Why outsourcing sucks: Xerox food stamp debacle

If you thought government runs the food stamp program, you would be wrong. Government outsources the management of the electronic benefit transfer systems to <a href="http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=194582" rel="nofollow">Xerox Corp., a company that paid its CEO $13 million last year</a>.<br /><br />Xerox apparently didn't invest its profit in redundant technology. Some sort of technology failure on Saturday -- nobody has really explained what it was -- caused the EBT system to shut down in 17 states. Millions of poor Americans were unable to buy groceries.<br /><br />This is why we shouldn't cede control of essential government services to corporations.<br /><br />The <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/food-stamp-debit-cards-working-states-20553954" rel="nofollow">Associated Press</a> reported on the chaos that erupted:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Shoppers left carts of groceries behind at a packed Market Basket grocery store in Biddeford, Maine, because they couldn't get their benefits, said shopper Barbara Colman, of Saco, Maine. The manager put up a sign saying the EBT system was not in use. Colman, who receives the benefits, called an 800 telephone line for the program and it said the system was down due to maintenance, she said.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"That's a problem. There are a lot of families who are not going to be able to feed children because the system is being maintenanced," Colman said. She planned to reach out to local officials. "You don't want children going hungry tonight because of stupidity," she said... </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">...states affected by the temporary outage also included Alabama, California, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia...</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In Clarksdale, Miss. — one of the poorest parts of one of the poorest states in the nation — cashier Eliza Shook said dozens of customers at Corner Grocery had to put back groceries when the cards failed Saturday because they couldn't afford to pay for the food. After several hours, she put a sign on the front door to tell people about the problem. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"It's been terrible," Shook said in a phone interview. "It's just been some angry folks. That's what a lot of folks depend on." </blockquote>The whole debacle suggests Xerox was cutting corners somewhere to increase its profit, and poor people paid the price. Unfortunately, American citizens can't vote Xerox out of office. That's the real downside of outsourcing.<br /><br />And if you think poor people shouldn't get food stamps because taxpayers can't afford to pay for them, perhaps you agree that taxpayers also can't afford Xerox CEO's $13 million pay package.<br /><br />On a brighter note, the same glitch that caused the food stamp system to shut down also eliminated spending limits on some EBT cards in Louisiana. Here's what happened, according to the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1015/Walmart-Food-stamps-spree-caused-by-Xerox" rel="nofollow">Christian Science Monitor</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">When word got out Saturday that the EBT cards were showing no limits, card holders rushed to area Walmarts to take advantage. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Some people had eight or 10 shopping carts full of groceries," Springhill Police Chief Will Lynd said on Monday.</blockquote>Now Xerox and Walmart are pointing fingers at each other. Heh-heh. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

food stamps outsourcing Why outsourcing sucks: Xerox food stamp debacle

If you thought government runs the food stamp program, you would be wrong. Government outsources the management of the electronic benefit tr...

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Today's archidose #709

Here are some photos of the Lucerne Festival Ark Nova (2013) in Matsushima, Japan, by <a href="http://anishkapoor.com/">Anish Kapoor</a> and <a href="http://www.isozaki.co.jp/">Arata Isozaki</a>, photographed by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/">Ken Lee</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10291642406/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5547/10291642406_27c7e0fb79_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10291548234/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/10291548234_ae006690e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10291659795/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/10291659795_80a292f6e4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10291770203/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/10291770203_464f4349ee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10246415126/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/10246415126_781e0f1b37_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10246417465/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3828/10246417465_042143937e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10246321094/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3790/10246321094_987883cac3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlee2010/10246411606/" title="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan by Ken Lee 2010, on Flickr"><img alt="LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA Matsushima 2013, 松島, Japan" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/10246411606_1a78452c76_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #709

Here are some photos of the Lucerne Festival Ark Nova (2013) in Matsushima, Japan, by Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki , photographed by Ken ...

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Library Assistant - Stafford Library

<strong>Library Assistant - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Stafford Library</span></strong></strong>. 19 hours per week, Mon. – Sat. including some evenings. $15.04 per hour. Responsibilities include assisting patrons at the circulation desk, using computers to execute all circulation functions, assisting patrons using the library computers, and other duties as assigned. Qualifications: High School diploma, excellent customer service skills, knowledge of Microsoft Office products, and basic Internet use. Please send a completed application (found at www.staffordct.org), resume, and cover letter to:  Stafford Library, 10 Levinthal Run, Stafford Springs, CT 06076 by <span style="color: red;">October 30, 2013</span>.

Library Assistant - Stafford Library

Library Assistant - Stafford Library . 19 hours per week, Mon. – Sat. including some evenings. $15.04 per hour. Responsibilities inc...

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My shopping haul

<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">I met my mother during my lunch break today and we swept through TK Maxx and the Gap Outlet in Blanchardstown.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLdD-rq1h1yP32sKuUMsETYvBsGOrqhcz65eetrTVaKN4KKLaOINLN8KEgNQCfHHhEkXkNb0UmQcFubXrJLnQ6FDb3j2NFEV8Vy4AVvRqvyGlojNMUk6A00dOAdRS0KXfRbr8AQKz-6qZ/s640/blogger-image-566251579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLdD-rq1h1yP32sKuUMsETYvBsGOrqhcz65eetrTVaKN4KKLaOINLN8KEgNQCfHHhEkXkNb0UmQcFubXrJLnQ6FDb3j2NFEV8Vy4AVvRqvyGlojNMUk6A00dOAdRS0KXfRbr8AQKz-6qZ/s640/blogger-image-566251579.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN3TyvCt44qBPBq1vSMgEQRe4_RnLEsqpGYhgR4kyf4im-W-Ryf-zQTpzWwhibcwsHw5KuYI4Jvn_j2tOwcU8ae0JL7KrVsnCWNRvZhuwfLr1QxfqVCC_N4hmR4gHn193zqLOVB2be74o/s640/blogger-image--859070577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN3TyvCt44qBPBq1vSMgEQRe4_RnLEsqpGYhgR4kyf4im-W-Ryf-zQTpzWwhibcwsHw5KuYI4Jvn_j2tOwcU8ae0JL7KrVsnCWNRvZhuwfLr1QxfqVCC_N4hmR4gHn193zqLOVB2be74o/s640/blogger-image--859070577.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">These boots are great - perfect for wearing with skinny jeans or even with a skirt.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYWmFjXVTiRPoKglvLue-bOUjXee8XSoAfCBv8-ers-ZirL6rqBl9EG2IDzw-CwFbNva685CeIlICzMe-MAFp1eC2V-jJWlPtbU1ZxyEAJLCBj54TXBpFeye0kNSZIWPh3GRz4Z4o5WRV/s640/blogger-image-2123500765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYWmFjXVTiRPoKglvLue-bOUjXee8XSoAfCBv8-ers-ZirL6rqBl9EG2IDzw-CwFbNva685CeIlICzMe-MAFp1eC2V-jJWlPtbU1ZxyEAJLCBj54TXBpFeye0kNSZIWPh3GRz4Z4o5WRV/s640/blogger-image-2123500765.jpg"></a></div><br><span style="font-size: large;">I love these boots too!  They are really comfortable and the leather is really good.</span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvpX46-yaOhrv-yQ09pneGrRO8RUnAvFCvhmvlpcNYbVJRAII_2IHSYsyoogZ8h7ytYgQCNjE0pldgkrypCBn1FllFNzNKX5I6DV5b8TzD5PUXDpnZSxPo2Dy9AsOeUjPpyRfOLrJlKfg/s640/blogger-image--157733036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvpX46-yaOhrv-yQ09pneGrRO8RUnAvFCvhmvlpcNYbVJRAII_2IHSYsyoogZ8h7ytYgQCNjE0pldgkrypCBn1FllFNzNKX5I6DV5b8TzD5PUXDpnZSxPo2Dy9AsOeUjPpyRfOLrJlKfg/s640/blogger-image--157733036.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They are by Earth Spirit and are biodegradable!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBw85k-Z3UgHj0GstrObK53n6zi_svLK85ia9EVGTS5LZ8qrdEdI50rk00K7eEODthSF923v_Y0UtaDPmDsZNziInmSkJ0iCTJFKb8-cYjCgQYexRI4XZFTSTAnEHXVlQaYZqjoizI_ir/s640/blogger-image--712101167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBw85k-Z3UgHj0GstrObK53n6zi_svLK85ia9EVGTS5LZ8qrdEdI50rk00K7eEODthSF923v_Y0UtaDPmDsZNziInmSkJ0iCTJFKb8-cYjCgQYexRI4XZFTSTAnEHXVlQaYZqjoizI_ir/s640/blogger-image--712101167.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Gap I got this Navy Cardigan and pink vest.  The cardigan is really light and practically see through.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPWFVVQogM5R95g2lc7GzGff-pZY9JJH60SjphoPPpIN98HyatrTgUlBB24agWq4nFbbRsGjnuJmEHtnbBuId9U4Pc4wpTbXLY6ZKS1mTyuLMtUTK353bRdFiYbv5_ORTb6bPyw6dF-aj/s640/blogger-image--1460284275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPWFVVQogM5R95g2lc7GzGff-pZY9JJH60SjphoPPpIN98HyatrTgUlBB24agWq4nFbbRsGjnuJmEHtnbBuId9U4Pc4wpTbXLY6ZKS1mTyuLMtUTK353bRdFiYbv5_ORTb6bPyw6dF-aj/s640/blogger-image--1460284275.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also got 3 pairs of trousers in Gap.  There was a great sale on cords - only 25 euro!  I bought a wine pair and a dark brown pair.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2p68a99tc_tJbzUUfgT89UvVXRBlKtXKnUF13GwvrDnk51yYgBaq1UIquiBW9LFo1M_fIz2TKRiEOMlehCK1G2F0GHpPyFaEpDfjpvUkEbRFUthE84G5KtCYH7iKgOsGtViHGHAjuss_/s640/blogger-image-193504393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2p68a99tc_tJbzUUfgT89UvVXRBlKtXKnUF13GwvrDnk51yYgBaq1UIquiBW9LFo1M_fIz2TKRiEOMlehCK1G2F0GHpPyFaEpDfjpvUkEbRFUthE84G5KtCYH7iKgOsGtViHGHAjuss_/s640/blogger-image-193504393.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">The other trousers I got are these black chinos - or as Gap calls them "Jeanos"!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gldyIxdyeesg_t9vHDAfCVzWzE5A1m5cPUruUY_RLPIg7ijKsJKHtwIPbTTvky3EeaPqvFjrfPFpRhOFskYlMVN40nw5pSVkfUirux67VFZB8VlKvyFihbRuVHNpRML2KmoltZCgYW1W/s640/blogger-image-1597524029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gldyIxdyeesg_t9vHDAfCVzWzE5A1m5cPUruUY_RLPIg7ijKsJKHtwIPbTTvky3EeaPqvFjrfPFpRhOFskYlMVN40nw5pSVkfUirux67VFZB8VlKvyFihbRuVHNpRML2KmoltZCgYW1W/s640/blogger-image-1597524029.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0kI-9HjhrgzH2RUtHRIRuQ3Gcei27doroQEFxTUPpw_EsGVdMpLBpc9sqXL_F1M6iTKBfGFEbLtAsXhVl4MTuWwB03avr45aCHeN_R2RhZUHYDRas0Nx-QMFb5cEUsgZ1LpZ8kibkvU0/s640/blogger-image--560011434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0kI-9HjhrgzH2RUtHRIRuQ3Gcei27doroQEFxTUPpw_EsGVdMpLBpc9sqXL_F1M6iTKBfGFEbLtAsXhVl4MTuWwB03avr45aCHeN_R2RhZUHYDRas0Nx-QMFb5cEUsgZ1LpZ8kibkvU0/s640/blogger-image--560011434.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Final item was this black cardigan - a total bargain at 9 euro!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruL8EsJnAcla-NqZCCF9qVoQp1Jy0VJPNdslqz1Q9jHxJ_LQ2-DC9sXMW3zF-uvmpQ58Uz8GyA1BOArRgGmdQe43eHzvDDD3f7TjhRfyPSY0LS6tdR0QHzUbjPurOjH7QtgmaSDUwYJmf/s640/blogger-image--1362849364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruL8EsJnAcla-NqZCCF9qVoQp1Jy0VJPNdslqz1Q9jHxJ_LQ2-DC9sXMW3zF-uvmpQ58Uz8GyA1BOArRgGmdQe43eHzvDDD3f7TjhRfyPSY0LS6tdR0QHzUbjPurOjH7QtgmaSDUwYJmf/s640/blogger-image--1362849364.jpg"></a></div><br>

My shopping haul

I met my mother during my lunch break today and we swept through TK Maxx and the Gap Outlet in Blanchardstown. These boots are great - perfe...

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Bullied 12-year-old commits suicide

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HDX9_FZFaU72Rx8p-1WzdcPf-xCaK1_UIntpRcvn8WulhF9JAe2iJcuWdLZdR4CfQxWPbx4RFKFcJ3lgnbNUqaOwcyBNwgoo9s6vTgJhIWY5JvAvC2W-Aa9Jlw30OyaOXubTHOOo6htN/s1600/crying+eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HDX9_FZFaU72Rx8p-1WzdcPf-xCaK1_UIntpRcvn8WulhF9JAe2iJcuWdLZdR4CfQxWPbx4RFKFcJ3lgnbNUqaOwcyBNwgoo9s6vTgJhIWY5JvAvC2W-Aa9Jlw30OyaOXubTHOOo6htN/s200/crying+eye.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><br />Most feel compassion toward their fellow man. And then there are the ones who bully and take full advantage of today's technology to advance that into cyberbullying.<br /><br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/arrests-made-death-bullied-florida-girl-20573578">This is yet another case</a> of a young person who was bullied to death. She was 12. Her bulliers were 14 and 12. There is no remorse.<br /><br />Words fail....

bullying cyperbullying Suicide Bullied 12-year-old commits suicide

Most feel compassion toward their fellow man. And then there are the ones who bully and take full advantage of today's technology to adv...

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Dividend vs. Wage Stability

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEUwV0QpEWKulO5RlbEkOPH04o26lpDV96Lf6ZLqJX2kLKpZ6giySMwhTxoacU7KAZV0HN7AqiqfudiYHKP0jbSb6kTr4v8soTzbulRu5oH0REmBQOvyc1os-i4Jt_1pCh1oWgdy1N7M/s1600/Dividend+vs.+Wage+Stability.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEUwV0QpEWKulO5RlbEkOPH04o26lpDV96Lf6ZLqJX2kLKpZ6giySMwhTxoacU7KAZV0HN7AqiqfudiYHKP0jbSb6kTr4v8soTzbulRu5oH0REmBQOvyc1os-i4Jt_1pCh1oWgdy1N7M/s320/Dividend+vs.+Wage+Stability.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />Eight sigma events are totally sustainable. Don't let the naysayers tell you different.<br /><br />This is not investment advice. It has been infused with sarcasm for your viewing pleasure though.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=now">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

Dividend vs. Wage Stability

Click to enlarge. Eight sigma events are totally sustainable. Don't let the naysayers tell you different. This is not investment advice....

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FRANCE AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvUG5xAP_A7CGYXyWn0VGOYpEGwLBjfIGocaid0RiM_vAil87FYJPMJoAWi2pp0W2RHK_e3Vv7ZH1f5W1MzbRkNpK3Ec1U7OlBb6UKueI7x07WML-ixybKdCXJ1n6fWefC59VMnh0Bj_h/s1600/grunge_flag_of_central_african_republic_by_al_zoro-d4pu4ny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvUG5xAP_A7CGYXyWn0VGOYpEGwLBjfIGocaid0RiM_vAil87FYJPMJoAWi2pp0W2RHK_e3Vv7ZH1f5W1MzbRkNpK3Ec1U7OlBb6UKueI7x07WML-ixybKdCXJ1n6fWefC59VMnh0Bj_h/s400/grunge_flag_of_central_african_republic_by_al_zoro-d4pu4ny.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; 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: x-large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FRANCE WANTS ACTION ON CENTRAL AFRICA “SECTARIAN POISON”</span></b></span></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;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Source: Trust Org</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="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FRANCE’S foreign minister heads to the CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR) aiming to drum up international interest for a largely forgotten crisis that risks dragging Paris into a new military intervention in one of its former colonies.</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/AVvXsEg44kdjQ4qHAnajdtr9lJjbr7ND3tHbyhpaWs591H21wOeegmPtjpwp8rcvDX1uOiusyF8UqToisrR1gb1bG6dWKpdOnhbv2D7HzUfFvtCao0aAS7nFgBDPzY_AgVSGoF1z2DXsJ4D1Ctb8/s1600/2013_10$largeimg214_Oct_2013_061531370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44kdjQ4qHAnajdtr9lJjbr7ND3tHbyhpaWs591H21wOeegmPtjpwp8rcvDX1uOiusyF8UqToisrR1gb1bG6dWKpdOnhbv2D7HzUfFvtCao0aAS7nFgBDPzY_AgVSGoF1z2DXsJ4D1Ctb8/s320/2013_10$largeimg214_Oct_2013_061531370.jpg" width="320" /></a></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 nation has descended into chaos since mostly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize in March, the latest coup in the country that remains one of the world’s poorest despite resources ranging from gold to uranium.</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";">FRANCE has urged world and regional powers not to ignore a conflict that has already seen more than 400,000 people driven from their homes by acts of violence such as murder and rape.</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";">FRANCE RELUCTANT TO BE LEFT ALONE TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER AFRICAN HOTSPOT – MALI, CHAD AND NOW the CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC</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";">Paris is reluctant to be left to deal with another AFRICAN hotspot after it felt allies such as the UNITED STATES were hesitant to help it halt a rebel advance by al Qaeda-linked insurgents in MALI earlier this year.</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";">“There is an explosive cocktail in CAR and we fear this country will become a magnet for all the armed groups in the region,” a FRENCH diplomatic source said ahead of Laurent Fabius’ trip to the capital Bangui, the first by a FRENCH foreign minister in more than 10 years.</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";">While CAR is rich in minerals, that wealth is largely unexploited thanks to decades of instability and the spillover from conflicts in larger neighbours including SUDAN to the east and the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO to the south.</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";">Mercenaries from CHAD, MALI and SUDAN already form a large portion of Seleka rebels. Janjaweed Arab fighters from Darfur are present. Members of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army, which UGANDA accuses Khartoum of backing, have set up 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;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><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";">Background Information: </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">FRENCH MILITARY INTERVENTION IN MALI ALSO REVEALED THE RELUCTANCE OF COUNTRIES TO SHARE THE BURDEN FOR PROVIDING SECURITY IN THE SAHEL </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">read entire article at:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/07/eu-involvement-in-mali.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/07/eu-involvement-in-mali.html</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpti-QgQ6eDHhG5sWhHaYKIiD5DRAcXJo9z3U3Q2LKHmW7BW8PMmipGRNmPagpl_18zBE1rC8qyt60UKyyJg-eBb7h1d6a3tosb_Jp2VCemAm-9k01J4J45wnD8y8kqVoqXZyRnNtZppS/s1600/africa_pol00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpti-QgQ6eDHhG5sWhHaYKIiD5DRAcXJo9z3U3Q2LKHmW7BW8PMmipGRNmPagpl_18zBE1rC8qyt60UKyyJg-eBb7h1d6a3tosb_Jp2VCemAm-9k01J4J45wnD8y8kqVoqXZyRnNtZppS/s400/africa_pol00.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">AFRICA, A CONTINENT WHICH DECADES AGO WAS OF NO OR MERELY PERIPHERAL INTEREST TO THE REST OF THE WORLD SUDDENLY BECOMES A FOCAL POINT </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">read entire article at:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/07/mali-and-chinas-western-foreign-policy.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/07/mali-and-chinas-western-foreign-policy.html</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">EU INTEREST IN STABILIZING CHAD </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">read entire article at:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/chad-and-its-oil-reserves.html"><span lang="DE-AT" style="mso-ansi-language: DE-AT;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/chad-and-its-oil-reserves.html</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></div></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";">THE POWER VACUUM WITHIN CAR PAVES THE WAY FOR WAHHABI EXTREMIST’S ADVANCES</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";">CAR is geographically at the centre of what some strategists have called an “arc of insecurity” involving Islamic militants and stretching from KENYA and SOMALIA in eastern AFRICA to MAURITANIA in the west.</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";">The power vacuum in CAR is paving the way for al Qaeda-linked Islamists ousted from MALI, while lawlessness in north CAMEROON is opening a route to CAR for NIGERIA’S Boko Haram.</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";">“We are seeing the start of an internal sectarian poison that we never had in the past coupled with an international aspect that we hadn’t seen either,” said the source.</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";">FRANCES POOR RELATIONSHIP WITH CAR</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="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";">Unlike some of its other colonies in AFRICA, FRANCE has had a poor relationship with CAR since independence in 1960, and has been reluctant to get directly involved in the crisis, urging AFRICAN nations to do their utmost to resolve it.</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";">The AFRICAN UNION has responded by deploying about 2,500 troops as part of its 3,600-strong MISCA mission, made up of forces from CHAD, GABON, CONGO REPUBLIC and CAMEROON.</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";"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihyphenhyphen0sytSurCNl85Op6hhkquBIy5pgeoPALKzZKOOEan_5u0EEGGvlaD7-EpxLMDKRSrzMzscTOnnMZcd1g6sGS2WKIdnkXqq1e0sLPdj8Nv_GmTKny1MP_IY8r6GU_s3NkVyjWaGG0tYi/s1600/451px-Saharan_Africa_regions_map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihyphenhyphen0sytSurCNl85Op6hhkquBIy5pgeoPALKzZKOOEan_5u0EEGGvlaD7-EpxLMDKRSrzMzscTOnnMZcd1g6sGS2WKIdnkXqq1e0sLPdj8Nv_GmTKny1MP_IY8r6GU_s3NkVyjWaGG0tYi/s400/451px-Saharan_Africa_regions_map.png" width="400" /></a></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 style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><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";">Background Information: </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">POROUS BORDERS TURN LIBYA INTO RADICAL SANCTUARY</span> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Read entire article at:</span></b><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";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/libya-wild-west-of-northern-africa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/libya-wild-west-of-northern-africa.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SEVEN ECONOMIES IN SUB - SAHARAN AFRICA ARE EXPECTED TO BE AMONG THE TEN FASTEST GROWING ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read entire article at:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/africa-forgotten-and-underestimated.html</a></span></div></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 its material, logistic and financial resources are limited, prompting FRANCE to seek a U.N. Security Council mandate that would address that and turn MISCA into a U.N. peacekeeping force ultimately supported by FRENCH troops.</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/AVvXsEgJg0cYKmldqN5RdPxzWHvxpD5zY_Jii0nXde3KGNaxVDl5cLOk7Erz87dd_7H-M9UuBuMHTQNE_wg2wXXjN2QZ8XsqJYOkbhoXI4iF8Vu0FCjb27-NfvMgUaj8QWRiP5iPplhyphenhyphenmmZhKCpp/s1600/8312437071_433e9a04ca_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg0cYKmldqN5RdPxzWHvxpD5zY_Jii0nXde3KGNaxVDl5cLOk7Erz87dd_7H-M9UuBuMHTQNE_wg2wXXjN2QZ8XsqJYOkbhoXI4iF8Vu0FCjb27-NfvMgUaj8QWRiP5iPplhyphenhyphenmmZhKCpp/s320/8312437071_433e9a04ca_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></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";">“It’s not obvious, because CAR doesn’t interest anybody. People hardly know where it is, and if we don’t do it then nobody will,” said another FRENCH diplomat.</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";">The immediate objective is to minimise the level of support Paris has to give by ensuring that collectively Africa, the United Nations, EU and France act together.</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";">It also wants transitional president and former Seleka leader Michel Djotodia to completely disassociate himself from the rebels and abide by an 18-month timeline to elections.</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";">“We’re not looking for new interventions here or there. It’s not for FRANCE to solve the crisis. It’s no longer our role to be AFRICA’S policeman,” said a senior French official.</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";">“On top of that a mission like this is very costly and let’s not pretend, we can’t do it alone given our budgetary issues.”</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 if the hope is to get other world powers mobilised, there is a degree of realism in FRANCE that it may at some point have to get directly involved given that the level of Security Council support for giving MISCA a U.N. mandate is unclear.</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";">FRANCE, which has about 400 troops in CAR protecting the airport and FRENCH interests, has already explored some options.</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";">It could seek to boost its troop numbers to 1,200 to quickly restore security on the ground, or increase the force to 700-750 soldiers with a specific role to support MISCA.</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";">It may also decide to keep the contingent’s size unchanged, but turn it into a rapid reaction force. </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: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Editing by Mark John and Alison Williams</span></div>

FRANCE AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

FRANCE WANTS ACTION ON CENTRAL AFRICA “SECTARIAN POISON” Source: Trust Org FRANCE’S foreign minister heads to the CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ...

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Government Shutdown of SNAP Program Nov 1 Being Reported

God help these ignorant motherfuckers if they pull this stunt.<br /><br /><a href="http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/"><br />Western Rifle Association</a> has a piece up by Matt Bracken claiming that <a href="http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/bracken-department-of-agriculture-to-suspend-snap-1-november/">the government has sent a notice out that they will be suspending the SNAP program on November 1st until further notice</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>“States across the country are being told to stop the supplemental nutrition assistance program for the month of November, pending further notice. That’s according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. <a href="http://fox13now.com/2013/10/14/utah-families-on-food-stamps-could-be-cut-off-soon/">Fox 13 obtained a copy from the Crossroads Urban Center in downtown Salt Lake City</a>. Crossroads says if Utah families don’t get food stamps, they’ll turn to the local food pantries, which are already strapped due to the government shutdown. Homeless people Fox 13 talked to, some who use SNAP, say losing food stamps would mean going hungry.” Fox 13, Salt Lake City, October 14. </blockquote><br /><script height="365px" width="650px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=3ce6404476914e86994d87aac3e4391b&ec=o1N2h1ZjqzomacOO2KBI-9qicDidZYvz"></script><br /><br />You can rest assured that the government is fully aware of the repercussions of such a move.<br />What were once major metropolitan population centers will become smoking ash heaps after the rioting stops.<br /><br />It seems someone is trying to play Hardball Politics.<br /><br />It is also readily apparent that whoever it is has absolutely no idea of what they are doing.<br /><br /><br />I would not put this past the current regime though and take this as a credible threat.<br /><br />If you live anywhere near a potential flash point I would be seriously looking into having some fire extinguishers and self defense items handy because if they cut off the food to 50 million people in this country it will be a scorched earth scenario shortly afterwards.<br /><br />There <b>WILL</b> be "Mothafuckin' <i>RIOTS</i>".

Government Shutdown of SNAP Program Nov 1 Being Reported

God help these ignorant motherfuckers if they pull this stunt. Western Rifle Association has a piece up by Matt Bracken claiming that the g...

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Gonna Pop Some Tags (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 12-month moving average of annualized production and nonsupervisory apparel (nondurable goods) employee hours worked per capita.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweavdwlMBhZzlDBQcy6newdaUjFTcbcGohsVBKITkg99-1-F_ftRLQg7ewcTP8JJNqZOmsPKqHDv_QmzOvktmLR9caLMuzHF2C56o2zjK7gkS4fp-AQnpAjbXosq_17nUTF0k-Tys9u8/s1600/Gonna+Pop+Some+Tags.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweavdwlMBhZzlDBQcy6newdaUjFTcbcGohsVBKITkg99-1-F_ftRLQg7ewcTP8JJNqZOmsPKqHDv_QmzOvktmLR9caLMuzHF2C56o2zjK7gkS4fp-AQnpAjbXosq_17nUTF0k-Tys9u8/s320/Gonna+Pop+Some+Tags.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QK8mJJJvaes" width="420"></iframe><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666;"><i>I wear your granddad's clothes<br />I look incredible<br />I'm in this big ass coat<br />From that thrift shop down the road</i></div><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/#employment">BLS: Employment</a><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/POP">St. Louis Fed: Population</a>

Gonna Pop Some Tags (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 12-month moving average of annualized production and nonsupervisory apparel (nondurable goods) employee hours ...

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Hermione's Recycled Meme

<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>The phone rings. Who do you want it to be? </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Anyone other than family.  Unless somebody's selling something and then it's a toss up.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I try to park near the corral so I can return it.  Usually have my kids in tow and I won't leave them in the car to take it far.  I always put it somewhere safe where it won't whack anybody's car.</span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">If I know somebody, you can't shut me up.  I'm more reserved if I don't know people but then once I figure out something to talk about, yeah, won't shut up then either.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you take compliments well?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Not in the slightest</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Are you an active person?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I like to pretend I am.  I'm not a sloth.  That counts for something, right?</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">If abandoned alone in the wilderness, do you survive?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I'd be eaten by lions within a few hours.  Unless the mosquitoes did me in sooner.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Did you ever go to camp as a kid?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">YMCA day camp was as good as it got.  And that wasn't good...</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What was your favorite game as a kid?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Some sort of house/family game.  I remember there were always lots of bad children in the family and lots of spankings because the mom could never control them any other way.  LOL actually still sounds kinda fun</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">A sexy person is pursuing you, but you know that he/she is married, would you?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">No way!</span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Are you judgmental?</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I try really extremely hard not to be and somehow it just always gets thrown back in my face that I should've gone with that judgement in the first place.</span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you like to pursue or be pursued?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Definitely persued</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Use three words to describe yourself.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Short, sweet and sassy</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you had to choose, would you rather be deaf or blind?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Deaf - going blind after having having had a lifetime of sight would take away so many freedoms and activities that I'm used to. </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Are you continuing your education?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Yes, through the school of lif<i>e</i></span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you know how to shoot a gun?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Water guns</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">How often do you read books?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Usually every day</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you think more about the past, present or future?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I'm a worrier about all of it... sigh... so yeah, thoughts of all these times are constantly ruminating in there.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What is your favorite children's book?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">The Ramona books.  All of them!</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Where is your ideal house located?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">On a horse farm, but only if I'm rich enough to have full time staff.  Otherwise, a walking distance to where I ride would be wonderful.  </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Boxers, briefs, thongs, panties or grannies?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">I don't even know what they're called.  Like a low-rise cheeky boyshort kind of deal that covers more than a thong.  Or just a thong if my outfit needs it.  Not a fan of panty lines..<i>.</i></span><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Last person you talked to?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Myself... oh you mean another person?  Then a co-worker</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">No, hate my picture taken.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What are your keys on your keychain for?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">One key opens my house and both business locations, another key is for my car and the other key is for the tack room of my horse trailer.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Where was the furthest place you traveled today?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Work </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Where is your current pain?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;"><i>He's working at his office today</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you like mustard?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Despise it, but it's a vital ingredient in several things I love to make... baked beans, sweet ham, pasta salad, deviled eggs... you never taste it and that's the key.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you prefer to sleep or eat?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Wow, tough one... probably eat</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Do you look like your mom or dad?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Mom</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">How long does it take you in the shower?</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">If left to my own devices probably 10+ minutes.  But there's always a child barging in or a kid screaming in the background... so in reality way under 5 minutes.</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What movie do you want to see right now?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Not out yet... excited for Anchorman 2</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What did you do for New Year's?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">This last year I went to sleep.  We couldn't get along so left early...</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">What was the cause of your last accident?</span></i></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Got carried away with the gravy at a buffet place and burned my forearm pretty bad. I tried filling plates for me and the kids in one trip. And I love me some gravy!</span>

Hermione's Recycled Meme

The phone rings. Who do you want it to be? Anyone other than family.  Unless somebody's selling something and then it's a toss up.  ...

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Dissolve Your Weight Loss Problems With Garcinia Cambogia

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Angel Prum</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>There has been so much buzz about the fat-busting properties of garcinia cambogia extract that a lot of people have been storming the internet to get their hands on one. But what is the real secret behind its powers? According the experts, the hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia is the key substance that makes it the potent fat-buster it has been labeled to be.<br /> <br /> Garcinia cambogia extract is a natural diet supplement that has the ability to suppress appetite, block the production of fat, and promote overall health in many ways. With the help of hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia, all of this has been made possible in a manner that is safe and effective. When combined with proper diet and exercise, this supplement can provide the results much faster.<br /> <br /> Experts state that HCA or hydroxycitric acid is abundant in a wide variety of plants, but none is more potent that the one stored in the fruit of garcinia cambogia. Try looking into the labels of different diet and weight-loss supplements and you will find that most of them have some HCA in them. It is HCA that gives these supplements to block the formation of fat in your body.<br /> <br /> With the hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia, your body will get the tools it needs in order to take your metabolism to the next level and make it into an anti-fat machine. Studies have shown that HCA is safe and natural, therefore you can be confident about using it. Now you have a safe and natural way of getting rid of those love handles, get toned arms and legs, and have the waistline of your dreams.<br /> <br /> Since garcinia cambogia extract works to suppress your appetite, you won't have a hard time resisting the temptation to go snacking at different times in your day. It works on the hormones of your body and helps it tell your brain that you are already full and that you don't need any more. It can reduce stress levels in your body that is known to be another culprit for promoting binge eating.<br /> <br /> With all the positive effects that garcinia cambogia has to offer, there are still instances when it is not advisable to take it. For example, people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease are advised against its consumption. Women who are pregnant or are breastfeeding should also avoid it because there is no enough evidence to support its safety for them.<br /> <br /> If used according to its recommended dosage, the hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia should have no adverse effects in the body. It is usually taken 3 times a day, just before meals for best results. Experts advise though against going beyond a total of 3000mg per day. If you have any second thoughts about it, you should see to it that you ask your doctor about it first.<br /> <br /> You should also look into the hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia a supplement has. Ideally, it should be 50% at the minimum. It is also important that it has about 800 to 1000mg of HCA for it to have maximum efficacy. Make sure you read the list of ingredients too - it should not have caffeine, niacin, binders, fillers, and other artificial stuff.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Have you already discovered the amazing fat-busting capabilities that pure garcinia cambogia extract has to offer? If not, well it's about time you do your research. Drop by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Potency-Garcinia-Cambogia-Extract-Nutrizap/dp/B00E3GCN2A">http://www.amazon.com/Potency-Garcinia-Cambogia-Extract-Nutrizap/dp/B00E3GCN2A</a> now to buy garcinia cambogia for weight loss and create a brand new you.</div><br /> </div><br />

Dissolve Your Weight Loss Problems With Garcinia Cambogia

By Angel Prum There has been so much buzz about the fat-busting properties of garcinia cambogia extract that a lot of people have been s...

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guest post at living savvy

I'm over at Living Savvy today talking about what I love to do each and every fall to put our house in the autumn mood. Check it out <a href="http://www.savvydesignwest.com/2013/10/dressing-your-home-for-fall-little.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mdG9tHPP8DEGH4PqhOLY0xDGRLt1UmeNxulWWFejJYw80D8B-ELcChj50NYFZV_VDH8W5qT0L26EaYA1K05v3E5DuyVHZ9hlsI3ZWfMLRbtBsGcIPTJ38RMpDrkDELyHcQUH1bafzjhP/s1600/Dressing+your+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mdG9tHPP8DEGH4PqhOLY0xDGRLt1UmeNxulWWFejJYw80D8B-ELcChj50NYFZV_VDH8W5qT0L26EaYA1K05v3E5DuyVHZ9hlsI3ZWfMLRbtBsGcIPTJ38RMpDrkDELyHcQUH1bafzjhP/s400/Dressing+your+house.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />

guest post at living savvy

I'm over at Living Savvy today talking about what I love to do each and every fall to put our house in the autumn mood. Check it out here .

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Victory! Teamsters win new pro-worker laws in California

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzJx_17s1oux0XMlWHOjN4uH8qy-__9e4I8znbsySaum2QlqzJpZrwQEWaWZ90wcTHrH3CW0cM5Cloe1BqzUIkkCkJINdRCYXxJz1U34iJRYT4tJfPXHvcggc_9CpOCsm1TARrY9KeM7-/s1600/AB_263_photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzJx_17s1oux0XMlWHOjN4uH8qy-__9e4I8znbsySaum2QlqzJpZrwQEWaWZ90wcTHrH3CW0cM5Cloe1BqzUIkkCkJINdRCYXxJz1U34iJRYT4tJfPXHvcggc_9CpOCsm1TARrY9KeM7-/s320/AB_263_photo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">California Gov. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Brown" rel="nofollow">Jerry Brown</a> last week signed three bills that will strengthen the state’s labor laws by protecting workers from employer retaliation.<br /><br /> This is a huge win for <a href="http://www.teamstersjc7.org/">Teamsters Joint Council 7</a>, which led the legislative battle to get the laws passed. It’s also a big victory for workers like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarquezBrothersTeamsters" rel="nofollow">Marquez Brothers employees</a> who have faced harsh retaliation since they <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2012/08/woo-hoo-another-teamster-organizing.html">voted to become Teamsters last year</a>.<br /><br />Doug Bloch, political director of Teamsters Joint Council 7, says the trio of laws are the strongest labor protections for immigrant workers in the country:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Under these laws, immigrant workers who speak up now have new legal protections... That's because these laws put civil and criminal penalties in place for employers who threaten workers with immigration enforcement.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The three laws -- <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/09/teamsters-tout-approval-of-worker-intimidation-bills.html">AB 263, AB 524 and SB 666</a> -- prohibit immigration-related retaliation and clarify that threatening to expose workers’ immigration status is extortion.<br /><br />Marquez Brothers is a perfect example of why these laws are necessary. The cheese company has been <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/marquez-brothers-now-stalling-in.html" rel="nofollow">ruthlessly intimidating workers</a> at its Hanford, Calif., plant since they joined Teamsters <a href="http://www.teamsterslocal517.com/" rel="nofollow">Local 517</a>, refusing to bargain and launching a campaign to get the union decertified.<br /><br />Brother Bloch <a href="http://www.calaborfed.org/index.php/page/legislators_travel_to_hanford_express_support_for_marquez_brothers_workers" rel="nofollow">explains</a>:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marquez Brothers is one of the largest distributors of dairy products serving the Latino community in North America. After their workers organized a union, the company responded by bringing in Littler Mendelson, <a href="http://www.littler.com/practice-areas/labor-management-relations" rel="nofollow">a law firm that touts its ability to advise clients on "union avoidance" and "maintaining a union-free workplace."</a> One strategy Littler excels in involves a classic union-busting strategy: delay and decertify.<br /><br />Marquez Brothers used the [decertification] petition as a legal justification to withdraw union recognition from the workers. In the year since they first organized, Marquez workers have faced a constant campaign of harassment and intimidation. In March, workers traveled to Sacramento to testify at <a href="http://www2.calaborfed.org/index.php/site/page/2140" rel="nofollow">a legislative hearing on employer intimidation</a>, only to be followed by company management and Littler attorneys. One of the workers was fired shortly after the hearing. She was one of twenty union supporters fired since they organized. Others have quit in the face of a constant barrage of harassment.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The state’s new laws put abusive companies like Marquez Brothers on notice, calling their behavior exactly what it is: criminal.<br /><br />Teamsters at Marquez Brothers have organized a <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/09/cheese-workers-set-to-continue-Teamsters-fight.html">recertification campaign to beat back the company’s anti-union drive</a>. They filed to recertify the union last month, but that election is on hold pending the reopening of the NLRB after the government shutdown.<br /><br />Bloch says the legislative victory once again puts California on the cutting-edge of pro-labor reforms. And it also shows that when Teamsters mobilize, we win!</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The lobby days and work that many Locals did with their legislators on the ground made a huge difference, along with the high visibility of the Teamsters in the <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2012/10/calif-teamsters-out-in-force-against.html">Prop 32 fight</a> last year and the <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/about-drive">DRIVE</a> contributions we make. This is a real testament to all of our JC7 Locals and members who have stepped up in politics.</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This victory wouldn’t have happened without the brave sacrifices made by Marquez Brothers workers who lost their jobs during the campaign. With their trips to the state capitol and talking to the press, they won strong support from state legislators and showed why these anti-retaliation laws needed to be passed.<br /><br />When companies are able to bully workers on immigration issues in order to suppress their wages and working conditions, it drives down standards for all workers. So this is a big win for all California workers.<br /><br /> And in a time when we find ourselves fighting off anti-worker legislation in so many states, it’s refreshing to score a victory for worker-friendly laws.<br /><br />Way to go, California Teamsters!</span></span>

Victory! Teamsters win new pro-worker laws in California

California Gov.  Jerry Brown  last week signed three bills that will strengthen the state’s labor laws by protecting workers from employer r...

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The Day Of The Doctor: Steven Moffat Hints At The Secrets Of John Hurt's Dark Doctor

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8B_kihyavcowxqXc2SCbeZ_hDZEYMqWVX9jmldXMtMlT9nzwiZkeZoyJ5-0xOfdLgku4AkYft0C1MKMVmLzsL-XOaQbb8GR6WozQCKQ_PN1TVT7zxv14yva8S0penZJ8IVPEWvgRsagQ/s1600/SFX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8B_kihyavcowxqXc2SCbeZ_hDZEYMqWVX9jmldXMtMlT9nzwiZkeZoyJ5-0xOfdLgku4AkYft0C1MKMVmLzsL-XOaQbb8GR6WozQCKQ_PN1TVT7zxv14yva8S0penZJ8IVPEWvgRsagQ/s640/SFX.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steven Moffat has dropped hints about the secrets behind the mysterious incarnation of the Doctor played by John Hurt in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special <i>The Day Of The Doctor.</i> Hurt was briefly glimpsed in the closing moments of the last episode of series 7 and will go on to play a bigger role in the special. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rumours and theories have abounded since on his identity and his place within the Doctor's timeline.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Talking to SFX magazine, Moffat says of the dark and enigmatic character:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Why not a mayfly Doctor, who exists for one show only? I’d often thought about that. Would it be weird in the run of the series to have the 45th Doctor turn up and be played by Johnny Depp or someone? Would that be a cool thing to do? There was also the idea that if you could bring one classic Doctor back, you’d actually, impossibly, want it to be William Hartnell. You wouldn’t want any of the others. You’d want him to come and say ‘What in the name of God have I turned into?’ That’s the confrontation that you most want to see, to celebrate 50 years. Going round and round in circles on it I just thought ‘What about a Doctor that he never talks about?’ And what if it is a Doctor who’s done something terrible, who’s much deadlier and more serious, who represents that thing that is the undertow in both David and Matt. You know there’s a terrible old man inside them. Well, here he is, facing the children he becomes, as it were.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can read the full interview and see exclusive pictures from <i>The Day Of The Doctor</i> in the new issue of SFX, out tomorrow (Wednesday 16th October).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Day of the Doctor</i> stars Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman with Billie Piper and John Hurt. The 75 minute TV special will be simulcast in 2D and 3D by broadcasters around the world on Saturday 23rd November and will also be screened in 3D in cinemas worldwide</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://david-tennant.com/2009/id205.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visit our site for all the latest about The Day Of The Doctor</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

David Tennant Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary John Hurt Matt Smith Steven Moffat The Day Of The Doctor: Steven Moffat Hints At The Secrets Of John Hurt's Dark Doctor

Steven Moffat has dropped hints about the secrets behind the mysterious incarnation of the Doctor played by John Hurt in the Doctor Who 50th...

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Help Headway Essex To Win Valuable Funds

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBOcQ_1SoSEocC95d_CW5ftEfBL5XGajHGdQvm0zuZhAvPQm0Pa-PlQWcS_bhIgqkkXeBfRZyAtBhG7CmY7AQcP7z-SaytwPs0gQLnbXcIKnknLzQQgypVohoq6XUfPFZZ7UWCMavqKA/s1600/Recovery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBOcQ_1SoSEocC95d_CW5ftEfBL5XGajHGdQvm0zuZhAvPQm0Pa-PlQWcS_bhIgqkkXeBfRZyAtBhG7CmY7AQcP7z-SaytwPs0gQLnbXcIKnknLzQQgypVohoq6XUfPFZZ7UWCMavqKA/s640/Recovery.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Headway <st1:place w:st="on">Essex</st1:place> need your help to get a grant of £3000!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crucial brain injury charity Headway Essex, of whom David Tennant is patron, have been nominated for a Lloyds Community Fund Grant of £3000 and they need your votes to help them secure this grant.<br /><br />Headway <st1:place w:st="on">Essex</st1:place> has been made a finalist and reached the voting stage of the Lloyds Community Fund 2013.<br /><br />There are four good causes in each community area. The two groups with the most votes will each receive £3,000 and the other two, £300 each. Headway Essex are a finalist in the Colchester area</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can vote in three ways;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Online- visit <a href="http://www.lloydsbank.com/communityfund" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.lloydsbank.com/communityfund</span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Text- text VOTE KPXC to 61119</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In store at any of the following Lloyds branches: Colchester Crouch St, Colchester High St, Colchester St James, Colchester University Of Essex, Tiptree</span></li></ul><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Voting closes on November 1st 2013. Text votes will be charged. SMS text message votes will be charged at the mobile phone users’ standard message rate and the phone number will only be used for administration of the Community Fund voting process.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Headway <st1:place w:st="on">Essex</st1:place> cares for people who have acquired a brain injury and this may be through sporting or work accidents, road traffic accidents, assault, illness or disease. Support is given in two ways: through the Headway Centre in <st1:place w:st="on">Colchester</st1:place>where rehabilitation activities take place or via the Community Support Service.  Currently over 300 families are supported across <st1:place w:st="on">Essex</st1:place>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Tennant has been a patron of Headway Essex since 2007 when he spent time visiting the centre and talking to staff and people who access the service while researching his role in the BBC TV drama <i>Recovery</i>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can also help Headway Essex by visiting their online store and treating yourself to something from their range of David Tennant themed goods, including signed greetings cards, t-shirts and pillowcases. <a href="http://www.headwayessex.org.uk/headway-essex-fundraising/headway-essex-webshop"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to visit the shop</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Charity David Tennant Headway Essex Help Headway Essex To Win Valuable Funds

Headway  Essex  need your help to get a grant of £3000! The crucial brain injury charity Headway Essex, of whom David Tennant is patron, hav...

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In Order To Lose Weight You Need To Get Plenty Of Sleep

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Dr Pj Prakash</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Weight loss surgery has proven to be effective for most of the patients who have it. Any potential patient considering bariatric surgery must be 100 pounds overweight in relation to their height and size. Although some insurers do cover the lap band surgery, many do not.<br /> <br /> A good tip for losing weight is to do your cardio first thing in the morning, before you have anything to eat. Studies have shown that doing cardio this way burns three hundred percent more calories than if you were to do cardio at any other time of the day.<br /> <br /> Almost everyone loves french fries. Unfortunately, these foods can be the downfall in a weight loss program. However, if you bake fries, they could actually help you lose weight. <br /> <br /> An effective method that can help weight loss is hypnosis. After going through hypnosis, you will be more willing to make changes to your life and this could include your diet and activity level.<br /> <br /> Use a spatula to turn it and then continue baking for ten more minutes. You will prefer these over the usual deep-fried version because they are scrumptious with ketchup and they have a lot less calories. These "French Bakes" are from Laurel's Kitchen cookbook.<br /> <br /> When trying to lose weight, be sure to keep healthy snacks at home. Store these in a plastic container so that you can see them when you walk by. Purchase fresh vegetables like celery, carrots and radishes. To keep vegetables crisp in the container, place ice in the bottom before adding your vegetables. It's great to have a healthy snack ready to grab when you are on the go!<br /> <br /> Staying active will greatly help you to lose weight. Try not sitting at all for a full day. It will help to keep you burning calories. This will boost your metabolism and allow you to eat a regular amount of food.<br /> <br /> If you want to get rid of some weight, you need to manage your stress. Whenever we feel stressed, our bodies will store more fat. You may know that your stress is temporary or just about a project you are working on, but your body thinks that you are fighting off a wild animal and must run. Calm yourself down, and reduce your stress, to ensure you lose weight.<br /> <br /> Sometimes people who are trying to lose weight still want to go out to a restaurant on special occasions. Just remember that serving sizes in restaurants are usually very big. Ask for a take out container, and save half of your food for another meal. Doing this can help you to reduce calories and have a prepared lunch for tomorrow!<br /> <br /> Be careful about your beverages if you wish to drop a few pounds. Everything but water has calories. Drinks like soda and sugary beverages like Kool-aid all contain plenty of calories which add up very fast. Don't forget to count your beverages in your caloric tally for the day.<br /> <br /> Before you head to the gym or go jogging, ensure that your shoes are comfortable and offer enough support. If you wear shoes that do not fit properly, you can hurt yourself and sustain a serious injury. You don't need to purchase expensive footwear, but make sure that you wear them around a while to ensure comfort and proper fit.<br /> <br /> Armed with these ideas for successful weight loss, hopefully you will also lose any stress you may have felt about the subject. Utilizing these tips is the final piece of the puzzle. Once you get started losing weight, you'll be amazed how quickly you can reach your goals.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>About author: Dr. PJ Prakash has a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the Univ. of Rhode Island (USA). Visit his website to get advice on <a href="http://naturalweightloss.me/">natural weight loss</a> or learn about the opportunity to become a <a href="http://naturalweightloss.me/keep-weight-off-with-this-valuable-information-2/">Nutrition Coach</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

In Order To Lose Weight You Need To Get Plenty Of Sleep

By Dr Pj Prakash Weight loss surgery has proven to be effective for most of the patients who have it. Any potential patient considering ...

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I need my mojo back

Happy Tuesday everyone.<br /><br />I've lost my mojo - please help me find it!  I've been in a slump for a few weeks.  Mostly because of the health issues I am trying to overcome.  I am losing motivation.   All they hype in the beginning has slowly faded away.  <br /><br />So, post some words of encouragement.  Help me get my mojo back!<br /><br />XOX

I need my mojo back

Happy Tuesday everyone. I've lost my mojo - please help me find it!  I've been in a slump for a few weeks.  Mostly because of the he...

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