tagged w/ Government Corruption
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He compares the current mistaken focus on bailouts � from Wall Street to the auto industry � to the early mistakes of another president faced with economic disaster: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose initial rejection of the revolutionary concepts of John Maynard Keynes helped prolong the worldwide economic misery of the late 1920s and 1930s.
It may take another heretic to pull America out of its current downhill slide this time around.
�Ravi is a phenomenon � the best predictive record of any economist, past or present � and he does it all by reference to recorded, empirical facts, not paradigm [or] ideology,� said Prof. Rajani Kannepalli Kanth, a visiting scholar at Harvard University who specializes in political economy and social anthropology.
His supporters think Batra should long ago have won a Nobel Prize and that President-elect Barack Obama ought to be calling him with offers of cabinet posts or at least asking for his advice.
But instead, despite his sterling record and best-selling books, Batra remains somewhat isolated in the economics field, the result of one bad call and, more to the point, an economic theory that flies in the face of today�s accepted wisdom � in the face, that is, of the theories and practices that got us in the horrendous spot we�re in today.
�We are on the verge of a social revolution � it�s already started [with Obama�s election]. The second part, where the theories are discarded and new ideas take over and new reforms take over � that part has yet to occur, and that will take a few years,� he predicted. �After that occurs, the age of acquisitors will be over, and there will be a new age with a totally different attitude toward taxation and the economic system.�
The revolution, which he believes could happen in a couple of years or sometime soon after that, should bring in a new chapter of greater economic equality and less poverty and suffering � first in the U.S., then rippling out to the rest of the world, he thinks.
�The U.S. has never been in any other age other than the age of acquisitors. So this will be a new experience for the U.S.,� he said.He compares the current mistaken focus on bailouts � from Wall Street to the auto... more
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For a lot of people, it is already too late. People have moved back in with their parents, started living out of RVs, moved into trailer parks that are mushrooming around cities such as Las Vegas the way developments with real houses used to. Even pricey Santa Barbara, Calif., recently made several gated parking lots available to people living in their cars.
Last week, General Motors announced 10,000 job cuts, Wal-Mart 800, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz told an interviewer that in some ways, the current crisis is worse than the Great Depression. But this time around, we appear to have a class of individuals who think that they should not have to suffer with the rest.
It is this type of behavior, rather than economics, that the working poor don't understand. I earned $3.35 an hour at my first job washing dishes in 1981, and today, 28 years later, the minimum wage has barely doubled. Congress voted not to raise it for nearly 10 years, while members awarded themselves pay raises on a nearly annual basis. And during the years that the minimum wage was stalled, the pay of a CEO swelled to hundreds of times the wage of an average worker, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
They have a right to be cynical. It turns out, the people who understand money the best are the ones who don't have it.
Iain Levison is the author of the memoir "A Working Stiff's Manifesto" and the forthcoming novel "How to Rob an Armored Car."For a lot of people, it is already too late. People have moved back in with their... more
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense contractor KBR Inc., which is under criminal investigation in the electrocution deaths of at least two U.S. soldiers in Iraq, has been awarded a $35 million contract by the Pentagon to build an electrical distribution center and other projects there.
The announcement of the new KBR contract comes just months after the Pentagon, in strongly worded correspondence obtained by The Associated Press, rejected the company's explanation of serious mistakes in Iraq and its proposed improvements. A senior Pentagon official, David J. Graff, cited the company's "continuing quality deficiencies" and said KBR executives were "not sufficiently in touch with the urgency or realities of what was actually occurring on the ground."WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense contractor KBR Inc., which is under criminal investigation... more
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A Tibetan youth detained for his role in a nonviolent protest has been beaten to death by police, Tibetan sources say.
Pema Tsepak, 24, a resident of Punda town in the Dzogang county of Tibet’s Chamdo prefecture, had been held in police custody for his role in a demonstration against Chinese rule in Tsawa Dzogang since Jan. 20.
“Chinese officials said he jumped off a building, but we believe he was beaten to death and then thrown off the building,”
Namgyal Tsering, a Tibetan living in Delhi, India, said in an interview that Pema Tsepak had been hospitalized following mistreatment at the hands of his captors.
“He was so severely beaten that his kidneys and intestines were badly damaged. He was initially taken to Dzogang [county] hospital, but they could not treat him, and they took him to Chamdo hospital instead,” Tsering said.A Tibetan youth detained for his role in a nonviolent protest has been beaten to death... more
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The signs of newly assertive Chinese workers have jolted foreign and Chinese factory owners, who for the last two decades have churned out everything from Nikes to baby dolls with unbeatably low production costs.
Some have concluded that the raw era in which rootless Chinese villagers would accept whatever job they could get may be drawing to a close, raising questions about China's long-term future as world headquarters for low-paid outsourcing.The signs of newly assertive Chinese workers have jolted foreign and Chinese factory... more
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At least one strike involving more than 1,000 workers occurs every day in China's manufacturing hub in the Pearl River Delta area, where about one-third of Chinese exports were manufactured and where, according to a published study, workers lose or break about 40,000 fingers on the job every year.
Han was a railway electrician when he organized China's first independent labor union in 1989, during the brutally-suppressed Tiananmen democracy movement.
He was imprisoned for two years, during which time he contracted tuberculosis. In 1992, after intense lobbying by members of the US Congress and the AFL-CIO umbrella trade union group, Han was given medical parole and sent to the United States for treatment, where a lung was removed.
A year later, Han tried to return to China but was turned back at the border of Hong Kong, a specially administered Chinese territory.
The Chinese government wants to consolidate control gradually over all signs of organized labor activity under the ACFTU umbrella, the only legally permitted workers' representative in the world's most populous nation, western rights groups say.At least one strike involving more than 1,000 workers occurs every day in China's... more
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We, combat officers and soldiers who have served the State of Israel for long weeks every year, in spite of the dear cost to our personal lives, have been on reserve duty in the Occupied Territories, and were issued commands and directives that had nothing to do with the security of our country, and that had the sole purpose of perpetuating our control over the Palestinian people.We, combat officers and soldiers who have served the State of Israel for long weeks... more
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Here it is, this is why congress doesn't work and how to fix it.
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Israelis planned this attack while the last cease-fire was being negotiated.
What more needs to be said? Israelis will lose all sympathy in the world. They have lost mine.
What I see now is that saddly, israeli babies have to hide in nice clean bomb shelters with food and hope and future, while Palistinian babies die in their homes and their shelters because they are targeted by the Israeli military and there is nowhere to hide.
The Israelis are bombing families in refugee camps and community shelters.
Damn them.Israelis planned this attack while the last cease-fire was being negotiated.
What... more
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Over and over throughout history, the oppressed peoples rise up and crush their oppressors. Greece is experiencing a popular uprising according to 60% of Greeks, not a small group causing trouble.
People the world over are really sick of being robbed by the rich.Over and over throughout history, the oppressed peoples rise up and crush their... more
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An AFAudio.text- written by Bill Collier, narrated by Paul Collier- Obama called the Constution "fundamentall flawed". Can he uphold a Constitution he doesn't believe in?An AFAudio.text- written by Bill Collier, narrated by Paul Collier- Obama called the... more
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Look at this video, a 2008 ad run by the mccain camp...seems more relevent and believable now.Look at this video, a 2008 ad run by the mccain camp...seems more relevent and... more
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A documentary will be shown on Dec. 5, 2008 in Marquette Michigan about a mining giant with deep pockets and its plan to build a sulfide mine in Marquette County.
That mine will open the flood gates for dozens and maybe hundreds of sulfide and uranium mines.
Some brave citizens and groups are in an all-out war to protect the prstine land and the Salmon Trout River - while questions are raised about state officials and their relationship with Kennecott Minerals.
The state guardians of the environment eagerly jumped into the sack while wooed by Kennecott.
The film was financed by the Charles S. Mott Foundation and produced by the National Wildlife federation.A documentary will be shown on Dec. 5, 2008 in Marquette Michigan about a mining giant... more
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Some of Michigan's elected officials - like Governor Jennifer Granholm - are selling out the beautiful streams and lush forests of the Upper Peninsula in exchange for some quick cash.
Many people who once loved our governor - now think Granholm doesn't deserve to be a democrat - because she's acting like a Republican.
Granholm and others - like famous actor/director Jeff Daniels - proclaim their love for the Upper Peninsula but are remaining strangely silent in the fight to stop Kennecott Minerals and other mining companies from building sulfide mines nicknamed "acid" mines.
Granholm, Daniels and others with power should be leading the fight to stop the Eagle Project.
In fact - the governor's top Upper Peninsula aide - her point man on the mine issue - recently quit his job to take a lucrative position with Kennecott''s parent company. That speaks volumes as the gov remains tight-lipped.
The National Wildlife Federation has produced a documentary about the gallant fight to protect the Upper Peninsula.
The public is invited to a free showing of the film om Dec. 5, 2008 in Marquette at Northern Michigan University.Some of Michigan's elected officials - like Governor Jennifer Granholm - are... more
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Who Else Wants To Help Save The 3,200 That Occupy The Florida Coast?
American Tourism, Leisure Water Activities, and the Fishing Industry are the Main Causes of the Decline of Manatees.
PLEASE see the bottom of this page on how you can help the gentle manatee.
Oct 21, 2008 – Indian Rocks Beach –
Many public awareness campaigns, research and educational programs, and lobbying groups help protect manatees. Approximately 3,200 occupy the southeastern portion of US coastal waters, yet as many as 100 die each year.
American Tourism plays a vital role in manatees becoming endangered species. With Florida as one of the largest vacation spots in the country, manatees are losing their natural habitats from red tide, the destruction of marine grass and chemical pollution from runoff.
Additionally, with Americans continually rushing even during leisurely activities such as jetting on large yachts, partying on fast speedboats, and jet skiers zipping through the waterways resulting in collisions, we can only expect manatees to become endangered.
Manatees have also become endangered because of large fishing boats and entanglement in fishing lines.
To help raise public awareness on the Florida manatees, Indian Rocks Beach artist, Karen Justice created a hilarious greeting card line. The designs contain vividly bright colors and were created in warm, tropical settings. Deep blues, vibrant yellows, and flirty pinks are the signature colors Karen uses. Light-hearted, warm, and clever sayings are splashed across each one of her designs. Because the designs are innovative and unique, she has become one of the most influential artists of her time.
Karen is an advocate of animal rights and is strongly committed to the preservation of manatees.
Now, relax with a cup of coffee and visit the www.wildjunglechick.com website. Soak in the beautiful colors of each card and laugh at the manatee designs. The relaxation and laughter felt after viewing her designs is her mission.
Coming soon to the website is the chicken's blog. It will include a Q&A on a variety of topics. Join the chicken's world by visiting www.wildjunglechick.com
# # # # # #
Greeting Cards, magnets, and prints sold via online to wholesalers, a retail store in Indian Rocks Beach, and an online retail site coming soon.
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ALERT!
Despite exploding human population growth and shrinking aquatic habitat in Florida, manatees will lose their protections as a federal endangered species under a new plan prepared by the Bush administration.
You can help! Send a quick online letter to decision-makers letting them know you strongly oppose the manatee’s downlisting at this time. http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5215/t/3138/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=491
PLEASE BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS!
http://www.savethemanatee.org/
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/Manatees/manatees.htmlWho Else Wants To Help Save The 3,200 That Occupy The Florida Coast?
American... more
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"Brazil’s environment minister announced yet another series of measures to halt deforestation of the Amazon this week, but their impact was weakened not only by the fact that destruction had increased sharply once again but that the government itself was among the worst culprits.
A federal agency charged with implementing agrarian reform and giving land to the poor filled the top six spots on a list of the nation’s 100 worst deforesters since 2005, according to the list, published by the environment ministry on Monday. The top 100 deforesters cut down the equivalent of 160,000 soccer fields, said Environment Minister Carlos Minc."
The Agency of Land Reform (INCRA) was fined 264 million reais (about $137 million) but denied responsibility for the deforestation.
This list was released on the same day as deforestation numbers show a 134% increase for the month of August; the monthly total increased from 568 acres in 2007 to 1,868 acres this year.
Full story at link..."Brazil’s environment minister announced yet another series of measures to... more
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Iraq has been ranked by Transparency International(TI) as one of the world's most corrupt countries, just above Somalia as the "least clean" state.
The index is based on perceptions of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories.
The high levels of corruption amount to a humanitarian disaster said Huguette Labelle, chair of the watchdog.
At the bottom of the transparency table, along with Somalia and Iraq, are Burma, Haiti, Afghanistan and Sudan.
While Iraq remains in the same bottom-three position in the table as last year, the level of perceived corruption in the country collated by the Berlin-based organisation has increased.
The score is based on perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts.
TEN MOST CORRUPT STATES
Somalia
Burma
Iraq
Haiti
Afghanistan
Sudan
Guinea
Chad
Equatorial Guinea
DR Congo
TEN LEAST CORRUPT STATES
Denmark
Sweden
New Zealand
Singapore
Finland
Switzerland
Iceland
Netherlands
Australia
Canada
Iraq has been ranked by Transparency International(TI) as one of the world's most... more
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Washington DC and the Federal courts are using Maritime Law, which is statutory law, not the Common Law of our nations constitution.
We've been lied too and have been under Emergency Maritime law since 1934.
No wonder the system is broke.[more]
Washington DC and the Federal courts are using Maritime Law, which is statutory law,... more
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When Cindy McCain is asked what issues she would champion as first lady, she often cites one of the most difficult periods of her life: her battle with -- and ultimate victory over -- prescription painkillers. Her struggle, she has said repeatedly, taught her valuable lessons about drug abuse that she would pass on to the nation.[more]When Cindy McCain is asked what issues she would champion as first lady, she often... more
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The report was issued by the Interior Department's inspector general after a $5.3 million investigation "uncovered recreational marijuana and cocaine use" by "a handful" of Interior Department staff, and found two federal employees "engaged in brief sexual relationships with representatives from companies doing business" with the department.[more]The report was issued by the Interior Department's inspector general after a $5.3... more
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