Clipmarks | Labor Clips

You Are Never Too Old Or Frail In China

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:59:01 GMT

clipped by: debbyski

BEIJING — In the annals of people who have struggled against Communist Party rule, Wu Dianyuan and Wang Xiuying are unlikely to merit even a footnote.

The two women, both in their late 70s, have never spoken out against China’s authoritarian government. Both walk with the help of a cane, and Ms. Wang is blind in one eye. Their grievance, receiving insufficient compensation when their homes were seized for redevelopment, is perhaps the most common complaint among Chinese displaced during the country’s long streak of fast economic growth.

But the Beijing police still sentenced the two women to an extrajudicial term of “re-education through labor” this week for applying to hold a legal protest in a designated area in Beijing, where officials promised that Chinese could hold demonstrations during the Olympic Games.

“Can you imagine two old ladies in their 70s being re-educated through labor?”

Elderly Chinese Women Ordered into Re-Education After Protest Applications Are Ignored

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:42:02 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: It is the toughest penalty to be reported against any of those who followed up a government announcement that it would allow protests in three Beijing parks during the August 8-24 Olympics. So far, the police said they have received 77 applications and none has been approved.

On August 17, the two elderly women each received a document from the city authorities ordering them to serve one year of re-education through labour – an administrative punishment that does not require any judicial process – from July 30 this year to July 29, 2009 for “disturbing public order”. Li Xuehui, son of of Mrs Wu, said: ”Wang Xiuying is almost blind and crippled. What sort of re-education through labour can she serve? But they can also be taken away at any time.” The two women had remained at home but were under observation of a neighbourhood watch group, he said…

Clip Source: sweetness-light.com

From the UK’s Times

Two elderly women who applied five times to demonstrate in China’s Olympic protest parks against the demolition of their homes have been ordered to serve one year of re-education through labour, a human rights group said.

August 20, 2008

Wu Dianyuan, 79, and Wang Xiuying, 77, have been petitioning the government ever since they were forcibly evicted from their homes in Beijing in 2001 as part of a series of huge renovation projects across the city.

The pair applied five times between August 5 and August 18 to the Beijing city Public Security Bureau for permission to demonstrate in the newly designated protest parks. The two women, formerly neighbours, wanted to protest against their forced eviction from their homes seven years ago. Their application was neither granted nor denied and on August 5 they were held for 10 hours for questioning by the police, the son of one of the women told Human Rights in China.

Tags: elderly chinese women, homes demolished, "protest applications", re-education through labor

What Is Economics?

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:15:49 GMT

clipped by: skwirlinator
clipper's remarks: Exchange is the trading of goods for money or for other goods. A market is any mechanism for buyers and sellers to exchange goods. A free market is a market in which buyers and sellers are generally free to decide what to exchange and under what terms. Money is anything generally accepted as a medium of exchange and thus useful for storing or measuring economic value. The price of a good is the amount of economic value that must be exchanged to acquire it. Demand is willingness and ability to buy. Supply is availability and proffer for sale. The scarcity of a good is the excess of its demand over its supply, and in a free market is measured by price.

Clip Source: humanknowledge.net

Economics: the study of production, exchange, and consumption of goods by persons.

Fundamental Concepts

Economic value is utility or desirability to persons, especially as determined by free markets. Goods are anything which has economic value. The economic cost of a good is the economic value of the goods and resources expended to produce it. Economic efficiency is economic value divided by economic cost.

Production is the transformation of economic resources into goods. Economic resources are any natural resources, human resources, or capital resources that are useful for production. Capital is any product that is has utility for production. Human resources are the labor, skills, and knowledge of persons.

Exchange

Consumption is any use of goods that subtracts from wealth without adding to production. Wealth is the economic value of what one owns minus what one owes. Income is change in net wealth plus the value of goods consumed.

Tags: economics, concepts, value, goods, services, resources, wealth

Just A Guy Who Lives Down the Street

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:12:55 GMT

clipped by: bmeuppls
clipper's remarks: Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Patronage Street?

Just a guy he's met my ass...

This is THE blog for info on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge and it's failure...

Clip Source: globallabor.blogspot.com

As Global Labor readers are now aware, the University of Illinois is blocking access to the records of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, an Illinois non profit corporation, established in 1995.

Below is an analysis of what I found in the documents I was able to obtain.

They evidence:

the leading role that Bill Ayers played in the Annenberg Challenge;

the equally important role played by Barack Obama; and

the intensely political nature of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:36:03 GMT

clipped by: raisins4peace

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.

In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.

The actions by Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest private employer -- reflect a growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate.

make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in,

What has Congress done so far...?

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:52:58 GMT

clipped by: sillysam

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

Barring a burst of legislative activity after Labor Day, this group of 535 men and women will have accomplished a rare feat. In two decades of record keeping, no sitting Congress has passed fewer public laws at this point in the session -- 294 so far -- than this one. That's not to say they've been idle. On the flip side, no Congress in the same 20 years has been so prolific when it comes to proposing resolutions -- more than 1,900

With the mostly symbolic measures, Congress has saluted such milestones as the Idaho Potato Commission's 70th anniversary and recognized soil as an "essential natural resource." As legislation on gasoline prices, tax fixes and predatory lending languish, Congress has designated May 5-9 as National Substitute Teacher Recognition Week, and set July 28 as the Day of the American Cowboy.

Georgians force to clean South Ossetia streets

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:02:12 GMT

clipped by: missjackson

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

AP Photo: Russian soldiers stand in front of an armored vehicle in Tskhinvali in the breakaway Georgian...

Three teams of ethnic Georgian men in their 40s and 50s were seen hauling debris from the streets of Tskhinvali. When approached, one of them confirmed he was being forced to work.

"Labor even turns monkeys into humans," said a Russian officer, who along with armed Ossetians escorted one group of about two dozen Georgians through the streets of the capital.

It appeared to be the first sign of abuse of Georgians in the Russian-controlled province.

Tskhinvali was at the nucleus of fighting that has pitted two former Soviet neighbors against each other and further strained Russia's ties to the West.

Georgian troops pounded the city with rockets and bombs in a bid to retake control of separatist South Ossetia on Aug. 7, provoking a fierce response from the region's Russian backers.

Educating children from the dump

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:07:14 GMT

clipped by: traviscrocker

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (CNN) -- Walking down a street in Cambodia's capital city, Phymean Noun finished her lunch and tossed her chicken bones into the trash. Seconds later, she watched in horror as several children fought to reclaim her discarded food.

she quit her job and started an organization to give underprivileged children an education. Noun spent $30,000 of her own money to get her first school off the ground.

opened a school at Phnom Penh's largest municipal trash dump, where children are a large source of labor

Today, Noun provides 240 kids from the trash dump a free education, food, health services and an opportunity to be a child in a safe environment. Watch Noun and some of the children who attend her school »

"I have seen a lot of kids killed by the garbage trucks," she recalls. Children as young as 7 scavenge hours at a time for recyclable materials. They make cents a day selling cans, metals and plastic bags.

Tags: mercy, poverty

Fair Elections

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:38:25 GMT

clipped by: mklosinski
clipper's remarks: All of this from groups that want to do away with the private ballot.

Clip Source: www.cnsnews.com

Washington (AP) - The AFL-CIO and three other labor-rights groups have asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc. unlawfully pressured employees to vote against Democrats in November because their party would help workers to unionize.

The groups - which include Change to Win, American Rights at Work and WakeUpWalMart.com - say in a complaint processed on Friday with the FEC that "there is reason to believe" Wal-Mart broke federal election rules by advocating against Democratic candidate Barack Obama in meetings with employees.

The labor organizations based their complaint on a report earlier this month from The Wall Street Journal. The report said Wal-Mart held mandatory meetings with store managers and department supervisors to warn that if Democrats prevail this fall, they would likely push through a bill that the company says would hurt workers.

Tags: unions, elections

Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell, and Peter Pan Arrested!

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:16:49 GMT

clipped by: sahara

Clip Source: rawstory.com

Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell and other fictional fixtures of modern-day childhood were handcuffed, frisked and loaded into police vans Thursday at the culmination of a labor protest that brought a touch of reality to the Happiest Place on Earth

The arrest of the 32 protesters, many of whom wore costumes representing famous Disney characters, came at the end of an hour-long march to Disneyland's gates from one of three Disney-owned hotels at the center of a labor dispute.

Those who were arrested sat in a circle on a busy intersection outside the park holding hands until they were placed in plastic handcuffs and led to two police vans while hundreds of hotel workers cheered and chanted.

The protesters were arrested on a misdemeanor count of failure to obey a police officer and two traffic infractions, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim police. They were cited and released, Sgt. Chris Schneider said.

The Associated Press has more details here.

U.S. groups file election complaint against Wal-Mart

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:51:10 GMT

clipped by: katsteevns

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

U.S. groups file election complaint against Wal-Mart

Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:23pm EDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Labor groups on Thursday asked federal regulators to look into whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc broke the law during company meetings with store managers where it warned about the consequences of a proposed labor law backed by Democrats.

At issue is whether Wal-Mart's discussion of the law, which would make it easier for workers to unionize, amounted to an effort to dissuade employees from voting for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Wal-Mart denies that it tried to influence voting.

At some meetings, "they outright said if you vote for Barack Obama this law is going to pass, your wages would go down, you could lose your job," said Meghan Scott. She added that the comments varied in their directness.

Wal-Mart opposes proposed legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize by signing a card rather than holding a vote.

Thought Police | The Left vs. Free Speech

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:20:19 GMT

clipped by: missjackson
clipper's remarks: From the article: The extreme left loves to pretend it stands for freedom. It never has and never will. From the Reign of Terror in Paris onward, its core agenda has been the tyranny of egomaniacal intellectuals.

The left pretends that campuses should enjoy freedom of speech, yet activist students shout down, harass and even attack speakers whose views they dislike. That's brownshirt behavior, folks - as surely as show trials are Stalinist.

Hardcore leftists never welcome a freewheeling debate - they'd rather force their beliefs on the rest of us. It's an article of faith for the left that folks like you and me are too stupid to know what's good for us (we're so dumb, some of us even believe in God).

For many years, the left's tactic was to pretend to care about average citizens. In the last century, the motto was the "dictatorship of the proletariat"

Now we have the would-be dictatorship of the pseudo-intellectuals.

Clip Source: www.nypost.com

The Holocaust's victims were 6 million innocents. The handful of prisoners at Guantanamo are accused terrorists. Guantanamo has no gas chambers; prisoners aren't forced into slave labor. They aren't tortured or starved or shot. And their trials are open to members of the press.

It wasn't just Lenin and Stalin whose propaganda machine prefigured MoveOn. Nazi is an acronym for "National Socialist." Read Mein Kampf. It isn't a tribute to free-market capitalism, folks. Mussolini was a populist. Mao was a leftist, as was Pol Pot. The last century's worst censors and book burners all emerged from leftist ideologies.

The more I think about that proposed war-crimes trial, the more excited I get.

If we could just delay it until President Obama invades Pakistan, he and I could share the prisoners' docket together.

the charges he'd face would be far worse, given that Saddam Hussein was a genocidal dictator and Pakistan's a democracy

But the left is right: We can't let war crimes go unpunished

Wal-Mart Against Union and Democrats

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:01:57 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: For 100 years and with much success, American Corporations have killed any kind of Union Movement. Democracies without Independent Working Representation are no real democracies at all. They are than dependent on politicians and the judicial system. Every man and woman for themselves and the corporations against all. Unfair, to say the least.

Clip Source: www.commondreams.org

Published on Thursday, August 14, 2008 by Reuters

US Groups File Election Complaint Against Wal-Mart

CHICAGO - Labor groups on Thursday asked federal regulators to look into whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc broke the law during company meetings with store managers where it warned about the consequences of a proposed labor law backed by Democrats.

At issue is whether Wal-Mart’s discussion of the law, which would make it easier for workers to unionize, amounted to an effort to dissuade employees from voting for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Wal-Mart denies that it tried to influence voting.

WakeUpWalmart.com said it filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission in conjunction with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and other groups.

At some meetings, “they outright said if you vote for Barack Obama this law is going to pass, your wages would go down, you could lose your job,” said Meghan Scott.

It's a Lawn Baby

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:03:18 GMT

clipped by: Imnclady
clipper's remarks: Mary Claire was born at 5 pounds, 11 ounces and was doing fine at St. Jude Medical Center, Higgins said.

Clip Source: myembarq.com

Calif. mom gives birth on front lawn by herself

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) — Alone and in labor, Jessica Higgins found the first place she could to give birth — her front lawn.

The 36-year-old was driving home from the mall Tuesday when little Mary Claire gave her the shock of a lifetime by deciding to arrive six weeks early.

Higgins — with her 2-year-old son sleeping in the back seat — called 911 as she arrived at her Fullerton home, but she had already pushed her daughter out when police arrived.

"She was just standing in the driveway rocking the newborn, who was still attached to the placenta," Officer Manny Ramos said Wednesday.

Higgins' husband, Jeff, arrived in time to cut the baby's umbilical cord under the front-yard ficus tree.

The proud mother, who was recovering at a hospital Wednesday, said "everything happened so fast." She said she had her son's portrait taken at the mall earlier in the day and was on hold with the doctor's office when the baby started pushing.

Tags: labor, healthcare

Bureaucrats Try to Quash Blues Prodigy's Talents

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:49:41 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: Well, the law prohibits it, and the Legislature enacted the laws to protect the health, safety and welfare of all children.

"T-Man" Latz has a reason to sing the blues

http://www.comcast.net/articles/music/20080812/Blues.Kid/

Clip Source: www.moonbattery.com

We don't quite have enough government to have reached the socialist ideal, whereby society resembles a well-manicured lawn, with no blade of grass allowed to grow any higher than the others. An example is 8-year-old guitar prodigy Tallan "T-Man" Latz, who seems to have gotten on older players' nerves by outperforming them.

But we do have enough government so that virtually all human activity violates one regulation or another, permitting those who excel to be brought down to size. Jealous musicians have apparently ratted out T-Man for violating child labor laws, so that he's not allowed to play the blues in clubs anymore.

Intones bureaucretin Jennifer Ortiz of Wisconsin's Equal Rights Division:

Don't forget, as the government boot stamps down on your face: it's for your own health, safety, and welfare.

On a tip from V the K.

Tags: tallan "t-man" latz, guitar prodigy, violating child labor laws, bureaucretin jennifer ortiz, wisconsin's equal rights division