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The little darlin's

Beyond parody

Merced needs new mall

Editor: As I was shopping the other day at the mall, I noticed the deadness of the mall. We as UC Merced students demand more to do in Merced than just go to the mall. Merced is a great city and I'm sure in the future it will be known for its many differences. Merced as of right now is not known for anything.

Pomboza caught obstructing new flood maps

Today's top story in the Merced Sun-Start was about more than 470 claims filed by residents near the city of Merced who suffered damage from flooding last spring. The are against the Merced city, county and Merced Irrigation District. The newspaper did not inquire whether the Franklin-Beachwood area is in a flood zone, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency 's 20-year-old maps. Possibly, none of the lawyers interviewed, who had their statements duly recorded, mentioned the fact either. It seems, from an insurance standpoint, the fact might have some bearing on the cases.

Cardoza votes to preserve habeas corpus

Rep. Dennis Cardoza voted twice against the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which eliminates right of habeas corpus for classes defined by the executive branch of the federal government. Habeas corpus is a safeguard against illegal imprisonment as old as the Magna Carta (13th century). The bill passed and the president reportedly will sign it tomorrow. Demonstrations throughout the country are scheduled to coincide with the presidential signing.

Among House Blue Dog Democrats, Cardoza was in a bare majority, a dozen voting once, 11 voting twice against the bill.

An odd endorsement

An odd letter appeared in the Merced Sun-Star on Oct. 12. It was written by local attorney, Ken Robbins, in praise of Dennis Cardoza, who represents this area in the House of Representatives. The ,letter appeared about the time a spate of letters in praise of Cardoza appeared. Apparently, in our Valley, we praise a politician who has no serious competition in an election.

Wal-Mart, workers and brain-dead Babbitts

Some recent clips on one of the greatest enemies of working people.

If this keeps up, Wal-Mart may go down in history as the poster child for resurgent unionism in America. If so, thank you, Wal-Mart, for being such a loud, domineering, shrill, braggart, rapacious and ugly corporation that you have become a huge symbol for corporate harm to working people, even to the extent of creating sustained, militant labor resistance to the pain you have caused through almost every one of your policies.

The new cutting edge economy

A: Quintero: We want to provide job opportunities, retain our position as a regional market, and then take Merced's economy to the next level, which would be the knowledge-based economy.

Q: When you say knowledge-based economy, what do you mean?

A: Cahill: It tends to focus on industries which are more cutting-edge industries, where the products have a shorter life cycle, where the products are unique, rather than being commodities.

Cardoza and the UC Merced Campus Porkway

Well, folks, here they are again. The Big Shots that want you to raise your sales taxes to fund the roads to their development projects have brought out Dennis Cardoza to make their arguments. Cardoza explained today in the local McClatchy Chain outlet how, if you vote to raise your sales taxes, he might be able to use it for leverage when petitioning the Federal Highway Administration, The Mother of Pork.

Abominable Wal-Mart

We were not impressed by Wal-Mart's public forums, held months ago, to sell its distribution center to the Merced public. We took one look at the corporation's discount hucksters (we dubbed them "empty T-shirts"), dutifully took notes, listened to the local chamber of commerce types, and were not surprised by anything said. Project proponents said the center would bring jobs, jobs, jobs. Opponents said it would bring low-paying jobs and a great increase of air pollution, traffic congestion and noise, lowering property values around the site. No one has changed their tune.

Bush in Pombozastan

Tuesday's events raised about $400,000 for Pombo, $600,000 for Doolittle and $1.2 million for the Republican National Committee.
-- Los Angeles Times, Oct. 4, 2006

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