Boom river: China's factories moving inland to escape higher wages | Seattle Times Newspaper

China's manufacturers are moving factories inland along the Yangtze River, creating traffic jams on Asia's longest river and prompting container terminal operators to invest in ports along the 3,915- mile-long Yangtze, which reaches Tibet.

By Wing-Gar Cheng

 

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The manufacturing boom spreading through central China echoes through the night on the wharves of the Yangtze River in Shanghai as workers unload car parts, canned food and building materials.

"There are too many ships and we can hardly secure a place," said Cui Ming, a local manager for Chongqing JHJ Shipping, after a company vessel was unloaded at the Jungong Road Dock. "The business is growing so massively, we sometimes need to get up at midnight and rush to the dock to assist our ships to get a berth."

….China's urban per capita disposable income in the first half of this year rose 10.2 percent from a year earlier in nominal terms to 9,757 yuan, the national statistics bureau reported in July. In rural areas, per capita cash income in the first half rose 12.6 percent from a year earlier in nominal terms to 3,078 yuan, the bureau said

Business & Technology | Boom river: China's factories moving inland to escape higher wages | Seattle Times Newspaper

Illinois tops in big dollar court races

The real issue here is the judge casting a vote not to impose limits on medical mal-practice.  See the posting that follows.

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, embroiled in a nasty race to remain on the bench, ranks No. 1 in the nation when it comes to judicial candidates raising and spending money.

In order to remain on the court, Kilbride must receive 60 percent support from voters in the Third Appellate District on Nov. 2. The district stretches from Rock Island to Joliet.

According to figures compiled by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, the Rock Island Democrat has raised $2.5 million -- the bulk of which has come from the Democratic Party of Illinois.

seeks to counter the Illinois Civil Justice League, which is trying to convince voters to vote "no" on whether to retain Kilbride for another 10-year term.

The Illinois Civil Justice League, has raised $648,000, largely from business groups such as the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Manufacturers Association.

Click on the following for more details:  Illinois tops in big dollar court races

Incredible Supreme Court Judge/Retention Election in Third Judicial District

There is a multi-million dollar media campaign regarding the retention of a Supreme Court Judge.  WGN-TV had the story at 9:00 on Friday. The Dean of the DePaul Law School is supporting the judge who is facing very deep pockets who want him gone.  Advertizing recommending a “No vote on retention” talks about Kilbride’s  weakness on crime however the issue appears to be medical malpractice limits.    Many in the legal profession as well as organized labor believe the judge is being treated unfairly and are contributing to Kilbride’s campaign fund.  Unlike other political candidates, a judge cannot contribute to his own campaign.

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Editorial from Quad City Online:  End circus; retain Supreme Court Justice Kilbride

The opposition appears centered primarily around Justice Kilbride's vote with the majority to reject a hard-fought medical malpractice law. Let us say from the outset, we too were disappointed with the 4-2 decision to reject limits on claims. But the place to fight that battle is not in the court of public opinion.

Those are not the only deep pockets involved in this race. Justice Kilbride's campaign reports raising from July 1 to Oct. 3 $1.8 million, $1.25 million from the Democratic Party of Illinois and another chunk from labor unions. Devoting such massive sums of money to a judicial race is obscene even in the best of times and these times are hardly that.

Click on the following for more of this editorial:  Editorial: End circus; retain Kilbride - Quad Cities Online

 

More information from the public record.

The following taken from the Illinois State Board of Elections:  http://www.elections.il.gov/campaigndisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?id=15176

Kilbride for Supreme Court Judge Committee
D-2 Pre-election Report
2010 GE
7/1/2010 to 10/3/2010

RECEIPTS

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1.
Individual Contributions:  a. Itemized
$306,800.00

b. Not-Itemized $26,067.46

2. Transfers In:  a. Itemized $1,534,250.00

b. Not-Itemized $1,275.00

3. Loans Received:  $0.00

4. Other Receipts: a. Itemized $0.00

b. Not-Itemized $488.00

TOTAL RECEIPTS (1-4)
$1,868,880.46

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5.
In-Kind Contributions: a. Itemized $2,905.64

b. Not-Itemized
$363.50

TOTAL IN-KIND
$3,269.14

Besides the $1.25 from the Illinois Democratic Party, the following labor organizations have made sizeable contribution.

Illinois Political Action Committee for Education
100 E Edwards Street
Springfield IL, IL 62704-1999
$50,000.00
Transfer In

Kilbride for Supreme Court Judge Committee

Illinois Federation of Teachers COPE
500 Oakmont Lane
Westmont, IL 60559
$150,000.00
Individual Contribution