News Briefs (before I go)
News you can use all day
Only one, today…
- From the SF Chron – Everything that is wrong with Corporate America in one story:
“The last pineapple company in Hawaii is shutting down to shift growing operations to countries such as the Philippines, where labor is cheaper.”
OK, so essentially what they are saying is that Corporate America’s Big Ag does not make enough money to grow a pineapple in the US.
What they are really saying is that Hawaii, because it is an island, has no illegal immigrant population to pick pineapples — they have to pay the workers/residents the going wage, and it is not profitable enough for them, so they are not only leaving the country for a low-wage (and human rights abuse nation), they are destroying the fields, paving them over, so no one else can compete.
For historical perspective, change the word “pineapple” for car, software, clothing… furniture, whatever industry of choice.
I am also appalled that the writer of the story looked no deeper than the press release. This is a story that is also evidence of the Death of the Media. What happened to critical thinking? They gave the writer the lede and s/he didn’t use it, but then again, it is the AP, so go figure.
But, but if the AP newswhores asked pesky questions, they would have been escorted out of the reception before the nibbles and hookers were served.
So if we follow this trend to it’s logical conclusion these short sighted greed heads will have to start importing consumers to buy the crap since no one here will be making a living wage any more. Hey maybe the tourism industry can pimp out all the Costcos and turn them into destination resorts for foreign consumers.