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U.S.

World War 3, more proof God is evil: Red Cross & former Army officers say Christian United States loves to torture! U.S. forces violate their own Customs & Laws of War!

09 August 2014 (21:24 UTC-07 Tango 08 August 2014)/12 Shawwal 1435/18 Mordad 1393/14 Ren-Shen 4712

“The definition of torture is any technique that causes severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, inflicted for a purpose, such as obtaining information or a confession, exerting pressure, intimidation or humiliation.  Waterboarding fits into this category and therefore qualifies as torture.”-Anna Nelson, International Committee of the Red Cross

“There is no way any competent and knowledgeable attorney can say that waterboarding is legal under the Geneva Conventions, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or the Convention Against Torture.”-Thomas Romig, retired U.S. Army Major General

Abu Ghraib and GITMO are proof the United States military violate its own laws.  Many U.S. civilian police/prison forces violate the military laws as well, in their actions against U.S. citizens.

The following is from the U.S. Army’s Soldier’s Manual of Common Tasks, Skill Level 1, October 1994 edition:

Conduct Combat Operations According to the Law of War

181-906-1505

CONDITIONS

You are a soldier in a deployed unit who has a mission that requires you and your subordinates to be actively involved in operations governed by the Law of War.

STANDARDS

Conducted operations in accordance with the Law of War and employed actions to prevent violations of the Law of War.

 1. Fight only enemy combatants

2. Safeguard enemies who surrender.

3. Do not kill or torture enemy prisoners.

4. Care for the wounded, whether friend or foe.

5. Do not attack medical personnel, facilities, or equipment.

6. Destroy no more than the mission requires.

7. Treat all civilians humanely.

8. Respect private property and possessions.  Do not steal.

9. Identify the rights and duties of prisoners of war (PW).

10. Report all violations of the law of war.

TRAINING AND EVALUATION

Training Information outline

1.  Fight only enemy combatants.  Do not attack: a. Civilians.  b. Enemy soldiers who surrender.   c. Enemy soldiers who are sick or wounded, and who are out of combat.  d. Medical personnel.  e. Aircrew members exiting an aircraft in distress.

2.  Safeguard enemies who surrender.  a. Allow enemy to surrender.  b.  Treat all captives as PWs.  c. Protect all captives from the dangers of combat.  d.  Evacuate all movable captives to the rear as soon after capture as possible.

3.   Do not kill or torture enemy prisoners.  a. Treat all prisoners humanely.  (1) Provide prisoners food, water, shelter, and medical treatment.  (2) Do not take money, personal property, or protective equipment from prisoners unless ordered to do so.  b. Protect prisoners from physical or mental abuse.  (1) Protect prisoners from acts of violence and intimidation.  (2) Do not use prisoners as shields or screens, to clear or plant mines or booby traps, or as hostages.  c. Do not use force or coercion in questioning or interrogating prisoners.

4.  Care for the wounded, whether friend or foe.  a. Collect all wounded personnel.  b. Treat all wounded, friend or foe, in accordance with  medical priorities.  c.  Follow the Golden Rule: Treat enemy wounded as you would want friendly wounded to be treated by the enemy.

5.  Do not attack medical personnel, facilities, or equipment.  a. Do not fire at medical personnel, medical facilities, or medical transport vehicles.  b.  Respect medical service symbols (Red Cross, Red Crescent, the Red Lion and Sun, and the Red Shield of David).  (1) Use medical service symbols only for medical activities.  (2) Do not hide behind medical service symbols.

6.  Destroy no more than the mission requires.   a. Follow the Rules of Engagement.  b.  Attack only combat troops.  c. Do not attack protected property such as hospitals, churches, shrines, museums, or undefended places.  d. Do not destroy property unless required by the necessity of war.

7.  Treat all civilians humanely.  a. Move or detain civilians only for proper cause.  b. Protect civilians from collective punishment, reprisals, and hostage taking.  c. Protecting women from forced prostitution, rape, and sexual assault.

8.  Respect private property and possessions.  Do not: a. Steal civilian property.  b.  Take war trophies.  c. Sieze property unless ordered to do so.

9.  Identify the rights and duties of PWs.  a. PWs have the right to: (1) Receive housing and clothing.  (2) Receive enough food to stay in good health.  (3) Receive adequate medical care.  (4) Maintain proper hygiene.  (5) Practice their religious faith.  (6) Send and receive mail.  (7) Keep personal property except for weapons, military equipment, and military documents.  (8) Receive packages containing foodstuffs, clothing, and education, religious, or recreational material.  (9) Have a prisoners’ representative to the PW camp commander.  (10) Receive humane treatment from their captors.  b. PWs have a duty to (1) Tell their captors only their name, rank, service number, and date of birth.  (2) Obey all lawful camp rules.  (3) Obey the lawful orders of senior prisoners.  (4) Perform nonmilitary labor which is not humiliating, dangerous, or unhealthy.  Officers and NCOs can be required to perform only supervisory work.

10.  Report all violations of the law of war.  a. Do your utmost to prevent criminal acts.  b. Request clarification of unclear orders.  c. Refuse to obey an order that is clearly illegal.  d. Report violations of the law of war to one of the following: (1) Chain of command.  (2) Military police. (3) Inspector General.  (4) A judge advocate.  (5) A chaplain.

I’ve noticed that newer versions of the U.S. Army’s Soldier’s Manual of Common Tasks, Skill Level 1, no longer cover 181-906-1505. Is this intentional?

The United States and its overlord Israel continually violate these rules, which were agreed to by the United States and the ‘western’ international community at Geneva, Switzerland.

The very first Geneva Convention ‘law’ was created in 1884.

Israel agreed to Geneva Conventions 1 through 4 in 1951 (four years before the United States).  Israel and the U.S. agreed to Geneva Convention Protocol 3 in 2007.

Since Palestine is still not an officially recognized political entity (not considered a ‘country’) it is not bound by any Geneva Convention, or any international laws.   However, in 1982 the now ineffective Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) agreed to Geneva Conventions 1 through 4 and Protocol 1.   Hamas (not affiliated with PLO) came into being in 1987 and has not publicly agreed to any Law of War.

more proof God is evil: Jews angry as Scotland raises Palestinian flag! 

International

World War 3, more proof God is evil: Jews angry as Scotland raises Palestinian flag!

09 August 2014 (18:57 UTC-07 Tango 08 August 2014)/12 Shawwal 1435/18 Mordad 1393/14 Ren-Shen 4712

“Glasgow is home to many friends of Palestine and this is a deeply distressing time for them.  They represent a variety of ethnicities, political persuasions, faiths and none. However, they are united by a common desire to support the Palestinian people.”-Sadie Docherty, Lord Provost of Glasgow, in letter to mayor of Bethlehem

The Glasgow Jewish Representative Council is protesting Glasgow city officials’ decision to raise the flag of Palestine over the city.

Glasgow is not the first Scottish city to show solidarity with Palestine.  Last week West Dunbartonshire flew the green, red, black and white flag, and soon the city of Fife will also.

In the latest news regarding the drive for Scottish independence from the evil British empire, there are concerns over the use of a new form of cash, and what kind of investment environment will be created.

Apparently an independent Scotland will create a government run postal system (the current Royal Mail system has been privatized for years now).  There are also concerns about the university system,  regarding any membership in the European Union.

Here’s some advise; look at all the countries who became successfully independent, did they let such trivialities stop them?   Don’t forget Scotland holds all the petroleum cards, and the European Union, as well as England needs that oil and natural gas (especially since they could lose their Russian source over the fiasco in Ukraine).  I think Scotland is currently holding the most important cards in this game.

more proof God is evil: Israeli soldiers & Christian Red Cross execute hundreds of civilians!

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 20 – 26 May 2014: Massive education cuts! More proof of coming housing crash; massive construction job losses & 237% foreclosure rate! Private employment service now unemployed! Yet more ObamaCare layoffs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Canadian economist David Madani is warning of a housing market crash.  He says Canada could see at least a 25% drop: “While the recent strength of Canada’s housing market has been astounding, the regional breakdown reveals that it has begun to fray at the edges.”

If you’ve been following my U.S. Job Losses reports you’d notice similar “frays” in the U.S. regional housing markets.

Express Employment Professionals reports their survey shows 47% of unemployed have quit looking for work!

Alaska: The National Archives and Records Administration is shutting down their office.  It’s blamed on lack of visitation by the public.  Certain historical documents will be handed over to state agencies.

California: Too Big to Jail Bank of America laying off more employees, this time 22 Los Angeles workers will be let go in July.  In Riverside, Kroger owned Ralph’s grocery store announced they will shutdown in July, 80 jobs lost.  In La Quinta, Kroger owned Ralph’s grocery store announced they will shutdown in July, 60 jobs lost.   In Ventura, New French Bakery/Starbucks Coffee announced they are shutting down in July, 90 jobs lost.   In Huntington Beach, taxsucker Boeing announced they will kill 96 jobs in July.  In Tracy, employment service Jacobson Staffing Company announced they are shutting down in July, 390 jobs lost!  In Long Beach, Verizon killing 100 jobs!  Company officials blame it on the lack of 411 calls!  In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard (HP) warned it is adding 16-thousand job cuts to the already announced 34-thousand worldwide!

Delaware: RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate jumped 94%, from March to April!

Georgia: Who said tech jobs are recession proof?  In Atlanta, tech startup Hypepotamus shutdown its 3-thousand square feet location.  Several tech companies are merging operations, no word on how many jobs will be affected.

Hawaii: The solar power farm Holaniku at Keahole Point shutdown, due to a terminated lease.

Illinois:  In Chicago, after only four years Ing restaurant shutdown.  Also, what housing market recovery?  The Illinois Association of Realtors report home sales crashed 9.9% across nine counties from April 2013 to April 2014!

Iowa: RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate skyrocketed an incredible 237%, from March to April!

Kansas: Personal care products Kimberly-Clark shutting down its distribution center at New Century AirCenter by the end of this year. 60 jobs lost.

Michigan:  In Ann Arbor, Kroger grocery store on South Industrial Highway shutting down in June, 103 jobs lost!  It sounds like the property owners jacked up the rent, they claim they had rented the property out to Kroger at “dramatically under market” rates for decades and it was time they made a profit.  The Performance Network Theatre shutdown on 22 May, without warning according to Carla Milarch, who said “There were no phone calls made to donors, no phone calls made to staff. Where was the plea to the community, where was the outreach to stakeholders saying we’re considering doing this, can you make three phone calls on our behalf? ……If they had run one more week, they could have closed the show on that Thursday. So they ended up having to pay the actors’ final two-week salary anyway, they didn’t even end up saving any money. It was just poor planning on their part.”  Apparently the ‘poor planners’ are now looking for a theater patron.   Lansing Public School District warned it might have to shutdown Eastern High School.  It’s blamed on decreasing students and increasing employee costs caused by Obama Care health insurance and retirement increases.  To add to that, Detroit Public Schools (DPS) warned they might shutdown 26 schools!  Apparently DPS is in the hole by $120-million USD!   In East Lansing, after 50 years (some reports say 77 years) Goodrich’s Shop-Rite grocery store shutting down in July, 80 jobs lost.   It’s blamed on the property owners who have new plans for the property.  In Chelsea, after 25 years Uptown Antiques shutdown.

Minnesota: In Plymouth, Hutchinson Technology announced it is shutting down operations and laying off 100 employees in Minnesota and Wisconsin!

New Jersey:  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction data shows The Garden State lost the most construction jobs of all the U.S. states, and that’s in spite of reconstruction from Hurricane Sandy.    From March 2013 to March 2014 New Jersey lost 46-hundred construction jobs!

New Mexico: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction data from April 2013 to April 2014 shows the Land of Enchantment lost 2-thousand construction jobs!  Apparently half of those losses came just during the month of April 2014!  In Albuquerque, Southwest Airlines announced they are canceling 11 flights, the bad economy is blamed: “Medium hub airports like Albuquerque have suffered greatly over the past few years, one reason is the economy.”– Daniel Jiron, Albuquerque International Sunport

New York: In Canandaigua, MV Transportation announced they are shutting down in July, 68 jobs lost.  Company officials blame Obama Care for killing their contract for Medicaid Head Start transportation service!  In Walden, Circor Flow Technologies announced the last of their 91 employees will be let go at the end of June.  In Uniondale, LabCorp of America Holdings/Dianon Systems Integrated Oncology/Histology shutting down in September, 24 jobs lost.  In Hornell, God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from forcing Saint James Mercy Hospital, Mercycare Facility, from shutting down their Ventilator Department in August, 13 jobs lost.  In Auburn, air conditioner maker Daikin Applied shutting down in 2015, layoffs to begin this September, 415 jobs will be lost!  Anti-gun laws kill jobs; gunmaker Remington laying off at least 80 New Yorkers as it moves production to Alabama.  Alabama is set to pick up 1-thousand new gunmaking jobs!  RealtyTrac reports the foreclosure rate shot up by 142%, from March to April!

North Carolina:  Who said tech jobs are recession proof?  Charlotte based Too Big to Jail Bank of America “dismantling” their electronic market-making unit, which was created for Merrill Lynch.  In Greensboro, mid-to-upscale retailer Belk shutdown its Four Seasons Town Centre store, 58 jobs lost.  Belk was started in 1888.   In New Bern,  after 79 years Maola Milk & Ice Cream shutting down in July, 98 jobs lost.

Ohio: In Cincinnati, nightclub PLAY shutdown, no reason given.  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, a government mandated privately run company) shutdown Columbia Savings Bank. Most of the assets were sold to United Fidelity Bank, the FDIC gets stuck with the rest.  In Dayton, Ringo’s North Star Mobile Eatery shutdown.  The owners admitted that running a food truck doesn’t jive with raising children.

Oregon: Beaverton based Nike revealed it killed 100-thousand contracted jobs worldwide, in the past year!  The shoemaker is consolidating operations, and switching to the use of robots on a massive scale.  RealtyTrac reports that foreclosures of homes is up in Oregon, by 91% from March to April!  The number of homes scheduled to be auctioned off skyrocketed an unbelievable 229%!

Pennsylvania:  Another clothing retailer biting the dust.  American Eagle Outfitters announced they are shutting down 150 stores!  70 will shutdown this year, the rest by the end of 2016.  In Monaca, Anchor Hocking laid off 400 employees temporarily!  Company officials say it is a money saving move.  Anchor Hocking was consolidated with Oneida under the new EverWare name.

Texas: Vantage Bank shutting down its San Antonio office in July.  It’s blamed on lack of individual customers.  In Houston, after 19 years Crapitto’s Cucina Italiana shutdown.  The property owner sold off the property to a developer who wants to tear everything down.

Washington DC: Specialty Hospitals of America now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The hospital operator paid a $4.2-million fine for frauding Medicare.  The Capitol Hill and Hadley long-term acute-care hospitals were sold off for an undisclosed amount.

14 – 19 May 2014: “I have been a loyal employee!”

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

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

False Flag Bio-War: United Nations GMO Food Aid = Ebola Outbreak

07 August 2014 (12:50 UTC-07 Tango)/10 Shawwal 1435/16 Mordad 1393/12 Ren-Shen 4712

“Go out and use genetic engineering to create a better virus… 25% of the population is supposed to go in Contagion.”-Charles Arntzen, Biodesign Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, supposedly worked on ebola serum

Some people are blaming the current ebola outbreak on the consumption of monkey or bat meat (there are at least five versions of ebola), but the revelation that the United States has been working on an ebola serum (apparently in secret) for some time now only reinforces my hypothesis that the current ebola outbreak is caused by genetically modified crops (aka GMO, GM, GE [genetically engineered], transgenic).   You see, the life saving serum is made from Kentucky grown GM tobacco soaked in ebola virus.

From 1976 (by coincidence, Monsanto’s Roundup was “commercialized” for the U.S. market in 1976) to 2012 the major ebola outbreaks have been centered in central Africa; in the two Congos, Uganda and southern Sudan (now called South Sudan).  But suddenly, at the end of 2013 ebola shows up with a vengeance in western Africa.

The three countries at the new center of the “unprecedented” EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) outbreak are Liberia (a former[?] U.S. colony), Sierra Leone and Guinea.  All border each other and all are prolific users of GM crops.  This is interesting because all the GMO tracking sites I checked don’t show these countries as being involved in GMO use (and the most recent data is from 2011).

Nigeria has also joined the EVD outbreak club.  At the beginning of July the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development swore there was no GMO in Nigeria.  But get this, he wants to use nuclear tech provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to increase food production, and he sure seems confused about what GMO is: “We must never be afraid of atomic technology in food production. We want to raise productivity, good health and environmental sustainability. We must not listen to those who want to create fear in the minds of people on things they should not be scared about with half-baked knowledge……We can use science to make our food safe and for the issue of food security…..The fact remains that we have nothing in this country called GMO. People confused modern day science to GMOs.”-Akinwumi Adesina

Here’s another fact from Nigeria:  While the Minister of Agriculture denies GM crops are being grown in his country (while appearing to not know what they are), the Minister of Science and Technology announced, in 2013, the creation of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agric-biotech Application.  The main purpose of this “Application” is to promote the growth and use of GMO in Nigeria!

When did Nigeria report its first cases of ebola?  Earlier this year, however the Minister of Health recently said what’s really going on in Nigeria is a hemorrhagic  version of dengue fever (which can kill you just as good as ebola).

The problem with GMO is that some genetically engineered plants involve the use of “transfer vectors”, normally a type of  agro-bacteria or other microbe, to force genetic change or prevent rejection of the genetic changes.  It is not the same as Mother Nature’s pollination technique.  Deadly microbes act as firewalls within the DNA strand, preventing the host’s genetic immune system from eliminating the foreign DNA.

GMOs are so risky that in 2002 Liberia joined the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.  Last year Liberia held a two week risk management course for GM crops, run by their new Liberia National Biosafety Framework Implementation Project.  It was funded by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Environment Facility.  If GMOs are so safe why the need for such biosafety programs?

I’m not the only one who thinks this ebola outbreak is connected to GMO: “The toxic substances embedded in GMOs that make them pests, insects and disease resistant are poisonous bacteria that kill these insects aiding pollination of flowering crops. Nature has a way of doing things, in human race we called that unexpected happenings as Miracles and this could happen in GMO. The insects contacting GMO crops might not die instantly but could manage to carry pollens grains from GMO to non-GMO crop. This would cause the changes of traits of the traditional crop which means that the new crop might manage to survive the environment around it and the cause of the crop adjusting to the new environment, could develop complications not unknown to science hence possible outbreak of new crop disease similar to that of Ebola Virus Disease. This would cause the ailing agriculture to bleed to death.”–

Now lets add the fact that scientists say this current ebola outbreak is different from the 1976-2012 outbreaks: “What’s going on is unprecedented.  Usually these things last two or three weeks and then get isolated.  That is more than a little unnerving to me as a virologist because it suggests that maybe this strain is a little different or has adapted in a different way to cause disease in humans.”-Thomas Hope, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

But don’t blame it all on farmers growing GMOs.  Turns out the very same African countries suffering the EVD outbreak are huge recipients of United Nations food aid, which arrives in the form of GM products.  That’s right, the main sources for UN food aid are GM crops, and there’s a conspiracy to dump as much of it on African countries as fast as possible.

Liberia is a huge recipient of UN World Food Programme (WFP) genetically modified food, partly because Liberia has become a refugee camp for people fleeing Côte d’Ivoire.  But wait there’s more!  The new WFP GMO food dumping Hunger Free Liberia program began in 2013, the same year the ebola outbreak started!

In Sierra Leone the WFP is dumping GMO food aid in the name of preventing malnutrition in children.  The WFP says most farmers in the country are unable to get their crops to market because of bad roads, justifying the dumping of GMO food aid.

In Republic of Guinea, the WFP is ‘bartering’ their GMO food aid for locally produced iodized salt.  The salt is used to supplement WFP’s food program.  At least 114-thousand Guineans live off WFP’s food for salt program, which apparently began at the end of 2013.

In 2012 UN officials proudly reported that they finally got Nigerian officials to admit they have food insecurity.  Since 2009 the UN claimed there were 30 regions in Nigeria in need of food aid.  In 2012 the UN expanded that to 383!  Food aid is being dumped by such globalist groups as UNICEF (dumping what they call Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods or RUTF), European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and the terrorist group known as USAID.   UN officials also claim that by dumping this RUTF they are helping to fight inflation in Nigerian food prices (sounds like economic warfare).  It should be noted that the expansion of the RUTF began in 2013!

This year the UN’s WFP announced even more GMO food aid to Nigeria, blaming increasing violence which is creating a refugee crisis.  The food aid will also be shipped to refugee camps in Cameroon, so don’t be surprised if you hear about ebola spreading to Cameroon.

For an example of a conspiracy to increase the dumping of GMO food aid in Africa, in 2011 the African government of Kenya fired its National Biosafety Authority boss after catching him ‘expediting’ the distribution of milled UN/African Union food aid.   African Union food aid officials were pissed: “When you have people starving in your country you don’t simply turn your back on food at your door-step just because it is labelled GM, it is expected that biosafety risk assessments should have been conducted before the importation of the food to see whether it does indeed pose a threat before taking a decision. Taking this decision so late in the day could have serious consequences for the suffering people.”-Diran Makinde, New Partnership for Africa Development’s African Biosafety Network of Expertise

Who should we blame?  According to a 2011 Popular Science article, U.S. based Monsanto is responsible for 90% of the GM crops around the World (grown mainly in the U.S. and South America)!

Then there’s the United Nations, African Development Bank, USAID, World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other ‘western’ globalist organizations that are pushing the use of GM seeds, and even dumping GM food aid in African countries.

It’s ironic that the genetically modified tobacco plant is being used to create a serum for ebola, after all the tobacco plant was the first plant to be genetically modified by humans (in 1982).

More deadly GMO reading:  DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans, study confirms 

U.S. wildlife refuges phasing out GMO crops, some pesticides to help bees

Globe-Trotting GMO Bananas Arrive For Their First Test In Iowa

Ugandan scientists grow GM banana

BBN GMO archives:  GMO CROPS INTENDED TO CREATE STARVATION IN THE U.S. & CANADA?

Outlawed GMO wheat shows up on Oregon farms!

Corn syrup + GMO corn crops + Pesticides = Honey Bee Colony Collapse! Human collapse next!

GMO CREATES SUPERBUGS, DESTROYING OUR FOOD SOURCES! INDIA SAYS GMO RESEARCH “FRADULENT”!

EUROPEANS NOW BLAMING EGYPT FOR DEADLY E COLI……ARE GMOS TO BLAME?

Business/Economics, Idaho

Sears & Kmart closing update, 06 August 2014: “Day of reckoning” Finally it’s official Chubbuck Sears going down! No more Converse shoes? Sears Canada being sold for $2-billion!

“When one player starts to get worried, that’s something that can potentially spread fast. People are very worried about getting stuck with a lot of liability…..There’s a day of reckoning at some point.”-Steven Dennis, former Sears vice president, commenting on the recent ‘disappearance’ of Converse/Nike brand shoes from Sears stores

My past articles showed how the Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears was slowly being killed off.

I’ve been warning and now it’s official; the Sears in the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho, is shutting down.  The mall’s current property manager, Covington Realty Partners, says Sears Holdings gave no “verbal” warning.

North Carolina losing a Kmart in November.  Missouri losing a Kmart in November.  An Oklahoma Sears shutting down in November.  Massachusetts losing a 35 years old Kmart in October.  112 people losing their jobs at 46 years old Kmart in Florida, by November.  Turns out the property was quietly sold to Walmart back in 2012!  Wisconsin losing a Sears.

Reports that Sears Canada might have a new owner.  New York based Sycamore Partners considering paying Eddie Lampert $2-billion USD for Sears Holding’s share of Sears Canada!

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, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), 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) 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 (jobs lost unknown), 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?

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.

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.

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, recently revealed Oakland Park Kmart (112 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). Finally an official announcement; 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”.

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?) recently 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). 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), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown).

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).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost).

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

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

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, recently revealed Milford Kmart (80 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, 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), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 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!

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), recently revealed South Belt Kmart (64 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, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost).

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), 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), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), recently revealed Greensboro Kmart (96 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), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 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), recently revealed Muskogee Sears (60 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).

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 Kmart (jobs lost unknown, but the store was advertising for new hires!), Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 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), Everett Kmart (65 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), Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (no job loss info given), recently revealed Fond du Lac Sears (42 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)

Fukushima

Fukushima – WIPP – Radiation Fallout: WIPP inspections never done! China Syndrome confirmed at Fukushima! Melt downs started 5 hours before originally thought! Pouring water directly on core made things worse!

06 August 2014 (12:37 UTC-07 Tango)/09 Shawwal 1435/15 Mordad 1393/11 Ren-Shen 4712

“We’re preparing for the worst day in America.”-Colonel Lawrence Terranova, U.S. Army NorthCom

Back in June I wrote how the GE designed reactor Unit 2, at Fukushima Daiichi, could very well be experiencing China Syndrome.  Now, Tokyo Electric Power Company confirms Chine Syndrome in reactor Unit 3!

TEPCo has now discovered that all the nuclear fuel rods in Unit 3 melted through the reactor core, and are working their way through the containment vessel!

It was also revealed that the melt downs at Fukushima Daiichi started at least five hours before an official government investigation stated.   Unit 3 actually began melting down at 05:30 hours on 13 March 2011 (The cooling system actually stopped six hours earlier than originally claimed.  You conspiracy theorist need to get busy with this one!).

TEPCo says melted fuel in the containment vessel halts their plan to decommission the reactors.   The ijits assumed the reactor cores were stable.  Another kink in their plans to decommission the reactors is the fact that all their attempts to filter radioactive isotopes out of the cooling water have officially failed.   So what now, you nuclear engineering geniuses?

TEPCo also discovered that pouring water directly on the reactor cores back in 2011 made things worse, by creating a chemical reaction that built up explosive hydrogen gas.

Japanese news media have revealed that TEPCo is fudging on its ice wall attempt.  They’re supposed to be using a giant frigeration system to freeze the ground around Fukushima Daiichi, in the hopes it will stop contaminated groundwater from getting into the ocean.  However, TEPCo now admits they’re dumping 15-tons of huge ice blocks, per day, into the trenches meant for the in-ground AC unit.   They claim they are only trying to “speed things up”.  Why can’t they just admit they don’t know what they’re doing and start dumping concrete on the whole thing?

And now for some more bad news:  Japan has been hit with massive amounts of rain, this means Fukushima Daiichi is flooding even more radioactive isotopes into the Pacific Ocean.

In the United States: “A study from 2012 reports that the plume of radiation made a serious impact on Southern and Central California, with Southern California’s seaweed testing at a 500 percent higher level of radiation than normal…..

…..Elevated levels of iodine-131, which is a product of nuclear fission and exceeds the levels of contaminant permitted in the water supply, have been reported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)….

….radioactive elements that are present in California are Iodine, Cesium-134 and Cesium-137…..

…the Japanese government’s Meteorological Institute, found that levels of cesium 137 at the surface of the Pacific could potentially be 10,000 times higher that the contamination at Chernobyl….

….In 2012 the U.S. government ordered 14 million pills of Potassium Iodide….”–Adrianne Hill

In New Mexico, more confusion about the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).  This time it was revealed that federal Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) wasn’t conducting mandatory quarterly inspections of WIPP!

MSHA officials claim they were confused as to just how much authority they had at the Department of Energy’s (DoE) WIPP.   The DoE and MSHA signed a vague agreement back in 1987, but MSHA didn’t begin inspections until 1995, and even then they were sporadic.

In my last Fukushima posting I wrote about the massive nuclear disaster training taking place all across the U.S.  One of those exercises is being conducted by the U.S. Army’s NorthCom in Indiana.  The first half of the “premier” Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) wargame was from 21-27 July.

An update on Vibrant Response 14 (VR 14) shows it has entered the second half (01-09 August), and involves 55-hundred personnel from FEMA, Homeland Security, National Technical Nuclear Forensics Ground Collections Task Force, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, FBI, DoE, USA (United States Army), USAF (United States Air Force), USN (United States Navy) and more than 28 states including Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.

The Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC) is considered the best for simulating a nuclear disaster area: “This place is unreal! Considering how this whole place was once a functioning facility, this is probably the best place for my unit to get a feel for what we’d encounter during a real-life nuclear attack.”-1st Lieutenant Jeff Merritt, Indiana National Guard

The achilles heel of a nuclear disaster response is the same as for combat, logistics: “If the transportation mission wasn’t accomplished, Vibrant Response would not be possible.”-1st Lieutenant Mitchell Vaughan, Michigan Army Reserve

Massive False Flag exercise

 

International

World War 3 Afghanistan, 30 July – 01 August 2014: ‘Successful’ election vote recount on indefinite hold! Home life more stressful than combat for National Guard? More National Guard members being killed in the U.S.! U.S. taxpayers screwed over more than they were after WW2!

Badakhshan Province: In Jaram District, Mujahideen say they’ve shot down a helicopter.  They say the helicopter turned to return to the Faizabad airbase, but crashed.  They say they used a Soviet era DShK heavy machine gun.  It fires a 12.7mm (.50 cal) bullet, but the casing is much longer than the standard 12.7mm used in the U.S. M2 (Ma Duce), allowing more gunpowder to give it more range.

Helmand Province: In Sangin District, provincial officials report several days of battles with Mujahideen.  At least 20 people killed.

Kabul Province:  Kabul Airport, international airlines resume flights after a recent Mujahideen attack.   Afghan news media report that the Obama regime presidential candidate puppet Abdullah Abdullah is refusing to take part in the observation of the latest vote recount.  This effectively ends the vote recount.  Remember, Barack Obama, David Cameron and Ban Ki-moon declared the election a “success”!

Kandahar Province: In Shahwalikot District, reports of U.S./NATO airstrikes.  At least nine people killed.

Kunar Province: Claims that Pakistan fired 118 artillery rounds into Afghan territory.  No casualties reported, but several houses were destroyed.

Logar Province: The mayor for Mohammad Agha District was assassinated by armed men.  His wife and two family members were wounded.

Nuristan Province: In Barg-e-Matal District, government officials report battles with Afghan and Pakistani Mujahideen.  At least 30 people killed, including civilians.

Pakistan says one of their soldiers was shot and killed by an Afghan soldier near Ghakhai Pass in Pakistan’s Bajaur Agency.

The U.S. Department of Defense revealed that the U.S. Army’s 101st and 82nd airborne divisions will remain in Afghanistan into 2015.

According to a Colombia University Mailman School of Public Health study, life in the United States has become so bad that it is now more stressful for National Guard members than their time in Afghanistan or Iraq!   The researchers tracked militiamen for three years.   60% had combat trauma, 17% were sexually harassed on deployment, but 36% had experienced extreme stress since returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

In the U.S. state of New York, an Air National Guardsman was killed by being pushed down stairs.  It happened in the city of Buffalo, back in May.  He had been in a coma, but died on 31 July 2014.  He had served in Afghanistan with the 107th Airlift Wing.  A man has already been charged with assault, and now will be charged with homicide.

In the U.S. state of Georgia, a National Guardsman is on trial for killing his wife.  He claims she was about to kill herself when he tried pulling the gun from her hands.   The autopsy showed the woman was shot in the left side of the head, with the bullet exiting on the right side (which is typical for somebody shooting themselves in the head).  However, the autopsy doctor says he thinks she was shot by somebody else.  The suspect served in Iraq and Afghanistan several times.  He has three children.

More than 120 militiamen & women of the Army National Guard’s 2-113th Infantry Battalion (New Jersey U.S.A.) shipping out for Bahrain, in support of operations in Afghanistan.   This is on top of the 130 militiamen & women of the 150th Assault Helicopter Battalion who deployed to Kosovo.   Some militia members told local news media they were glad to be activated because it means more money for their families, illustrating just how bad the U.S. economy is.

Dyncorp, PAE Government Services Incorporated, KBR and Civilian Police International have all been accused of corruption, tax evasion, human trafficking and torture.  Tim Shorrock, a researcher, has found that U.S. military contractors can literally get away with murder and still be awarded more of your tax money: “This is the black hole of contracting. You can pretty much do almost anything and keep your contracts.”  

The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says the amount of U.S. taxes given to Afghanistan by the Bush and Obama regimes has exceeded the post World War 2 Marshall Plan, but without the positive results: “SIGAR calculates that by the end of 2014, the United States will have committed more funds to reconstruct Afghanistan, in inflation-adjusted terms, than it spent on 16 European countries after World War II under the Marshall Plan.”

Idaho, Technology

Pokey Airport 02 August 2014: SISTR Lenco BearCat

Image

Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 14 – 19 May 2014: “I have been a loyal employee!” No more Red Lobster or Land Rover? Ford kills off thousands of steel industry jobs! California & New York hit with hundreds of job losses! More healthcare job cuts!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Russian steel company Severstal will sell off its factories in Deerborn, Michigan, and in Columbus, Mississippi.  At least 25-hundred jobs affected!   The company was supplying steel for Ford tough trucks, but the new Ford F-150 will be made of aluminum (cans?).

California:  In Orange, Obama Care killed 28 jobs at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.  In Ontario, Landmark Medical Management killing 418 jobs in July!  In Fort Irwin, taxsucker Northrop Grumman laid off another 813 people!  In Palo Alto, Hewlett-Packard (HP) laid off 32 employees.  In Menlo Park, Intuit added an additional 21 employees to their layoffs in July.  In Anaheim, MV Transportation killing 232 jobs in July!  In San Francisco, Golden Gate Capital could be the new owner of Red Lobster restaurants.  The agreed to buy it for $2.1-billion USD!  However, the sale won’t be finalized until the first half of 2015.  No word on what Golden Gate Capital has in plan for the restaurant.  The executives of the original owner, Darden Restaurants, blames the sale on pressure from stockholders.

Illinois: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, a government mandated privately run company) shutdown AztecAmerica Bank.  $58-million of the assets were sold to Republic Bank of Chicago, the FDIC gets stuck with the rest.

Iowa: Mercy Medical Center laid off 29 employees.  Hospital President Bob Ritz blames U.S. President Obama: “As the federal government and state payment systems continue to ratchet down on what they pay us and our costs go up, we have to look for opportunities to create cost efficiencies.”

Kansas: In Derby, after 40 years electronics maker Q Corporation dissolving.  Unnamed inside sources reported the company has been quietly laying off employees, and is selling off it’s buildings.  Last October the company reported a 200% increase in profits, but now it’s being taken over by vulture capitalists.  The inside informant blames the sudden downturn partly on the company’s inability to  sell off its failing robotics line.  In Kinston, Spirit AeroSystems laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  The company does work for the European Union’s Airbus, and blames the layoffs on “progression” with the A350 production.  In Delano, after only three years art supply store Bluebird Arthouse shutdown, the owner blamed the challenging economy.

Michigan: In Ann Arbor, a 35 years old Le Dog hot dog stand shutdown.  The owners are focusing on just one restaurant.  After only four years Mercy’s Restaurant shutdown.  The owners blamed the bad economy for creating inconsistent business.  In Lansing, the Frandor Rite Aid pharmacy shutdown “indefinitely”, apparently due to a shooting that left two people dead.  What economic recovery?  The Lansing Public School District privatizing their school bus system, trying to cut more than $700-thousand from their budget.  School bus drivers make about $12 per hour, part time, so just imagine what kind of contracted drivers they’re going to get for minimum wage.  School bus driver Keisha Boose is pissed: “I feel like I have been a loyal employee and the Lansing School District does not have my back!”  The Charlotte Public Schools could shutdown the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.  School district officials revealed the taxpayer funded Center has been losing tens of thousands of dollars since 2010.   Wayne County approved drastic plans to try and get rid of $175-million in debt.  It includes laying off employees as well as reducing prison population by 200 homeless and mentally ill detainees, and cutting $1-million from the Detroit Prosecutor’s Office. County officials admit their tax revenues are crashing because residents are up and leaving in droves.

Minnesota: What automotive industry recovery?  In Minneapolis, Borton Volvo shutdown.   They were the last new car dealer in the city.  The owner blames city officials for changing zoning laws, now he’s building a mega dealership outside city limits (less tax revenue for the dumb city officials).

New York: In Bethpage, taxsucker Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Electronic Attack Center announced they will layoff 352 employees between now and the end of the year!  Company officials say they are consolidating operations.  In Bronx, financially troubled long term health care provider HHH Choices Health Plan/HHCS shutting down in August, 152 jobs lost!  ABCO Carpentry Service & Steel Door shutting down in August, 52 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on the bad economy.  What automotive industry recovery?  In several cities across New York Long Island Automotive Group-Land Rover shutting down in July, 243 jobs lost!  In Brooklyn, Moneygram announced they’re shutting down their HQ, 376 jobs affected!  The money transfer company is moving its HQ to Texas.  Company officials told state officials that the jobs will be eliminated or transfered by December.

North Dakota:  In Harvey, after several years of operations (and several shutdowns) the Branded Beef & Pack is being auctioned off on 04 June.  The owner, Minnesota based Maas Companies, says the operation cost them more money then they were making: “Due to challenging economic conditions during the start up phase, the plant was forced to cease operations.”  

Ohio: Maker of Oneida and Anchor Hocking eating/cooking utensils, EveryWare Global, announced it is shutting down two factories, one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania.  This is part of its ongoing consolidation plans, which involve moving most production across the U.S. to Ohio.  A New York private equity fund, Monomoy Capital Partners, took over Oneida and Anchor Hocking in 2011, and  combined them into one company called EveryWare Global in March 2012.

Oregon: What was that about internet businesses killing brick-n-mortar stores? In Portland, Webtrends laid off 26 employees as it refocuses its internet sales operations.

10 – 13 May 2014: Maryland hopes Japan will save their jobs!

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, U.S.

World War 3: Israel halts military cooperation with Russia, over Ukraine! Or, is it in exchange for all that extra money U.S. taxpayers just gave Israel?

04 August 2014 (14:37 UTC-07 Tango)/07 Shawwal 1435/13 Mordad 1393/09 Ren-Shen 4712

A report out of Tel Aviv (in Flightglobal) says Israel has ordered a halt to all new drone (UAV) contracts with Russia.  The report also said the Obama regime was upset that Israel is still doing business with Russian military contractors, despite U.S. and EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine fiasco.

Isn’t it interesting that the Monday after the Friday in which the U.S. Senate approved $225-million USD in extra money for the Israeli warmachine, that Israeli officials decide to sanction Russia?