Usa Thread

[Steve]

The big lie that corporations have told some politicians to say is that companies are people. They have successfully articulated the meme that if you advocate any fairness and reign in companies with bad practices you are against capitalism. You're a socialist. You are anti-business. I would love to own a muliti billion dollar company. I'd like to think I would run it fairly and treat my workers well and I would forgo maximum profits in lieu of a healthy profit in order for the workers and the city I reside in benefits. Its an old concept, corporate responsibility. Towns and cities often were 'company towns'. The owner felt a social responsibility to the town. He went to church with them. His kids went to school with them. He felt a debt to the people and customers of his product or service. We are under the false impression that just because a company has an American CEO that person is loyal to America. Totally false. American companies that operate internationally usually see themselves as an entity without a citizenship. They see themselves as separate, a global company that will not be tied to one country. Many of our companies these days are practicing corporate/tax inversion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_inversion

the relocation of a corporation's headquarters to a lower-tax nation, or corporate haven, usually whilst retaining its material operations in its higher-tax country of origin. The term is most frequently used in relation to U.S. corporations

Its a steadily growing trend. They are no longer beholden to America's tax codes, laws, etc. Some of the notable companies that have done it are:

Burger King

Walgreens

Medtronic

Tyco (who make a fair amount of security equipment, imagine not having to check with the US government about selling something to China? N. Korea?

Eaton

fruit of the Loom

Ingersall Rand

Transoceon

McDermott Int'l

There is a reason we have a myriad of laws with regards to employers and pensions, work safety, etc. Not all but some companies would do ANYTHING for a buck up to and including poisoning people. There is a reason why we have laws about human trials testing of drugs. What would happen if we went totally free market and unregulated? That is the true test of whether or not companies are people. If they are, its a scary thought because people do the most inhumane things. Companies have and still do. I'm not saying to regulate companies into not being able to make a buck. God no! What I am saying is to keep them out of politics because they will act in their own self interest and that self interest isn't going to be good for the rest of us. Lets start making laws that take into account what is best for the common good. The 'campaign money is speech' meme that companies have successfully convinced everyone including the Surpreme Court is killing us. Do you know why Germany, Korea, etc. have a far superior infrstructure, etc. than we do? They thought of what was best. America should have been the first to have bullet trains. We are no where close to being as wired as Korea. Why not? The companies that have a vested financial interest in NOT having that done is buying off the politicians. The auto and airline industries fight to have high speed rail. Imagine the jobs from all levels of skills in building and maintaining a high speed rail from Boston to Washington or even along the eastern seaboard. San Diego to San Francisco, Houston to Dallas. Detroit to Chicago to St. Louis and all points inbetween. National internet access via wifi is great for all obviously.

[Flashermac]

Online al-Qaida magazine lists Air Force Academy as target

 

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An English-language al-Qaeda magazine promoting jihadism and “lone-wolf†terrorists attacks lists the United States Air Force Academy as a potential terrorism target.

 

The online magazine, produced by al-Malahem, al-Qaeda’s Arabian Peninsula media division, also calls for the liberation of Palestine and lists other U.S. targets, including casinos and night clubs in Las Vegas, oil tankers and trains, the Georgia Military College, Times Square, and the General Atomics Headquarters in San Diego. Foreign targets include the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, and the London Thames House, along with “tourist resorts where Israelis, Britons or Americans stay.â€

 

...

 

http://www.stripes.com/news/air-force/online-al-qaida-magazine-lists-air-force-academy-as-target-1.300609

[unit731]

Henry Ford

 

Henry Ford provided $5.00 per day.

And "history" looks back at old Henry as a progressive.

Not true.

 

The only reason that old Henry offered $5.00 per day was that the turnover rate of employees was appalling. This turnover rate of employees was affecting the bottom line.

 

Old Henry hired the famous/infamous Frederick Taylor. Promoter of time and motion studies. Frederick Taylor's study of the Ford Motor plants was implemented.

 

The work was grueling. Men just quit.

Injuries. If injured on the job - you were fired.

No sick leave.

No retirement.

No social network to help.

 

Before unions - employees got together and formed associations - collected funds for the sick, disabled and such.

This was the beginnings of the dreaded "union".

 

If old Henry had cared - the whole union movement might not have attached.

But old Henry didn't give a damn about employees.

 

He ultimately hired the Pinkertons to beat the crap out of employees that wished to organize.

For you youngsters - the Pinkerton Agency was the largest private police force in the country at that time. - Thugs.

 

For the moment - we'll put aside old Henry's anti-semitic views and publications.

[Bangkoktraveler]

Old Henry went on to produce a lot of vehicles in Germany for Nazi Germany..... something we are not suppose to know.

[Flashermac]

‘I have a gun in my hands. I’m terrified’: Arizona widow shoots home invader who assaulted her

 

 

A terrified Arizona widow, armed with a revolver, hid in her bathroom then shot and subdued a robber who broke into her home.

 

Incredible 911 audio captures the courageous 47-year-old woman work her way through the May ordeal, shooting and wounding Michael Lewis, 20.

 

Lewis has since pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary and aggravated assault for breaking into the unidentified woman’s Phoenix home near 67th Ave. and Indian School Road, KPNX-TV reported.

 

As soon as she heard the man ring her doorbell and rattle the handle around 7:20 a.m. on May 6, the widow armed herself with a .38-caliber handgun and hid inside a bathroom before she called 911.

 

"They've tried my front door, my front door, and now they're trying to break in my back gate,†she breathlessly tells the dispatcher. “ … ..I have a gun in my hands. I'm terrified.â€

 

As the dispatcher tries to reassure her, telling the woman officers are en route, the widow reports the man has gotten in.

 

“Hurry, hurry! They're coming in right now, please, please, please, please!†she urges.

 

The woman continues to speak to the dispatcher as Lewis breaks into her back door, using a garden tool to break a window.

 

Screaming can be heard, the phone’s dials are pressed and a gunshot goes off.

 

“Ow! (Expletive.) What was that? What was that? What was that? (Expletive) did you do?†Lewis screams in pain.

 

“Did you think you could beat me half to death?†the woman tells the crook.

 

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry,†the wounded man says.

 

“What did you come in my house for?†she asks, the phone still connected to 911.

 

“I don’t know,†the man says.

 

“I shot him,†she breathlessly tells dispatcher. “Don’t get up or I’ll shoot your ass again!â€

 

Lewis survived the shooting after spending a month in the hospital. He was jailed on the charges but has since been released on bond and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 15, the NBC affiliate reported.

 

But first, he received a tongue lashing from the woman he tried to terrify.

 

“I said don’t move!†she orders the man.

 

Lewis told the woman he thought the home was abandoned.

 

“Abandoned?†the incredulous woman asks. “With a car in the driveway and locked gates — yeah!â€

 

The woman told police she was bleeding after Lewis punched her in the face several times and she refuses to accept his apology.

 

“You bet you’re sorry you nasty thing!†she tells the man. “You tried to get in doors. I heard you out there.â€

 

Police told the station the woman did everything right: arming herself, hiding, then calling 911.

 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/arizona-widow-shoots-home-invader-assaulted-article-1.1926713

[Steve]

This is NUTS!!!

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/philadelphia-police-seizing-peoples-homes-charges/#TqUQREq1zbxBemgg.01

[Steve]

Henry Ford was a unashamed anti semite as well. Even started his own newspaper just to rant about Jews. There is some circumstantial evidence he got the assembly line idea from George Washington Carver as well. He was a supporter of the Nazis (as well as Charles Lindbergh) and obviously racist as well (unless he needed ideas, etc.). Personally a vile man from all accounts.

[Flashermac]

I hear a lot about this seizure mania by the police. I remember years ago when the DEA was seizing farm land whenever they found pot growing on it. Sometimes the land owners lived elsewhere and didn't even know their land was being used!

[jitagawn]

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING POLICE STATE

 

SOMEONE'S HOUSE GETS SEIZED BECAUSE THEIR SON HAS 40$ WORTH OF HEROIN?

 

WTF??????????????????? :shakehead :shakehead

[Coss]

America, land of the free ... er ... armed and ignorant.