News for today's 2018

Clues in the Cycle of Suicide - NYTimes.com

1:38 PM Tukiyooo 0

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">On average, about 700 Americans kill themselves each week — but in the fine-weather weeks of May and June, the toll rises closer to 800, sometimes higher. Every year, suicide peaks with the tulips and lilacs — increasing roughly 15 percent over the annual average to create one of psychiatry's most consistent epidemiological patterns. It may seem perverse that the period of spring and early summer, as the psychologist <a title="Staff page" href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/specialty_areas/moods/expert_team/jamison.html" target="_blank">Kay Redfield Jamison</a> puts it in her splendid book "<a title="Times review" href="http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/j/jamison-night.html" target="_blank">Night Falls Fast</a>," should contain "a capacity for self-murder that winter less often has." Yet it does.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">This grim spring growth confounds conventional belief that suicides peak in winter. It also confounds researchers — and fascinates them. As they discover more angles into the biology of mood and behavior, they are finding new clues about why suicides rise with the sun's arc. They hope solving this puzzle will help us better understand why people commit suicide at all — and perhaps reduce the numbers year-round.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">This effort takes an extra urgency from what Dr. Adam Kaplin, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, calls a "suicide epidemic" — a sharp increase in both absolute and per-capita rates since the recession that began in 2007, particularly among the middle-aged. <a title="C.D.C. data" href="http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/Suicide_DataSheet-a.pdf" target="_blank">More than 38,000 people committed suicide</a> in the United States in 2010 — a 16.5 percent jump from the 32,600 suicides five years before, and a new high. The stakes involved in figuring out the dynamics of self-murder seem only to rise with time.</p><div class="w592" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRRvFnT49g5qbe_1LjtUq5yJHjO__XNSb78D9RoETkbHwD1C6FhYssEnncErMYLL2GJnz2m12DlnwEs2Us5widoGwNLTvDImW5SZ4NjiiEeqnDvnoPiPN9XeuGgWzkRYidab5tiWZUU4/s1600/25mind-tmagArticle-700958.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5893522775163162946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRRvFnT49g5qbe_1LjtUq5yJHjO__XNSb78D9RoETkbHwD1C6FhYssEnncErMYLL2GJnz2m12DlnwEs2Us5widoGwNLTvDImW5SZ4NjiiEeqnDvnoPiPN9XeuGgWzkRYidab5tiWZUU4/s320/25mind-tmagArticle-700958.jpeg" /></a><span class="credit"></span><span class="caption"></span></div><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The spring surge in suicides is actually the largest of a few oscillations throughout the year. After dropping to an annual low in February (October in the southern hemisphere), rates climb sharply through spring; fall slowly in summer; show a slight rise, according to some studies, in fall; and then begin a steep winter drop. The spring peak generally runs 10 to 25 percent above the yearly average and 20 to 50 percent above the February low.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The spring increase was first noticed in 19th-century Europe. Many studies, some examining data hundreds of years back, have documented it since. But explaining it has proved difficult, primarily because of suicide's extreme complexity.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">"There's no one reason that people do it," said <a title="Staff page" href="http://www.emory.edu/grady/emory-at-grady/doctors/kaslow.html" target="_blank">Nadine Kaslow</a>, a research psychologist at Emory University. Rather, she says, people usually commit suicide because personal, social-system and environmental factors combine to push them to a new place of energized despair.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">In this view, spring somehow adds weight to an already unbearable load. But how?</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">One traditional candidate, favored by both Dr. Jamison and Dr. Kaslow, is the "broken promise effect" — the sometimes crushing disappointment that spring fails to bring the relief the sufferer has hoped for.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">In addition, psychiatrists have long observed that for patients with <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Bipolar Disorder." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/bipolar-disorder/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">bipolar disorder</a> and <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Depression (Mental)." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/depression/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">depression</a>, spring can create a manic <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Agitation." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/agitation/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">agitation</a> that amplifies the risk of suicide — agitation that has long shown itself in a rising rate of hospitalizations for <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Suicide and suicidal behavior." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/suicide-and-suicidal-behavior/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">suicide attempts</a> and for manic or schizophrenic episodes in spring and summer.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Researchers have long suspected that this may be tied to the springtime drop in the sleep-friendly hormone melatonin, a reduction that energizes us for spring's longer days but may sometimes help generate dangerous agitation. Yet that link, like many, remains elusive.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">In the past decade or so, some researchers have increasingly focused on another candidate: an apparently intimate relationship between suicide and inflammation.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Dr. Kaplin studies depression in patients with <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Multiple sclerosis." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/multiple-sclerosis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">multiple sclerosis</a>, an autoimmune inflammatory disease. In M.S., he says, depression and inflammation feed each other: Even after accounting for the psychological effects of any serious illness, M.S. heightens depression risk, and depression amplifies the inflammation central to the disease's central pathologies.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Driving this relationship, Dr. Kaplin suspects, are immune-system chemical messengers called cytokines. Some cytokines increase inflammation, while others curb it.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Inflammatory cytokines play crucial roles in fighting infection, but they can also cause problems. When people with <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Hepatitis C." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hepatitis-c/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">hepatitis C</a> are given the cytokine interferon to help fight the infection, for instance, up to 40 percent become depressed and one in 50 attempt suicide. Other studies suggest that inflammatory cytokine activity reduces levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin and halts the growth of new brain cells — two hallmarks of depression.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">If inflammation heightens the risk of depression, how might that lead to a spring surge in suicide?</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Dr. Kaplin and others point to several possibilities — "all speculative," he says, not findings to act on but clues to follow. In every case, the suggested risk comes not from a direct effect but from an additional sensitivity to inflammation that could be a final straw or irritant.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">One possibility is that many people enter spring sensitized to inflammation by late-winter battles with seasonal infections like <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Common cold." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/common-cold/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">colds</a> and <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about The flu." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/the-flu/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">flu</a>.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">A second possibility involves tree pollen. <a title="Staff page" href="http://medschool.umaryland.edu/facultyresearchprofile/viewprofile.aspx?id=7394" target="_blank">Dr. Teodor T. Postolache</a>, a psychiatrist at the University of Maryland, believes that large amounts of it may cause cytokine-driven inflammatory responses. A study he did links high spring tree pollen counts with high seasonal suicide rates; another examined the brains of 34 suicide victims and found gene-expression patterns consistent with cytokine-driven inflammation.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Yet another possibility involves vitamin D. The low levels caused by lack of sunlight in the winter are thought to lead to inflammation; <a title="Study" href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0051543" target="_blank">one recent study tentatively suggested a link to suicide</a>. Dr. Kaplin thus wonders if people already at risk for suicide may increase their risk if they enter spring with inflammatory systems sensitized by <a title="In-depth reference and news articles about Vitamin D." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/vitamin-d/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" target="_blank">vitamin D</a> deficiencies.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">"The answer to this puzzle is probably some form of 'all of the above,' " he said.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Even if these inflammatory factors prove out, they will be just some among many — mood disorders, divorce, job loss, grief, trauma — that fertilize spring's darkest bloom. But the more factors researchers can identify, the better we can understand not just the spring surge but the larger mysteries of suicide.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Still, if researchers are ever to identify the seasonal culprits, they may need to hurry. One of the most intriguing findings in the seasonality of suicide is that this ancient pattern appears to be fading — possibly because we all spend more time indoors.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">A <a title="Study" href="http://jech.bmj.com/content/59/11/967.full?sid=57449f01-8585-4566-8d5f-27308393a275" target="_blank">study of Switzerland's well-kept monthly suicide records</a> between 1880 and 2000, for instance, showed the spring/summer curve growing flatter with each successive 30-year period. Like too many lives lost as we struggle to comprehend suicide, this spring surge may slip away before we can fully glean its unique offerings.</p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">David Dobbs is working on a book about the genetic and cultural roots of temperament and behavior. </em></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><br></em></div><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/clues-in-the-cycle-of-suicide/?src=me&ref=general">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/clues-in-the-cycle-of-suicide/?src=me&ref=general</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Clues in the Cycle of Suicide - NYTimes.com

On average, about 700 Americans kill themselves each week — but in the fine-weather weeks of May and June, the toll rises closer to 800, som...

Library Director - LaGrange Library, Poughkeepsie, NY

1:21 PM Anonymous 0

<strong>Library Director - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">LaGrange Library</span></strong></strong>,  Poughkeepsie, NY, seeks a dynamic, innovative, customer service  oriented Library Director to lead the Library into the future. LaGrange  Library serves the nearly 16,000 residents of the Town of LaGrange and  is the 4th highest circulating library in the 5 county Mid-Hudson  Library System. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in budget  development and management; hiring, evaluating and supervising staff  and volunteers; strategic planning and implementation; publicity and  outreach; grant seeking, writing and administration; familiarity with  technology, both current and emerging.  Excellent organizational,  interpersonal, problem solving, and project management skills are also  essential. Minimum Qualifications:  ALA accredited MLS degree, with five  5 years of supervisory  experience.  Have or be eligible for the New  York State Public Librarian Professional Certificate. Salary Range:  $65,000-$75,000. Send letter of application, resume and 3 references to  Karl Loatman, Chair, Personnel Committee at <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:kloatman@aol.com" href="mailto:kloatman@aol.com">kloatman@aol.com</a>. Applications accepted through <span style="color: red;">July 8, 2013</span>.

Library Director - LaGrange Library, Poughkeepsie, NY

Library Director - LaGrange Library , Poughkeepsie, NY, seeks a dynamic, innovative, customer service oriented Library Director to lead th...

Woot! Missouri guv vetoes ALEC anti-union bill

12:56 PM Tukiyooo 0

Another victory for Teamsters and loss for ALEC! Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon just announced his veto of an <a href="http://alecexposed.org/">ALEC</a>-inspired paycheck deception bill.<br /><br />The bill, which passed earlier this year, <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/04/alecs-latest-attack-in-mo-deceives-and.html">would forbid employers from honoring public employees' requests to deduct their union dues from their paychecks</a>. Chalk it up as another <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;">billionaire-backed attack on workers that failed.<br /><br />Missouri Teamsters deserve high praise for working to make sure the bill didn't pass with a veto-proof majority. They sent thousands of emails to their representatives in Jefferson City urging them not to vote for this blatant attempt to weaken unions.<br /><br />Paycheck deception bills have been popping up in state legislatures all over the country. They're part of ALEC's continuing effort to muscle the working class out of politics and government.<br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_VFuf7dEVI98r8RcYwADOg-Oq1jlr6Dek8R1eVouq2XsjlTZpGpUb9ogSRkt-3JCU-Op14Y93f4GSzYLeieop0s3__n2h2q_7mKAtXejgTF9xEEpA1A1d07BvncBkOjas2_jgzw7qgRN/s1600/paycheck+deception+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_VFuf7dEVI98r8RcYwADOg-Oq1jlr6Dek8R1eVouq2XsjlTZpGpUb9ogSRkt-3JCU-Op14Y93f4GSzYLeieop0s3__n2h2q_7mKAtXejgTF9xEEpA1A1d07BvncBkOjas2_jgzw7qgRN/s200/paycheck+deception+(1).jpg" width="150" /></span></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;"></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16.890625px;">Nixon acknowledged as much in his veto message:</span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 16.890625px;">The bill targets a single group of employees and imposes on them an unnecessary and cumbersome process.</span></span> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 16.890625px;"></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 16.890625px;">There are a number of items that employees may elect to have withheld from their paychecks, including money for college savings accounts, deferred compensation, and 401(k) plans...Singling out union dues for these extra processes serves no beneficial purpose. Rather, the bill places unnecessary burdens on public employees for the purpose of weakening labor organizations.</span></span></span></blockquote>The <a href="http://www.wearemissouri.org/splash/">We Are Missouri</a></span> coalition praised the veto: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are grateful that Governor Nixon stands as a firewall against the extremist agenda that would unfairly take rights away from workers and seeks to lower wages in our state. He joins the courageous legislators in both parties who sided with working people despite pressure from out-of-state special interest groups.</span></span></blockquote><div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 16.890625px;">David Asmus, a utility lineman in Scott County, said such laws come straight from corporate special interests and shady front groups like </span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;">the American Legislative Exchange Council and Americans for Prosperity. </span></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 16.890625px;">Legislators should be looking for solutions to the problems facing Missouri instead of doing the bidding of their corporate backers and out-of-state front groups.</span></span></span></blockquote>If you have any doubt, check this out:<br /><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">On March 13, the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity      organization called paycheck deception legislation the <a href="https://twitter.com/AFPMissouri/status/311872511136632832">first      step in #mortw [Missouri right to work]</a>.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal">The American Legislative Exchange Council corporate      bill mill has pushed paycheck deception bills in state capitols around the      country for years, as <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/04/12077/anti-worker-paycheck-protection-bills-moving-missouri">this      report from The Center for Media and Democracy</a> shows. </li></ul><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>

MO paycheck deception Woot! Missouri guv vetoes ALEC anti-union bill

Another victory for Teamsters and loss for ALEC! Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon just announced his veto of an ALEC -inspired paycheck deception bil...

Boost me up baby!

12:35 PM Tukiyooo 0

Boost me up baby!

When Bones travels in my Smart car he hops on to the dashboard. Obviously this is extremely dangerous. When we were over in the States we ...

Street Party

11:50 AM Tukiyooo 0

On Sunday 23rd of June street parties were held all over Ireland as part of Street Feast 2013 (see www.streetfeast.ie)<div><br></div><div>Oh my gosh my neighbours put on some really great spreads. Some BBQ'd, some had cakes, some served champagne and one lady made gorgeous afternoon tea sandwiches with the crusts cut off. How posh!</div><div><br></div><div>It was such a fun afternoon and the rain held off until 6.30pm when we got washed out of it and ran for cover!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH62kBd7aF7esNNpdpFWkJbYzcB_ToqMI5gTeTgKxcP-jCUTveg43jMt6sKaUBFuD5P7_U8sz5TLZh39WsZvDmG5eNGmFNLXthFBuCtt8i7vKBoL9wxKeFya4Rho0Slek14_zlv7VpBv_v/s640/blogger-image--1505771351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH62kBd7aF7esNNpdpFWkJbYzcB_ToqMI5gTeTgKxcP-jCUTveg43jMt6sKaUBFuD5P7_U8sz5TLZh39WsZvDmG5eNGmFNLXthFBuCtt8i7vKBoL9wxKeFya4Rho0Slek14_zlv7VpBv_v/s640/blogger-image--1505771351.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWBbwWzr9uPg3I1-rQAMLg6YlwktHEIOWxulasR-pNdbwZ23YSz5jHpU-y8yEvh1Ibj16lcXqHaKJObnAqeOlt72l0OoTSgm0nTwxUCFjvhZQbRSapa5W8FID4WpWAWmTtXXAI0800Kl/s640/blogger-image-1745494568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWBbwWzr9uPg3I1-rQAMLg6YlwktHEIOWxulasR-pNdbwZ23YSz5jHpU-y8yEvh1Ibj16lcXqHaKJObnAqeOlt72l0OoTSgm0nTwxUCFjvhZQbRSapa5W8FID4WpWAWmTtXXAI0800Kl/s640/blogger-image-1745494568.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zX0fJdjYtNkBlN2O7l1QXphmwg70-oHsGy5Hmb_bquEcBy4sDJwQrmTW5s_1i2BtFRvdaGLKRlF_yualZlW829XocIv7_HvUUlh8h0UjGEYj0fn6pmfShFFVf5yJMhJh8FGgFyrz-dAw/s640/blogger-image-2090467646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zX0fJdjYtNkBlN2O7l1QXphmwg70-oHsGy5Hmb_bquEcBy4sDJwQrmTW5s_1i2BtFRvdaGLKRlF_yualZlW829XocIv7_HvUUlh8h0UjGEYj0fn6pmfShFFVf5yJMhJh8FGgFyrz-dAw/s640/blogger-image-2090467646.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3EU6P1A2Ku0hrYOWP2-rA-7BnXISAzu4IX1a2SrC-9xYHrFQYwacOziHybx1jTZy_tkwS3oZjMnHkRAmTZ8r2x8nMc7AaNw1GxV51q5s8d_h4bJ2veg-b8pZbs3YSB7iGd5DFBBmcxKV/s640/blogger-image-305618504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3EU6P1A2Ku0hrYOWP2-rA-7BnXISAzu4IX1a2SrC-9xYHrFQYwacOziHybx1jTZy_tkwS3oZjMnHkRAmTZ8r2x8nMc7AaNw1GxV51q5s8d_h4bJ2veg-b8pZbs3YSB7iGd5DFBBmcxKV/s640/blogger-image-305618504.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuOZwRaRKMuxnVEGqDM7tsCViF5Th0Qo2B3UHIKqzqKUsemeKsU1lVnkZntGdcBmRPZHC5nW3QatjjFOBeyjin-4KHQ8Cg67t9IswYgmFe990dw70EQG-ohhB4YOqyzhQyT16QF_EnVUq/s640/blogger-image--1537067933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuOZwRaRKMuxnVEGqDM7tsCViF5Th0Qo2B3UHIKqzqKUsemeKsU1lVnkZntGdcBmRPZHC5nW3QatjjFOBeyjin-4KHQ8Cg67t9IswYgmFe990dw70EQG-ohhB4YOqyzhQyT16QF_EnVUq/s640/blogger-image--1537067933.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Fcy5vJGNLzBkVtrIuMd-RzLivS4mV6lm64GR1t6FVSb6KxxGYwLd8lGnwNP35NM20CDlF95WF5xxz_CnAzTh48fBx3kM_Y460maTIa5UVUhQtCfotgExINPirq5Ly2I6EFMpcG7WsRrq/s640/blogger-image-1553669273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Fcy5vJGNLzBkVtrIuMd-RzLivS4mV6lm64GR1t6FVSb6KxxGYwLd8lGnwNP35NM20CDlF95WF5xxz_CnAzTh48fBx3kM_Y460maTIa5UVUhQtCfotgExINPirq5Ly2I6EFMpcG7WsRrq/s640/blogger-image-1553669273.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>

Street Party

On Sunday 23rd of June street parties were held all over Ireland as part of Street Feast 2013 (see www.streetfeast.ie) Oh my gosh my neighbo...

SYRIA: ARMING SYRIAN REBELS COULD CREATE A LEGACY AS HARMFUL AS SYKES - PICOT

11:22 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2acp7PkxKxmNsCNg46UjLGQfCBf-lGmezN0sDpEGizvBB2FMn-3ZLWECw4On7xkgf0FWYHVeovWz1F7zLFUN-I2kFkQPCxHlmyECuMiO8bXRLVbCkNqOsnQXTYOoGK0yv-UEf60NIfep/s1600/655px-MPK1-426_Sykes_Picot_Agreement_Map_signed_8_May_1916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2acp7PkxKxmNsCNg46UjLGQfCBf-lGmezN0sDpEGizvBB2FMn-3ZLWECw4On7xkgf0FWYHVeovWz1F7zLFUN-I2kFkQPCxHlmyECuMiO8bXRLVbCkNqOsnQXTYOoGK0yv-UEf60NIfep/s320/655px-MPK1-426_Sykes_Picot_Agreement_Map_signed_8_May_1916.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">SYRIA’S CIVIL WAR IS NOW A GEOPOLITICAL BATTLE FOR REGIONAL DOMINATION</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Jaswant Singh, via StratRisk</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As the West begins to gear up for the centenary of the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Middle East is being convulsed as never before by the legacy of the breakup of the Ottoman Empire. Look no farther than SYRIA, where one part of that legacy – the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sykes-Picot Agreement </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(See:</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sykes%E2%80%93Picot_Agreement">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sykes%E2%80%93Picot_Agreement</a> )</span></span>,which divided the Middle East into BRITISH and FRENCH spheres of influence even while the Great War still raged – is coming to a brutally violent end. Likewise, the current turmoil in TURKEY is, at least in part, a consequence of “neo-Ottoman” overreach by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. In seeking to establish the type of regional influence that TURKS have not had since the time Mustapha Kemal Ataturk founded the Republic of TURKEY, Erdogan has fallen prey to some of the Ottoman regime’s hubris.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Levant has, of course, been the scene of countless conflicts throughout the centuries. Sir Archibald Wavell, one of BRITAIN’S greatest World War II generals and the penultimate Viceroy of INDIA, wrote in his biography of the World War I field marshal Edmund Allenby, who led the Allies in the Levant: “The greatest exploit in the history of horsed cavalry, and possibly their last success on a large scale, had ended within a short distance of the battlefield of Issus, where Alexander the Great first showed how battles could be won.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But peace still eludes the Levant. As MIDDLE EAST analyst Murtaza Hussain recently observed: “SYRIA and IRAQ, formerly unified ARAB states formed after the defeat of their former Ottoman rulers, exist today only in name.” What will emerge from the present situation could be a fragmented, easily manipulated region.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is why SYRIA’S civil war is now a geopolitical battle for regional domination, with multiple fractures along sectarian lines. As is now clear, no country is really free of the charge of interfering in SYRIA. While Shiite-majority IRAQ has attempted to portray itself as neutral, it has permitted IRANIAN flights to use its airspace to carry weapons to the regime of President Bashar Assad.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 148 GROUPS, BIG AND SMALL, ARE FIGHTING IN THE COUNTRY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrCMQ6JHDeIODNkRw3KW-K_eW9_2LzO5na2vivwsFy8gBNSgrv0ZDMl71t1MW4T9BWj2ib8poEVhILI0EsnLP7-YlB1Y9GFFJF6NjGdxA0uSs_fM6qSfbdDr1ELgrt0hUiJ3wuCBqtXBf/s1600/_1681362_sykes_300_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrCMQ6JHDeIODNkRw3KW-K_eW9_2LzO5na2vivwsFy8gBNSgrv0ZDMl71t1MW4T9BWj2ib8poEVhILI0EsnLP7-YlB1Y9GFFJF6NjGdxA0uSs_fM6qSfbdDr1ELgrt0hUiJ3wuCBqtXBf/s1600/_1681362_sykes_300_map.gif" /></a></div><br />  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IRAN, too, has long used its alliance with SYRIA to pursue its interests in the Levant, which include support for Hezbollah in LEBANON. On the ground, Hezbollah, which is now openly fighting in SYRIA to keep Assad in power, asserts that “war is coming to Aleppo,” the ancient city that is the heart of the anti-Assad rebellion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indeed, according to Lakhdar Brahimi, who serves as joint special representative of the United Nations and the Arab League for SYRIA, there are an estimated 148 groups, big and small, fighting in the country.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, SAUDI ARABIA and QATAR – which Middle East commentator Saeed Naqvi has called the “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">most vulnerable Sunni kingdoms</b>” – have attempted “to divert popular discontent along sectarian, Shiite-Sunni lines.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This ancient fracture, papered over by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sir Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot 97</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">years ago</b> in their secret agreement, has now swallowed SYRIA, with Assad portrayed as some sort of Alawite ogre. Many Western diplomats appear to be of the same superficial cast of mind as Sykes and Picot, believing that Assad’s fall from power would remove SYRIA from the IRAN-Hezbollah axis.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DOUBLE EDGED SWORD POLICIES OF SAUDI ARABIA </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But will it? And who or what will replace Bashar Assad? Surely not the ragtag groups that are fighting Assad’s regime, even if the UNITED STATES may now supply some of them with arms, as President Barack Obama’s administration recently announced.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Recent history suggests just how malleable the elements in play in SYRIA really are. Consider SAUDI ARABIA’S actions there. As Bruce Riedel, an ex-CIA analyst and former National Security Council member, recently noted, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ironically, [Saudi intelligence chief Prince] Bandar was crucial to the transition in SYRIA from Hafez Assad to Bashar back in 2000, assuring key Alawite generals, then in the regime, that Bashar was up to the job and had Saudi support</b>.” Now the same Prince Bandar “is trying to get arms to the Sunni rebels to oust Bashar.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Such long-term unpredictability is why the former EUROPEAN UNION foreign-policy high representative Javier Solana and the former NATO secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer assert that talks in Geneva are the only viable way out of the SYRIAN morass. An agreement last month between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov to launch a new political process for SYRIA, the so-called Geneva II conference, marked a possible opportunity; but hope is waning even before the talks begin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indeed, one reason for this is that, on the opening day of the RUSSIA-EUROPEAN UNION Summit in Yekaterinburg on June 4, RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin confirmed that his country would honor its contract with Syria to deliver S-300 surface-to-air missile systems. Putin stressed RUSSIA’S disappointment over the EU’s failure to maintain the arms embargo against SYRIA, thus permitting each EU member state to begin arming the SYRIAN rebels.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, with Obama’s decision to send arms as well, his “red line” in SYRIA – the use of chemical weapons – could well create a legacy as damaging to the region as that of the Sykes-Picot “line in the sand” proved to be</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">.</span> </span></b>To arm the rebel groups is, perhaps inevitably, also to arm their terrorist and mercenary allies. That is not a recipe for long-term stability.</span> </div>

SYRIA: ARMING SYRIAN REBELS COULD CREATE A LEGACY AS HARMFUL AS SYKES - PICOT

SYRIA’S CIVIL WAR IS NOW A GEOPOLITICAL BATTLE FOR REGIONAL DOMINATION By Jaswant Singh, via StratRisk As the West begins to gear up for th...

Head of Public Services: Librarian III - Noah Webster Library, West Hartford

10:18 AM Anonymous 0

<strong>Head of Public Services: Librarian III - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Noah Webster Library</span></strong></strong>,  West Hartford. Do you dare “to boldly go where no one has gone before?”   Are you passionate about libraries and their ability to become THE  community resource for the 21st century?  Are you willing to find out  what the library user experience is like for the patrons of West  Hartford Public Libraries, and to use this data to unite the reference  and referral functions with the circulation of materials at the Noah  Webster Library?  Are you capable of inspiring and leading others to  take risks and experiment to find better ways of serving the community?   If you have an ALA accredited MLS degree and at least four years of  experience in professional library work including the supervision of  personnel, you may qualify to take advantage of this “once in a  lifetime” chance to re-invision, re-vamp, and recreate how service is  delivered at the library. The Public Services Division Head will be in  charge of the Reference and Circulation staff on the main floor of the  Noah Webster library.  He/she will work with other division managers and  the library director to accomplish the goals of the organization, and  with all three facilities to lead the ongoing training and  skill-building for the adult services and circulation staff. Deadline: <span style="color: red;">July 12, 2013</span>. To view complete job description and apply, visit: <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.applitrack.com/westhartford/onlineapp/default.aspx?AppliTrackJobID=132" href="http://www.applitrack.com/westhartford/onlineapp/default.aspx?AppliTrackJobID=132" target="_blank">www.applitrack.com/westhartford/onlineapp/default.aspx</a>. Applications will only be accepted electronically.

Head of Public Services: Librarian III - Noah Webster Library, West Hartford

Head of Public Services: Librarian III - Noah Webster Library , West Hartford. Do you dare “to boldly go where no one has gone before?” A...

Whoa! Chicago Teamsters attacked by Texas corporation

8:34 AM Tukiyooo 0

Teamster funeral directors in Chicago are in tough contract talks with SCI, a Houston-based company that’s trying to force steep concessions.  They may need your support in the very near future.<br /> <br /> Teamsters Local 727 has been negotiating a contract for its 59 funeral directors and drivers at 17 area SCI funeral homes since June 14.  The current contract expires at 12 a.m., Monday, July 1, and talks will continue through June 30.<br /> <br /> Over the course of negotiations, SCI has approximately 50 regressive changes to the current contract including:<br /><ul><li>Eliminating the funeral directors’ pension plan</li><li>Increasing the cost of health insurance premiums for employees</li><li>Wage freezes for new hires</li><li>Paltry wage increases after years of wage freezes</li><li>Removal of contractual protections for disabled employees</li><li>Elimination of authority of arbitration decisions</li></ul>Elimination of holiday pay. John T. Coli, Teamsters Local 727 secretary-treasurer, said SCI has consistently tried to freeze wages, gut health benefits and eliminate the directors’ retirement plan.<br /> <br />  “Our 59 local funeral directors are being bullied by a $3 2 billion company that is intent on eking out every last penny out of the community.”<br /> <br /> Teamsters Local 727 has represented Chicago’s funeral directors and embalmers since 1946.  It represents more than 6,800 hardworking men and women in the greater Chicagoland area.<br /> <br /> Please stay tuned.

Whoa! Chicago Teamsters attacked by Texas corporation

Teamster funeral directors in Chicago are in tough contract talks with SCI, a Houston-based company that’s trying to force steep concessions...

Private blogs and protocol

8:25 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br />I follow a lot of blogs, just a few follow  mine.  Most of the blogs I read are not things that I can even  begin to comment on, so I'm a lurker I guess you'd say.  I read them for many reasons - fascination, understanding, humor, good information, commiseration, validation of my own feelings, etc.  And with a few of you, actual friendship! <br /><br />I don't like seeing posts hidden.  I don't like seeing entire blogs disappear.  Yet I totally understand why you must do it. <br /><br />So I'm wondering...   Being new to blogland, I don't know what the protocol for this is.  Someone I'm closer to, someone I'm regularly engaging with, that would make sense for me to ask to be let in.  But what about somebody who doesn't know me from any other crazy nut of a reporter?<br /><br />I've been a fly on their wall, lurking around unnoticed, the door slammed shut (by necessity), and now this fly wants to get in.  But who in their right mind would open a door to a fly? Have the houses been leveled or are they under an invisibility cloak?  Is it appropriate for this fly to knock on the door?  And how do I find the door to knock on? <br /><br />I'm really sad it's come to this for so many of you.  This fly misses you already.

Private blogs and protocol

I follow a lot of blogs, just a few follow mine. Most of the blogs I read are not things that I can even begin to comment on, so I'm ...

Prayers and Bear Hugs for Emily

7:41 AM Tukiyooo 0

Prayers and Bear Hugs for Emily

Sending our prayers for Emily, Christina, Jim, their entire family, the doctors and nurses, and the countless friends who are there helping ...

Today's Teamster News 06.25.13

4:07 AM Tukiyooo 0

<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/american-factory-boss-held-hostage-beijing-article-1.1380831">American factory exec says he's being held hostage by scores of angry workers in Beijing</a>  Associated Press   ...An American executive said Monday he has been held hostage for four days at his medical supply plant in Beijing by scores of workers demanding severance packages like those given to 30 co-workers in a phased-out department...<br /><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/24/pf/emergency-savings/">76% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck</a>  CNN Money   ...Fewer than one in four Americans have enough money in their savings account to cover at least six months of expenses, enough to help cushion the blow of a job loss, medical emergency or some other unexpected event, according to the survey of 1,000 adults. Meanwhile, 50% of those surveyed have less than a three-month cushion and 27% had no savings at all...<br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-23/u-s-surveillance-is-not-aimed-at-terrorists.html">U.S. Surveillance Is Not Aimed at Terrorists </a> Bloomberg   ...monitoring phone calls is hardly the way to catch terrorists. They’re generally not dumb enough to use Verizon...<br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/court-makes-harder-sue-businesses-154005838.html;_ylt=Ajf5c1C6qSsrYvtlnnED13QJVux_;_ylu=X3oDMTJhcTMyN2Z1BG1pdANBVFQgMyBTdG9yeSBKdW1ib3Ryb24gSG9tZSBDYWNoZWQEcG9zAzIxBHNlYwNNZWRpYUF0dFdpZGdldHJvbkFzc2VtYmx5;_ylg=X3oDMTFkcW51ZGliBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3BtaA--;_ylv=3">Court makes it harder to sue businesses</a>  Associated Press   ...The court's conservatives, in two 5-4 decisions, ruled that a person must be able to hire and fire someone to be considered a supervisor in discrimination lawsuits, making it harder to blame a business for a co-worker's racism or sexism. The court then decided to limit how juries can decide retaliation lawsuits...<br /><a href="http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/7c9a4c29cd4446b38c9120acea23a502/US--Supreme-Court-Union-Organizing">Supreme Court to decide whether union-business agreement valid</a>   The Republic   ...The Supreme Court will decide whether a business and a union's agreement is valid after the business helped the union organize in return for help with a ballot initiative...<br /><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/23/lawmakers-want-to-stop-government-from-buying-usa-flags-from-china/">Lawmakers want to stop government from buying USA flags from China</a>   Daily Caller   ...Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are renewing a push to stop the federal government from buying and flying American flags made outside the country...<br /><a href="http://www.tradereform.org/2013/06/theyre-not-telling-us-all-of-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=theyre-not-telling-us-all-of-it">They’re not telling us all of it</a>  Trade Reform   ...I met with 22 Congressional offices last week.  None of them had seen the TPP language...<br /><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/25/news/economy/brazil-protests/">Rising middle class fuels Brazil's protests</a>  Forbes   ... in the protests that have gripped Brazil since last week, regional experts say economic growth is actually feeding discontent, as a rising middle class puts demands on social services such as education and transportation that the government has failed to meet...<br /><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/tBSg4xEU652GL3yJjrzAJK/7Eleven-convenience-stores-raided-as-part-of-US-probe.html">7-Eleven convenience stores raided as part of US probe</a>    Associated Press   ...Federal authorities say they’ve raided 7-Eleven convenience stores in two US states as part of a probe into human smuggling, identity theft and money laundering...<br /><a href="http://citizensvoice.com/news/mcdonald-s-pay-practice-scrutinized-by-federal-authorities-1.1509474">McDonald's pay practice scrutinized by federal authorities</a>  Citizens’ Voice   ...As a lawsuit against a local McDonald's franchise gains national attention, federal authorities are investigating the company's practice of forcing employees to be paid only by debit cards that come with an assortment of fees...<br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/twinkies-set-make-sweetest-comeback/story?id=19468409#.UclzDz7F36l">Twinkies Set to Make 'Sweetest Comeback' in July</a>  ABC News   ...Hostess is now owned by the private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co...<br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/06/19/pol-mask-bill-royal-assent.html">Wearing a mask at a riot is now a crime </a> CBC News   ...A bill that bans the wearing of masks during a riot or unlawful assembly and carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence with a conviction of the offence became law today (in Canada)...<br /><a href="http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/jun/24/tennessee-ends-40-million-in-child-allowances-for-unemployed/">Tennessee Ends $40 Million in Child Allowances for Unemployed</a>   Associated Press   ...The state is notifying Tennesseans drawing unemployment benefits that they will soon lose a weekly $15-per-child allowance as part of a new law signed by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam...<br /><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/06/21/State-to-privatize-prison-food.html">State of Ohio skips union, picks private food service</a>   Columbus Dispatch   ...A Philadelphia mega-company that provides food and beverage service at ballparks, national parks, hospitals and schools nationwide has been picked to provide private food service for Ohio prisons...<br /><a href="http://www.adn.com/2013/06/24/2951473/minimum-wage-hike-plan-gets-go.html">Alaska minimum wage hike plan gets go-ahead</a>    Associated Press   ...The organizers of a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in Alaska have been given the go-ahead to begin collecting signature, Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell said Monday....<br /><a href="http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/guest/guest-opinion-montana-will-prosper-with-equal-pay-for-equal/article_723200c9-dff8-5e13-be47-d1c8b6f9e51d.html">Montana will prosper with equal pay for equal work</a>  (opinion)  Billings Gazette   ...Fifty years after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, American women earn, on average, 77 percent of what their male counterparts do. In Montana, women are earning only 67 percent for doing the same work, putting Montana in 39th place for pay equity...<br /><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-23/news/ct-met-bp-mercury-20130623_1_bp-refinery-whiting-refinery-oil-company-bp">Indiana gives BP a pass on mercury</a>  Chicago Tribune   ...Under the terms of an earlier decision by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the BP refinery can legally discharge an annual average of 23.1 parts per trillion of mercury — nearly 20 times the federal water quality standard...<br /><a href="http://www.bradenton.com/2013/06/24/4581817/officials-1-dead-in-explosion.html">Indiana grain elevator blast kills 1 worker</a>  Associated Press   ...An explosion Monday inside a grain elevator killed a worker at a sprawling northwestern Indiana farm co-op, authorities said...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/2013UPSforweb8.pdf">Teamster UPS Vote</a>  IBT   ...National Master Contract 34037 (Y) 29576 (N)...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/UPSFCount_06242013.pdf">Teamster UPS Freight Returns</a>  IBT   ...1897 (Y) 4244 (N)...<br /><a href="http://woub.org/2013/06/24/pepsi-plant-employees-reject-contract-offer">Pepsi Plant Employees Reject Contract Offer</a>  Associated Press   ...Employees at the Pepsi Beverage plant in Huntington, who are members of Teamsters Local 175, have unanimously rejected a contract offer they claim would erode their current benefits...<br /><a href="http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/carteret_truckers_teamsters_vo.html">Carteret firm's truckers to vote Friday on joining Teamsters union</a>  NJ.com   ...Friday’s vote, which follows a contentious unionization campaign, involves 112 short and long-haul drivers and support workers for Toll Global Forwarding...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/ricksmithtour">Listen To The Rick Smith Show’s Broadcasts From His People’s Tour Of America</a>  IBT   ...The Teamsters are supporting Brother Rick Smith as he takes his labor radio show from his home in Harrisburg, Pa. on a cross-country tour from June 11 to July 5. On the way, he is meeting with union leaders and workers about the state of the American labor movement and the challenges facing the middle class. Come back to this page daily to hear the latest from his road travels...

Today's Teamster News 06.25.13

American factory exec says he's being held hostage by scores of angry workers in Beijing Associated Press ...An American executive s...

Back to work

1:21 AM Tukiyooo 0

Back to work

Well my holiday is well and truly over, I'm back in work thus morning. I think if I get stressed I need to bring my mind back to yoga ...

Miller Brewing, Coors Brewing, and IWS Radio...A Tasty Match Made in Marketing Heaven

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMmLmIbYzo8sF6LPXcs8AjlV0XnM7xO0cZcUoufz7BIAGSEIF7u42mdbF36Qj5geei8ZXfzHCcWPT27LHgw5RiCBcRX-fM4H6c4vDUksd0iAA5Bo0dJq-1lzt3OHnO_-92052usWmDAU/s1600/Beer+Mine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMmLmIbYzo8sF6LPXcs8AjlV0XnM7xO0cZcUoufz7BIAGSEIF7u42mdbF36Qj5geei8ZXfzHCcWPT27LHgw5RiCBcRX-fM4H6c4vDUksd0iAA5Bo0dJq-1lzt3OHnO_-92052usWmDAU/s1600/Beer+Mine.jpg" /></a>Happy Tuesday Chuckleheads!!<br /><br />I hope that if you are currently staring down the business end of the heat and humidity gun of Mother Nature as we are here in Springfield, Ohio, you are muddling through the climatological (well, it’s a word now) steam bath comfortably.<br /><br />It was pretty sultry here yesterday.<br /><br />It wasn’t incredibly hot temp wise, 88 or so…but the humidity was high as well, which made for a yeast breeding, Gold Bond powder applied to the nether regions type of day for me at the Beer Mine.<br /><br />Even though it was but a Monday, hundreds of folks, both over worked and out of work, dwelling within the Greater Bagwine Metroplex, drove through the Beer Mine (located at the corner of Elmore and Burnett Rd. across from Donato’s in Springfield, Ohio) delightfully demanded to purchase beer in order that their whistles might be whetted.<br /><br />As a loud, proud, and sassy employee of said Beer Mine, I happily slung unto those with a powerful thirst, 30 Packs of Milwaukee’s Best Light, 6 Packs of Mickey’s Malt Liquor, and of course, 12 packs of Miller Lite and Coors Light.<br /><br />And yes, in full disclosure…I sold plenty of beer put out by that other heavyweight in the field of beermanship that is now owned by a bunch of Belgian buttheads, whom I refer to as, “AB.”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5afmTxxAal13idyFm506qZaMhYO8fKD4ZYVdkPBBD_o_nU2Rr1SLSRKA7QK5jtujLOaJUh1Z0AASSbtLd9y91ceAqOoQU3w3JiyV__m6g9X7i-LjcGH9JfTWT1NtAfQfY3iHobtnFep8/s1600/Matt-Man's+Fridge++Mickey's+Milwaukee's+Best+Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5afmTxxAal13idyFm506qZaMhYO8fKD4ZYVdkPBBD_o_nU2Rr1SLSRKA7QK5jtujLOaJUh1Z0AASSbtLd9y91ceAqOoQU3w3JiyV__m6g9X7i-LjcGH9JfTWT1NtAfQfY3iHobtnFep8/s320/Matt-Man's+Fridge++Mickey's+Milwaukee's+Best+Light.jpg" width="320" /></a>If beer made with rice, makes you feel nice…then AB beer is your brand.  Whatever…and uuch!!<br /><br />But…I digress.<br /><br />All of the aforementioned beers are put out by <a href="http://www.millercoors.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">MillerCoors</span></a><span style="color: blue;">,</span> and let me tell you…<br /><br />My number one fave beer is Mickey’s.  My number two beer and which runs the day to day operation of my liver, is Milwaukee’s Best Light, but due to the heat and the workout that our customers put me through yesterday?<br /><br />After the work day was done, I needed to taste some of my friend and my mistress, so I bought two 24 ouncers of my ab fab favorite beer, Steel Reserve.<br /><br />Steel Reserve is the kick ass-est of the High Gravity beers.  It is smooth, tasty, yet maintains the kick of what a high gravity beer should have.<br /><br />That other brewery that I mentioned?  AB?  They too make a High Gravity beer.  It’s called Hurricane…They should have named it Tropical Depression, because it is weak and tastes like the runoff from a lackadaisical storm surge full of carp.<br /><br />Steel Reserve is where it’s at my friends.  And you know what?<br /><br />I think IWS Radio and<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.millercoors.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">MillerCoors</span></a> </span>make a good match.  I think they should advertise <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">on our show</span></a> and our website.  I mean, hell, between the two IWS venues, we reach some 75,000-90,000 people a month.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJxLi01AxKifkB2UtmG08e1mkj5w-3XQ68ELBDQXUOFYYMyl9_xPEMuCoU5Db7U_S-AaNuk8-RgoiMCWU_LIjHNqoe0O15k9PhHeX3huP26X0taziuPaEyCmForjP3Sra4fiV69Lko_w/s1600/Steel+Reserve+Miller+Coors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJxLi01AxKifkB2UtmG08e1mkj5w-3XQ68ELBDQXUOFYYMyl9_xPEMuCoU5Db7U_S-AaNuk8-RgoiMCWU_LIjHNqoe0O15k9PhHeX3huP26X0taziuPaEyCmForjP3Sra4fiV69Lko_w/s320/Steel+Reserve+Miller+Coors.JPG" width="231" /></a>We have a Facebook and Twitter account that reaches thousands more, and…<br /><br />Jayman and I not only love and drink their products, I sell them everyday!!  It’s a perfect marketing storm, and a win-win!!<br /><br />If they were to come up with a paltry $3,000 we could advertise for them for an entire year.  <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">IWS</span></a> could go super premium on BTR, AND have money left over for giveaways promoting our show, website, and their products.<br /><br />I think I am on to something, and let me tell you why.<br /><br />I came up with this idea while drinking Steel Reserve, and you know why?<br /><br />Because just like the 211 logo on the can, when I drink Steel Reserve, my IQ goes from 150 to 211 by the second sip.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattman_iws</span></a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Matt-Man on Facebook</span></a></div>

Miller Brewing, Coors Brewing, and IWS Radio...A Tasty Match Made in Marketing Heaven

Happy Tuesday Chuckleheads!! I hope that if you are currently staring down the business end of the heat and humidity gun of Mother Nature as...