So the large fines they pay for having a second child are voluntary? There was an interview/story on NPR just last week about it....

We really only need one fact to prove we do need unions. Over the past few years, while wages have been flat and the economy has been in a major recession, corporate profits are at an all-time high. It isn't that companies are too broke to hire more workers or create jobs, they are just holding onto their money. Corporate cash reserves are staggering.

The science shows that when the tax rates for the wealthiest members of our society are raised (ie undoing the Bush tax cuts), the wealthy look for long-term investments in which to put their money. This is what creates jobs and improves our infrastructure, and thus our economy. Right now while the US, and most of the world is in a recession, the wealthy and corporations are doing quite well; exponentially better than the average person or even compared to themselves just ten years ago. Just look at the average CEO pay compared to the same companies average worker over the past thirty years; it is astounding. The problem isn't that everyone is broke. The problem is getting corporations and the wealthy to put some of that money back into the economy. This is why Reagan's "trickle down" economics failed miserably. Also note I said "that money" instead of "their money" because last time I looked, the dollar bill still has "United States of America" printed on it, not "the wealthy of the US" which means it is "our" money.

I wish you were right DesScorp, I really do, but you obviously do not understand the power of greed. With a few mouse clicks, you can find the documentation of the studies large companies do to determine just how far they can push their employees and the public before a revolt starts. The amount of companies that do this is really scary, and yes Walmart is one. This is the same reason those same companies have "dead-serf" insurance policies.

And rsilvergun, I believe the word you are looking for is "plutocracy" as that is what we now live in, at least those of us in the US.

Most companies ("most" being the key word here) need employees to actually have a business. Without them, you just have an idea. And really, as most people just want to have a good life and are willing to work for it (again "most" being the key), if you as an owner treat your employees anything close to fair, you will not have a problem.

Also keep in mind, unions are the reason we have the weekend, a 40 hour work week, and used to have living wages and a large middle class. Without unions, we are basically back to lords and serfs. The wealth and power of our country was built because of the middle class, not despite them. When we lose the middle class, well, we lose.

I think many are missing the point here, and their ignorance is astounding. We will never have zero debt. There will never be, nor should there, an effort to pay the debt off completely, as having zero debt is dangerous for our government/country. Our founding fathers were smart enough to plan things this way. If our country owes people, businesses, and other countries money, then those creditors have a vested interest in the continued success, and survival, of our country. The whole point is for our country to have debt. Now the discussion to be had, among those with this basic understanding, is how much debt we should have; mainly as a percentage in relation to our GDP.

I am really tempted to leave my post like this, and let people come out of the woodwork telling me how wrong/crazy I am, but I suppose I need to give full disclosure as I cannot take credit for this idea; it belongs to Alexander Hamilton. I think he had something to do with the creation of our treasury, or something like that....

As easy as :

Step 1: steal underpants
Step 3: make profit

Some people prefer "real" books compared to e-books. /. had an article not too long ago about how we retain information better from "real" books, and read faster too. Then you have the feel and smell as well. Maybe not for everyone, but they will not go away completely.

words can't describe what Phish can do on stage. for the people who bash them: they don't have the right mindset. and that's good... because we don't care.

For the record, I am on PokerStars as I read this...

Thank you. If we are going to pass blame around, which is not helpful to begin with, then let us acknowledge the online gambling bans were started by a Republican president. I find this lack of perspective just as funny, and useless, as the overlooking of which president actually created our massive deficits. Its like blaming the janitor for creating the mess he is cleaning up.

Side note: both parties are to blame. And actually, it is always worrying about blaming someone that hurts us so much. No one actually wants to together to clean up the mess. After all, if you do something, then you can be blamed for any outcome.

Oh I'm sorry. Didn't some one tell you we are using a new cover sheet for the TPS reports now? That's why you can't find it...

Awesome! Why don't I have mod points when I need them?!?

After reading the replies to this, I think it may be an age thing. When I was 20, I couldn't get far enough away. As I get closer to 40, I realize they will not be around forever, and I take every opportunity I can to communicate with them. It isn't about them supporting me, or me supporting them; as I have gotten older I more and more consider my parents as friends. Granted, I have great parents who raised me well, and I understand that is not the case for everyone.

Thanks for your reply. I suppose since this is not proven, that is why I have not seen it on any of the news shows I watch/read (not that "not knowing for sure" has evr stopped reporting before).

There was a post on /. a few days ago about how one of the cores had gone through the containment vessel and was now sitting on the concrete floor, but I have yet to see any news coverage of this. Did I completely misunderstand the post, or was it wrong, or is it just getting no coverage? Can anyone enlighten me on this?

And I believe when people say "seal it" they mean to encase it like the Chernobyl reactors were after they went to meltdown. I'm pretty sure I didn't misread the many articles I have seen on that possibility, but then again INANE....