Tops accused of antitrust - no fear, Kucinich is here

[DougHuntingdon]

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plain ... xml&coll=2

[DougHuntingdon]

Ryan

Maybe the DeLorean (with Lakewood ties) or Avanti (Youngstown aka Crimetown ties) could be brought back.

I believe the Russian car company Volga purchased plans, designs, etc. for some 1950s era Lincoln models and just kept producing them year after year after year (with minor changes). Seriously, I wonder why there has to be so much change in each car model from year to year. If the 2006 Ford 500 is such a great car, why can't they keep making it the same way for several years, barring any major defects? What is the point of moving the headlights around from year to year? Is the point just to make it easier for police to identify vehicles of criminals?

Last I heard, they are still producing the traditional Volkswagen Beetle in Mexico. This is different than the fake kind that is sold in the USA, which is just a VW Gulf with a beetle shell. Of course, the Gulf was just a reincarnated VW Rabbit...not that there is anything wrong with a Rabbit.

Doug

[ryan costa]

Yes. I wonder if yearly models are a good way to go about research and development and engineering in the automotive industry.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Last I heard, they are still producing the traditional Volkswagen Beetle in Mexico. This is different than the fake kind that is sold in the USA, which is just a VW Gulf with a beetle shell. Of course, the Gulf was just a reincarnated VW Rabbit...not that there is anything wrong with a Rabbit.

Doug

Doug we all know why they change cars. Vanity. There is a certain percentage of the population that need to know Orange is the new Red. Then own it. It is this vanity that is preyed upon.

The Rabbit was the US version of the Golf. It was detuned and lamed out for over here. Eventually VW preyed on the outcry for the cooler version, changed the badge, and chip in the engine and viola a second life.

The Beetle of course was the answer to the BMW marketing survey done when they acquired Austin/BMC and the drawings for the NEW Mini, to see if it would even sell. That was leaked and VW hurried the Beetle into production. As that was just a shell on a frame it took months to retool, where the Mini took years. This was also the route take by Dodge with the PT Cruiser which is just a body on a Dodge Neon chassis.

As for the anti-trust I believe if I heard correctly it was either Topps or Giant Eagle that asked the Federal Trade Commission for a ruling before moving forward. Then the Federal Trade Commission asked for input.

While much of it could have been considered grandstanding, something politicians rarely do, especially in October . It does bring up some very important problems with the whole food channel. Could food supplies dry up in this town as did jobs? Is there a concentrated effort to move Americans away from the new Kuwait(the Great Lakes) and for what reason $$$$, property, disbursements, ignorance?

At a time when people should be moving closer to fresh water, they are fleeing in record numbers to the southwest. The southwest has NO water, humans need water, and the Great Lake states and Canada have said not from us. Makes no sense. Yet every city with a few exceptions are failing mostly from outside pressures. Recently the Federal Government has made overtures and rules saying even if you are on the lake you have no water rights public(cities) or private(bottling plants).

While Dennis Kucinich is known for his stance on the war it is his stance on the Food Supply Network that draws my admiration. I know of no other politician that has worked so hard on our next biggest problem and threat, the eco-disasters of genetically engineered foods. Also known as the eco-disaster that can NEVER be cleaned up. Currently salmon, canola, soy beans, sugar, corn and wheat are the most affected. As of now there is NO testing on genetically engineered plants, outside of what the company selling them has done. It has crippled Canada's canola production and brought on a slew of problems, most coming from real canola germinating with engineered canola that Monsanto has a patient on. Monsanto has been able to grab family farms as settlements of that farmer using canola he has no rights to. Farm raised genetically engineered salmon have gotten out, and bred with real salmon. One train of thought think in 5 years all salmon will have genetically engineered traits. The oil spill that can never be cleaned up. Now genetic firms are introducing "killer" seeds that either kill off non-engineered crops, or produce crops with no seeds so that you must go back to Monsanto every year to buy seeds. It is something that has escaped many eyes, but Congressman Kucinich has been trying to introduce regulation and testing almost as long as he has been in Congress.

Let's be honest, when you make the commitment to being a Vegan, you have already cut your choices by 90%. As most Vegans do it for health, might as well make sure that 10% left and the rest are healthy.

All fascinating stuff that simmers and bubbles just below the news of the day, Iraq, Madonna, Spears, Priests, Pumpkin Carving, etc.



.

[ryan costa]

Here is good news for some people. Once the big corporations are big monopolies we will be a virtual socialist state or world. With all the deficiencies and advantages either paradigm holds. Everyday Business Transactions will merely be for the sake of exercising Managerial Accounting.

The extremists of both sides will get what they want at the same time.

We are still in the adjustment stage though. Every once in a while it is necessary for for a fruit company to lobby the government to overthrow Central American democracies, for oil companies to insure something will be destroyed so they get the contracts to rebuild it, for more U.S. fruit companies to eliminate British Tariffs on their bananas so relatively well off farmers on former british territories can be converted to the Dole systems

[Jim O'Bryan]

Here is good news for some people. Once the big corporations are big monopolies we will be a virtual socialist state or world. With all the deficiencies and advantages either paradigm holds. Everyday Business Transactions will merely be for the sake of exercising Managerial Accounting.

The extremists of both sides will get what they want at the same time.

We are still in the adjustment stage though. Every once in a while it is necessary for for a fruit company to lobby the government to overthrow Central American democracies, for oil companies to insure something will be destroyed so they get the contracts to rebuild it, for more U.S. fruit companies to eliminate British Tariffs on their bananas so relatively well off farmers on former british territories can be converted to the Dole systems

While some will laugh at this, we both know this is closer to the truth than many think or realize.

Some photos from the 10/22/06 meeting on the Topps/Giant Eagle business buy outs.


Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduces Mayor Thomas J. George.


Congressman Dennis Kucinich asks if Topps really did all they could to secure jobs and open stores to the Topps Human Resource Manager. He also commended the Topps representative for attending. Giant Eagle sent no one.


Congressman Dennis Kucinich, the Topps HR Director, and the Mayor of Maple Heights exchange comments. Maple Heights will be the hardest hit, with losses in taxes estimated at $1.2 million a year and employment losses of over 500 workers.


A Topps employee voices her concerns and the fears of her coworkers over the loss of good paying jobs, with no certain future in the buy out.

[Dennis J Kampe]

JOB

Two "suggestions" and a single PS :

A- Why don't you crawl backward out of a certain part of your good/great buddy djk anatomy and look around Lakewood and NE Ohio vs just having the soles of your feet visible . If you did , you might notice the LACK of LOCAL jobs , failing LOCAL economy and of course your famous " fewer Lakewood Trains situation " etc . Mr DANK - Dennis Achieves Nothing Kucinich" was a JOKE 30 years ago as X boy wonder nearly recalled mayor , JOKE on Lakewood and Dist-10 as DANK for past 10 years as Congressional REPRESENTative and a JOKE 2 years ago as Mr almost pres .

B- In lieu of A above - JOB as "adm" of LO electronic rag sheet you can just Pre-Post or override ALL Posts with a BOLD 20 font sized headline like
"VOTE for my BUDDY - denny for Congress or President of USA or Protector of the world/universe " or at both ends of ALL Other posts .

PS You claim that genetically modified foods is the SECOND BIGGEST Problem speaks volumes about your vision ( see A above ) Where do JOBS ( or lack thereof in JOB/dennyland ) , FAILING LOCAL Economy , health care etc rate ? - NO Jobs NO businesses No health care - YOU will eat ANY Food - modified or not . Finally If you do retract yourself - you might want to spell the roses unless they too have beeen genetically altered .

[Jim O'Bryan]

JOB

Why don't you crawl backward out of a certain part of your good/great buddy djk anatomy and look around Lakewood and NE Ohio vs just having the soles of your feet visible

Dennis

As always a positive intelligent debate from a true deep thinker who is blinded by hate.

May I suggest a cup of Lakewood Observer brand coffee available at most places that serve Phoenix Coffee.

While this is the Lakewood section, take a walk into the rest of the region from Buffalo WEST. the entire region is losing jobs. It is not the fault of Congressman Kucinich, it is the fault of the Federal Government that have made it far more financially feasible to move out of the USA and do business. Congressman Kucinich has helped to keep jobs in Lakewood. Look no further than your favorite program Social Security, and their offices.

Dennis you really have to let the hate go. Maybe you could show me one thing Congressman Kucinich was so wrong on it could manufacturer the blind hate you have for him. Is it your alignment with Barbara Anne Ferris. I like Ms. Ferris, but her campaign people were some of the weakest I have ever seen. Maybe you should direct your anger at her or them. But then it would seem you were part of the group that wanted her elected so the seat would be perceived easy pickings for a Republicanbot.
But the region still would have pocked Ms. Ferris over the criminal enterprise known as Repubicans. The R-Emperors have no clothes. I am still trying to figure out why good honest people like Demro, Wing, Scott, and others are still part of the group.

If you do not think genetically engineered foods are one of the top five problems in this country/world, you are delusional. Today they are genetically engineering blowfish poison, with soy bean and corn crops. The purpose to make them resistant to pests. They can take this cocktail to market WITH NO TESTS! Yeah no big deal. Over 30 family farmers have lost their farms in lawsuits with Monsanto, simply because bees carry Monsanto pollen to real canola plants. Again I guess the loss of all family farms through this is no big deal.

Let me try and make this simple for you. ONCE it happens it can NEVER be cleaned up, NEVER. Even if later one is found to be hazardous. I am not sure but NEVER seems like a really long time, compared to 10 years cleaning up Prince William Sound.

In case you still do not understand, this is allowed through this republican administration, with our only food supply. You know the stuff we eat to live. The evil Congressman Kucinich asked for ban, or at least testing and labeling so that consumers could make a choice.

Dennis, thanks for jumping in. almost forgot what blind hate was like.


peace


.

[ryan costa]

JOB

Two "suggestions" and a single PS :

A- Why don't you crawl backward out of a certain part of your good/great buddy djk anatomy and look around Lakewood and NE Ohio vs just having the soles of your feet visible . If you did , you might notice the LACK of LOCAL jobs , failing LOCAL economy and of course your famous " fewer Lakewood Trains situation " etc . Mr DANK - Dennis Achieves Nothing Kucinich" was a JOKE 30 years ago as X boy wonder nearly recalled mayor , JOKE on Lakewood and Dist-10 as DANK for past 10 years as Congressional REPRESENTative and a JOKE 2 years ago as Mr almost pres .

B- In lieu of A above - JOB as "adm" of LO electronic rag sheet you can just Pre-Post or override ALL Posts with a BOLD 20 font sized headline like
"VOTE for my BUDDY - denny for Congress or President of USA or Protector of the world/universe " or at both ends of ALL Other posts .

PS You claim that genetically modified foods is the SECOND BIGGEST Problem speaks volumes about your vision ( see A above ) Where do JOBS ( or lack thereof in JOB/dennyland ) , FAILING LOCAL Economy , health care etc rate ? - NO Jobs NO businesses No health care - YOU will eat ANY Food - modified or not . Finally If you do retract yourself - you might want to spell the roses unless they too have beeen genetically altered .

The De-industrialization of the United States means most places here will see a loss of jobs and job growth. More places are turning into Cleveland than are turning into the most tricked out suburbs of Houston and Memphis. The present success of the Sunbelt is a temporary condition wrought by greater federal subsidization and relatively cheap fuel(see OIL WARs). These high growth areas have just as many problems with crime and local government/taxes.

It is interesting that an Economist will cite GDP and Productivity Growth one week to assure us our massive Trade and Federal Deficits mean nothing. The next week they will argue that Productivity has stagnated so there is no need to raise minimum wages.

Despite Kucinich's other shortcomings, he pays more lip service to potentially Protectionist policies, so he must be preferable to current Republican opponents.

The only valid argument against protectionism is that it will upset the pattern of behaviors which allow us to borrow money to pay off the enormous debts and continuing enormous deficits we run up under radical Globalism.

It is sad to see Tops stores closing. But under ideal conditions there would be three stores a third the size of Tops, as opposed to One Big store that leaves an enormous vacuum when it is inevitably obsoleted.

[Dennis J Kampe]

re JOB post Monday 10/23 8:01am

Where did you get your degree(s) in psychology ? etc to be able to "analyze others" ? Based upon past posts - what mail order school ( $49 for BS , $99 for MS and $149 for PhD / ) did you use ?

re genetically engineered food problem - see you backed off from NUMBER TWO to now top FIVE - Why let facts confuse the issue

PS In case you don't realize it : TWO NOT the same as FIVE but that's only true in the real world . Also IMO technically/scientifically you don't know jack-xhit about genetic modifications etc - but again why let facts hinder your "arguments"

Finally When do the modified LO headlines - "Vote denny" start ? re-start or continue - disguised as LO info - commercials for your good buddy ?

[ryan costa]

Agriculture in the United States has seen falling profitability for decades. It has also seen falling quality, while we have seen rising cancer rates, obesity, and disease.

While genetically modified agricultural commodities may have the potential to be useful, for now they tend to rely on very capital intensive methods of farming. Excessive irrigation, pesticides, and chemical fertilizer inputs. This in turn messes up water supplies.

The forefront of this has been the cattle industry. Although it continues to modify genes through selective breeding(albeit with artificial insemination and tractors to help deliver offspring). Cattle are bred for size at the expense of strong immune systems and fitness: the expense of raising them then snowball.

Here are two articles describing it. one great quote from them is, "''Hell,'' Ed Blair told me, ''my dad made more money on 250 head than we do on 850.''

Home on the Feed Lot

Breed for vigor



Similar gains in spillover costs and capital costs occur in agriculture. The cool thing to do is modify plants to be immune to pesticides, so you can totally drench the area in pesticides. This kills the soil, so it is then necessary to pump in much more artificial fertilizer and water. Fortunately the soil retains water less efficiently, so when it rains it will wash much of the pesticides and nitrates and phosphates into the nearest lake or ocean.

As compensation, a much smaller fraction of what we pay for meat and vegetables today actually goes to the farmers who raised it. Yet their fixed expenses have risen drastically. Reportedly the same thing has happened in grocery stores: grocers keep a much smaller fraction of the sale price. Where's all the money going? What kind of laws and treaties do the people getting it lobby for?

Sure, The Fast Food industry could face a major downsizing if we made rational agricultural policies a priority. Maybe that is a good thing.

Vacous critics argue this would hurt U.S. beef exports to Japan and China, which we need to "compete in the Global Economy". Shipping frozen meat and highly perishable goods between continents should not be practiced very much anyways, both for ecological and fuel resource management reasons. Besides, industrial strength beef production is such a low or negative profit occupation, it goes against the free market imperatives. And it is not a High Tech Industry of the Future! Global Climate Change will warm up Mongolia and southern Siberia anyhow: They can raise beef there our way if they like.

The practicality of enforcing intellectual property laws for genetically modified crops is laughable. Unless we want to pay illegal immigrants to put little baloons over every pollen organ of every genetically modified plant.

[Jim O'Bryan]

re JOB post Monday 10/23 8:01am

Where did you get your degree(s) in psychology ? etc to be able to "analyze others" ? Based upon past posts - what mail order school ( $49 for BS , $99 for MS and $149 for PhD / ) did you use ?

re genetically engineered food problem - see you backed off from NUMBER TWO to now top FIVE - Why let facts confuse the issue

PS In case you don't realize it : TWO NOT the same as FIVE but that's only true in the real world . Also IMO technically/scientifically you don't know jack-xhit about genetic modifications etc - but again why let facts hinder your "arguments"

Finally When do the modified LO headlines - "Vote denny" start ? re-start or continue - disguised as LO info - commercials for your good buddy ?

Dennis

I am sorry, about the two to top five. I would put Iraq at one and Food Supply at two. But I was allowing you some space so I said five for thee sake of this conversation. But as you must be one of those stay the course kind of guys I didn't mean to confuse you.

As for my phd. how about being on my own since the age of 19, and dealing with thousands of people. Most of who get dressed just like me everyday. But I am sure you would never consider that an education.

I am just amazed that anyone can have such blind hate. Me personally I love life, and my life. I guess you do not feel the same about yours. Sorry.

Please note I have never tried to tell you what to believe or who to support. But your blindness like your hate is staggering in its depth. Is it really that bad in Parma?

To be honest I have stayed out of the day to day operation of the paper but your blind baseless rage with NO FACTS, makes me want to take out a full page ad for Congressman Kucinich. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

peace

[Jeff Endress]

For what it's worth, the Observation Deck allows anyone to express whatever opinion they wish to. It is NOT the same thing a the printed Paper, The Lakewood Observer.

I believe that the paper has refrained from any political endorsements, irrespective of whatever opinions migh be expressed on the Observation Deck. Perhaps its a fine line distinction, but neveretheless is a distinction which should be acknowledged, especially when people tend to blur the two together.

Jeff

[Dennis J Kampe]

re JOB post Oct 23 11:10am

"dressed like you (JOB) " means Wearing pants or a dress or shirt or Blouse - Great comment - very revealing and right to the point

Again - What you feel about yourself is your problem and your business but what you feel about mine is MYOFB .

re JOB " never tried to tell me what to believe or who to support " - Is your memory so short or failing that LO OD exchanges of March-April 2006 Ferris - djk escape you ? If so - re-read BEFORE typing such asinine sentences .

YOUR Full Page For djk ads placement "threat" - Every other LO edition has near full pix and article of our REPRESENTative holding another reactive after the fact accomplish nothing meeting or a photo op w or w/o Mrs III . IMO this qualifies as the LO equivalent of an on going "JOB/LO for djk" effort or do you think one needs to see the words Vote for or Endorse to qualify ? If you believe latter then it may be necessary for you to review original Kampe description of separation between JOB and djk .

Finally you as a self described non book learnt up from the ranks person should recognize the differences between what you subscribe to me Hate versus Disgust and Contempt for a phony who has lived off the public dole for all his adult life .

Was Joke 30 yrs ago as x boy wonder failed mayor , Joke for his 10 yr accomplishments as Ohio-10 REPRESENTative ( just look around ) and Joke as Mr almost Pres

Dennis Accomplish Nothing Kucinich - Mr DANK

[Shawn Juris]

wow, is this for real?