No Bailout for GM | Economy in a Death Spiral? | Paulson's Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace Newsletter November 20th, 2008 More from Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace »

Why We Shouldn't Bail Out GM By Nicholas von Hoffman, The Nation The bailout should be used to expand unemployment compensation instead of propping up a single, failing corporation. Read more »   Last week, I wrote about the danger of the economy falling into a "deflationary spiral" in which layoffs -- and the fear of being hurt by the economic mess among those whose jobs are secure -- cause people to rein in spending, which causes the supply of just about everything to outstrip demand, which leads to lower prices, which hurts firms' profits, which leads to even more layoffs and even greater insecurity (see the story below). This week, we're seeing more evidence that the economy may -- and I should stress the word "may" -- be heading that way. New data released today show that, in the words of the Washington Post, "Businesses cut prices at a record rate last month, builders started fewer new homes than anytime on record, and last week more people filed for new unemployment benefits than in any week since 1992." I read a lot of articles on economics, and one thing I find fascinating is that in the traditional media, an enormous amount of attention is paid to the problems plaguing the credit and payment systems, but very little to the other side of the coin: household budgets. After 30 years of stagnant wages, rising prices and declining savings rates, there are simply fewer people who qualify for credit to purchase new cars, homes, or even trinkets on the old Mastercard. And it's not just credit-worthiness -- the average amount of equity in Americans' homes is at an all-time low, and most have few savings to tap in order to maintain their lifestyles during a period of economic distress. This part of the crisis is almost never mentioned in the reports I read. - Joshua Holland Editor, Corporate Accountability and Workplace     Our Economy May Be in a Death Spiral -- Will Washington Stop the Bleeding? By Joshua Holland, AlterNet The Bush-Paulson plan isn't doing anything to address the underlying problems threatening America's economic future. Read more »   It Is Going to Be a Wal-Mart Christmas By Marie Cocco, Washington Post Writers Group Wal-Mart is the only store where hard-squeezed consumers can afford anything, and so it keeps posting big profits amid the retail bloodbath. Read more »   Keep it Simple: Stop the Foreclosure Crisis with the Right to Rent By Dean Baker, TruthOut.org There are a lot of complicated plans being discussed, but sometimes the simplest solution to a problem is best. Read more »   Priority #1 for Working America -- Make It Easier to Unionize By Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times Huge union campaign will hopefully counterbalance "corporate power and reverse the decline of the middle class." Read more »   $2 Trillion Handed out by Paulson and Bernanke, But Who Got It, Nobody Knows By Nicholas von Hoffman, The Nation We have no idea who got this money or the conditions or collateral put up in return for the loans. Read more »   R.I.P.: The Financial Experts, 1929-2008 By Sasan Fayazmanesh, CounterPunch What's the likely fallout of our economic crisis? Nobody knows for sure -- but the economists won't admit it. Read more »   Wall Street's Bailout is a Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene -- Why Aren't the Dems Doing Something About It? By Naomi Klein, The Nation Washington's handling of the bailout is not merely incompetent. It may well be illegal. Read more »   Why the Economy Grows Like Crazy Amid High Taxes By Larry Beinhart, AlterNet The raw truth is that the economy has grown faster when taxes were higher, but how can we explain that phenomenon? Read more »   How to End Our Financial Misery By Robert Pollin, The Nation A large-scale stimulus program is the only action that can possibly do the job. Read more »   How Our Gutless Media Helped Trigger the Credit Crisis By Trudy Lieberman, Columbia Journalism Review Government and greedy bankers aren't the only ones to blame. Read more »   PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web     Fat-Cat Automakers Beg for Taxpayer Money While Flying in Private Jets By Steve Benen, Washington Monthly If they had flown first-class it would have been embarrassing. But company-owned private jets? Read more »   Bailout Tally: $3.8 Trillion and Counting By Faiz Shakir, Think Progress "Three-point eight trillion dollars. That's $3,800,000.000.000. More than what was spent on WW II, if adjusted for inflation." Read more »   Union-Busters Want GM to File for Bankruptcy By Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake Let's call a horse a horse folks. Read more »   Busted: AIG Caught Living High on the Hog with Taxpayers' Money (Again) By Ben Armbruster, Think Progress AIG CEO Edward Liddy should be in jail. Read more »

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VOA Africa News Summary

Here are today's top stories from VOA Africa. To listen or watch one of our programs or to read more visit our website at www.voaafrica.com.

Arab States Meet to Discuss Solution to Pirate Attacks   Meeting explores ways to launch joint effort to curb piracy, protect Suez Canal traffic Russia Sending More Ships to Fight Somali Pirates Russian destroyer, 'Neustrashimy', already patrolling Gulf of Aden, along with ships from US, India, and other countries UN Security Council Takes Action on DRC and Somalia Security Council approves more troops for MONUC and allows sanctions against those hindering Somali peace process NGO Works to Empower Women in Eastern DRC   Many women walk for days to flee fighting and find food and shelter for families White House Rally to Seek Obama Guarantees for Funding, Fighting AIDS Advocacy groups, HIV victims plan preemptive "inauguration ceremony" to persuade incoming president to upgrade health resources Regional Organizations Help Guide African Development   The Economic Community of West Africa mobilizes donor aid to help in regional efforts E-mail: Forward this E-mail Click here to unsubscribe from the VOA Daily World News Summary2 If you have questions about this E-mail newsletter send an e-mail to: voanews@voanews.com

Dinner Tonight: Fix Spicy Black Bean Pirogies, plus ideas for fix and freeze desserts

What’s For Dinner? TONIGHT'S EASY FIX! TONIGHT: Spicy Black Bean Pirogies For a night when you need something fast and filling, this one's tough to beat. This one-pot meal can be ready in 20 minutes, including waiting for the water to boil. The recipe is easily doubled for a crowd. The recipe Find more easy recipes | Holiday recipes How are we doing? Take a quick survey to help us make this newsletter more useful to you. MORE DINNER OPTIONS TONIGHT'S TAKEOUT Take home a Bloomin' Burger and Aussie Chips from Outback Steakhouse. TONIGHT'S DELIVERY Order some comfort food from Ray's New York Pizza or Burger Joe's MORE QUICK BITES Fix and freeze desserts: Here are some tasty recipes, including Spiced Pumpkin Pecan Cake, which you can make ahead and save for the Thanksgiving feast. Atlanta restaurant recipes: Get the recipe for Miso Dressing the popular East-meets-West salad dressing at Crabapple Tavern in Alpharetta. Are you on schedule? Check John Kessler's  fool-proof checklist for Thanksgiving dinner. Find more holiday ideas and tools in our Atlanta Holiday Guide.   DINING OUT Reservations for tonight Enjoy a New York strip or a porterhouse at McKendrick's Steakhouse in Dunwoody Get details | Make Reservations Aquaknox in Buckhead's Terminus Building offers fresh seafood flown in daily Get Details | Make Reservations Search for online reservations by location or by cuisine at one of these Atlanta restaurants ADVERTISING

Home | Recipes | Dining Out | Delivery | Takeout | Join our mailing list Customer care | Advertise with us | Visitor agreement | Privacy statement | Permissions | Our partners * Copyright 2008, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This news, information and advertising message is brought to you by Evening Edge - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta Street., N. W., Atlanta, GA 30303 United States of America. This information is for personal use only and is not available for redistribution. This email was sent to: fpac.rangola@blogger.com Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you wish to remove your e-mail address from future mailings, please visit the subscription center to manage your subscriptions. To update your profile information, please visit our profile center update profile If you have a question or concern about AJC e-mail newsletters, please visit our customer care site: http://www.ajc.com/newsletters To receive the latest Atlanta News and Sports Get The Atlanta Journal-Constitution delivered! Subscribe Today!

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Dear Solar Supporter, Your hard work is being honored tonight. In just a few hours the American Solar Energy Society will be officially inducted into the Environmental Hall of Fame! This special event in Chicago recognizes ASES' more than 50 years of leadership and dedication to creating a sustainable energy economy. But this distinguished award really belongs to you. Your support and passion provides the fuel that powers ASES' efforts. Together we're working to increase the use of solar energy, to generate green jobs, and to tackle climate change. Thanks to dedicated supporters like you we're advancing cutting-edge research and promoting the education and outreach that's leading the renewable energy revolution.   So just one week before Thanksgiving we wanted to take a moment to say thank you. You're a key part of our success -- and you now have a place in the Environmental Hall of Fame. We appreciate all that you do to support ASES and to create a more sustainable energy economy. Best regards, Neal Lurie American Solar Energy Society PS. If you happen to live in the Chicago area we invite you to attend tonight's celebration. Join ASES  |  Learn about ASES  |  Go Solar American Solar Energy Society www.ases.org

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Breaking News Thu., November 20, 2008

Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:

Senators Forge Compromise on Auto Bailout Deal; Still Unclear Whether It Will Pass Full Senate [12:53 p.m. ET]

For more, go to abcnews.go.com?CMP=EMC-1396

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1p 11/20 Update: Spacewalk begins

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CBS NEWS STS-126 STATUS REPORT: 41
Posted: 01:00 PM, 11/20/08

By William Harwood
CBS News Space Analyst

Changes and additions:

   SR-39 (11/19/08): Stefanyshyn-Piper expresses remorse for lost tool bag; mission managers optimistic about completing spacewalk chores despite lost tools; water recycling system activation on tap
   SR-40 (11/20/08): Astronauts prepare for second spacewalk; 10th anniversary of space station construction
   SR-41 (11/20/08): Spacewalk begins

=================================

01:00 PM, 11/20/08, Update: Spacewalk begins

Running about 45 minutes ahead of schedule, astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Robert "Shane" Kimbrough, floating in the space station's Quest airlock module, switched their spacesuits to internal battery power at 12:58 p.m. to officially begin a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk.

The goals of today's excursion are to relocate two equipment carts on the front side of the station's solar power truss; to lubricate the capture snares in one end of the lab's robot arm; and to continue cleaning and lubricating the station's damaged right-side solar alpha rotary joint, or SARJ.

This is the 116th spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began 10 years ago today. It is the 17th station spacewalk so far this year and the second of four planned for Endeavour's mission. Going into today's EVA, more than 80 astronauts and cosmonauts had logged 725 hours and 40 minutes of spacewalk construction time.

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Quick-Launch Web Links:

CBS News STS-126 Status Reports:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html

CBS News STS-126 Quick-Look Page:
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/currentglance.html

NASA ISS Expeditions Page:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/index.html

NASA Shuttle Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/index.html
NASA Station Web: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html
Spaceflight Now: http://spaceflightnow.com/index.html
GoogleSatTrack: http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/

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The BridgeMaker

A Reason to Smile | 10 Enduring Ways to Keep Smiling Posted: 20 Nov 2008 05:00 AM CST "If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." - Andy Rooney It doesn't take a lot of effort to smile, it only takes one reason. Our lives can be stressful and complicated at times, but that doesn't mean laughter, happiness and serving up a warm, beautiful smile can't fill the gaps in between. Perhaps if we can think of more reasons to smile, the gaps might become further apart and the energy our smiles provide will have a better chance of sustaining our efforts to look for the positive that exists around us. Maybe, our smiles can help us stay in the positive a little while longer, too. There's no question disappointment will continue to occur (that's just part of the natural ebb and flow of life), and when the sadness does come again, having an inventory of what brings us comfort and a heartwarming reason to smile is good to have on hand. Here are my reasons to smile: Sharing family stories after dinner. It's rare when all six of us are together for a meal. Next week, on Thanksgiving Day, will be one of those times. More than the food or the football, I'm looking forward to the time when the meal is over and my family lingers at the table sharing family stories. Recalling these times with a mix of off-beat humor and true nostalgia fills our dining room with laughter and brings a thankful smile to everyone in our home. The feeling after a workout. OK, I'm not smiling as I head to the fitness center at 5:00 am. But afterwards, as I'm driving home, it feels good to know I did something that fills me up with confidence and may help me to bank a few extra years to keep smiling. A moment of self awareness. Every now and then the dots become connected for me. Something I didn't see in myself, or realize, is made perfectly clear. These surprising moments of self awareness fill my heart with strength and put a smile of reassurance on my face. An unexpected email from Mary Beth. When my wife's email address pops into my inbox, I feel like a fifth grader discovering a love note from the cutest 10-year-old girl on the planet. I feel the smile begin to grow from left ear all the way over to my right ear as I open the email and read her special message. A Venti Starbucks coffee with room. There's no doubt about it: Starbucks sells community, not coffee. My morning stops offer me the chance to see familiar faces with smiles more robust than the coffee. My reaction to smile back is spontaneous and genuine. Receiving a personal message from someone who read one of my articles. I write for many reasons. One reason is because I want to impact other peoples' lives in a meaningful way. When I hear from someone who has been touched by the words offered, I can't hold back my smile because I'm thankful to be living on purpose. A tied score late in a Kansas City Royals' baseball game. The Royals haven't been exactly tearing it up the past few years. On the nights when the score is close and my team has a chance to win, the energy in the stadium is on fire. I love this feeling. It feels like victory is possible regardless of past performance. Hope makes me smile. When my children get back home safe and sound. The other afternoon when my son arrived home, he told me a schoolmate was killed in a car accident earlier in the day. Our conversation made me remember the night s when Mary Beth and I and will be in that state somewhere between sleep and consciousness so we can hear the turn of the doorknob on the front door. Hearing our children arrive home, unharmed and alive, always settles my mind brings a smile of contentment that stays with me until I surrender to sleep. 10 Enduring Ways to Keep Smiling No matter what makes you smile or how you define happiness for yourself, there are certain universal and time-proven strategies to bring more happiness, and smiles, into your life. The following 10 ways to keep smiling can be adapted and even customized to fit your needs. Over time, these strategies will become positive and life-changing habits that will begin to bring more happiness, joy and reasons to smile into your life. Notice What's Right. Some of us see the glass as being half-full, while others see the glass as half-empty. The next time you are caught in traffic, begin thinking how nice it is to have a few moments to reflect on the day, focus on a problem you have been trying to solve, or brainstorm on your next big idea. Take all that life throws out you and reframe it with what's right about the situation. At the end of the day, you will more content, at peace and happy. Take the time to smile and begin to notice what's right and see the world change in front of your eyes. Be Grateful. How many times do you say the words "thank you," in a day? How many times do you hear these same words? If you are doing the first thing, saying the "thank yous," the latter will naturally happen. Learn to be grateful and you will be open to receive an abundance of joy, happiness and smiles - which will be a pleasure to return. Remember the Kid You Were. Do you remember how to play? I'm not referring to playing a round of golf or a set of tennis. I'm talking about playing like you did when you were a child – a game of tag; leap frog, or street baseball when the bat is a broken broom handle and the bases are the parked cars. One way to find a reason to smile is to remember the kid you were and play! Spend Time with Your Friends. Although an abundant social and romantic life does not guarantee bliss, it does have a huge impact on our happiness. Learn to spend time and smile with your friends and then make these friendships a priority in your life. Savor Every Moment. To be in the moment is to live in the moment. Too often we are thinking ahead or looking ahead to the next event or circumstance in our lives, not appreciating the "here and now." When we savor every moment, we are savoring the happiness in our lives and finding the reasons right before us to smile. Move! The expression a "runner's high" does not infer an addiction, but a feeling or a state of mind - a state of euphoria. There is no question exercise, or any physical exertion, elevates your mood and enhances a more positive attitude as well as fosters better personal self-esteem and confidence. Indeed, one way to keep smiling is to move. Put on a Happy Face. Sometimes we have to fake it until we make it. I'm not suggesting that we not be honest, real or authentic, but I'm suggesting, sometimes, we just need to put on our best smile and keep moving forward. Researchers claim that smiling and looking like we are happy will indeed make us happier. Studies further show that if we act like we are happy then we can experience greater joy and happiness in our lives. Finding Your Calling. Some find meaning in religion or spirituality while others find purpose in their work or relationships. Finding your calling may be much more than accomplishing one simple strategy for increasing your happiness, but having a sense of purpose – of feeling like you are here for a reason – may create the best reason of all to smile. Get into the Flow. Flow is the form of joy, excitement and happiness that occurs when we are so absorbed in an activity we love that we can lose ourselves and time seems to stand still. What creates flow is unique to each one of us. To find and sustain true happiness in our lives, we must get off the sidelines and get into the flow. When we do, the smiles will soon be flowing, too. Don't Over Do It. Know when to say when. What provides happiness and causes you to smile the first time may not work the second time. Too much of a good thing may begin not to feel as good if the "thing" becomes more of a routine, or an expectation. Set healthy and reasonable boundaries for yourself and don't overdo it. If you enjoy the content found here, please join The BridgeMaker on Facebook. I appreciate your support. Also, be sure to visit the Ask page to read what our readers are asking for in their life right now. Download Free Report: 30 True Things You Need to Know Now

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