GDAE Podcast Episode 3

Episode 3 - January 15, 2009 returns to a wider variety of music, current events, and laughs (at Joe Scarboro):

• Music by Ryan Harvey on a corporate globalization scheme, song entitled "Plan Puebla Panama."
• Joe Scarborough (MSNBC) gets comeuppance from Zbigniew Brzezinski via Wakeup AM Podcast.
• Two false narratives by the US media on Gaza are exposed.
• Rickbackbookbock on the prosecution of George W. Bush.
• Auto industry bailout: Can't take our eyes off of this one. Opportunities and risks.

Update: Israel uses exotic, experimental weapons.

LINK to the GDAE Podcast Website or Subscribe via Buttons to the Right.

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the Broadcast Media
  
• Contact the Newspapers
  
• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

ABC's Misleading Auto Worker Compensation Figures

I just sent a note to ABC News, criticizing their Dec. 3 misleading coverage of the wages and benefits of unionized auto workers. ABC claimed they make $73 in wages and benefits. What they didn't say was that this figure includes the pension benefits paid to retired workers.

The Center for Automotive Research determined that "average wages for workers at Chrysler, Ford and General Motors were just $28 per hour as of 2007." Worker compensation is about 5% of a car's cost (10% if you include the pensions).

Webform to Contact ABC:
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=World%20News%20with%20Charles%20Gibson

For a more authoritative run down, see Media Matters.

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the Broadcast Media
  
• Contact the Newspapers
  
• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

Sources:

Thanks to Godless Liberal Homo for the link to ABC, and Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) for researching the substance of this issue.

Media Matters, Media still wedded to $70+ per hour autoworker falsehood despite GM's recent statements to the contrary, December 6, 2008.

US Auto Industry Demise

OK. Lets face it. The US Empire is crumbling as evidenced by the business failures of GM, Ford and Chrysler. It's not as if they didn't have a warning, twice, with two gasoline price shocks in the 1970s. Big gas guzzlers are dopey.

Unfortunately, Empires are dopey, which is why history is littered with tales of their demise. But I get ahead of myself.

Just as many of us saw this bubble burst coming, we also saw the unpopularity of the Proud American gas guzzler coming. I'm convinced that picking up the phone and talking to the people in charge, if you can get thru to them, is what we need to do. They are firgg'n out of touch. Any one of us could waltz in, learn the administrivia and be 10k ahead of them on the Big Picture. So, we could call. Offer our advice. Make Friends. Influence the idiots... er, I mean, the Titans of Industry (Financial for the most part).

ERrrr..... Anger is an acceptable response in this historic moment. Now is when we must reflect on the wisdom of the Ghandis and Kings.

And now, and ad from our Sponsors: (note how I capitalize "Sponsors" because they are SOOOOOOooooo important [sic.], which is why they're being bailed out with the banks):


Sources: