Critical shortage of pink slips?--At last report, Cisco, the internet software biggie, will be slicing its payroll because of a plunge in profit, a humongous inventory, plus what USA Today reported as "costs related to laying off 8,500 workers."
How sweet--"Our decisions will be based on doing the right thing for our business, and all employees will be treated fairly and with compassion."--Cisco's "Chief Financial Officer."
The right to take?--Businessman David Chang is the seventh person to plead guilty of making illegal campaign donations to Sen. Robert Torricelli. Looking for assists in international business deals, Chang said he also gave the senator such personal trinkets as an $8,000 Rolex watch, a 52" TV, etc. It's worth remembering this lawmaker with the outstretched paw scripted the Cuba "democracy" bill signed by ex-prez Clinton. It penalizes other countries for exercising the legal, democratic right to trade with Cuba.
Promotes pride in your work--The United Kingdom's Association of Teachers and Lecturers estimated that parents and teachers raise as much as $150 million to buy school books for primary school children. Doing this is essential to getting the necessary books, one member of the teachers union said. She added, "You get quite used to begging in a polite way."
USA: Books? Who's got time--"First-grade teachers across the country spend very little time actually teaching academic skills, instead focusing on classroom management, according to a national study."--New item.
Adam and Eve--"Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman."--The Archbishop of Canterbury on why the Church of England won't sanction same-sex marriages.
The rich do have problems too--A French family living in a $3.75 million town house in London's posh Kensington district also had to cough up $165,000 for a garage to stash their Ferrari in. Sniffed the agent who sold them the garage, "If you want to park your Ferrari, what do you do? You can't just leave it in the street."
It's 'American' alright--Flight attendant Martina Alexander filed a complaint against American Airlines. She told the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission she had learned that her company health plan covered the impotence drug Viagra, but not Pap smear tests, infertility treatment, or birth control.