It’s kinda interesting to see a snow storm heading up the coast that we don’t have to worry about here. At least, as things stand right now. It’s also kinda funny to see southern cities shut down by “nearly a half foot of snow.” People bitch about the taxes here in NY, but all those snow plows and all that rock salt costs money. Here, it’s just cold. And it looks like we’ve got a few more days of cold weather before we get a little break.
We’re still trying to recover from two days of moving the kid, here. I am, anyway. Damn, I must be getting old. All my shit hurts from furniture wrestling. Next time somebody moves, they better hire somebody.
Another $30 billion for AIG. I’m not really sure who the hell they are, but I’m sure this is all in my best interest, so that’s cool. As long as there are no strings attached, because that would be bad for the free market, and the invisible hand and all that. Except, how come the invisible hand keeps giving us the very visible finger?
It’s snowy and windy and cold. About 4 or so inches have already accumulated and when the snow starts up again, this morning, we’re supposed to get 5 to 8 more inches. And, NYC Bd of Ed has closed the schools. Somewhere in those hallowed halls there resides a person with both a window and functioning ability to reason, who realized how dangerous schools are when the kids can get there but the teachers can’t. I’m sure that person has already been fired.
stimulus package signed into law last week by President Obama contains a provision antithetical to innovation and domestic prosperity. That provision makes it even harder — some say impossible — for companies that receive government bailout money to hire foreign employees for specialized work.
The chief sponsors of the initiative, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), say that they are concerned about the plight of laid-off Americans. And they are rightly critical of companies that abuse the H1-B visa — meant for highly skilled foreign workers in specialized fields — to hire low-skilled workers who accept a fraction of the pay commanded by Americans. Those employers should be and are being held legally accountable; last month, executives of a company in Mr. Grassley’s home state were indicted in connection with fraudulent H1-B applications.
But erecting even more hurdles to the already rigorous H1-B hiring process could backfire in more ways than one. Even before the Grassley-Sanders proposal, companies had to make a case that a would-be foreign hire had unique skills or expertise that made him the best candidate for the job. The stimulus provision would add to the hoops companies have to jump through. For example, a company that accepted bailout dollars would be prohibited from hiring a foreign worker within 90 days of a layoff — even if the foreign worker is not a candidate for a vacancy created by that layoff. The company would have to certify that it made a “good faith” effort to hire an American for the position and that it considered training a U.S. worker to fill the spot. The new requirements would expire in two years.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03
/01/AR2009030101619.html
Apparently that onerous application for H1b visa didn’t stop the company from abusing the visas.
Morning all,
I have the day off so I can enjoy the snow from inside my house. We got about a foot and it’s still coming down. Maybe I’ll see how the little buggy handles the deep stuff.
It’s supposed to be 89 degrees here. It was 87 yesterday and it was pretty nice. I wanted to jump in the pool but I knew the water is probably 58 degrees. :cold:
Here’s what I am gathering about this week in ‘does anyone still care?’ progressive talk radio.
Thom Hartmann joins Dial Global today for syndication leaving Air America Media. He should retain all of his current affiliates and may pick up a few more from the Press/Stephie/FatHeaddie connection. Since Thom owns his show his website is still functioning, a lesson Randi Rhodes missed when she ‘left’ AA
RM last year. Filling the vacant slot at AARM for the next two weeks will be The Slender David Bender Show. It gives me another option on my ‘anyone but Thom’ list but I have a lot of catching up to do from last week with Olbermann, Maddow, Colbert, Stewart, Maher and Seder v Seder.Randi has not resurfaced yet. If she can get untangled from her NovaM entanglement, I would guess that she would angle for a deal with Dial Global since they may be the only cash cow out there right now. However, they seem to gravitate to more stable and centrist talent.
Even the local station manager at Green 960 has been saying negative stuff about Rhodes after riding that pony hard for the last year. He is also running something of a beauty pageant in her old time slot. Last week it was Frangela and this week Peter B. Collins. It still couldn’t hurt to drop some support for Marc and Sam on his blog.
Speaking of Marc and Sam, they are supposed to be back together today on BRL. The ustream people discovered a wiring problem at AA
RM that has been causing some of the transmission problems so hopefully if that is fixed the livecast might actually work. Pretty lame for a ‘perfessional’ media operation that it took so long.No Thom Hartman today. Looks like NovaM is getting rid of all the smart people. Farias, Rhodes(Not that I liked her very well, but still), and Hartman now. I have virtually no reason to listen to it anymore. Sounds like Lionel Whoever is on now. I can only take 1 hour of Stephanie Miller anymore, that’s my ride to work, basically.
– Republican congressional leaders ramped up criticism of President Barack Obama’s budget proposal, even as they conceded that they likely won’t be able to block it.
snip
Congress follows special rules for approving the annual budget that make it hard for the minority party to block it. Senate rules requiring 60 votes to end debate are suspended. That requirement had made three Republican senators’ support for the stimulus bill crucial, even though Democrats enjoy large majorities in the House and Senate.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123592142217703383.html
Thanks, Kp. I heard that Lionel was on but was trying to confirm and the website is not updated.
Steph seems to me like a 3 hour show that recycles one hour of material. I just wish they would be consistent where they put right wing world. I guess they do play it for free on their website but I never remember to check.
That they dropped Hartmann surprises me and that they are adding AA
RM content does as well. I wonder if that will be how they are replacing Hartman.I don’t necessarily agree that it is useless. Never hurts to ring the bell. If not for now, other future possibilities.
Hartman is on now. Maybe he comes on at a different time now.
Damn, it’s cold out there today. They say it’s 12, but it doesn’t feel that warm to me. And with the wind…. :cold:
Sebelius is going to face “tough” questions on abortion, according to The Hill..
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sebelius-to-face-questions-over-abortion-2009-03-01.html
The Rethugs keep revving up their base. That’s OK with me, but is this supposed to appeal to a wider group? Meanwhile they’re denying unemployment insurance to the folks that really need it, as well as medical care and contraceptives.
:fire:
I guess the buisness model for BRL is emerging. When you watch the replay, there’s little annoying pop-up commercials for local buisnesses that smear themselves along the bottom of the already tiny screen.
It was 76 degrees here today. S let in our first :bee: of the season until it met an untimely death.
Art, you can close the ad.
Does anyone use Credo cell phone service? How is it?
Sue, I used it a number of years ago as Working Assets and had to give it up when I packaged so many services through SBC, now AT&T, due to work. It was great and I have been thinking of going back if I can get a comparable package and services.
I had some billing problems after I left and they took care of them, no questions asked, even though I was no longer a customer. I still hear
goodgreat things about them.I just switched to Verizon from Qwest. Hey Kevin! My company has a 12% discount with them and I can switch with no penalties and still bundle with Qwest. Though, I’m not sure of my privacy anymore. :tinfoil:
SueP- yeah, you can close it but then another screen pops up and the show starts all over again- and the ad you closed does keep opening and then closing by itself. I do want the show to keep on so I’m not bitching too much (or am I :billcat: ?)….., I’m just saying.
I’m too locked into ATT for the next two years to try Credo but I am going to order some “JustCoffee” coffee.
This is a slightly altered quote from Flannery O’Conner which I thought perfectly caught the sense of most rapture righties-
” They lived according to the laws of their own fantasy world, outside of which they had never set foot.”
“It’s just Melina, talking about the snow” — Maron, BRL, today
Yes, Melina got a new snow plow or something. I bet Granny is envious! 🙂