Sunday, December 7, 2014
U.S. gasoline prices fall to four-year low: Lundberg survey
(Reuters) - The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has dropped one dollar since early May, the lowest price in more than four years, according to the Lundberg survey released Sunday.
Prices for regular-grade gasoline fell to $2.72 a gallon, down 12 cents since the last survey two week ago.
The recent drop has been compared by many to the extreme price plunges that took place after the 2008 recession.
The decline in prices was driven by slower demand coupled with dramatic growth in oil supply production, especially in North America and Canada. The strengthening U.S. dollar also played a role.
"We may see a few more pennies drop before Christmas," said the survey's publisher, Trilby Lundberg. "All this presupposes that crude oil prices don't bounce up significantly in the near future."
The highest price within the survey area in 48 U.S. states was recorded in San Francisco at $3.04 per gallon, with the lowest in Albuquerque, at $2.38 per gallon.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
US fast food worker protests expand to 190 cities
(punchng.com) - The United States fast food worker protests expanded to 190 cities on Thursday as the movement to raise the minimum wage in the US to $15 (£9.57) an hour reached a two-year anniversary.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, in cities from Boston to Chicago, fast food workers and union organisers marched outside of various McDonalds.
The movement has seen some success, with cities such as San Francisco and Seattle raising the minimum wage.
US President Barack Obama has said he supports their efforts.
The so-called “Fight for 15” movement has organised eight protests and walk-outs in the past two years, but billed Thursday’s efforts as their biggest yet.
Fast food workers, airport employees and home-health aids, amongst others, have argued that the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough to allow workers to live.
The campaign is backed by the Service Employees International Union, which has provided financial support and organisational help to the effort.
They have exerted pressure on McDonalds, Burger King and other fast food restaurants to raise wages, in addition to working with local politicians to get wage-raising measures on the ballot during election season.
McDonalds has said that the protestors do not necessarily represent the opinions of all of its employees, and that wage decisions are up to individual franchise owners.
“It’s important to know approximately 90 per cent of our United States restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who set wages according to job level and local and federal laws,” it said in a statement.
In New York City, hundreds of workers gathered at a McDonalds in downtown Manhattan, chanting slogans and walking in step with a marching band.
They briefly went into a franchise, before leading a march toward’s New York’s City Hall.
“I’m going to cry – we went from 200 workers in New York City to workers in countries around the world,” said one organiser who addressed the crowd.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two years.”
Shantel Walker has been with the movement from the beginning and has attended six protests.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, in cities from Boston to Chicago, fast food workers and union organisers marched outside of various McDonalds.
The movement has seen some success, with cities such as San Francisco and Seattle raising the minimum wage.
US President Barack Obama has said he supports their efforts.
The so-called “Fight for 15” movement has organised eight protests and walk-outs in the past two years, but billed Thursday’s efforts as their biggest yet.
Fast food workers, airport employees and home-health aids, amongst others, have argued that the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough to allow workers to live.
The campaign is backed by the Service Employees International Union, which has provided financial support and organisational help to the effort.
They have exerted pressure on McDonalds, Burger King and other fast food restaurants to raise wages, in addition to working with local politicians to get wage-raising measures on the ballot during election season.
McDonalds has said that the protestors do not necessarily represent the opinions of all of its employees, and that wage decisions are up to individual franchise owners.
“It’s important to know approximately 90 per cent of our United States restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who set wages according to job level and local and federal laws,” it said in a statement.
In New York City, hundreds of workers gathered at a McDonalds in downtown Manhattan, chanting slogans and walking in step with a marching band.
They briefly went into a franchise, before leading a march toward’s New York’s City Hall.
“I’m going to cry – we went from 200 workers in New York City to workers in countries around the world,” said one organiser who addressed the crowd.
“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last two years.”
Shantel Walker has been with the movement from the beginning and has attended six protests.
Friday, December 5, 2014
US: Court: Chimpanzees are not people
(usatoday) ALBANY, N.Y. — Tommy the chimpanzee is not a person, according to a New York appeals court.
A Florida group's efforts to free a chimpanzee fell short on Thursday when the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Albany upheld a lower court's decision that found that such animals aren't entitled to basic legal rights.
The case centered around Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee kept by his owner in a cage in Gloversville. Attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that chimpanzees display enough attributes similar to humans to be eligible for protections from unlawful imprisonment.
The five-member court ruled unanimously against Wise and Tommy, who is named as the plaintiff in the case. Full Story
A Florida group's efforts to free a chimpanzee fell short on Thursday when the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Albany upheld a lower court's decision that found that such animals aren't entitled to basic legal rights.
The case centered around Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee kept by his owner in a cage in Gloversville. Attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that chimpanzees display enough attributes similar to humans to be eligible for protections from unlawful imprisonment.
The five-member court ruled unanimously against Wise and Tommy, who is named as the plaintiff in the case. Full Story
Thursday, December 4, 2014
US: 17 States sue Obama administration on immigration
RACIST
(Reuters) - A coalition of 17 U.S. states sued the Obama administration on Wednesday saying it acted illegally by issuing an executive order to ease the threat of deportation for millions of immigrants who are in the country without the proper documents.
The case being led by Texas and filed at the Federal Court in the Southern District of Texas said the executive order announced by Obama last month violated constitutional limits on presidential powers. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican and the Texas governor-elect, said the lawsuit is not asking for monetary damages but is seeking to have the order declared illegal.
The White House has said the executive order falls within presidential powers, and has argued that the ultimate answer is for Congress to pass meaningful immigration reform.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
North Dakota unveils proposal requiring high school students to pass U.S. citizenship test to graduate
SAVAGES!
(foxnewslatino) - How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? What were the original 13 states?
High school students in North Dakota may have to answer these questions under a proposal being discussed in the state legislature — they would have to take the same test that immigrants must pass to become a U.S. citizen.
North Dakota's first lady Betsy Dalrymple and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler unveiled a proposed bipartisan legislation on Monday that would require every high school students to get a passing grade on the civics exam to graduate.
Initiative spokesman Sam Stone says the goal is to enact similar laws in all states by 2017, when the Constitution turns 230 years old.
He says that eight states, including the Dakotas, are supporting the idea so far.
(foxnewslatino) - How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? What were the original 13 states?
High school students in North Dakota may have to answer these questions under a proposal being discussed in the state legislature — they would have to take the same test that immigrants must pass to become a U.S. citizen.
North Dakota's first lady Betsy Dalrymple and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler unveiled a proposed bipartisan legislation on Monday that would require every high school students to get a passing grade on the civics exam to graduate.
Initiative spokesman Sam Stone says the goal is to enact similar laws in all states by 2017, when the Constitution turns 230 years old.
He says that eight states, including the Dakotas, are supporting the idea so far.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Russia Takes Key Step Toward Annexing a Slice of Georgia
On paper, “joint control” means Abkhazia has as much control over Russian forces as Moscow has over Abkhazia’s. In reality, however, Abkhazia’s influence over Russia will be approximately as robust as Mercury’s gravitational influence on the sun.
The treaty comes as tensions rise sharply between Russia and Ukraine, which, like Georgia, was part of the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991. Most people in Georgia believe Russia’s moves in Abkhazia parallel its moves in Ukraine.
“Putin’s treaty with Abkhazia is very similar to Crimea’s scenario,” Dr. Irakli Bokuchava, a resident of Tbilisi, Georgia, told the Trumpet. Putin’s clear plan, according to Bokuchava, is the “creation of a renewed USSR.”
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that in signing the new treaty, Russia took a “step toward the de facto annexation” of Abkhazia.
Abkhazia broke away from Georgian authority in a 1992-1993 war. In 2008, after Russia’s five-day war with Georgia, Moscow recognized Abkhazia—and Georgia’s other breakaway region of South Ossetia—as independent. Moscow then asserted Russian control over the two regions. Only a handful of other nations have recognized the two regions’ declarations of independence, and Georgia insists that they remain part of Georgia. Read the rest
Monday, December 1, 2014
Black Friday Fatigue? Thanksgiving Weekend Sales Slide 11 Percent
Have Americans finally had enough of Black Friday madness?
(nytimes) - Sales, both in stores and online, from Thanksgiving through the weekend were estimated to have dropped 11 percent, to $50.9 billion, from $57.4 billion last year, according to preliminary survey results released Sunday by the National Retail Federation. Sales fell despite many stores’ opening earlier than ever on Thanksgiving Day.
And though many retailers offered the same aggressive discounts online as they did in their stores, the web failed to attract more shoppers or spending over the four-day holiday weekend than it did last year, the group said. The average person who shopped over the weekend spent $159.55 at online retailers, down 10.2 percent from last year.
Over all, 133.7 million people shopped or planned to shop at stores or online over the four-day weekend, 5.2 percent fewer than last year, the federation said. And shoppers spent an average of $380.95 over the four days, 6.4 percent less than the $407.02 they spent last year. Read more
(nytimes) - Sales, both in stores and online, from Thanksgiving through the weekend were estimated to have dropped 11 percent, to $50.9 billion, from $57.4 billion last year, according to preliminary survey results released Sunday by the National Retail Federation. Sales fell despite many stores’ opening earlier than ever on Thanksgiving Day.
And though many retailers offered the same aggressive discounts online as they did in their stores, the web failed to attract more shoppers or spending over the four-day holiday weekend than it did last year, the group said. The average person who shopped over the weekend spent $159.55 at online retailers, down 10.2 percent from last year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)