Category: Economy

One in nine Americans are using federal food stamps to help buy groceries as the country’s deep recession forced another 591,000 people onto the federal anti-hunger program at latest count.

The unemployment rate raced to 9.4 percent, the highest since a matching rate in July 1983, from 8.9 percent in April. This reading beat the peak in the jobless rate during the 1973-1975 recession that lasted 16 months.

AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) is having their annual meeting in San Diego this week. Nurses from the California Nurses Association and allies from groups like Physicians for a National Health Program and Progressive Democrats of America will be there to greet them – of course!

by Michael Moore

General Motors, as we know it, has been totaled. …

It is with sad irony that the company which invented “planned obsolescence” — has now made itself obsolete.

by JEC

Once upon a time, in the State of Nebraska, the citizens, excited from voting out the State Income Tax, decided to follow up with eliminating the State’s last source of revenue, the 2.75% Sales Tax.

And then it snowed. It was a blizzard….

Dear Superior Court Judge Yuri Hofmann,

As a US Citizen residing here in San Diego, I would like to thank you and applaud your efforts to disperse the seals at the “Children’s Pool” beach in La Jolla. I hope to see these actions succeed, and the beach be returned to the hands of its true owners, the people of San Diego.

Often dumbfounded by the countless trespassing violations and blockages of public right-of-way by the members of the “animal kingdom,” …

Despite his admission that California is ungovernable, the Governor soldiered on today, announcing the full slate of revised budget cuts to replace his proposed borrowing, since scrapped, and to fill the even larger deficit estimated by the Legislative Analyst. …

Virtually the entire political leadership in Sacramento took without questioning the view that the overwhelming loss of the special election is somehow a mandate for “living within our means” and deep, drastic cuts to the budget. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times (in multiple venues) and most other publications provided uncritical coverage of the Governor and even leading Democrats, parroting this theory that “the voters spoke” and the message was that only cuts would be allowable from this point forward.

by Lane Tobias

In a recent series of posts and articles, the OB Rag online community has been discussing different aspects of the food industry, particularly over the pricing strategies and employee turnover at our local co-op as compared to chain supermarkets, in particular Trader Joe’s. …

Whole Foods Market is a highly profitable corporation that far outperforms its competitors, while maintaining an aura of commitment to social justice and environmental responsibility. Its clientele is attracted not only to its brightly lit array of pristine fruits and vegetables, organically farmed meats, and delectable (yet healthy) recipes, but also to the notion that the mere act of shopping at Whole Foods is helping to change the world.

by Lane Tobias

The debate over health care reform has been hotly contested for generations, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that during one of the worst global economic crises in history, President Obama is following through on his campaign promise to reform the system.

Or is he?

The earlier posted article “Organic vs Conventional: Have you been robbed?” takes aim at the wrong target. Much like the person who frets over which china to use while the house is on fire, you take organic– which accounts for 2-3% of food sales– to task while ignoring the rest of our food system.

Organic consumers have certainly not been robbed. On the contrary, …

It’s Saturday afternoon and you’re checking out at your local co-op. You’re behind another member of your community, lining up your organic eggs, organic pork chops, organic milk, organic lamb shank, and organic cheese. You feel pretty content. You’re eating right, in a world full of chaos. Your body loves you.

But organic may not mean the food is better for you. ….