Nestle doesn’t have wonderful publicity right now. Some time ago, the company took backlash when its board chairman said the notion that water was a basic human right was “extreme,” and thus water should be treated like any other commodity: gold, corn, orange juice, etc. Currently, it remains under fire for its basic business processes that are draining the world’s aquifers, in many cases illegally. (more…)
When I call my mom every few days, I start off asking about family news: health issues, recent achievements, and the like. Then I often ask, “What’s happening in the world?” causing her to chuckle audibly, as she knows what I really mean: “How is Fox News spinning the events of the day?” Regardless of the reply, we go on to have an amiable conversation, albeit one that fails to change my mind or hers. (more…)
As PBS reports: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, raided several Mississippi food processing plants this week, detaining hundreds of suspected undocumented immigrants. However, it appears unlikely that their employers will be prosecuted. (more…)
We hear a lot about American exceptionalism today. Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing can be debated, but there is no doubt that we are, in fact, unique in the world.
Do you know what happens in SOME countries when their president is guilty of a “shocking pattern of illegality?” You may find this hard to believe, but in many cases, he’s removed from office! I know it’s incredible, but it’s true.
We are truly the exception.
I may have mentioned that I tutor at the local high school here, which, among other things, gives me the occasional opportunity to speak with faculty.
Of course, discussion of sensitive subjects, e.g., religion and politics, can be tricky, and especially around here. (more…)
The headline above is taken from this article in The Atlantic Magazine that begins:
August 10, 1969: San Clemente, California—President Richard Nixon accused his predecessor Lyndon Baines Johnson of complicity in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Speaking with reporters on the first day of a 10-day stay at his Pacific Ocean vacation home … (more…)
Americans: Here’s a map that shows what global warming has done to the temperatures in your locale since record-keeping began in the late 19th Century. Ack! 2GreenEnergy “headquarters” in Santa Barbara, CA is one of the most heavily affected. (more…)
Here’s a pro-nuke video I thought I’d pass along. Lots of truth and a small amount of misinformation–all punctuated with humor that I hope you’ll enjoy. A few points:
• As suggested, we need to differentiate between the monetary and the “blood” cost of our energy sources. (more…)
One may say that the content of the meme here is obscene. I would submit, however, that while extreme wealth isn’t a problem, situations like these are, where you and I, through our taxes, are picking up the tab for the greed of the Walton family, whose employees are paid so poorly that 30% of them are on public assistance.
It couldn’t have been both, right?
Well, maybe. While extreme right-wing forces are gaining strength in many places around the world, the free press, the only mechanism preventing would-be autocrats from rising to power, has enjoyed a few good moments recently. (more…)
