Tag Archives: obama

Business/Economics

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

03 October 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

International

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Business/Economics

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

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

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

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

Missouri: In Saint Louis, Apop Records shutdown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

02 October 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

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

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

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

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

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

Nevada: In Las Vegas, the Haze Nightclub shutdown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

01 October 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26-30 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

ebay shutting down after Xmas?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Toy R Us shutting down after Xmas?

Business/Economics

Toy R Us shutting down after Xmas?

10 December 2014 (15:01 UTC-07 Tango)/17 Safar 1436/19 Azar 1393/19 Bing-Zi 4712

Alabama: In Homewood, Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital controlled Babies “R” Us shutting down in September. The property was sold off.

Florida: In Brandon, the Babies “R” Us store shutdown.  Individual reports that the Fort Lauderdale Toys “R” Us was quietly shutdown, and the building torn down by a greedy property developer.

Maryland: Rockville Toys “R” Us shutdown in January 2014.

Nevada: After only two years of operations the McCarran (near Sparks and Reno) Toys “R” Us internet commerce distribution center was shutdown in June 2014 (at least 120 jobs lost, some reports said 320).

New Jersey: Wayne based Mitt Romney/Bain Capitol controlled Toys “R” Us admitted it killed at least 500 jobs between 2013 and 2014! 100 Wayne HQ jobs were eliminated (some reports said it was 200 jobs)! Company administrators blame a $1-billion USD decrease in sales in 2013!  A report by The Record said they were shutting down 100 stores, but company administrators hypocritically swore they were not going to shutdown stores, adamantly stating that Toys R Us “…cannot be grouped with what other retailers are doing.”

Ohio: North Toledo Toys “R” Us shutdown in July, 2014 (30 jobs lost).  The 23 years old Youngstown Toys R Us warehouse shutdown in August 2014 (at least 70 jobs lost)

Tennessee: The Bellevue (Nashville) Toys “R” Us to shutdown in January 2015, will be replaced by Goodwill second hand junk store.

In the British empire country of United Kingdom, Toys “R” Us shutdown their Altrincham Retail Park store in February 2014.  Also, it was revealed the Toys “R” Us at Stevenage’s Roaring Meg Retail Park was being pushed out in favor of a department store. Retail Park (mall) operators said they were trying to come up with a plan to relocate the Toys “R” Us, but the lease had expired.   British news media say Toys “R” Us administrators refuse to comment.

Toys “R” Us has closed hundreds of stores and laid off thousands of people since 2002.

Shutdowns will continue until profits improve!

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 10 December 2014: Mississippi Sears warehouse found mysteriously shutdown & up for rent! Why are so many news outlets misleading about the 235 store shutdowns?

News reports (about a closing Tennessee Toys R Us) revealed that mall owners are working with Sears Holdings to end the lease contract, early, for the Bellevue Sears store.

News reports say customers of the closing Cary, North Carolina, Sears were sent a message giving the exact date of the shutdown.  However, the message was sent by the Sears Holdings spinoff Lands End: “Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ll be closing that location on Jan. 18, 2015 – but you can always find your favorite styles at landsend.com”

According to The Daily News, a Sears distribution center in Mississippi was secretly shutdown and is now available for lease.

By the way, why do some news outlets say Sears Holdings is planning an additional 235 store closings?  That’s not what Sears Holdings said.  If you read my 04 December update I quoted directly from their 3rd quarter 2014 report in which they said they had already closed or announced they were closing 235 stores. In other words the 235 number is past tense, it already happened in 2014, it’s not what’s coming for 2015!  I think what’s coming for 2015-16 is total shutdown.

update 04 December 2014

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

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

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 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 (more than 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, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers).

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), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected).

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), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

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?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 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.

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), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost).

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), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost),
Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

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, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart on Gratiot will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January, Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 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), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 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, recently discovered Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

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), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 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), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 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), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (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), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 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 Cool Springs 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), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), recently revealed talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears.

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: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

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, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 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), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 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), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), recently revealed Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 26 – 30 September 2014: More Kmart shutdowns! No more Payless? More coal mine shutdowns! Obama regime grounds Air National Guard?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

More proof the internet is not killing brick-n-mortar stores: Online gaming company Nerd Kingdom laid off an undisclosed number of employees (some reports called it “massive”) and jacked up the cost of playing their video games.

California:  Allergan warned that Obama Care is forcing them to kill off 545 specialized healthcare employees in November, and shutdown one of their healthcare operations in Goleta!  In Palm Springs, Obama Care forcing Crothall Healthcare to shutdown in November, 91 jobs lost.  Iconic Technicolor is warning employees of layoffs.  Reports say the layoffs will be less than 50, when they happen.  In Bakersfield, after 59 years family run Skateland roller rink shutdown.  The owners said their adult children don’t believe the economy is good enough to take over the family business.  What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of car batteries Exide Technologies warned it will kill off 61 jobs at their Los Angeles ops in October.  The battery maker and recycler is also under federal investigation for emissions violations.  In Fullerton, MBM Foodservice warned it will shutdown in December, 76 jobs lost.  In Twentynine Palms, taxsucking Alaska based Tatitlek warned it layoff 125 people in November!  In Rancho Cucamonga, Super Glue/Pacer Technology warned they will layoff 65 people in November.

Connecticut: Electronics retailer Best Buy revealed they’re shutting down their Westfield Meriden Mall store at the beginning of November, 60 jobs lost.

Florida:  Obama Care forces University of Florida Health to sell off its Medicaid focused First Coast Advantage healthcare operations.  At least 63 healthcare jobs lost in November.

Georgia: Artificial sweetener maker NutraSweet finally killed off their Augusta factory, 200 jobs lost: “Low cost imports now dominate the aspartame market, making it impossible for us to sustain a profitable business while maintaining our unmatched standard of quality.”-William DeFer, ceo

Illinois: In Palos Hills, after 77 years family owned Riley’s Trick Shop joke store shutdown.  The heirs decided that the economy was so bad it wasn’t worth it to take over from their parents.

Iowa: In Williamsburg, agricultural machinery manufacturer Kinze laid off 21 employees.  Company administrators blame declining sales  to the farming industry.  In Ames, Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Kmart in December, at least 44 jobs lost.

Kansas: Payless ShoeSource killed more jobs at their Topeka HQ, this time company administrators refused to give a number.  In 2013 Payless eliminated more than 100 jobs.  Payless has been in trouble ever since it took over Stride Rite in 2007.  Payless has been operating under the name of Collective Brands since then, but in 2012 Collective Brands was taken over by vulture capitalists Blum Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital, who have been carving Collective Brands up and selling it off piece by piece.   And the federal government causing the Kansas Air National Guard to kill off 210 part time and full time jobs!  The 127th Command and Control Squadron and the 184th Munitions Squadron were eliminated, and the 177th Information Aggressor Squadron will suffer cuts.

Massachusetts:  California based CISCO revealed how many people will become unemployed at their Boxborough operation; at least 182!  After just eight months The Rug Department store shutdown one of its two stores.  The bankrupt owners are selling it off.

Michigan: More proof there is no automotive industry recovery; Detroit based auto parts supplier Bridgewater Interiors announced it is killing off 249 jobs in December!  Company administrators blame it on the ending of contracts with the big new car makers.  What housing market recovery?  Building products maker Masco (not to be confused with the medical association of the same name) announced it will kill off 160 HQ jobs!  In 2000 Masco had 600 HQ employees, but at the time of this latest job killing announcement they were down to 400 employees.  In Saginaw, after nearly 40 years the Ponderosa Steakhouse shutdown without notice, or reason given.

Minnesota: In Apple Valley, the administrators of the Minnesota Zoo admitted they’re losing their financial ass, due to crashing visitation, and as such will layoff an undisclosed number of employees.  The zoo is already under a hiring freeze.

Mississippi: Iconic musical instrument and amplifier maker Peavy Electronics warned it must “downsize” it’s Meridian factory, about 100 jobs lost!

New Jersey:  In Randolph, Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Kmart in December, 90 jobs lost.

New York: In Buffalo, Fenner Precision warned they will shutdown their polyurethane factory in December, 60 jobs lost.  In Amherst, Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples warned it will shutdown by February 2015.  In NYC, GSM Retail store warned it will shutdown after Xmas, 79 jobs lost.  Maritime restaurant and hotel manager warned it will shutdown in January 2015, at least 153 jobs lost!  They lost their contract to run a hotel.

Ohio:  What housing market recovery? Assurant, which is mainly a health insurance company, warned it is killing off 75 Specialty Property jobs in Springfield.  The Assurant Special Property unit deals with mortgages, and apparently the job losses are the result of Assurant losing a client.  In Chillicothe, Horizon Telecom announced the layoff of 21 employees.  Company administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to “restructure”.   Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown Kmarts in Fairborn and Springfield, 131 jobs lost!

Oklahoma: Texas based oil exploration company HighMount Exploration and Production warned it will shutdown its Oklahoma City office in November, 97 jobs lost (on top of the 11 laid off during the summer).

South Carolina:  In Greenwood, Texas based Mundy Maintenance announced it will layoff 136 people in October!  Company administrators say they lost a major contract.

Tennessee:  God can’t stop pro-insurance industry Obama Care from forcing Baptist Memorial Health Care from killing 112 healthcare related jobs!  The Memphis based hospital system runs 14 hospitals in several states.   Administrators reported that as of June 2014 Obama Care caused them to lose $124-million USD!

West Virginia: Alpha Natural Resources confirmed it shutdown two coal mines; Independence Coal’s Twilight (Progress) mine and Pioneer Fuels’ Ewing Fork (Pax) mine, 193 jobs lost!   According to WARN filings as many as 11-hundred people at 11 mines are under threat of becoming unemployed!

Wisconsin: In Green Bay, The Urban Frog restaurant warned it might shutdown, due to the death of the owner.

24-25 September 2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

To Destroy U.S. Dollar: 5th annual Anti-United States economic forum underway in Cuba! Blame the British empire?

08 December 2014 (13:58 UTC-07 Tango)/15 Safar 1436/17 Azar 1393/17 Bing-Zi 4712

After decades of deal making, in 2002 Cuba held the first Caribbean anti-U.S. economic forum, attended by 14 other Caribbean countries.  It’s called CARICOM, an amalgamation of Caribbean Community and Common Market, and can be traced back to the British empire’s West Indies Federation.

This week the 5th annual anti-U.S. CARICOM meeting is underway in Havana.  Cuban officials credit the economic union for helping them to avoid never ending U.S. economic sanctions.

According to Cuban news sources, CARICOM really got rolling in 1972 when Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago joined Cuba “…in an open challenge to the embargo that the U.S. had imposed on the island.”

Despite originally being an anti-U.S. economic movement, today Cuban President Raul Castro told CARICOM members the new agenda is “…to unite in order to face together the effects of climate change and natural disasters and to co-ordinate our approach to the post [United Nations] 2015 Development Agenda.”

All signs point to Cuba’s successful avoidance of the puny U.S. sanctions:  The New York Times reports that the number of U.S. citizens traveling illegally to Cuba has increased, and the number of legal trips is on the rise as well; in 2012 the number of legal trips by U.S. citizens doubled compared to 2008.

New airline flights have been authorized from New York’s JFK Airport to Havana, Cuba.   The Cuban National Bureau of Statistics and Information reported an 11.5% increase in tourists during October 2014, as compared to October 2013.  From January to October 2014 almost 2.5-million tourist visited Cuba.  The British empire’s Canada is the number one source of tourists, followed by Germany, the British empire’s United Kingdom, Italy, France and Mexico.

The British empire’s United Kingdom Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll recently paid a ‘courtesy’ visit with the Cuban navy.

In a gesture of goodwill, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam gave Cuba five thousand tons of rice, along with the equivalent of $40-million USD in farm aid.  Vietnamese administrators stated it was their way of thanking Cuba for the military help fighting the United States occupation of Vietnam from 1965 to 1975.

According to the AZCUBA Entrepreneurial Group, Cuba’s 2013-14 sugar harvest was up by 4%, and the 2014-15 sugar harvest is showing an increase of at least 15%.

Cuba’s Ministry of the Economy admitted that GDP for 2014 was below expectations, at 1.3%, but said signs are good for a 2015 GDP of 4%.   The main reason is fast growing outside investments coming into Cuba; for 2014 there was just over $1.5-billion, but for 2015 investments are already estimated at $7.1-billion.

Cuba is now a major supplier of medicines and medical personnel to more than 50 countries.   Cuban health administrators like to point out their successful treatment of cancer is different from how the U.S. does it: “For cancer treatment, we increase the use of stimulants and vaccines to awaken the body’s own defence and make that be the main weapon to fight the tumour without resorting to a large extent, to chemotherapy, radiation and large surgeries.”-Gustavo Sierra Gonzalez,  BioCubaFarma

Sears…Blames U.S. dollar for bad economy!

another U.S. ‘ally’ abandons U.S. dollar