November 2011

Sanctimonious "educator" abused students but dodged criminal prosecution through statute of limitations

11-06-11
Modesto Bee
DA says Andersen knew of asbestos risk in Merced school
By Victor A. Patton
http://www.modbee.com/2011/11/06/1935528/merced-county-andersen-knew-of.html
MERCED -- Merced County's former education chief broke state law by knowing that high school students were exposed to cancer-causing asbestos, but waiting more than a year to notify law enforcement.

De l'eau de cochon

11-06-11
LA Times
There's too much pork on the table
Gov. Brown and the Legislature need to trim the fat from the water bond and serve it to voters...George Skelton

Shareholder chosen psychopaths at the wheel destroyed the economy and maybe the earth if we're not lucky

...these numbers need to be tattooed on our minds. Between 1947 and 1979, productivity in the US rose by 119%, while the income of the bottom fifth of the population rose by 122%. But from 1979 to 2009, productivity rose by 80%, while the income of the bottom fifth fell by 4%. In roughly the same period, the income of the top 1% rose by 270%. -- George Monbiot, Nov. 8, 2011

Big Toxic

IF you don't read another article on the environment over the holidays, we suggest you might read this terrific piece on Alternet by Tara Lohan about the five most toxic energy companies.

The greatest public institution of higher education in the world at work

We can hardly wait to see how UC flaks its way out of this one. Prof. Nathan Brown is to be congratulated for writing clear language any Eglish speaker can understand to one of the biggest bullies in this state, the University of California, its campus shock troops and its legions of propagandists.
Badlands Journal editorial board

Moyers on the plutocracy

Although responsible journalists have been using the term "oligarchy" to describe the American form of government, we here at Badlands have been prone to call it "plutocracy" for several years now. We do it for the same reasons Bill Moyers has come over to the "plutocracy camp:" familiarity with agriculture, agribusiness and especially, agro-politics.
Badlands Journal editorial board
 
 
Bill Moyers: Our Politicians Are Money Launderers Not Too Different from Tony Soprano

Investigating millionaire UC regents: where to begin

University of California student "occupiers" are calling for the 1% who sit on the UC Board of Regents to pay for the rising costs of UC education.
But, where to begin? How do we fairly apportion the costs among the millionaire regents?
A place to begin would be to seize every dime US Senator Dianne Feinstein ahd her husband, UC Board of Regents Chairman Richard Blum have made from information their privieged positions have allowed them to gather for unfair business advantage.
Badlands Journal editorial board
 
11-27-11
Sacramento Bee