number 31 11.27.05
Katrina Workers Devastated by Wrath of Privatization
As billions of government dollars are
directed towards the gulf region to
repair the damage caused by this year's
hurricanes, immigrant rights groups and
the National Council of La Raza (NCLR),
the nation's largest Latino rights groups,
have imitated an investigation into
complaints from migrant workers who
have worked for weeks cleaning up the
disaster area with little or no pay.
Janet Murguia, the president of NCLR,
and a fact finding group visited makeshift
tent cities which have sprung up along
the gulf coast. The group interviewed
undocumented workers who were lured
to the to the region from Mexico and as
far away as Guatemala and Honduras by
directed towards the gulf region to
repair the damage caused by this year's
hurricanes, immigrant rights groups and
the National Council of La Raza (NCLR),
the nation's largest Latino rights groups,
have imitated an investigation into
complaints from migrant workers who
have worked for weeks cleaning up the
disaster area with little or no pay.
Janet Murguia, the president of NCLR,
and a fact finding group visited makeshift
tent cities which have sprung up along
the gulf coast. The group interviewed
undocumented workers who were lured
to the to the region from Mexico and as
far away as Guatemala and Honduras by
sub-contractors hired by giant military
contractors such as Halliburton.
Promises of pay, food and lodging have
not materialized for hundreds of migrant
workers as the federal government
privatized the disaster relief effort
granting multi-million dollar no bid
contracts to corporations with ties to
the White House and republican
politicians.
Murguia told reporters that the federal
government has created a situation
where migrant labor has been exploited
by shadowy private disaster relief
businesses who struck deals with the
large corporations granted contracts by
FEMA and the US Army Corps of
contractors such as Halliburton.
Promises of pay, food and lodging have
not materialized for hundreds of migrant
workers as the federal government
privatized the disaster relief effort
granting multi-million dollar no bid
contracts to corporations with ties to
the White House and republican
politicians.
Murguia told reporters that the federal
government has created a situation
where migrant labor has been exploited
by shadowy private disaster relief
businesses who struck deals with the
large corporations granted contracts by
FEMA and the US Army Corps of
Engineers. "There's been no
accountability with those
contractors," said Murguia standing in
a tent city that houses some of the
migrants, "we live in the United
States of America, and it seems like
we ought to have basic standards,
basic human rights."
Non-payment of wages is a violation
of federal labor law, but the migrant
workers are generally unaware of
their rights under US law. To
compound the matter, the state of
Mississippi has no department of
labor to investigate worker's claims
of non-payment of wages or poor
working conditions. its all true
accountability with those
contractors," said Murguia standing in
a tent city that houses some of the
migrants, "we live in the United
States of America, and it seems like
we ought to have basic standards,
basic human rights."
Non-payment of wages is a violation
of federal labor law, but the migrant
workers are generally unaware of
their rights under US law. To
compound the matter, the state of
Mississippi has no department of
labor to investigate worker's claims
of non-payment of wages or poor
working conditions. its all true
| interpreting the constitution crowd control spread of the red one nation, under surveillance fun d' mental in bed with the red red state rebate verbatim |
spread of the red
Weather
Controversial
'Evolution' Theories
Scare Off Corporate
Exhibition Sponsors
'Evolution' Theories
Scare Off Corporate
Exhibition Sponsors
Legislators Allow Sell Off of Public Wilderness so Developers Can Mine Hotels
A proposal recently approved by the US
House of Representatives would permit
the sale of up to 5.7 million acres of
public lands currently under the control
of the US Forest Service and the Bureau
of Land Management. The changes to a
133 year-old mining law relax the
restrictions private companies and
individuals purchasing and developing the
land. Sponsors of the provisions say that
the changes will lead to “sustainable
economic development” of the land,
which is mostly in the rural West.
But the legislation is opposed by an
unlikely alliance of outdoor sportsman
and environmentalists who argue
that it amounts to a vast sell-off of
House of Representatives would permit
the sale of up to 5.7 million acres of
public lands currently under the control
of the US Forest Service and the Bureau
of Land Management. The changes to a
133 year-old mining law relax the
restrictions private companies and
individuals purchasing and developing the
land. Sponsors of the provisions say that
the changes will lead to “sustainable
economic development” of the land,
which is mostly in the rural West.
But the legislation is opposed by an
unlikely alliance of outdoor sportsman
and environmentalists who argue
that it amounts to a vast sell-off of
public assets.
Using what has become a familiar tactic,
House Republican leaders attached the
amendment to the huge omnibus
spending bill, so that it passed without
debate by a two-vote margin in the early
hours of the morning. Critics point out
that although the language approved
allows real estate to be purchased under
federal mining claims, there are no
restrictions on how the land may be
developed by the new private owners.
One of the measure’s sponsors,
California Republican Richard Pombo,
tried to assure legislators that language
Using what has become a familiar tactic,
House Republican leaders attached the
amendment to the huge omnibus
spending bill, so that it passed without
debate by a two-vote margin in the early
hours of the morning. Critics point out
that although the language approved
allows real estate to be purchased under
federal mining claims, there are no
restrictions on how the land may be
developed by the new private owners.
One of the measure’s sponsors,
California Republican Richard Pombo,
tried to assure legislators that language
protecting wilderness areas and
National Parks would be added to
the bill in conference committee
sessions. But Pombo is a
controversial figure who has called for
the repeal of the Endangered Species
Act and the sale of some National
Parks, and as such is widely distrusted
by environmentalists.
Another sponsor of the bill, Nevada
Republican Jim Gibbons, defended the
proposed changes, saying,
“Unfortunately, several special
interest groups have dishonestly
portrayed this measure as a giant land
sale and giveaway to developers.”
its all true
National Parks would be added to
the bill in conference committee
sessions. But Pombo is a
controversial figure who has called for
the repeal of the Endangered Species
Act and the sale of some National
Parks, and as such is widely distrusted
by environmentalists.
Another sponsor of the bill, Nevada
Republican Jim Gibbons, defended the
proposed changes, saying,
“Unfortunately, several special
interest groups have dishonestly
portrayed this measure as a giant land
sale and giveaway to developers.”
its all true
A comprehensive exhibition on
the life and work of Charles
Darwin, which recently opened at
the American Museum of Natural
History in New York, was unable
to secure a single corporate
sponsor because of a pervasive
unwillingness to offend
fundamentalist Christians.
The exhibition cost an estimated
$3 million to stage, and is being
produced by the AMNH in
conjunction with three other
major museums.
Because corporate sponsors have
shied away from the
“controversial” nature of the
program, the entire cost of the
exhibit is being underwritten by
private donations.
Darwin’s theory of evolution, the
basis of modern biological studies,
is increasingly under attack by
members of the religious right.
The recent inroads made by
creationists supporting “intelligent
design” in science curricula have
sparked new debate over Darwin’
s widely accepted theory.
In a statement, AMNH president
Ellen B. Fuller said, “ At a time
when American education in
science and mathematics is failing
dreadfully in ways that undermine
this country’s economy and
security, and yield public
confusion about major scientific
issues, including the origins and
diversity of life on earth, the
museum is honored to join with
its collaborators in presenting this
show on Darwin.” its all true
the life and work of Charles
Darwin, which recently opened at
the American Museum of Natural
History in New York, was unable
to secure a single corporate
sponsor because of a pervasive
unwillingness to offend
fundamentalist Christians.
The exhibition cost an estimated
$3 million to stage, and is being
produced by the AMNH in
conjunction with three other
major museums.
Because corporate sponsors have
shied away from the
“controversial” nature of the
program, the entire cost of the
exhibit is being underwritten by
private donations.
Darwin’s theory of evolution, the
basis of modern biological studies,
is increasingly under attack by
members of the religious right.
The recent inroads made by
creationists supporting “intelligent
design” in science curricula have
sparked new debate over Darwin’
s widely accepted theory.
In a statement, AMNH president
Ellen B. Fuller said, “ At a time
when American education in
science and mathematics is failing
dreadfully in ways that undermine
this country’s economy and
security, and yield public
confusion about major scientific
issues, including the origins and
diversity of life on earth, the
museum is honored to join with
its collaborators in presenting this
show on Darwin.” its all true
fun d' mental
Union Busting Bishop's Tactics
Halted by Real Judge in State Court
Halted by Real Judge in State Court
| redstat |
A Catholic Ecclesiastical Court has
decreed that union contracts in a
Brownsville TX parish are invalid. The
union contracts were the first of their
kind within the Catholic Church and
covered workers in five churches in the
Brownsville diocese.
Workers in the Holy Spirit Parish
agitated for a union contract after
Bishop Raymondo Pena unilaterally
ended the workers pension fund and
established a 403b pension plan. The
switch cut the retirement benefits for
long time staff at the churches by two
thirds. The workers sought union
representation for their shop from the
United Farm Workers of America and
signed a contract with the parish in 2002.
The church fought back against the
workers. Pena assigned a new pastor at
one of the parish's churches and fired
the union activists who organized the
bargaining unit.
decreed that union contracts in a
Brownsville TX parish are invalid. The
union contracts were the first of their
kind within the Catholic Church and
covered workers in five churches in the
Brownsville diocese.
Workers in the Holy Spirit Parish
agitated for a union contract after
Bishop Raymondo Pena unilaterally
ended the workers pension fund and
established a 403b pension plan. The
switch cut the retirement benefits for
long time staff at the churches by two
thirds. The workers sought union
representation for their shop from the
United Farm Workers of America and
signed a contract with the parish in 2002.
The church fought back against the
workers. Pena assigned a new pastor at
one of the parish's churches and fired
the union activists who organized the
bargaining unit.
A Collegiate Ecclesiastical Court then
examined the contract and
determined that the local pastor did
not have the authority to bind the
parish in a contract establishing
worker's rights. The Catholic court
ruled that only Bishop Pena could
sign such an agreement and the panel
nullified the contract.
The workers have, however taken
the matter before another court, the
circuit court of Brownsville Texas
where four of the workers from the
parish who were fired by Pena
received a court order returning
them to their jobs in the Holy Spirit
parish. Court ordered mediators
also ordered that the worker's
receive back pay, reinstated the
union contract and required that the
church establish a grievance
procedure to protect workers from
arbitrary firings.
its all true
examined the contract and
determined that the local pastor did
not have the authority to bind the
parish in a contract establishing
worker's rights. The Catholic court
ruled that only Bishop Pena could
sign such an agreement and the panel
nullified the contract.
The workers have, however taken
the matter before another court, the
circuit court of Brownsville Texas
where four of the workers from the
parish who were fired by Pena
received a court order returning
them to their jobs in the Holy Spirit
parish. Court ordered mediators
also ordered that the worker's
receive back pay, reinstated the
union contract and required that the
church establish a grievance
procedure to protect workers from
arbitrary firings.
its all true
in bed with the red
spread of the red
Senators 28.6%
Luckier at Playing
the Stock Market
Luckier at Playing
the Stock Market
Californians Spend Nearly as Much on
Bureaucracy as on Health Care Itself
Bureaucracy as on Health Care Itself
The first ever study of the stock
market trading habits of members of
the US Senate has concluded that
senators’ personal portfolios
outperform the market by an average
of 12 percent annually. The study
also revealed that stocks purchased by
senators typically outperformed the
market by 28.6 percent in the
following calendar year. In separate
studies the portfolio of an average
household under performed the
market by about 1.5 percent a year,
while the holdings of senior
executives beat the market by about
5 percent.
“The results clearly support the
notion that members of the Senate
trade with substantial informational
advantage over ordinary investors,”
said the author of the report,
Professor Alan Ziobrowski of Georgia
State University. The report, which
was published in the Journal of
Financial and Quantitative Analysis,
concludes that the success of the
senators is statistically unlikely.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R.,
Tenn.) is currently the subject of a
Securities and Exchange
Commission investigation into the
sale of stock in HCA, a company
owned by Frist’s family. its all true
market trading habits of members of
the US Senate has concluded that
senators’ personal portfolios
outperform the market by an average
of 12 percent annually. The study
also revealed that stocks purchased by
senators typically outperformed the
market by 28.6 percent in the
following calendar year. In separate
studies the portfolio of an average
household under performed the
market by about 1.5 percent a year,
while the holdings of senior
executives beat the market by about
5 percent.
“The results clearly support the
notion that members of the Senate
trade with substantial informational
advantage over ordinary investors,”
said the author of the report,
Professor Alan Ziobrowski of Georgia
State University. The report, which
was published in the Journal of
Financial and Quantitative Analysis,
concludes that the success of the
senators is statistically unlikely.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R.,
Tenn.) is currently the subject of a
Securities and Exchange
Commission investigation into the
sale of stock in HCA, a company
owned by Frist’s family. its all true
An analysis of California's health
insurance industry reveals that one in 3
health care dollars in the state are spent
purely on paperwork rather than on
patient health services. The study, by
Dr. James G Kahn of the University of
California, San Francisco, estimated that
California could save $18 to $21 billion a
year by adopting a universal single payer
health care system and eliminating costly
insurance paperwork.
Projecting the cost of insurance
paperwork nationally, the study suggests
that $230 billion is spent on billing,
marketing and other insurance industry
costs which are completely unrelated to
the care of patients. The authors of the
study project that over a ten year
period, California could save $344
billion, enough to provide health care
for all of the state's residents.
The study sought to clarify for the first
time the costs specifically associated
with insurance program administration in
California. The authors of the study
gathered information from private
insurers, doctor's offices and hospital.
From the overall data the authors
pinpointed how much of each health
care dollar was being spent on purely
administrative functions such as
marketing, plan enrollment, eligibility and
insurance industry reveals that one in 3
health care dollars in the state are spent
purely on paperwork rather than on
patient health services. The study, by
Dr. James G Kahn of the University of
California, San Francisco, estimated that
California could save $18 to $21 billion a
year by adopting a universal single payer
health care system and eliminating costly
insurance paperwork.
Projecting the cost of insurance
paperwork nationally, the study suggests
that $230 billion is spent on billing,
marketing and other insurance industry
costs which are completely unrelated to
the care of patients. The authors of the
study project that over a ten year
period, California could save $344
billion, enough to provide health care
for all of the state's residents.
The study sought to clarify for the first
time the costs specifically associated
with insurance program administration in
California. The authors of the study
gathered information from private
insurers, doctor's offices and hospital.
From the overall data the authors
pinpointed how much of each health
care dollar was being spent on purely
administrative functions such as
marketing, plan enrollment, eligibility and
benefit determination and billing appeals.
The researchers were stunned to find
that , in hospitals and doctor's offices 21
percent of each dollar is spent on
insurance company costs and 13 percent
is used to cover administrative and billing
tasks. With a third of each dollar taken
up in administration, only 66 cents of
every dollar actually goes to treat sick
Californians.
A spokes person for UCSF medical
school, Dr. Thomas Bodenheimer said
that the study quantifies "the enormous
waste in our health care system". Dr.
Kevin Grumbach, professor and chair of
the UCSF Department of Family and
Community Medicine stated that the
report "conclusively demonstrates that
public insurance systems in Canada and
other nations have avoided the costly
administrative inefficiencies that plague
the market-oriented US health care
system".
The study echo's the findings of a study
from Harvard Medical School in 203
which calculated that insurance company
bureaucracy accounted for at least 31
percent of US health care spending in
1999. Public Citizen reports that US
health care bureaucracy costs $400
billion yearly and a single payer system
would save over $280 billion per year.
its all true
The researchers were stunned to find
that , in hospitals and doctor's offices 21
percent of each dollar is spent on
insurance company costs and 13 percent
is used to cover administrative and billing
tasks. With a third of each dollar taken
up in administration, only 66 cents of
every dollar actually goes to treat sick
Californians.
A spokes person for UCSF medical
school, Dr. Thomas Bodenheimer said
that the study quantifies "the enormous
waste in our health care system". Dr.
Kevin Grumbach, professor and chair of
the UCSF Department of Family and
Community Medicine stated that the
report "conclusively demonstrates that
public insurance systems in Canada and
other nations have avoided the costly
administrative inefficiencies that plague
the market-oriented US health care
system".
The study echo's the findings of a study
from Harvard Medical School in 203
which calculated that insurance company
bureaucracy accounted for at least 31
percent of US health care spending in
1999. Public Citizen reports that US
health care bureaucracy costs $400
billion yearly and a single payer system
would save over $280 billion per year.
its all true
redstateupdate.net
News
"Throughout history,
tyrants and would-be
tyrants have always
claimed that murder is
justified to serve their
grand vision, and they
end up alienating
decent people across
the globe...
tyrants and would-be
tyrants have always
claimed that murder is
justified to serve their
grand vision, and they
end up alienating
decent people across
the globe...
verbatim number 6.1
…tyrants and would-be
tyrants have always
claimed that regimented
societies are strong and
pure, until those societies
collapse in corruption and
decay."
Osan Korea 11.19.05
tyrants have always
claimed that regimented
societies are strong and
pure, until those societies
collapse in corruption and
decay."
Osan Korea 11.19.05
source: Viroqua Institute
| United Nations votes to end the embargo against Cuba |
| Most frequent 'no' votes: US, Israel and Marshall Islands |
| no |
| yes |
2005
2004
2002
2001
1999
| 50 |
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