officials said it was not worth it to renew the lease. In Manor Township, 53 years old Furniture World Carpet One shutdown two stores (one is in Indiana)! The owner blamed the bad economy and greedy landlords: “We lost the lease…..and we couldn’t afford to buy it.”-Andrea Solomon-Eller

South Carolina: In Charleston, La Fourchette restaurant shutdown. The property owner sold the space out from under the restaurant owner.

Texas: Tax sucker Port San Antonio eliminated 17 jobs, blaming declining U.S. Air Force spending.  In Pasadena, an ALCO store shutdown: “The economy has clearly had an impact on store sales, and we’ve made the very difficult decision to close.”-Ricardo Clemente, Store Operations

Virginia:  The newspaper Virginian-Pilot laid off 32 employees.

Washington: In Bellingham, game and model kit hobby store Eagles Games shutdown.

Wisconsin: In Racine a Sears will close down, 52 jobs lost.

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

International

Norovirus Vomiting Bug: Cruise ships hit hard! Japan hit hard, again! Hospital infections & deaths being hushed up? Using too many drugs can make it worse!

26 January 2014 (01:50 UTC-07 Tango)/24 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/06 Bahman 1392/26 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) can cause norovirus like symptoms.  Most tumors are detected after misdiagnosis.

India: A new medical study, to be published in February, shows that the more prescription drugs you use, the harder it is to deal with tummy infections.  Specifically the vomiting bug bacteria known as shigellosis.  Researchers warn against using nalidixic acid, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and ciprofloxacin.

Italy: A study says giving your baby probiotics will reduce the chances of it getting some types of gastrointestinal diseases.  Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria that help your stomach.

Aomori Prefecture, Japan: At least 77 people with symptoms of norovirus after eating box lunches (bentos) they bought at a store. The store has been ordered to stop selling the lunches.

Gunma Prefecture, Japan:  At least 2800 people sickened after eating frozen foods laced with malathion.  An arrest has been made.  Company officials have apologized.  Police suspect the employee they arrested deliberately poisoned the frozen foods, over the course of four production runs, because of issues regarding his pay.  The employee denies the accusation.

Hiroshima, Japan: 303 Junior High School students, and 20 teachers from ten schools got sick.  Health officials suspect norovirus.  Lunches for all ten schools are supplied by the same food service contractor.

Kyoto, Japan: Four people dead at Soseikai General Hospital.  Officials finally revealed the seriousness of the outbreak, saying it’s been going on for the past five weeks!  At least 101 patients and employees of the hospital have been infected with norovirus.

United Kingdom:  Health official are telling people that if they’ve been sick with norovirus symptoms, they need to stay away from hospitals for at least 48 hours after feeling better. Norovirus continues to close hospital wards with  Wigan Infirmary and Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Georgia, United States: Reports of 30 people down at the Warner Robins Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.  Both patients and employees are sick.  Tests are being done to determine the cause.

Florida, United States: Indian River County revealing that “Norovirus has been identified as the culprit in several recent outbreaks in long term care facilities….”-Cheryl Dunn, Florida Department of Health

Minnesota, United States: Many students at schools in Hermantown were out sick due to an outbreak.  A school nurse noted that most of the locals were calling it a flu outbreak, when in fact it is probably norovirus.  They are suspecting self serve lunches in the schools’ cafeterias.

New Jersey, United States: The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas ship halted its voyage to the U.S. Virgin Islands shortly after leaving Cape Liberty.  303 passengers and crew became violently ill.  The ship had to be “sanitized” in Puerto Rico.  The U.S. CDC will investigate.

New York, United States:  Duchess County Department of Health warning of increased gastrointestinal diseases.   Specifically norovirus.

Virginia, United States: In Midlothian, it’s been revealed there was an outbreak of norovirus at the Bon Secours Saint Francis Medical Center.  Between 30 to 40 hospital employees got sick after eating food brought in by a contracted food service.  The actual cause is still being investigated.

The U.S. CDC says norovirus accounts for as many as 800 deaths in the United States, every year.

Norovirus (aka Norwalk Virus), is a surface contact bug, meaning you pick it up by touching or eating it.  It is not influenza and there is still no vaccine for fast evolving RNA norovirus.  The only ‘treatment’ is to keep the sick person hydrated.

Exotic anti-biotic soaps can’t kill norovirus, or any other virus for that matter, because anti-biotics are only for bacteria.  Despite that, even hand ‘sanitizers’ made with alcohol can’t totally get rid of norovirus.   Guess what apparently works?  According to the U.S. CDC old fashioned hand soap is best.  Consumer Reports says to leave the soap on your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds.  Also, in public restrooms use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the door, do not touch surfaces with your bare hands after washing them.

Wash household surfaces with bleach.

The worse thing is that you can be infected and not have any symptoms.  An infected person can spread norovirus, yet not feel sick themselves. If you think you might be infected do not cook food for other people. People recovering from traditional symptoms of norovirus can continue spreading the bug for days after feeling better (some reports say weeks).

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 19-22 January 2014: U.S. Army drone operator assassinated! Obama’s Presidential Guards conduct massive Israeli style home invasions?

Badakhshan Province: Mujahideen captured a gemstone mine along with 44 local cops and “…a considerable amount of arms and ammo as well as several ranger vehicles.”  They say the police were forcing people to work the mine for the profit of the local police boss-warlord.

Helmand Province: In Nawzad Distict, at least three civilians dead, four wounded when they drove over a landmine. In Marjah District, reports that a nine years old was murdered by a government lapdog, possibly a member of Obama’s Presidential Guards.

Herat Province: In Gerishk District Jangzo village, a midnight Israeli style home invasion resulted in three people being kidnapped. In Pashtun Zarghun District, 63 privately funded NGO personnel working to remove landmines, were captured by Mujahideen. Mujahideen released the ‘deminers’ once they learned they were not government military personnel.  However, local Afghan government forces claim they ‘rescued’ the deminers.

Kabul Province: In Kabul City’s 8th district, for the first time in recent memory (according to Afghan news media) an seven years old boy killed himself by hanging. Nobody knows why.

Kandahar Province: In Spin Boldak District, reports that one cop attacked two other cops with a big knife, he was shot and killed.  In Maiwan District, three civilians killed one wounded when they drove over a landmine.   In Zharai Distirct, a 42 years old U.S. Army CWO from California, was shot and killed during an attack by Mujahideen which included suicide bombers.  Mujahideen claim they killed and wounded many more than what is being reported (including several high ranking Afghan National Army personnel), saying they observed medevac ‘copters flying in and out of the base “well into the night”.  Afghan government sources say nine Mujahideen were killed.  The USA Chief Warrant Officer was an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, drone) operator on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.  Also, five militiamen of the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 849th Mobility Augmentation Company were wounded during the attack: “We got ambushed. We’re all alive, we’re all alive.”-Staff Sergeant Robbie Sheets, Minnesota ANG, hit by shrapnel, during a phone call with his mother

Kapisa Province: In Nijrab District, reports that a stray mortar round fired by the Afghan National Army, killed an eight years old girl and wounded six civilians.

Kunar Province: Once again provincial officials claim Pakistan bombarded their territory with artillery fire. 21 rounds hit Dangam and Kunar Khas districts. No damage or casualties reported.

Maidan Wardak Province: In Syed Abad District, an Israeli style home invasion resulted in three people being kidnapped.

Parwan Province: In Shinwari District, Mujahideen say they captured 47 artillery rounds, 8 rockets and 1500 rounds of heavy and light machine gun ammo.

Sar-e-Pul Province: Three local cops killed, four wounded when they drove over a landmine.

Zabul Province: Obama’s recently created (in 2010-11) Presidential Guards may be behind a terror op targeting civilians. In Nawbahar District, many villagers reported large scale heliborne Israeli style home invasions.  Personal vehicles and other property were destroyed, people beat up, a Mosque vandalized and at least 13 people kidnapped.

USMC General Dunford told U.S. Congress that the U.S. should stay in Afghanistan after the supposed 2014 pullout.  He wants at least 10-thousand U.S. military personnel to stay.

40 militiamen of the Army National Guard’s 415th Military Police Detachment, from the U.S. state of Iowa, in training to be deployed to Afghanistan.

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: Kmart shuts em down! Sears bankruptcy next? Sears pipedream of hiring 6500 new employees!

24 January 2014 (10:03 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/04 Bahman 1392/24 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

A Washtenaw County Kmart in Michigan, to close by April. Two Kmarts shutting down in Pennsylvania, hundreds of jobs killed.  A Westlake, Ohio, Kmart-Sears closing in April, as well as a Kmart in Xenia.  Another Kmart shutting down in Iowa, this one in Mason City.  Another Kmart in North Carolina closing down.  A Sears closing in South Carolina.  In Illinois, two Sears going down by April.

In Pennsylvania, the Sears at the King of Prussia Mall has rented out its upper floor to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

There are rumors that Sears Holdings is about to file for bankruptcy.

Despite rumors of bankruptcy, continued store closings and record losses, Sears Holdings officials claim they are going to hire 65-hundred military veterans or military spouses in 2014!   Sears even claims they somehow hired 6-thousand veterans/spouses in 2013!  Sherry Nolan-Schultz, of Sears Holdings, says they were hired for “…logistics, store management, loss prevention and home services.”  That’s hard to believe when you know how many stores they’ve shutdown.

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost),  Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost).

California:   El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart,  Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost),  Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40).

Connecticut:  Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost),  Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost).

Guam:  Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost),  Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!),  Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost),  Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Vacant bedroom/bathroom section.

One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).  No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?  On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Indiana:  Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost).

Illinois:  Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost),  Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost),  Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost),  Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), recently revealed Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), recently revealed Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost).  58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale.  By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state.  The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), recently revealed Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!),  Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), recently revealed Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost).

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials,  Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost),  Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost),  West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), recently revealed Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard,  London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost),  Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), recently revealed Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), recently revealed Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost).   Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), recently revealed Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), recently revealed Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost),  both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two),  Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), recently revealed Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah:  Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost),  Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown.

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost),  Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost),  Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall  (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: 2013 sees record high U.S. corporate profits & record low U.S. worker wages?

24 January 2014 (09:05 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/04 Bahman 1392/24 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis is reporting that at the end of 2013 unAmerican Corporate America has made record after tax profits!  $1-trillion 868-billion USD!

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median wage at the end of 2013 was $786 USD per week.  Keep in mind that was for full time employment.  The Bureau points out that only 104.8-million U.S. workers are considered full time or on salary, and there’s almost 318-million people in the United States.

In December 2013 there were 7.8 million part time workers, mostly for the holiday season which means they’re very likely unemployed now.  There were 10.4-million officially unemployed people in December, and 1.5-million had quit looking for work!  Another 2.4-million people are counted as “not in the labor force”, but looking for work (many who did not qualify for unemployment assistance).

The Bureau also reports that actual earnings for those who had a job in December 2013, went down slightly.  Yet worker productivity went up by a full 3%!  These are some reasons why corporations made bigger profits while the average worker made less “Real” wages.

How can unAmerican Corporate America continue to claim it cannot afford to raise wages, or hire more people, when it’s making record after tax profits?

“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

Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: The Hell of ObamaCare Lies! Boise TV station misleads public on Your Health Idaho enrollments! No evidence of “new” enrollees!

24 January 2014 (20:16 UTC-07 Tango 23 January 2013)/22 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/04 Bahman 1392/24 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

KBOI in Boise, Idaho, misled viewers when they reported that 20-thousand Idahoans signed up for Obama Care through the Your Health Idaho exchange.  What they failed to mention is that state Obama Care officials admitted they really don’t have hard and fast numbers!

In an Associated Press report, Your Health Idaho chairman Stephen Weeg, from Pocatello, admitted that most of the 20-thousand reported as “signed up under Obama Care” were probably people already on Medicaid/Medicare!  As far as how many new enrollees there were Wegg revealed that Obama Care is not set up to distinguish between people who were already getting government medical help and people who are new to the system: “We’d love to have that data…..we’ll have to figure out if there’s a way we can collect that information.”

The Associated Press report goes on to say that Idaho insurers admitted that most of the people paying for insurance under Obama Care already had insurance prior to Obama Care!

Boise’s KBOI also reported that Your Health Idaho director, Amy Dowd, told Idaho lawmakers that she doesn’t think the federally mandated exchange will require state funding to operate.  But the Associated Press report says she admitted she’s not really sure about that : “We don’t know how much it will cost to run our call center. We don’t know how renewals will go….”

Amy Dowd is still under fire for awarding a no bid contract to a former Your Health Idaho board member. The corrupt governor even approved the contract even though it violated state law.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 15-16 October 2013. ObamaCare kills ice cream factory? Crashing home loan demand continues to impact housing market! No more bras?

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Tax sucker and Big Brother ass kisser, FLIR (forward looking infrared) Systems to consolidate ops in Europe and the United States.  Company officials said they need to reduce staffing to save $20-million USD, due to reduced government spending on their thermal spying optics.

Tax sucker Lockheed Martin laid off 600 employees at their Mission Systems and Training business!  This is on top of the already 367 layoffs announced two months prior!

Mobile phone application maker, Path, laid off 13 employees.  Company officials said it was necessary to “support continued innovation”.

 California: In Poway, Chicken Pie Diner shutdown. The owner tried to sell the restaurant, but the sale fell through and he couldn’t afford to keep it open.

Colorado: In Fort Collins, Famous Runza Sandwich shutdown.  The owner, sensing the deteriorating economy, said he wanted to finish on top.

Florida: What housing market recovery? Mortgage Investors Corporation, which targets military personnel and  veterans, laid off 476 employees!  It’s blamed on crashing demand for home loans.  The company also had to pay a $7.5-million USD settlement to the FTC for harassing military personnel in violation of a Do Not Call List.  In Jacksonville, Hardee’s fast food joint shutdown after more than 20 years in business.

Illinois: Nonprofit Elgin Opera shutdown.  Operators said donations and ticket sales crashed.  In Belvidere, a Kmart shutdown, 91 jobs lost.

Indiana: In Elkhart, Bonnie Doon ice cream factory shutdown. Company officials said Obama Care health insurance rules will jack up their operating costs so high that it’s not worth it to stay in operation.  Elkhart city officials told local news media that Obama Care is threatening dozens of big employers in the area.

Louisiana:  The University of New Orleans shutdown its daycare center.  It’s blamed on taxpayer funding cuts and declining student enrollment.

New Jersey: Bra maker Maidenform shutting down their HQ, and killing  1330 jobs over the next year!  It’s blamed on the takeover by Hanesbrands.

Nevada: In Yerington, Marathon Equipment shutdown.  35 jobs lost. They’re moving to Arizona.  In Green Valley, Bank of the West shutdown their local office.  The California based Too Big to Fail bank blamed it on lack of business.

North Carolina:  What housing market recovery? Too Big to Jail SunTrust Bank laid off 800 employees!  It’s blamed on crashing demand for home loans.

Ohio: In Trotwood, Sears is shutting down, at least 67 jobs lost.  In Bidwell, BEF Foods shutdown, 52 jobs lost.

Oregon: In Reedsport, Pennsylvania based American Bridge steelworks shutdown, 51 jobs lost.  The company opened their Reedsport ops in 2005, helped by massive local tax breaks, and promised to hire 120 people.  In 2006 a rail line crucial to the steel plant’s operations was shutdown, but then re-opened in 2011.  But it was too late, American Bridge was able to get only one west coast contract to build a bridge, not enough to justify keeping the factory open.

South Carolina: A Mount Pleasant Kmart will shutdown.  43 jobs lost.

Texas: San Antonio, Trinity Mining & Construction Equipment laid off 86 people as part of their shutdown.  In Conroe, US Foods shutdown a distribution center.  84 jobs lost.   In Sealy, Bilderberg British empire tax sucking company, BAE, shutdown it’s M2 Bradley IFV factory.  325 jobs lost, but good riddance to the evil Red Coats: “Through its [BAE] acquisition of American companies it has increased its penetration of the U.S. market and has become the prime contractor for the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle….”-Defense Procurement News

Washington:  TOP Food and Drugs shutdown three stores throughout the Evergreen State. In Yakima, Bemis Stereo First and TV shutdown after 34 years.  The owner blamed crashing sales on the internet, even though there are plenty of examples that even internet stereo and TV sales are crashing (it’s just a bad economy).

Wisconsin: MetJet shutdown, all flights canceled, many passengers stranded.  Company officials blamed it on crashing ticket sales.

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

Idaho, Influenza

Influenza: H1N1 hits Vietnam! Yet another study links vaccine with Narcolepsy! County health officials say Vaccine has 40% failure rate! Over the counter meds spreading the flu?

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Ontario, Canada: Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that widespread use of off the shelf/over the counter non-prescription cold medication is actually spreading influenza: “When they have flu, people often take medication that reduces their fever. No one likes to feel miserable, but it turns out that our comfort might be at the cost of infecting others. Because fever can actually help lower the amount of virus in a sick person’s body and reduce the chance of transmitting disease to others, taking drugs that reduce fever can increase transmission.”-David Earn

Seoul, Korea: A former California native died from H1N1.  The 32 years old English teacher died just 24 hours after phoning friends and family in the Golden State, to tell them she was sick.  The Sacramento family needs financial help to bring her body home for burial. 

Stockholm, Sweden: Researchers at the Karolinska Institute say the vaccine specifically for H1N1 causes narcolepsy.

Alabama, U.S.A.: Doctors at University of Alabama are resorting to an extreme treatment to fight H1N1.  It’s known as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation).  It involves a machine that bypasses your heart and lungs in order to provide oxygen to your body.  It’s considered a last resort treatment.   H1N1 kills by depriving your body of oxygen, if you’re sick and you have trouble breathing and feel tired (caused by lack of oxygen) get to a hospital fast.

Arkansas, U.S.A.: Department of Health reports a total of 24 flu deaths.

Arizona, U.S.A.: State health officials report a 50% increase in flu cases in the past week.  If you have signs of H1N1, shortness of breath and tired from lack of oxygen, there’s a reason you need to get to the hospital fast: “If someone seeks medical attention and gets on an anti-viral medication within the first 48 hours, we can usually truncate the illness and mitigate the symptoms. After 48 hours, the medicine doesn’t usually work.”-Kurt Solem, Scottsdale Healthcare

California, U.S.A.: Sacramento County reports a total of 14 flu deaths. Madera County reports their first H1N1 death.  Santa Barbara County reports a 20 years old woman died of flu, but they’re not sure yet which version of flu.  Officials have confirmed three people sick with H1N1.  Fresno County reports four new deaths. Contra Costa County reports three new deaths.  San Francisco County reports one death. San Mateo County reports one new death.  Sonoma County reports one death. In San Diego, Scripps announced that at all their five hospitals visitors will be screened for flu before they can visit loved ones. Visitors who test positive for flu will be turned away. Many hospitals across California are restricting visitation. Doctors are advising that people start wearing masks.  Flu season now considered worst in past five years.

Connecticut, U.S.A.: Westport Weston Health District out of vaccines.  This contradicts the main streamer news media constantly harping that not not enough people are getting the flu shot.

Florida, U.S.A.: A flu death at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, and a flu death at University Hospital in Tamarac.

Idaho, U.S.A.: Kootenai Health, in Coeur d’Alene, had to turn people away due to overcrowding: “At one point we were short of critical care beds and running short of ventilators for life support.”-Walt Fairfax, Chief Medical Officer

Kansas, U.S.A.: Sedgwick County health officials report continued increase in influenza cases, despite the fact that about 40% of the residents have been vaccinated.  Officials now say the vaccine is only 60% effective.

Kentucky, U.S.A.: Veterinarians from the University of Kentucky are warning that the use of NSAIDs pain killers will interfere with influenza vaccines! The warning concerns horses being given flu shots, and pain killers.  The NSAID could prevent the horse from developing anti-bodies to the flu vaccine.  If this could be a problem for horses, what about humans?

Nevada, U.S.A.:  State health officials report nine flu deaths so far, more than the number of flu deaths at the same time last year.

North Carolina, U.S.A.: Alamance County reports their first flu death, a child.  So far 28 people have died from influenza in the Old North State.

North Dakota, U.S.A.:  Sanford Hospital in Bismark is asking children to stay away: “Since we’re in the peak season we need to protect our patients. It seems to be a little more aggressive in the middle-aged patients than in the past so it’s our responsibility to protect those that we can and those are the patients housed in our institution here.”-Anthony Tello

Ohio, U.S.A.:  A 29 years old man became the 5th person to die from H1N1 in Lucas County.  The father of the man said they took him to an urgent care center, where doctors told him his son did not need to be hospitalized because “he is young, he’ll bounce back”.  He was sent home, only to get worse.  He went to hospital when he could hardly breath.  He died of double pneumonia.  It was only a matter of a few days from the time he got sick to when he died.  H1N1 kills by depriving your body of oxygen, if you’re sick and you have trouble breathing and feel tired (caused by lack of oxygen) get to a hospital fast.

Oregon, U.S.A.: A woman in her 50s is in a medically induced coma at OHSU.  Her boyfriend said it hit her hard, going into pneumonia shortly after going to the hospital. Her breathing was reduced to 10%! Doctors said her only chance for recovery was to be put into a coma.  H1N1 kills by depriving your body of oxygen, if you’re sick and you have trouble breathing and feel tired (caused by lack of oxygen) get to a hospital fast.

Tennessee, U.S.A.: Vanderbilt University Medical Center reports 17 influenza deaths.  Metro Health Department out of vaccines (this shows you that a lot of people are getting the flu shot).

Texas, U.S.A.: Local news reports say many health clinics have run out of vaccine.  Pharmacies are reporting they have plenty of shots, however several people interviewed by local TV news reported that they tried to get a shot at a retail pharmacy a couple of weeks ago and were told they were out of stock.

Washington, U.S.A.: Four Spokane hospitals had to turn people away due to overcrowding.

Hanoi, Vietnam: 41 students from Tri Duc High School were hospitalized with H1N1.  Health officials say most have recovered but a few are still sick with fever.

Fukushima

More Fukushima Fallout: TEPCo refuses to pay compensation, now facing government lawsuit!

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Tokyo Electric Power Company continues to first claim it will compensation victims of the ongoing Fukushima Daiichi disaster, but then refuses!

This time Iwate Prefecture, and several of its cities and even a garbage collection service, have filed the first prefectural government lawsuit against TEPCo.  The lawsuit is asking for only a fraction of what they originally asked TEPCo to pay.

Iwate officials presented TEPCo with a bill for $73-million USD to cover decontamination efforts that are being handled by the prefectural government (that’s right, TEPCo is not actually doing any decontamination).  TEPCo refused, and now the prefecture is suing for a paltry $14-million.

Iwate official, Odashima Tomoya, said it’s obvious TEPCo has no intention of taking responsibility for its disaster.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Idaho call center shutting down, or just more of the same BS game by Center Partners?

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“Awesome products extremely bad job. Management sucks and the people your trying to help take things overboard crying about there gaming systems. It’s almost a pointless job.”–Customer Support Technician (Former Employee), Idaho Falls – January 20, 2014

“I wouldn’t recommend anyone working for this corporation.”-Inbound Sales Associate (Former Employee), Fort Collins, CO – January 2, 2014

Local east Idaho news reporting that Center Partners’ call center in Idaho Falls has told employees they will be losing their jobs.

Unnamed employees immediately called local news sources after they were ordered by Center Partners not to talk to the news media.  The layoffs begin now and run through to the end of March, because word is the place is shutting down by 31 March.  Apparently the company is consolidating operations.

Center Partners refuses to respond to local news media inquiries. But you can find plenty of bad comments from former employees on the internet.

“….I joked with a coworker during training saying, 'I like it here to an extent, but it seems that it's just a bunch of uneducated Idahoans vying for the few semi-decent paying jobs that are here.' We laughed of course, but I didn't realize how true it was until after I finished training.
I also think this is where the unprofessionalism and nepotism come into play. Perhaps if some of the supervisors or managers had experience with other work environments the site would have a more professional tone. But it doesn't. And I think it's particularly unprofessional and UNETHICAL to have a married couple be management level employees, both employed at the same site, and working in the same project.“–SCEA Tier One Agent (Former Employee) Idaho Falls, ID

The Colorado based company touts itself as being a top contracted call center operator, first going into business in 1997.  It has operations in Colorado, Idaho and Washington.

There is little info about the company out there.  The company contracts with major corporations to handle calls from their customers.  Center Partners say they specialize in the following “customer touchpoints”:  Inbound/Outbound calling, Chat, Email, Social and @Home.

“I have worked at multiple call centers in different cities, and I have NEVER encountered a call floor as loud as theirs in Idaho Falls. It’s not the agents that are loud, it’s the trainers and the managers and the helpers who REFUSE TO BE QUIET while they are on the floor. It’s the Trainers and their buddies who carry on full-blown non-work-related conversations (gossip) behind the agents who are trying to deal with (for the most part) upset consumers. The agents need back-up who understand the need for a quiet work area. Consumers who call in deserve to have the full attention of the agent they are speaking with, not one who is constantly distracted by the people that wander the floor.”-CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT (Former Employee), Idaho Falls, ID – December 5, 2013

“I worked for this company for over 2 years….Management…were extremely egotistical, and socialized only with each other…..Benefits are overpriced and a joke….Some employees and management were clearly inebriated at work, and some were known convicted felons…….”-Sales Representative (Former Employee), Liberty Lake, Washington – December 3, 2013

Basically most Center Partners employees report, on internet employer rating sites, the same news that you hear from employees of other call centers; overall it’s a lousy job.

In 2013, Center Partners began laying off and shutting down it’s few call centers, or so it said.  In July 2013 the company announced it would layoff 578 employees in Washington, and 600 employees in Colorado.  Company officials blamed “changing business needs”.

At that point they were not sure what they would do with their Idaho operations.

In August 2013, it was revealed that Center Partners lost their contract with Capital One.  That contract apparently covered the pay for 42% of the company’s employees.

Then, suddenly in October 2013 Center Partners said not only were they not shutting down their Washington operation, but they would hire almost the same amount of staff they were going to fire!  Company officials credited “internal restructuring”.  It turns out that many employees had left the Washington office anyway!  The company also admitted they were still cutting management jobs.

Also in October 2013, Center Partners reported that thanks to “…efforts to reposition people internally…” they were actually going to add 400 jobs in Colorado, instead of layoff 600.  That’s a clear sign of inefficiency and incompetence when on one hand you say you have to kill 600 jobs, then magically on the other hand with some simply repositioning of employees you can suddenly add 400 jobs?  Oh but wait, it turns out that many employees in Colorado had already left as well.

It’s interesting that employees quit simply because they heard they were going to be laid off.  A local Spokane, Washington-Coeur d’Alene, Idaho TV station did interview management for the call center there and they confirmed that many employees quit just because they heard there would be layoffs.  So what this means is the company didn’t really create any new jobs they’re just replacing the people that quit.

The company also says they got new contracts, but didn’t specify.

It sounds like what’s happening is Center Partners is using the threat of impending layoffs to scare some unwanted employees away.  It’s an old trick, if you have a number of employees who’ve been with you long enough to pester you for a raise and benefits or a promotion, you lay them off for whatever reason.  And under Idaho’s Right to Work you over laws an employer is not required to give a reason for laying you off.  And by the way, In Idaho if an employer times their layoffs just right then they can get out of paying unemployment assistance!  They just need to make sure the employees never worked over a certain amount of hours, or never went over a certain amount of pay under Idaho Department Of Labor’s “reporting period”, and the laid off employees don’t get any unemployment assistance!  I know, it’s happened to me.