Tag Archives: food

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: USN screws over taxpayers by selling off aircraft carrier for one penny!!! Two other carriers to meet same fate?

23 October 2013 (11:36 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

The gott damn United States Navy just royally screwed over U.S. taxpayers by selling off the USS Forestall aircraft carrier for a measly penny!  It was sold to a scrapper in Brownsville, Texas.

When built in the 1950s it cost taxpayers $218 million USD!  The ship is made from more than 59-thousand tons of valuable metal!

Several months ago, National Public Radio revealed the decommissioned aircraft carrier was being sold to ship scrapper International Shipbreaking.  However, The Brownsville Herald reporting today that the company is called All Star Metals.  The Brownsville Herald did not report the contract price.

NPR also indicated that the USS Saratoga and the USS Constellation could also be sold off.   NPR didn’t not have any info as to how much the ships will be sold for.

NPR stated that at the time of their report the market value of scrap steel was 10 to 15 cents per pound.  The USS Forestall weighs more than 59-thousand short tons (more than 118-million pounds)!

Today, CNN reports the USN has revealed that the $218 million plus USS Forestall was sold for just one cent!

Naval Sea Systems Command quietly made the announcement on 22 October: “Today, the Navy competitively awarded an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to All Star Metals of Brownsville, Texas, for the towing, dismantling and recycling of conventionally powered aircraft carriers stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, and a $0.01 fixed price delivery order for dismantling and recycling ex-USS Forrestal (AVT 59).“

What the above statement means is that the ship was put up for auction and the only bid that came in was for one penny!

Obama is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Navy.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: More proof Obama Care a false flag op to destroy you!

23 October 2013 (11:21 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“Clearly there’s problems with the website, but I would argue that the problems go much further than that………hundreds of thousands of Americans who are finding out that they’re going to lose their coverage because the plans they have today don’t qualify under ObamaCare……more Americans are going to lose their health insurance than are going to sign up at these exchanges…….it’s affecting the ability of the American people to find the job that will help them take care of themselves and their families.”-John Boehner, Speaker of the House

“Either Secretary Sebelius is lying to protect President Obama or the President needs to get control of his signature health care law.”-Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee

“Either they didn’t know what was going on in their own offices or they were deliberately misleading us.”-Tim Murphy, Congressman from Pennsylvania

“Despite the President’s assertion that ‘we’re well into a tech surge,’ neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services is providing additional details about which private sector companies have been engaged or whether they are being engaged through the appropriate procurement processes.”-Darrell Issa, Congressman from California who sent letters to Verizon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and Expedia demanding explanations as to their roles in healthcare.gov

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Obama Care NAZI operatives deploying to Texas, and other problem states!

23 October 2013 (11:00 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“We are planning to deploy White House officials and Cabinet secretaries to the 10 cities across the country with the highest rates of uninsured Americans to do enrollment events and other grassroots activities.  These cities and metropolitan areas include Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, Tucson, North Jersey, Tampa, Orlando, Detroit and San Antonio.”-unnamed White House official who can’t count (notice they said “10 cities” but name 11)

“Texas will soon be ground zero for a White House push to jump-start enrollment in the new online health insurance marketplaces.”-dallasnews.com

According to The Dallas Morning News, the Obama regime is deploying Obama Care bullies to Texas, to force people to sign up for Obama Care.

At least ten Texas cities are being targeted.  They’re being targeted because of a high rate of people who have no health insurance.

Reports say other states like Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey will soon be targeted by Obama Care NAZI stormtroopers dressed as grassroots political activists.

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: HHS official avoids explaining why Obama Care website crashed during testing, or why insurance companies raised alarms! Stop calling health care a “product”!

23 October 2013 (10:38 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

It really looks more and more like Obama Care healthcare.gov is a False Flag op.   In an interview with CNN, the pretentious Secretary of the U.S. Department of health and Human Services totally blew off a direct question about insurance companies raising concerns over the fact the website crashed during testing, just days before the official start date.

“According to congressional investigators, just weeks before the launch about two thirds if insurers had some concerns, specific concerns that the website would not be ready.  Just days before the launch a test was conducted and the website crashed with just a few hundred users at that time.  How was the decision made to still go forward?”-Sanjay Gupta, CNN

“There are people in this country that have waited for decades for affordable health coverage…….What’s clear is we have a product.  The product really works!  We have created a market where there wasn’t a market.  People have competitive private plans…..Waiting is not really an option.  People can sign up on the website, at the call center, in person…..”-Kathleen Sebelius, HHS

That’s the HHS secretary’s long winded direct response to why insurance companies are concerned with the healthcare.gov website, and why it failed in testing, and why the launch date was not changed?!

Another point: She strongly states “The product really works!”  How can she make that claim when so far it has failed!

Also:  Since when did health care become a product?  Health care is a service.  A product is something tangible that you can carry around or use as a tool at home or work.  When you get the oil changed on your car, was the actual process of changing the oil a product or service?  The oil and oil filter are products, the act of changing the oil is a service.  When you go to the doctor for a health check up that’s a service, not a product.  If you get some kind-o-artificial implant/medical device into your body the implant/medical device is the product, the actual medical operation to put it there is a service.   The evil drugs you’re prescribed afterwards are products.  But, the act of writing your prescription is a service of your doctor, not a product.

By the way, at the very beginning of the CNN interview Sebelius blamed “volume” for creating and revealing “issues” with healthcare.gov.  She never once explained what those problems are!  Throughout the interview she never really answered the hard questions asked by Gupta, including why President Obama was not made aware of the problems before the launch date.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Massive Kmart closings in time for Xmas! Kmart behind overcharges to taxpayers for drugs! Massive losses for Sears!

23 October 2013 (00:17 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

Sears Holdings has taken a loan for $1 billion USD, just to pay its debts!  Sears Holdings has until 2018 to pay off the new loan.  Sears Holdings reported a $194 million loss for its latest quarter.  They also lost $279 million, $489 million and $498 million in the three previous quarters!

Kmart has agreed to pay $2.55 million to settle a federal lawsuit over prescription drugs overcharges to taxpayer funded Medicaid and other health programs.  A portion of the payment will be spread to 30 U.S. states, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  The overcharging was revealed by a whistleblower.

In California, the Rancho Cordova Kmart closing.  The lease was not renewed, the store opened in 1977.

In Florida, the Panama City Beach Kmart closing in mid-January.  Sears Holdings officials keep telling local news media that former employees can apply at other Kmarts, but if you realize how many are being closed then you know Sears Holdings is lying.

In Illinois, the Belvidere Kmart shutting down by mid-January 2014.

In Indiana, the South Anthony Kmart closing in mid-January.

In Michigan, the Sterling Kmart closing in mid-January.

In Mississippi, local news media reported the Sears at the Singing River Mall, in Pascagoula, closed on 13 October.

In New York, the Kmart in Colonie will close in time for Xmas.  Sears Holdings officials say the lease was not renewed, but there are reports the location will become a massive CarMax used car lot.  If jobs keep getting destroyed, who’s gonna buy all those cars?  The Kmart in Fulton closing by mid-January. Local news media discovered the lease was good until 2018.

In Ohio, the London Kmart to close in mid-January.  Old gang bangers (retirees) complained to local news media because the Kmart was their hang out spot.  In Trotwood the Sears will close in mid-January.

In South Carolina, the Mount Pleasant Kmart will close.  The property was sold off last year.  The official closing date has not been set, but liquidation sales have started.  The store first opened in 1978.

In Wisconsin, the 31 years old Sears at Racine’s Regency Mall will close mid-January.

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).

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!), recently revealed Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost).

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).

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, recently revealed 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 Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?

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), recently revealed South Anthony Kmart (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), recently revealed Belvidere Kmart (91 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!).

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.

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), recently revealed Sterling Kmart (58 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).

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), recently revealed 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: 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.

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), recently revealed Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), recently revealed 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, recently revealed London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), recently revealed 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).

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), recently revealed Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 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).

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).

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), recently revealed Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 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

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Mystery dog deaths in the U.S., China strikes again! Your local butcher can sell you healthy soup bones & meat scraps for less money!

23 October 2013 (20:16 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now blaming jerky dog and cat treats made in China for years of mystery deaths.

Since 2007 more than 3600 dogs and 10 cats have gotten sick, 580 pets have died.  The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has narrowed down the cause to duck or chicken jerky treats made in China.  They want pet owners to report to them if their pet has gotten sick or died after eating the treats.

I have an answer: I’ve been buying soup bones and meat scraps from local butchers.  I’ve been able to get them for less than not only what dog and cat treats cost, but sometimes less than canned and dry pet food (sometimes I can get fresh cut soup bones, with lots-o-meat on ’em, from WinCo, for about one dollar per pound)!   The majority of dog and cat food is not meat, but grains and other fillers, even the expensive brands.  Dogs and cats are carnivores (in fact we humans share a similar digestive system, which should tell you we are carnivores), meat scraps from your local butcher are better for them than processes and expensive pet food or treats!

International

What’s in a Prophecy? Pope Francis says ideological Christians are sick in the head! Wants to unite all western Christians!

23 October 2013 (20:01 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

“The faith passes, so to speak, through a distiller and becomes ideology, and ideology does not beckon. In ideologies there is not Jesus: in his tenderness, his love, his meekness. Ideologies are rigid, always. Of every sign: rigid.  When a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought…..For this reason Jesus said to them: ‘You have taken away the key of knowledge.’……it is a serious illness, this of ideological Christians. It is an illness…..”-Pope Francis, on Radio Vatican 17 October

Francis also blamed arrogant Christian right wingism on false praying.

Today, Pope Francis ordered Catholics to pray for other Christian denominations, specifically for reunification with Lutherans: “But we Catholics must pray with each other and other Christians. Pray that the Lord gift us unity!.………..Catholics and Lutherans can ask forgiveness for the harm they have caused one another and for their offenses committed in the sight of God. Together we can rejoice in the longing for unity which the Lord has awakened in our hearts, and which makes us look with hope to the future.”

“I already hear concerns that the reformist church of 76-year-old Pope Francis might not survive his pontificate. I hear talk that the anti-reformists who took back the Second Vatican Council will likely do it again once Francis is gone….will Francis fade like the council, a meteorite in the night sky? Francis is the first pontiff educated during the council. He is a product of the council. In this sense, he is the first post-conciliar pontiff.”-Thomas C. Fox, Catholic National Reporter

“Seven months after ascending the throne of Saint Peter, Pope Francis is in the midst of a crusade against the sins of Vatican City……Francis personally moved to oust top officials of the secretive Vatican bank…..backed a push for greater financial transparency, while moving faster than many expected to replace Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone……who once wielded the power of a vice pope……the pope is preparing to consolidate the Curia’s myriad operations, with the aim of reducing the size of the bureaucracy. Francis has recently suggested that clerics should focus on their home dioceses rather than angle for prestigious postings in the Holy See. His new advisory board of eight cardinals from around the globe is seen as a counterweight to the power of Vatican-based authorities.”-The Independent, 23 October

Esquire Magazine declared Pope Francis the most interesting man in the world.

“Speaking of Pope Francis, obviously as an observant Catholic, I believe the pope is infallible. But he’s also wrong about a lot of things.”-Stephen Colbert

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Red State insurance agents sentenced for massive fraud in Mormon dominated east Idaho!

23 October 2013 (19:47 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

A father and son insurance brokerage, The Legacy Network, in LDS dominated Rexburg, Idaho, was the center of a massive health/life insurance scam.  Adrian Rand Robison and Adrian Russell Robison were just sentenced for their crimes, after pleading guilty back in June.

They were accused of falsifying tax filings and failing to rebate more than $400-thousand USD to their “high net-worth” elitist Mormon clients.

Adrian Rand Robison was sentenced to four months in prison, and to pay $1.3 million in restitution, plus 18 months of supervised release with eight months of home detention, and fined $20-thousand.

Adrian Russell Robison was sentenced to four months in prison plus 12 months of supervised release, the first eight months on home detention, fined $10-thousand, and ordered to pay the IRS $270,631.

 

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: Red State Idaho joins Obama Care insurance exchange corruption! IT company owner paid $180 per hour, with governor’s approval!

23 October 2013 (19:24 UTC-07 Tango 22 October 2013)/18 Dhu’l-Hijja 1434/01 Aban 1391/19 Ren-Xu (9th month) 4711

Idaho’s Your Health Idaho Obama Care false flag insurance exchange was outed by state legislators.

Your Health Idaho executive director, Amy Dowd, revealed she made a no bid contract with an unpaid board member, Frank Chan.  Under the deal Chan’s company, Applied Computing, would have been paid $180 USD per hour as a Obama Care enrollment consultant!  State lawmakers were outraged!

By the way, Idaho’s Red State Right to Work (you over) elitist governor Butch Otter appointed Chan to the board of the Your Health Idaho at the beginning of the year (there are an amazing 19 people on Idaho’s Obama Care board).  Dowd claims that Otter approved of the $180 per hour contract with Chan.  State representative Kelley Packer, from McCammon, said the first they heard about the deal was on 17 October, which is when Your Health Idaho actually published the deal on their website.

Chan founded Applied Computing in 1994.  He already has contracts with Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Frank Chan canceled the Your Health Idaho deal the day after state politicians expressed their rage.  The no-bid deal could have made Chan $375-thousand!  Supposedly Idaho law says any government contract over $25-thousand must be done competitively, by bids.  Now, Your Health Idaho must get state approval for any contract over $18-thousand.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 09 August 2013. Democracy NOW! going down? Utility bills too high for corporations! Pets suffer! New York hit hard! Investors killing more jobs!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

California: What housing market recovery? In Fresno, roofing materials maker, GAF Materials Corporation, laid off six people.  In Chatsworth, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase laying off 300 employees!  It’s part of the bank’s plan to layoff 15-thousand people across the country!  The evil bank officials admitted that the home mortgage disaster has reached a point where it’s not worth it for banks to continue stealing people’s homes, so they’ll take it out on their employees.  In San Diego, video game company Trion World closing.  They’re consolidating ops to their HQ in Redwood City.  The company has laid off dozens and dozens of employees since last December. Company officials said the layoffs were necessary to make lenders/investors happy!

Connecticut: The bad economy hitting even lawyers that make money from lawsuits.  A major law firm, Day Pitney, laying off as many as 40 employees.

Florida: Law firm, Boyd & Jenerette, closing their Miami office.  The office was in operations for only two years, and had lost 14 attorneys during that time.

Georgia: In Cornelia, 31 years old Gusben’s restaurant closed. The co-owner Jeff Hames said “I’d like to have more time off, spend more time with family.”

Illinois:  Navistar International laying off 140 contract employees! The semi-truck maker has already laid off hundreds of people.  Company officials gave a conflicting explanation, saying they were not “doing more with less” but then admitted they are pushing to increase “employee effectiveness”.  In Hinsdale, Italian restaurant Firenze closed.  The owners are switching to carry out only.

Michigan: The entertainment riverboat operation, Chesaning Showboat, now bankrupt.  According to the Chapter 7 filing, the company’s debt far exceeds its worth.

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, the 105 years old Falls Hardware shut down.  The owner said he was trying to sell the store so he could retire, but nobody wanted to buy it.

Missouri: Electronic transmitter maker, Process Controls International, now bankrupt.  Chapter 11 documents show the company owes as much as $10 million USD, yet has maybe $1 million in assets.  Last year the company was sued by another electronics company that alleges Process Controls stole one of their designs.

New Hampshire: In Nashua, the Main Street Bakery closed after less than one year of ops.  The owners blamed the bad economy.

New York: In Mahopac, non-profit NYSARC shut down its Putnam County Chapter Preschool Program, 47 employees laid off.  NYSARC is considered the largest non-profit helping disabled people.  The official WARN blamed “economic” reasons.  In NYC, WBAI radio announced massive layoffs.  All their news staff and most talk show hosts were let go, 75% of employees! WBAI is the birthplace of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy NOW!  WBAI is struggling to pay the rent for its transmitter atop the Empire State building.  Skin cancer treatment company, MELA Sciences, laying off 25% of employees after losing $7.4 million in its 2nd quarter of 2013.  In its 2nd quarter 2012 they lost $5.5 million.  In Soho, Cafe Cafe closed.  The restaurant had a 20 year lease, but the greedy property owner ended it four years early (read the small print on those lease contracts).  In Albany, Phillips Hardware closed. The family owners are shifting their money making to real estate acquisition.

North Carolina: Bus maker, DesignLine USA, laid off about 250 employees!  The troubled company ceased ops because they could not find any U.S. bank to give them loans for daily operations.  The company originated in the British empire country of New Zealand.

Ohio: Bankrupt aluminum smelter, Ormet, laying off 200+ employees at their Hannibal factory! The company cannot pay their utility bills, and has been asking for financial help.  Another 700 employees could lose their jobs!

Pennsylvania: In Elizabeth Township, the 38 years old Fallen Timber Animal Shelter shut down. Operators said they were financially forced to consolidate ops.

Virginia: In Middletown, the Wayside Theatre (note British empire spelling) closed after more than 50 years of playacting.  Despite raising tens of thousand of dollars in donations the board of directors said financial problems were overpowering.  What is suspicious is that the last fund raising efforts raised enough money for a year of ops, but the board of directors shut the live action theater down just a few months later.  A major sponsor of the theater, Royal Oak Computers, says they cannot get an explanation from the theater’s board of directors.  Perhaps the Board of Directors were the best actors in the theater company?  In Virginia Beach, California based boat and fishing store West Marine is consolidating retail ops. 34 employees affected. Company officials said it’s part of their plans to shut down smaller stores across the U.S.

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.