CorpWatch The information below is from the Corp Watch website (www.corpwatch.org) Mission CorpWatch: Non-profit investigative research and journalism to expose corporate malfeasance and to advocate for multinational corporate accountability and transparency. We work to foster global justice, independent media activism and democratic control over corporations. We seek to expose multinational corporations that profit from war, fraud, environmental, human rights and other abuses, and to provide critical information to foster a more informed public and an effective democracy. Review the CorpWatch website. Follow the prompts below to guide your research.
Chemicals From toxic waste to the unpronounceables on your food labels, chemicals are all around and within us. Here you will find CorpWatch coverage of the range of issues involving chemicals, including pesiticides, the widespread use of petrochemicals, health and environmental impacts, and the role of chemicals in bio-engineered agriculture. Construction Building (or rebuilding) things is a lucrative business to be in, especially in an era when lots of things are being blown up. Construction is a mega-industry with players raking in money for huge projects, from Bechtel's Big Dig to Kellogg Brown & Root's military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are the small, mob-connected firms building at ground zero in New York, and even the bin Laden family, who largely built modern Saudia Arabia and Dubai. The companies who build dams, roads, schools, hospitals and military installations are a major economic and political force. Energy Those who own, extract, process, and sell the fossil fuels on which modern culture is (often regrettably) based make up perhaps the single most powerful industry in the world. While energy policy in the United States is made behind closed doors with oil barons, wars are fought in the Middle East over oil & gas, and geopolitics in South America is revolutionized on the power of vast oil reserves. Food and Agriculture The industrial food chain is complex - and highly profitable for those who control it. In India, ancient traditional grains have been patented by multinationals, while drought- and pest-resistant strains of food crops are engineered in laboratories and planted in massive monocultures worldwide. Harsh pesticides and herbicides have become the rule instead of the exception. GMO soybeans are crowding out the Amazon rain forests; meanwhile, massively subsidized, nutritionally-challenged corn finds its way into almost every aspect of the American diet, especially fast food. The corporations (Monsanto, Cargill, ADM, McDonald's, etc) behind what we eat exert power in their best interest, rather than in ours. What's good for their bottom line is not necessarily good for our waistlines, our coastlines, our treelines. Manufacturing Perhaps the most outsourced industry in the world, manufacturing covers everything from textiles to automobiles to construction to electronics and everything in between. Since international trade is largely centered on the exchange of manufactured goods, issues of globalization swirl around these corporations. Here you'll find coverage of labor and sweatshops, the environment, trade agreements, and the overarching impacts of "offshoring" the manufacture of the goods the developed world consumes. Media & Entertainment A very few corporations control most of the messages we receive each day, from billboards to newspapers, to radio, film and television. CorpWatch covers not only the effect of media consolidation, but also the wizards behind the curtains in advertising, public relations, and the mainstream news media. Natural Resources It is a mark of modern civilization that we now buy and sell what nature provides for free. Trees, water, minerals, open land - these are profit opportunities for those who can turn them into timber, dams, bottled water, diamond rings, or condominium complexes. For issues directly relating to oil, gas, and coal, see also Energy. Pharmaceuticals The cost of prescription drugs has never been higher, and pharmaceutical companies have never spent more persuading consumers that they need drugs they've never heard of for illnesses they didn't know they had. Drug companies are also spending millions defending patents and persuading the FDA to approve new drugs ever faster. Meanwhile, developing countries go without desperately needed drugs because pharmaceutical companies fear that lowering prices for the neediest is a slippery slope. Big Pharma says high prices fund research and innovation. Retail & Mega-Stores Big-box stores like Wal-Mart, Asda and Home Depot have squeezed out small businesses all around the world, driving down wages and quality of life where they do business, all in the name of low prices. They are the largest, slowest-moving easy targets, smaller (and yet still massive) retail chains like Starbucks, Forever 21, Abercrombie & Fitch, the Gap and others have also drawn fire for sweatshop abuses, labor violations, and other questionable corporate behavior. Technology & Telecommunications Technology has seeped into nearly every aspect of modern life, from the food we eat to the ways we communicate. Consequently, telecommunications and technology corporations have gained huge power over the past two decades. Cable companies bicker with telephone monopolies over the internet; customer support for ubiquitous laptop computers is off shored from Silicon Valley to Bangalore; obsolete electronics pile up in developing world landfills, exposing children to toxic metals; and multinationals tinker with the technology of nature to make a tomato that doesn't spoil on a grocery shelf. Ubiquity, especially when it melds into the background of daily life, is perhaps the most powerful tool of corporate power. Tobacco The executives of Big Tobacco have stopped insisting that tobacco is not addictive, but have not stopped making a killing from the deadly addictive quality of their product. The steady demand, particularly in the developing world where regulation doesn't reach, breeds a booming business in smuggling, as well as aggressive marketing schemes targeting the poor, minorities, and children. International treaties and successful lawsuits have helped to slow the malignant spread of tobacco in the United States and other developed nations, but the industry remains one of the largest and most influential in national and international politics. Tourism & Real Estate Tourism fuels some of the biggest development worldwide. Cruise ship operators are under fire for dumping waste in the oceans and exhaust into the skies; ski resorts an golf courses scar the land and pollute waterways. Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry that frequently puts luxury ahead of the environment, respect for indigenous cultures, and sensitivity to land use issues. Real estate, some of it fueled by tourism, but also by the expansion of business, runs up against many of the other issues we cover - water use, land use, and the use of political influence to muscle into desirable locations, often with tax-breaks as a bonus. With real-estate the latest boom (or perhaps more appropriately "bubble") industry, issues associated with development - such as suburban sprawl - have become more immediate. Transportation Planes, trains, and automobiles ... almost every industry we cover requires a means of getting its goods from point A to point B. It could be your wintertime Granny Smith apple, shipped from Chile; or your iPod, made of parts flown in from China and assembled in California until it is trucked to your city, or flown back to your country. The gasoline in your car (which perhaps came from Detroit, Japan, Korea, or Germany) may be from Venezuela or Iraq. Almost everything you buy is better traveled than you could ever hope to be. And that translates into major profit for the corporations that own the means of transport. War & Disaster Profiteering CorpWatch looks at the intertwined relationship between private industry, the US Armed Forces and federal policy makers. We look at the domestic and foreign impacts of this dangerous complex. Requirements for BLOG POSTS
73 Comments
Melissa Nevarez
2/10/2016 09:31:32 am
I chose the article about the fight against tobacco, which involves domestic battles and global implications. There are a lot of questions we all want to know about fighting tobacco, how important it is, and how much it has affected all of us. First, what organizations and administrations is the international tobacco controlled by? Well, it all opens in Geneva and is not a priority for the Bush administration. They'll have to decide if they want to continue the federal lawsuit seeking reimbursement for healthcare costs from the tobacco companies and/or alleging a conspiracy to defraud the government. They all intended to force the administration to take a stand on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA). Because of their regulation of tobacco. Second, where was the most recent experience of Central Point located? It was located in the Southwest corner of Oregon. There, the City Council voted in January 2000 to stop tobacco from affecting the local. Third, when did the tobacco money split? It split in 1990. Split 53%-47% in favor of the Republicans. Also in 2000 the money favored the Republicans by 83-17 margin. Fourth, who exactly was helping the fight against tobacco? The U.S anti-tobacco advocates. they did litigation, publication of internal industry documents, exposes of industry malfeasance, and effective anti-smoking programs instates like Massachusetts and Florida. Finally, why do they want to fight against tobacco? More deaths were caused because of tobacco. If this helps decrease it, then the death rates will decrease and people will start getting healthier and live longer.
Reply
Antonio Vila
2/15/2016 07:46:55 pm
Tobacco is one of the most subtly advertised products legally sold around the world with heavily negative impacts that accompany addiction. Marketing brings it all. So there are so many less ads promoting it in between our favorite tv shows or entertainment events, but they make their way into movies and the actual tv shows. The anti-tobacco ads aren't any better because they get us tobacco in our heads regardless of the consequence it still is a promotion. The less we see it in our entertainment, the better the nation of consumers will be.
Reply
Elena Saldivar
2/10/2016 11:30:51 am
My report will be on how big box stores and companies are pushing small business out of business and they truth behind there success as a company. Why can these companies sell their products at such “fair” prices? Mostly due to that a lot of these companies have make the product out of the country in rural areas. This what pushes small business out of business. Where are most of these factories are? They can be found in countries like India, china, South American mostly third world countries. Due to that companies want to make the product as cheap as they can they mostly do business in countries like these. From these factories been overseas who is gaining and who is losing? The people who are gaining are the people at the head of the company who benefit from the sales they get form people buying their product. The people who are not benefiting from this are the workers themselves. If this is the case what are the conditions like for the workers in the factories? They are not pleasant, some have to work in 100 degree, work with dangers chemicals and be at risk of affecting there pay if they half to take sick days off of work. They don’t even get paid that much for there work either. When did the works decide enough was enough? The employees always knew so the works got together and protest for better conditions in the factories, also better pay and hours.
Reply
Matthew Mullen
2/14/2016 12:02:22 am
Sometimes I take for granted that the workers making a lot of the products I buy and use on a daily basis work in such terrible conditions. I know about the low pay, but I didn't know that a lot of workers work in 100 degree factories for almost no money or benefits. This is truly terrible.
Reply
Kevin Manago
2/14/2016 03:18:20 pm
We all take these kind of mass produced products for granted. We all know that they come from sweat shops. Employees need to work for their family and they barely make any. We know these but we choose to ignore it. We all live privileged and ignore these facts.
Reply
Lawrence Erispe
2/14/2016 09:46:14 pm
I saw this documentary on how H&M, Zara, and other companies that sell clothes really cheap and pay the workers at sweatshops a lot less. The people are working in terrible conditions for very low pay. While factories in America are shutting down, more factories open in third world countrys where the factory owner and business owners make a profit while the workers are working to barely survive.
Reply
Morgan Brum
2/14/2016 11:57:25 pm
I completely agree with your statements. It's a mor of these bigger companies hat are competing with smaller ones which make it harder for people who don't have bigger corporations to thrive. For example I was in San Jose a couple weeks ago and it was a nightmare trying to find parking. There was a difference between a giant parking garage that cost 10 dollars. And then there was a really small parking garage ether next to it that cost 15. It seemed like the big garage was a bigger corporation so they could lower some of their rates since they had more spots making it more competitive. It's this that puts out small business's.
Reply
Eskarletl Ruiz
2/15/2016 12:53:34 pm
I never really thought of why the prices are so low. The video Story of Stuff also really opened my eyes. I didn't know just how bad the resources were being destroyed and the price of whatever object can not cover even half of the work that went into it. Factory workers don't get the pay they deserve, and they don't even get good working conditions.
Reply
Adriana Serna
2/10/2016 01:41:40 pm
The industry I chose is on retail and mega-stores, more specifically how private company Forever 21 is being sued for sweatshop conditions in the United States. It is shocking to think U.S. companies are not just allowing sweatshop conditions happen abroad but also letting them happen right here in our country, in the state of California, when we are supposed to be a "country of opportunities."
Reply
Justine Calso
2/14/2016 09:26:25 pm
I learned that employees of F21 don't get paid even for their overtime at work. That sucks! Managers should stand up and protect their employees. As a retail worker myself, I feel for the employees. One question I have is where are these sweatshop located in California?
Reply
Adriana Serna
2/21/2016 01:29:22 am
Many our located in the LA area.
Antonio Villa
2/10/2016 10:51:57 pm
I found interest in doing my report on food and agriculture. The initiation of most modifications to food have been to preserve it longer, make more of it, make bugs stay away from it and to minimize all costs of production. It is in the best interest of the producers to get the biggest bang for their buck than to care about our health. Hmm. What could cause a chocolate thriving company like Nestle to have a recall of 400 million packets of instant noodles in India? I'll give y'all a hint, it's in the water supply of the city of Flint. Yup, it's LEAD. A hazardous amount to keep it conveniently understated, but Vijay Bahadur is more blunt in stating how it is "life-threatening." Who are the primary consumers of cups of instant noodles? Well it's a quick meal that's quite the hunger, simple to make and only prices at $0.20! Yes, it is the go to product for the hardworking population that with rougher wages. I know many students who live off this stuff and the brand Maggi was India's top seller with about 80% of the instant noodle market. The biggest consumers in India consist of tired mothers and soldiers in remote Himalayan outposts. What happened when the food inspectors of the State of Uttar Pradesh found the levels of lead dangerous and asked the company to recall the packets of noodles? The company did not comply. The food inspectors had to appeal the case to the national authorities to file a criminal complaint. The complaint lead to a drop in sales for the product and brought more attention to the case, even from Wall Street. How did the CEO of Nestle respond to the case? Paul Bulcke claimed that they [the company] hold the same standards of quality for all their products everywhere. Makes you question the smile that hot chocolate really brings you. He then recalled 27,420 tons of noodles and laid off 1,500 workers. When and who will be held accountable for the lack of effort in providing safe products of consumption? The corporations hold great influence and vast resources, yet profit is a larger concern than health. While it remains in corporate control and interests, the populations' health is not a priority.
Reply
Adriana Serna
2/13/2016 12:48:24 am
Being conscious of what we eat everyday isn't something we are good at. We live lives where its go-go-go, we are too busy to pay attention. We buy what is cheap and easy to make. And let's face it, it taste good. But honestly we are slowly killing ourselves with these foods that are processed and contains chemicals we shouldn't be ingesting. Correction, these big name companies and producers are killing us slowly and you are right, they don't care about our health because they just want us to keep on buying. They are counting on the lifestyle that most of us live, busy and mostly low on money. What upsets me is that they won't take responsibility for their crime and we don't to anything as a consumer to say we don't like the health risk you are putting us in with deadly chemicals etc. Most are giving silent consent because we keep on buying and we don't even know it because we are too busy to pay attention. It needs to change, we need to become aware, it needs to be in the consumers interest, our interest.
Reply
Rohit Mathew
2/14/2016 10:33:44 pm
With respect to Maggi being sold in India, I heard of it finally getting banned. But this ban didn't hold up too long as the vast majority of the Indian public remained unaware to the problem at hand, and in the process Maggi was welcomed back into everyone of those grateful households who love a 2 min meal.
Reply
Eskarletl Ruiz
2/11/2016 12:01:09 am
This article talk about how the country of India banned Coca-Cola from manufacturing their drink there, for exploiting their water source, when they already had a scarce amount of water. Why did coca-cola take water knowing that it was a violation their operating license? I believe they did this because big corporate companies like this are so used to abusing and exploiting other lands resources. It's like some kind of shared mandatory rule to destroy the land you are using as a resource, if you're a corporate company. They usually get away with it too, so they didn't expect to get caught in India. Who gets affected by the actions coca-cola has taken? Everyone in India basically gets harmed because they don't have enough water, and with the industry tapping into their private water just to make one lousy liter of soda, the civilians get robbed of their right to their water. Also the company itself gets a bad reputation because of the publicity of the scandal. Who, most likely started the proposition to get Coca-Cola out of their land? The farmers depend on water the most because they grow the lands agriculture. They are the ones that are the most driven to take action. What happened to make Coca-Cola's finally leave India? Many petitions were made to stop the distribution of the drink by many village residents and farmers. I would of liked to say that Coca-cola would have left before they left India in a critical point of water deprivation, but sadly that is not the case. When was Coca-Cola planning on stopping to exploit India's water supply? My guess is never. They would have kept going for as long as they could if they never got caught. They lowered India's water level drastically and when confronted abut it denied everything.
Reply
josue monroy
2/11/2016 08:36:24 pm
It’s a shame that all these big corporations don't care about anything but making a profit. They will do what ever it takes to brings more profit at a less cost without caring about any negative affects they might bring to our planet or its people. They’re so wealthy they believe that the law doesn't apply to them. I am pretty sure that coca cola isn’t the only company taking advantage of other countries.
Reply
Elena Saldivar
2/12/2016 12:11:53 pm
Even though it dose not surprise me one bit, it is still a problem that many consumers like us do now about and aren’t aware of. It is a shame that even though these companies are giving work to people in these third world countries, it dose not help entirely.
Reply
Kevin Manago
2/14/2016 03:21:47 pm
I would take a huge bet that getting Coca-Cola out of India required a huge amount of petitioners. Large scale companies like Coca-Cola can usually get away with a lot of things unless it is very well publicized.
Reply
Ha Mac
2/14/2016 07:59:39 pm
Coca Cola is a big corporation and they should be aware of keeping their good reputaion other than just making money. Even though they are big, I don’t think they coule keep making profit if they are blamed too much by people. Many other big corporations face the same issues, which make me so confused when using their products
George Boxberger
2/11/2016 04:20:20 pm
My industry is the financial services, insurance, and banking industries.
Reply
josue monroy
2/11/2016 08:22:21 pm
Its sucks but its true! And sadly we do live in a corrupt society. The higher class, the rich folks will always have the system working in their favor. Wall street and all those multi-millionaire industries play a major role and have a huge impact in our political system.
Reply
josue monroy
2/11/2016 05:42:18 pm
Reply
Chrissy Bishop
2/11/2016 07:17:03 pm
The topic I choose to talk about involves fast food workers holding a huge strike throughout the U.S.. Tons of fast food workers that were paid low wages went held strikes and protests in about 100 cities around the U.S. on September 4th. The reason for the protests were because the workers were demanding for 15$ an hour from companies like Burger King, KFC, McDonald's and Wendy's. Why did everyone just start protesting now? Since 2012 the “Low Pay Is Not OK” campaign has been in effect when the New Yorkers went on strike for the same thing. They were getting paid a lousy $8.45 an hour that is avraged too about $17,500 a year. One cannot support themselves on that, especially in New York. What is it that keep these workers wanting to stay? They need the money and this is the only job they can get. In the article it speaks about a man named McConnell who quit his job as teacher so he could work at McDonald's to provide for his mentally ill sister. When was it that the fast food industry becomes too much to handle? During the protest he walked off his fast food job in May. To protest the terrible working condtions he and his coworkers had to go through. He said its for his coworkers who have fainted working in 95-100 degrees condtions near the stoves. Along with the ones who have gotten hours docked and wages stolen. What has McDonald's done about this issue? Nothing. McDonald's stated that it does not set salarys for workers since the fast food outlets are small business owned franchises who purchase supplies and the brand name from the parent company. Because of this activists filed 181 cases against the company in late 2012 for harrissing workers who were orginzing higher wages. What about the protests? Over 436 people were arrested around the country at picket protests and sit ins as well as marches. On top of all that trade organizations are fighting back at the protests. Saying that the activities have been proven to be PR stunts and the majority of activist were paid. Which may or may not be the case.
Reply
Melissa Nevarez
2/12/2016 07:51:16 pm
I personally agree when the workers want to get paid more than lousy $8 or $9 an hour. Honestly I've had friends that have worked in fast food places and some that still do. They've told me it's really worse then people think, but you got to work anyways. So I believe it and think that protesting is a good idea.
Reply
Noel Alejandre
2/14/2016 07:32:08 pm
It sucks for people that are getting paid minimum wage on big cities where rent is too high. Everything is very expensive and people have to really look where they spend their money on or they won't have anything to eat. They have to be wise on what they do with their money. I know some people have to work two jobs in order to survive, because minimum wage is not enough to support a family.
Reply
Ha Mac
2/14/2016 08:04:02 pm
I think people should be paid more even if they are working in fastfood store. I agree with you that things are getting expensive here in the USA and if their wages are still the same, they would not have enough money to live. They find it hard to leave the job and look for a new one with higher salary, so they keep working hard.
Rohit Mathew
2/14/2016 10:52:56 pm
With minimum wages remaining stagnant for large periods of time, I understand why protests are in need. We don't expect multinational companies to dilute their wealth amongst the lower end of the corporate ladder willfully, and the government would gladly allow the minimum wages to remain stagnant as it keeps their rich friends happy. The only option left is to voice out one's opinion, and for that people are shone to prison. We strive for equality but it seems uncertain in a political system that is fabricated to make the rich, even more rich and vice versa for the poor.
Reply
Kevin Manago
2/11/2016 08:23:15 pm
My report is about DaVita Dialysis and how they had to pay a certain amount of money for kidney treatment fraud claims.
Reply
Elena Saldivar
2/12/2016 12:20:54 pm
That is very interesting to know about this. I would have never know what lengths super medical companies would go to stay on top. Yes even though it is the number one treatment if your kidney’s failed but that dose not mean you still cant take care or your patients.
Reply
Justine Calso
2/14/2016 09:51:37 pm
I agree with you, I never knew that medical companies would do this to their patients and abuse insurance companies just to be number 1. It's such a waste to only use half a vial, throw it away and then open a brand new one. Just imagine all the patients who could get treatment, but don't because vials are being wasted. It makes me wonder if any of my doctors have ever done this to me or family members.
Landon Tang
2/14/2016 07:19:27 pm
When big corporations do these kind of things they expect a monetary settlement will just make all the wrongdoings go away and more often then not they do. The media is constantly rehashing issues of lower importance and allowing the main issues to be forgotten. Maybe they are getting paid to ignore such a big issue like this? Regardless we need more oversight to keep these mega corporations in line and transparent.
Reply
Kaysie Nassman
2/11/2016 08:58:25 pm
Media & Entertainment
Reply
Andrew Luft
2/11/2016 09:06:07 pm
The industry of tobacco is always under fire (no pun intended) for the health risks and damages caused by their products.
Reply
Melissa Nevarez
2/12/2016 08:01:56 pm
I have a lot of friends who smoke cigarettes and some who are now addicted. I've asked them how their lives have been affected by cigarettes and they noticed their breathing has changed. They breathe harder than they use to. So I believe cigarettes can cause your breathing to change and can cause possibly death depending how often you smoke.
Reply
Ha Mac
2/11/2016 09:09:06 pm
Media and entertainment is what cross my mind when looking for an industry to write about. This industry has become an essential part of our daily life. People use cellphones and computers all the time.
Reply
Payton Palazzolo
2/11/2016 09:15:01 pm
The article that I'm going to be writing my questions on is part of the Media and Entertainment and it's titled, "Verizon (and Google) Helped U.S. government to spy on reporters." I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into when reading this article, but when I found out about how the government uses technology corporations to obtain personal information was shocking.
Reply
Brandon L
2/11/2016 10:14:43 pm
That is an interesting thought of who takes responsibility and which carries to trust. But i wonder also if the government already has arrangements with all carries put in a business like that to either forcibly or be bought out so that all information gets transferred through the governments eyes.
Reply
Lawrence Erispe
2/14/2016 09:53:10 pm
This relates to the End Of America video that we watched in class on how the government may use information against you even if you did not do anything wrong. It is like the spies they had during The Cold War in the Soviet Union. It is like America is turning into these countries that they tried to prevent from being in power.
Van Truong
2/11/2016 09:22:45 pm
Why KPMG as an accounting firm not report the suspicious money being deposited into the swiss bank accounts?
Reply
Landon Tang
2/11/2016 09:25:56 pm
I chose the Energy Industry, specifically the resultant situation from my article; BP being sued by Mexico
Reply
Brandon L
2/11/2016 10:14:52 pm
I'm curious as to the legal battle, and what has come of it. Also curious upon the damages said to be 1.25 billion like, what can be done for all the damage that has been done.
Reply
Andrew Luft
2/14/2016 01:04:39 pm
I remember when the BP oil crisis happened and was all over the news. It is crazy to think that a catastrophe of such extreme proportion like that still hasn’t been dealt with. It just goes to show now only how powerful these giant corporations are, but how impactful they truly are upon our ecosystems.
Reply
Noel Alejandre
2/14/2016 07:20:46 pm
It is very sad that the most affected by this are the animals that live on those waters. Human mistakes really affect the environment. we have to do something to try to prevent this from happening again in the future. I wonder what those three states are going to be doing with the cash that they are trying to get. If there is anyone that deserves the money, it is the fisherman that cannot go fish in those waters any more. they are the ones that need the help.
Reply
Antonio Villa
2/15/2016 08:02:34 pm
How difficult must it be to explain to adults to clean up after themselves? For a company to profit so much off of exploiting the earth of it's resources, you might assume they would have the common sense to keep their equipment in a good functioning condition to keep the money coming, but disregarding their lack of maintenance of their assets; they have a responsibility to invest in the repairs and cleaning of the mess they cause. They have the funds to do it and they can get positive PR and develop more relationships through such a move, maybe even sell more stock. It is an unsettling feeling to watch our world slowly destroyed by wealthy greedy men who believe in nothing.
Reply
Trevor Davies
2/11/2016 09:53:18 pm
Who: The fast food workers hold biggest ever strike for wages in U.S. The low wages at fast food companies are not adequate to survive on.
Reply
Brandon Lingerfelt
2/11/2016 10:00:23 pm
My article I chose was called Greenwashing Walmart by Pratap Chatterjee, in April 2012. What caught my eye for this article and why I choose it was the intro being “Is Walmart going green?”, and starting off with who, it is Walmart, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and ILSR ( Institute for Local Self-Reliance with Food & Water Watch. In order that I listed them what is happening in this article appears to be Walmart being partnered with the Environment Defense Fund to have a more fond public image, and ILSR with Food & Water Watch on the opposite spectrum being unconvinced with a report in ways Walmart fails on sustainability. When all this happened I am sure is still happening to this day, even though this article was posted in 2012, critical exposure dates back to a film in 2005, so I could assume that Walmart has yet to completely change its ways of production. Why, this is important because it’s our environment and just like the video we watched earlier in the quarter about “Stuff” Walmart supplies a lot of the “Stuff” you’re probably using to this day. Whether you shop at Walmart or not it is a high possibility that you’ve encountered some form of “stuff” in your daily life. And important because Walmart is trying to gain a favored public image when in reality it doesn’t even have much sustainability and is using it’s wanted image as a marketing tool, as told from Stacy Mitchell, a senior researcher from ILSR. Where this is happening? Everywhere...It’s Walmart, 1,100 new stores opened since 2005- 2012(article date) “sometimes paving over land with endangered species.” So it truly is happening globally.
Reply
Justine Calso
2/11/2016 10:30:28 pm
Who were the companies that employed these miners?
Reply
Justine Calso
2/11/2016 10:32:46 pm
I chose the natural industries industry, which turns natural resources into products we use. My specific article was South African Gold Miners Sue Over Deadly Lung Disease.
Reply
Andrew Luft
2/14/2016 01:15:51 pm
It is crazy to think about how much these massively powerful corporations lack compassion and simple decency for human life and well-being. It’s hard for me to imagine how when they have so much money they will do all they can to avoid spending any on the people who are doing all of the footwork for them. It’s really quite sad how extremely power tends to corrupt so much to the point that we would so willingly and sparingly throw away our humanity for another dollar.
Reply
2/11/2016 10:50:23 pm
Food and Agriculture "Fast Food Workers Hold Biggest Ever Strike For Wages in U.S."
Reply
Charbel Mawad
2/11/2016 11:19:55 pm
In the Bay Area, I believe I heard somewhere that the “livable wage” is in the high $30’s per hour. The minimum wage is intended for high schoolers, not adults with families. So, the best bet is to get an education, followed by a degree, and find a career that pays well. Unless you’re from Kentucky, South Dakota, or any other state where the cost of living is very low, $15 an hour just won’t cut it.
Reply
2/11/2016 11:28:55 pm
Yes that is true but unfortunately many folks who who to America for better opportunities or low income folks, don't have the kind of time or money to attend college. If someone has to work minimum wage to live, they would probably have to work over 60-70 hours a week and it would be difficult to attend college. I guess it depends on everyones situations.
Charbel Mawad
2/11/2016 11:14:33 pm
I chose to write about the media and entertainment industry. To be precise, I wanted to explore the “World Cup Scandal” article. Fifa, football's world governing body, has had claims of widespread corruption since summer 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is also continuing. Fifa's president Sepp Blatter has always denied any wrongdoing - but in September, he too was made the subject of a Swiss criminal investigation, launched alongside the US inquiry.The scandal erupted in May, with a raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich and the arrest of seven Fifa executives - conducted at the behest of the US authorities. So, why does this matter? The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, larger even than the Olympics. It generates billions of dollars in revenue from corporate sponsors, broadcasting rights and merchandising. These arrests and investigations cast doubt over the transparency and honesty for the process of allocating World Cup tournaments, electing its president, and the administration of funds, including those earmarked for improving football facilities in some of Fifa's poorer members. What were they accused of? They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011. The Fifa ethics committee said that pair had demonstrated an "abusive execution" of their positions.
Reply
Matthew Mullen
2/11/2016 11:17:42 pm
1) Question:
Reply
Charbel Mawad
2/11/2016 11:36:35 pm
What other country(ies) have been affected by invasive people destroying their homes and land? Well, the first country that comes to mind is Syria, which is being destroyed by the current civil war that’s happening. ISIS is invading most of the towns and destroying homes, churches, and killing innocent people. It’s beyond horrific what is happening to those people, and I have family in parts of Syria that are trying to avoid the terrorists.
Reply
Nancy Park
2/11/2016 11:21:24 pm
"U.S. Government Buys Surveillance Technology To Track Drivers in Real Time"
Reply
2/11/2016 11:25:21 pm
It is no lie that America is a closed nation already. They say we have freedom, but anything you do can and will be monitored. It is sad when we are told all of our rights but as soon as someone challenges their rights, they can get in trouble for it. So many young folks have had their lives ruined for what? Because America is a closed nation and it is getting worse.
Reply
Yunlin Xie
2/12/2016 12:12:37 am
Firstly, If America is a closed country, there is no open country in the world. If in a closed country, we cannot even say something bad to the government or president, we should be very careful when talk about politics. In a closed country, all the history textbooks are "ameliorated" already. In a closed country, the political textbooks are all about how good the country and government is. In a closed country, mass media is controlled by the government. In a closed country, there is no facebook, no youtube, no way to connect to a foreign website. Secondly, I have to say America is not as "open" as before.
Nimsy Velasquez
2/11/2016 11:45:23 pm
Retail & Mega- Stores “Ikea France Accused of Spying on Employees”
Reply
Nadia Villanueva
2/14/2016 09:38:37 pm
It pisses me off how big companies and industries have the power to attent against the rights of their workers like privacy. Nowadays peole don't even have the right to think what they want or be what they want because their jobs and careers will depend of it and it shouldn't. I liked the article that you choosed so I read it all
Reply
Lawrence Erispe
2/11/2016 11:45:23 pm
The article I chose to talk about was the BP vs the Mexican fishing companies. This article talks about how BP, an oil company had a well that blew up, caught fire, and killed eleven people. The well was still burning for three months. A result of there was a massive spill of oil, 4.9 million barrels of oil. The location of this event was between the U.S and Mexico. Both countries were affected, but only the Americans were compensated whereas the Mexicans weren’t.
Reply
Yunlin Xie
2/11/2016 11:47:10 pm
The industry I choose is “Tourism and Real Estate”, and the article I choose is “Cambodian Villagers Land Bulldozed for UDG Casino Complex”.
Reply
Yunlin Xie
2/12/2016 12:00:46 am
A lot of similar cases happened in China, it is shameful that they even take this "inhumanity" to other countries. I do know how many people died in this kind of issues. The Chinese government is always pretending "a good person" and even blame those real-estate businessmen for their violence and inhumanity. It is the government, who gets the money, who do not need to anything damaging its image, and who can even find a scapegoat to blame. Many Chinese people are still surrounded by a lot of illusions created by government.
Reply
Yunlin Xie
2/12/2016 12:19:31 am
i wan to say "i do NOT know how many people died because of the issues". Money and power are usually connected. People who are poor as well as without power, we can only wait to be trampled.
Landon Tang
2/14/2016 07:24:32 pm
I believe that China is emulating what past powerful states have done. America used force against the Native Americans, England used force when they colonized India would be prime examples of "use of force" to achieve the nations goals. It's a vicious cycle but this pattern will be repeated time and time again.
Reply
Rohit Mathew
2/11/2016 11:50:51 pm
I would like to comment on the manufacturing industry. It is here that raw materials are transformed into finished goods, on a large scale. Which brings me to my first question, how do they achieve this? It could be capital or labor intensive. Capital intensive production allows them firm to use heavy machinery in order to meet the large demand of a particular finished product, whereas labor intensive would rely on man power to do the same. What is capital intensive labor usually associated with? It is usually associated with higher externality rates in terms of mass emission rate of toxic gasses. Many firms seek to maximize profits and thus implement ways to reduce their costs. Some of these methods may indulge firms into not installing essential equipment in order to reduce or filter the toxic emissions. By doing this, they are able to maintain a relatively lower product cost, which means higher product competitiveness in the market. Do manufacturing industries that employ a labor intensive method, have similar issues?
Reply
Nadia Villanueva
2/11/2016 11:52:30 pm
Turism & Real Estate
Reply
Lorena G
2/12/2016 12:04:26 am
"Fast Food Workers file lawsuit against McDonalds for alleged wage theft"
Reply
Adriana Serna
2/13/2016 01:11:49 am
To be working at a place like McDonald's is looked down upon by most people, an old teacher of mine used to insult us by saying we were all going to be working at McDonald's one day if we didn't start getting the answers correct. But honestly, the hardest working people work in that fast-food chain. They deal with terrible pay, terrible hours, rude costumers and most people with "decent jobs" probably couldn't do the job they do. We see the job description and think "easy job for slackers" but even slackers would be overwhelmed because behind that job description is so much more. It deserves more than what workers are being paid. All people deserve a livable wage not just a minimum wage and big companies like McDonald's don't understand that.
Reply
Matthew Mullen
2/13/2016 03:36:05 am
I have gone through a similar situation. I used to work at Abercrombie Kids and we did not get paid for our breaks, and were regularly pushed to purchase their clothes. My managers would often threaten to give me a "mark" on my record if I didn't comply with the dress code (which I never did because I hated the clothes). Good thing though I live with my parents like you or else it would be much more serious like the workers at McDonalds.
Reply
Eskarletl Ruiz
2/15/2016 12:57:59 pm
It really pains me that this area of work gets treated as less than. Every form of work is good, and people shouldn't be judged by their job. Fast-food workers do get it pretty bad because no one respects them and people who don't work there, but eat there think they have the right to walk all over them. It's ashame.
Reply
Noel Alejandre
2/12/2016 01:12:46 am
Sometimes in construction a lot of laws can be broken. Employees can be over worked and have their right violated. So, what is the problem with this? The problem when this happens, is that workers complain and sue the companies. Companies try to find some one else to blame for the problem and counter sue who ever is causing them the problems. Who is involve in this? Vinci, a french construction company with over 2.3 billions in contracts to build stadiums for the world cup soccer tournament in the next 7 years. They have over 9,00 employees and 15 already file a complain of being over worked and in bad conditions. Where is this happening? This is happening in Qatar and migrants from south and south east Asia go Qatar to work as Janitor, in food services and management level jobs to send money back home to support their families.In Qatar 94 percent of the employees are migrants. Why is this happening? Qatar economy is growing fast and with a lot of job openings, it attracts people from other countries to go work there. With all this work that needs to be done in a seven year time, workers are being over worked and are filling lawsuits against the companies because their rights are being violated. What can they do to prevent this from happening? Vinci already took the first step to preventing from happening by inviting Unions, Reporters, Journalist and people from outside to come work, inspect, and see that they are following the laws. I think that when workers have unions, they have more work secure and companies do not take advantage of the employees.
Reply
Nadia Villanueva
2/14/2016 11:59:31 pm
It is really sad what big companies do that to workers specially to the ones without papers or that are afraid to being fired. It's not only in this country but in many other parts of the world. Also in Brasil happened the same case about workers constructing the stadiums for the World Cup. You're right, when workers have unions they have more work secure.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Poli 1 - DeAnza
Winter 2016 |