He got another job--We were disappointed that New York's ex-mayor Giuliani is grabbing for the big bucks--$100,000 lecture gigs, etc. We expected he'd get a job clearing the rubble at the Twin Towers. He was the guy who told an inquiring site worker, yes, he'd have to work xmas, and if he didn't like it, get another job.

Food stamps?--Michael Eisner, top dog at Disney, had his pay for last year cut down to $1 million from $12.3 million in 2000.

Lost Wages Int'l--The Las Vegas city council was slated to act on a proposition to authorize an offshore gambling web site to use its name and seal for a cut on the take.

They can't be both?--"Politicians Must Either Be Rich or Be Beggars."--Headline. Op Ed page, Los Angeles Times.

Isn't that ducky?--The January 7 Militant reported that the wealthiest 20 percent of U.S. farm owners pocket more than $1 million a year in federal farm subsidies. The other 80 percent, mainly working farmers, get a fast average of $5,830. Meanwhile, AP reported that billionaire stock broker Charles Schwab, who enjoys duck hunting in the northern California wetlands, also owns a rice farm there. Last year's subsidy for Schwab and his family? $564,000.

Capitalist medical care--Recent reports in the London press: Under the national health plan, more than half of those needing surgery, wait more than a year. And in one hospital cat scanners are being used to diagnose pets (Our cat says, "So?") because of a shortage of nurses to work on the sophisticated machines to diagnose humans.

Rigorous standards--For years residents of Brimfield, Illinois, endured water from old, corroded pipes that spewed excessive sodium and chlorine. (Washing machines conked out twice as fast as average.) But, the water met federal standards. Finally, a new treatment plant is being built.

Makes sense, no?--In past months, reports the conference of mayors, there's been a significant rise in need for food and shelter among the working poor, particularly those in low-wage retail and service jobs. The mayors attributed this to the September 11 Twin Towers attack.  
 
 
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