Commentary: An irrational vote against U.N. disability treaty

Commentary: An irrational vote against U.N. disability treaty | McClatchy
Opposition from Republican senators this week foiled an opportunity for the United States to lead the world in advocating for people with disabilities.

The Senate needed 66 votes to ratify a U.N. treaty that calls upon countries to ensure disabled citizens receive the same rights and freedoms as their able-bodied peers. Despite a visit in the Senate chamber from an ailing former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, it received only 61 votes.

The treaty, already ratified by 126 countries, calls on nations to live up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

As GOP Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said in May, "Each person has the inherent right to life and should have the opportunity to pursue happiness, participate in society, and be treated equally before the law."

Wealthy Special Interests Funding Obama Inauguration

Obama inauguration raises $40M+ - Salon.com
The center points out that “The government places no limits on these contributions, but Obama capped money for his inauguration at $50,000 per person – still, more than 10 times what individuals could give to his campaign.” The largest total contributions came from individuals in finance, law, entertainment, “business services” and real estate. Donors who topped out at $50,000 “reportedly got tickets to the official ceremony, the parade and inaugural balls.”

Victim of Radio DJ Prank Commits Suicide

Story About Radio DJ’s Pranking Kate Middleton’s Hospital Has a Tragic Ending: Duped Receptionist Reportedly Commits Suicide

Kate Middleton and Prince William leave the King Edward VII hospital where she has been treated for extreme morning sickness.

The story about the Australian radio DJ’s who successfully pranked Kate Middleton’s hospital and got a nurse to divulge private information on air while posing as the king and queen of England has taken a tragic turn: the receptionist who took the call and put the radio hosts through had died in an apparent suicide.

Presidential election hit $2B mark amid last-minute donations

Presidential election hit $2B mark amid last-minute donations
- This might suggest, to those willing to reason on the left, that both parties are beholden to big moneyed interests. In fact, it can be argued that the Democrats are the greatest beneficiaries of Citizen United. When is the last time you heard a Dem bring up the subject?

Rand Paul Mistakenly Claims Coal Is Kentucky's Biggest Industry In Ashley Judd Criticism

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticizedactress, activist and potential Democratic candidate Ashley Judd Wednesday, calling her "way damn too liberal" for Kentucky because of her opposition to mountaintop removal mining.

"She hates our biggest industry, which is coal," Paul said. "I say, good luck bringing the 'I hate coal' message to Kentucky."

But Paul's criticism wasn't totally correct --coal mining is actually the 13th biggest industry in the Bluegrass State.

Did FOXNews Offer to Run Petraeus' Presidential Campaign?

Why isn't this a major scandal like the sex scandal we've heard plenty about:

Developed country wages show no growth in 2012: ILO

Of course not. Global capitalism has won out. And they are about exploiting labor by keeping wages as low as possible:

source: Yahoo/Reuters

 Average salaries in developed countries are expected to have risen by no more than inflation this year, the International Labour Organization said on Friday.

Developed country wages failed to keep up with inflation in both 2008 and 2011, but remained about 5 percent above the 2000 level in real terms, the ILO said in its Global Wage Report, published every two years.

"So far as we can tell for 2012 at this stage the trend seems to be for zero percent growth -- flatlining," ILO Director General Guy Ryder told a news conference in Geneva.

The report said governments in the euro zone and countries with big deficits should avoid squeezing labor with a "race to the bottom" in wages.

Ryder said governments should adopt policies that encourage companies to invest their cash piles and encourage banks to lend to small businesses.

Minimum wage policies, which were used until 2009 as social protection to help the most vulnerable workers, were now rising only in line with inflation or even fell in real terms, the ILO said.