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JAMES' PERSONAL WRITINGS: SLOVING
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7.31.2010

NYT: Be Enraged at the Corporate Butchers, or you're Dead

A Sin and a Shame

The treatment of workers by American corporations has been worse — far more treacherous — than most of the population realizes. There was no need for so many men and women to be forced out of their jobs in the downturn known as the great recession.

Many of those workers were cashiered for no reason other than outright greed by corporate managers. And that cruel, irresponsible, shortsighted policy has resulted in widespread human suffering and is doing great harm to the economy.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Andrew Sum, an economics professor and director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston. "Not only did they throw all these people off the payrolls, they also cut back on the hours of the people who stayed on the job."

As Professor Sum studied the data coming in from the recession, he realized that the carnage that occurred in the workplace was out of proportion to the economic hit that corporations were taking. While no one questions the severity of the downturn — the worst of the entire post-World War II period — the economic data show that workers to a great extent were shamefully exploited.

The recession officially started in December 2007. From the fourth quarter of 2007 to the fourth quarter of 2009, real aggregate output in the U.S., as measured by the gross domestic product, fell by about 2.5 percent. But employers cut their payrolls by 6 percent.

In many cases, bosses told panicked workers who were still on the job that they had to take pay cuts or cuts in hours, or both. And raises were out of the question. The staggering job losses and stagnant wages are central reasons why any real recovery has been so difficult.

"They threw out far more workers and hours than they lost output," said Professor Sum. "Here's what happened: At the end of the fourth quarter in 2008, you see corporate profits begin to really take off, and they grow by the time you get to the first quarter of 2010 by $572 billion. And over that same time period, wage and salary payments go down by $122 billion."

That kind of disconnect, said Mr. Sum, had never been seen before in all the decades since World War II.

In short, the corporations are making out like bandits. Now they're sitting on mountains of cash and they still are not interested in hiring to any significant degree, or strengthening workers' paychecks.

Productivity tells the story. Increases in the productivity of American workers are supposed to go hand in hand with improvements in their standard of living. That's how capitalism is supposed to work. That's how the economic pie expands, and we're all supposed to have a fair share of that expansion.

Corporations have now said the hell with that. Economists believe the nation may have emerged, technically, from the recession early in the summer of 2009. As Professor Sum writes in a new study for the labor market center, this period of economic recovery "has seen the most lopsided gains in corporate profits relative to real wages and salaries in our history."

Worker productivity has increased dramatically, but the workers themselves have seen no gains from their increased production. It has all gone to corporate profits. This is unprecedented in the postwar years, and it is wrong.

Having taken everything for themselves, the corporations are so awash in cash they don't know what to do with it all. Citing a recent article from Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Professor Sum noted that in July cash at the nation's nonfinancial corporations stood at $1.84 trillion, a 27 percent increase over early 2007. Moody's has pointed out that as a percent of total company assets, cash has reached a level not seen in the past half-century.

Executives are delighted with this ill-gotten bonanza. Charles D. McLane Jr. is the chief financial officer of Alcoa, which recently experienced a turnaround in profits and a 22 percent increase in revenue. As The Times reported this week, Mr. McLane assured investors that his company was in no hurry to bring back 37,000 workers who were let go since 2008. The plan is to minimize rehires wherever possible, he said, adding, "We're not only holding head-count levels, but are also driving restructuring this quarter that will result in further reductions."

There can be no robust recovery as long as corporations are intent on keeping idle workers sidelined and squeezing the pay of those on the job.

It doesn't have to be this way. Germany and Japan, because of a combination of government and corporate policies, suffered far less worker dislocation in the recession than the U.S. Until we begin to value our workers, and understand the critical importance of employment to a thriving economy, we will continue to see our standards of living decline.



"We're primarily Vicarious Learners - WE BECOME OUR ENVIRONMENT." SL

"We're primarily Vicarious Learners -
WE BECOME OUR ENVIRONMENT." SL

"It is necessary, but there is enormous danger to maintaining my effectiveness, in my solitude." SL

"It is necessary,
but there is enormous danger to maintaining my effectiveness,
in my solitude."  SL

"Gandhi's Devastating Power? He'd rather Die than have you Suffer. " SL

"Gandhi's Devastating Power? 
He'd rather Die than have you Suffer. "
  SL

"Palestine - the most Crucial Human Rights Battle since SA Apartheid. I'm soooo Joyful to be fighting it." SL

"Palestine - the most Crucial Human Rights Battle since SA Apartheid. 
I'm soooo Joyful to be fighting it."  SL

"Finally, Being CLEARLY Who I Am: A. Clarifies Enemies to me, B. Clarifies Friends to me. Sight for the Blind - AWESOME!" SL

"Finally, Being CLEARLY Who I Am: A. Clarifies Enemies to me,
B. Clarifies Friends to me. Sight for the Blind - AWESOME!"  SL

URGENT DEADLINE TONIGHT SAT JUL 27: I'm donating, PLEASE JOIN ME. Nov 2010 - the most important election in your lifetime.




Start --

Midnight tonight is your last chance to contribute to the DCCC before one of the most critical FEC deadlines of this election and the first since Republicans have experienced a surge in their fundraising.

It's critical that House Democrats have a strong showing this month. The media and Washington pundits will view our fundraising totals as an indication of our strength to take on Republicans and their powerful special interest supporters in November.

Republicans have been claiming to have the momentum. We know that's not true, and if you stand with me at this decisive moment in our campaign, we will make this clear to the world. We are just $35,919 away from our goal and are so committed to making this goal that all gifts today will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of generous Democratic donors.

Contribute $35, $50 or more before the FEC deadline at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT and your contribution will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats.


This election comes down to a choice between going forward or going back to Republican rule and the same exact failed policies of the Bush agenda.

I hope I can count on your continuing generosity and support.

Thank you,
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House


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7.26.2010

"When enough people spend their lives on Peace Making, there will be." SL

"When enough people spend their lives on Peace Making, there will be." SL

"Within 200 years we'd created a "Church" to convince us that Jesus didn't mean what he said, and they've stayed on the job for 1800 years since." SL

"Within 200 years we'd created a "Church" to convince us
that Jesus didn't mean what he said,
and they've stayed on the job for 1800 years since."  SL

"Oh yes, we "Christian" Americans are Pro-Life, as long as it is Me, Mine, or those I Like." SL

"Oh yes, we "Christian" Americans are Pro-Life,
as long as it is Me, Mine, or those I Like."  SL

DN! After US Bombing: Cancer & Infant Mortality Rates Soar in Fallujah

0:39
DN! Cancer & Infant Mortality Rates Soar in Fallujah

US is sooooooooooooooooooo Pro Life.  Uh, no.

CSM: Ten years after Camp David, Israel has made peace even harder


‎"As with Jesus, my Teacher, I'm here for the Sick, who've found all other cures false; not for the well (who falsely think themselves to be)." SL

‎"As with Jesus, my Teacher, I'm here for the Sick,
who've found all other cures false; not for the well
(who falsely think themselves to be)." SL


"I'm here to share what Truth I've been given, and NEVER to justify. My Justifying is for Our Father (conscience, humanity, compassion, integrity...), alone." SL

"I'm here to share what Truth I've been given, and NEVER to justify.  My Justifying is for Our Father (conscience, humanity, compassion, integrity...), alone."  SL

"I finally figured that if I needed external stimulation of any sort, I was living suboptimally. I was correct. The Joy from LovING the neediest is superior to ALL other, possible, human experiences." SL

"I finally figured that if I needed external stimulation of any sort,
I was living suboptimally.  I was correct. 
The Joy from LovING the neediest is superior to ALL other, possible, human experiences."  SL

Fw: LA Times: U.S. may face deflation, a problem Japan understands too well


7.25.2010

Pr. Obama - Bush Unfunded Tax Cuts - Time to Expire


"Love is me about You; Lust is Me about Me and Mine." SL

"Love is me about You; Lust is Me about Me and Mine."  SL

"Wrapping OT, NT Hate around Jesus: The Final Crucifixion." SL

"Wrapping OT, NT Hate around Jesus:  The Final Crucifixion." SL

The Double Bind is the most toxic, deadly experience for the human
nervous system - "I Love you," the Priest says as he rapes the
8 year old boy."  THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SIN - "SPEAKING AGAINST
THE HOLY SPIRIT (conscience, truth, sense of humanity).  It
Crushes the Divine within us an leaves no way back.

Wrapping the Love of Jesus in the Hatefulness of the Old and New
Testaments is THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE BIND, THE ULTIMATE
CRUCIFIXION.

------------------
Note to a dear fellow Traveler, a missionary for Jehovah's Witnesses:

Brother, this note may end our relationship. Our Father's will be done.

Every day now is teaching me to HATE the Bible.  As long as you've
known me, and for decades prior, I've resisted this lesson.  But no longer.
I detest the Book used to justify the Crusades of centuries ago, the
Crusades of today with so-called Christians - Satan's minions actually -
brutally establishing their will on our Arab / Muslim / Palestinian brothers
and sisters... the Book used to  justify Slavery, Apartheid, subjugation
of women / male superiority, pedophilia, mindlessness instead of
Holy Spirit  ....

But, but, but... what about the Good Christians - the Good product of
the Bible??!???!???!?!  Too far and few between.  They are the
EXCEPTION, and the exception proves the Rule.

One of these days I'll buy a Bible and make it what Jesus attempted to make it,
by ripping out and burning every page except those containing His words.
Every page, Old and New Testament. 

When I meet, and am Examined by Our Father, and Jesus,  they
will grill me harshly on why I resisted this lesson for so many decades.

Your Loving brother,
 
SL


"Your two great options: 1. Pay Lip Service, 2. Spend your Life." SL

"Your two great options: 

1. Pay Lip Service,
2. Spend your Life."  SL

"Life's central question: On what are you spending your life?" SL

"Life's central question: 
On what are you spending your life?"  SL

RT: Christian Zionist Conference explores God's chosen countries