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Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: New trend for Sears & Kmart closings; no more warnings!

12 June 2014 (15:43 UTC-07 Tango)/13 Sha’ban 1435/22 Khordad 1393/15 Geng Wu 4712

An Alabama Kmart shutting down in September.  Another Illinois Kmart going down, this time the Collinsville store will shutdown in September.   North Carolina losing a 35 years old Kmart, in September.  80 Wisconsinites to become unemployed when another Kmart shuts down in July.  A New York Sears Appliance and Hardware shutdown.

In California, a San Diego Kmart shutdown without notice!  Sears Holdings said they signed over their lease to another business rendering the Mid-City Kmart “closed to the public, effective Wednesday, June 11”.

Sears Holdings said it might dump its 51% control over Sears Canada, in order to gain $730-million in desperately needed cash.      Sears Holdings also said it is adding another 80 stores to its 2014 shutdowns in the Untied States, due to the acceleration of crashing sales.

Update from observant reader:  Oregon losing a Kmart (in September) and a Sears Home Services center.  The Sears Home Services center closing was not publicly announced.  (see Comments below)

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

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

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, recently revealed Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (72 jobs lost), Seaford Sears (30 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), Laguna Hills Mall Sears, recently revealed San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost). No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers? On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.  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”.

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).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost), Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), 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, recently revealed Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost).  58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

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

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, 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), recently revealed Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost),  Lapeer Kmart (56 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).

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

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

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

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

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 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), recently revealed Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware.

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), recently revealed High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), 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). 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).

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), recently revealed Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), recently revealed Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice).

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).

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).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 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).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), recently revealed Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 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, International, Technology

Martial Law: Your cell phone is assembled in an Asian country, but the tech to spy on you came from Israel!

10 June 2014 (09:25 UTC-07 Tango)/11 Sha’ban 1435/20 Khordad 1393/13 Geng Wu 4712

“…the tech sector has become the backbone of the Israeli economy.  Throughout the global recession Israel saw growth year on year. Just take a look at the NASDAQ….foreign listings, number one is China, number two is Israel.”-Samuel Burke, CNN tech reporter

A CNN tech program inadvertently revealed that while your cell phone, or other electronic gadget, is assembled in an Asian country, the technology to spy on you comes from Israel!

Israeli companies are the ones who “code” the guts inside your cell phones.   The Israeli government even created a Chief Scientist position to oversee such operations.

For some reason the CEOs of these Israeli tech/augmented reality companies, that’re coding your gadgets, stated that they had no problem paying the Israeli government 26.5% in taxes.   The CNN report didn’t explain why.

In 2012, the Israeli government passed a law (Electronic Waste Law) making it mandatory to recycle electronic gadgets.  The law went into effect in January 2013.  The recycling companies employ mentally and physically handicapped people to do the recycling work.

And a new law went into effect this year, in which household appliances equipped with computer tech must also be recycled.

So basically your ‘new’ cell phone has guts made from recycled Israeli electronics, which are then coded by Israeli companies so that your caring government can spy on you.

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 01 – 05 June 2014: Obama regime candidate tied to massive U.S. money laundering? U.S. troops killing their own? Mujahideen growing stronger!

Badakhshan Province: In Jurm District, an Afghan National Army (ANA) patrol was ambushed by Mujahideen.   Government sources say at least four ANA soldiers killed, four wounded.  Mujahideen claim 20 ANA personnel were killed or wounded.

Faryab Province: In Maimana City, a bomb exploded in a market killing three people and wounding 15.

Helmand Province: In Greshk District, Mujahideen attacked the district government compound.  Three Mujahideen killed, two cops killed and one civilian killed.  Three people wounded.   In Sangin District, a police vehicle ran over a landmine, killing four cops and wounding one.

Herat Province:  In Herat City, an Afghan National Army vehicle was ambushed by Mujahideen.  Two ANA soldiers killed, three wounded.  In Zenda Jan District, an Indian working for a NGO was kidnapped.  A suspect has been arrested.  No further details.

Kabul Province: Kabul City,  a magnetic bomb was attached to a police vehicle.  It exploded killing one cop and wounding seven others.  Afghan military officials say hundreds of people have been killed, and even more wounded, in the past five days of battles with Mujahideen across the country.   A new company has been set up, to make computers and other electronic devices.  The company is called Blue Sonic.   The pro-Obama regime presidential candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, is being accused of being directly tied to the scandal involving U.S. taxpayer money and the Kabul Bank.  Last year 21 people were convicted of disappearing billions of dollars out of Afghanistan.  It sounds like a money laundering ponzi scheme.  The majority of the bank’s money had been loaned out to only 19 individuals or companies.  The bank then got a nearly $900-million USD bailout!   Chinese banking officials now deny that they told Afghan banks to stop using the U.S. dollar.

Kandahar Province: In Daman District, two children killed, one wounded, when one of them stepped on a landmine.

Kunar Province: Pakistani officials are now accusing the Afghan government of launching raids into Pakistan, from Kunar. One Pakistani soldier was killed, two wounded. Pakistani officials say they are locked in heated battles with Pakistani Mujahideen, which sometimes cross into Afghanistan.  Afghan officials responded that Pakistan has fired another 120 artillery rounds into Afghanistan.  In Nari District, government officials claim they’ve successfully bribed villagers to kill four Afghan Mujahideen.  12 were captured.   In Watapur District, a U.S.-NATO airstrike killed 18 people.  Seven people wounded.

Nanagarhar Province: In Jalalabad City, a U.S. Army Special Forces Captain, from Pennsylvania, was shot and killed.  U.S. Department of Defense refused to give details, saying the incident is being investigated.   In Behsud District, a suicide bomber killed three Turkish engineers, and wounded two others.   The engineers were working on a military base when the attacker drove in and blew up his motorcycle bomb.  In Khogyani District, government officials report that a Special Forces op killed 17 people.

Nuristan Province:  Provincial officials warning that Mujahideen have established training camps in Kamdish District, and that hundreds of people are now being trained up.  Also, there are reports that Mujahideen executed 11 of their own for failure to follow orders.

Paktika Province: A U.S. Army Private 1st Class, from Missouri, was shot and killed.  The U.S. Department of Defense says his unit was ambushed by Mujahideen.

88 militiamen of the National Guard’s 216th Engineer Mobility Augmentation Company (California) returned from Afghanistan.

86 militiamen of the National Guard’s 849th Mobility Augmentation Company (Minnesota) returned from Afghanistan.

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (Missouri) returned from Afghanistan.

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 1-126th Medical Evacuation Unit (Rhode Island and Delaware) deploying to Kuwait in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Business/Economics

U.S. job losses & store closings 01 – 03 March 2014: ObamaCare forces hospitals to end care for pregnant women? FCC kills Utah company! Too Big to Jail banks excused from paying $1-billion in debt, in exchange for shutting down power plants!

Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

Arizona: In Tucson, after 13 years Kevin Jewelers shutdown.

California:  Coachella Valley Unified School District laid off 51 teachers.  More layoffs in the works.  BEST (Barstow Employment Specialized Training) Opportunities killed 98 jobs, guess their job training wasn’t good enough.  The Alta Bates Summit Medical Center continues to kill jobs because of Obama Care.  This time 227 healthcare workers in Berkely and Oakland became unemployed!  In Oakland, Mexico owned Bimbo Bakeries shutdown, 160 jobs lost!  In Panorama City the maker of wheel chair lifts for vehicles, Ricon, laid off 25 employees.  Are the layoffs connected to the Obama Care medical device tax?   UPS (United Parcel Service) killed 1073 jobs at their Richmond hub!

Indiana:  In Greensburg, Radio Shack shutdown.  It’s part of Radio Shack’s plan shutdown 500 stores across the U.S.!

Massachusetts: In Boston, the 1-800-Flowers shop shutdown on Hanover Street.  An employee told a local reporter that it was the company’s fault because they’ve “mismanaged the franchise” for months now.

Michigan: In Westland, after 26 years Play Ball Sports announced it will shutdown once all merchandise is sold off.   After the announcement the store was robbed of $2-thousand USD of merchandise (caught on security cam) and the owner claims he was almost killed in the process!  Grand Rapids Public Library laid off at least 18 employees.  Director Marcia Warner blamed it on a “new financial reality”.   The South Haven Health System Hospital shutting down its birthing center in May.   Officials directly blame Affordable Care Act (Obama Care): “Some of our board members were born here, and many of our employees, and they’ve stayed in the community, so it’s a sad decision but one that’s necessary for the viability of the rest of the organization…..because we have such a high medicaid population utilizing our services, the program [Obama Care] does not reimburse to the level where we can support the program.”-Joanne Urbanski, CEO

New Jersey: In Wayne, Mitt Romney/Bain Capital owned Toys R Us killed 200 HQ jobs!  It’s blamed on declining sales.   Kimball Medical Center laid off 73 healthcare workers.  Hospital officials say they must consolidate services with other hospitals in order to survive Obama Care cuts.

New York: Electric company Mach Gen now bankrupt busted.  The company is actually owned by Too Big to Jail banks like Bank of America and Credit Suisse.  Mach Gen was created to control natural gas fired electric plants in New York, Massachusetts and Arizona.   As a result of the bankruptcy the Too Big to Jail banks will skip out on paying off $1-billion USD of debt!

Ohio:  Evil Bechtel laying off 155 employees in April, at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station!  It’s because their contract will expire.  In Stow, Wisconsin based packaging company Bemis shutting down their factory in May, despite reporting 2013 net sales of $5-billion!  115 jobs lost!

South Carolina: In Landrum, Ken’s Meats & Seafood shutdown after only three years of operations.  The owners said everything was going good until summer 2013, when sales crashed: “We just didn’t have enough local support to sustain us for the long run. Unfortunately I can count on two fingers how many local businesses bought from us and that was unfortunate…..demand for my products is just not here in our local community.”-Ken Brackett, co-owner

Texas: In Austin, engineering company URS laying off 79 employees in April.  They lost the contract to operate a toll road.

Utah:  Video service provider for people with hearing loss Sorenson Communications now bankrupt busted.  6800 jobs threatened! Company officials blame their decline on a 2010 U.S. FCC rule change, which reduced the amount of fees companies could charge, but forced companies to spend more money on upgrades.

Virginia:  Taxsucker General Dynamics says if the military doesn’t renew their contract then 88 IT employees will become unemployed.

Wisconsin: In Tomah, after 50 years Bob’s Furniture shutdown.

28 February 2014: ObamaCare forcing medical supply companies to commit “suicide”!

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

U.S.

U.S. Civil War: Chicago update 07 – 08 June 2014: 2 dead, 10 wounded!

The following is an incomplete list of shootings.

5600 block of South Wabash: Two men shot, one killed, one in critical condition.

4600 block of West Jackson Boulevard: A man shot multiple times and killed.

400 block of North Leamington Avenue: A man shot twice in his right hand.

9000 block of South Harvard Avenue: A man shot and wounded in his leg while he was out walking.

5100 block of South Wood Street: A man out walking was shot and wounded by drive by shooters.

5100 block of West Gladys Avenue: Two men were approached by two other men, who then shot them.  The victims are both in stable condition.

500 block of North Avers Avenue: Two men, sitting in a car stopped at a stoplight, were shot and wounded by unknown suspects.

400 block of South Homan Avenue: A 28 years old man shot in the chest by drive by shooters.

10200 block of South State Street: A man shot and wounded in both legs.

Once again, the victims were not armed.  You would think that if this was gang violence there would be gun battles, but there are no gun battles.  It’s as if the shooters are deliberately targeting unarmed people.

Police continue to insist most of the gun violence is caused by gang bangers, but have made no arrests. New anti-gun laws would not stop the shootings, because most guns used by gang bangers are already illegal!

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013, calls Chicagoland his homie town

Chicago update 02 – 06 June 2014

U.S.

U.S. Civil War: Husband & wife declare revolution in Las Vegas! 5 dead! Typical; the ‘facts’ keep changing!

09 June 2014 (06:59 UTC-07 Tango)/10 Sha’ban 1435/19 Khordad 1393/12 Geng Wu 4712

On Sunday, in the U.S. state of Nevada, a husband and wife walked into a pizza joint, declared a revolution, then shot and killed two cops on their lunch break.  Witnesses say the cops never saw it coming, however, the Sheriff’s Department now says one of the cops fired back.    Some Las Vegas news sources say the dead cops were then draped in Gadsden Flags.

Witnesses also say the revolutionaries then took one of the dead cops’ gun and ammo, then targeted the low income sheeple shoppers at Walmart, killing one unarmed woman (according to initial news media reports).  But wait, guess what?  Now the cops say the person killed at Walmart was actually an armed man who “died attempting to protect others”!   Why does the info always radically change in these shootings?

A pathetic Christian witness exclaimed “I’ll never leave church early again!”, as if that had something to do with the shootings!

Police converged on the Walmart and a gun battle followed.

According to police, the battle ended when “…it appears the female suspect shot the male suspect, then took her own life.”-Doug Gillespe, Sheriff

Overnight police evacuated and locked down the apartment complex where the husband and wife revolutionaries lived.  It’s starting to sound like these two revolutionaries were high on prescription drugs.  Several neighbors said the couple like to dress up like the Joker, Harely Quinn and Slenderman.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Fukushima

Fukushima – WIPP – Radiation fallout: Japan’s kelp farms contaminated, Ireland to the rescue? WIPP scientists can’t figure out “hot reaction”! Schools being contaminated with Smart Boards?

09 June 2014 (20:40 UTC-07 Tango 08 June 2014)/10 Sha’ban 1435/19 Khordad 1393/12 Geng Wu 4712

Campaign for Radiation Free Schools is sounding the alarm over the use of Smart Boards in U.S. schools.  They cite the United Nations, which says the interactive white boards could emit radiation, classifying them as a 2B carcinogen.  The University of Toronto, in Canada, thinks they should be classified as the more dangerous 2A carcinogen.

In the U.S. state of New Jersey, people (including scientists with the National Academy of Sciences) are insinuating the government is hiding data concerning radiation emissions from the nuclear powered Oyster Creek Generating Station.   Researchers say a 1995 report by the Brookhaven National Laboratory shows massive levels of radiation contamination ever since 1972: “The data was extremely hard to find.  They appear to be staggering, and we never knew.”-Janet Tauro

The people are demanding the U.S. government make public all the records of contamination: “In 1972 and ’73 they had some pretty high releases, and again in 1978 and ’79.”-David Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientists

In the U.S. state of California, the U.S. Navy has agreed to conduct radiation testing at their former Treasure Island operation.  People living on the former naval station have reported hair loss, rashes, cancer and heart failure.  Recent housing development operations  revealed that the Navy buried radioactive waste on site.  The city of San Francisco is using Treasure Island as a “premiere” upscale housing project, but some of the new home owners have packed up and left.

In the U.S. state of New Mexico, the ongoing Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) catastrophe has scientists baffled.   A report by Weapons Complex Monitor revealed that Los Alamos scientists were unable to replicate a “hot reaction” based on what WIPP investigators thought was the cause of the explosion (chemical reaction).  Investigators blamed organic cat litter for possibly absorbing chemicals that built up and then reacted with whatever was in some LANL mixed waste drums.  LANL scientist could not get the same thing to happen in their experiment, suggesting the ‘chemical reaction’ was caused by something else.

And now, New Mexican politicians want the Obama regime to increase taxpayer funding for the military’s WIPP.  Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich say the $220.5-million USD that Obama wants for WIPP is not enough to deal with the disaster, they want Congress to spend even more money.  They think it will take at least two years to shutdown WIPP.

In the land of the General Electric designed Fukushima Daiichi, more BS.

First, it’s been revealed that much of Japan’s kelp production has been shutdown due to contamination.  On the other side of the world, the Irish island of Rathlin is about to make bank supplying the seaweed eating Japanese with Irish kelp.  A mom and her son have bet everything on their Rathlin kelp farm, and the ongoing Fukushima Daiichi disaster: “Due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, a lot of the seaweed production in that part of the world has been closed down. Combine that with the growth of the Asian population who eat seaweed, plus the growth in the European population who now are interested in seaweed, and sushi is a big growth market. So we will be pursuing the European and Asian markets. The waters around the British Isles are particularly suitable because of the Gulf Stream as it means our temperatures are near optimum year round. But especially round Rathlin. Rathlin is a very strong tidal place and kelp like strong tides. In Rathlin, the tides are ideal, between one and two knots.”-Kate Burns, hopeful Irish kelp farmer

Officials with the government of Singapore claim they will soon lift their ban on food grown in Fukushima Prefecture.

TEPCo reports continued leaks of highly contaminated water, into the Pacific Ocean.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) has been given the go-a-head for their experimental in-ground ice wall.  TEPCo claims their gigantic refrigeration system will freeze the ground deep down and prevent contaminated ground water from getting into the Pacific ocean.

The Japan Times reports that tritium contamination from Fukushima Daiichi has surpassed official limits.  On 26 May 2014, 12 wells were tested and they all contained more than 1700 becquerels per liter of tritium!  The safe limit is 1500 Bq.

TEPCo admits it can not shutdown the disaster reactors until they can stop the massive water leaks.  And high radiation levels are preventing that!

TEPCo has given up on its ALPS water filtration system and has hired a U.S. company to do the job.  The company is California based Kurion, and they will focus on removal of tritium and strontium from the water.

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. job losses & store closings 28 February 2014: Another women’s clothing chain going down in flames! Successful internet business kills jobs! ObamaCare forcing medical supply companies to commit “suicide”!

Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

Alabama: In Birmingham, God refused to stop the Parkway Christian Academy from shutting down.   This time it’s blamed on church members not paying their dues, as a result the church has to sell the school!

Arkansas: Arkansas News Bureau laid off five employees, which turn out to be the majority of their seven full time staff!

California: Who said tech jobs are recession proof? Atos IT Solutions laid off three people.  Avnet Integrated laid off three people.  Loehmann’s killed 160 department store jobs!  In Emeryville, troubled Switzerland based legal drugs pusher Novartis killed 167 jobs!  In San Diego, legal drugs pusher Optimer Pharmaceuticals laid off 21 employees.  The Riverside Dental-Doctor Group killed 162 jobs!

Louisiana: The University of New Orleans killed more jobs.  This time 28 people lost their jobs in an effort to save $2-million USD!  It’s blamed on disappearing students.

Idaho: In Aberdeen, food and agriculture giant Simplot announced they will kill 309 food processing jobs by April!

Illinois: In Martinsville, Accents unique item store shutdown, apparently after only fours years of business.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, taxsucking military contractor Exelis Night Vision and Communications Solutions laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  The company has killed 800 jobs in the past three years!  There is now a For Sale sign on the building.  It’s blamed on drastic Department of Defense spending cuts.

Iowa: In Mason City, after 102 years Marshall & Swift dry cleaners shutdown! 50 jobs lost.  The family owners did not give a reason, but the property is up for sale.

Kentucky: In Louisville, the Heine Brothers’ Coffee shop shutdown. Company officials said the shop had good business, but it wasn’t good enough to cover the outrageous rent.

Maryland: In Salisbury, after 30 years the Shinn Paint store shutdown.

Massachusetts: In South Deerfield, Yankee Candle Company laid off about 30 salaried employees.  It’s actually blamed on their successful and growing internet business!

Michigan: In Franklin, after 30 years Bead Works shutdown.

New York: In NYC, Juicy Couture clothing retailer laying off 21 employees by the end of March.  In Copiague, Baumann & Sons Buses warned that they might lose their contract, which would result in 250 jobs being lost!  In Coram, Acme Bus warned they might lose their school bus contract, resulting in 334 jobs being lost!  In Endicott, employees for IBM revealed that at least 15 people lost their jobs.  IBM officials refused to comment to local news media.  In Schenectady, health insurance company MVP Health Care killed 100 jobs!  It’s blamed on Obama Care: “The health insurance industry is going through a time of unprecedented change, and we need a streamlined and nimble organization to stay ahead of the curve.”-Denise Gonick, President and CEO

North Carolina: All-States Medical Supply blames Obama Care for killing their jobs.  Company officials explained that Obama Care cuts government and insurance company reimbursements for their medical supplies by 45%!   Medicare audits of their accounting have been increased by 250%!!!  Such audits place reimbursements in limbo, company officials say two and a half years worth of reimbursements are now on hold until the backlog of Obama Care audits are completed!  CEO Marcus Suess described Obama Care as “suicide” for the medical supply industry!

Ohio:  After 27 years, Glenwillow based women’s clothing retailer Dots now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down!  All 360 stores in 28 states to shutdown!  3500 jobs lost!

Oregon: Layoffs continue at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.  When chemical weapons were being destroyed the base employed 830 people.  Now there are only 90.

Pennsylvania: In Pittson, Clarcor Air Filtration shutting down, 60 jobs lost.  Company officials now say it was an economic mistake to move to Pittson.

Texas: In San Antonio, taxsucker Lockheed Martin laid off 36 employees.  It’s blamed on declining orders by the warmongers known as Department of Defense.   Over the next two months Boeing killing 600 jobs in San Antonio!

Virginia: The Hope Co. Boutique and Cameo stores shutdown.

27 February 2014: Another big bank says housing market crash coming! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 27-31 May 2014: War building with Pakistan! 18-thousand National Guardsmen from just one U.S. state took part in occupying Afghanistan! More Russian ‘copters at U.S. taxpayer expense! More massive election fraud in Obama’s “successful” elections!

Ghazni Province: In Giru District, two vehicles packed with people returning from a wedding ran over landmines.   The resulting explosions killed 12 of them.   Only two people survived.

Herat Province: In Injil District, a convoy of unnamed U.S. diplomats was attacked.  Mujahideen riding motorcycles blasted the convoy with RPGs.  Two U.S. security contractors wounded.

Kabul Province:  President Hamid Karzai blames a Pakistani Mujahideen group  for the recent attack on the Indian consulate in Herat Province.  They denied the accusation.  Russia has delivered three more Mil Mi-17B-5 helicopters to Afghanistan.  They were paid for by the U.S. Obama regime.  The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan is now accusing government officials of rigging the elections that Obama, NATO and the United Nations called “successful”!   Integrity Watch Afghanistan claims that in the past 12 months $2-billion USD in bribes have been paid out!  The number one recipient of bribes are courts.  Number two are cops, proof police are evil!  The Afghan Interior Ministry reports that hundreds of Mujahideen, government personnel and civilians have been killed in the past four days of battles.

Kandahar Province: In Maruf District, a U.S. Army Private 1st Class from Colorado was killed when the Chinook he was in crashed.  18 U.S./NATO personnel were wounded.  So far the U.S. won’t say why the ‘copter crashed, but are calling it an accident.   In Kandahar City, and explosion killed one cop and wounded three others.  They were trying to defuse a bomb.  Hospital officials say five people were wounded.

Kunar Province:  More claims of Pakistani artillery attacks.  This time 900 rounds impacted over four days, killing one person and wounding  27.   20 homes destroyed.  Afghan officials also say Pakistan is building huge military bases along the border with Kunar Province.  So far no comment from Pakistani officials.  Another report says Pakistani ‘copter gunships crossed into Kunar, killing four civilians and wounding 11.  There are reports that the Pakistani army is chasing hundreds of Pakistani Mujahideen out of Pakistan into Afghanistan.

Jawzjan Province: In Aqcha District, two national government domestic homeland security spies were assassinated by Mujahideen when they blew up their vehicle.   Five other Afghan homeland security operatives were wounded.

Maidan Wardak Province: The man in charge of security for the local Education Minister was kidnapped and executed.

Paktika Province: In Yahya Khel District, a U.S.-NATO airstrike killed at least eight people.

There are at least 550 high level drug smugglers in Afghan prisons.  One smuggler from Dubai, who was already wealthy, admitted the temptation to make even more easy money selling opium under the U.S. occupation was too much for him: “Five type of drug trade is common in Helmand; heroin, raw and processed opium, crystal and morphine but my favorite trade was Heroin. At first, I had opium trade but it didn’t have much profit. When I started heroin trade, I earned five times more. It was easy and without problem. I just called and received the order. I was coming from Dubai that police suddenly arrested me in Kandahar airport. They had recorded my mobile voice [cell phone]. It has been about four years that I am in the prison. I have paid more than 70 thousand as bribe to different officials but it was useless. My family is really poor now.”-Haji Asad, who said his goal as a drug smuggler was to become just like the world politicians he admired

More proof you’re better off fighting the occupation of your country  than living as a refugee: In Turkey, Afghan refugees are protesting their abandonment by the UN High Commission for Refugees, by sewing their own lips shut!  There are growing reports that refugees from many countries, suffering under western occupation or devastation, are being denied housing, medical help and even food by so called UN sponsored refugee organizations.

The U.S. state of Pennsylvania reports that since the illegal U.S. occupation of Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush and Obama regimes have forced 18-thousand state militiamen to take part in the occupation!!!   So much for active duty A-holes claiming the National Guard isn’t up to the job!  Being a 14 year vet of National Guard (California/Idaho & a couple years active duty) myself I say Fuck You U.S. Department of Defense!!!

South Dakota reports they’ve sent more than 1300 Militiamen and MilitiaAirmen to Afghanistan since 2001.

After revealing that the militia of the U.S. state of Oregon will be deployed to Afghanistan until 2015, under the Obama regime’s new occupation plan, it’s just been revealed that the number of Oregon National Guard personnel (41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team) being deployed is actually 1100, not the earlier reported 950!

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 65th Field Artillery Brigade (Utah) returned from Afghanistan.

Militiamen of the National Guard’s 1230th Transportation Unit (Georgia) returned from Afghanistan.

25 Militiamen of the National Guard’s 37th Finance Detachment (New York) deploying to Afghanistan.

More than 120 Militiamen of the National Guard’s 1438th Engineer Company (Missouri) returned from Afghanistan.

More than 119 Militiamen of the National Guard’s 1191st Engineer Company (Ohio) deploying to Afghanistan.

60 Militiamen of the National Guard’s 147th Aviation (Iowa) deploying to Afghanistan.

Despite the Obama regime’s claim that they do not negotiate, Obama negotiated the release of a U.S. Army Sergeant from Idaho.  Obama gave five known Mujahideen held in Gitmo for the release of one U.S. occupier.  And in typical Republican hypocrisy, GOP politicians who’ve been calling for Obama to do “everything” possible to free the Army Sergeant, now condemn Obama for doing “everything” possible to free the Army Sergeant!

U.S.

U.S. Civil War: Chicago update 02 – 06 June 2014, 5 dead 29 wounded including police!

The following is an incomplete list of shootings.

100 block of North Keeler Avenue: 22 years old woman shot and killed.

6200 block of South Francisco Avenue: 27 years old man shot multiple times and killed.

9600 block of South Brennan Avenue: 33 years old man shot multiple times and killed.

1900 block of West Howard Avenue: Two men shot.  One man died, the other was wounded in the foot.

4900 block of West West End Avenue: Two men and a 17 years old boy shot at a party.  The boy died, he had been shot at least three times.

9300 block of South Wallace Street: Two cops shot and wounded.  The shooter was shot and wounded by the cops, and the cops even shot and wounded a woman who was in the car with the suspect!  Police say the driver started shooting at them when they pulled him over for a traffic violation.

4600 block of South Drexel Boulevard: 30 years old man shot in the leg and wounded.

1200 block of West 93rd Street: 19 years old man had his cell phone stolen at gunpoint, then the robber shot him in the foot.

4300 block of West 15th Street: 28 years old man shot in the leg.

11200 block of South Marshfield Avenue: 23 years old man wounded in the leg.

4900 block of West Augusta Avenue: 27 years old man shot in the leg and wounded.

500 block of North Leclaire Avenue: A 27 years old woman and a 15 years old boy wounded by drive by shooter.  The woman was in her car and the boy was walking on the sidewalk.  The boy was grazed in the back, and refused medical treatment.

1000 block of North Lamon Avenue:  16 years old boy shot in the back and wounded.

6100 block of South Wabash Avenue: Two men shot and wounded.  They say they were shot by three other men.

5100 block of South Oakley Avenue: 24 years old man shot multiple times, but in stable condition.

5700 block of South Sangamon Avenue: 23 years old man shot by drive by shooters.  He was hit multiple times in the legs.

4100 block of West Crystal Street: 30 years old man shot in the arm.

10100 block of South Aberdeen Street: 22 years old man shot in the ankle.

6600 block of South Blackstone Avenue: 19 years old man shot in the leg.

4900 block of West Iowa Street: 34 years old man shot in the hip.

1200 block of North Karlov Avenue: Report of a man shot in the leg.

200 block of West 113th Street: 21 years old man shot and wounded as he sat on his porch.

7300 block of South Kenwood Avenue: 20 years old man shot in the arm by a group of men who walked up to him.

8500 block of South Sangamon Street: 22 years old man shot in the hip.

7000 block of South Morgan Street: 34 years old man shot in the abdomen, in serious condition.

West Suburban Medical Center: A man who had been shot in the arm walked himself into the hospital.

Discounting the police involved shooting, all the victims were not armed.

Police say most of the gun violence is caused by gang bangers. New anti-gun laws would not stop the shootings, because most guns used by gang bangers are already illegal!

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013, calls Chicagoland his homie town

Chicago update 31 May – 02 June 2014