FEEDBACK

CORPORATIONS THAT DUMPED EMPLOYEE PENSION PLANS PAID EXECS BIG SUMS

Look, to get the "best and the brightest" costs money. We should be proud of our executives - they lead the world in knowing how to release the maximum value out of their corporations. They are, by any measure, absolute geniuses. Nowhere is it written that the executives in these corporations should care about their employees, They, the employees, are resources. Simply resources. Why else do corporations call it the "Human Resources Department" rather than the older term, "Personnel"? Where do these resources get the idea that the pension money belongs to them? Do desks get pensions? Do desks and chairs have rights? Since when do the interests of resources matter? When you don't need them any more, get rid of them in the cheapest way possible. That's the smart, cost effective way to manage companies. I'm pretty sure that's what they teach at Harvard B-school, and Wharton.

OBAMA DUMPING STAFFERS

That Daily Beast thread about Obama cutting people in his administration loose is the Internet Personality Parade at it's worst. Schlock. Unfair even if it's true (although it's so easy to contrive a bogus narrative around material like that.)

All Presidents fire people. The guy who gets tearful or commiserative while he fires you is not necessarily the better president, or even any more sincere..

Contrast Obama's dilemmas with George W. Bush: when Bush was inaugurated in January of 2001,he faced a stable, solvent economy, and a nation at peace.

Imagine if George W. Bush had faced the same challenges- walking into office with America the Beautiful economically mugged and $10.6 trillion in the hole, in the middle of two separate foreign land wars.

I can't help but wonder how Bush would have handled receiving the presidential legacy he handed off, for the next guy to deal with. - Cab Driver

BILLBOARD BEAT

It's an assumption that the billboard was put up by Missouri 'mainstream' Republicans, as the accompanying caption on the Fired Up Missouri web site suggests. True, it does plagiarize Grover Norquist and the New Hampshire state motto, suggesting certain Libertarian influences, however, the sad truth about Missouri is that one is likely to hear similar sentiments expressed from Democrats in many of the rural counties of the state. There is only a fractional difference, if any at all, between the parties. Democratic affiliation, for many here, often originates from the time when folks became Democrats because Democrats weren't the party that gave us Lincoln. The inferences ought to be clear. The political gamut in Missouri runs A to B. An objectionable rant about Obama's 'socialism' is as likely from a Democrat as anyone else.

'CADILLAC HEALTH CARE BENEFIT' CAN BE MISLEADING

How about eliminating the waste from DOD, maybe stop building helicopters that fall from the sky or planes that don't fly, instead of trying to force decent union employers out of business. Every goddamn piece of legislation now is about funneling the max amount of taxpayer money to those corrupt bribers who've paid Congress the most.

GANGS STEALING HUMAN FAT

This does not sound very reasonable. At 15K/liter of body fat, liposuction would be free. If there was indeed a demand for human fat, companies in Europe would be able to buy all of the adipose tissue they wanted from cosmetic surgeons. - M

MAPLE SYRUP

This is what Nika Hazelton writes in American Home Cooking (1980): "Mrs. McGowen, my wartime Maryland cook (who always wore a hat, made this for Sunday breakfast." N.H. then describes crabmeat heated and stirred in a whole lot of melted butter. It was finished off with salt and a dash of cayenne, and served it with Spoon Bread and broiled tomatoes. She says "grits would be good too." From this I form the idea that you were served crab cakes with spoon bread or grits and put syrup on the latter which naturally made its way onto the crab meat and the rest is history. - KAP

POPULATION GROWTH FINALLY MAKES THE TABLE

The biggest obstacle we face in changing attitudes toward overpopulation is economists. Since the field of economics was branded "the dismal science" after Malthus' theory, economists have been adamant that they would never again consider the subject of overpopulation and continue to insist that man is ingenious enough to overcome any obstacle to further growth. Even worse, economists insist that population growth is vital to economic growth. This is why world leaders continue to ignore population growth in the face of mounting challenges like peak oil, global warming and a whole host of other environmental and resource issues. - Pete Murphy

CONFESSIONS OF A VISION IMPAIRED STAKEHOLDER WITH DUBIOUS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES EMBARKING ON AN ILL-DEFINED MISSION

You should take on the new hot phrase in corporate lingo: "I don't disagree.". . . Corporate robot: "I don't disagree with what you are saying." Me: "So, you agree with me." Corporate robot: "No, I don't disagree." Me: "So exactly what part of what I said do you not agree with?" Corporate Robot: "Nothing specific, I just would say that I don't disagree" ad infinitum.

MORNING LINE

In 2010, the progressive left needs retribution upon the pro-war, pro-corporate Dems. The way to do this is to use these 'in trouble' or 'unclear' lists as target lists for independent of third party candidates.

Every one of these close Senate races needs a peace candidate that pushes single-payer health care.

Let the Democrats see that the cost of lying to the left and then shafting the left once in office has consequences. Let them see that they see that these close races are getting worse and worse because a pissed-off left is organizing in these districts.

The Democrats get elected on our votes. They lie to the left, every time, and they win their elections depending on our votes. Its time we took our votes away from them. And thus its time to teach the Democrats a lesson about how important the left is to them.

Let the Democrats see what it looks like to be running against a progressive independent or third party candidate in every close election.