• In Lead-Up to May Day, Picket Lines Fill New York—And AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Stops By 
,
Atlas Shrugged  | Back in January of last year, I reported on victories in union elections at two companies that produce popular nonfiction TV shows. Freelance producers at ITV Studios and Atlas Media voted to join the Writers Guild of America, East, proving that it was in fact possible to organize workers who aren’t classified as full-time employees. But over a year later, Atlas Media--yes, named after Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged--has refused to work out a contract with the union.      View blog reactions

• Braaaains: How pop culture’s hunger for zombies reflects the Tea Party nation 
,
As zombie ideas take over our politics the way the zombie banks took over our finances, even Barack Obama starts to look a little necrotic. I’m surprised I haven’t had nightmares about a zombie Milton Friedman or Ayn Rand yet, honestly. (That’d be a great horror movie. Hollywood, call me!)      View blog reactions

• • Why are there so many right-wing extremist women? 
,
Capitalism  | There’s Keli Carender, a 30-year-old Seattle improv performer credited in a February New York Times profile with being one of the first Tea Party leaders. The nose ring on this free market-loving Ayn Rand acolyte got almost as much play in the Times piece as her politics.      View blog reactions