America: No Vacation Time For You
In the richest country in the world, there is no right to any vacation time. Paid annual leave and paid holidays are optional for any employer. In most other wealthy nations, there are between 20-35 vacation days per year (4-7 weeks). To make matters worse, Americans are increasingly less likely to actually use their vacation days.
Haiti: Murderer Baby Doc Duvalier Charged With Theft
On January 16, Baby Doc Duvalier made an unexpected and uninvited return to Haiti to, according to his own words, “help the Haitian people”. From 1971 to 1986 Baby Doc “helped” Haitians by using the little money the Haitian treasury had as his own piggy bank, by embezzling hundreds of million of dollars from international […]
Self-Immolation: The Power Of Suicide As Political Protest
In the last few days, in the Middle-East, a few men have embraced self-immolation as the ultimate form of political protest, following the example of 26-year-old Mohammed Bouazizi. Bouazizi torched himself when police prevented him from selling fruits and vegetables. The case of Bouazizi, who later died from his wounds, was a critical catalyst in […]
Machinima, Popular Education And Climate Change Deniers
Machinima is? a) a technique for video production that progressives barely use; b) a German cyber-goth band; c) a name for pit-bull/doberman hybrids; d) videos produced using computer game engines. Recently climate blogger (and scientist) Michael Tobis posted “Dogs and Deniers,” a post illustrating the similarity between a particular Far Side cartoon and real life […]
Incarceration Up, Education Down: America’s Cannibalistic Profiteering
The privatization of these crucial social programs has resulted in a situation contradictory to the benefit of society. The rate of incarceration has increased five fold during the same period that the cost of a post secondary education has increased threefold, and all for profit. America’s educational system and technological advances have declined over the same period that the county’s prison population has expanded. These results have benefited private interests while causing lasting and possibly irreparable damage to the nation and it’s citizens.
