[Byron100]

Nationwide Wal-Mart Strike enters its 7th Month

Wal-Mart stores remain shuttered in the United States and Canada for the 210th day as the United Service Workers of North America refuses to budge on their strike demands. Talks between the USWNA and Wal-Mart executives failed last week after 17 days of non-stop negotiations, with the union refusing to budge from their demands to raise average wages to $25 an hour and a 32-hour work week, along with having Sundays off for all employees.

With no future talks on the horizon, Wal-Mart share prices fell to a new record low yesterday, dropping 28% to 41 cents a share.

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USWNA on the verge of organizing McDonald's and Burger King

With ballots still being counted as of last night, the USWNA appears to win yet another sweeping victory, with 82% of the votes for organization, and 14% against. Bob Stevenson, the President of the USWNA reports that "we will initiate a strike action within 48 hours after all ballots are counted, and our members are committed to joining their brethren in achieving a living wage for all service workers in the United States and Canada."

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The US Supreme Court Strikes Down Seed Patents

In a crushing blow to the Monsanto Corporation, the Supreme Court has struck down patent law in regards to seed patents, the majority opinion stating that "Nature cannot be patented, nor profiteers be allowed to control what farmers can and cannot plant."

Monsanto stock closed down 98% yesterday to 11 cents a share. Company executives are expected to announce plans for a Chapter 7 filing in two days.

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US School Year to be shortened to 150 Days Nationwide

Amid cheers of children nationwide, the President announced a shortened school year, beginning with the 2017-18 school year to enable cash-strapped school districts to keep schools open. Educators nationwide applaud this move, stating that "some school is better than no school for our nation's children."

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Birthrate Falls to a New Low

The Great Baby Drought continues, with birthrates falling to .9 children per family as of 2020. Factors for this dramatic decline are attributed to the ongoing depression and the perceived lack of future opportunities for the nation's children due to grim forecasts that the economy may very well "contract forever".

Experts expect that the rate of childbirth will continue its fall, reaching a low of .4 children per family by the year 2035, leading to a dramatic demographic shift of the population towards the aged in the decades to come.

[mos6507]

"US School Year to be shortened to 150 Days Nationwide"

Why would that be a good thing?

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '&')quot;US School Year to be shortened to 150 Days Nationwide"

Why would that be a good thing?

[Windmills]

It's difficult enough for families to get by with two incomes. Forcing them to scramble for education and supervision for their children while they're at work is just going to add extra pain to the situation. For most people, homeschooling is a luxury they can't afford. I'm all for homeschooling, even as a teacher, but not everyone is lucky enough to have helpful, functional extended families, with things like two sets of retired grandparents in the same town willing to homeschool the grandchildren.

[AgentR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Windmills', 'I')t's difficult enough for families to get by with two incomes.

[Bytesmiths]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Windmills', 'I')t's difficult enough for families to get by with two incomes.

[wisconsin_cur]

I agree on the two incomes question. You just have to decide to do it and then make your life fit your financial situation. Get rid of a car payment, pay off some debt, eat lower on the food chain, maybe buy a cheaper house and buy less and you can find yourself where you need to be.

I am in the lower 50% of wage earners (nationally), I have too much debt, too big a house, am too far from work and spend too much money and my wife is still able to stay home and homeschool the kids while we are paying off debt and adding to savings every month.

Of course we have no car payments beyond repairs, insurance and fuel.

We do not buy (many) processed foods.

We do not buy milk (but we do buy hay and had to buy fencing materials and build a barn).

We spend more on co-op veggies and fruit... but we also collect fruit that would otherwise go to waste in our neighbors yards and process it for winter use and use a root cellar.

The only meat we buy is sausage. The rest we either raise (only cost is feed) or hunt (license and a round or two).

You can do it, you just have to decide to and then organize your life so it can happen.

[JJ]

ran into a gal I went to high school with (30+ years ago) She was real snarky to me, emailed my sister and said I saw so-and-so, she was pretty snitty. My sister emailed me back, she's under a lot of stress (she owns a string of floor covering businesses in Austin). She's very, very wealthy. Anyway, my sister said she's worrying because she has to lay off a lot of employees that don't deserve it. And that sums up every'ones mindset I know, *I deserve this*. I pointed out to my sister that not everyone needs shag carpet (I don't recall ever seeing shag carpet when I lived in the Philippines) just like we got along just fine without Build-a-Bear.

[kpeavey]

Income Tax Repealed FOREVER

Obama Resigns in shame

Cold Fusion Experiment Proven Viable

[Schmuto]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Windmills', 'I')t's difficult enough for families to get by with two incomes. Forcing them to scramble for education and supervision for their children while they're at work is just going to add extra pain to the situation.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', '
')Besides, it'd give parents the opportunity to teach kids on their own.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', '
')Besides, it'd give parents the opportunity to teach kids on their own.

[Daniel_Plainview]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kpeavey', 'I')ncome Tax Repealed FOREVER

Obama Resigns in shame

Cold Fusion Experiment Proven Viable

[Pops]

Oil Industry Braces for Drop in U.S. Thirst for Gasoline

Whoops, that was a past headline.

[goodbye_bluesky]

National mowed yard acreage cut in half Lawnmower manufactures begging for bailout money

[AgentR]

China bids impoverished world, "Goodbye"

In a move that has been described by some as the end of the industrial world, China today announced that the borders and ports of mainland China are sealed effective immediately. In an uncharacteristically brief comment, the Premier remarked, "We gave as good as we got, cya suckas."

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', '[')b]China bids impoverished world, "Goodbye"

In a move that has been described by some as the end of the industrial world, China today announced that the borders and ports of mainland China are sealed effective immediately. In an uncharacteristically brief comment, the Premier remarked, "We gave as good as we got, cya suckas."

[AgentR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'A')nd they'll be making Hanes socks and underwear in my hometown again, just like they used to.

[Byron100]

And here's another headline that I bet we'll get to see before the midpoint of this century:

Last Gasoline-burning Automobile Rolls Off Assembly Line

At 2:15 EDT yesterday afternoon, the last gasoline-burning automobile rolled off the assembly line in Greenville, SC, a 2049 BMW SDI Turbo, last of only 50 produced this year. The car was purchased at auction for $310,000 by Mr James Benton, an avid collector of internal combustion engine automobiles. "While diesel fuel is far too scarce to enable me to drive this car more than once or twice per year, I am proud to own a very important piece of history."

He states that this car will be kept on his 3000-acre estate in eastern Kentucky, which contains a 3-mile private racecourse and a 50,000 gallon fuel storage facility.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'A')nd they'll be making Hanes socks and underwear in my hometown again, just like they used to.