On the evil that corporations do, mass consumerism and the labor movement.
It’s part of an evolving split in the American workforce: On the one hand, we’re growing high-skilled jobs in offices and hospitals. On the other, we’re producing low-wage service jobs. There’s not a ton growing in the middle. Even this year’s manufacturing growth only reclaimed a small portion of the millions of factory jobs lost to the economic downturn.
—HA HA HA HAA!
(Source: Wired)
I’ve said this a few times already. I don’t know why we allow the government to import wind turbines and solar panels when they should be manufactured in the United States. At least some of the industries involved in making these items are starting to ask for tariffs.
The allegations are much like the ones that solar panel manufacturers made in a similar case filed against Chinese manufacturers in October, namely that government subsidies were allowing foreign manufacturers to sell below cost in the United States, damaging the domestic industry. The filing is likely to increase the already escalating trade frictions between the United States and China.
So they announce a major flip-flop on the regulation of human antibiotics in animal feed during the holiday week. Way to go FDA! You’re reminding me of the feckless Bush administration FDA of the past and you don’t want to end up like that.
The use of low doses of antibiotics in agricultural animal feed contributes to drug-resistant superbugs, according to food and health experts.
So who got to the administration I wonder? Was it ConAgra or Archers Daniels Midland?
Honestly, it would really be sad if this were to ever change, especially since Hollywood has two high-profile unions in the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America. With that said, Teamsters Local 743 has secured their first new wages in four years.
From their press release.
Fifty Teamsters with R.S. Owens & Company in Chicago voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first new contract in four years. The three-year agreement includes the workers’ first new wage increases since 2006. The raises will be retroactive to the previous contract’s expiration on Nov. 14, with average hourly wages between $13-$14.
They not only make the Oscar award but they also make the awards handed out by MTV and the Academy of Country Music.
[caption id=”” align=”alignnone” width=”468” caption=”The house that David fought for”]
[/caption]
Finally, someone is able to take a mortgage lender to court and beat the pants off of it. If only this could have happened to Countrywide.
U.S. Army sergeant David Brash has won more than $21 million in damages from PHH Mortgage after it falsely claimed he defaulted on his loan.
The 29-year-old was awarded the enormous sum by a Columbus jury after he sued the mortgage company - the country’s eight-biggest - for reporting him as ‘seriously delinquent’ to credit rating companies.
PHH Mortgage is simply inept at what they do. How could someone seriously consider taking out a mortgage with them, when they can easily process payments in such a way as to not credit you?
7 of the Nastiest Scams from Wall Street Banksters (by TheBigPictureRT)
I have to wonder if the Jane Jacobs who did battle with Robert Moses over the Village in the 1960’s would approve of what New York University is attempting now? If there is one thing I know about Washington Square Park is that it’s always been a park open to the people. You could even find the likes of Bob Dylan there in the early stages of his career I’ve read. Is the city of New York going to allow New York University to simply erase history?
The Downtown Independent Democrats in an email make some good points that I will quote below.
NYU has a worldwide presence in far-flung places from Shanghai to Dubai. Their argument that they must continue to build in Greenwich Village is weak. They have expanded in Brooklyn and have cited Governors Island, yet will not consider numerous locations further downtown that are 15 minutes away.
NYU did not expand in Paris because city planners did not agree to non-contextual plans. Our NYC City Planning Agency must raise the bar accordingly.
New York City for years now has stopped Wal-Mart from entering the city. I think NYU should be treated the same way. The DID email closes with an excellent summation.
Major changes from residential to commercial zoning, high-scale development with square footage the size of the Empire State Building, removing NYU long agreed upon zoning stipulations, acquiring public green spaces, and devastating the neighborhoodâs character and balance are not in the public interest.
So Rick Perry is in good company it seems.
Ten of the 32 members of the Texas delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives also collect pensions from one of the public retirement systems in Texas, according to federal financial disclosure forms. Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison takes one, too.
I think a representative from Public Citizen’s Texas office said it best.
Smith said the principles of pensions are to ensure people have enough to live on when they cannot work anymore, but the law allows some people — like members of Congress — to collect state retirement money while still being paid “fat congressional salaries.”
I agree because when I think of a pension it is usually for someone who has retired for the most part. Sure, there are retirees who take on part-time jobs or what have you, but they’re not like Rick Perry and the the Texas congressional delegation.
