Tag Archives: food

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 26-29 December 2013: Crime rate increases under U.S. occupation! Idahoan killed! Afghan woman bitch slaps cop in public!!! Contractor sniped! National Guard gives away taxpayer paid for equipment!

Helmand Province: In Nad-e-Ali District, a motorcycle bomb exploded.  Two people wounded.  General Peter Wall, of the Red Coat Bilderberg British empire Army, said he expects the Mujahideen to take control of the province after 2014. Also, a U.S citizen and former Virginia cop, working for security contractor Pax Mondial (subcontractor for Black & Veatch), was sniped and killed while jogging.

Herat Province: In Shindand District, one border cop was killed, three others wounded when their vehicle ran over a landmine.

Kabul Province: Near Camp Phoenix, a car bomb impacted a U.S.-NATO-ISAF convoy, killing two Slovak-ISAF personnel and one U.S. Air Force Captain from Sandpoint, Idaho. At least nine Afghans were wounded.  Mujahideen say that 16 military vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the attack.  In Kabul City, police say the crime rate has skyrocketed under U.S. occupation.  Police held a press conference to report a record 100 kidnapping, robberies and murder cases in the past month.  More than 200 people have been arrested.  The cops blame it on people from other parts of Afghanistan flooding into the U.S. occupied capital city to look for jobs.  And what was that about Afghan women being oppressed?  Female politician, Human Sultani, publicly bitch slapped a male cop in front of the Pakistani Embassy! Reports say there is video of the incident.  Back to Camp Phoenix, the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment, from the U.S. territory of Guam, gave away more than 120 pairs of boots to the Afghan National Army!  Don’t those Guam guys know that U.S. taxpayers are already giving the ANA billions in cash and material?

Kandahar Province: In Spin Boldak District, police report a explosion killed one child and wounded another.   The cops gave no further explanation.  In Maiwand District, a mini-bus ran over a landmine, killing two people and wounding at least seven.  In Ghorak District, reports that cops turned Mujahideen attacked and killed seven government personnel.  No comment from government officials.

Uruzgan Province: In Dehrawod District, reports that U.S. led Afghan government forces killed a mentally retarded man.  The man had a habit of wandering the desert at night, which caused the government forces to suspect him of planting bombs.  Also, a man claims he shot down a small U.S.-NATO-ISAF recon drone.  He says he recovered the UAV.

The U.S. Army’s 96th Transportation Company, 49th Transportation Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command, deployed to Afghanistan from Fort Hood, Texas.

The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) is predicting that the Mujahideen will take control of many parts of Afghanistan by 2017.

The United Nations praise Angelia Jolie for her role as High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy for girls education.

Iran has opened up its Chabahar Port for Afghan shipping companies.  Afghan shipping companies will use it to make shipping runs to India.  The port is located between the Indian Ocean and Oman Sea.

Pakistan claims a rocket fired from Afghanistan’s Nangarahar Province, killed a Pakistani man in Hashim village of Bajaur tribal region.

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: Sears & Kmart sinking fast, everybody get out now! More closings announced!

11 January 2014 (14:39 UTC-07 Tango)/09 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/21 Dey 1392/11 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Another Kmart in Kentucky being shut down by mid-April.  Sears is closing a store and auto center in South Carolina, by early March.  Another Kmart in Michigan is closing down by mid-April.  Sears is closing a store in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

A number of retailers and even ‘dollar stores’ reported crap ass sales for the end of year holidays.  That includes Sears and Kmart (so their ridiculous Black Friday hours of operations were totally wasted).  The bad sales report was so bad that investors began unloading their stocks in Sears Holdings immediately.

Sears Holdings officials report they lost as much as $316-million USD in their fourth quarter 2013!  For the whole year they expect a loss of as much as $914-million!

Moody’s Investors Service now rates Sears Holdings stock at Caa1, which is seven levels down into the ‘Junk’ category.

Brian Sozzi, of Belus Capital Advisors, declared Sears holdings in “a slow death spiral”!  He also said he sees no way the company can recover.

Rocco Pendola, of The Street, said “If You Work For Sears, Quit and Find a New Job, NOW”!  Unfortunately in today’s U.S. economy that’s much easier said than done.

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).

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).

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).  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).

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!), recently revealed 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, recently revealed Bad Axe Kmart (61 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).

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).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 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).

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).   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), recently revealed 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).

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), recently revealed Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 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)

U.S.

Virus hitting hundreds of children in the United States, no it’s not the Flu! Hospitals telling kids to Keep Out! Keep kids out of school!

11 January 2014 (10:22 UTC-07 Tango)/09 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/21 Dey 1392/11 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

The Arizona Department of Health Services reports 164 cases of  RSV so far this season.  32 of those cases showed up this past week. More than 80% of the cases involve children under the age of five.

Hospital officials in the city of Phoenix are telling kids to stay away from the hospital: “Any kids less than 12, we don’t like them coming to the hospital because they obviously are at a higher risk of carrying those infections and passing them on.”-Wassim Ballan, Phoenix Children’s Hospital

In Houston, Texas, an outbreak of RSV has sent hundreds of children to the hospital since the beginning of the 2013/14 flu season.  Just one hospital, Children’s Memorial Hermann, reports that since October they’ve admitted more than 140 children for the viral infection.

RSV is not the flu, but it might just be what most people have called the common cold.  The ‘season’ for human Respiratory Syncytial Virus just happens to be the same ‘season’ as for influenza.

Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a 45% increase in RSV cases in December 2013, compared to December 2012.  By the end of December 2013 there were 600 confirmed cases of RSV in Texas.  State officials admitted they do not track deaths, but also said they haven’t heard of any, yet.

RSV hits children hardest. There is no vaccine, and treatment is limited to trying to help the patient breath and observation.

In New Jersey, by the end of December 2013 there were more confirmed RSV cases than confirmed influenza cases.  120 RSV versus 16 flu (of course that might have changed by now).

A study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases says grade schools are the main source of RSV infections.  The study was done in a rural area of Kenya, on the continent of Africa.  It concluded that “…for a high proportion of infant RSV infections, the source is from within the household and predominantly introduced by an elder school-going sibling…”-Wellcome Trust Research Program study

RSV also affects adults.  Another study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases says some transplant patients are at risk of getting RSV.  It involves hematopoietic cell transplant and lymphopenia: “This study identified a protective lymphocyte count level (more than 1,000/mm3), which might suggest that patients who acquire RSV during the first 100 days after transplantation do not require treatment if they have good lymphocyte counts. On the other hand, patients with the risk factors identified in this study may be good candidates for early antiviral treatment.”-Michael Boeckh, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Research Center

A study by the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation concluded that even though RSV is currently considered to mainly target children, older people are targeted as well, which challenges current beliefs that by the time most people become adults they’ve become immune to RSV.  At least 10% of hospitalizations of people 65 years of age, or older, for pneumonia is actually caused by RSV: “Knowing that adults’ susceptibility to RSV increases as they age is important for health care providers and public health officials to note as they treat and monitor respiratory illnesses this season.”-Edward Belongia, Director of the Epidemiology Research Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation

A troubling study involving mice suggests that getting sick with RSV as a child, and infected again as an adult is not a good thing.  The study was published in the Journal of Virology, it basically says your immune system has a short term memory regarding its encounter with RSV when you were a kid.  This immune system memory is called Innate Immune Pathogenic Recall Response: “Infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in neonatal mice leads to exacerbated disease if mice are reinfected with the same virus as adults……….These findings indicate a hitherto unappreciated role for the innate immune response in governing the pathogenic recall responses to RSV infection.”-Delayed Sequelae of Neonatal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Are Dependent on Cells of the Innate Immune System

The above study would also suggest that if a vaccine was made it would be of short term benefit only.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 02 October 2013. More ObamaCare trouble! Hundreds of jobs lost!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

International news source, Thompson Reuters, warned of layoffs in the United States.

Video game maker Sega laid off an undisclosed amount of employees in the United States.

Alabama: In Jasper, the Christian god couldn’t stop non-profit Missions Unlimited from shutting down their thrift store.  Their main office is moving to Prattville.

Arizona: In Phoenix, Second Hand Rose antiques shutdown.

California: In Modesto, Save Mart grocery store shutdown. The family owners blamed it on the bad economy.  In Stockton, decades old La Maison women’s clothing store shutdown.  The owner blamed the bad economy.

Connecticut: In Brookfield, Germany based Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics closing down over the next two years.  256 jobs lost!  The company is consolidating its medical diagnostic device factories, possibly due to the new Obama Care tax on medical devices.

Georgia: Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital warned of more layoffs, on top of the 33 management personnel rendered unemployed! Hospital officials blamed it on Georgia refusing to expand medicaid payments under Obama Care.  In Albany, a Piggly Wiggly grocery store shutdown.  The company finally went bankrupt.  50 jobs lost.

Idaho: In Nampa, Farm and City Supply shutdown.  “There’s not enough sales to make it work right now. It’s been a struggle the whole time!”-Carl Woodburn, owner

Indiana: The Indiana University Hospital laid off another 100 people! That’s on top of the previously announced 800 layoffs!  It’s blamed on reduced reimbursements as a result of Obama Care.

Michigan: In Warren, Too Big to Jail Asset Acceptance laid off 73 people.

Minnesota: In Avon, Aunt Annie’s Quilts shutdown.

Kansas: Complete Landscaping Systems now bankrupt. Company owners blame it on the loss of a major contract with Too Big to Jail Bank of America.

New Jersey: Legal drug pusher, Warner Chilcott, laid off 88 employees.  It’s blamed on the takeover by Actavis.

New York: In Schenectady, tax sucker General Electric (GE) laid off 200 people!  This despite a $2.7-billion USD deal with Algeria!

North Carolina: Lenoir Memorial Hospital warned of layoffs if enough employees don’t voluntarily quit!  Officials blame it on North Carolina refusing to expand medicaid payments under Obama Care.  Locopops gourmet frozen treats shutdown several outlets statewide! Company officials said the economy is forcing them to change their marketing model.

Pennsylvania: In King of Prussia, Synergetics medical device maker shutdown. 24 jobs lost.  It’s consolidating production, possibly because of the new Obama Care tax.  In Montgomery Township, Pizzeria UNO Grill shutdown.

Tennessee: Legal drug maker GTx laid off 53 employees.  It’s having trouble with its lung cancer drug Enobosarm.

Texas: In Beaumont, PaceSetter Lounge shutdown.

Vermont: Tax sucker Dynapower laid off 33 workers.  It’s blamed on military spending cuts.

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

Influenza

Influenza: Deadly H7N9 makes a comeback! Allied with H9N2! Warning for pregnant women!

11 January 2014 (21:35 UTC-07 Tango 10 January 2014)/09 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/21 Dey 1392/11 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

A 38 years old man in China died today, the same day it was confirmed he was infected with H7N9.  So far this year there are at least ten human infections (150 human infections since the beginning of 2013, 45 deaths) involving a virus that is still considered a bird only flu.

At least four of the latest human cases had contact with poultry.  Six are in critical condition.

Chinese researchers have discovered that not only are poultry infected with H7N9, but they are infected with H9N2 as well.  Further research resulted in their conclusion that H9N2 (duck flu) is playing a role in the evolution of H7N9.  Genetic testing showed H7N9 genes containing genes from H9N2.

Restaurants, as well as poultry markets, are found to have the virus and massive cleaning is being undertaking.  A restaurant in Guangzhou Province was shut down and 27 employees are now under medical observation.

The Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant woman: “Our findings suggest that pregnancy might be a risk factor for clinically severe influenza in young women infected with H7N9 subtype virus.”

The Jiangsu CDC reported that a pregnant woman almost died from H7N9, having to undergo intensive anti-viral treatments.  They also pointed out that she had no contact with birds!

At least two people died from H7N9 in Hong Kong.  The Hong Kong Department of Health reports three new cases, for a total of 149 cases.

Taiwan reports two human cases of H7N9.  Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council issued a Yellow Travel Alert for anybody going to Shanghai.

The University of Melbourne, in Australia, found that some people are immune to H7N9.  It has to do with the lymphocyte CD8+ T.  Some people have it, some don’t.  Those that have it can fight off influenza better than those who don’t.

International, U.S.

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 22-25 December 2013: Russia wants U.S. to stay (and die?) in Afghanistan!

Helmand Province: A USMC Sergeant from Massachusetts was killed by “direct fire”.  His family said it was his third tour in Afghanistan, and he served in Iraq.

Kabul Province:  A Red Coat British Army captain was shot and killed.  In Kabul City, four cops were wounded while trying to diffuse rockets. Apparently the rockets were just a trap as a remote detonated bomb exploded in the same area.  In Qarabagh District, Mujahideen say they fired rockets at a helicopter that landed in the area.  Also, two rockets hit the U.S. Embassy compound, but Mujahideen say they launched four rockets in total: “All Americans are accounted for and no injuries were sustained.”-U.S. Embassy statement

Laghman Province: In Alingar District, Mujahideen say they ambushed a U.S. led Afghan National Army Israeli style home invasion, killing eight people.  Mujahideen say the battle lasted five hours and two Mujahideen were also wounded.

Logar Province: In Pul-i-Alam City, a bicycle bomb exploded killing six people and wounded at least 13.

Russia’s Lower House Speaker, Sergey Naryshkin, told Afghan officials that U.S. led forces were still needed for the security of Afghanistan.

Army National Guard’s 819th Engineer Company, from the U.S. state of Arizona, returned home from Afghanistan.  They were based in Zabul Province.

Army National Guard’s 198th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, from the U.S. state of Delaware, returned home from Afghanistan.  They kept their return a secret to surprise their families.

Army National Guard’s Detachment 47, from the U.S. state of Oregon, returned home from Afghanistan.  However, it was revealed that in Spring 2014 Oregon’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat will deploy to Afghanistan. (But wait, back in November 2013 the 41st was told they would not be deploying to Afghanistan! Maybe the local news media is confused?)

Army National Guard’s 850th Horizontal Engineer Company, from the U.S. state of Minnesota, returned home from Afghanistan.

Army National Guard’s 235th Military Police Company, from the U.S. state of South Dakota, returned home from Afghanistan.

Army National Guard’s 149th Vertical Construction Company, from the U.S. state of Kentucky, returned home from Afghanistan.

Fukushima

More Fukushima Fallout: Radioactive cars showing up in…Jamaica, mahn! United States secretly monitoring radiation levels in Caribbean?

10 January 2014 (15:05 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/20 Dey 1392/10 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Not only has Russia rejected another shipment of used cars from Japan, because they are emitting radiation, but all the way on the other side of the World Jamaican officials are reporting radioactive cars showing up in their ports!

Russian officials announced that for 2013 they rejected 165 used cars and spare parts from Japan, because they are radioactive!  When it comes to fish from Japan, officials say so far they pass muster.

Now, officials with the Caribbean country of Jamaica say they have quarantined at least two shipments of Japanese cars because of radiation contamination.

The first shipment was in November 2013, and involved second hand mini-buses for sale in Jamaica.  The second case was in December 2013, and involved used car parts destined for Guyana.  Both shipments are now detained by the Jamaica Customs Agency.

Jamaican officials are now demanding urgent meetings with Japanese officials.

Jamaican Customs officials also revealed they were able to detect the radiation because the United States Department of Energy has quietly begun monitoring radiation levels in the Caribbean, and is training various Caribbean governments in how to conduct radiation checks on products coming from Japan!

Velma Ricketts, Assistant Commissioner of Jamaican Customs revealed that her country’s radiation checks are being done in participation with the U.S. DoE, and that the U.S. DoE also provided the detection equipment (at U.S. taxpayer expense) as well as the training.

 

U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Proof your elected officials are getting richer, and your paying for it! Record number of millionaires in Congress, slashing services and jacking up your taxes!

10 January 2014 (14:33 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/20 Dey 1392/10 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Reports of a decreasing U.S. unemployment rate are being tempered with the fact that not only did the number of people applying for first time unemployment assistance (IT IS NOT A BENEFIT!) go down, but so did the number of people finding jobs, and so did the number of people still looking for jobs.

That’s the real reason for the unemployment rate going down; yet again hundreds of thousands of people quit looking for work!

In December 2013, 347-thousand unemployed people gave up on finding a job!  That is represented by the Participation Rate, which hit 62.8% the lowest since 1978! When you factor the Participation Rate just for men, it hits the record low set back in 1948!

Compare the 347-thousand people who gave up finding a job to the measly number of people who found a job; only 74-thousand in December!  And that’s way down from what job ‘experts’ expected.

A CNNMoney survey of employment ‘experts’ said 193-thousand jobs were going to be created in December.  USA Today said their 37 ‘experts’ predicted 205-thousand to 238-thousand new jobs would be created in December.  Now those USA Today experts say the bad news is just an “aberration”, and blamed bad weather (damn that climate change).  Those silly ‘experts’!

Oh yeah, out of that 74-thousand jobs created in December, most of them were end of year temporary holiday/seasonal jobs!!!!

There’s good reason for long term unemployed (who are mainly men) to quit wasting their time and money looking for a job.  According to U.S. Bureau of Labor March 2013 data, if you’ve been unemployed for more than one year your chances of getting hired drops to 9%!!!!!!!!!!

Now comes your friendly neighborhood political representative, who seems to be making big money despite the suck ass economy.  According to Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), they are making big money!

For the first time in U.S. history, more than half of your elected officials in the U.S. Congress are net millionaires!

Now realize those ‘elected’ officials voted to end unemployment assistance for 1.3 million people, and are slashing and burning government services, and are stealing money from Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare and the U.S. Postal Service, and they keep jacking up the taxes you pay!

Officials at the CRP blame you the dumb voters for the situation: “Despite the fact that polls show how dissatisfied Americans are with Congress overall, there’s been no change in our appetite to elect affluent politicians to represent our concerns in Washington…”-Sheila Krumholz, executive director CRP

And don’t forget the 1.3 million unemployed who lost their federal assistance this month!  That’ll probably make the unemployment rate for January 2014 go down too, makes things look real gooood!

It’s almost like a conspiracy to rip off the average worker of the United States so the 1% elites can get richer by cutting government services while raising taxes?

“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, U.S.

Norovirus: Sandwich shop confirmed as source! People getting confused! Connection to influenza? Hospital officials beggin’ you to stay away! Royally incompetent doctors kill woman!

10 January 2014 (05:36 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/20 Dey 1392/10 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

British Columbia, Canada: Catholic Providence Health Care reported seven cases at its Saint Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.  Visitors who insisted on entering the affected wards had to wear gowns and gloves.

Taiwan: The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control reports 246 Taiwanese tourists got sick in South Korea, with norovirus!  Taiwan complained to South Korea, saying the tourists got sick from meals arraigned by the travel agencies.

England, U.K.: An outbreak of vomiting bug has closed three wards at the Warwick Hospital.  All other wards are under visitor restrictions.  Officials at Leeds Teaching Hospitals report increasing number of people coming in sick with “winter sickness bug”.  Because there is no real treatment for norovirus hospital officials are telling people sick with it to just stay home!  A report showed that in the 2012/13 financial year the George Eliot Hospital had a total of 352 days of ward closures, blamed on norovirus!   The Musgrove Park Hospital reports an outbreak and asks that children under the age of 11 stay away from the hospital. Medway Maritime Hospital closed two wards.

Northern Ireland, U.K.: The BBC reporting that the Royal Victoria Hospital was backed up with a flood of sick people.  The scene was described as chaotic and hospital staff were “at their breaking point”.  The BBC says don’t blame it on norovirus outbreak, blame it on massive government health care funding cuts and layoffs, which resulted in other Northern Ireland hospitals rerouting new patients to Royal Victoria Hospital.

Scotland, U.K: Incompetent doctors at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary killed a retired woman by misdiagnosing her blood clot as vomiting bug!!!  The 77 years old woman went to the hospital for help twice.  She died after they sent her home the second time.  Despite what the Royal screw job doctors said she did not have norovirus, she had a blot clot in her bowel!  Health Protection Scotland is reporting that 70% of new hospital cases, in December 2013, were norovirus infections.

Kansas, U.S.A.: The Department of Health and Environment confirmed that a recent outbreak of norovirus was caused by a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop.  The shop was closed for two days of cleaning.

Minnesota, U.S.A.:  Health officials reporting coinciding increases in norovirus cases and influenza cases.

New Hampshire, U.S.A.: Health officials are noting a coinciding rise in norovirus cases, as influenza cases rise.  No hard-n-fast numbers given.

New York, U.S.A.: A local NBC affiliate reported that hospital ERs are filling with people sick to their stomachs.  The NBC affiliate didn’t give any hard and fast numbers.

Texas, U.S.A.: Health officials in the Dallas-Fort Worth area report coinciding cases of norovirus and H1N1, and people are getting confused: “You could be fooled, thinking that you have one and have the other. As far as norovirus goes, there’s really not anything we do for it other than supportive treatment, giving IV fluids if necessary.”-Glenn Hardesty, Arlington Memorial Hospital

Washington, U.S.A.: At least 11 people sick at a Fairhaven nursing home.  Nursing home officials are blaming it on a visitor, whom they think was sick with norovirus.

Wisconsin, U.S.A.: In Fox Valley, 16 people at a nursing home got sick.  Just like in Washington, nursing home officials blame it on a sick visitor.

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

Norovirus 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).

Fukushima

More Fukushima Fallout: Japan to conduct nuke meltdown, on purpose! Overall radiation levels rising at Fukushima Daiichi, throwaway workers now in danger! 1400% radiation increase in California?

10 January 2014 (04:22 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1435/20 Dey 1392/10 Gui-Chou (12th month) 4711

Japan Times reporting that the Japan Atomic Energy Agency will conduct a full meltdown of nuclear fuel in March!  The crazy bastards at the JAEA want to observe the meltdown “….to figure out how meltdowns occurred at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011”!

The meltdown will take place at the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture.  It will involve one fuel rod.  The test is being done because, still, nobody knows what’s really going on at Fukushima Daiichi, three years after at least three GE designed reactors melted down!

Remember, between reactors 1,2 & 3 there are at least 1500 fuel rods!  And don’t forget they’re still having problems with reactor Unit 4!

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) reporting that overall radiation levels at the boundaries of the Fukushima Daiichi radiation factory have risen to 8 millisieverts in December 2013!  In March 2013 it was at 1 millisievert.  Currently, Japanese nuke throwaway workers can be legally exposed to 1 millisievert per year, the latest reading is eight times that limit!

NRA officials blame the build up of beta ray contamination in the leaking water storage tanks.  They claim that the inflow of beta radiation contaminated water into the tanks is actually crowding out the other isotopes, pushing them right through the thick metal walls of the tanks!  Officials at the NRA are now holding meetings to figure out what to do!

The inflow of beta radiation into the storage tanks can be partly blamed on the failed Advanced Liquid Processing System.  Tokyo Electric Power Company, apparently, finally gave up on their failed ALPS filtration system.  ALPS was supposed to be used to filter the hotter isotopes from water before being stored into the tanks.  I’ve been following the implementation of ALPS, and it never worked right. TEPCo had so many problems with it that it seemed they couldn’t go three weeks without shutting down for repairs.

On 08 January 2014, TEPCo shut down all three ALPS filters.  This time they blame it on the 14 containers used to store the filtered material, saying they are packed full.  They also said it will be some time before they can get empty containers and re-start the filtration.  (Update: 10 January 2014, TEPCo re-starts ALPS.  Says the problem was the massive crane used to move the containers.  They fixed the crane, and moved new containers in place.  However TEPCo stated that ALPS is still officially in test run mode, since they’ve had so many problems it’s been difficult to asses its effectiveness.  Really?)

The Half Moon Bay Review interviewed an electrical engineer who’s worked with geiger counters for 40 years.  His own radiation checks of Surfer’s Beach, in California, showed a 1400% increase in radiation: “It’s not normal!  I’ve never seen 400 CPM [counts per minute] when I just wave my geiger around!  There has to be something radioactive for it to do that.”-Steve Weiss, radiological analyst

The Half Moon Bay Review also reported increasing amounts of cesium-137, radium and thorium on California beaches.

After California officials denounced the independent radiation monitoring by residents (one video showed a 500% increase in radiation on California beaches), the alternative news source InfoWars deployed a squad of reporters to the U.S. west coast to take radiation samples for themselves.

For their first rad check, the InfoWars radiation squad reports they found high levels of radiation outside the famous Redwood Forest; more than 80 CPMs at some points leading up to the entrance of the famous Drive Thru Tree.

Despite the geiger counter evidence of increased radiation, University of Southern California professor Daniel Stram said “There’s no danger from Fukushima with the fish that we eat.”