Tag Archives: oil

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 12 October 2014: “Because of the economy…the money wasn’t there.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: The U.S. Army Fleet Support to layoff as many as 300 people at Fort Rucker, before xmas!  It was revealed by labor unions.  The aircraft maintenance contracts are based on the flying hours of Army aircraft, and since flying hours have been drastically cut (by 49-thousand hours) to save taxpayer money it follows that people will lose their jobs.

Alaska: In Fairbanks, after 68 years Larson’s Fine Jewelers announced they will shutdown after xmas.

California: Kroger announced they’re shutting down yet another Ralph’s grocery store, this time in Santa Clarita in November.  Taxsucking Boeing announced 139 layoffs for December at three locations!  In San Francisco, evil taxsucking British empire company BAE warned of 201 layoffs for September!

Florida: In Tampa, New York based ‘outsourcing’ company IQor shutting down beginning in December, 107 jobs lost!  In Cape Coral, after 50 years Lisa Lynn Dance World shutdown, the owner blames the suck-ass economy for disappearing students: “Because of the economy, the enrollment dropped and the money wasn’t there.”-Rita Rose Meyer

Illinois: In Galva, after 18 years pet food maker All Feed Processing and Packaging shutting down. Apparently they’ve violated many OSHA workplace safety rules.

Iowa: In Evansdale, video store Digital Dog Pound shutdown.

Kentucky: In Louisville, after 34 years the Saint Matthew’s Batting Cages shutdown.

Michigan:  Detroit Medical Center going to a new contracted janitor service putting 565 jobs at seven hospitals in limbo, right before xmas!  Unions are suing saying it violates current deals.

Missouri:  In Saint Louis, Boeing laying off 70 employees as part of the hundreds being laid off across the country in connection with crashing sales of its 777 airliner.

New Hampshire: Now bankrupt Apple computer-phone sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) now hangs 900+ jobs in limbo!  Factories in Arizona and Massachusetts could be shut down in December.  Local Mesa, Arizona, news reports say GTAT got big time taxpayer breaks for setting up shop there.  GTAT was supposed to make unbreakable phone screens for Apple, but some reports say the screens didn’t work out the way they were supposed to.

New Jersey: Freefall Adventures skydiving now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, administrators blame the cost of repairs on two aircraft.

North Carolina: Poultry food producer House of Raeford announced they’re shutting down their turkey cooking factory by Xmas, 400 jobs lost! Company administrators say the cost to process turkeys for grocery stores has skyrocketed 250% since last year, and they know customers are not willing to pay for it! House of Raeford is also killing their contracts with 140 turkey farms! In 2013 House of Raeford killed 1060 jobs, again because of skyrocketing operating costs!

08-09 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, 08 – 09 October 2014: “…the landlord has made the decision to sell…”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: In Spanish Fort, after four years Tacky Jacks restaurant shutdown. The owners say their restaurant needs improvements which they can’t afford.

California: In Davis, eight years old Marrone Bio Innovations announced the elimination of about 35 jobs, blaming crashing sales and a “shareholder revolt”.   In Canoga park, Too Big to Jail Bank of America warned it will layoff 57 people in December.

Florida: Jacksonville based grocery store operator Bi-Lo announced they are shutting down 23 Bi-Lo and Winn Dixie stores by November. That includes the stores in Alabama (mentioned above) and stores in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. At least 1-thousand food jobs lost! It’s blamed on Bi-Lo’s takeover of Winn-Dixie and Delhaize America grocery stores.

Indiana: Miami County approved the termination of 11 jobs, and reduce five full time jobs to part time.  County officials are expecting a $2-million USD tax revenue decrease by 2016!

Kentucky:  Huntington Bank shutting down two offices in December.

Michigan: Administrators with Hiller’s grocery stores warned their unionized employees that “severe financial problems” could lead to hundreds of layoffs if a new contract isn’t agreed to. Hiller’s administrators directly blamed skyrocketing Obama Care insurance costs as a major contributor to their “severe financial problems”!

Missouri: Asset manager DST Systems announced it will kill off 150 jobs in Missouri, Connecticut and India!

New York: The city of Lockport eliminated nine jobs without warning.  City administrators say they must borrow $4.6-million to stay alive!  In Rochester, Eastman Kodak announced more layoffs, this time 71 people to become unemployed in December.  In NYC, healthcare provider SinglePoint Care Network warned they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 22 jobs lost.  In Buffalo, food processor Zemco announced they are shutting down in January 2015,  at least 287 jobs lost! In Ronkonkoma, Bay Shore and Coram Suffolk Bus warned their contracts expire in January 2015, putting 508 jobs in limbo!

North Carolina: In Statesville, JR Cigar announced it will shutdown in December, 77 jobs lost.  The property owners are planning to “redevelop” the land.

Ohio: In Lorain, Republic Steel revealed they had laid off 105 employees back in September!  In Canton, a local newspaper reported that Republic Steel laid off more than 100 employees between August and October!  Company administrators blame competition from foreign steel makers, whom they claim are ‘dumping’ steel on the U.S. market.

Pennsylvania: The Bon-Ton announced it will shutdown a store in Pennsylvania and a store in West Virginia, by January 2015, at least 77 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame crashing sales.

Texas: What housing market recovery?  In Plano, Too Big to Jail Bank of America announced it is downsizing its Home Loan Originations units, and killing off 187 jobs in November!  In Houston, after 10 years Spring Branch Health Care Center shutting down: “The facility is being closed as the landlord has made the decision to sell the property to a third party.”-company statement

Wisconsin: Troubled Manitowoc Ice announced even more layoffs, this time 160 people will become unemployed between December 2014 and March 2015!  Back in March 2014 company administrators said they were shifting production of new ice machines to Mexico.  Tax sucking military truck maker Oshkosh announced it is laying off as many as 370 people!  Company administrators proudly stated that despite the reduction in sales “We’re still the number one global manufacturer of tactical wheeled vehicles for the military”.

04-07 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, 26 – 30 November 2014: Mujahideen ramp up ass kicking with Bird Bombs? Afghan parliament declares the Obama regime government illegal! Canadian taxpayers fork over more CAD!

Badghis Province: In Qadas District, a Kamikaze bomber exploded, killing two people, and wounding seven others.  Local cops think the bomber was targeting a convoy of police vehicles.

Balkh Province: In Mazar-e-Sharif City, at least four people wounded by explosion.  The bomb was in a fruit cart, near the police station.

Faryab Province: In Shereen Tagab District, police claim they’ve found pheasant sized live birds with tiny bombs and GPS devices strapped to them!  Police say they shot the bird, but have no clue where the bird came from!  What’s even more interesting is that it’s clear the police were expecting such a weapon to come their way, as they admitted they had snipers waiting for it.

Ghazni Province: In Andar District, a battle killed six people; five Mujahideen and at least one U.S.-NATO trained Afghan National Army soldier.

Helmand Province: In Nawzad District, a Kamikaze bomber killed at least four cops, and wounded five others.

Herat Province: In Shindand District, a police vehicle was hit by an explosive, wounding all onboard including the district police boss.  In Herat City, people are so hungry they’re eating dogs!  Three people arrested for killing dogs for food!

Kabul Province: In Kabul City, the Afghan parliament declared the Obama regime created puppet ‘unity presidency’ to be “illegitimate”, yet approved continued occupation by NATO!  The new illegitimate unity presidents have secretly lifted the ban on U.S. night time raids on civilians!  In the city’s 9th district a vehicle of the British empire’s United Kingdom was hit by a Kamikaze bomber, at least five people killed, 34 wounded.  In another part of the city, at least three Mujahideen attacked the International Relief and Development compound, killing at least two people and wounding another.  Police say one Mujahid escaped.  In another part of the city, Mujahideen attacked a “Christian missionary” base, at least three people killed.  Government administrators called the target a government “guesthouse”.  Mujahideen attacked the compound of the California-based terror group, Partnership in Academics and Development (PAD), killing one PAD employee and his two children, as well as one Afghan.  Administrators of PAD have stated that their purpose is to force Afghans to “become part of the international community”.  Kabul City police chief Zahir Zahir resigned, no reason given.

Kunduz Province: Near the border with Tajikistan, Mujahideen captured 16 Sher Khan Port Authority personnel.

Laghman Province:  In Alingar District, government forces claim they called in a U.S.-NATO drone strike (airstrike) which killed at least three people.

Nangarhar Province: In Khogyani District, a bomb exploded in a Mosque, wounding at least 36 people.  The Imam is in critical condition.

Sar-e-Pul Province: Police report that ten people were kidnapped.  They blame Mujahideen, but admit they don’t know why the people would be targets for kidnapping.

The evil British empire government of Canada is forcing taxpayers to give Afghanistan an additional $500-million CAD for “development” between now and 2017!

The Army National Guard’s 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron (Tennessee U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

Militia-personnel of the Army National Guard’s 143rd Military Police Company (Montana U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

111 militia-personnel of the Army National Guard’s 216th Military Police Company (Arkansas U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

The Army National Guard’s 829th Engineer Company (Wisconsin U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

20 – 25 November 2014: Obama regime dupes U.S. public!

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, 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

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

Business/Economics

To Destroy U.S. Dollar: Yet another U.S. ‘ally’ abandons U.S. dollar for Chinese Yuan! China blames USD for bad economy!

01 December 2014 (12:38 UTC-07 Tango)/08 Safar 1436/10 Azar 1393/11 Bing-Zi 4712

“If the won-yuan market matures, transaction costs for the two currencies will fall and the bilateral trade will rise, contributing to economic growth for both countries.”-Lee Ju-yeol, Bank of Korea

An east Asian ally of the United States, Korea (south), has stopped using the U.S. dollar for international trade deals!  At least when it comes to buying products from China.

The Bank of Korea has begun officially trading in Chinese yuan (aka renminbi), and admitted it was to get away from the U.S. dollar!  The Republic of Korea’s won to People’s Republic of China’s yuan trading system was test run last week.

The Bank of Korea has approved 12 smaller Korean banks to directly trade won for yuan.

Chinese administrators said that under the old U.S. dollar (USD) system converting from one local currency to the USD then back to another local currency actually doubled the cost of the products purchased.  In other words, the USD is a main reason why the World economy sucks!

Anybody notice the main streamer U.S. news media rarely (if ever) talks about the World’s rejection of the U.S. dollar?

Germany & Russia fully embrace Chinese Yuan!

International

World War 3 Afghanistan, 15 – 19 November 2014: U.S. taxpayers stuck with $511-million bill for new embassy! U.S. attacks ramp up!

For some reason there is very little news of incidents inside Afghanistan for the 15th through 19th of November.  Either nothing happened, or there’s a news blackout.

Helmand Province: A British empire United Kingdom report says a Royal Red Coat was shot and killed by his own troops, back in 2009.  The recently released report says he was hit by 7.62mm NATO bullet from a British empire issued light machine gun.

Kabul Province: The Obama regime said it will stick the U.S. taxpaying  fools with a $511-million USD bill for expanding the U.S. embassy.  Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, said this is proof of “a long-term commitment of the United States”.  Reports that a Kamikaze car bomber blew up at a foreign contractor base, known as the Green Village, killing four people.  Three militiamen with the U.S. state of Oregon’s Army National Guard were sniped and wounded by a Mujahid.  One (a Christian, whose parents are still performing Christian proselytization in Europe) was wounded bad enough to be sent to Germany for treatment.   The Mujahid was killed.   Another Kamikaze car bomber blew up in the foreign taxpayer supported city, killing three and wounding ten.

Kandahar Province: British empire Canadian taxpayers are getting ripped off by the Arghandab Irrigation Rehabilitation Project.  At least $50-million CAD has already been spent and now the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs says more money is needed, lest the multi-million dollar irrigation canal system falls apart.

Kunar Province: Local police reporting several U.S. air-drone strikes over several days, at least nine people killed, four wounded.

Nangarhar Province: Reports that U.S.-NATO air-drone strikes killed at least 22 people over the past few days.

International news reports say Afghanistan is becoming a proxy war between mortal enemies India and Pakistan.  The current situation between India and Pakistan is a direct result of British empire Great Game bullshit!  Gandhi was a peaceful man, my ass!  Go ask the thousands of Muslims killed because of the ‘man of peace’!

NATO members Germany and Italy announced they will keep 1350 combat troops in-country, in 2015.

U.S. veterans continue their lawsuit against taxsucking contractor KBR over ‘burn pits’ in Afghanistan and Iraq (the U.S. Supreme Court recently gave the ‘green light’ for the suit).  The Government Accountability Office says KBR ran at least 230 burn pits in which military equipment, some perfectly good, were burned.  Anything from uniforms to deadly chemicals: “All kinds of things went up in smoke, from batteries, paint, solvents and tires, to newspapers, plastic water bottles, styrofoam, electronic equipment, and shipping materials such as plastic wrap. Even whole vehicles were burned.”-Hari Sreenivasan, PBS

U.S. TV broadcaster PBS published pics supplied by veterans now suing KBR for health related problems. 

112 militia-personnel of the Army National Guard’s 133rd Quartermaster Company (New York U.S.A.) returned from Afghanistan.

AFGHANISTAN, 10 – 14 NOVEMBER 2014: U.S. combat troops say “WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH WOMEN, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?”