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Jobs and land-lines gone, Misery Index back, expensive gas for our own good - and Wednesday's favorite mantras
This entry was posted on 5/14/2008 1:43 AM and is filed under Wednesday's Favorite Mantras.
Republican/Democrat Wisconsin unemployment wall of shame
At some point the two miserable political parties that run the United States need to own up to the masterpiece they have created - the new American economy. For my purposes I keep track of Wisconsin. There is really nothing to add to the following list of shame except that the Republicans and Democrats duly own it outright; and, one little caveat - the beast-list grows:
GM of Janesville to lay off 200 Sub Zero of Madison to lay off 235 United Industries of Beloit to lay off 109 Famous Footwear to leave Madison with 270 jobs Midwest of Milwaukee furloughs 109 Chromalax of Rock County to close - 110 jobs lost Harley of Milwaukee to cut 730 jobs Sitel of Madison to lay off 105 Logistics Services of Janesville to lay off 132 Simmons of Janesville to lay off 71 Lear Corp of Janesville to lay off 275 Hanley of Sun Prairie to close - 40 jobs lost GM of Janesville to cut 756 jobs NewPage Corp of Niagra and Kimberly to cut 444 jobs Phillips Lighting Electronics - Advanced Transformer to close Boscobel plant and 188 jobs Montreal-based Domtar mill to close Port Edwards paper mill and 500 jobs
Pay no attention to those Wisconsin 1970s behind the curtain - redux
Good mother of God in heaven! The semiotics of the 1970s are even back with the "like" crappy economy.
Your honor I offer exhibit (A): CNN has dredged up the odious Ford/Carter era "Misery Index." No further questions your honor.
Destroying-life-as-we-know-it-in-these-United-States-for-no-apparent-good-reason
The war in Iraq languishes on; the dollar collapses; gas prices have us working stiffs deciding between filling our car tanks and buying necessities; and, Washington apparently continues to be run by two-party paradigm lunatics. But don't worry; in the nanny-state America that has become the real-time world of Orwell, oh look, the handlers of the "play house" have come up with a lackey to explain to us rabble why high prices are for our own good. Good lord I am glad for such sagely and benevolent experts: Why $120 oil is good.
The author of the above piece seems to forget or never understood that for us "little people" our shitty cars are often our only avenue to marginal freedom. The author assures us that the big, bad gas prices will socially condition us to change our silly ways and apparently our quaint notions of freedom.
You are missing the point my good high culture, economic experts. You see us bottom feeders need a gallon of your $3.72 per gallon mother fucking gas to keep our miserable underclass economy going. Come on down and visit our world some time. We don't bit, our electricity on this side of town usually stays on, and we even cut our yards every so often.
Stupid pop culture, media-complex, distraction-from-reality story
I see the mainstream pundits are still up to their old tricks more than ever while I was gone to Iraq. So, I am thinking, each day I should continue to jot down the stupidest news story that is foist upon us by the big-media-complex as a distraction from the reality that has become America. So here we go - welcome to today's "Stupid Pop Culture, Media-complex, Distraction-from-reality Story."
I see the mainstreamers have just validated what us working guys have know for a while. Old style telephone lines are being left behind - like the buggy whip. I love it when the big guys chat about society from above it. It's true now since they have mentioned it - land-line phones are going the way of the record player. Hey, it is so Third-World; no telephone on your wall, but two cell phones - one in each hand, and don't forget the two lit cigarettes smoking and burning your fingers to-boot. Now there is some real God damned news!
Wisconsin military service person of the week
Sergeant First Class Dan H. Gabrielson, 40, of Frederic was killed in Baquba, Iraq on Wednesday, July 9, 2003. His convoy came under hostile fire and attack. Baqouba is about 45 miles northeast of Baghdad. Gabrielson was a 22 year veteran of the Army Reserve. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said he was a specialist in repairing construction equipment for the Army Reserve's 652nd Engineer Company based out of Ellsworth. He worked as a mechanic and machinist in the unit's motor pool and was in charge of bridge building equipment. Gabrielson had taken over the role of platoon sergeant for his unit and was studying to become a warrant officer. He was promoted from staff sergeant to Sergeant First Class after his bridge building unit was sent to Iraq. The Journal Sentinel also mentioned the 652nd shipped out to Fort McCoy on February 13 and was sent overseas in April. The unit had 179 members activated for the war. In civilian life Dan was a CNC machining programmer for Nexen a manufacturer of industrial clutches and brakes. Gabrielson was the father of three: son Dustin; and two daughters, Audra, and Vanessa. Frederic, Wisconsin is located about 75 miles northwest of Eau Claire. Sergeant First Class Dan Gabrielson was the third Wisconsin military service person to die in Iraq and also the first reservist from the state of Wisconsin killed there.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
83,521 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
8,247 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,077 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
496 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
312 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
304 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
30,004 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1,944 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
90 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
10 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
127 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
15 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Soldier of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; and, icasualties.org.
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