Let me tell you about what my union did for me. I am a federal employee in a large building for a large agency. I get paid well and have many fine benefits. One day some years ago a rat died in the subfloor under my desk. I called in a work order for the dead rat and not much happened. A week went by and the rat smell intensified. I asked for an update on the rat issue and was told it was in the system and awaiting a tech. Another week and it was unbearable. I spoke to my union rep, he made a few phone calls, and the next day they took apart my floor and removed the dead animal from under my cube.
This is one reason you need the union guy. All of my managers agreed that there was a problem, but they all were powerless to fix it. The union guy put on his hat with the extra bit of legal force and the problem is solved.

I read that the there was a cast/crew of 80 and that they were being paid $75 per day each (industry minimum is supposed to be $100, but sometimes you gotta eat). That gives about $6k per day or $30k per week. My educated guess is two weeks with most of the first week getting organized, and most of the second week realizing the budget was blown. My total estimate is somewhere between $75k and $100k.

The protesters need to grow the fuck up. If I am walking down the street and somebody calls me a name I don't walk over and start a fight, because I am a gwon up and that is not how grown ups live. If the islamists want to be part of the global community they need to toughen up and let shit slide.
Of course there is also the strong possibility that they do not want any part of the rest of the world.

As an engineer, I know that it is possible to get any results you want, given the right amount of money.

Some of us in the lower left corner are also blanketed in a thick marine layer. The ground is wet and it is about 60 outside.

Hold on, Maps is a poor example, I have a functional but low end Garmen GPS. Do you know where it gets its maps. It has them stored inside it. This is why it bugs me to hook it up to the internet for a map update (only $60). This is also why when I took it with me to japan it was basically a paper weight.

My understanding is that the cosmetics industry has a huge problem with counterfeit products. Many of the products are available online and it can be difficult to stop the sellers of these products. The counterfeit cosmetics are rarely made to quality or safety standards that the law requires and consumers expect.
   

The Foxconn suicide rate was lower than the surrounding community. I would be curious what the comparable suicide rate is for GM, GE or any other large factory.

Worse, this could seriously damage the Red Cross brand. If they start getting involved in the culture wars (a term I despise, but can not improve upon) they will lose there long earned reputation as an impartial provider of aide to those in need.
This sort of action significantly reduces the likelihood of my donating to their usually good cause.
They need to stick to their core "business" and avoid controversy.

The acquisition makes sense, in that they obviously want ratings of restaurants (and other places) on Maps, and they've already changed tactics there once or twice. This'll pretty much take care of that problem.

I start to wonder, though, whether any acquisition by Google wouldn't "make sense". Their purchase of Motorola Mobility makes sense, too (though not to everyone). When you buy a consumer electronics company and a restaurant guide in consecutive months, what won't you buy? What acquisitions won't "make sense"?

Google buys Pacific Gas and Electric for $20B. Makes sense...