The Wal-Mart You Don't Know
Tuesday, December 23, 2003

This just in from Fast Company via FARK.com:
"The giant retailer's low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart's relentless pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line?... Last year, 7.5 cents of every dollar spent in any store in the United States (other than auto-parts stores) went to the retailer."

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this was not something that had to happen
Sunday, December 21, 2003

Just in case you missed this story - although I can't see how that could be possible considering it was run by such journalistic power houses as The New York Post and the Centre Daily Times - the chairman of the federal commission investigating the September 11, 2001 (aka 9/11) terrorist attacks said that they could have been prevented.

Tom Kean, the former Republican governor of New Jersey stated, "As you read the report, you're going to have a pretty clear idea of what wasn't done and what should have been done...I mean, this was not something that had to happen."

The NY Post piece - which also appeared on FOX News.com - offered this little gem: "Kean didn't name names but it has previously been reported that the Bush administration received intelligence warnings that provided hints about Usama bin Laden's (sic) intentions before Sept. 11. "

But will any other media outlet touch this story with a ten-foot pole? Hell no. Eventually it will be forgotten, along with all the other details of the attacks.

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Diebold in more trouble
Saturday, December 20, 2003

Via Slashdot:

"Looks like Diebold is in yet more trouble. In this article from Wired.com, an audit of the Diebold E-Voting machines revealed that the company installed uncertified software in all 17 counties that use its electronic voting equipment. While 14 counties used software that had been qualified by federal authorities but not certified by state authorities, three counties, including Los Angeles, used software that had never been certified by the state or qualified by federal authorities for use in any election. And in this article, Wired.com is reporting that at least five convicted felons secured management positions at a Diebold, including one who served time in a Washington state correctional facility for stealing money and tampering with computer files in a scheme that 'involved a high degree of sophistication and planning.'"

Nice. So what is keeping someone from rigging the 2004 election again? "What's the difference?"

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"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."

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