Monday, October 3, 2011

Fannie Mae Ignored Foreclosure Misdeeds, Report Says http://ping.fm/NbgE8
Patriotic Millionaires Echoes Occupy Wall Street (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) http://ping.fm/ZQuAS
Video: Visitors insist Rick Perry's camp had offensive name http://ping.fm/mFgSr
Construction spending increased 1.4 percent in August but remains well below healthy levels http://ping.fm/u70HC
Three Berlusconi Aides to Stand Trial for Allegedly Recruiting Women for Prostitution http://ping.fm/Je1SL
Jewish Radicals Suspected in Burning of Mosque in Israel http://ping.fm/LuzXG
Chris Matthews: Obama is too "debonair." He needs to show more passion.
California solar company makes its way without subsidies http://ping.fm/Nmsh2
Poll: Half of U.S. says Afghan war not a success http://ping.fm/HBXIw

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Free Trade will not help workers in Colombia - Washington Times http://ping.fm/pAj8m

Free Trade will not help workers in Colombia

This appears in the pro-right, pro-business Washington Times:

President Obama's recently mentioned that free trade agreements are pending approval in Congress. One of these is with Colombia, South America, the country where I was born and where I lived until I was 21 years old.

From that insiders perspective following is my personal knowledge flavored by my understanding of Colombian culture and politics. I also have definite views of what the Free Market treaties have done to our American economy.

Competing on a non-level playing ground has not been very successful for the American worker. Making goods in a country that has rational economic, labor, and environmental structures is a lot more expensive than in a country that doesn't have them.

This combined with very low labor costs makes competition very hard if not impossible.

Mothers With Depression 'Suffer In Silence'

Sky News:

Up to 35,000 mothers each year in England and Wales are struggling with post-natal depression and not getting the help they need, according to a charity poll.

Panetta Warns Israel Getting More Isolated: http://bit.ly/mRcvZZ
Budget cuts are slowing down U.S. courts: http://bit.ly/mZWUvW
CIA worker linked to Pakistan deaths held in US after fight: http://bit.ly/rk5pdH
Albuquerque protesters 'Occupy Wall Street' in New Mexico http://ping.fm/LiFOV