Tag Archives: idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? List of U.S. job losses & store closings for 19 January 2013. Idaho dollar stores goin’ down! Video game makers goin’ down! Colleges cutting back on programs that U.S. industry leaders say are lacking!

In Idaho, and with almost no notice, Boise based Honk’s $1.00 filed chapter 11 bankruptcy around 16 January 2013.  However, and despite what Boise media reported, they started closing down stores weeks earlier, like the one in Pocatello.  It’s reported that the dollar store corporation just can’t sell enough of the crap they have, and in Utah they owe tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid sales taxes and rent!

A Minnesota steel frame manufacturer will layoff 17 employees. Crenlo blames the bad economy.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is consolidating 13 offices.  State officials claim the move will save $2 million per year, and they will somehow not lay off any affected employee.  Famous last words.

Ohio’s Bowling Green State University will layoff 100 of its employees by Fall 2013!  University officials gave no explanation as to why so many people will be let go.

Another college feeling the pinch.  University of Hartford, in Connecticut, will layoff more than a dozen employees to try and keep their tuition costs for students down. Work hours for some other employees will be reduced.

The Long Beach City College to layoff 18 employees. They laid off employees last year as well.  The California college is dealing with a $6.4 million USD deficit. College officials also cut programs that are ironically what U.S. manufacturers say are lacking in this country, such as aviation maintenance, welding, automotive technology, HAVC and diesel mechanics among others. A few weeks later the college president said “…at no time have I been more confident about our direction and ability to meet the demands before us.”-Eloy Oakley

The Build A Bear store in Santa Rosa, California, closing down.  It’s part of the company’s plan to close down 60 stores across the United States over the next two years.

Also in Santa Rosa, a Gap Kids clothing store is closing down.

Women’s magazine publisher, Merideth, ended 60 jobs, mostly in New York, some in Iowa and other locations. The company says they are integrating operations.  They publish Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Fitness, and own Allrecipes.com, EveryDay with Rachael Ray and FamilyFun brands.  The cuts come at a time when the company recently increased quarterly dividends to stockholders, by 6.5%.

New York Blower cut 12 people, blaming crashing sales.

By the end of March 250 contracted employees will be out-o-work at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania.  Depot officials said most were short term contracts that are ending.

The Bottom Dollar Food stores in Montgomeryville and Chalfont, Pennsylvania, closing down.  They’re owned by the same European company that is shutting down grocery stores in North Carolina, Florida and Virginia.

In Washington, reports say the “vast majority of Gas Powered Games‘ staff” were laid off. The video game maker spent all their cash on their last game, called Wildman.  Company officials say they literally bet their company on its success or failure.

Also in the Evergreen State, the city of Spokane laid off two employees, and more could be in the works. Last year they eliminated 80 positions. They blame it on not enough revenue for the city.

Floyd Central Thriftway food store in Kentucky closing down.  20 employees out-o-work.  Older customers liked their delivery service.  The owner was talking about opening another store, but the reality was that sales kept going down and operating costs kept going up.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? List of U.S. job losses & store closings for 18 January 2013. Thousands more laid off in Texas!!! GM impacts entire community with mass layoffs! More colleges hit by declining enrollment! Hate Verizon even more! Have some more cheese with that whine, corporate America?

Meat packing company, Cargill, announced 2,000 layoffs for operations in Texas!!!  Two packing plants will be closed due to a lack of regional cattle for beef, and company officials blame that on the ongoing drought.  Get ready for beef prices to go up even more!

Gerber baby food maker moves production from Michigan to Arkansas. 44 people in Michigan out-o-work.

General Motors to close down its Weld Tool Center in Michigan. 343 GM employees out-o-work! The closure will also affect dozens of independent operations that rely on orders from GM.  Other local businesses said as much as 90% of their sales went to GM Weld Tool Center employees.

Standard Insurance company to cut at least 100 jobs across the United States.  Basically the company is expecting to lose money this year, and is trying to stay ahead of the curve.

The Pewter Rose restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, shut down just short of its 25th anniversary.  Sales were down, and water damage to the building was the final straw.

One month ago Hatteras Yachts announced layoffs for 150 employees at their North Carolina operation.  Now, local media reports say another 40 people were let go. It’s part of the plans of parent company Brunswick to sell off their Hatteras and CABO Yachts brands.

Also in North Carolina, mortgage insurance company United Guaranty laid off an undisclosed number of people.  Company officials say they’re trying to anticipate near term “business needs”, meaning they think things are going to get worse!

In South Carolina, the Hippodrome Theater is closing down.  The owner says ticket sales are good, but he wants to focus on his law business.

Boise, Idaho, lost another retailer. California based See Jane Run women’s sports wear closed their only store outside of the Golden State.

The Washington Township Health Care District says it has no choice but to layoff 200 employees at Fremont hospital in California! They blame reduced reimbursement rates from state and federal health programs and private insurance.

Directory Distributing Associates shut down its Merced, California, operation and laid off 42 people.

Avon closing down its Pasadena, California, distribution center. 170 jobs lost! The center was opened in 1946. Avon will also close a distribution center in Atlanta, Georgia.  250 jobs lost there! Operations will move to Ohio.  Avon officials say they need to reduce costs by $400 million per year!

Little Dipper restaurant in Dalton, Georgia, closed down. It was famous for chocolate cobbler. The family that owned it would not give details about why they closed the popular restaurant, but said it was time to move one, and that another restaurant was moving in.

In Alaska, the Anchorage school board revealed they are short $25 million USD!  They will have to layoff school employees, although they have yet to pick who becomes unemployed.

In Louisiana, the Jefferson Parish School Board will layoff 20 employees at two alternative schools. They blame lower enrollment due to fewer troubled students (I guess that’s a good thing).

Despite making profits, Massachusetts based custodial bank State Street will layoff 630 employees around the world, 260 just in the Bay State!

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Massachusetts to shut down its detox unit. About 24 staff affected. Hospital officials say they’re changing the way they handle certain types of addictions, which will render the detox unit unnecessary.

In Arkansas, the architecture and engineering company, Benchmark Group, laid off at least 23 people.   Company officials blamed the bad economy.

More reason to hate Verizon.  The New York based telecommunications company will layoff 201 people around the country!  Company officials say there is no need for those employees as a result of technical upgrades.  However, a union rep said that was BS: “These layoffs are not needed. We have enough work to cover every one of them.”-Ed Cocliff, Local 827 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Broadway Brew Pub & Grill in Troy, New York, closing down.  Apparently pub owners were threatened by city officials, after several incidents of violence in the pub.

The Vermont Law School has laid off two people, and bought out the contracts of ten others. School officials blame declining enrollment.

Virginia based Computer Sciences Corporations confirmed they will layoff an undisclosed amount of employees.  They say they need to become more efficient. I worked for CSC in the early 1980s, no comment other than even in the 1980s they were highly inefficient, but that’s par for the course for companies dependent upon government contracts.

Pennsylvania based TE Connectivity laying off 137 workers across its medical products division! The company blamed it on a $0.5 billion drop in sales.  Want some cheese with that whine?  They only had $13.3 billion in sales during fiscal 2012!

Investment company Legg Mason to layoff an undisclosed amount of employees, due to the merger of two of its divisions.  (no pity for investment companies)

Illinois based metal and plastics distributor, A.M. Castle, will layoff 180 people!  It’s all about increasing their profits even more!

In Skokie, Illinois, a Best Buy is shutting down. 58 employees out-o-work.

Busey Bank will close four branches in Illinois. Bank officials say it’s part of their plan to transition to mobile and electronic banking.

Laurel Hill Healthcare closing its nursing home in Connecticut. It’s part of the growing nursing home closings due to parent company Spectrum Healthcare’s bankruptcy.

A Catholic school in New Albany, Indiana, shutting down.  Saint Mary’s Academy will close for good in May, due to more than $1 million of debt!

Massachusetts based Hologic, maker of medical diagnostic tools, to close its Indiana factory. 140 people out-o-work!

Idaho, U.S.

2nd U.S. Civil War: Pew poll says the Federal Government is your biggest enemy! State of Idaho to become testing ground for domestic drone use!

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”-Benjamin Franklin, a founder of the United States

A new Pew Research Center poll shows that more and more citizens of the United States of America see the federal government as the enemy: “For the first time since we have been asking this question, we have a majority, 53%, saying that their rights are personally threatened by the government.”-Andy Kohut, Pew Research Center

“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”-2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

The Pew poll shows that 73% of U.S. citizens now distrust the federal government, almost three of every four people!   That lack of trust is shared among Democrats and independents as well as Republicans.

The growing use of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle, drone) against U.S. citizens is just one of dozens of reason people are seeing their government as their number one enemy.

In response to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to establish six drone testing sites in Idaho, the legislators of the Gem State have countered with a new bill.  The state Senate Transportation Committee introduced a bill that would create legal guidelines for drone use by Idaho law enforcement agencies, including establishing probable cause, or obtaining a warrant.

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

Congressional Evil & What Economic Recovery? Media lies about USPS international postal rate change? I have receipts that show at least a 50-60% increase! Hello, Hyperinflation!

I got a shock when I shipped off some packages to Europe, USPS international First Class rate went up 61%!!!

Some media mainstreamers had been reporting a 5-10% increase, but that’s for domestic postage.  Even the Postal clerks at the Clark Street office, in Pocatello, Idaho, told me they were surprised by how high the international rate went up.

People who supplement their meager incomes (or maybe it’s become their only source of income) on internet selling sites like ebay, Etsy, Scoomer, etc, and who sell a lot outside the United States are going to see a drop in business (I know many internet sellers attribute at least 50% of their sales to international buyers).

On 17 January 2013 I sent a measly 2 ounce package to Australia, it cost $3.78 USD, online price.  On 29 January 2013 I sent another 2 ounce package, but this time it cost $6.16 online. Do the math, that’s a 61% increase!

Here’s another example: On 27 December 2012 I sent a 1 pound 14 ounce package to Canada, it cost $9.15 online.  Today that same package now cost $16.15 online, a 56% increase!

Here’s yet another example: On 18 January 2013 I sent a 3 ounce package to Italy, at an online U.S. Postal Service rate of $4.56.  Now that same package has an online cost of $8.88 (the in USPS store cost is $9.45).  That’s a 51% increase!

There were some media sources, like StudentNews, that reported that the First Class International rate would go up 60%, for items weighing up to one pound (that’s questionable as you can see in my Canadian example the package weighed almost 2 pounds!). Apparently someone at the USPS realized they were charging far less than UPS or FedEx, and decided to make their First Class International rate “more competitive” with the competition.

Making your prices more competitive with your competition is now code for jacking up your rates to meet your competitors higher prices. A kind of price fixing if you ask me. I remember when being more competitive meant you tried to have lower prices than your competitors.

Is this yet another attempt by the Congressionaly controlled Postal Commission to intentionally destroy the U.S. Postal Service?  Remember, it’s Congress that sets the Postal rates, not the USPS!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Updated list of U.S. job losses & store closings, 12 January 2013.

Ohio media reporting 100 people will be out-o-work when Superior Fibers moves operations to Mexico.  The company specializes in air filters for HVAC, and fiber glass reinforcements.  Company officials blame their move to Mexico on increased competition, and the high cost of ongoing environmental clean up operations at their Bremen, Ohio, factory.

An Alton, Illinois, insurance company, Millers First, laid off 12 people.  Company officials blame drastically low interests rates which have severely affected the company’s investments, and they credit more automation which replaces people.

A ‘collectibles’ store in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, closing down.  The owner of Tilburys Knob says business would be better if there were more variety of stores in the area: “Business is pretty good, but it could be better. I felt there should have been more shops down here. There would be more shoppers if there was more opportunity to buy things. There have been a lot of nice people and good customers, but not enough.”-Stan Nowak

Rhodes Bake-N-Serv is closing its Caldwell, Idaho, bread factory and moving it to Wisconsin.  Production will end in April, leaving 49 Idahoans out-o-work. The Caldwell factory has been in operation since 1962.

In Santa Cruz, California, headset maker, Plantronics, is laying off 41 people, and moving some production to its Mexico factory.

American Esoteric Laboratories laying off 65 people in Memphis, Tennessee. The company provides doctors and hospitals with lab services. Company officials said the layoffs are the result of a drastic change in how payments for lab services are being reimbursed.

The 100 years old Denis Sport Shop in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, announced it is closing.  Company owners blame climate change, the bad economy and local road construction which cut off the store from customers.

Another irony, the Waccamaw Economic Oppurtunity Council laid off eight employees, and cut social help programs.  This affects Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties in South Carolina.  Council officials blame big cuts in the federal government funding.  The biggest programs they offer involve helping people pay utilities and rent.  In Georgetown County alone, they’re currently helping 100 people.  They expect double that in Horry County, but will be hard pressed to help due to the funding cuts.

The Aubuchon Hardware in Bangor, Maine, closed without much warning.  Faithful customers were still showing up after everything was shuttered up.  Employees were inside moving inventory. The hardware store had been in business since 1969.  The manager said he couldn’t compete against the big box national hardware chains, and the only reason he stayed open this long is because the landlord gave him a break on the rent: “It’s been something we’ve been thinking about for a year and a half. In fact, we got a reprieve a little over a year ago when the owners of the building decreased the rent to allow us to stay here.”-Fred Stewart

 

 

Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 25 January 2013: All 50 states affected, epidemic levels! 37 children dead! No paid sick leave? Insurance companies crying in their beer? More proof the vaccine is a joke!

25 January 2013, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting flu cases in all 50 U.S. states, and at least 37 children have died.  Remember, what the CDC reports is delayed as they have to wait for state officials to report in, and state officials have to wait for local health reports.

CDC also reporting that the percentage of deaths has exceeded official epidemic levels.  Last week it was 9.8%, the CDC’s official epidemic level is 7.3%.  The CDC does not track the number of adults who die, but compares the percentage of flu related deaths to other causes of death.

40 people have died in Indiana, 13 this past week.

In the Gem State of Idaho, 15 people have died since the start of the official flu season on 01 October 2012.  Two of those people who died were not residents of Idaho.

The Washington Health Department reporting increasing flu deaths: “We’ve had 17 laboratory confirmed deaths in Washington this season and 15 of them were 70 and older.”-Donn Moyer, Health Department.

So Far 11,000 people in Massachusetts tested positive for flu, 20 have died. Yet, health officials claim the flu has peaked, then again maybe not as hospitals in Boston are still seeing hundreds of flu patients per day:  “It does seem to have peaked here, but there are still a lot of sick people out there. Far more than last year, probably more than we’ve seen since H1N1.”-Jim Heffernan, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

17 people have died in Connecticut.

In California, San Diego County continues to see people die from flu. Eight deaths last week brings the total to 14.  Interestingly state health officials are still not including San Diego County deaths in their state count, which currently stands at five!?

Schools in Tennessee closed down. The Obion County School System has closed for the second time this flu season. One day there were as many as 541 students out sick.

Oklahoma health officials reporting a doubling of deaths in the past week. 14 people are now dead. Several grade schools were closed.

Arkansas reporting 19 deaths.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports a 27% increase in cases last week.  Local drug stores are reporting shortages of flu vaccines and Tamiflu.  At least 40 people have died.

State health officials in New Jersey have linked the deaths of four children to the flu. Hackensack University Medical Center closed their ER because they were swamped with flu patients!  Health officials say the H3N2 flu strain is worse this year because people infected with it are developing pneumonia much more easily.  There are also reports that hospitals are having a hard time getting a hold of Tamiflu.

Data out of New York shows 20,000 people sick, more than 5,348 hospitalized.  Quinnipiac University announced that any student sick with flu will be banned from school,  unless their homes are more than 200 miles from school, then they’ll be quarantined in empty apartments in the Complex residence hall! In the City of New York workers who do not get paid sick leave held a rally to bring attention to the elites that they can not afford to take off work because they’re sick.  This after the elitist mayor of New York City declared a health emergency.

According to the Community Service Society, more than 1 million people in New York City work jobs that do not have paid sick leave!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43% of workers in the United States have no health coverage!

Even with that fact, the three biggest insurers in the U.S., UnitedHealth Group, WellPoint, and Aetna, are already complaining about how much they’ve paid out to doctors and hospitals.  They claim they’ve paid out $1 million USD more than last year, and the flu season is only half way done.

Despite reports of flu vaccine shortages, the number of people getting flu shots is no different than last year. For the 2011-12 flu season 47.6% of the population got flu shots, and according to the CDC it looks like it will be close to the same for the 2012-13 flu season.

Now how about that flu shot?  As I’ve tried to point out before, each year’s vaccines are short and behind the times: “These experts at the CDC say, OK, I think it’s going to be strains one, two and three this year, so that’s what we’re going to make the vaccine protect people against. But it’s a guessing game; so if it’s one, two and five and you get the vaccine, you’re not protected against three and five.”-Brian MacDonald, University at Buffalo microbiology and immunology department

In fact, there is a growing number of medical staff refusing to get the flu shot!  One hospital (Montefiore Medical Center) in New York City reported that 50% of their staff have refused to take the vaccine!

Medical researchers are not only using Google to predict the severity of influenza, but now they’re using Twitter. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are tracking how many Twitter messages are from people complaining about being sick.

 

Influenza

U.S. Influenza update, 18 January 2013: Outbreaks spike! Dozens more deaths! Reporting procedures fallible, possibly more deaths than what’s being reported by state & federal officials! More proof vaccines don’t work; U.S. & Canada only countries to push for it!

“If the vaccine does not prove to be effective the way it is professed to perform, then maybe the risk of the getting the flu shot is not worth the non-existent benefit of the vaccine.”-Peter Hanson, Everett, Washington doctor

On 17 January 2013, Minnesota state health officials reported 60 deaths, 33 in just the past week!  They also report a spike in hospitalizations and outbreaks in schools and nursing homes. There are now 107 nursing homes and 90 public schools reporting outbreaks.  Nearly 2,000 people are hospitalized with flu symptoms.  This at a time when the flu season was supposed to be past its peak in the North Star State.

Pennsylvania reporting 40 deaths (18 just in the past week) and at least 16,511 lab confirmed cases (5,000 in just the past week).  Health officials in Allegheny County are also reporting an increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases.  The Geisinger Health System is banning visitors younger than 12 years of age from their hospitals.

The governor of Indiana got a flu shot.  He demanded progress reports on flu cases in the Hoosier State. 27 people have died.

New Hampshire reporting 20 deaths so far.

In Massachusetts 18 people have died.  Hospitals report a 40% increase in cases in the past week.  A vaccine shortage resulted in the cancellation of a flu clinic at Gloucester’s Addison Gilbert Hospital. But read what the Bay State governor had to say about vaccine shortages: “This is serious. There is a heightened level of flu activity across the state. But we’re prepared. There is no shortage of vaccine.”-Deval Patrick on 10 January 2013

In Maine, the Pine Tree State’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a quadrupling of cases, and the death of a six years old girl.  The Maine CDC is also warning of a surge in flu cases in the next few weeks.

In Alabama, hospitals are getting tough on visitations. The East Alabama Medical Center said beginning today visitation to the newborn, pediatrics and intensive care units will be restricted. Also, Mobile County Health Department reported the death of a 34 years old man.

After blowing off the severity of this year’s flu season, Idaho health officials are now saying it’s worse than expected. Nine people have died so far (funny, I was watching a local east Idaho noon TV news show earlier this week, and I swore the anchorwoman said there hadn’t been any deaths. guess she’s not reading my postings).  The Troy School District had so many students and teachers out sick that they canceled school on 16 January 2013.  The Gem State’s deputy state epidemiologist, Leslie Tengelsen, admitted there is a lack of standardized reporting procedures: “Influenza is not an officially reportable condition, and so it’s a little tricky to try and get a handle on what’s going on out there.”

Last week Michigan reported four children died.  There are 338 confirmed flu cases.

North Carolina reports decrease in cases, but upticks in deaths.  Nine people died last week.

Health officials in Kansas are saying this year’s influenza is not the same as usual. Doctors are reporting that not only is the flu season earlier, but the symptoms are more severe. Also, there is an increase in flu like illnesses as well.

School officials in Connecticut are reporting an increase in student and teacher absences, because of the flu. Some schools are reporting a 32% increase in absences compared to the same time during the 2011-12 flu season.

A doctor in Maryland warned of more cases to come: “We’re going to have a fairly rough winter because I am anticipating more and more positive cases and more and more people getting sick.”-Alexander Samohin, Concentra Urgent Care

Alaska reporting a spike in cases. Officials say a few weeks ago hospitals were seeing an average of ten cases per week, it’s now averaging 40.  And forget about washing your hands, remember flu is an airborne disease: “This is the season in terms of the winter weather in terms of people sharing tighter quarters in the winter and breathing the same air…”-Brian Yablon, Department of Health and Social Services

California state health officials reporting the number of deaths at five, however that does not include the six deaths reported by San Diego County, nor the death recently reported by Santa Clara County.  A San Francisco Chronicle report pointed out that state officials are not including the County reported deaths in their official count. The article pointed out that because of the lag time in local officials reporting to state, then state to federal, the official state and federal counts could be way behind.  Golden State health officials say their flu season won’t peak until February.

Despite most state and federal officials saying there is no shortage of vaccine, Oklahoma is singing a different tune. The Cleveland County Health Department reporting that they’ve run out of adult vaccines. 500 people are hospitalized, more than 100 in just the past week.

 

Vaccine Hyperbole:

According to a CNN report, the United States and Canada are the only countries in the whole world that pushes flu vaccinations. Even the UN’s World Health Organization says there is no data proving that flu vaccines work (as I’ve reported many times)!

The CNN report showed that some influential U.S. health officials admitted that the policy to push everyone over six months of age to get the flu shot was nothing more than an attempt to simplify the process: “…in 2010, we said, ‘Let’s simplify this and recommended this vaccine for anyone over 6 months old.'”-William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University

For more proof of the vaccine BS, despite all the main stream media’s propaganda saying how great this year’s flu shots are, Bloomberg reports that there is a scramble to make a new vaccine.  They’re calling it the “…Broadest Vaccine Redesign Since 1981”.  If this year’s vaccine is so good, why the push to revamp it?  The problem, as I’ve written before, is that each year’s flu shots are based on the previous years flu infections.  Virus are not static, they mutate every year as a result of passing through so many of we hosts.  Also, current flu shots cover only three of last year’s flu strains.  New shots are reported to cover four strains.  That still doesn’t cover all of them, and again, it’s only the previous year’s flu strains.

Something else the main stream media doesn’t report, is that many people are allergic to vaccines!  Current vaccines use chicken eggs, and some people are allergic to eggs.  The Food and Drug Administration has just approved a new way of making vaccines that uses insects instead of chicken eggs.  Here’s something else you should know; both the eggs and the insect cells are used to grow flu viruses, which are then injected into you when you get the vaccine.

A New York Daily News report says that a growing number of chiropractors are telling people not to get a flu vaccine. A survey of licensed chiropractors reveals that most are against the use of vaccines: “Since the scientific community acknowledges that the use of vaccines is not without risk, the American Chiropractic Association supports each individual’s right to freedom of choice in his/her own health care based on an informed awareness of the benefits and possible adverse effects of vaccination. The ACA is supportive of a conscience clause or waiver in compulsory vaccination laws thereby maintaining an individual’s right to freedom of choice in health care matters and providing an alternative elective course of action regarding vaccination.”

Despite international criticism of the U.S. policy of flu vaccinations many hospital workers, in some states, have been put on leave, or even lost their jobs because they refuse to get vaccinated.  A former hospital worker in Ohio is now suing her former employer. She was fired for refusing to take the flu vaccine.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

United Corporate Police States of America & Class Warfare: Corporate run prison behind gang violence in Idaho? CCA has established history of being sued over prison violence in Idaho!

Back in November 2012, eight inmates surviving in the Corrections Corporation of America’s (CCA) Idaho Correctional Center (aka Gladiator School) filed a lawsuit against the unAmerican corporation, claiming CCA intentionally uses gangs and gang violence to control their privately run prisons.

On 14 January 2013, CCA asked a federal court judge to throw out the claim.

This is not the first time Idaho’s unAmerican corporate run Gladiator School has been sued for violence.  In September 2011, a former inmate settled his lawsuit with CCA over the fact that he was beaten almost to death, while prison guards watched.

Other lawsuits claim CCA withholds medical treatment from prisoners.

Recently the American Civil Liberties Union-Idaho, has accused CCA of not following through on its promise to clean up its act (a result of a March 2010 lawsuit).

CCA, a Tennessee based unAmerican corporation, is a major supporter of Idaho politicians, overwhelmingly Republicans.  Click here for a list of Idaho politicians who got money from CCA in 2006 and 2008. You should note that most of them are continually ‘re-elected’.

Idaho, Influenza

U.S. Influenza, 09 January 2013: Emergency declared! Supporter of vaccines admits they don’t work! What Economic Recovery, unAmerican Coporate America blaming lost billions on sickies?

“…I have to tell you that I’ve now been in two large city emergency departments in two days, and I’ve never seen anything like this in the United States”-Nancy Snyderman, medical reporter NBC Nightly News

On 09 January 2013, the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, declared a public health emergency, because of influenza.  The Bay State reported 18 recent deaths, four in Boston (those 18 deaths are not the 18 pediatric deaths being reported by the CDC). During the 2010-11 flu season only one Bostonian died.

Florida reporting fast spreading flu. Of the 18 recent child deaths countrywide, two were in Florida. On 02 January 2012, the Memorial Hospital Pembroke Urgent Care Center recorded its busiest day ever:  “We had close to 200 patients during the day, which we’ve never had before.”-Roy Dubash, family medicine physician

Idaho has seen eight people die so far, and was one of the first states to report deaths caused by flu like illness. However, Gem State health officials don’t think it a big thing: “Average flu season we might have 12 flu deaths, last year was really mild we only had five.”-Dave Fotsch, Central District Health Department

Utah reports surge in flu cases. Beehive State health officials say the number of cases has already surpassed last year’s case load, for the same time period.  So far 233 people have been hospitalized.

Reports out of California say at least five people have died.  Golden State health officials are expecting a jump in flu cases.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee county hospitals are being jammed with patients.  As many as eight of the county’s 11 hospitals are reporting temporary shut downs of their emergency rooms due to overcrowding. One doctor said they might have to start rationing Tamiflu: “If this is a prolonged epidemic that goes on for another week or so, Tamiflu may need to go only to the high risk.”-Paul A. Biedrzycki, Milwaukee Health Department

On 07 January 2013, 11 Illinois hospitals had to refuse anymore emergency room patients because of overcrowding.

The Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, is reporting much higher pediatric cases than last year.  For October 2011 to January 2012 they had 12 cases, so far this year they’ve seen 93 kids sick with flu.

Many mainstream media outlets, and health officials are pushing flu vaccines.  But, one such health official admitted vaccines don’t work for the people most vulnerable to getting sick. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbuilt University, was interviewed on 09 January 2013 edition of PBS NewsHour.  He said vaccines work well in people who have strong, healthy immune systems.  He admitted vaccines do not work well on the people doctors hope to keep from getting sick; the young and the old! Shaffner then went on to tell people to get vaccinated.

“It works best in young, healthy people who have a robust immune system, but, paradoxically, in the people who we would like to protect the most, senior citizens, people with severe underlying immunological illnesses, it’s not quite as effective.”-William Schaffner, 09 January 2013 PBS NewsHour interview

Think about this, he’s telling us that vaccines work, but this is based on the admitted fact that it seems that only people already healthy and strong benefit from vaccines.  How do we know it’s not because those people are healthy and strong to begin with?

UnAmerican Corporate America is blaming projected billions of U.S. dollar loses on flu sickies.  Actually, that claim is coming paradoxically from the U.S. CDC.  The CDC is projecting that companies will lose $10.4 billion due to employees being out sick.  It’s a paradox because health officials always tell you to stay home from school or work if you’re sick, yet here they are whining about all the lost money for unAmerican Corporate America! And you wounder why so many people go to work sick?

Sure, health officials think by projecting the huge money loses caused by employees getting sick that employers would encourage their employees to stay home sick in order to prevent spreading the disease, but that’s not the reality of what happens.  Stupid is as stupid does, maybe the answer is a true socialized health care system, not this Obama/RomneyCare crap!

The search program Google has been predicting U.S. flu outbreaks based on searches for info on the flu.  It’s been so accurate that it’s now working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Click here for more info.  It’s predicting this year is gonna be bad.

Idaho, U.S.

2nd U.S. Civil War: NDAA 2013 signed into law! How did your ‘elected’ official vote?

While the U.S. Congress couldn’t get its act together over spending and taxing issues, they had no problem passing a new National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal Gregorian year 2013.

Then, without much attention from the main stream U.S. media, President Obama signed NDAA 2013 into law on the evening of 02 January 2013.

From all accounts NDAA 2013 continues the same Martial Law type policies as NDAA 2012.  Here’s what Senator Lindsey Graham said about NDAA 2012:  “If you’re an American citizen and you want to help…destroy your own country, here is what’s coming your way.”

To see how your State’s Senator voted, click here.

To see how your Representative voted, click here.

Note: Some Congressmen voted for the NDAA 2013 bill when a provision was added to guarantee Constitutional rights regarding court trials.  However, that provision was removed after it was passed, and before Obama signed it.

“The decision by the NDAA conference committee, led by Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) to strip the National Defense Authorization Act of the amendment that protects American citizens against indefinite detention now renders the entire NDAA unconstitutional…….When my Senate colleagues voted to include those protections in the 2012 NDAA through the Feinstein-Lee Amendment last month, I supported this act. But removing those protections now takes us back to square one and does as much violence to the Constitution as last year’s NDAA. When the government can arrest suspects without a warrant, hold them without trial, deny them access to counsel or admission of bail, we have shorn the Bill of Rights of its sanctity.”-Rand Paul, Senator from Kentucky