Free-market blessing—About 16 percent of the world’s population live in impoverished, substandard dwellings and areas. A UN report defines them as slums.
Plus other surprises to come— “Employees with families may be in for an unpleasant surprise this fall as they look over the annual health insurance packages. Many companies…are dramatically cutting benefits for spouses and children or are trying to get their families off their plans altogether.” - Los Angeles Times.
Pre-palsy—The Times also reported that jobless claims increased in August and that new manufacturing orders dropped sharply. The paper saw the situation as indicating “a wobbly recovery.”
Like for instance—Immediately below the “wobbly” story was a report that Ford plants would be closed in Michigan and Ohio by year’s end with another to come in New Jersey in the first quarter of next year. This, Ford moguls said, was part of the recent contract with the United Auto Workers.
Get the thermals out—“Gas bills this year may top last year’s.” - News headline.
A bright spot—The countryside editor of the Times of London reports that the Duke of Edinburgh is considering raising truffles on his royal estate. If there’s planting this fall, there will be a harvest in five years.
Not as if they’re officials—Illinois social workers who muster care for the mentally disabled thought they had been granted a 4 percent cost-of-living increase—the first in three years—but state officials, with apparent authority, sliced the legislature’s vote down to 2 percent.
Essence of used car dealer—An Arlington, Texas, dealer says he lost several cars a year to folks who couldn’t meet the payments and took off. He’s developed a device that flashes and beeps when a payment is due, and shuts down the car if it seems necessary.
Please note—To send clippings by e-mail, jot down our new address: laswp@earthlink.net. Our postal address remains: Great Society, c/o Pathfinder Books, 4229 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90011.
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