In These Times

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• • 26 Dec 07
  • 9:40 am

  You can't have it both ways. While the mining project probably would, in fact, have a detrimental effect on the environment, what is the cost of NOT approving the project? 1) An already scare resource (nickel) is left in the ground. While the price of nickel has tripled in the past 5 years, mostly due to its use in rechargeable batteries, it will sit under tons of earth, useless. The auto industry and others need access to large quantities of cheap nickel in order to fulfill the demands of price-wary and environmentally conscious consumers. 2) Michigan miners remain unemployed. With the …

  Posted to Acid-Mining Michigan

• • 28 Dec 07
  • 9:44 am

  Jon B- Great post, and you make some very strong points. I, too, am from Michigan, although from Lansing, and I left about 10 years ago to join the military. I have been back on leave at least every year, and things are not quite so rosy down south. While I agree with you that things will eventually turn around for Michigan, the question is how soon. Traffic problems aside, the unemployment is the highest in the nation. You may be thinking "let them move, and we'll be left with only the determined people who stick it out". You may in …

  Posted to Acid-Mining Michigan

• • 26 Dec 07
  • 11:39 am

  Punish people for spending more than they have? Making people pay back what they owe? Outrageous! I agree with CornChip that the problem is rooted in overconsumption. Therefore, it would be crass to suggest the solution would be to start rewarding that behavior. I fact, the tightening of the foreclosure rules will help in the long term to keep people within their budgets. How many people have taken risks thinking "if this doesn't work out, I can always forclose/declare bankruptcy"? It may be relatively few, but it hurts those of us who pay our bills enormously. For those of you who …

  Posted to Beware the Credit-Industrial Complex

• • 26 Dec 07
  • 10:55 am

  If a known white racist kills a black person, and a white person kills another white person, what was the difference in the crimes? This is important, because "hate crime" laws are based on the difference. If all other details of the crimes are identical (method, weapon, pre-meditaion), the racist could still be charged with a "hate crime" and serve a tougher sentence. The only difference is the two murderers are: THEIR THOUGHTS. An advocate of hate crime legislation is an advocate of the policing of thoughts. I don't know about you, but I feel that what goes on in someones …

  Posted to Hanging Hate