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01 Jun 2011 17:55

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Biz: U.S. auto companies beat foreign competitors in May, with a caveat

  • USA! USA! May was the first month in five years that Detroit’s Big Three automakers beat their foreign competition in total sales, likely welcome news to those who rely on the domestic auto market to make their livings.
  • easy there The Big Three’s big win came on the backs of a terrible month for foreign competition — Toyota was down 33%, and Honda 23%. This allowed U.S. auto companies to take the lead, despite actually seeing a drop in sales. source

28 Feb 2010 10:46

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Biz: Apple nails foreign contractors for using underage workers

  • 133k number of workers Apple’s contractors, over 102 facilities, use to create their products
  • 17 number of violations it found as a result of its own internal audits of contractors
  • three number of cases it found of contractors purposely hiring underage workers; that’s bad source

16 May 2009 23:06

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U.S., World: The State Department sez foreign embassy workers get screwed

  • 51,000 non-American, locally-based workers are employed by U.S. embassies worldwide
  • $3-$4 amount they get paid (on average) per day; originally, it was reported to be under $1 source

14 May 2009 08:51

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Politics, U.S.: Congressional Dems are worried about Obama’s foreign strategy

  • With respect to Afghanistan and Pakistan, I am extremely dubious that the administration will be able to accomplish what it wants to accomplish.
  • Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wisconsin • On the war on terror and the perceived lack of progress inherited from the Bush administration by the Obama administration. Obey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, compares the situation to Nixon and the Vietnam War, and says Obama has a year to show progress. • source

03 Apr 2009 05:46

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Culture: Madonna didn’t read Malawi’s fine print for child adoption

  • 18 to 24 months amount of time prospective parents need to be residents of Malawi before getting a kid
  • 18 to 24 hours amount of time Madonna was in the country before applying to get a kid; she was denied source

02 Feb 2009 01:15

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Biz, U.S.: Did bailed-out banks hire foreign workers over U.S. citizens?

  • The numbers suggest it. Just before the economic collapse that required hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts, banks were attempting to hire foreign workers en masse, an Associated Press investigation recently found. The dozen banks getting the biggest chunks of the $150 billion set aside just for them applied for 21,800 visas in the last six years. That number only increased over time; in fiscal 2008 alone, it was 4,163. source

22 Jan 2009 18:40

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U.S.: Another disturbing tragedy on the Va. Tech campus

  • An unspeakable murder A Chinese graduate student was decapitated by a fellow classmate in a cafe on campus. Yesterday, 22-year-old female student Xin Yang was killed with a butcher knife by 25-year-old male student Haiyang Zhu. Yang had only recently started at the Blacksburg, Va. school a few weeks ago. Haiyang knew the student, but no motive has yet been determined for his actions.
  • Echoes of a major tragedy The tragedy shook the campus of a university that, just a year and a half ago, suffered one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, when a gunman shot 32, then himself. University president President Charles Steger was cognizant of the emotions on campus. “An act of violence like this brings back memories of April 16,” he said. “I have no doubt that many of us feel especially distraught.” source