posted
Utter's post about an airline mechanics strike reminded me of a story I heard this morning from Daniel Schorr on NPR.
Apparently there was an explosion in an elementary-school classroom in China, which killed a number of students (I didn't hear how many) and it's being reported that the school doubles as a fireworks-assembly plant. Schorr also stated that these children are not paid (assembling fireworks is supposedly part of a "worker training" program) and that parents who don't let their children participate are harassed and fined by local officials.
This is slavery, my friends, plain and simple. Something to think about next Independence Day when we're having a cold one and setting off a few bottle rockets.
You'll have to excuse me if I don't share Mr. Utter's concerns, however valid they may be, of the plight of the airline mechanic's union, at least not right this moment.
------------------ "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Raoul Duke (Hunter S. Thompson)
Cam Finest Kind Signs 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988"
Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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We make what we can to survive while the government takes our rights away every chance they get. We pay taxes so their family can have retirement funds long after they died while they are fighting to raise ours SS 3%. Sorry, but I don't live in China......
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This reminds me of my honeymoon 4 years ago.
You don't have to go to china to see slave conditions, all you need to do is go a litlle south of the border.
My wife & I went to Cancun, we went grocery shopping one day in a local market place. we found it odd that our bagger was a 6 year old little girl. As a matter of fact all the baggers were under age. I remember taking a picture because I couldn't believe my eyes.
As the cab driver explained, If you as an adult work in the store your children must also work, For free!!!!!
By the way the minimum wage for workers in Mexico 4 years ago was .30 an hour.
So Joey if you really don't like the way this country is run, I hear there might be an opening in the grocery stores in Mexico.
------------------ Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA bob@creativesignworks.com
"Some people's kids"
Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
As Joey has said, he doesn't live in China, nor do we live in Mexico. I don't want to set the standards of my country based on horid conditions of another.
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com
Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
China is doing exactly what Japan started in the mid 19th century. It seems that everything is "made in China", and that makes me nervous.
Japan had no trade in or out of the country from the 16th century until the 19th century. In the 1850's (I believe), they opened trade to the west, and thier strategy was to have everyone, produce everything, from combs to toothbrushes, cheaply.
This worked all to well, Japan went from living in the 16th century, to a world power,threat, in less than 100 years.
Its pretty plain to see that China is doing the same. Those bastards are unconcerned with human rights, the bottom line is trade, and money.
I know that it is all to impossible to not buy ANYTHING that is made in China, its just to vast. But I try anyway.
My 8 yr old daughter has noticed this too, (not the history lesson). She asked me one day,"is EVERYTHING made in China"? Now I look very hard to only buy her gifts with the "made in USA" tag. My signs will have very soon a made in USA tag on them as well.
I'm no bomb-shelter wacko, but I have studied WWII history ever since I could read, so these are just my opinions.
Kids and I are entering a "Cardboard Box Sled" race today, where all the materials you can use are, cardboard, tape and glue. If you will excuse me, I gotta go cut a "MADE IN USA" stickie to put on it.
------------------ Steve Barba is the proud owner, president, & sole employee of Sturgis Sign Works. 209 Oak Drive Sturgis SD 57785 sbarba2616@dtgnet.com 605-720-7667
Posts: 768 | From: Sturgis South Dakota | Registered: Nov 1998
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------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
posted
i bought a water pump at AUTOZONE last week, guess where it was made?...made in china stamped in the metal, and it was only $15.00 while an identical water pump at NAPA(made in usa/canada)was $36.00. both where new not rebuilt. and it fit a 85 dodge(american)slant 6. also in the area of china's rights of their people...look what they are doing to the paractitioners of FALUN GONG, this is a 2500 yr old practice similar to tia chi(which the chinese govt allows)and they are dragin people off to prison for the practice of falun gong....the govt says its a religious cult....it aint.....
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
While we are on the subject of Human Rights.... And also may be of interest to those who dive... Unbeknownst (sp?) to most people the Red Lobster chains buy spiney lobsters (those are the ones without the big front claws)from Honduran waters...the divers for the fishing boats down there are crippled and dying from inadaquite training and equiptment (meaning they are suffering from the 'bends', i.e. decompression sickness) In the small remote villages along the Miskito Coast almost every man, young kids and fathers have some level of the sickness...some are so crippled they lay on grass mats while the wife cares for them till they die and thier family starves or turns to prostitution to survive. Meanwhile 'Lobster Fest' goes on. I stopped eating at any Red Lobster (or any other restaurant owned by them) years ago. For more info: www.suboceansafety.org Adrienne
------------------ Adrienne Morgan Splash Signs www.splashsigns.com "Rainkatt'on chat
posted
Very sad story, Adrienne. I went to the link you posted and they said boycotting wasn't the solution. Sending aid to these people is a good start, but how can we have any regulatory effect on others? As they said, put pressure on the main lobster buyers. Good post.
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com
Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
I don't eat at McDonalds and most of these higher echelon food resturant chains because of their meats, seafood and their insidious business tactics. Does this make me a nice gut again?
I detest slave labor both here in the states as well as in Oregon....
I just drove by a crowded Red Lobster a few hours ago. I always get sick from seeing the lobsters huddled together in the tanks with their claws tied. They say it doesn't hurt when they scream going into the boiling water. I used to cook and eat lobster, in Florida and Maine. I love the taste, but finally made a decision to see it for what it is, and the agony of it all about 18 years ago. And after hearing that about the workers just clarifies the picture. How much more do I need? The chicken farms here force the chickens to lay up to five times a day each with the use of hormones to speed up production. They use migrant workers also but I am glad they are at least getting paid. It is mostly the animal abuse that sickens me. I am very close to being a full blown vegetarian after these posts. Public awareness may help a lot more people to know what is going on. (BTW,THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN THE U.S.A.!)
------------------ Deb Creative Signs
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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Deb..don't get me wrong here....I'll eat most anything with a shell on it... It's the greed of people that will put making money over the suffering of innocent people that's abhorant. Not whether or not we boil crustacians...
I Hope you don't hate me now... Adrienne
------------------ Adrienne Morgan Splash Signs www.splashsigns.com "Rainkatt'on chat
posted
personally my life as well as my emotional well being have not been the same since i discovered the incredibly abhorrent and inhumane way that we here in the United States treat broccoli.....wrapped tightly in bondage of thick rubber bands,unable to move or escape from these restraints their grocer captors have put on them,stacked in piles like firewood the ones on the bottom must surely suffer from strangulation of being crushed and unable to breathe...all this after being violently ripped and torn away from their families,butchered needlessly by 16yo produce clerks thinking not of the broccolis pain and dismemberment,ignoring the screams of these now helpless vegetables,only what pamela anderson was wearing last on a baywatch rerun...oblivious to the genocide they're committing...and is that isn't enuff they then spray the broccoli,defenseless,with cold water and force them to lie howling in agony,shivering with impending frostbite much like navy seal trainees are forced to lie in the surf....all in an effort to force them to live a little bit longer...so they can be bought..sold...like slaves on the open mkt....to some thoughtless SOB who will bring them.....further the mutilation and turn a blind ear to the terrified screams....and throw their little green asses into a 1200deg wok to burn them alive....is this a life we want for our broccoli? can you feel their pain? What kind of example does this set for future generations??? this is why the mere sound of a lawnmower in the summer causes me to dive under a table and cover my ears,eyes shut tight....the screaming....the grass....being chopped alive,no warning no chance to run,most of em only at max 2wks old.....sorry i have to stop now....vegetable genocide is a horrible thing...
------------------ Gavin Chachere aka Zeeman Miller Supply Co./Ozone Signs & Grafix New Orleans La. www.millersupply.net www.ozonegrafix.com
Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Pierre that Kathy Lee comment got me thinking....or i should say sent me further into the downaward spiral...what a sad society it is that we live in when millions of broccoli are slaughtered for hedonistic reasons and Kathy Lee,N'Sync,Billy Ray Cyrus,Celine Dion and others are allowed to run free and live.....
------------------ Gavin Chachere aka Zeeman Miller Supply Co./Ozone Signs & Grafix New Orleans La. www.millersupply.net www.ozonegrafix.com
Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Gavin, It's easy to see why you view things in this manner. You are unexcuseably a Resident of Louisiana, The Mexico of the U.S. A resident of New Orleans. The City that seems to enjoy shooting itself in thge foot. The place where the worst of deals are made. And next year's teacher payraise is being tied to gambiling interest deals made 10 years ago, and they still can't get Edwin in jail. It's also my birthplace. Gotta love it. You got anything going for the JazzFest?
posted
This post is now bringing out the humanitarian in me. Santo and Gavin, as soon as the rain stops let's go out and "rescue" some crawfish from that nasty swamp water and put them in a Zatarain environment. I'll bring the taters.
------------------ Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454 PH. (504)386-3313 casey@i-55.com
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist.
Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Santo you wouldnt be trying to say our governor is a fat lying jackass would???good thing he doesnt take a salary huh.....jazz fest not much prob gonna work it if the $$/hr is right
------------------ Gavin Chachere aka Zeeman Miller Supply Co./Ozone Signs & Grafix New Orleans La. www.millersupply.net www.ozonegrafix.com
Posts: 1223 | From: new orleans.la. | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Thanks for shedding some light on the subject! After I prepare some awesome soil beds for my broccoli plants {(I'll give the beds a cocktail of fertilizer and rain water)gotta treat them right}, I will head down to the jazzfest, maybe for some Milt Jackson and Sara Vaughn, join you in some hotdaddy crawfish (that have been kindly treated), and hope I haven't shot myself in the foot before I get there!!
------------------ Deb Creative Signs
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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