News for today's 2018

I'm So Excited: Not by a long shot

1:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>I'm So Excited</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony/imsoexcited/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>One star. Rating: R, for strong crude and sexual content (all verbal), and drug use</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a></b></span></b></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>            <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m still struggling to believe that Pedro Almodóvar had anything to do with this flimsy waste of celluloid.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTmJxgJmlxFPlbjtIxhdxkY4smbs-WUJvQgB-ZNUUvY3C4FUNNZNmatK4Tp-XfbP1JjaOy2CK6x8L86NEk3cktpC3RadFa4ipL56Yn5FO3R1Pw6eVWVMCzeQ5P2gQ5kswCLQ8IypjZqw/s1600/I'm+So+Excited+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTmJxgJmlxFPlbjtIxhdxkY4smbs-WUJvQgB-ZNUUvY3C4FUNNZNmatK4Tp-XfbP1JjaOy2CK6x8L86NEk3cktpC3RadFa4ipL56Yn5FO3R1Pw6eVWVMCzeQ5P2gQ5kswCLQ8IypjZqw/s400/I'm+So+Excited+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">In an effort to distract their passengers from the dire circumstances that are preventing<br />the plane from landing, three flight attendants — from left, Fajas (Carlos Areces),<br />Ulloa (Raúl Arévalo) and Joserra (Javier Cámara) — break into a hilariously<br />choreographed rendition of the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited." This three-minute<br />sequence is absolutely the only thing worth watching in this bewildering bomb.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almodóvar, the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker who brought us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All About My Mother</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Volver</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>That</i> Pedro Almodóvar? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seriously?</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hard to imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almodóvar knows better than most that cheeky, exaggerated sensuality is a magical blend of setting, sharp dialogue, camera-friendly actors who radiate lust and, yes, artful nudity (the less expected and more inappropriate, the better).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’m So Excited</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> contains none of the above. Worse yet, Almodóvar has abandoned his (usually) progressive Western European sensibilities in favor of stale and vulgar homoerotic jokes: the sort of tiresome one-liners currently viewed as the height of sex humor by arrested American adolescents such as Seth Rogen and the rest of Judd Apatow’s repertory company.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">              </span><br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I’ll give Almodóvar the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he deliberately spoofs timeworn gay male stereotypes here ... but that’s not apt to mollify viewers who will recoil from his mincing portrayal of three flight attendants. Not even Liberace was this swish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">On top of which, if Almodóvar removed every dialogue reference to fellatio — spoken by men, women and genders hard to determine — I suspect his entire script would clock in at fewer than 25 words. Never have so many men, some of them defiantly heterosexual, claimed to so thoroughly enjoy wrapping their mouths around ... um, you get the idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This might be amusing — even hilarious — under better circumstances. But absent context or back-story, it’s just a bunch of ill-defined characters with potty mouths and overcooked libidos. Never has polymorphous perversity sounded so ... well ... dull.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This film also looks cheap, with almost all of its “action” restricted to the cramped, obviously fake-set interior of an airplane. Brief detours are taken to a) an apartment; and b) a city street. Also not what you’d call budget-busters. Production costs couldn’t have topped $1.78.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The cast looks and sounds under-rehearsed, and the dialogue is forced, unpersuasive and (from the sound of things) frequently improvised. I’m amazed Almodóvar had the audacity to claim scripting credit; I see scant evidence of actual writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">He also opens with a tease: a quick scene between Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz, leading us to hope that we’ll see more of them. No such luck. Their radiant faces — their naturalistic performances, and their obvious chemistry — vanish after a quick prologue. After that, we’re stuck with the B-Team. No, wait ... more like the P-Team.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The story then, such as it is:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Banderas and Cruz make their cameos as León and Jessica, members of the ground crew for Peninsula Airlines Flight 2549; thanks to a brief interruption, León fails to properly remove the large wheel chocks, prior to take-off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We then join Flight 2549 during take-off, as the flight crew preps all passengers with the usual lecture about oxygen masks and seat flotation devices; this is our first glimpse of flight attendants Fajas (Carlos Areces), Ulloa (Raúl Arévalo) and Joserra (Javier Cámara).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Then, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whoosh</i>, time passes. The plane is quiet, which is no surprise; everybody in coach is fast asleep, having been doped with muscle relaxants (!). For some reason, the business class passengers have been allowed to remain awake. (I guess we’d have no movie otherwise, which I’d argue would have been a good thing.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The reason for the doping, and for the worried expressions shared by pilot Alex Acero (Antonio De La Torre) and co-pilot Benito Morón (Hugo Silva), is that Flight 2549 is in trouble. It can’t land because the aforementioned chocks have interfered with the deployment of landing gear. The intended flight to Mexico City has been canceled; the plane just keeps circling, waiting for ground-based Folks In Charge to find and then prepare a runway for an emergency landing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We now pause, for a moment of topicality.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Almodóvar can’t be blamed for bad timing; he certainly didn’t know that his film would gain its U.S. opening mere weeks after the Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco. I’d like to think, however, that the folks at Sony Pictures Classics might have deemed release a wee bit tasteless, and elected to postpone. Absent that bit of prudence, we’re left with a low-rent sex comedy that would have been dreadful under the best of circumstances, but becomes even worse by attempting to mine humor from a situation that is seriously un-funny at this particular moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Disney “waited” six months, until April 2002, to release <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Trouble</i>— with its tasteless bomb-in-a-plane climax — in the wake of 9/11. That didn’t work either.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway...<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">With death a very real possibility, the business class passengers eventually confess the reasons for their trips: revelations apparently intended to be provocative and/or amusing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hardly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Bruna (Lola Duenas), a self-proclaim psychic, frets that she may die a virgin; she can’t stop eyeing the impressive pants bulge of one fellow snoozing away in coach. A newlywed groom (Miguel Ángel Silvestre), actually a drug mule with a baggy of mescaline shoved up his fundament, pops pills into the mouth of his bride (Laya Martí) so that she’ll sleep through whatever happens next.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Gossip queen Norma (Cecilia Roth), actually a dominatrix who boasts of having slept with her country’s 600 most powerful men — while taping said encounters, for blackmail leverage — worries that this calamity is a rather ostentatious plot to kill her. Infante (José María Yazpik), a somewhat sinister fellow, keeps close counsel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Corrupt businessman Mas (José Luis Torrijo), having fled just ahead of arrest back home, laments the ongoing estrangement from his daughter, who has embraced a provocative sexual lifestyle. Finally, soap opera star Ricardo Galán (Guillermo Toledo) has abandoned his most recent lover, while contrived circumstances bring a former lover (Blanca Suárez, as Ruth) back into his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our brief sojourn with Ruth takes us back to the ground, for a subplot that appears to have been dragged in from another film. A better one, too, from what we see of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Back in the air, everybody gets drunk — including the pilots — in some cases will past the point of acute alcohol poisoning. That’s not funny; it’s just dumb. Inhibitions disappear, particularly after the application of mescaline-laced punch. Confessions emerge, none the slightest bit interesting. The bride demonstrates a talent for having sex in her sleep. Bruna has sex with the well-hung fellow in coach, while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i> sleeps.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Nobody undresses, not even a little. As Joe Bob Briggs might have groused, back in the day, we don’t even get a flash of side-boob during any of these couplings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The film’s sole saving grace comes when the three gay caballeros — ah, flight attendants — wriggle and jiggle their way through a lively lip-synched and hilariously choreographed rendition of the Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited” (hence the film’s title).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">No doubt this scene soon will be extracted as a YouTube video, saving everybody the trouble of enduring the rest of this tawdry turkey.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Actually, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m So Excited</i> has one more virtue: It’s short. At 90 minutes, it’s only 87 minutes too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I don’t care how much you admire Almodóvar; this one must be skipped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You’ve been warned.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></span></div>

2013 Antonio Banderas Antonio De La Torre Carlos Areces Cecilia Roth Comedy Foreign films Hugo Silva Javier Camara Lola Duenas Pedro Almodovar Penelope Cruz Raul Arevalo I'm So Excited: Not by a long shot

I'm So Excited (2013) • View trailer One star. Rating: R, for strong crude and sexual content (all verbal), and drug use By Derric...

The To Do List: Better left undone

1:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>The To Do List</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/thetodolist/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>2.5 stars. Rating: R, for pervasive strong crude and sexual content, graphic dialogue, drug and alcohol use, and constant profanity, all involving teens</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a></b></span></b></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>            <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the day, youthful sexual explorations followed a common sports metaphor, starting with reaching first base and concluding with the obvious home run.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My, how things have changed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXOQCxlSEPeDXh3UBot7qtuoSkJbhUB9cKdzywuSS67X7qBNzjkhgXl-MrTe7Wx07btvNu31PE_AmmI86O69LqQf1kK-4VDkZn2N4CavJk3R7g1Eue5Aov27jvcW3cpx15LVMN1KitRs/s1600/To+Do+List+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXOQCxlSEPeDXh3UBot7qtuoSkJbhUB9cKdzywuSS67X7qBNzjkhgXl-MrTe7Wx07btvNu31PE_AmmI86O69LqQf1kK-4VDkZn2N4CavJk3R7g1Eue5Aov27jvcW3cpx15LVMN1KitRs/s400/To+Do+List+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">At first, Fiona (Alia Shawkat, right) shares good friend Brandy's (Aubrey Plaza) elation<br />over the progress being made on her summer list of planned sexual accomplishments.<br />But like the so-called comedy in this film, Brandy eventually takes things too far, at<br />which point Fiona demonstrates that while she might talk the talk, she apparently<br />doesn't think much of people who walk the walk.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In these sexually liberated and quite raunchy days of the 21st century, that simple baseball metaphor has blossomed into the complexity of a 22-level video game. Libido-driven folks keeping score begin with quaint French kisses and hickies, progress through once-unspoken acts such as motorboating and teabagging, and ultimately, ah, climax with the horizontal bop itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least, that’s what writer/director Maggie Carey would have us believe, with her smutty teen sex comedy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The To Do List</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, this new film is neither as witty nor as memorable as 2010’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Easy A</i>, which made a star of Emma Stone, and to which <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The To Do List</i> inevitably will be compared. While this new film’s star — the richly talented and still under-appreciated Aubrey Plaza — deserves a similar breakout hit, she won’t get it here. Carey’s film is too uneven, too clumsy and (to its detriment) too reflexively coarse, in the manner of various Judd Apatow or Farrelly brothers guys-behaving-badly yock-fests.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ironically, Carey’s biggest problem is that she doesn’t have the courage to pursue her genre convictions. Her script is plenty dirty, but only at a potty-mouth level the Three Stooges would appreciate. She never achieves genuine heat or eroticism, and too many of Plaza’s fellow cast members work beneath their talents, their line readings stiff, unpersuasive and motivated more by writer’s fiat than narrative rational.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We should perhaps ask the basic question: Is this film intended to be genuinely sexy, or merely filthy? Because if the former was Carey’s intention, to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i>degree, she fouled out before reaching first base.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her story is set in 1993, apparently to avoid granting its characters any exposure to the Internet porn that has become readily available since then. We meet the over-achieving Brandy Klark (Plaza) as she graduates from high school and gives a roundly jeered valedictory speech. Whatever her academic accomplishments, she has become infamous as both a teacher’s pet and a virgin, the latter epithet apparently far more heinous than the former.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite being a social pariah, Brandy has two gal pals — Fiona (Alia Shawkat) and Wendy (Sarah Steele) — who like her but agree that she could, well, loosen up a bit. To hear Fiona and Wendy talk, they’ve either performed or contemplated every act once relegated to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kama Sutra</i> or Dr. David Reuben’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><a name='more'></a><br />  <div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One suspects this may be nothing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but</i> talk; indeed, a third-act crisis results when Fiona and Wendy realize that Brandy has taken them word for debased word. But if this means Fiona and Wendy didn’t really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mean</i> anything of what they suggested ... well, Carey never makes that distinction. To her story’s detriment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, taking her cue from her friends’ encouragement, Brandy decides that — before entering college in September, as a freshman — she really must become more, ah, experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She receives help — in terms of establishing the all-essential, 22-point “to do” list of desired “skills” — from her contemptuous older sister, Amber (Rachel Bilson). Big sis is a foul-mouthed, full-time slut who’s a profound disappointment to their father (Clark Gregg), a local judge — nothing is made of this profession, beyond its mere mention — who displays the puritanical censure, in all matters sexual, of a chaste nun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand, Mrs. Klark (Connie Britton) is much more hip, and her unexpected candor prompts quite a few giggles, thanks to the juxtaposition between Britton’s cheerful, Mom-type calm, and the explicitness of her parental advice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although objectively willing to discover and embrace her bad self, Brandy doesn’t develop genuine passion for this challenge until bumping into hunky Rusty Waters (Scott Porter). Thanks to a summer job as lifeguard at the local public pool, Brandy is granted constant exposure to Rusty’s constantly exposed bod: a delectable potential “partner” for the final line-item on her list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As is typical of such stories, the poster-perfect Rusty out-classes poor Cameron (Johnny Simmons), the longtime friend Brandy always has treated as a platonic buddy, having failed to notice that he has worshipped her from afar, lo these many years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final key ingredient in this hormonal bouillabaisse is Willy (Bill Hader), an older slacker who manages the aforementioned pool (and whose character therefore is a close cousin to the role Sam Rockwell plays in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Way, Way Back</i>). Hader is the one actor who matches Plaza’s comic timing, and occasionally tops it; he’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hilarious</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He’s funny because Willy occupies a slightly sideways portion of Brandy’s summer hijinks, and has almost nothing to do with her vice-laden mission. In other words, he’s a reasonably credible character, rather than a one-dimensional walking libido.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shawkat and Steele make a good double act: The former has a naughty, scheming air that makes Fiona look capable of just about anything, while Steele’s Wendy seems sweet and angelic until she opens her mouth and uncorks another unexpectedly earthy observation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bilson overplays the potty-mouthed shrike card, her rendering of Amber too one-dimensionally shrill, and the usually memorable Christopher Mintz-Plasse is wasted in a throwaway part as Duffy, Cameron’s best friend. As for Cameron himself, Simmons has some choice moments as the eternally frustrated “good guy” who wants to be noticed for all the right reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like Apatow and the Farrelly boys, Carey frequently elicits groans for the display of taboo bodily fluids, particularly those leaking or expelled at inopportune moments. Such moments may register on the funny-because-they’re-gross meter, but Carey gets better-deserved laughs at other moments; many involve Hader, and a few concern some of the wide-eyed adolescents who populate the public pool, and can’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">believe</i> the great stuff they’re hearing and seeing during this particular summer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But as Brandy drinks and debauches her way through the summer months, initially apprehensively but with increased enthusiasm, she quickly develops an entirely different sort of bad reputation, this time among the people who mean the most to her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that’s a problem: not so much within this story’s thin framework, but in terms of the unbalanced tone Carey takes. After encouraging her protagonist to yield to every sexual temptation for nearly 90 minutes, often in slapstick fashion, Carey clumsily inserts a heavy-handed, real-world “lesson” that sounds like it was scripted by the Moral Majority. Apparently, this little sermon is intended to compensate for everything that has gone before, and demonstrate that Brandy has Learned An Important Lesson. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It doesn’t work, and not only because Plaza, despite her comic timing, can’t make her eleventh-hour “purity diatribe” sound the slightest bit genuine. No, the major hiccup is that all these characters have been little more than sex-crazed cartoons up to this point, and Carey suddenly wants us to “feel” for them as real people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Tilt</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doesn’t work that way. If Carey wants that sort of ethical reckoning, she needs to better layer Brandy, her friends and family from the get-go. As it stands, this film’s conclusion feels like a cheat, or a take-back: much like a career Catholic sinner who “recants” everything in Confession, and walks away with a Get-Out-of-Hell-Free card. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Phooey</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carey comes to us from TV work, most notably <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny or Die Presents</i>; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The To Do List</i> is her debut big-screen feature. Like Nat Faxon and Jim Rash’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Way, Way Back</i>, Carey’s script wound up on Hollywood’s annual “Black List” of the industry’s best unproduced screenplays, a few years back. Carey had written the script with New York City improv troupe colleague Plaza in mind, and the rising actress joined a staged reading at the 2010 Austin Film Festival.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That audience loved it; flash-forward a bit, to this big-screen disappointment. Let’s just say that Carey didn’t make the most of her moment, the way Faxon and Rash did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve long noticed that title credits often indicate the quality of what follows: the more clever the credits — and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The To Do List</i> has the best I’ve seen for awhile — the better the film. Alas, my little handicapper let me down this time; aside from genuine chuckles here and there, the credits are the best part of Carey’s movie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which can only leave us unfulfilled, regardless of the scoring system employed.</span></span>

2013 Alia Shawkat Aubrey Plaza Bill Hader Christopher Mintz-Plasse Clark Gregg Comedy Connie Britton Johnny Simmons Rachel Bilson Sarah Steele Scott Porter Vulgar The To Do List: Better left undone

The To Do List (2013) • View trailer 2.5 stars. Rating: R, for pervasive strong crude and sexual content, graphic dialogue, drug and al...

Immigration, PEDs and Sex Scandals: I Don't Care

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal">Holaaaaaaaa y’all! You know, there’s been a lot going on this week that has been covered pretty heavily in the news and on social media and this afternoon something suddenly hit me. I don’t really give a shit about most of it. I know some of this stuff is pretty important and shit, and maybe I should care on some level, but I just can’t. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>PED Use in Sports:</b> Don’t really care. I know, I know, “Kids look up to these pro athletes and want to be like them and will use PED’s if their favorite player does!” Don’t care. I know it’s always “Think of the cheeeeeeeeldren!” but, I just can’t get worked up over it. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I know that steroids are dangerous (probably) but it’s not like people are forcing Ryan Braun or A-Rod or anyone else to take HGH or steroids. They’re doing it on their own. If steroids cause their nuts to shrink or mess their minds up or make them shoot blanks then so what? It’s just like smoking, drinking and eating too much, we all know the risks. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The only thing the PED discussion does is give sanctimonious sportswriters the opportunity to wag the finger of indignation at everyone which is their favorite activity, of course. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg58qeohBKv_Tc2GjtQFGv-uy-T3iplumxvXco768krJHF4Nbsv8VF_DjA4dr9tySJbDc-wWGFjRFdH5GnKNYzKAN02w4F6wlY62UShUXxUWv6trXYIm5EpJXPRniIlJv7baOnmDrQ6g/s1600/Daniela-de-Jesus-Cosio-Hot-Topless-Mexican-Babe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg58qeohBKv_Tc2GjtQFGv-uy-T3iplumxvXco768krJHF4Nbsv8VF_DjA4dr9tySJbDc-wWGFjRFdH5GnKNYzKAN02w4F6wlY62UShUXxUWv6trXYIm5EpJXPRniIlJv7baOnmDrQ6g/s400/Daniela-de-Jesus-Cosio-Hot-Topless-Mexican-Babe.jpg" width="210" /></a><b>Immigration: </b>Come one, come all I say! Well, maybe not but pretty close. I know people who start talking about immigration and their faces turn red and I think they’re gonna have a heart attack within like five minutes. And while they’re doing that I’m sitting there shrugging my shoulders and saying “Yeah, I guess. Whatever.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Want to build a fence? Go ahead. I don’t give a shit. Want to pass a “path to citizenship?” Okay, that’s probably a good idea. Want to round up all 11 million illegal immigrants up, stick them in the Astrodome and then “process them” and send “back where they came from?” Get real. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Basically the immigration debate is just a way for people to just go off on rants about brown people using all kinds of racist code words. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Political Sex Scandal: </b>Oh sure these always start out fun. Anthony Weiner sent pics of his wee-wee to some chick? Hilarious! He used the online moniker “Carlos Danger?” Lacks creativity, but still pretty funny. Mark Sanford simply walks off the job as governor and goes to Argentina to spend a week with his mistress? Way cool! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The problem is that it never takes long before the discussion about these sex and sexting scandals become nothing more than partisan politics. All the conservatives who are “disgusted” by Anthony Weiner never had a word to say about Mark Sanford, David Vitter or even Larry Craig. And, everyone who was up in arms about Sanford think Weiner is getting the shaft. (Hey-OOOO)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The worst are the people out there who say “It’s just not right to make fun of Anthony Weiner because he has an addiction and addiction isn’t funny.” Oh bullshit! Addiction is hilarious. These are just people who basically support Weiner, but are embarrassed to admit so they come up with silly shit like that. Kind of like all the people who claim to be a Libertarian who are really just too embarrassed by the idiocy of the Republican Party to admit they’re a member. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Basically, the only thing the Weiner Sexting Scandal serves it to give sanctimonious political writers the chance to wag the finger of indignation at Weiner and anyone who might try to defend him, which is THEIR favorite activity, of course. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So now you’re probably wondering what I do give a shit about. Well, I tell ya, this story about NBA player and former Dukie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Redick">J.J. Redick</a> having an <b>“<a href="http://deadspin.com/how-j-j-redicks-abortion-contract-was-conceived-912727291">Abortion and Relationship Contract</a>”</b> with some chick? Now THAT’S freaking awesome! I guess you have to sprinkle a little schadenfreude on my Scandal Burger to make it interesting to  me. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jayman68">Facebook.com/Jayman68</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws">Jayman_IWS</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>

Immigration, PEDs and Sex Scandals: I Don't Care

Holaaaaaaaa y’all! You know, there’s been a lot going on this week that has been covered pretty heavily in the news and on social media and ...

Uh-oh

8:16 PM Tukiyooo 0

Last week Jim Ukrop, formerly of Ukrop's Supermarkets and now with New Richmond Ventures, <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/ukrop-joins-campaign-group-for-mcauliffe/article_2871c8c8-f1ae-11e2-9b3b-001a4bcf6878.html#.Ue0diR_jZRY.gmail">announced his support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe</a> through Virginians for Terry McAuliffe.<br /><br />The group is described as <span class="paragraph-1">a "nonpartisan group of Republicans,  independents, Democrats and business leaders working to elect a  pragmatic businessman as Virginia’s next governor.”</span><br /><br />On Thursday more business leaders -- John Shinholser, Bob Blue, Chris Clemente, and John Richardson -- announced their support for McAuliffe, perhaps drawn to him because he is a businessman.<br /><br />The McAuliffe campaign announced the additions: <br /><blockquote><b>Statement by John M. Shinholser:</b><br />“I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for governor because he will support mainstream policies that will attract new, innovative companies to Virginia to grow our economy and create jobs here in the Commonwealth. He knows the challenges entrepreneurs face in starting and growing their companies, and will work with both sides of the aisle to make it easier for businesses to start and grow here, and again make Virginia the best state for business.”<br /><br /><b>Biography of John M. Shinholser:</b><br />John Shinholser is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He owned and managed a successful contracting business for over 30 years, during which time he served as President of the Richmond Chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors Association. In 1982, John co-founded a non-profit recovery community resource foundation, at which he currently serves as president.<br /><br /><b>Statement by Christopher Clemente:</b><br />“I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for governor because he will work with both Republicans and Democrats to keep Virginia's economy growing. Terry will implement policies to encourage entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses here. He understands that workforce education and training, as well as robust infrastructure are the keys to attracting and retaining strong companies to our Commonwealth.”<br /><br /><b>Biography of Christopher Clemente:</b><br />Chris Clemente has over 25 years of experience in all aspects of real estate development and finance, and more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur.  Clemente founded the Comstock organization as a residential developer and homebuilder in 1985. Over the years, Comstock has expanded operations to include all aspects of residential, commercial and mixed-use development, construction management, asset and portfolio management, and real estate related services. Clemente serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comstock Holding Companies, Inc. and as Managing Director of Comstock Partners, LC. In these roles, Mr. Clemente has direct responsibility for the corporate vision and strategic direction of the Comstock organization, as well as operational responsibilities.<br /><br /><b>Statement by John W. Richardson:</b><br />“Terry McAuliffe is the right choice to be Virginia’s next Governor. Terry will focus on bipartisan ways to strengthen our communities, invest in vital transportation improvements, and support our public safety systems. As Chairman of the Virginia Beach Development Authority, I know that Terry will focus on these and other issues that the citizens of Virginia Beach and communities across the Commonwealth care about.”<br /><br /><b>Biography of John W. Richardson:</b><br />John W. Richardson is the managing partner of the Virginia Beach office of Kaufman & Canoles, practicing in the areas of banking and lender representation, commercial/business, real estate, and title insurance law. Richardson is also the Chairman of the Virginia Beach Development Authority. He earned his law degree from The College of William & Mary and received a bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.<br /><br /><b>Biography of Robert M. Blue:</b><br />Robert M. “Bob” Blue is Senior Vice President of Law, Public Policy, and Environment of Dominion Resources. He serves as chief legal advisor and directs the legal affairs of the Company. Blue is also responsible for Dominion’s federal, state and local public policy; environmental programs; economic development; philanthropy and community affairs; and corporate communications. From 2002 to 2005, Blue served as counselor and director of policy for former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner and was a partner with the law firm of Hogan & Hartson prior to that. He is a member of the boards of directors of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, Virginia Healthcare Foundation, the American Civil War Center, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, Virginia forever, and Virginia21. Blue is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Yale Law School. He also earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.</blockquote>

Uh-oh

Last week Jim Ukrop, formerly of Ukrop's Supermarkets and now with New Richmond Ventures, announced his support of Democratic gubernator...

A bowl full of imagination

6:33 PM Tukiyooo 0

Frontier Culture Museum Summer Camp Shenandoah Valley Staunton A bowl full of imagination

A bowl of colorful wooden beads along with a group of five-, six-, seven-, and eight-year-olds is the beginning of unleashing imaginations a...

The German farm

5:55 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky4KH-LFElVYQsP9dmrvmgYwNK8m_skz7Utb-EgDIZRqMdvs3E2ztmAHWLULNR3DoCfYI4VH2EizZaUD9peohaTNQ5Uld1UpI6SIvjl_vbf31RxCtMFVEFyW7VHCmHMUBV4DboC5rDaoT/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky4KH-LFElVYQsP9dmrvmgYwNK8m_skz7Utb-EgDIZRqMdvs3E2ztmAHWLULNR3DoCfYI4VH2EizZaUD9peohaTNQ5Uld1UpI6SIvjl_vbf31RxCtMFVEFyW7VHCmHMUBV4DboC5rDaoT/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKScT7uM3I5L35VEkAnG6SyyR1cpXlBle_gmsxtLMVZ0mF5m6sspBdskekgvFdkQGTTpbdNrgh4xHIvvnNNorUigKZfEWuj9joZZFPk772A-lV5XOaoAAMrqZCYl2sbOO1vmQnlsnKfBXx/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKScT7uM3I5L35VEkAnG6SyyR1cpXlBle_gmsxtLMVZ0mF5m6sspBdskekgvFdkQGTTpbdNrgh4xHIvvnNNorUigKZfEWuj9joZZFPk772A-lV5XOaoAAMrqZCYl2sbOO1vmQnlsnKfBXx/s640/2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRMYk0TFEr3jhHTgKCxDrcaBYLZZ-n4etgGUZcQqug1Qxi-w1sc6mF5zJSAtJ3aL1uIQYiNFVBbOOau1H6fVYrk3bTRtwj7vxFuqcwJ594Z0d7HuZqK5p25OmSzN401azyo6X-b-Y0d0c/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRMYk0TFEr3jhHTgKCxDrcaBYLZZ-n4etgGUZcQqug1Qxi-w1sc6mF5zJSAtJ3aL1uIQYiNFVBbOOau1H6fVYrk3bTRtwj7vxFuqcwJ594Z0d7HuZqK5p25OmSzN401azyo6X-b-Y0d0c/s400/25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU24LmPI-pB8jlvMiNPz3IpfJXFmZat-BhcszixtzKeD4c3gfxNA6zADhjdnXPMoYzelia96xEhx267SK_G3tjPB7S3mmToybmhG6mfgsqs2LelgN1TBwP6AIHlyLld21CjoxwlaaJbg3/s1600/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU24LmPI-pB8jlvMiNPz3IpfJXFmZat-BhcszixtzKeD4c3gfxNA6zADhjdnXPMoYzelia96xEhx267SK_G3tjPB7S3mmToybmhG6mfgsqs2LelgN1TBwP6AIHlyLld21CjoxwlaaJbg3/s400/27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sights today at the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia</a>.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />July 25, 2013

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia German farm Shenandoah Valley Staunton tourism Virginia Is For Lovers The German farm

Sights today at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia . Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell July 25, 2013

The Peach Stand ... Fort Mill, SC

3:41 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZaW52KaZh0pH4yvzit0QmHHe2iHB_q-o1qF9MOJJCELZ9WqCGtHi_6c0vOcbHKq9qmr2-zPE0Oj8UIYYeV1iDOZh6aDw3dlJOO5wsVKbEfFnY0gStOT5MUI-3B2NupxNNaUGip7KgiGd/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZaW52KaZh0pH4yvzit0QmHHe2iHB_q-o1qF9MOJJCELZ9WqCGtHi_6c0vOcbHKq9qmr2-zPE0Oj8UIYYeV1iDOZh6aDw3dlJOO5wsVKbEfFnY0gStOT5MUI-3B2NupxNNaUGip7KgiGd/s400/24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.springsfarm.com/">The Peach Stand</a> ... Fort Mill, SC.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhkfdNP-0C4OS28euRqnGJYIQTAjMimGU-UtaibBMd6ASYKS8C6XXwirbVFb7pljqBekgoGxCqOjpljHDYUC5ttUuSVZMB8Zz8g5xkCvGCDld0rJ90yG44cz17bSkP00CY5SGMYsyijy1/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhkfdNP-0C4OS28euRqnGJYIQTAjMimGU-UtaibBMd6ASYKS8C6XXwirbVFb7pljqBekgoGxCqOjpljHDYUC5ttUuSVZMB8Zz8g5xkCvGCDld0rJ90yG44cz17bSkP00CY5SGMYsyijy1/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The truck pulled in with more peaches fresh off the trees.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfB8xIARzCYOBXLHiVfrofJK7npI68OZQVmfyZH1w1oQPskGyPUdXXHb3gVzuMRWTp8ifPHmZyV1uYcqWp-9-6M2chwIrRk7W810HuZ6HRFBk7qAa11Xuv80ut3J_AeA5f6OcN5oJbqt5/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfB8xIARzCYOBXLHiVfrofJK7npI68OZQVmfyZH1w1oQPskGyPUdXXHb3gVzuMRWTp8ifPHmZyV1uYcqWp-9-6M2chwIrRk7W810HuZ6HRFBk7qAa11Xuv80ut3J_AeA5f6OcN5oJbqt5/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This place has a little bit of everything ... fresh produce, locally-produced packaged and canned goods, food gifts, a butcher shop, and restaurant. At lunch time, the line is out the door as people pile in to eat on site or pick up deli food to go.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl0qb31m8hSHH7dxruXiC6qideKTQ1WIEatyg8MMzIdCUDDDDBnnKzIJGr5RINx4FGg17zzbSpeS5czdc6wQFNB6rRUF9Z_VEuYkUDLhQkqmCA8zIjV2M6mw1G4tk9jKqSLLuolvW_uDf/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl0qb31m8hSHH7dxruXiC6qideKTQ1WIEatyg8MMzIdCUDDDDBnnKzIJGr5RINx4FGg17zzbSpeS5czdc6wQFNB6rRUF9Z_VEuYkUDLhQkqmCA8zIjV2M6mw1G4tk9jKqSLLuolvW_uDf/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEknlr8TqxqgR6GTJgpmwSI_dZ3uQ6rr7BmYUZDXAHtUlx_z02RWS2YizJiCkIgD1ot54yy__OMgEf4RwgtoO9uxEuok5bPaEDeh96KGRAANrNUZlZge4SZKHHZbJekynlRdcy7ydOFhHS/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEknlr8TqxqgR6GTJgpmwSI_dZ3uQ6rr7BmYUZDXAHtUlx_z02RWS2YizJiCkIgD1ot54yy__OMgEf4RwgtoO9uxEuok5bPaEDeh96KGRAANrNUZlZge4SZKHHZbJekynlRdcy7ydOFhHS/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90DDv5F5PQaLtopCYcoayqnhQZ-S1_novKMsu9Tmh-i6Y37nWvEPGB3gF2YTcuFXYgWxEjb7BRQ72BeQakONTM1fSf1Mt1daWLxnm9vpmbD88FwABwA8MAaDeW-uXEXRPD87iSNbKLKb1/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90DDv5F5PQaLtopCYcoayqnhQZ-S1_novKMsu9Tmh-i6Y37nWvEPGB3gF2YTcuFXYgWxEjb7BRQ72BeQakONTM1fSf1Mt1daWLxnm9vpmbD88FwABwA8MAaDeW-uXEXRPD87iSNbKLKb1/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdWwxIOw1H5gpVKDCWMnZArhgRAPTdADmZkApwulmPw1v3oyBR4Mhea-obJxewm8Ezgc15bzoDc0FLfiPVlrii30IdvblnyiJ8nla76k-_os2_E7AX0yybZ-AXV66S-DnXNOGDmDCNkTy/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje203um_O-srXO9YB8LpTdqruoTWzVciWywrPPuscxfA7D8HV29ekL3QiLhbQDL6VIcVS_btF_U__qtgx4WCNLWWEFJ9-YcK4CN_pxW-m2Dbu3vfikR2LW2MYAtkZd6TCFcAOxN8FchR0O/s400/23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />The Peach Stand, Fort Mill, SC<br />July 21, 2013

canned goods Fort Mill fresh produce packaged foods peaches South Carolina The Peach Stand The Peach Stand ... Fort Mill, SC

The Peach Stand ... Fort Mill, SC. The truck pulled in with more peaches fresh off the trees. This place has a little bit of everything ......

Purina Healthy Lifestyle Motivation

2:42 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsLBjzw4ZSdD2qC6NzYLxksQaSnHYCxQbxndqbxx539gWVPxV5ht-lYxEHDbMZYyiPyjaD0MxnrPLvodZ3HybwkKspaO9mQg0Tj6KjEre2QBE5kyMENxmrdhoAaCXCXi6NfxpgNalw4w/s1600/purina+light+and+healthy+life+style.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsLBjzw4ZSdD2qC6NzYLxksQaSnHYCxQbxndqbxx539gWVPxV5ht-lYxEHDbMZYyiPyjaD0MxnrPLvodZ3HybwkKspaO9mQg0Tj6KjEre2QBE5kyMENxmrdhoAaCXCXi6NfxpgNalw4w/s320/purina+light+and+healthy+life+style.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I'm on the road to making healthy changes within my lifestyle such as eating better and exercising a lot more!<br /><br />I joined a local Curves gym and have lost a total of 87 1/2 pounds within a years time!<br /><br />Whenever I get the chance to take a walk I grab my iPod, my water bottle and run out the door, especially since it's summer time and we've been having beautiful weather on the daily.<br /><br />I don't know what it is about walking but I love it, maybe it's the weather or the scenery.<br /><br />So since I took the step in finding a healthier lifestyle Purina sent me this wonderful package for my family and I to take the challenge together! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />Flip Camera </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Bandana</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dog pedometer</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Leash</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dog Bowl</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Dog water bottle</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Custom journal with fitness tips for the family</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>nutritional information </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Purina Healthy Lifestyle Motivation

I'm on the road to making healthy changes within my lifestyle such as eating better and exercising a lot more! I joined a local Curves g...

Uptown Charlotte as seen from Amélie's French Bakery

2:38 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGpJcApdEGC1QAC69KLdPUVkJLXzXEYHSZzFseCQlmxfI826Bw6Cn2jLY2qTrAo2dhrFeg1cQGXC55kF5iFeCVpoRdxIntDb-pXy3YO-HJCDEwqwY-qQ_laJfMw-qazUbICD4eByaDyub/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGpJcApdEGC1QAC69KLdPUVkJLXzXEYHSZzFseCQlmxfI826Bw6Cn2jLY2qTrAo2dhrFeg1cQGXC55kF5iFeCVpoRdxIntDb-pXy3YO-HJCDEwqwY-qQ_laJfMw-qazUbICD4eByaDyub/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Uptown Charlotte skyline ...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3V3nlhanV-GfxLX3PYMXpP9HEEOkOT4QrHggRUCiwZQhvFzToY15AV0UNzK1IMdBAT2KyZShpIxGKZ1G4CEIGqCeq6v8mtjjO2JfYY7Hs2ZCYFGb_29w83x0HzEp_D_dZ8TRopHpjDlsw/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3V3nlhanV-GfxLX3PYMXpP9HEEOkOT4QrHggRUCiwZQhvFzToY15AV0UNzK1IMdBAT2KyZShpIxGKZ1G4CEIGqCeq6v8mtjjO2JfYY7Hs2ZCYFGb_29w83x0HzEp_D_dZ8TRopHpjDlsw/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">... as seen from <span class="font_6"><a href="http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/#!sweet/c1wgo">Amélie's French Bakery</a> in the NoDa Art District. </span>T<span class="font_7"><span class="color_20">he café emits an  intoxicating Parisian shabby-chic ambience. The combination of family recipes and classical French traditions made the bakery an instant success, and it now includes two satellite locations in Charlotte. </span></span></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />July 20, 2013

Amélie's French Bakery Charlotte NoDa North Carolina Queen City Uptown Charlotte as seen from Amélie's French Bakery

Uptown Charlotte skyline ... ... as seen from Amélie's French Bakery in the NoDa Art District. T he café emits an intoxicating Parisi...

Teamsters fight misclassification at the ports

2:03 PM Tukiyooo 0

Organizing port drivers requires the Teamsters to fight misclassification, and we're doing it on several fronts. We're bringing lawsuits against employers, lobbying for state law changes and pressuring regulators to enforce the law.<br /><br />Josh Eidelson at The Nation <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/175424/industry-where-few-workers-are-employees-teamsters-mount-multi-front-attack" rel="nofollow">shines a spotlight on how the Teamsters fight misclassification</a> of drivers at the ports. He writes: <o:p></o:p><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">A rare union election victory in New Jersey and a battery of wage theft complaints in California represent the latest steps in the Teamsters union’s effort to transform port trucking, a growing industry in which most workers aren’t considered employees under the law...</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Port truckers carry freight from the nation’s ports to chains like Walmart and Starbucks. Since trucking deregulation during the Carter administration, most such workers have been classified as “independent contractors,” a growing category of American workers who aren’t legally anyone’s employees. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters alleges that over 80 percent of port truckers are misclassified—wrongly denied “employee” status.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">...port truckers charge that their status comes with all the downsides of employment—the companies they work for set their compensation and regulate their work—and little of the upside. Most port truckers pay for their trucks (sometimes leasing them from their bosses) and the fees and upkeep costs that come with them, get paid nothing for the extra time they spend idling in traffic and have no legal right to unionize. Such a “Who’s the boss?” problem has become increasingly prevalent for US workers, as increasing numbers are cast among the ranks of temps, informal workers or independent contractors lacking the legal rights of employees—including collective bargaining.</blockquote> Along with <a href="http://www.changetowin.org/" rel="nofollow">Change to Win</a>, Eidelson writes, we:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">...attacked the port trucking status quo on multiple fronts: legal charges against companies, lobbying for state law changes and stepped-up federal enforcement and organizing efforts among both drivers with legal unionization rights and those without them.</blockquote>We also organized drivers for Australia-based Toll Group at the Port of Los Angeles last year and at the Port of Newark last week. Writes Eidelson:<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Both campaigns turned ugly; the Teamsters allege Toll fired union supporters in Los Angeles in an effort to intimidate workers. During regular anti-union meetings in New Jersey, said driver Fred Schmitt, “they tried to lie, to discourage us from voting in the union.” But he said that the California victory “made it a little bit easier for us to organize here.” </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">After winning the Los Angeles election, the Teamsters accused Toll of dragging its feet in negotiations. Toll and the Teamsters reached a contract deal there after the union mobilized support from Australian union members, mounted “practice pickets” to show their willingness to strike and leafleted to customers of the Toll client Under Armour with a message accusing Toll of “degrading its U.S. workers.”</blockquote><div>Read the whole story <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/175424/industry-where-few-workers-are-employees-teamsters-mount-multi-front-attack#axzz2a5FKCnCx">here</a>.  <br /><br /></div>

Teamsters fight misclassification at the ports

Organizing port drivers requires the Teamsters to fight misclassification, and we're doing it on several fronts. We're bringing laws...

Exciting Nomination for Belviq

2:02 PM Tukiyooo 0

My friend on facebook posted this great new release about Belviq.  That's exciting!!!!!!<br /><br /><span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_51f1919d01b297e64905964">Arena Pharmaceuticals' BELVIQ(R) (lorcaserin HCl) CIV Nominated for 2013 Prix Galien USA Award<br /><br /> SAN DIEGO, July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARNA) today announced that BELVIQ® (lorcaserin HCl) has been nominated for the 2013 Prix Galien USA Award in the Best Pharmaceutical Agent category. BELVIQ is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults.<br /><br /> The Prix Galien Award is considered one of the biomedical industry's top accolades, as it recognizes outstanding achievements in improving the human condition through the development of innovative therapies. Nominees are selected from among those medicines and devices approved by the FDA in the last five years.<br /><span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br /> "BELVIQ is a novel single agent internally discovered at Arena, and was the first new prescription weight-loss treatment approved by the FDA in 13 years," said Dominic P. Behan, Ph.D., Arena's Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. "Nomination for the Prix Galien is a prestigious honor that is underscored by the caliber of innovative therapies included alongside BELVIQ in this category."<br /><br /> The Prix Galien Award ceremony will be held in New York City on October 22, 2013.<br /><br />About BELVIQ® (lorcaserin HCl) CIV<br /><br /> BELVIQ (pronounced BEL-VEEK) is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adult patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of:<br /><br /> 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or<br /> 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes).</span></div></span>

Exciting Nomination for Belviq

My friend on facebook posted this great new release about Belviq. That's exciting!!!!!! Arena Pharmaceuticals' BELVIQ(R) (lorcaseri...

Purina Dog Chow Light and Healthy Review!

1:57 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-m-nE0CPTXB7IM6qGsaVYsZj33g2Ue2merklsfkbTr8QbT8dSmczoIrQowOO707m8DhDF12aYP2wxG5nnR-NY9BWK-ZBUuJB-hSHv0i_y16il0-k-TaNdSaK87ut5VsrOTExLXRsu08/s1600/purina+light+and+healthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-m-nE0CPTXB7IM6qGsaVYsZj33g2Ue2merklsfkbTr8QbT8dSmczoIrQowOO707m8DhDF12aYP2wxG5nnR-NY9BWK-ZBUuJB-hSHv0i_y16il0-k-TaNdSaK87ut5VsrOTExLXRsu08/s320/purina+light+and+healthy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I was sent some samples through Purina for review of their new dog food of Dog Chow Light and Healthy to share with my family and friends!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I can't wait to see what they think of the product! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The best thing of all is that they also sent along some coupons how awesome is that?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Especially if their dog likes it too!!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>

Purina Dog Chow Light and Healthy Review!

I was sent some samples through Purina for review of their new dog food of Dog Chow Light and Healthy to share with my family and friends! I...

More arrests of protesters in Wisconsin, NC

1:41 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="tr_bq"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ngFbmHQ3r88" width="420"></iframe></div><div class="tr_bq">Wisconsin<strike> <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/02/walker-keeps-killing-those-jobs-in-wisco.html" rel="nofollow">Job-killer</a></strike> Gov. Scott Walker's minions today ordered more arrests of peaceful people singing pro-union songs in the Capitol Rotunda.  <br /><br />The daily Solidarity Sing Alongs have apparently been vexing Walker since they began shortly after the uprising ended against his anti-worker agenda in March of 2011. The pretense for the arrests yesterday was a judge's ruling that temporarily allowed Walker to require permits for Statehouse demonstrations of "20 or more." Police, however, indiscriminately <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/07/wisconsin-solidarity-singers-arrested.html">arrested about 20 singers and onlookers yesterday</a>. A Walker supporter who spat in a protester's face was also cited.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/state-makes-capitol-singalong-arrests-for-second-straight-day-b9961849z1-216957841.html">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a> reported on more arrests today: <br /><blockquote>Following Wednesday's arrest of 22 demonstrators, the numbers in the rotunda for the Thursday singalong appeared to at least double. Roughly 120 people sang, and many others looked on or stood by in support, with the mood of the crowd more electric and defiant than the day before. </blockquote><blockquote>They sang what are for them now old standards such as "Eyes on the Prize" and other civil rights and union songs and never stopped, despite the steady stream of arrests. </blockquote><blockquote>Repeatedly, a column of officers marched into the center of the rotunda, handcuffed several generally unresisting protesters and led them downstairs to be ticketed. As they departed, the demonstrators broke out in chants of "Shame! Shame! Shame!" taunting the police and denouncing the governor. </blockquote><blockquote>"Here comes the SS," one protester said as a group of officers approached the rotunda. </blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIKxEOlV6ykrGo6NIlHlSwc2l870Wy5cSQM5WnFjAihEqaXZGSsi4YP4sizx6iQDQQGCeGdEhZVAzPdmniIJ9rednYCHX2rajazhPNWrfwUgsP8jCillo4RNG52NCQKigxWrrYJKKZ8LE/s1600/more_arrests_wisconsin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIKxEOlV6ykrGo6NIlHlSwc2l870Wy5cSQM5WnFjAihEqaXZGSsi4YP4sizx6iQDQQGCeGdEhZVAzPdmniIJ9rednYCHX2rajazhPNWrfwUgsP8jCillo4RNG52NCQKigxWrrYJKKZ8LE/s400/more_arrests_wisconsin.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More arrests today for peaceful protesting inside the Wisconsin Capitol.</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/07/NC-Legislature-approves-anti-worker-budget-voter-rules.html" rel="nofollow">More arrests</a> were also made last night in North Carolina's state Capitol as lawmakers put the finishing touches on an <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Democracy,_Voter_Rights,_and_Federal_Power">ALEC</a>-inspired voter suppression law.  <a href="http://www.storyofamerica.org/voting_fan" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #336699; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;">Six opponents of a voter suppression bill were arrested</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;"> after entering the office of House Speaker Thom Tillis last night. They refused to leave until they spoke with him and he agreed to halt the legislation.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;">Wisconsin state Rep. Chris Taylor said the <a href="http://www.thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/0723taylor.pdf">arrests in his state were unlawful</a>:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.889204025268555px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...these singers were arrested for exercising their First Amendment free speech rights.</span></span></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;">We expect more arrests in Wisconsin and North Carolina in the next week. Stay tuned.</span></div>

More arrests of protesters in Wisconsin, NC

Wisconsin Job-killer Gov. Scott Walker's minions today ordered more arrests of peaceful people singing pro-union songs in the Capitol ...

Tumbador Gourmet Chocolates Review!

1:07 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2xPeRw8Wl57rao4_EL8yGPSSajV_Y7eAzPH79nEbB1vSZcMI3lw76CEGNfAoLGhjTXt6ZO6LZA7dd5lmfxPDXsWE1tqcWll43iwWhJFyD2usjnezVbhgW6FWA3rxpH7EAdfuhtzbsF8/s1600/Tumbador+chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2xPeRw8Wl57rao4_EL8yGPSSajV_Y7eAzPH79nEbB1vSZcMI3lw76CEGNfAoLGhjTXt6ZO6LZA7dd5lmfxPDXsWE1tqcWll43iwWhJFyD2usjnezVbhgW6FWA3rxpH7EAdfuhtzbsF8/s320/Tumbador+chocolates.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love to eat sweets whether it's caramel, chocolate, peanut butter you name it I like it!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I came across these gourmet candies online I knew I had to review them!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They have some of the wackiest flavors such as chocolate mixed with chili and they also offer the familiar ones as well such as toffee bark, yum!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So let me get started because I bet I have your mouths watering now!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tumbadorchocolate.com/home.php">Tumbador Chocolate</a> sent me an array of their products for review including their candies and also their sweet, nutty and flavorful energy bars!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chocolate Toffee Brickle-</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdK0CUYAtcIEy5oZ320yrJ1gGtEYRjncZY-euR-vQKbYXnKAr-wPLhT5kCnxZOE42s6rQ_jhHyNpkT0iUlS-h0AceQB58CZJHcaTho5AH21ur3crNg7RgjogkG9QwDoIe_UlPdLP3ZV0/s1600/toffee+bark+tumbador.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdK0CUYAtcIEy5oZ320yrJ1gGtEYRjncZY-euR-vQKbYXnKAr-wPLhT5kCnxZOE42s6rQ_jhHyNpkT0iUlS-h0AceQB58CZJHcaTho5AH21ur3crNg7RgjogkG9QwDoIe_UlPdLP3ZV0/s320/toffee+bark+tumbador.jpg" width="320" /></span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sweet buttery toffee layered between luscious dark chocolate, this was outrageously delicious and did not last long in the house because it was that good!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Salted Peanut Crispy Rocher's-</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">smooth and creamy chocolate with toffee clusters mixed with nuts and rice giving it a crispy texture, tastes like a riced crispy treat but better!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chocolate Pretzel Nuggets-</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Fruit and Nut Bars-</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These snacks are wonderful for a recovery treat after a workout or just if you need to nibble on something through out the day!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Endurance- (Pineapple, Coconut, Ginger and brown rice syrup)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I am a huge fan of pineapple and coconut so when I saw the ingredients in this one I couldn't wait to try it!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was sweet but not overly sweet at all and didn't have an overwhelming ginger taste at all.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Vitality- (Apples, pecans and brown rice syrup)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Sweet delicious apples paired with nutty pecans in a brown rice syrup to me it tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and it was just what I needed for a pick me up during work!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was also sent their candy bars as well and can't wait to try them!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">PB&J</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Holy Mole'</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dulce De Chile</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mint Crunch</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Salted Peanut</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sweet and Salty</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Website:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tumbadorchocolate.com/">http://www.tumbadorchocolate.com/</a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twitter:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/tumbadortweets">https://twitter.com/tumbadortweets</a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Face Book:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/tumbador-Chocolate/143858700299">https://www.facebook.com/pages/tumbador-Chocolate/143858700299</a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Tumbador Gourmet Chocolates Review!

I love to eat sweets whether it's caramel, chocolate, peanut butter you name it I like it! When I came across these gourmet candies onli...

Teamster victory! Waste workers ratify contract, win long battle

12:26 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8l930CpSGL2AKGok6-GogY_cKooswz-jhmFSmGBnJLamxEZ_S_dddNnYjmrEXdOzt34CHyR6QbmhzLgh4NtNdHjdnvkq51ilJqfNST9YhMuSJwnl93njREjs1zQeHyyyXqByV_IFzKj6/s1600/victory.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8l930CpSGL2AKGok6-GogY_cKooswz-jhmFSmGBnJLamxEZ_S_dddNnYjmrEXdOzt34CHyR6QbmhzLgh4NtNdHjdnvkq51ilJqfNST9YhMuSJwnl93njREjs1zQeHyyyXqByV_IFzKj6/s200/victory.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Eighty of our brothers and sisters in Evansville, Ind., scored a major Teamster <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/after-long-battle-waste-workers-evansville-indiana-ratify-contract" rel="nofollow">victory Monday</a> when they ratified a contract with Republic Waste/Allied Services that raises their wages and preserves their retirement security.<br /><br />The contract, which runs until April 1, 2016, raises wages by $1 per hour the first year and by 50 cents per hour in the second and third years.<br /><br />The contract also protects the workers’ solid retirement security. Said Chuck Whobrey, president of Local 215 in Evansville:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The members will remain in a Teamsters pension fund, so when they retire they will still have a defined benefit pension plan.</blockquote>It's an especially sweet Teamster victory as the Evansville waste workers were locked out of their jobs on May 8, 2011. Short, sudden sympathy strikes sprang up across the country at Republic waste/Allied Services facilities. In a remarkable show of <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2012/06/solidarity-more-ca-teamsters-honor.html" rel="nofollow">solidarity, thousands of Teamsters refused to cross picket lines</a>. The Evansville workers were back on the job six weeks after they were locked out.<br /><br />Whobrey credited his brothers and sisters for the Teamster victory:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">While it was a long battle, we would not have been successful without the strong support of our members and the strong support of the International Union and multiple local unions that got involved in this fight.</blockquote>Bob Morales, director of the <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/solid-waste" rel="nofollow">Solid Waste, Recycling and Related Industries division</a>, said solidarity was essential to the Teamster victory:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Our members nationwide stood united with the workers in Evansville. Our members also supported the other strikes that occurred across the country. The strong solidarity is helping us today, and this Evansville contract is an example of that.</blockquote>Importantly, the contract maintains workers’ rights to honor primary picket lines. Whobrey said the company wanted a 10-day notice, which was totally unacceptable. Not one sentence was changed to protect their existing right to honor picket lines.<br /><br />The contract also gives workers the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday off. All the other city workers in Evansville have that day off as well, said Whobrey. But, he said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">It is also significant because of Dr. King’s strong support of working people and waste workers.</blockquote>King was assassinated while supporting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Sanitation_Strike">striking sanitation workers in Memphis in 1968</a>. Teamsters who picketed Republic Services/Allied Waste carried signs with the same message on the signs carried by Memphis sanitation workers that year: "I Am A Man."<br /><br />Finally, the contract also improves the discipline and discharge procedures and bereavement leave, and increases the workers’ boot allowance.

Teamster victory! Waste workers ratify contract, win long battle

Eighty of our brothers and sisters in Evansville, Ind., scored a major Teamster victory Monday when they ratified a contract with Republic...

Anti-worker agenda advances in North Carolina

12:03 PM Tukiyooo 0

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Extremists in North Carolina, ignoring the turmoil caused by their anti-worker agenda, pushed forward yesterday with <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/politics&id=9183110&pt=print" rel="nofollow">bills to empower corporations and savage the middle class</a>. The House and Senate approved a budget that raises taxes on middle-class families and slashes public education funding, while the Senate approved a voter suppression bill that targets minorities, low-income residents, senior citizens and the disabled.</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZ4BGZX4b2fGzxXeVHk8yNuwyl3JGytbGkqvzzO6geafFC-sCVSN2Svn03mcdE30K_sSlT2gNInXS3r2wGF1We9cLre1ASREYZlqLB098BUc1xioXDGueeumep0UsfD6LY2TZ2KvVEf5u/s1600/7-25NCprotest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="This is a photo of demonstrators who were protesting voter suppression legislation in the office of N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis." border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZ4BGZX4b2fGzxXeVHk8yNuwyl3JGytbGkqvzzO6geafFC-sCVSN2Svn03mcdE30K_sSlT2gNInXS3r2wGF1We9cLre1ASREYZlqLB098BUc1xioXDGueeumep0UsfD6LY2TZ2KvVEf5u/s320/7-25NCprotest.jpg" title="Protest in N.C. House Speaker's office" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protesters gather in Speaker Tillis' office.<br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Legislature is set to adjourn today with its anti-worker agenda likely to pass. The voter suppression bill and the budget will head to Gov. Pat McCrory’s desk, and he is expected to sign both. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> They are fulfilling the anti-worker agenda pushed by </span><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/02/heres-billionaire-trying-to-destroy.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">greedy billionaire Art Pope</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, an </span><a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ALEC</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> disciple and </span><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2011/10/bombshell-kochs-sold-oil-equipment-to.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strike>Benedict Arnold</strike></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Koch brothers buddy who got himself appointed state budget director after financing a number of radical politicians’ campaigns. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Legislature’s ALEC-inspired attacks on workers inspired a popular uprising that takes the form of weekly Moral Monday protests at the Statehouse. The demonstrations have resulted in 925 arrests for civil disobedience over the last 12 weeks. </span><a href="http://www.ncae.org/whats-new/moral-monday-protest-walk-join-us/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Organizers of the Moral Monday rallies</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> are already promising to make their voices heard on Monday, during the next planned protest of the Legislature’s extreme anti-worker agenda. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The budget bill cuts $260 million from North Carolina’s public education budget, hampering teachers who are already among the nation’s lowest paid. It also ends tenure and will lead to more crowded classrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The Raleigh News-Observer </span><a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/23/3051929/teachers-take-another-hit-in-state.html" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">took the GOP to task</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for the cuts in an editorial, saying its own leaders don’t even understand the implications:</span><br /><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"> Take Phil Berger, Republican senator from Eden and that chamber’s president pro-tem. When pressed for the reasons he has crusaded for ending teacher tenure in North Carolina’s public schools, Berger just says he heard about a lot of incompetent teachers hanging on thanks to tenure.</blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">… Teachers are the heart of the most noble thing this state and this nation do: provide an education to all. And yet Berger and other Republicans speak of public schools as if they were more a nuisance than a monument to enlightenment. They also seem to believe they can continue to make teachers a target of petty criticism, pay them poorly, offer them few benefits and still maintain a quality school system.</blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.storyofamerica.org/voting_fan" rel="nofollow">Six opponents of a voter suppression bill were arrested</a> after entering the office of House Speaker Thom Tillis last night. They refused to leave until they spoke with him and he agreed to halt the legislation. They may have hope: The<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/us/holder-wants-texas-to-clear-voting-changes-with-the-us.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">U.S. Justice Department could challenge</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> North Carolina’s voter law, as it announced today it will take new restrictive state measures to court.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>

Anti-worker agenda advances in North Carolina

Extremists in North Carolina, ignoring the turmoil caused by their anti-worker agenda, pushed forward yesterday with bills to empower corp...

Gov. Bob McDonnell visits American troops in Afghanistan

9:30 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="170" src="http://www.governor.virginia.gov/utility/media/DSC_1493.JPG" width="257" /> <img alt="" class="alignleft" height="170" src="http://www.governor.virginia.gov/utility/media/DSC_1601.JPG" width="257" /></div><br />Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell is a 21-year <a href="http://vapolitics.us/2013/07/the-mcdonnell-affair-context-and-perspective/">U.S. Army veteran</a> who retired in 1997 as a Lieutenant Colonel. This week he is part of a U.S. State Department trip to Kuwait and Afghanistan to visit with American troops.<br /><br />On Tuesday the Governor wrote about his mission:<br /><blockquote>As you read this email I'm currently visiting with our troops in Afghanistan.<br /><br />This trip began at the start of the week, but due to security requirements we weren't able to make it public until today.<br /><br />On Monday I joined Montana Governor Steve Bullock for a briefing at the  Pentagon, followed by a very moving experience meeting with wounded  warriors at Walter Reed National Medical Center. I cannot say enough  about the bravery and the courage shown by these great American patriots  who have given so much so that we may be free.<br /><br />Yesterday we arrived at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and traveled to  Udairi Army Air Field where I got to hold a town hall with Virginians  serving there. The first thing I did was thank them, on behalf of all  Virginians, for their service. After breakfast this morning with the  troops we were back in the air, arriving here in Kabul a while ago.<br /><br />We will remain in Afghanistan today and tomorrow, and continue meeting  with Virginia soldiers and military leaders. Friday we will travel to  Germany and visit a military medical facility to again meet with men and  women who have been wounded in the service of our country. Part of that  visit will be a little bit of a homecoming for me. I served in the Army  in Germany in the late 70's as a platoon leader with the 2nd Armored  Division, including running a medical clinic for our post. It will be  nice to be back. <br /><br />As Virginians, we have a close and historic relationship with the  American military. This great Commonwealth can rightly be called the  "home of America's Armed Services." From the Pentagon to Langley to Fort  Lee to Naval Station Norfolk, the military defines our communities,  employs our loved ones, and is an integral part of the fabric of life in  this great state. I know that like myself, our daughter Jeanine who  served in the Army in Iraq, and both my father and my father-in-law, so  many of you have served our nation with honor and valor. Thank you for  your service. And I also know that many of you who are reading this have  loved ones in harm's way at this very moment. Our prayers and our deep  appreciation are with you and your family.<br /><br />This is a trip I've looked forward to for a long time. Freedom is not  free. Everyday we wake up safe and secure because our neighbors,  co-workers, family members and friends have volunteered to leave the  peace of home for the danger and uncertainty of our world's most  volatile locations. On this trip, I'm telling them, on behalf of all of  us, thank you. The people of Virginia will never forget their service,  their courage, their sacrifice.<br /><br />God Bless Our Troops.</blockquote>

Afghanistan American troops Bob McDonnell Kuwait Gov. Bob McDonnell visits American troops in Afghanistan

Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell is a 21-year U.S. Army veteran who retired in 1997 as a Lieutenant Colonel. This week he is part of ...