Obama: Continuing To Lose Black Support

National Black Chamber of Commerce CEO and president Harry Alford makes some salient remarks on the Laura Ingraham radio show.

Anyone other than Alford -- a black male (who voted for Obama in 2008) -- would have been splayed across the DEM/MSM radar screens for, at minimum, the next month or more, having said this. And been branded a radical racist.

The accompanying graphic somehow related?


This is Mr Alford's iteration, as a reminder.

BZ

Obama's Niche Vote: Carnies Pissed Off!

Mr Obama has somehow managed to piss off carnival barkers, who released their own public statement on Thursday (4-28-11):

When President Obama released his birth certificate on Wednesday morning, he may have thought he was closing the door on controversy. Instead, he ended up starting controversy anew -- with America's carnival barkers.

When discussing the lingering "birther" controversy, Obama remarked: "We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers."

Many in the carnival community were not amused by the mention of their industry.

"I am extremely upset by the reference," said Frank Zaitshik, who runs Wade Shows, a carnival business with over 100 amusement rides and attractions that entertains over 15 million people each year.

Zaitshik, a second generation carnival worker -- a term he prefers to the word "carny," which is used as a pejorative -- has spent much of his life battling negative stereotypes about his industry.

"I think what Obama said is the same type of stereotype that has been placed on African Americans." Zaitshik said. "You wouldn't expect those comments from someone who is a minority and has faced prejudice."

Extraneous, specious and insignificant bullshit coming home to roost, Mr Obama? The "Carny Vote" sublimely disenfranchised!

I submit: quite, yes.

Further:

Obama's approval is at a record low for the second straight week;

Obama won't be releasing his college transcripts;

The dollar drops to its lowest point since 2008;

US confidence plunges;

And Mr Obaka says everything is great. Simply great!

BZ

Obama: How Stupid ARE You?

That you could have slammed this door shut, literally, years ago?

Why this?

Why now?

BZ

Presidential Election 2012: The Most Racist Ever?

Tavis Smiley seems to think so:



That said, I would tend to roll with the mantra of Texas Fred and other Conservatives:

If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll have to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot.

And isn't it odd, I should proffer, that the only ones who seem to be forever locked in racial divides are Demorats and Leftists? Why, you might ask? Because the Racial Pimps, Poverty Pimps, Leftists and Demorats still make money and take power from displaying so-called "minorities" as "down" and, further, ensuring they are kept down whenever possible.

With one small niggling exception that is becoming rampant and the New Normal: so-called "minorities" are now becoming majorities. In the area where I work, Sacramento, Fornicalia, Caucasoids are the official minority. In the areas surrounding Sacramento, Caucasoids are the official minority as well.

Pretty soon, nationally, you won't have the Caucasoid to blame any more.

What happens then?

BZ

Obama reissues call to end oil company tax breaks

From Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Amid rising gasoline prices at the pump, President Barack Obama urged congressional leaders Tuesday to take steps to repeal oil industry tax breaks, reiterating a call he made in his 2012 budget proposal earlier this year. The White House conceded his plan would do nothing in the short term to lower gas prices.

Obama's proposal, spelled out in his past two budget plans, would eliminate a number of tax breaks for oil companies that would generate an estimated $4 billion a year in additional revenue.

The tax breaks -- some in place since the 1920s -- have survived multiple attempts to repeal them in the face of heavy oil industry lobbying.

The Republican response to the president's letter was dismissive.

A Boehner spokesman, Brendan Buck, said Tuesday that Obama's suggestions "would simply raise taxes and increase the price at the pump." Buck said that Boehner's willingness to examine a subsidy did not mean he was advocating its repeal.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said: "The president's latest call to raise taxes on U.S. energy is as predictable as it is counterproductive."

But I'm willing to go there. As long as Mr Obama decides to eliminate subsidies all along the line. Subsidies for every corporate, private, government program. Subsidies for farmers, tobacco, the DC politicians themselves.

Remove subsidies from every aspect of the nation, and remove any exceptions both houses of Congress enjoy from their own laws.

Remove deductions from taxes. All deductions.

Instigate a flat tax. Private, corporate, doesn't matter.

Enter profits here: _________.

Send in 25%. Enter that amount here: ________.

No deductions. No exceptions.

Not gonna happen. Because the Demorats and the Republicans are in bed TOGETHER. Because you, the American Taxpayer, you maggots need to be fleeced and cornholed.

And nothing will change because the American Taxpayer is fat, stupid, ignorant, and dwindling in numbers. The Parasites are not far from outnumbering the Hosts.

End "Big Oil" tax breaks?

Then end DC tax breaks as well.

Won't happen.

BZ

Obama: Crushing The Country Via Energy Stupidity

Energy: it's about prices and availability.

I hope to build on yesterday's post and clear the air in order to reveal the current destructive policies of the Obama Administration. I'm going to attempt to utilize some actual common sense and get politics out of the energy equation, with the exception of today's DC politics that purposely attempt to both divide and hamstring this exceptional nation. National exceptionalism? [The Obama Administration does not believe in American Exceptionalism; quite the opposite. But that's a separate post for another day entirely.]

OIL PRICES:

That said, let's examine current oil prices, most reflective of the dollars you and I are paying directly at the gas station pump as we place the fuel nozzle into our tanks.

In Sacramento, Fornicalia, at ARCO (BP-owned, but generally the least expensive franchise stations in the state), unleaded was listing (Monday, 4-25) at $4.09 per gallon. In my small town in the Sierra Nevada mountains (which requires some major transport service), milk is running at $3.40 a gallon. It is currently cheaper to run milk in my tank than gasoline. Cows nationwide are chagrined.

But what or whom is responsible for our gas pricing?

Many people are trying to say: "unrest in the Middle East!"

Other people are saying "speculators, damn them!"

I would, instead, like to zero in on the Real Responsibles: the Obama Administration.

WHAAAAT? the Leftists bleat.

Here are some Constants:

- WHEN THE DOLLAR GOES DOWN, THE PRICE OF GAS GOES UP.

Why?

- BECAUSE OIL IS PRICED IN DOLLARS.

Therefore:

- When Bernanke holds the prime down, when America continues to print money, the dollar continues to be devalued -- and when America continues to print money (absent supply) then pricing falls down the line to you and me.

Further:

You need a Planning Triumvirate for energy policy --

1. Immediate
2. Intermediate
3. Long Range

Tell me, please: what is the three-pronged energy policy of the Obama Administration?

Yes, correct: it doesn't exist.

Further, with regard to so-called "alternate energy," let's state the obvious: you can't control it.

You can't control the wind. You can't control the sun. The wind can rise and fall as it will. The sun will shine or hide as it sees fit.

Electricity, for example, has to be consistent. Yes, it has some ebbs and flows. There is generally less energy used at night and more during the day. However, when a customer flips a switch, she expects there to be a resulting brilliance. No matter the time. The power curves run up and they run down. The electrical grid plans for this but -- and few realize this -- you can't "store" what is produced.

There is, for example, no gigantic DieHard battery sitting in the Arizona desert storing juice from the national grid. That technology simply doesn't exist.

The bottom line is this: the literal environment won't support alternative energy. It won't produce consistently, it won't produce dependably. It won't even produce minimally.

At the same time, Mr Obama and his Religious Leftists insist on demanding that we build vehicles and systems that rely precisely on ELECTRICITY. At the same time that the nation REFUSES to build a geometric number of electrical generation stations.

The "environment" won't support alternative energy.

There is a Permitorium on the Gulf. No permits. Don't ask.

On the other hand, most permits demand federal, state, city, county, Reclamation, Department of Water Resources, Fish & Game, Fish & Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers -- layer after layer after layer of "governing" various compacts.

Check out CB's comment on my last post, for example.

Some facts & constants:

- When the dollar goes down, the price of gas goes up
- The Obama Administration assures the dollar will go down
- Prices strangle you, the individual car driver
- Obama wants to FORCE you into public transportation
- Because public transportation is more controllable
- When gas prices increase, federal coffers increase

In my state, Fornicalia, taxes per gallon of gas are:

- 18-cents state
- 6% additional sales tax
- 18.4-cents per gallon federal

Ken Salazar has shut off domestic shale oil.

Petroleum companies' plans to tap the Rocky Mountains' abundant oil shale reserves are "not ready for prime time," a senior legal adviser to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told a Utah energy conference Wednesday.

Steve Black said the Obama administration is taking a deliberate, cautious approach on making federal lands available for major oil shale development because nobody has shown they can squeeze the oil out of hard rock economically.

Right.

Mr Obama decreed a drilling moratorium in May of 2010. His moratorium was overturned. But it didn't make any difference -- his decree was inviolate.

A report indicates that the US has the greatest amount of oil reserves in the world.

Mr Obama advocates drilling in Brazil and not in the US.

AVAILABILITY:

Oil is limited via pricing and availability.

Even if the United States had a lowered pricing structure, if it doesn't drill and start now then it is doomed.

China and India will be MASSIVE demanders of oil. These demands will seriously OVERSHADOW our national energy requirements.

On the other hand, this nation has a massive amount of natural gas reserves. Untapped.

There WILL be a time when there are lines only open to the first few customers. I saw it personally in the 70s. You think it can't happen here? Oh yes. It can.

The dune sagebrush lizard is part of the problem.

KILL IT.

BZ

If You're In DC, This Is Actual News:

But it certainly isn't "news" to actual taxpaying citizens:

The combination of rising gasoline prices and the steepest increase in the cost of food in a generation is threatening to push the US economy into a recession, according to Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners.

Johnson looks at the percentage of income consumers are spending on gasoline and food as a way of gauging how consumers will fare when energy prices spike.

With gas prices now standing at about $3.90 a gallon, energy costs have now passed 6 percent of spending—a level that Johnson says is a "tipping point" for consumers.

"Energy is not quite as essential as food and water, but is a necessity in today's economy, and when gasoline costs more than bottled water—like now—then it takes a huge bite out of disposable spending," he said, in a research note.

But of course you'll enjoy this next part:

What may make matters worse this time around, is there has been a steep increase in food prices that occurred as well. In other recent recessions food costs were benign, at between 7.5 percent and 7.8 percent of spending.

Mr Obama thinks your energy plight is laughable. His limo gets 8 mpg but, hey, he's "got his." You'll just have to live yours. And keep paying those taxes.

I've pointed this out before and I'll do it again:

Everything you eat, touch, utilize, manipulate, is mass-transported to you courtesy of a diesel engine. Most all bulk cargo ships have diesel engines. All locomotives have diesel engines. The larger highway trucks have diesel engines. Many smaller, local transport trucks have diesel engines.

I'm sure you've noticed that diesel fuel is even more expensive than premium unleaded. In Fornicalia, the "cheapest" ARCO fuel is $4.10 for regular unleaded. Diesel has cracked the $4.60 barrier. Five dollars per gallon, here we indeed come. And quite shortly.

I'm sure, now, you understand why food prices are rising. Plus: lost corn/grain crops to ridiculous Ethanol.

DC couldn't care less about you and your pitiful prices. Keep scrabbling away and paying taxes, you maggots.

BZ

Thoughts For Sunday:

BZ

New Blogger Editor

It should come as no surprise that I, the Supreme Luddite*, am still on the old Blogger editor.

Whilst puttering around on the internet and in Blogger Help, some people are less than impressed at having upgraded to the newer available Blogger editor.

Question: is the new Blogger editor worth the upgrade?

Some of the issues revolve around the placement of images in a given post, and some problems created when moving an image to a location that Blogger doesn't seem to care for -- such as in the middle of a paragraph.

For those who may have experience with the old and "new" Blogger editor: any thoughts?

Thanks kindly!

BZ

* Luddite: Neo-Luddism is a personal world view opposing modern technology.[1] Its name is based on the historical legacy of the British Luddites which were active between 1811 and 1816.[1] Neo-luddism includes the critical examination of the effects technology has on individuals and communities.[2]

Reform Luddism is an offshoot of Neo-Luddism and represents a personal world view skeptical of modern technology and critical of many purported benefits.

Illegal Aliens, Fornicalia, Consequences

I'll state it right up front:

Illegal means illegal; illegal Mexicans are threatening the budgets of our border states -- including Fornicalia. Oddly enough, not illegal Canadians, not illegal Germans, not illegal Jamaicans, not illegal Moldavians, not illegal Koreans, not illegal South Africans. Illegal Mexicans. And here's the revelation: from Mexico, of all places! Imagine that! Mexico is a terribly violent country that just happens to abut four of our southern United States. Here's a map for those who may require a refresher, like the bulk of those in DC and many who work for the federal government:

With luck, most of you have already noticed there is a wiggly, horizontal line that delineates and separates the United States (portrayed above in green) from Mexico (whose northern states are portrayed above in tan). Good for you! Your observational skills are working!

Now, this may perhaps be news to some of you, but quite a number of Mexicans have historically crossed the southern border of the United States, illegally, in order to work here and then send money back south to the home country of Mexico. So, please, follow me on this; I know it's complicated and burns the brain but the conclusions drawn will be worth it.

Some Mexicans -- actually, a great many of them -- have decided to stay in the United States because this country treats them wonderfully and allows them to break the laws and abrogate the sovereignty of our nation.

Two political classes of people have, historically, taken advantage of this fact: Republicans, because they like the cheaper illegal labor, and Demorats, because they like the free and illegal votes. And those who want more Free Cheese will, naturally, vote for Demorats who continue to advocate for more Free Cheese on behalf of those abrogate our laws, in order to lock in votes.

There are, unfortunately, consequences for these actions.

More immediately, there is this from SacBee.com:

April 21, 2011

California's criminal alien population rises

The number of criminal aliens incarcerated in California rose to 102,795 in 2009, a 17 percent increase since 2003, federal auditors reported Thursday.

This isn't cheap. Nationwide, the Government Accountability Office reports, it costs well over $1.1 billion a year for states to imprison criminal aliens -- those who committed a crime after entering the United States illegally. California, moreover, is more expensive than other states. GAO auditors estimated California spends $34,000 to incarcerate a criminal alien for one year; in Texas, it's only $12,000.

The audit, requested by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, will provide ammunition for states' perennial effort to secure more federal reimbursement dollars.

More than one in four of the illegal immigrants imprisoned in California are behind bars for drug offenses. Many are also repeat offenders. GAO auditors say that, based on a survey, criminal alien inmates have been arrested an average of seven different times.

But before we go on, let's do some basic math here. Math that most readers won't do.

From the above SacBee.com article (and a newspaper that clearly swings Leftist in nature): if you have 102,795 inmates in Fornicalia who cost $34,000 a year, each, to maintain [in 2009 figures], then the total cost is $3.5 BILLION dollars and NOT $1.1 billion dollars for the entire United States.

Did the author not consult a calculator? This MacBook Pro has a calculator; my iPhone too. I didn't have to pay a penny extra.

Anyone wonder why?

Bueller?

A greater and greater portion of our Fornicalia prison population consists of illegal Mexicans, who striate themselves further in Nortenos (from the north) and Surenos (from Mexico), then battle against each other on the streets and in the prisons and jails of Fornicalia.

Please think hard on this. Put on your Thinking Caps, because I'll be attempting to make a point right about now.

And that's this: if you import more illegal Mexicans, and don't insist on enforcing our border, then facts would indicate that the number of illegal Mexicans committing crimes tends to increase when the number of illegal Mexicans in the country increases.

Shocking! Yes, I know! But one can make the argument that it would be what I term a Logical Extension of the trend.

Meanwhile, back at the DC Ranch, Mr Obama hails Illegal Mexican Invaders in the same fashion as he hails those persons from Ellis Island who submitted themselves, individually, one-by-one, to personal and family vetting, disease vetting. Uh -- quite the opposite of Mexican Illegal Invaders:

No matter who you are. No matter where you can came from. No matter what you look like. No matter whether your ancestors landed here on Ellis Island or came here on slave ships or came across the Rio Grande, we are all connected. We will rise and fall together. That's the vision of America I've got, that's the idea of the heart of America," President Obama said at a fundraiser in San Francisco.

"That's the idea of the heart of our campaign," Obama added.

The only connection is the obvious, naked and pandering attempt to acquire as many votes (illegal or otherwise), for Free Cheese, as possible.

Oddly enough, if you'd like to see Mexico's open, sensible, non-judgmental and all-encompassing policies concerning immigrants to its country, please go here. I ask you to do so and become elucidated by Mexico's enlightened laws.

Concurrently, the violence continues. As it bleeds predominantly unimpeded [And purposely so!] into the US. From The Washington Times:

The signature crimes of the most violent drug cartel in Mexico are its beheading and dismemberment of rival gang members, military personnel, law enforcement officers and public officials, and the random kidnappings and killings of civilians who get caught in its butchery and bloodletting.

But this disparate band of criminals known as Los Zetas is no longer just a concern in Mexico. It has expanded its deadly operations across the southwestern border, establishing footholds and alliances in states from New York to California. Just last year, federal agents tied a cocaine operation in Baltimore to the Zetas.

“Those of us who live and work along the border know they’re already here,” said Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr., whose Texas county lies on the Rio Grande 50 miles southeast of the Zetas’ stronghold of Nuevo Laredo. “There’s already been killings and many residents here are living in fear.”

Sheriff Gonzalez, whose Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition sought help from the federal government to control growing violence along the border, said the rising brutality of Mexican drug gangs, particularly the Zetas, “never stops shocking me.”

Trained as an elite band of Mexican anti-drug commandos, the Zetas evolved into mercenaries for the infamous Gulf Cartel, bringing a new wave of brutality to Mexico’s escalating drug wars. Bolstered by an influx of assassins, bandits, thieves, thugs and corrupt federal, state and local police officers, the Zetas have since evolved into a well-financed and heavily armed drug smuggling force of their own.

So there you have it. This is what we have to look forward to by purposely importing Illegal Mexican Invaders into our beloved country.

And, in terms of my very own department, it decided years ago that it would be a whore for money [At least it's consistent! - BZ] as it imports not only state prisoners -- and, by dint, Illegal Mexican Invaders -- but federal prisoners as well, under contract. To the detriment of its own county-sentenced and pre-trial inmates.

Contracts the likes of which do NOT factor current realities such as disciplinary problems, housing problems, officer safety problems, time involved and, most importantly the INCREDIBLE medical costs associated with the transportation (because of the increased sophistication/gang affiliation/violence of state and federal inmates, requiring two officers on each prisoner) and treatment (including repeated visits and medications!).

I'll just throw this out into the ozone for consideration: what if each one of us arbitrarily decided -- precisely like the federal government and, more importantly, Illegal Mexican Invaders -- what laws we would or would not obey?

Just like IMIs, that would be acceptable, would it not?

So please: vote YES on whatever tax extensions or increases the Demorats sponsor in Fornicalia. We have criminal aliens that desperately need your hard earned money!

From the Demorats to the Fornicalia taxpayers: harder work, and more of it! Do more than your share! Lawbreakers, drunks, illegal invaders, drug abusers, parolees with "FUCK YOU BITCH" on their necks, the generationally-lazy and the governmentally-coddled are depending upon you for necessary increases in their monthly checks! They expect no less!

BZ

P.S.

And let us not forget this little recent tidbit:

CBS News has learned that the Mexican Government has retained an American law firm to explore filing civil charges against U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors over the flood of guns crossing the border into Mexico.

Sources say Mexico's frustration with U.S. efforts to stop the flow of weapons has pushed them into this novel approach. The law firm is looking at charges that may include civil RICO. The contract was signed on November 2, 2010 by a representative of Mexico's Attorney General, at their Washington embassy.

BOHICA, the United States of America!

James David Manning Weighs In: The Birth Certificate

This video is currently on YouTube, but YouTube has disabled embedding.

Go here.

Draw your own conclusions.

Obviously, the Hon. James David Manning, PhD is a racist with this observation. In my opinion,
however, Dr Manning makes a clear explanation regarding the two types of certificates.

BZ

Eat The Rich!

Really?

BZ

69 More Businesses FLEE Fornicalia!

From the Orange County Register:

So far this year, 69 companies have moved all or part of their California work and jobs to other states or countries, reports Irvine relocation consultant Joe Vranich. It's the fastest rate of departures since Vranich started tracking the exodus in 2009, he says. There have been an average of 4.7 moves per week from Jan. 1 through April 12, compared to 3.9 moves in all of 2010.

The numbers are low, Vranich says, estimating that only one in five out-of-state moves is made public.

I already drew the attention of my readers to this fact with my August 28th, 2010 post, in which I listed, in detailed extremis, the following business movements/reasons:

Abraxis Health, a unit of Los Angeles-based Abraxis BioScience Inc., opened a new plant that will create 200 jobs in 2010 — in Phoenix. This follows the company’s Phoenix expansions that occurred in 2007 and 2008.

Alza Corp. in 2007 eliminated about 600 jobs in drug R&D while also exiting its Mountain View, Calif., HQ. At the time the company said that its 1,200-person Vacaville facility will continue to operate. But the Vacaville Reporter on Oct. 23, 2009 revealed that the plant is being offered for sale by J&J, its parent company. It’s unclear if more layoffs are in the facility’s future.

American AVK, a producer of fire hydrants and other water-related products, moved from Fresno to Minden, Nevada.

American Racing moved its auto-wheel production to Mexico, ending most of its 47-year operation in California.

Apple Computer has expanded in other states, most recently with a $1 billion facility planned for North Carolina.

Audix Corporation relocated from Redwood City, Calif., and to accommodate growth moved to a 78,000-square-foot facility in Wilson, Oregon.

Apria Healthcare Group of Lake Forest is shifting jobs from California to Overland Park, Kansas, a K.C. suburb.

Assurant Inc. cut 325 jobs in Orange County and consolidated positions in Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina.

Barefoot Motors, a small “green” manufacturer, moved from Sonoma and will grow in Ashland, Oregon.

Bazz Houston Co. located in Garden Grove, has slowly been building a workforce of about 35 people in Tijuana. In early 2010 the company said it expects to move more jobs to Mexico, citing cost and regulatory difficulties in Southern California.

Beckman Coulter, a biomedical test equipment manufacturer headquartered in Brea, relocated part of its Palo Alto facilities to Indianapolis, Indiana, two years ago. In early 2010, it’s making a multimillion-dollar investment to expand and create up to 100 new jobs in Indiana. The company said the area offers a “favorable business environment and lower total cost of operations, plus a local work force with strong skills in both engineering and manufacturing.”

Bild Industries Inc., which specializes in business news, directories and market reports, moved to Post Falls, Idaho, from Van Nuys, a part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.

Bill Miller Engineering, Ltd., suffering under the “hostile business climate” in California and Los Angeles County, moved from Harbor City to Carson City, Nevada.

BMC Select has conducted an unusual relocation. The company, which had shifted its headquarters from Idaho to San Francisco, relocated its H.Q. back to Boise in January 2010. The building materials distributor said that regaining its footing in Boise retained access to high-quality employees while reducing wage and occupancy costs.

BPI Labs, which formulates, manufactures, and fills personal care products for the health and beauty industry, relocated from Sacramento to Evanston, Wyoming, a move the company’s owner called “very successful . . . . It felt good and I've never looked back."

Buck Knives after 62 years in San Diego moved to Post Falls, Idaho.

CalPortland Cement has announced in late 2009 closure of its Riverside County plant because of new environmental regulations from a state law (AB 32). The company’s CEO wrote, “A cement plant cannot be picked up and moved, but the next new plant probably won't be built in California meaning more good, high paying manufacturing jobs will be lost to Nevada or China or somewhere.”

California Casualty Group left San Mateo for Colorado, cutting operating costs to remain competitive.

CalStar Products Inc., headquartered in Newark, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area, in January 2010 was awarded $2.44 million in federal clean energy tax credits. The company said in the future it expects to build additional plants in the Mississippi Valley and the East Coast. In late 2009 CalStar opened a plant in Caledonia, Wisconsin.

Checks To-Go moved to Utah where workers’ comp rates helped make the troubled company healthier.

Chivaroli & Associates, a healthcare-related insurance service based in Westlake Village, Calif., moved a regional office to Spokane, Washington.

CoreSite, A Carlyle Company, is delaying a Santa Clara project while it expands its data center in Reston, Virginia.

Creators Syndicate may flee L.A. because it operates like a "banana republic."

Creel Printing left Costa Mesa for Las Vegas and So Cal loses 60 more jobs.

Dassault Falcon looked at building an aircraft services facility in Riverside County but instead located in Reno.

DaVita Inc. moved its HQ from Los Angeles to Denver; expects to see millions of dollars in savings over time.

Denny's Corp., the large restaurant chain, once had its headquarters in La Mirada, later in Irvine, Calif, and then moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina. In fairness, I note the move occurred in the early 1990s. However it’s noteworthy because the company was founded in California and its growth over time created HQ jobs in another state.

Digital Domain, the Academy-Award-winning visual effects studio based in Venice, Calif., placed new studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Port St. Lucie, Florida, which combined will have about 500 employees. The facilities will allow the company to reduce costs while continuing to deliver cutting-edge work.

Ditech, headquartered in Costa Mesa, announced in January 2010 a 269-job cut and is moving most activities to the GMAC Financial Services (parent company) headquarters in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. In 2007, Ditech relocated some workers from Costa Mesa to Phoenix. A once robust Costa Mesa facility employing hundreds will be down to 20 or 30 workers.

DuPont Fabros Technology suspended a $270 million Santa Clara data center project in favor of one in Ashburn, Virginia.

eBay, based in San Jose, will create 450 jobs in Draper, Utah, in a new $334 million operations, customer support and data center.

EDMO Distributors, Inc., a world-wide wholesaler of aircraft avionics, test equipment, and pilot supplies, moved its HQ from Valencia, Calif., to Spokane Valley, Wash. Since, it has built a larger headquarters in the city’s Mirabeau Point community complex.

Edwards Lifesciences based in Irvine will expand with 1,000 employees – not in California but in Draper, Utah.

EMRISE Corp. completed its HQ move from Rancho Cucamonga to Eatontown, NJ, in May 2009. The company said the move “will result in additional annualized cost savings of approximately $1 million and facilitate improvements in operating efficiency. . . . The cost savings associated with relocating our corporate headquarters will start immediately. . . The aggregate total of these expense reductions will increase our profitability and cash flow in this and succeeding years and, over time, substantially improve our ability to further reduce our long term debt."

Facebook, based in Palo Alto, will expand in a major way in Oregon by locating a custom data center in Prineville. It will be a 147,000-square-foot facility costing $180 million and will employ 200 workers during construction and another 35 full-time once operating in 2011.

FallLine Corporation left Huntington Beach, where they were being “hammered” with multiple governmental regulatory fees, for Reno, Nevada.

Fidelity National Financial left Santa Barbara for Florida, spurred by California’s “oppressive” business environment.

First American Corp., based in Santa Ana, will open a call center in March 2010 not in California but in Phoenix, where it expects to employ about 400 people within two years.

Fluor Corp. moved its global headquarters from Aliso Viejo to Irving, Texas, with about 100 employees asked to relocate while the company planned to hire the same number there. In 2006, when Fluor moved into its new headquarters building, a company statement said: “The official dedication had a decidedly Texas theme” as a horseshoe was raised on the building, a time-honored Texas tradition.

Foxconn Electronics, a large contract electronics maker, moved some of its Fullerton operations to Dallas.

Fuel System Solutions moved its headquarters from Santa Ana to New York.

Gregg Industries, owned by Neenah Enterprises Inc. in Wisconsin, closed a 300-employee foundry in El Monte foundry under pressure from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to make $5 million in upgrades. The company didn't want to make the investment in the difficult economic climate so it decided instead to leave the state.

Helix Wind Inc. may move its research and development, engineering, and testing departments from San Diego to “more supportive” Oregon.

Hewlett-Packard, HQ’d in Palo Alto, at various times has moved jobs to Tennessee and Texas.

Hilton Hotels Corp. in 2009 is moving from its longtime corporate H.Q. in Beverly Hills to a new office in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Hino Motor Manufacturing USA moved from California to Williamstown, West Virginia, in 2007, where it now employs about 100 workers. The company has growth plans to “Raise Hino's presence from medium-/heavy /heavy-duty trucks to all ranges of trucks” and an aggressive program to improve fuel economy and emissions. The company builds trucks under its own brand and also manufactures Toyota-branded vehicles.

Intel Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, has chosen to expand operations in neighboring states.

Intuit of Mountain View created a customer support office (110 people) not in California but in Colorado because of lower operating costs.Intuit placed a data center near Quincy, Washington.
Intuit also located Innovative Merchant Solutions LLC in Las Vegas as part of a $1.8 million investment in Nevada.

J.C. Penney closed its Sacramento call center and moved the work to five out-of-state centers. [I know of this personally; the massive call center was located at Fair Oaks & El Camino; it is now one massive empty building. - BZ]

Kimmie Candy Co., a manufacturer that was started in 1999, moved from Sacramento to Nevada in 2005. “I really don’t have a lot of regrets about moving up to Reno,” said owner Joe Dutra.

Klaussner Home Furnishings in closing its La Mirada manufacturing plant will maintain its NC and Iowa operations.

Knight Protective Industries moved to Oregon “where 4-day work weeks were permitted by the state” and wanted by the employees.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. announced in February 2010 that it is closing its Irvine plant, laying off 56 people, and will shift the work to Malaysia and Singapore. The facility had been owned by Orthodyne Electronics Corp., which Kulicke & Soffa bought in 2008.

LCF Enterprises, which makes specialized high-end amplifiers used by researchers, medical professionals and others, moved from Camarillo, Calif., to Post Falls, Idaho.

Lennox Hearth Products Inc. in Orange, Calif., will lay off 71 workers and by March 2010 will transfer the jobs to Nashville and Union City, Tennessee, “to reduce costs and increase operating efficiencies.”

Lyn-Tron, Inc., a supplier of electronic hardware, moved from Los Angeles to Spokane, Wash. Their website has a rather California(ish) statement: “Our commitment is to maintain a manufacturing environment that is progressive and safe, where our employees are able to achieve their personal objectives, thereby adding to their quality of life and to the community in which they live.”

Mariah Power, a “green” manufacturer of small wind turbines, moved from California to Nevada and in 2009 teamed up with another company to begin production in Manistee, Michigan.

Maxwell America, a boating equipment maker, in February 2010 closed its Santa Ana offices and moved them to Hanover, Md. One reason given was the indirect impact of California environmental regulations. A company official said over the years many California boat builders relocated to the Midwest and East where they don’t face the same restrictions.

MiaSolé, based in the Silicon Valley, was reported in January 2010 to be planning a 500,000-square-foot plant, which could be one of the largest solar factories in the United States. The location is not near its in Santa Clara headquarters but in the Atlanta, Georgia, area where its workforce eventually could exceed 1,000. The news came one week after MiaSolé received $101.8 million in federal tax credits.

MotorVac Technologies announced in February 2010 that it’s leaving Santa Ana for Ontario, Canada. MotorVac’s CEO said he “really fought hard to keep MotorVac here, but unfortunately the numbers didn't support it.” The move cuts costs because it’s new owner, UView, has its own plant with excess capacity in Canada. And the general cost of doing business in California is much more expensive."

Nissan North America moved its Los Angeles headquarters to Nashville, Tenn.

Northrop Grumman by 2011 will relocate its Los Angeles H.Q. to the Washington, DC metro area. It’s the last major aerospace company to leave Southern California, the birthplace of the aerospace industry.

One2Believe, a specialty religious-toy maker, left California for East Aurora, New York.

Patmont Motor Werks, Inc. (GoPed manufacturer), after being hit by California regulators for hundreds of thousands of dollars in small fines even though his company has a stellar safety record, moved to Nevada.

Paragon Relocation Resources moved from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irving, Texas.

Pixel Magic, headquartered in Toluca Lake, Calif., (Los Angeles metro area), is locating a studio in Lafayette, Louisiana, where it will create 40 new jobs between 2010 and 2013. The company, which provides digital effects for motion pictures and television, said the Louisiana people they were in contact with have an immediate understanding of technology and data handling.

Plastic Model Engineering, Inc., a custom plastic injection molder and mold manufacturer, moved from Sylmar, Calif. to the “Inland Northwest,” notably Post Falls, Idaho.

Precor will stop manufacturing fitness machines in California and re-open in North Carolina.

Premier Inc., the largest healthcare alliance in the nation, will move its HQ from San Diego to Charlotte, involving an investment of $17.7 million and adding 300 jobs in North Carolina. The announcement was made Oct. 14, 2009.

Pro Cal of South Gate, in Los Angeles County, a unit of Myers Industries, expanded its Sparks, Nev., operations to become the company's primary West Coast production and distribution facility. Pro Cal is a plastics manufacturer of nursery containers and a big recycler.

Race Track Chaplaincy of America started 2010 by shifting its headquarters from Los Angeles to Lexington, Kentucky. The non-profit group said it had wanted to relocate from the Hollywood Park Race Track for several reasons, one of which is the significant cost of doing business on the West Coast.

Red Truck Fire & Safety Company left Fresno for Minden, Nevada in 2007 because of California's myriad fees and regulations that meant “death by thousand cuts.”

SAIC will move its headquarters east, from San Diego to McLean, Virginia, which the Washington Post called “Another Coup for Area.” The announcement was made Sept. 24, 2009; it is unclear how many employees will move east in 2009 and 2010.

Scale Computing, a data-storage developer and manufacturer, is leaving Silicon Valley for Indiana.

Schott Solar Inc. will close its sales and customer service office in Roseville and will relocate the office to Albuquerque, NM.

SimpleTech transferred its manufacturing work from Santa Ana to Asia more than a year ago.

Smiley Industries, an aerospace manufacturer, moved to Phoenix, where productivity improved.

Solaicx, based in the Silicon Valley, said in early 2010 that it will expand its manufacturing plant in Portland, Oregon. Solaicx received $18.2 million in federal tax credits as part of Washington’s efforts to advance green energy.

SolarWorld, a maker of solar technology founded in Camarillo, consolidated manufacturing in Oregon after that state offered property tax abatement and business energy tax credits. The company will employ about 1,000 in Oregon by 2011.

Special Devices Inc. brought 250 jobs to Mesa, Arizona, from Moorpark, Calif.

StarKist headquarters is leaving San Francisco for Pittsburgh, Pa.

Stasis Engineering moved from Sonoma County to West Virginia, a “friendlier business climate.”

Stata Corp., which specializes in data analysis and statistical software, moved from Santa Monica, California to College Station, Texas.

Tapmatic, a metalworking firm whose owners were “fed up with the onerous business environment,” moved from Orange County, California to Post Falls in northern Idaho.

Teledesic moved to Washington state in anticipation of better capital gains.

Telmar Network Technology Inc. moved from Irvine to Plano, Texas, consolidating some 150 workers there.

Terremark postponed a Santa Clara project earlier this year to invest $50 million in a Culpeper, Va. project.

Terumo Cardiovascular Systems is moving R&D from OC to Ann Arbor, Michigan, involving 65 jobs and $3.5 million in investments.

Toyota will stop making cars in Fremont, will idle 4,700 workers, and move work to Canada and San Antonio, Texas.

True Games Interactive Inc. will its H.Q. from Irvine to Austin, Texas, where it expects to have about 60 workers by the middle of 2010.

TTM Technologies will leave L.A. & Hayward and move to other states and China to achieve big cost savings.

Twentieth Century Props of L.A. has gone out of business as film-making has moved to lower-cost states.

Understand.com moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Reno, a loss for California in that the company is a leader in web-based patient education content and shows strong growth. The company was named 2007 Innovator of the Year by a Northern publication and the company’s founder and received a media and Reno-Tahoe Young Professionals Network Under 40 award and was selected as a 20/20 Business Visionary by Nevada Business Magazine.

US Airways is realigning operations and California is no longer considered part of its “core.” The airline is closing its John Wayne Airport maintenance station and in early 2010 will redistribute the mechanics across its system.

US Press shifted work from Los Angeles and San Diego to Portland, “where union rules were almost rational.”

USAA Insurance closed its 625-person Sacramento campus in favor of other states.

Yahoo opened a data center in Quincy, Washington, a community that now hopes to land high-tech manufacturing.
___________________________________________

Whew! Thanks for sticking with this post so far!

Continuing with the article:

Among the 69 [businesses most recently fleeing Fornicalia. -BZ] are some big names: CKE Restaurants, which started in Orange County and now is based in Carpinteria; Dunn-Edwards paints in Vernon; and eBay Inc. in San Jose which will add 1,000 high-paying jobs in Austin, Tex. after receiving government incentives to locate there.

Further, we must ask: WHY are businesses leaving Fornicalia? Are there some common threads? Can we identify commonalities and trends?

I submit: yes. We can. Here are the Top Ten Reasons listed according to Joe Vranich:

The #10 Reason (New!) – Unprecedented Energy Costs: The California Manufacturers and Technology Association states that commercial electrical rates here already are 50% higher than in the rest of the country. However, a law enacted in April 12, 2011 requires utilities to get one-third of their power from renewable sources (e.g., solar panels, windmills) within nine years. Look for costs to increase by another 19% in many places to a whopping 74% in Los Angeles. Such new burdens along with upcoming regulations stemming from the “California Global Warming Solutions Act” set potentially overwhelming obstacles to companies here as they try to meet competition based in other states and in foreign nations.

#9 – Severe Tax Treatment: The Tax Foundation in their 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index lists California at No. 49 for tax fairness. CFO Magazine ranked California the worst state for tax treatment. The Council on State Taxation ranks California as the only state to receive a D- grade (the lowest grade). Last year the National Conference of State Legislatures said California remains the number one state in raising taxes – raising them higher than any other state that increased taxes in 2009.

#8 – Worst Regulatory Burden: The consulting firm Bain & Co. constructed a “regulatory hassle index” that found "California is far worse than any other state by a very significant margin." The finding was echoed by Development Counselors International that found that 72% of surveyed corporate executives listed California as having the “worst business climate” in the entire United States. The newest survey, released in March 2011, found that 87.7% of California executives who also operate in several states say California is a harder place to do business than anywhere else. The survey, by the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, found that among the other 12.3%, not one executive said it’s easier doing business in California.

#7 – Dreadful Legal Treatment: The Civil Justice Association of California said the state ranks 44th in legal fairness to business. Los Angeles was again named the least fair and reasonable litigation environment in the entire country.

#6 – Most Expensive Business Locations: The Rose Institute of State and Local Government reported in its 2010 survey that California cities continue to be some of the most expensive locations to do business in the United States. That was confirmed by the Milken Institute, which found that California businesses are paying 23% more than the national average just to operate here.

#5 – Provable Savings Elsewhere: Again Bain & Co. found that more than half of California business leaders – an astonishing 60% – said their policy is to restrict job growth in the state or move jobs to other U.S. locations. Some companies are quite open about this, like Intel, which has said it will never build another plant in California, and McAfee in 2010 admitted it intentionally avoids hiring in California and saves about 30 to 40% every time it hires outside of the state.

#4 – Downright Unfriendly: The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council in Virginia found that California ranked 49th overall in terms of business friendliness. That was echoed in February 2010 when The Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranked California 48th in economic, regulatory and personal freedoms in the 50 states.

#3 – Uncontrollable Spending: Extravagant spending causes California to now have the lowest credit rating of any state. The American Legislative Exchange Council points out: "Despite the dubious distinction of having both the highest statewide personal income tax and the highest state sales tax in the nation, California still finds itself with far and away the largest budget deficit of any state."

#2 – Excessively Adversarial: For two years in a row Chief Executive magazine found California to be the worst state in the nation in which to do business. Said one CEO, “California is terrible. Even when we’ve paid their high taxes in full, they still treat every conversation as adversarial. It’s the most difficult state in the nation.” The magazine calls California the “Venezuela of North America.”

#1 – The ‘Outpouring’ of Poor Rankings Continues: California ranked dead last in the latest Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2010 study. The finding was based on a composite of labor-related factors, business and personal taxes, the litigation environment, demographics, crime rates, school dropout rates, lifestyle and a multitude of other issues. There is little evidence that California’s business environment will improve considering that that the legislature in 2011 has voted down litigation reform, tax-increase plans are underway, and a host of new regulations are to be implemented that will increase costs for literally every business.

But will Fornicalia LISTEN??

I submit:

NO.

Those who drive the car of Fornicalia are not only Tone Deaf -- but -- Blinded By Philosophy.

Sorry for the length of the post but --

It was necessary.

Let YOUR state be forewarned of the destructive tendencies of Leftism.

BZ

Mr Obama Screams: The Wealthy MUST Pay More Taxes

And yet, Mr Obama reported an income of $1.73 million dollars for 2010.

Despite that, his refund is $12,334.00.

Note:

Obama paid taxes at lowered Bush-era rates even as he campaigns to end them for wealthier Americans.

I wonder: will he write a check for the refund amount back to the federal government?

Yeah; I didn't think so either.

BZ

P.S.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Standard & Poor's reported:

"NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook for the nation's long-term debt Monday, based on the uncertain political debate around the nation's fiscal problems.

The outlook means that there is a one-in-three likelihood that it could lower the long-term rating on the United States within two years, S&P said.

So, clearly, it's time to raise taxes for only the wealthy. During a recession. And whilst we print money at an unprecedented rate. That's YOU, Mr Obama: "the wealthy."

Who Killed Glenn Beck?

Glenn Beck has disappeared from the Fox TV radar screens in what appeared to have been a record 2.35 seconds.

I watched his show on Fox a few times last week and, with every new episode, there was a new host -- yet the show still featured his name and logo all around. In truth, I must admit, I enjoyed Judge Andrew Napolitano the most. I'd like to see Napolitano, in fact, pick up Beck's time slot. I'd wager the ratings would be excellent.

That said, Beck has evidently decided to eschew politics and enter the realm of religion. If so, good for him, but he shouldn't expect me to pick up his journey.

I'll be blunt, as I customarily can be: I watched and listened to Glenn Beck for one thing and one thing only. Politics. I don't much care about his religion or his epiphanies. Label me strange that way. Those of you who read the blog know that I'm rather personal and quiet about my religious beliefs. That's just my nature.

Beck recently appeared at the Chicago Theatre a few days ago. A reviewer wrote:

But Beck's heart didn't really seem to be in that stuff anymore.

"That stuff"? Politics.

And now we know the reason that Beck's ratings kerfuffled on Fox.

So. Who killed Glenn Beck?

He did, himself.

BZ

Sunday: Just Relax And Enjoy

I like creativity.

BZ

Obama: Republicans Want To Turn America Into A Third World Country

Really, Mr Obama?

My next sentence in this post originally read: "Are you actually that stupid?" But, being the rhetorical question it was, everyone with half a cerebellum readily knew the answer up front: yes.

So that question was no longer a challenge or any fun.

From Yahoo News:

CHICAGO (AFP) – US President Barack Obama accused Republicans of wanting to turn the United States into a "Third World" country as he rallied support for his reelection campaign.

The attack came a day after Obama savaged Republican budget plans and unveiled his $4-trillion deficit reduction drive that aims to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans in order to preserve key social services.

That's right, Mr Obama. Let's stifle industry, promote greater regulations on Evil Business, and get Punitive with those who've created new businesses out of dirt, sacrifice and risk. Because, when you're wealthy in Mr Obama's Book ("wealthy" means singly making $150K a year -- hey, wait, that means YOU'RE wealthy as President!) you absolutely need to be fleeced for taxes.

Under their vision, we can't invest in roads and bridges and broadband and high-speed rail," Obama told a select group of the Democratic faithful at the second of three fundraising events in his hometown of Chicago.

High speed rail is a non-starter in a crap economy. I'm a massive railfan and even I know this. Fornicalia has its own high-speed multi-billion-dollar HSR boondoggle that an addled and drugged electorate voted for three years ago. Has even one mile of track been laid under this bond? Why, gosh, that would be a resounding NO. And broadband? It's the government's responsibility to provide broadband for me high in the Sierra Nevada mountains? WTF? What planet are you from?

Roads? Bridges? How about you take some of those billions and billions of dollars from the following unnecessary cabinet positions such as: Agriculture, Commerce, HHS, Energy, Education? And then apply those funds toward your infrastructure?

I mean, we would be a nation of potholes, and our airports would be worse than places that we thought -- that we used to call the Third World, but who are now investing in infrastructure."

Again -- really? Do I see YOU sir, investing in the following infrastructure areas: refineries, offshore drilling platforms, continental drilling, storage, electrical generation stations (to include coal, oil, gas, water, geothermal, gravity and nuclear), desalinization plants?

No. I do not.

Further, in terms of Third World conditions, I would do nothing more than submit the city of Detroit under your nose. Detroit, Michigan, for you, sir, Mr Obama, who once thought there were actually 58 states during your upcoming term for the next 8 to 10 years -- you bleeding imbecile. Check this Time magazine photo portrayal of the city.

Your Perfect Utopian Demorat/Progressive City IS Detroit. Millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars were thrown at that city and it was ruled by a lineage of Demorats since the mid-60s when, coincidentally, it began to slide. The ultimate death knell was presided by Coleman Young, et al, to include Dennis Archer, Kwame Kilpatrick, Ken Cockrell and Dave Bing.

It was Demorats who decided that blacks and minorities had to be thrust into congested high-rises like rats in cages in big cities, ruled by so-called Progressives and High Thinkers. How'd Cabrini Greens work out for your coveted melanin, Mr Obama? Not quite so well, I would think.

Every major Utopian/Dystopian urban center has been driven directly into the ground by your much-vaunted Liberal/Progressive/Demorat soldiers, tactics, resolutions, bills, friends, cronies, Socialists, Marxists, as well as your Great Society welfare acts (which completely devalued, purposely, the role of strong males in black households and shattered black families then and now) 1995 community reinvestment act, did much to place us in our current disfavor.

If we're a Third World Nation it's only the Demorats, Progressives, Leftists and Socialists who've managed to put us there with the constant bleat of more money more money more money more money and, by the way, more money for people to find ways not to work.

I could point out more of the obvious but it would be redundant and boring. My readers know the history.

Mr Obama simply lies. But, thank God, he lies and is believed by solely (and the soul-less) the Truly Clueless.

BZ

An Historic Budget Cut That Actually Increases The Budget:

Mr Obama customarily sinks to the occasion.

He has certainly sunk now.

Your future is over -- because your government has already spent it.

This is, as has been quantified, The Most Predictable Catastrophe In History.

Millions, not billions.

And yet, the only relief and answer from DC is: increase taxes.

That said: a Trump Third Party run pretty much guarantees an Obama second term.

In truth? I'm not much in disagreement with that. I have mine; I've been spending and creating and saving for just this predicament. I have my preparations. "Next time" is where the real battle is for the GOP. Next time. Next time. Next time. So sayeth the GOP. Screw the "next time." The "next time" is NOW.

If you haven't seen this coming, then I proffer condolences and that only. I can't save you; I can only save me and mine.

Let me be frank: $4 gas doesn't affect me. $5 gas doesn't affect me. $10 gas doesn't affect me. Only the inability to acquire gas affects me. And even then: not so much. I have a source. It only took me three years to find it.

And further: my "little cabin" is now PAID IN FULL. I own it. It is mine. Those who might mistakenly be coming to take it from me will be met with -- ahem -- some various precious and dangerous metals. At extremely high rates of speed.

I have mine.

You'd best begin to find yours.

BZ