Fast Food Workers In Another City Strike: 'We've Been Pushed To The Edge

Fast food workers in Seattle walked off their jobs late Wednesday and Thursday. That made Seattle the seventh city where fast food workers have gone on strike in recent months. A Taco Bell server in Seattle explains here why she (along with her co-workers) walked off the job Wednesday night -- shutting down a Taco Bell restaurant. Taco Bell didn't comment, referring inquiries to the National Restaurant Association.


By Caroline Durocher

My employer has pushed and pushed my co-workers and me and gotten everything they can out of us. This week, we joined together and pushed back.

I was one of the first fast-food workers to walk off the job Wednesday night in Seattle, and on Thursday more workers are continuing to take a stand for a $15 an hour raise and the right to organize without retaliation.

We work in one of the fastest growing industries in the nation, and our companies are making huge -– even record -– profits, but we don't see enough of that money. We barely earn enough to pay for basics like rent, food and transportation to and from work.

I have worked low-wage jobs since I was 16 years old, and now, at 21, am reluctantly sharing a studio apartment with my dad, working the late shift at Taco Bell.

More: McDonald's Pushes Employees To Be Cheerier

That's not the life I envisioned for myself three years ago, when I was working full time, while studying for an associate of arts degree. I was planning to continue my education and become a psychologist. That was the plan, and that's still the plan. But my school costs became too much of a burden, and I had to leave, just a few credits shy of my degree.

And now I feel stuck in this trap -– the trap of low-wage work. I work the night shift at Taco Bell in Ballard –- running the register for the drive-through, ringing up one customer while taking the order of another. It's fast-paced, hard work, but at the minimum wage of $9.19 per hour and only 27 hours per week, I don't earn enough to make ends meet.

When I ask for more hours, my boss always says the same thing: hours are competitive -– the harder you work, the more hours you'll get. But I work hard, and I haven't gotten any more hours.

I am stuck in a tough spot. I can't get enough hours to get health insurance, but I only qualify for $16 a month in food stamps, which I finally decided wasn't even worth the transportation costs to continue to get them. I can't get a better-paying job, especially without a degree, but I can't afford to go back to school. So when I had the chance to join a group of workers starting to organize and take a stand, I jumped at the opportunity. I didn't hesitate a second.

Right now, one of my checks goes to my half of the rent, and once I buy groceries and pay my bills, there isn't really anything left to save up. I shouldn't have to barely scrape by. I should be able to start saving some money to go back to school, but I can't.

So what do I have to lose? For me and my colleagues working fast–food jobs across Seattle, the answer is, 'Nothing.' Our backs are firmly against the wall. By joining with my co-workers, I can envision a future in which I earn enough to live, eat and go back to school.

We have been pushed to the edge, and now we are taking a stand, and I could not be more excited, or more hopeful.

Caroline Durocher works at a Taco Bell in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood and is part of Good Jobs Seattle, a campaign by a coalition of groups working to raise fast-food workers' pay.

Mariah Carey is officially leaving "American Idol," the singer's publicists announced via Twitter

Mariah Carey is officially leaving "American Idol," the singer's publicists announced via Twitter on Thursday -- a message that the singer then retweeted.

@PMK_BNC
PMK•BNC

W/ global success of “#Beautiful” (#1 in 30+ countries so far) @MariahCarey confirms world tour & says goodbye 2 Idol http://t.co/ww2q8xmocr

May 30, 2013 9:07 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

In a statement, Fox, FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment said of Carey's departure: “Mariah Carey is a true global icon -- one of the most accomplished artists on the planet -- and we feel extremely fortunate that she was able to bring her wisdom and experience to the 'American Idol' contestants this season. We know she will remain an inspiration to 'Idol' hopefuls for many seasons to come.”
The news follows Randy Jackson's recent departure from Fox's reality juggernaut, with fellow judge Nicki Minaj announcing her "Idol" exit a few hours later. Keith Urban remains the last judge standing, but is not expected to return. Even before Carey's exit, there were rumblings that "Idol" producers planned to replace all four judges and start fresh for Season 13, potentially with a judging panel made up of "Idol" alums such as Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert. Don't hold your breath for Clarkson to be involved, though rep for the former winner told The Hollywood Reporter that she will not be judging Season 13.
Despite Carey's vocal pedigree, she and fellow judging newcomers Minaj and Urban failed to reinvigorate the aging franchise, with "Idol" hitting an all-time ratings low for its recent Season 12 finale.
Many contend that Carey's highly publicized, season-long feud with Minaj soured viewers to the new panel and contributed to the ratings erosion, resulting in rumors that Fox executives and "Idol" producers attempted to replace Carey with former judge Jennifer Lopez to stem the flow of departing fans.
Are you sad to see Carey go?

Jacque Sue Waller's Body Found Two Years After She Went Missing

ST. LOUIS -- Nearly two years to the day after Jacque Sue Waller was last seen alive, the body of the southeast Missouri mother of young triplets has been found, prosecutors said Thursday.
The Cape Girardeau County prosecutor's office issued a one-paragraph statement saying police had found the body on Wednesday.
"It has been confirmed that the body is that of Jacque Sue Waller," the statement read. It didn't say where or how the body was found. A woman answering phones at the prosecutor's office said no further comment would be made, citing an ongoing investigation.
Waller and her estranged husband, Clay Waller, had nearly finalized a divorce when she disappeared on June 1, 2011. He was charged last year with first-degree murder and faces trial in September.
Jacque Waller's sister, Cheryl Brenneke, has custody of their 7-year-old triplets.
In a statement on their Facebook page Waller's family confirmed "with a heavy heart" that Jacque Waller's remains were found. The statement said funeral arrangements have not been made.
"We thank everyone of you who has supported us and assisted us in this terrible nightmare," the statement read.
Messages seeking comment from a spokeswoman for Waller's family were not returned, but Brenneke told the Southeast Missourian newspaper that she was in shock.
"You anticipate how you're going to feel for two years," Brenneke said. "You just can't prepare yourself, really. You just can't."

Michaela Pereira, CNN's New 'Good Day' Anchor, Says Goodbye To The Southland

When she first came to Los Angeles, Canada-native Michaela Pereira had a difficult time pronouncing "Wilshire," "Sepulveda" and "Cahuenga."
Her role as co-anchor on the KTLA Morning Show quickly changed all that. Nine years later, the broadcast journalist ruled Southland media with Frank Buckley as anchors on LA's top-rated morning news show -- until she announced she was leaving for CNN.
Pereira will join co-anchors Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan on "New Day," CNN's third recent attempt at morning news programming. The show, set to debut June 17 from 6-9 a.m. EST, means that the California Girl has to move from her beloved neighborhood in the San Gabriel Valley to New York.
While she's excited about the national platform, Pereira is going to miss Los Angeles. In a phone interview with The Huffington Post, she rattled off the things she would miss about SoCal life:
"There's the Rose Bowl flea market. The Newport Beach Jazz festival. Going to Clippers games. Hanging out at The Grove with my girlfriends. Going shopping at all the boutiques and things we have around town. The after school programs I support," said Pereira. "I can't tell you, the list is so gigantic."
But most of all, said Pereira, she's going to miss the residents who welcomed an "outsider" with open arms.
"I've had a welcome mat to every single one of those events," said Pereira. "It feels a little like I've been given the keys to the city."
She chatted with HuffPost LA about the major change, and the interview turned into an impromptu counseling session for a certain Huffington Post editor who is still struggling with a Pereira-less KTLA show. Read the Q&A below to see the craziest things she's ever reported on and what she really thinks about her KTLA "work husbands."
HuffPost: I just want to start off by saying I'm a major fan of the show, and when I heard that you were leaving, I was seriously bummed out for a long time.
Aww, do we need to do a quick little therapy session? Because I've been counseling some of my friends and I've got some good words for you.
HuffPost: You've covered the Southland for nine years. What's the craziest thing you've seen on the job?
Given the fact that we are a three-hour, Monday-to-Friday broadcast, we have seen some crazy things. Just recently, we had this bear that we caught live from our helicopter. We followed the bear for 45 minutes and we were all kind of cheering on the bear and hoping that it's not going to get killed. Thankfully Fish and Game was able to tranquilize it and take it back to the Angeles Forest and release it back into its own natural habitat.
And then sadly, on the other end of it, one of the craziest things that we all watched and were shocked by in recent times was the whole Christopher Dorner case. That was like a movie script sadly playing out. It was horrifying and compelling.
HuffPost: If you had a work husband at KTLA, I'd say it was co-anchor Frank Buckley. But do you have another person in mind?
They kind of all are. It's kind of an oddly weird "Big Love" situation -- that's probably completely inappropriate to say. But I have three work husbands. So with Frank, he's my TV husband for sure because we're like the parents. We've got a couple of teenagers in Mark [Kriski] and Sam [Rubin]. We've got to make sure they make it in for curfew and what have you.
My relationship with Mark is that we have such a very strong bond, but I'm Mark's secretary! Mark never checks his emails, he never knows how to use his computer -- well, he's pretty good on his cellphone actually. I have to remind him of things, I have to put things in his schedule. I have to tell him when meetings are happening, if he has to find an autograph for somebody. I'm the one who has to handle Mark. He's going to be a mess when I go.
And for Sam, there's his personal grooming. You know, sometimes a haircut reminder, tuck in your shirt. It's really like being his mom.
HuffPost: You're going to be an East Coaster for the first time. What will you miss about LA?
There's so many things. I have some palm trees along our street and just the sound of those rustling in the wind.
I take a picture almost every morning when I'm walking from our studio in KTLA, or from our office's parking lot to the studio, with the Griffith Observatory in the background, palm trees in the foreground. The visuals of Southern California are stunning.
HuffPost: "New Day" is up against a lot of well-established morning news shows. On network there's ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "Today Show," while on cable you're up against "Fox and Friends" and "Morning Joe" on MSNBC.
I think we're joining some fantastic company nationally. We're going to be up against some fierce competitors doing a really great job, but we're hoping to do something a little different. We've said it time and time again: we're not trying to re-invent the wheel. Hello! It's TV, first of all. It's news, second of all.
It's morning TV. We know what people need. They need the right mix of information and to be updated. They want a little bit of buzz to share with friends around the water cooler and they want to feel good. It's their entry point to the day. I'm hoping to bring a refreshing new voice to that.
HuffPost: What advice do you have for others who want to get into broadcast journalism?
One of the things that always worries me when I see people get the stars in their eyes is not realizing that they have to put their back into it as well. There's research, study, late nights, early mornings. You have to sacrifice fun things with your friends, you might have to pick up and move across the country away from your family.
I would remind them that it's really important to know who you are and to have a really good sense of yourself. Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, and build a really good support system around you. Because otherwise all of those other things will be impossible. You can't do it alone.
HuffPost: Anything you want to close with?
I want to say, "thank you" to you and to all the people who have chosen to spend their mornings with us at KTLA. It's been so great and I really do understand that I'm messing up the routine of the morning, but change is good and change is constant. And you're going to be fine, baby girl!
Interview was edited for length.

George W. Bush Bikes With Injured Vets, Reflects On White House

RAWFORD, Texas -- George W. Bush had been riding his mountain bike for almost four hours, and he was out of gas.
I was 12 riders behind the former president as we cycled, single file, along a winding trail cut through Bush's 1,500-acre ranch. We had been riding almost nonstop, in 90-degree heat, for 30 miles, over terrain that was at times technical, challenging and potentially hazardous. Rocky sections delivered a pounding to both bike and rider. Roots threatened to upend us. At one point, a narrow path along a ridge line dropped off steeply to the right, 50 to 75 feet to the gorge below. Bush had called the section "hairy."
It was the second day of Bush's third annual Warrior 100K, a three-day mountain bike ride that he has hosted at different locations since leaving the White House, to which he invites military veterans, many of whom had been seriously wounded in the wars he initiated. It's a ritual of thanks and bonding that might seem fraught from the outside, but that everyone who takes part seems to enjoy.
This year, 75 riders participated in the event over Memorial Day weekend, 13 of them veterans wounded physically or psychologically, or both. The rest of the peloton was made up of a few guests of the veterans, Secret Service agents, mechanics, medics, an assortment of people who have ridden with Bush over the past several years, and a few odds and ends, like me, the only reporter along for the entire ride.
There are 41 miles of mountain bike trail on Bush's property, and ranch staff, along with volunteers, had created 21 miles of those trails in the six weeks or so leading up to this event, his ranch manager told me. We saw most of them that day, and rode another 14 miles the day before and then 21 miles the day after.
Bush, who always rides at the front, pushed the pace, yelling and cajoling his fellow cyclists. At 66, he takes great pleasure in smoking riders who think they can hang with him. "Get moving, Stork!" he shouted at Ed Lazear, using the nickname he had given his former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.
At rest stops, Bush was impatient to get going again. He'd pause, drink some Gatorade, chat, grin, bask in the endorphin rush, make a few jokes, and then hop back on his carbon frame Trek Superfly 100 Elite.
"Yah, baby!" he'd exclaim.
By the end, however, he was exhausted. "I was gassed," Bush admitted to me the next day. "Thirty miles is a long way on a mountain bike. I was tired."

10 Worst-Paying College Majors

 



You probably already know that college grads have an easier time finding jobs, and earn more those who only have a high school diploma. But that's not the whole story. Some college majors offer a much worse return on investment, with starting salaries that are no better than high school grads' pay, according to a new study released Wednesday. The study, conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, looked at 2010 and 2011 salaries and unemployment rates among college grads between the ages of 22 and 26. The startling conclusion: Some majors have starting salaries no better than the average salary of a high school graduate, which is about $29,900 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

More: Employer's Tough-Love Letter To New College Grads

Low Pay And High Unemployment: The worst-paying majors tended to be in the arts, where the low pay in creative work is matched by high unemployment rates, with an average of roughly 9 percent unemployment for arts majors. In fact, the overall unemployment for all recent grads is 8.9 percent. Several arts disciplines, however, lead to double-digit unemployment, according to the study.
But that doesn't mean those who major in those fields are worse off in every way. In fact, as Forbes has reported, studies of college graduates show that liberal arts majors are "are as satisfied or more satisfied with their lives as their classmates in other disciplines." And several majors in technical fields have high unemployment rates, too, despite relatively high salaries.
Below are the 10 worst-paying majors, with average starting salaries and unemployment rates. (See also the 10 highest paying college majors.)
10. Music
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 9.2 percent.

Find a job now in music.

9. Film Video and Photographic Arts
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 12.9 percent.

Find a job now in film, video or photography

8. Liberal Arts
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 9.2 percent.

Find a job now in liberal arts.

7. Psychology
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 7.6 percent.

Find a job now in psychology.

6. Philosophy/Religious Studies
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 10.8 percent.

Find a job now in philosophy or religion.

5. Social Work
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 6.6 percent.

Find a job now in social work.

4. Fine Arts
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 12.6 percent.

Find a job now in fine arts.

3. Physical Fitness / Parks Recreation
Starting Salary: $30,000.
Unemployment Rate: 8.3 percent.

Find a job now in physical fitness or parks recreation.

2. Anthropology / Archaeology
Starting Salary: $28,000.
Unemployment Rate: 10.5 percent.

Find a job now in anthropology or archaeology.

1. Drama / Theater
Starting Salary: $26,000.
Unemployment Rate: 7.8 percent.

Boston Benefit Concert Features Aerosmith & Other Local Favorites

BOSTON — Aerosmith, James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett are joining other artists for a benefit concert for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Tickets for the show scheduled Thursday at the TD Garden sold out in minutes after they went on sale May 6. Proceeds will benefit One Fund Boston, the compensation fund established by Gov. Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to help those injured in the April 15 bombings and the families of three people killed.
Other confirmed acts include Jason Aldean, Boston, Extreme, Godsmack, The J. Geils Band, Carole King and New Kids on the Block.
Comedians Dane Cook and Steven Wright are also included in the lineup.