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International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 11-12 July 2013.

In Baghlan Province, Burka District, Boorkeh city, Mujahideen claim they shot down a NATO/ISAF helicopter.  U.S. officials would only confirm that one of their ‘copters made a “hard landing”.  Mujahideen say it was a U.S. Chinook helicopter, and that 27 personnel on board were killed.  The district governor did say the U.S. forces were conducting raids in the area.

In Helmand Province, Nad-e-Ali District, an explosion killed three civilians.  When police showed up to investigate another bomb exploded.  Two cops killed, two wounded.  In Gerishk District, locals reported NATO/ISAF airstrikes killed three eight years old children.

In Kabul Province, Kabul city, a car being chased by police blew up.  The driver and two passengers killed.  Police say they recognized the driver as a wanted person.

In Herat Province, the three kidnapped employees of the Norwegian Refugee Council were freed. Local police say no ransom was ever demanded, and the hostages were released without any negotiating.

The European Union’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Vygaudas Usackas, said peace talks will not show any progress until 2015.

Iran and Afghanistan have agreed to cooperate in fighting U.S. backed drug smuggling and terrorism: “A peaceful and stable Afghanistan can play an efficient role in the promotion of trade…”-Abbas Araqchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs

The United Kingdom announced that it wants to pullout 5200 Red Coats by the end of this year.  However, Defence Minister Philip Hammond said they will be prepared to send troops back into Afghanistan if “additional surges” were needed.

Former U.S. diplomat, Robert Blackwill, warned that Afghanistan could become a proxy war between India and Pakistan, after the 2014 NATO/ISAF pullout.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 13-14 May 2013. Massive education cuts in Michigan, entire school districts closed down!!! Massive health care cuts!

Despite all those print media companies blaming the internet for their demise, an internet news media source is now bankrupt.  New York based Main Street Connect, which operates “hyperlocal” news websites, blames it on debts that are double their assets, and two lawsuits by former employees claiming the company violated federal labor laws.  Back in March, Main Street Connect shut down all its Massachusetts websites and laid off 45 employees.  And a New York based internet wine seller laid off another 11 employees.  Lot18 now has 36 employees, last year they had 100.  It turns out that shipping wine from internet or mail order sales is actually expensive.

Publisher of print and digital learning services, Cengage Learning, warned of a coming bankruptcy after a 22% drop in revenues: “….There can be no assurance that any of our attempts to refinance our indebtedness will be successful…..any of the forgoing alternatives may individually, or in aggregate, have material adverse effects on our business and therefore raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern…”

The Northport-East Northport School District, in New York wants to layoff off 18 teachers.  It’s blamed on an expected loss of 189 students for the upcoming school year!

The school districts of Trumbull and Shelton, in Connecticut, canceled their contracted First Student bus service contracts.  170 bus drivers unemployed!

In New Jersey, Deptford Township Schools laid off 11 employees. It’s blamed on declining student enrollment.  In Bernardsville, BaseCamp Adventure Outfitters shut down.  The owners said they can not compete with internet stores.

In Michigan, the Howell Public Schools laid off 21 employees.  Pontiac School District officials warning of “massive” layoffs.  The Goodrich School District will layoff teachers, staff, outsource bus drivers, eliminate assistant principals, outsource athletic directors, eliminate bus stops and outsource secretaries.  The Flint School District laying off 138 teachers now, and 150 more over the next three years!  After laying off 127 employees last year, the Saginaw School District wants to layoff 150 more this year! Marshall High School shut down in Albion. Ypsilanti and Willow Run consolidating their school districts, rendering 200 employees jobless!  Wealthier Ann Arbor Public Schools laying off 70 employees.  Inkster Public Schools laid off all their teachers!!!  The entire Buena Vista School District ceased to exist!!!  The people of Michigan have pointed out that NAZIistic right to work you over state officials are refusing to use the hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in emergency school funds to stop the wholesale destruction of public schools, while unAmerican corporate America continue to get massive state tax breaks!  To make things worse, Hemlock Semiconductor laid off 50 employees at its Thomas Township factory.  It’s blamed on the solar power polysilicon industry crash caused by Obama.  And New York based Pall Corporation closing its Ann Arbor Pall Life Sciences operations.  71 employees affected.  It might have something to do with its new office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  The city of Ann Arbor now suing Pall Corporation, saying the company contaminated the local water supply with dioxane (locally known as the Unit E Plume).

In Missouri, Chartwells Dining Services lost their contract with the Saint Louis Public Schools.  217 people out-o-work!  And Liberty Hospital laid off 129 employees!  Hospital officials say they are prepping for Obama’s Affordable Care Act that will reduce Medicare/Medicaid payments to hospitals when it takes effect in January 2014.

The merger of U.S. Analogic with Canadian Ultrasonix Medical will result in 140 people losing their jobs in Colorado and Vancouver!

In California, Dignity Health laying off 150 employees in Sacramento, and 300 in Stockton!  It’s due to the sale of their lab services to a New Jersey company.  And California based Agilient Technologies laying off 450 people!  The company makes medical testing equipment, and has been busy taking over European companies.  Video game maker, Gree, laid off 30 people in San Francisco.  Company officials say it’s part of their plans to move to the next gen of social media games.

The labs of Astellas’ OSI Pharmaceuticals subsidiary at the Broad Hollow Business Park in Farmingdale, New York, and of the Perseid Therapeutics subsidiary in Redwood City, California, will be closed.  At least 200 jobs lost to the company’s new Tsukuba Research Center in Japan!

Liberty Medical Supply, in Florida, laying off 211 employees!  Liberty Medical already laid off 260 employees in January, then went bankrupt in February!  Local employment services have been asked to help as more layoffs are planned.

The Pfizer operations in Bristol, Tennessee, laid off 25 employees. It’s blamed on the second recall of their drug Levoxy.

In Texas, Galt Medical shutting down their Garland factory over the next two years.  139 people unemployed!  Galt specializes in medical devices, which are going to be hit with a massive tax under the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!  And electrical power company, AES NA Central, shut down its Woodlands office.  59 Texans laid off.

In Indiana, a new company that hoped to help people with disabilities, is already out-o-business.  Warner Transitional Services shut down and laid off 112 people!  Company officials said the state Family and Social Services Administration would not approve their operations.

In Pennsylvania, the Schuylkill County Housing Authority laid off six employees.  The Pottsville Housing Authority laid off one employee.  It’s blamed on reduced funding.   University City’s Tria Wine Room closed down.  The owner said business wasn’t good enough.

The Eddie Bauer store closed in the Bayshore Town Center, Wisconsin.  And Ruhama’s Yarn and Needlepoint shut down after 52 years of business.  The owner wanted to retire years ago, but was trying to sell the store.  She finally gave up.

In Arlington, Massachusetts, the Holovak & Coughlin Sporting Goods shut down after 49 years in business.  The family owners say the economy is too bad for retail sales, they will switch to other types of sales.

Schreiber Foods shutting down their Gainesville, Georgia, factory.  250 employees affected!  Company officials blame “competition”.

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.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 11-12 May 2013. Thousands more layoffs! More education cuts! More Obama Care cuts!

In Washington, the Spokane Country Club now bankrupt after losing gender discrimination lawsuit.  And Boeing will layoff 1500 IT employees in Puget Sound!  Over the next three years IT operations will be moved to Missouri and South Carolina.  The Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital laid off 19 employees.  It’s blamed on declining customers, and that damned Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care) for drastic cuts to Medicare and Medicaid funding. And Tacoma Public Schools wants to let go at least 10 career and tech teachers.  It’s blamed on reduced state funding and declining enrollment. (I’ve asked this before: Where are all the students going?)

In Indiana, orthopedic products maker Zimmer laid off at least 50 employees.  Company officials blame it on that damned Affordable Health Care Act (Obama/Romney Care), which created a new federal medical device tax.

In New York, the volunteer run children’s charity High Top Shop shut down.  The operators think they can raise more money by going back to their grass roots fundraising efforts.  The Ticonderoga School District says it needs to layoff about 12 employees and raise local taxes. They’re in debt, and funding is being reduced.

The Brandywine School District, in Delaware, laying off 19 employees.  Teachers blame the state government: “The state needs to recognize and fund technology support. The state has so many demands on the school districts to implement all this technology that they don’t want to pay for people to run it, and that’s where we’re stuck right now.”-Karen Kennedy, Federation Local 762

In Kentucky, Union College laid off 11 employees.  College officials said they must become more efficient, it was cut the jobs or raise tuition by 30%!

In oil rich North Dakota, the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota laid off eight employees. It’s blamed on reduced federal funding, and reduced funding from energy companies.

South Carolina based Kemet laid off 202 employees globally.  More layoffs planned.  They blame it on crashing sales of their capacitors.  Beaufort County’s only camera and photo shop shut down.  The owners of Island Photo and Camera blamed the bad economy and internet competition.

In Florida, food service company FreshPoint North Florida let go at least 79 employees.  The company has been laying off employees and closing operations around the country since last year.  I haven’t found an article that explains why.  Also, U.S. Navy contractor East Coast Repair and Fabrication announced more layoffs.  At least ten people will loose their jobs in August.  In April 25 people lost their jobs.  It’s blamed on uncertainties about federal taxpayer funding.

More layoffs for Pratt & Whitney.  At least 3000 jobs to be cut by the end of the year!  The company is ending its military F100 and F117 jet engine programs.

In Texas, Texarkana’s Twice as Nice Fashions shut down after 41 years in business.

The August Wilson Center for African American Culture, in Pennsylvania, laid off about 10 employees (half its staff), and ended free admissions.  The Center has not been able to make payments on a $7 million USD loan!

In Ohio, J. Gumbo’s Cajun & Creole restaurant closed.  It actually closed at the end of April without notice.  The owners are not happy campers: “Wasn’t in the budget. Hence we’re closed!”

Loopy’s Dollar store closed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The stores have been closing across South Dakota in the past two years.

In Michigan, Second Chance Clothing closed after 30 years of business.  The owners said the economy is so bad they can’t even break even.

Louisiana based IberiaBank closing nine branch offices by the end of this year.  It’s not the first time, and bank officials blame the bad economy: “We’ve taken small bites of this before, but again considering circumstances, a larger bite is necessary.”-Michael Brown, COO

In New Jersey, after 60 years of movies, the Allwood Cinema 6 in Clifton  closed.  The theater is another victim of the Romney style vulture capitalist Bow Tie Cinemas.

After 62 years of operations, The Floor Shop in Fredericksburg, Virginia, closed down.

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.

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 09-10 July 2013: Obama threatens to give Karzai what he wants! Iran hangs U.S. backed drug smugglers!

The dumb Obama administration has threatened to do what President Hamid Karzai has been asking for; pull out all U.S. personnel.  Obama was trying to play tough with Karzai, who recently refused to continue with post 2014 troop level negotiations after it was revealed that Obama was negotiating directly with Mujahideen for peace, without involving the Afghan government.  If anybody’s been following my Afghan updates, they would know that Karzai has been demanding full withdrawal of U.S. forces for several years now.  He says the U.S. is the reason for the ongoing violence in Afghanistan.

On the same day, the Mujahideen closed their office in Doha, Qatar.  It’s was that office that was revealed to be the place where Obama officials were going to talk peace with Mujahideen.

In Iran, 12 U.S. backed drug smugglers from Afghanistan were hanged.  As many as 5000 Afghans are in Iranian prisons, most charged with drug trafficking.  Drug smuggling is punishable by life in prison, or death, in Iran.  Drug smuggling from Afghanistan to Iran has skyrocketed since the U.S. invasion at the end of 2001.

In Uruzgan Province, the former district governor for Char Chino District was assassinated by Mujahideen.  The assassins escaped.  Officials said the former district governor had tried to avoid contact with government officials for the past year.

In Kandahar Province, Slovak/NATO troops were shot at by a Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier, at Kandahar airbase.  Slovak military officials reported that one Slovak was killed and six wounded.  The ANA soldier was arrested.  In another report, the provincial governor said three U.S./NATO troops at the airbase were wounded, after an argument with an ANA soldier.   Another report said three Czech/NATO troops were also attacked!

In Herat Province, Obe District, at least 17 people were killed, five wounded after their bus ran over a landmine.

In Helmand Province, Khanshin District, two people killed, three wounded, after they drove over a landmine.  In Musa Kala District, 10 ANA troops joined the Mujahideen.  And after 20 days of attack by Mujahideen, the ANA withdrew from their base in Sangin District.

U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) revealed that the United States government has spent $34 million U.S. tax dollars on a massive headquarters complex that will probably never be used!

In Paktika Province, Barmal District, an ANA soldier joined the Mujahideen then shot and killed three ANA soldiers while they were sleeping.

In Kunduz Province, Dashti Archi District, U.S. supported Afghan government contracted security forces murdered three civilians who refused to pay a tax on agricultural produce.

In Paktia Province, Chamkani District, 10 ANA soldiers joined the Mujahideen.

In Ghazni Province, Mujahideen claim they prevented a planned NATO/ISAF offensive by striking first.  They say they attacked a military convoy that left Ghazni city for the offensive, killing or wounding 19 NATO/ISAF personnel, and destroying four armored vehicles.  Mujahideen launched several attacks on the convoy, the last one lasting four hours.  Three Mujahideen killed.

 Baghlan Province, Adarab District, seven Afghan National Police (ANP) joined the Mujahideen.

Zabul Province, Seyuri District, reports that NATO/ISAF forces invaded homes in the Shah Beal village.  Two civilians killed.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 09-10 May 2013. Prison labor causes law abiding workers to loose their jobs?

Greeting card company, American Greetings, revealed in its annual report that it laid off 2100 people in the past 12 months!  The report subtly mentions “headcount reductions”.   The company also credited the layoffs for its $47 million USD 4th quarter profits.

What housing market recovery?  In Alabama, real estate company J&E Land now bankrupt.  One owner of the company said they’ve been destroyed by Romney style vulture capitalists.

In Washington DC, the little known National Aquarium will close down in September.   The privately owned aquarium is housed in the basement of the U.S. Commerce building, which will undergo renovations.

In Monticello, Indiana, the Woodlawn Elementary School was closed after 63 years of operations!  It’s blamed on declining student enrollment.

The Easton Area School Board, in Pennsylvania, said they need to layoff between 29 and 53 employees, and raise local taxes.  Employees were also laid off in 2010 and 2012.   Frontier Communications continues to layoff employees.  29 employees in Back Mountain out-o-work.  The company has been laying off employees since the beginning of 2012.  In Castle Shannon, the McGinnis Market shut down after 33 years in business.  The owner said the bad economy made him realize he should quit while ahead: “I have no debt, I own my farm, my equipment, my store. I started talking to myself, and said ‘why are you working?’ I made the decision then and there.”-John McGinnis

Digital media company, Say Media, laid off 40 employees, in order to be more profitable.

The New York Post wants employees to voluntarily quit.  The newspaper is offering buyouts to try and remove at least 10% of its employees, as part of its 2014 budget.

The Daily News laid off 15 reporters.  It’s being blamed on ‘restructuring’.

In Orlando, Florida, Comcast cable laying off 260 employees through summer!

In California, another solar power company going down.  SoloPower selling off equipment and letting go about 130 employees in San Jose, and North Portland, Oregon!

Denmark based Vestas Wind Systems continues to layoff employees in Colorado.  Globally the company has laid off 582 employees so far this year, and company officials say another 1196 will be let go by the end of the year!  Last year they laid of hundreds of employees.

Like your tomatoes? NatureSweet laid off 65 employees, mainly managers, at their Willcox, Arizona, tomato farms.  NatureSweet picked up about 400 prison workers when they took over operations from EuroFresh.  However, NatureSweet officials say they are planning on reducing prison labor as well.

State officials in Missouri warned of massive layoffs for the Motor Vehicle Division.  It depends on next year’s budget.

In Falls Church, Virginia, Anthony’s Restaurant closed after 40 years of operations.  It’s blamed on a property developer.  In West End Alexandria, two Giant grocery stores shut down.  Company officials said they were not happy with “…the operating performance of the stores.”

Marie’s Flower Shop closed in Brewer, Maine.  The owner blamed bad luck with locations: “I have had four different locations due to buildings being torn down and a fire at one point. It’s been a struggle….”-Marie Patterson

In New Hampshire, it was announced the Portsmouth Kmart would close in August.  At least 30 employees screwed.

Jewelry and gift shop, Firefly, closed in Boston, Massachusetts.  The owner blamed it on the property owner who jacked up the rent.

In Minnesota, 79 people losing their jobs with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings.  The company is reducing operations with its subsidiary ViroMed Laboratories, in Minnitonka.

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.

Fukushima

Corporate Evil: Evidence of China Syndrome at Fukushima!!! After months of denial, TEPCo admits strontium & tritium contaminating Pacific Ocean! Don’t eat the fish! Run!

23 July 2013 (00:02 UTC-07 Tango)/15 Ramadan 1434/01 Mordad 1391/16 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711

“We would like to offer our deep apology for causing grave worries for many people, especially for people in Fukushima.”-Ono Masayuki, current general manager of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

Back in May 2013, Tokyo Electric Power Company revealed that test wells dug near the GE designed reactors 1 and 2 at Fukushima Daiichi nuke plant were contaminated with strontium, tritium and cesium.  But TEPCo swore it was not getting into the Pacific Ocean, even though Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) said it was.

Today they’ve admitted that indeed the deadly radiation is spilling into the ocean, since April 2013.  That still contradicts with officials from the NRA who say that radiation has been flooding the ocean since the nuke melt downs back in March 2011 (as I’ve been warning)!!!

TEPCo also revealed that radiation levels in the Pacific Ocean had indeed been increasing since 2011, and are still increasing!

But wait, there’s more!  TEPCo even held an emergency meeting with area fishermen, telling them to stop fishing!  Sato Hiroyuki, a member of the fisheries cooperative in Soma City, told the news media that the meeting was “substantially different” than past meetings with TEPCo.  He said it was the worst news he ever heard, essentially the area’s fishing industry has been destroyed.  Nozaki Tetsu, chairman of Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations, said simply “It was quite shocking…”

Here’s the amazing thing, TEPCo still doesn’t know, for sure, where the contaminated ground water is coming from. With today’s announcement they suspect Reactor 1 is the source.  Here’s a clue, it’s called China Syndrome: The GE designed Reactor 1 not only melted down, but melted right through the ground into the local aquifer!

TEPCo is so desperate to stop the now deadly groundwater from getting into the Pacific Ocean they are now injecting a chemical resin 14 meters (46 feet) deep into the ground.  They hope the chemical will solidify the ground, making a subterranean wall 90 meters (295 feet) long.

Get this, the area where they’re trying to inject the underground wall is so radioactive that workers are exposed to 200 microseverts per hour.  That means that in five hours a person is exposed to the equivalent of one year’s worth of radiation!  Last week TEPCo revealed that at least 2000 employees have been exposed to enough radiation to cause thyroid cancer!  TEPCo hopes to get their resin underground wall completed by the middle of August.

On 18 July 2013, steam was observed coming from the damaged Reactor 3.  TEPCo employees said the steam was noticed for several hours.  A rain storm had gone through during the night, and TEPCo officials admitted that even two years later, the reactor containment vessel is still hot enough to turn rain into steam!  Radiation levels are so high in and around Reactor 3 that TEPCo has to use robots to remove tsunami debris.

The situation has upset Japan’s newly elected nationalistic parliament.  Senior vice industry minister, Akaba Kazuyoshi, criticized TEPCo for being always one step behind: “TEPCo’s actions seem too slow, and they don’t live up to our expectations.”

Ignorant TEPCo officials are still publicly insisting that the impact on the environment is minimal (even after what they told local fishermen)!

International

World War 3, Asian Front-Afghanistan, 07-08 July 2013: Corrupt U.S. contractor refuses to pay Afghan sub-contractors!

Major battles in Maidan Wardak, Kabul, Kunar, Jawzjan, Nangarhar, Baghlan, Kunduz, Faryab, Uruzgan, Logar, Ghazni, Farah, Helmand and Paktia provinces.  Mujahideen claim they killed 30 Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers.  Afghan government officials claim they killed 100 Mujahideen.  Afghan government officials added that U.S./NATO air strikes were called in.

In Parwan Province, Bagram airbase, reports that two groups of ANA soldiers turned their guns on each other.  Three people killed, several wounded.

In Maidan Wardak Province, Sayed Abad District, Mujahideen say they destroyed 19 supply vehicles and killed 14 people.  Mujahideen say their ambush of the U.S./NATO supply convoy took place at several points through out the district.  One engagement lasted three hours. One Mujahid killed, one wounded.

Afghan Major-General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, admits that Mujahideen numbers have increased by 15%.  He says there are at least 5000 Mujahideen in seven southeastern provinces.  He also says there are increased foreign fighters helping the Mujahideen, mainly from Pakistan and Chechnya.

In Kandahar Province, an Afghan interpreter who was working with U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) was arrested in connection to the kidnapping and torture deaths of Afghan civilians.  U.S. SOF was behind the war crimes, a mass grave was found next to an abandoned U.S. SOF base, which contained the bodies of some of the kidnapped Afghans.  Afghan police say the arrested interpreter is seen in a video taking part in the torture deaths of the victims.

Despite Indian government officials denying Afghanistan lethal military  aid, reports say the two governments are still in discussions for India “to contribute lethal weapons” and to “enhance” military cooperation.

Iranian officials say they are holding political discussions with the government of Afghanistan: “There are issues over which Tehran and Kabul need to regularly hold talks and be in touch about them. General relations between the two countries will be discussed…”-Abbas Araqchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Pacific Affairs

In Ghazni Province, Deh Yak District, two people killed, and three people wounded, including the provincial high peace council chief, when a remote detonated bomb exploded.  In Khogyani District, Mujahideen claim to have killed 19 U.S./NATO/ISAF troops during an ambush of a military convoy.  In Maqur District, reports that NATO/Afghan forces conducted a home invasion, killing three people.

In Baghlan Province, Burqa District, reports that NATO/Afghan forces raided a Madrasa and kidnapped three students.

After announcing big funding for Afghanistan, Norway is now backing off.  Norwegian officials are now using the excuse of failed Afghan reforms to get out of promised taxpayer funding for the Afghan government: “Norwegian authorities note with disappointment the slow and uneven progress that has characterized the follow-up to the commitments made.”

More proof the corruption is on the U.S. side: In Kabul Province, Kabul city, Afghan civilians protested the U.S. owned contractor Supreme Group.  The Afghans work for a subcontractor called Afghan Mansoor Jalal Logistics and Transportation Company (MLC).  The subcontractor says Supreme Group is refusing to pay them!  The owners of MLC says Supreme Group owes them $20 million USD!  Supreme Group is a U.S. taxpayer funded contractor providing logistical support to military units.  Supreme Group is also involved in a no-bid contract scandal involving military food supply.

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

Corporate Martial Law: Hewlett Packard & NEC announce data spying & storage deal!

22 July 2013 (12:26 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Ramadan 1434/31 Tir 1391/15 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711

Japan’s computer giant, NEC, announced a data storage deal with Hewlett Packard (HP).  Initial reports say they will develop small servers that can analyze and store large amounts of data.

Officials with NEC admit they and HP are trying to jump on the government/corporate domestic spy, I mean data collection business, being referred to as the promising field of “big data analysis”.

Business/Economics, U.S.

World War 3, U.S. Economic Front: Job losses & store closings 08 May 2013. U.S. education going down the toilet! No more Applebees in Chicago!

In New York, CA Technologies laying off 1200 employees!  Company officials said the layoffs were needed “…to rebalance its resources to better align with its business priorities.”

Another company involved with domestic spying, VMware, laying off 800 employees!  The company is connected to EMC.

In Pennsylvania, Honeywell Processes Solutions shutting down its York factory.  160 people unemployed!  Company officials say it’s necessary to stay competitive.  Helping people lose weight not paying off for Skinny Nutritional.  They’re now bankrupt.  Company officials are blaming a Too Big to Jail financier for failing to come through on a major loan.

In New Jersey, more than 200 people out-o-work with the Camden City Public Schools!  They’ve also ended their lunch aide program.  Since March, the school system is under direct control of the state government.  School employees said the state gave no explanation for the layoffs.

In Louisiana, Delgato Community College laid off 115 employees and cut 15 programs!  The college laid off people back in February.  School officials said they were short $8 million USD, after state officials forced the college to pay $10 million into state retirement funds (similar to what the U.S. Congress has done with the Postal Service).

The Tucson Unified School District laying off 187 people in Arizona!  School officials say they’re short $17 million, caused by declining enrollment and reduced funding!

What automotive industry recovery? In Illinois, Bridgestone laid off 23 people at their Bloomington-Normal factory.  Officials with the tire maker blamed crashing sales of off road tires.  Also, Applebees said it is closing eight restaurants in Chicago!  The company is bankrupt!

The Centerville, Ohio, Talegators sports bar shut down.  It’s being replaced with a crappy McDonald’s ‘restaurant’.

In Wisconsin, after 80 years of business the River Bend Shoe Center closed.  The owners blamed internet competition.  And the Yonkers store in the Rapids Mall shut down.  45 people laid off.  Box maker RockTenn closed its Milwaukee factory.  69 people out-o-work.

Office Depot announced it would close down in South County, Missouri.

In North Dakota, local news media reminded everyone that the Jamestown Kmart will close, despite the oil boom.

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.

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

Economic Recovery for Pocatello? Where’s everybody gone to?

22 July 2013 (23:07 UTC-07 Tango 21 July 2013)/14 Ramadan 1434/31 Tir 1391/15 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711

Click pics to make bigger

Back before gas prices went over three bucks per gallon, the main drag through Pocatello and Chubbuck, Idaho, Yellowstone Avenue (aka State Highway 91) was a busy place even on Sundays.  But in the past few years traffic has dramatically declined on both Saturday and Sunday.

The intersection of Yellowstone and Alameda, in Pocatello, is usually the busiest section during the week.  Last month one of my daughters (graduated Pocatello High School) paid a visit from Boise and was shocked at the reduction of even the work day traffic on Yellowstone.

This Sunday, 21 July 2013, was the most ghost townish I’d ever seen Pocatello and Chubbuck.