soclinks: June 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Coming foie gras ban brings dinners and dissent - latimes.com

On July 1, SB 1520, the bill that bans the production and sale of both foie gras and foie gras byproducts (including feathers for down jackets and comforters) goes into effect, and anybody wanting a legal taste of the stuff is going to have to do it in another state. After June 30, a restaurant that serves foie gras — typically produced via gavage, a process in which ducks or geese are fed through tubes inserted in their throats — can be fined up to $1,000.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Rules for new bars approved by SLO City Council | The Tribune & SanLuisObispo.com

The regulations, crafted by San Luis Obispo officials in an attempt to curb nuisances caused by excessive drinking downtown, will require new bars, nightclubs and restaurants serving alcohol after 11 p.m. to have a manager on-site when entertainment is performed, install a video surveillance system at all entrances and exits, and provide training for employees on responsible serving practices, among other requirements.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Poncho Guevara and Kathleen Krenek: Higher minimum wage in San Jose would change lives

sociology » SJSU Blogs

They identified a policy alternative and tested the argument that forcing businesses to pay their employees $10 an hour would cause them to cut jobs or move to other communities. A Cornell University study on the effect of San Francisco’s similar 2004 minimum wage increase concluded that “the policy increased worker pay and compressed wage inequality, but did not create any detectable employment loss among affected (businesses).”

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Birthrate for U.S. teens is lowest in history – USATODAY.com

Teen births are at their lowest level in almost 70 years, federal data report today. Birthrates for ages 15-19 in all racial and ethnic groups are lower than ever reported.