Jaded Times

See, Ice Cube, there are snakes out there this big.

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It is truly sad to see jobs lost and a production facility shut–especially on American soil, where we have spent so much energy moving our production centers to other countries that we barely produce anything anymore.  Well, other than debt, but thankfully the ultra-conservative administration is there to bail out their rich, white friends. Who says socialism is only for pinkos and liberals?

Whatever the bail-out, the workers are getting screwed.  And how much does it suck that the last car to roll of the ancient GM assembly line is the epitome of what has been killing the US auto industry?

www.foxnews.com

Way to twist the knife!  Fear not, my faithful, self-entitled, consuming masses–gas is back down to $1.75 a gallon!

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While much of the country (nay, the world) celebrates our nation’s return to reason, many others are protesting the backwards steps some states have taken yet again this year in the continuing fight for civil rights.  California was the hot-bed for this battle, from police clashes at protests to celebrities condemning Proposition 8, which changes the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage in direct conflict with the summer ’08 state Supreme Court ruling.  Most notable on the celebrity front is Melissa Etheridge, who has publicly stated she will no longer pay state taxes:

Etheridge declares that if she’s not “allowed the same right [to marry] under the state constitution as any other citizen. … I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes, because I am not a full citizen.”

The announcement comes as Governor Schwarzenegger, who has also spoken out publicly against Proposition 8, has called for tax hikes in the financially troubled state. Guess that hike will have to be a bit larger if others follow suit, especially Apple Computers, who donated $100,000 to the no on 8 campaign and who are one of the larger corporate tax contributors to the state (EDITOR’S NOTE–this is comedic speculation, Apple has not even joked about not paying their taxes). We at Jaded Times applaud Miss Etheridge, and will happily send a fruit basket (with requisite file) to her cell come tax week.

In other celebrity news, Leonardo DiCaprio has said he is glad to have dropped his “sex-symbol status”, which is news to us, as we didn’t know he’d had one.

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No joke in this post, just serious applause for Apple, a company I’ve always respected and now, ever more so.  From their frontpage today:

No on Prop 8
Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

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It seems the terms of Cheney’s contract were only through the end of a two-term Bush presidency, and as the end date nears the protection clauses are beginning to expire.  Nancy Reagan’s contract was up decades ago, so I have no idea what’s up with this…

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President Bush today renewed his vow not to lift the 56 year embargo imposed on Cuba, citing their recent refusals of US aide to the hurricane ravaged island and illegal detaining of political prisoners as proof that the Castro regime (new and improved Raul version) is not concerned with the welfare of its people:

“That aid was rejected by the Castros, which should tell the people of Cuba and the people around the world that the Castro people are only interested in themselves and their power and not for the benefit and welfare of the Cuban people,” Bush told the small group at a Cuban restaurant, Havana Harry’s, in a Miami suburb.

It’s a good thing that, here in free America, we have a leader with far more integrity and honor.

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So it turns out that AIG, one of the biggest names in the economic brat pack and one of the first to receive large government bailouts (to the tune of $85B), have thrown a close to half million dollar party for executives of one of their subsidiaries at the St. Regis Resort on the pacific coast.  According to the Chicago Tribune article, the $440,000 event included golf, several banquets, a spa, and four-digit per night suites for the execs.

To add insult to injury, the company has kept on Joe Cassano as a consultant since his termination on Feb 29th for his role in leading to the company’s eventual downfall.  Cassano has brought in $1M per month as a consultant and has already deposited his $34M severance check months ago.

The scariest bit?

The company has already used at least $61 billion of the $85 billion loan, and the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that it has engineered even more help for the company.

No joke in this post.  This is seriously fucked up, and these people are the incompetent business “leaders” who have led us to the crisis we are in and whom we’ve had to pay to bail out, whose mistakes were a substantial portion of the initiation of our current economic crisis, and who are now spending money given to them to try to save our economy on booze, rooms, and rehiring people that got them into the mess in the first place.  I don’t think it is a stretch to say they should be on trial for treason.  I urge anyone who does business with AIG to find another company to cover them, and anyone with stock in the company to sell now.  I also urge you to write your congressmen and let them know how you feel about this, as the government now owns 80% of the company (in theory) and should be involving itself in the company’s daily runnings.

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Man, if McCain’s approach to music licensing is anything like his approach to the economy, I half expect the Hamburgler to be a crucial voice in domestic economic policy. In his latest act of artistic theft, the campaign has once again appropriated music without permission, this time pilfering from the significantly less ancient Foo Fighters. FINALLY, a candidate who isn’t hiding his criminal acts; think he’ll be this honest when it comes to Iraq?

The press release from Nasty Little Man (Foo Fighters’ publicist):

FOO FIGHTERS DENOUNCE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THEIR MUSIC BY MCCAIN CAMPAIGN

Having received confirmed press reports that John McCain has been using Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” as the latest in a number of unauthorized theme songs at his campaign rallies without seeking permission from the band, its management, record label or publisher, Foo Fighters have issued the following statement:

“This isn’t the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist. It’s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest thing about this is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song–and start asking artists’ permission in general!”

Earlier this year McCain used songs by artist John Mellencamp without permission, and this most recent act of copyright infringement follows rock band Heart sending a cease and desist order to the McCain/Palin campaign for use of their song “Barracuda” and rock legend  Jackson Browne announcing he is filing suit against the McCain campaign for their use of his song “Running on Empty”.  At least he’s getting closer to the right decade, though this may just be the latest attempt at McCain trying to nab the youth vote, most of whom haven’t paid for music in several years.

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Well, not really, but about a dozen homes got a pleasant surprise recently when a plumbing error sent festival wine to their taps.  Chances are those homes were a bit more relaxed than the rest.  If they weren’t foreclosed on, of course.

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Though somewhat optimistic, the Chairman of the Fed recently stated that the economy will continue to struggle into 2009. We sort of figured that one out already, buddy. But to be fair, he’s probably right about it not lasting much past that; once you start sleeping rough, suddenly being able to afford your own beans could be viewed as a sign of economic improvement.

I just wish he played the pan flute. It would have made a better title.

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