Tag Archives: wall street

Business/Economics, U.S.

Class Warfare: While the rich decry social help for the poor, thousands of millionaire U.S. jerk wads get the lion’s share of unemployment payments! Middle & lower classes get a pauper’s pittance, even though they pay lion’s share in taxes!!!

“Sending millionaires unemployment checks is a case study in out-of control spending. Providing welfare to the wealthy undermines the program for those who need it most while burdening future generations with senseless debt.”-Tom Coburn, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma

A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report revealed that 2,362 people in the same class as Mitt Romney (millionaires), who publicly decry government help, actually got unemployment money from the government in 2009!

Even more the year before that:  2,840 millionaires got unemployment money in 2008!

But wait there’s more!

People with incomes between $100,000 USD and one million dollars also got unemployment money; 954,000 in 2009 and 816,700 in 2008!!!

Lets put this in a better perspective.  Middle and lower class unemployed persons get an average of $300 per week for 37 weeks (if they’re approved, for some reason the state of Idaho always finds some excuse to deny my unemployment claims. The last excuse was that I didn’t make enough income during the “reporting period”.  The reporting period didn’t even cover all the months I was employed with my last employer).

Here’s what millionaires get for unemployment (according to a Bloomberg article):  Income between $1 million and $5 million averaged $11,113 per week for 37 weeks of unemployment!

Income between $5 million and $10 million averaged $18,351 per week of unemployment!

Income more than $10 million averaged $12,333 per week!

But wait, there’s more!

Unemployment compensation is paid for by federal and state taxes (here in Idaho the state taxes come from the employers, who actually get part of that refunded based on number of unemployment claims made against their companies.  Several Idaho Job Service employees have confided to me that the system is set up to favor the employers, because Job Service is mainly funded by those employer taxes).

The Library of Congress CRS report shows that the majority of unemployed (middle and lower classes) make up the lion’s share of tax filers yet get the pauper’s pittance in unemployment help.  The report shows that the higher the income the smaller the share of tax filings.

In 2009, unemployed people who had incomes between one dollar and $100,000 made up 91.07% of tax filers.

Unemployed people who had incomes between $100,000 and $200,000 made up only 7.3%!

Incomes between $200,000 and $500,000 only 1.06%!!

Incomes between $500,000 and $1 million only 0.07%!!!

Unemployed people who had incomes more than $1 million made up only 0.02% of tax filers in the United States!!!!

The CRS report, titled Receipt of Unemployment Insurance by
Higher-Income Unemployed Workers (“Millionaires”), was released back in August, but is only now hitting the mainstream media!

What was that about the rich bastards and bitches getting richer and richer?

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Media Incompetence & What Economic Recovery? Sears & Kmart not ‘closing’ stores, just not gonna renew their leases. Misleads lazy media, dozens more stores being shut down before Xmas, due to expired leases!

02 October 2012, the local media in the state of Maine reported that “Unlike last winter’s mass closings……Lewiston’s Sears is the only one closing now.”-Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine

That’s a big FAIL Sun Journal!!!  There’s at least a handful of Sears and Kmart store being shut down for the same reason as the Lewiston, Maine, store: Sears Holdings is not renewing leases!

The people of Morristown, Tennessee, were shocked to learn their local Sears is not renewing their lease, and as many as 72 employees will be laid off!  Sears Holdings hopes to have the store shut down by January 2013.

The local mayor said Sears gave them no warning: “It was a surprise to us. Also, it’s disappointing. Although we have a lot of good news going on in our city with new jobs, it’s disappointing to lose 72.”-Danny Thomas, Mayor of Morristown

A resident of Morristown is pissed off: “…people havin’ trouble findin’ jobs, I mean it’s gettin’ close to Christmas and stuff, what’s these people gonna do?”-Nicole Harbin

Another store closing (which could have been part of the June announcements) is the Sears at the Liberty Fair Mall, in Martinsville, Virginia.  Even if it was announced back in June, folks around Martinsville say it’s news to them.

Officially the Liberty Fair Mall Sears is being closed due to “…failing to come to terms on a new lease…”-Martinsville Bulletin, 16 September 2012

That wasn’t the reason given in the June announcement, anyway, another 75 employees out of work by Xmas!

Here’s a store closing that definitely wasn’t on the June list: Village Mall Sears in Auburb, Alabama.  “We’re expected to exit the building by the end of December. The lease is not being renewed at that store.”-Kimberly Freely, Sears Holdings

This is the second Sears Holdings store closing in Auburn.  The local Kmart was shut down back in April.  Sears had been in operation in Auburn since 1951!

At the end of 2011, Sears Holdings said they would close up to 120 U.S. stores in 2012 alone.  They even established a store closing list, which recently disappeared from their website (I checked again this morning, 02 October 2012)!

So far, since the end of 2011, Sears Holdings publicly announced at least 102 closings (on their now missing store closing list) and also announced the possible sale of 11 stores to major mall owner General Growth Properties (GGP).

What the mainstream media doesn’t tell you is that Sears Holdings has been aggressively closing down stores since 2010.  At least 174 stores closed with the result of 13,920 people losing their jobs!

Sears Holdings continues quietly closing Kmarts as well.  Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry was notified that a Kmart store will be closed at the Pittsburgh Parkway Center Mall.  54 employees out of work by 06 January 2013!

In Florida, local media surprised that yet another Kmart is closing, despite the fact that it’s probably part of the June announcement.

A Jacksonville Business Journal article talks about the two Florida Kmarts mentioned in the December 2011 announcements, and seems ignorant of the 2012 announcements: “In December 2011, Sears Holdings released a list of 79 stores it was closing. But the company planned to close between 100 and 120 in total. On that list, two local stores were closed…”-Jacksonville Business Journal, 17 September 2012

I guess they weren’t paying attention to my postings in Blind Bat News!!!

Another Florida media source, Jacksonville Daily Record, does not mention the June closing list, but did say the Jacksonville (on Beach Boulevard) Sears is not mentioned on the Sears Holdings website (as I stated above, the closing lists have disappeared).

Don’t expect things to get any better, recently Sears was ranked 5th out of 12 companies with the Least Valuable Employees.  And don’t forget the Mitt Romney/Bain Capital/Carlyle group connection!

Just to help out those mainstream local media sources, and to give you an idea of the impact this is having across the United States, here’s a list of known store closings/closed stores for 2012.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart, Mobile Sears Grand/Essentials, Auburn Kmart.

California:   El Monte Sears Grand/Essentials, two San Diego Sears Grand/Essentials.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart, Glenwood Springs Kmart, Lone Tree Sears Great Indoors, Longmont Sears.

Georgia: Macon Sears, Buford Kmart, Douglasville Kmart, Atlanta Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Jonesboro Kmart.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart, Callaway Kmart, Orange City Kmart,  Deland Sears Grand/Essentials, Stuart Sears Grand/Essentials, West Palm Beach Sears Grand/Essentials, Port St. Lucie Sears Grand/Essentials, Crystal River Sears, New Smyrna Beach Kmart, St. Augustine Kmart, Pompano Beach Kmart, and recently revealed Jacksonville Kmart.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears.

sears chubbuck

Floundering Sears at the GGP owned Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho.

Kmart Pocatello

Floundering Big Kmart in Pocatello, Idaho. Are they next to go in Idaho?

Indiana:  Anderson Sears Full Line, Saint John Kmart, Indianapolis Kmart.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart, Davenport Kmart.

Kansas: Lawrence Sears Full Line.

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears Hard lines, Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart.

Maine: Lewiston Sears.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears Grand/Essentials.

Michigan: Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart.

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line.

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials.

North Carolina: High Point Sears Full line, Moorehead Sears Full line, Rocky Mount Sears Full line, Statesville Sears Full line.

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart.

Oregon: Roseburg Sears Full line.

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, and recently revealed Pittsburgh Kmart.

South Carolina: Sumter Sears Full line.

Tennessee: Antioch Sears Full line, Cleveland Sears Full line, Oak Ridge Sears Full line, Hendersonville Kmart, and recently revealed Morristown Sears Full line.

Virginia: Norfolk Sears Full line,  Midlothian Kmart, Richmond Kmart.

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line, Lacey Kmart.

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears Grand/Essentials, Rice Lake Kmart.

Don’t forget, this is the 2012 known list of closings, there were closings in 2011 and 2010 as well, and they’ll be more for 2013.

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

What Economic Recovery? Hewlett Packard boss to reveal her secret plans!

“I believe in creative destruction.”-Meg Whitman, CEO Hewlett Packard

“It’s staggering, this is now the cheapest big stock in the last 25 years. That reflects an industry belief that the company is going to decline.”-A. M. Sacconaghi, Bernstein Research

According to a New York Times article, Meg Whitman will reveal her tactical plans for rejuvenating Hewlett Packard (HP) on Wednesday, 03 October 2012.

HP employes thousands of people in the United States (Boise, Idaho. Houston, Texas. Costa Rica), but those jobs have been disappearing, and under Whitman’s plans could be reduced even more. She wants to continue HP’s spread across the world, already HP has at least 60,000 employees in India alone!

Whitman says she hopes to get her changes completed within four years.  But one thing’s for sure, HP has got to stop buying up losing companies: Just last year HP spent $10 billion USD buying a company called Autonomy.

Here’s a good thing about Whitman, she hates bureaucracy.  The first thing she did at HP was to consolidate and trim the upper management.

On 03 October we’ll find out just how much more trimming she’ll do to the rest of the company.

 

 

International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & World War 3: Obama returns combat troops to Iraq!

“At the request of the Iraqi government, according to General Caslen, a unit of Army Special Operations soldiers was recently deployed to Iraq…”-New York Times, 24 September 2012

According to a New York Times article, President Barack Obama has sent Special Forces troops back into Iraq!

The revelation is buried fifteen paragraphs into the article: “Iraq and the United States are negotiating an agreement that could result in the return of small units of American soldiers to Iraq…”

The article is basically about how the U.S. instigated civil war in Syria is spilling into Iraq, making things so bad that U.S. combat troops are being sent back in (hey, sounds like history repeating itself, just ask historians about the British Empire’s failed attempts at controlling Iraq prior to World War 2).

 

 

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 28 – 30 September 2012. Afghan troops do battle with NATO troops! More drone strikes! USMC General ‘mad as hell’!

30 September 2012

In Maidan Wardak Province, there is a report that NATO called in a U.S. drone strike, which killed four civilians and wounded several others.  It could be vengeance for yesterday’s Green on Blue attack.

In Nangarhar Province,  four people killed, three wounded, after a motorcycle bomb exploded near a Mosque.

The National Coalition of Afghanistan announced they were opposed to any planned military pact between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

29 September 2012

In Maidan Wardak Province, the provincial governor reporting that Afghan National Army (ANA) troops have attacked NATO occupation forces!  So far three ANA troops have been killed. ISAF said: “An International Security Assistance Force service member and an ISAF civilian contractor died following a suspected insider attack in eastern Afghanistan…”

The Department of Defense has revealed that the number of U.S. personnel killed in Afghanistan since the invasion, has reached 2,000.

Ignorant U.S. Marine Corps General, John Allen, had this to say: “I’m mad as hell about them, to be honest with you. We’re willing to sacrifice a lot for this campaign, but we’re not willing to be murdered for it.”

Numb nuts U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, said this: “I expect that there will be more of these high profile attacks and that the enemy will do whatever they can to try and break our will using this kind of tactic.”

Hello! It’s called War; you invaded them, they are defending their territory which is their legal right under international law.  And by the way, the people of Afghanistan had nothing to do with 11 September 2011!!!

In Herat Province, two cops were killed, and two wounded, after they drove over a mine. Also, four people were killed by U.S. led airstrike.

The Afghan Interior Ministry announced that at least 20 Mujahideen were killed, and 21 captured in battles in the provinces of Kabul, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Logar, Ghazni, Khost, Paktika, Paktiya and Helmand.

In Kunar province, three people were killed by U.S. airstrike.

In Helmand Province, 12 people were killed by two U.S. led airstrikes.

28 September 2012

In Farah Province, Mujahideen claim they killed seven U.S. personnel after the huge mine they planted exploded when a U.S./NATO armored vehicle drove over it.

In Helmand Province, a U.S./NATO armored fighting vehicle (AFV) ran over a woman and her child. The father, mother and their son were riding a motorcycle when they were hit by the AFV.  The boy was killed, his mother wounded.  Witnesses say a policeman at an intersection waved the family on, but the AFV did not stop.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 24 – 27 September 2012. Is Mother Nature to blame for school poisonings? Boy said he was going to blow himself up ’cause the U.S. killed his parents! Video shows Mujahideen wearing new issue U.S. uniforms!

27 September 2012

Despite threats of war with Pakistan, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, agreed to come up with a long term military pact.  They hope to come up with an agreement by the end of 2013, and the United Kingdom said they will support it.

26 September 2012

In Kabul Province, at least 16 schoolgirls were poisoned.   They were treated at a hospital in Kabul city.  Afghan health officials are investigating, and have now admitted that some of the past school poisonings could have been due to environmental factors and not terrorism!

ISAF said: “Two International Security Assistance Force service members died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”

In Logar Province, a U.S./NATO military convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber driving a car packed with explosives.  Mujahideen claim seven people killed, five wounded.  Mujahideen also claim three armored vehicles destroyed.

25 September 2012

In Ghazni Province, police arrested a religious leader for ordering the whipping of a 15 years old girl.  Government officials say the girl was whipped for having an illicit relationship with a boy.  The boy was fined.

In Herat Province, people are protesting the continued arbitrary arresting of civilians by U.S. forces.  Protests were held in the city of Herat.

In Helmand Province, a 12 years old boy surrendered himself to police. He told police that at first he wanted to be a suicide bomber to avenge the death of his entire family at the hands of U.S./NATO. He said Mujahideen encouraged him and gave him a suicide vest bomb, but he chickened out.

In Kabul Province, a hand grenade was thrown into a market. At least six people wounded. Local police say it might be connected to the assassination of the owner of the market a month ago.

In Badakhshan Province, hundreds of people protested the U.S. anti-Islam movie, and French anti-Islam comics.  They demand the Afghan government end all ties to the United States.

Two U.S. Marines are to face criminal charges for urinating on the bodies of dead Afghans, according to the USMC.

24 September 2012

The Afghan Interior Ministry says government forces have killed 39, wounded five and captured 72 Mujahideen in battles in the provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Wardak, Ghazni, Ghor, Nimruz, Nangarhar, and Baghlan.  Only two government forces were killed, 12 wounded.

Mujahideen have released a video of reading of wills and an English explaination for the attack on Camp Bastion.  They are wearing current issue U.S. uniforms.

“On the 14th of the current month at around 10:00 pm at night, a successful operation was carried out by 15 courageous martyrdom seeking Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate on the second largest enemy base in southern Afghanistan (Camp Bastion/Leatherneck) which resulted in the death of 47 invaders while more than 34 others were wounded.  Besides the heavy human toll, more than 11 enemy Harrier Jets and helicopters were also eliminated as well as a several fuel reserves and aircraft hangers completely destroyed.”

This statement from Mujahideen comes at the same time ISAF restated that Mujahideen attacks are down from last year!

International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & World War 3: More blowback, man who helped the West assasinate Gaddafi is tortured to death!

26 September 2012, almost one year after Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi was captured then tortured to death live via cell phone video, one of the men (supported by the United States and European countries) responsible has himself been tortured to death!

The man, known as Omran Sha’aban, was captured by Gaddafi loyalists in July 2012, along with 22 other people.  He was tortured, then shot in the stomach and neck (similar to what happened to Gaddafi).  He was then released still alive.  U.S. puppet leaders then sent him to a hospital in France, where he died.

This is proof the U.S. and Europe have not succeed in taking over Libya, the war is still on!

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Mitt Romney’s Staples to close 75 stores! Downsize 30 more!

26 September 2012, Staples, considered an example of success for vulture capitalist Bain Capital (Mitt Romney sat on Staples’ board of directors for more than a decade), is in big trouble.

On 25 September, officials with Staples announced they will close down 75 stores worldwide (at least 30 in the United States with 15 of those being accelerated closings, 45 stores and delivery businesses in Europe).  Staples will also downsize/relocate another 30 stores in the U.S.

Will the Pocatello, Idaho, Staples make the new closings hit list?

Common sense tells you that means more job losses, even though company officials are claiming that won’t happen.

Sales at Staples are crashing, especially for computers.  Company officials say they are shifting to more internet based business.

For the quarter ended July 2012 Staples reported an overall 6% decrease in sales, compared to the same time in 2011: “Our second quarter results fell short of our expectations due to softer than expected sales trends in North America and ongoing weakness in Europe and Australia.”-Ron Sargent, CEO

In North America sales decreased 3%, but around the world Staples saw a 10% decrease!

Staples has also revised its future sales outlook downward, and is expecting hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in costs just to close down all those stores!

Mitt Romney, and others with Bain Capital, once called Staples their prime example of success.  Here’s just a sampling of other companies that Bain Capital is involved with: AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino’s Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin’ Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Toys “R” Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel.

Once you start investigating all the companies that Bain Capital is involved with, or affiliated with, it becomes clear that it is unAmerican Corporate America’s vulture (venture) capitalist investment companies that are killing our economy.

And Mitt Romney says as President of the United States he’ll do for the country what he did for Corporate America!

International, U.S.

Fluoride Update, 24 September 2012: Portland officials ignore what the voters want! EPA and HHS admit too much fluoride is bad! Argentina says it causes diabetes! Japan says it causes cancer! China (and Harvard) says it reduces intelligence!

“Even if fluoridation reduced cavities, is tooth health more important than brain health? It’s time to put politics aside and stop artificial fluoridation everywhere!”-Paul Beeber, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation

By the year 2014, Portland, Oregon, will cease being the last major U.S. city without fluoridated water. On 12 September 2012, and in a unanimous decision that seemed to go against voter sentiment, the Portland city council approved fluoridation of the water supply.

Supporters of the plan claim that residents of Portland has a higher number of dental problems than other parts of Oregon.  However, a state study proved the reverse!

Most all of Oregon’s water supply already has naturally occurring fluoride.

To top that, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), have come out and admitted that too much fluoride can be bad for you!  Not only that, past fluoridation levels in the United States were too high!!!

But guess what? Those admissions came out at the beginning of 2011!  Where was the main stream media coverage?

HHS Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, said fluoride levels should be no more than 0.7 parts per million (ppm) per liter of water (this is the level the city of Portland, Oregon, says it will use).  Up ’till 2011 municipalities were being told to use as much as 1.2 ppm per liter!

“The new EPA assessments of fluoride were undertaken in response to findings of the National Academies of Science (NAS).  At EPA’s request, in 2006 NAS reviewed new data on fluoride and issued a report recommending that EPA update its health and exposure assessments to take into account bone and dental effects and to consider all sources of fluoride.”-joint EPA/HHS statement, 07 January 2011

Fluoride is claimed to protect your teeth, but according to HHS, too much fluoride actually does the reverse, causing tooth decay, as well as bone fractures,  and skeletal fluorosis.  Is this why the state study in Oregon showed higher dental problems in areas with fluoridated water?

But wait, there’s more!  The EPA actually said stop using sulfuryl fluoride. Sulfuryl fluoride is used as an insecticide (’cause it’s a fumigant neurotoxin), and cities have been using it to fluoridate their water!

Portland, Oregon, isn’t the only U.S. state obviously in the pockets of the fluoride industry.  Right now in Pinellas County, Florida, the issue of fluoridation has got a local dentist threatening to run for public office, to force fluoridation of the water.  One of his campaign billboards reads: “Want Fluoride…..?”

A in the pockets of the fluoride industry Florida newspaper (The Daytona Beach Journal) published an opinion piece on 20 September, applauding cities that add fluoride to their water.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is even giving out awards to cities, it’s called Water Fluoridation Quality Award.

But wait, there’s more!

A study in Argentina (done at the Rosario National University in Santa Fe, Rosario) concluded that ‘artificial’ fluoride use causes insulin resistance, leading to type 2 diabetes!  Gee, isn’t the United States suffering from a high rate of diabetes?

What’s really significant, relating to the new fluoride levels issued by HHS, is that the Argentine study shows that the onset of type 2 diabetes occurrs regardless of the amount of fluoride. Even at a fraction of a ppm, after 60 days insulin resistance is the result!

A study out of Japan (by the University of Tokyo) shows that fluoride use increases the rate of cancers of the “….oral cavity and pharynx, colon and rectum, hepato-biliary and urinary organs.”  Gee, doesn’t the United States have a problem with increased cancers?

The Japanese researchers looked at cancer rates in the United States in comparison with fluoridated water supplies, from 1978 to 1992.  They found that two thirds of the people with cancer lived in areas with lots of fluoridated water.  In the majority of the sites studied, they concluded that 64% of them had a direct connection between cancer and fluoride!

Another study from the Zhejiang Normal University in Jinhua, China, backs up a Harvard study released earlier this year.  Fluoride makes ‘mericans dumber than a stump!  Gee, isn’t the United States suffering from too much of that!!!

The Chinese study found that the higher the dose rate of fluoride, the dumber you get.  Back in July, 2012, Harvard University published the results of their study, it not good: “Fluoride readily crosses the placenta. Fluoride exposure to the developing brain, which is much more susceptible to injury caused by toxicants than is the mature brain, may possibly lead to damage of a permanent nature.”

But this info was known before these latest studies.  I’ve posted how a study in India blamed idiocy on fluoride, and that was based on naturally occurring fluoride.  But here’s what the National Research Council (NRC) stated in 2006, about ‘artificial’ fluoride: “It’s apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain.”