Monday, December 30, 2013

Innocent

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/12/30/18748556.php





Innocent

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Monday Dec 30th, 2013 1:56 PM

Doing the wrong things can practically get you labeled as a terrorist in the making! It's the very sort of thing that Americans used to criticize the communists for during the Cold War-the paranoia, suspicion and obsessive distrust that characterized the Soviet Union.



Of course, it hasn't reached Soviet standards yet, but it wouldn't take too long to do so at the rate things are going.

And now they're talking about making "proactive efforts" to track down potential terrorists-or up and coming drug addicts, gang members, and maybe any class of people that society considers undesirable. That might catch a few bad guys and evildoers, but it's sure to ensnare many innocent people as well and ruin a lot of lives.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

True peace

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December 18, 2013 Columns & Blogs » Letters to the Editor









Letters to the Editor: Dec. 18, 2013



True Peace



Although peace has been the goal of mankind for thousands of years—and the desire for peace is never so great as it is at Christmas—it seems that our ability to find or establish peace continues to elude us. Today, after the end of the Cold War, bloody hostilities continue on nearly every continent, reaching global proportions once again after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 in New York City, Washington, D.C., and near Pittsburgh.



As Pete Seeger's well-known folk song from the '60s asked, "Where have all the flowers gone? When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?" True peace on every level—from international conflicts to our personal lives—has become more difficult than ever to achieve.



"And in Bethlehem today, children fear, yet still they play



While mothers cry and fathers pray for peace to come again.



And a round the weary world echoes the refrain: "Christmas in Bethlehem, when shall true love reign?"



—Ted Rudow III



—Palo Alto



Write to us at letters@bohemian.com.





















Monday, December 16, 2013

True peace

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/12/16/18747911.php





True peace

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Monday Dec 16th, 2013 11:48 AM

Although peace has been the goal of mankind for thousands of years — and the desire for peace is never so great as it is at Christmas — it seems that our ability to find or establish peace continues to elude us. Today, after the end of the Cold War, bloody hostilities continue on nearly every continent, reaching global proportions once again after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 in New York City, Washington, D.C., and near Pittsburgh.





As Pete Seeger’s well-known folk song from the ’60s asked, “Where have all the flowers gone? When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?” True peace on every level — from international conflicts to our personal lives — has become more difficult than ever to achieve.



"And in Bethlehem today, children fear, yet still they play

While mothers cry and fathers pray for peace to come again.

And a round the weary world echoes the refrain:

“Christmas in Bethlehem, when shall true love reign?”



One day soon the Prince of Love,will return from skies above,and His pow’r shall overcome all pain and tears and war.Then shall songs of joy and praise ring out from shore to shore.

Christmas in Bethlehem, peace on Earth once more.

Christmas in Bethlehem, Peace on Earth once more."

Michael Dooley



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Friday, December 13, 2013

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Put into practice



Original post made by Ted Rudow III, MA on Dec 13, 2013







There's never been a time in all of history when the world has been in such sin and sorrow as it is now. There's so much talk about the advancement and betterment of mankind -- advanced medicine, modern technology, new inventions, better governments to make it a better world to live in -- so much talk of progress, when in reality things are regressing all the more. Look around. You can't deny it.



What better way to live Christmas each and every day of the year than to continually give to those around you, to truly live how He taught us, to show His love in all the little ways throughout the day. It's just human nature to sometimes confuse the words you say, but there's no confusion when they see it put into practice.



It's like that poem by Edgar A. Guest, which says: "I'd rather see a sermon, than to hear one any day. I'd rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way. For most people to accept the truth, they not only need to hear the sermon, but they need to see the sample as well."



Be the living sample of the message, the living proof that it works! This is the real meaning of Christmas.



Ted Rudow III, MA

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

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Dickens Told the Tale of Today's Poor



By Ted Rudow III, MA



Friday December 06, 2013 - 12:41:00 PM



In a very real sense, Dickens popularized many aspects of the Christmas we celebrate today, including great family gatherings, seasonal drinks and dishes and gift giving. Even our language has been enriched by the tale. Who has not known a Scrooge, or uttered “Bah! Humbug!” when feeling irritated or disbelieving. And the phrase “Merry Christmas!” gained wider usage after the story appeared.







“A Christmas Carol” may become an even more relevant tale as people cope with what is expected to be an economically bleak holiday season. Fast-forward to 2013, and America is in an acute economic crisis. There are a number of similar themes, including the increasing gap between the rich and poor.







People in the working class are losing their homes or struggling to heat their homes, and we’re going into the holiday season with anticipated layoffs and high unemployment. For many, it looks like a pretty dreary Christmas. The message in “A Christmas Carol” also says it’s not just good enough to donate money, but individuals need to get involved, as Scrooge learns in the end. This is a message we can all keep in mind this year. You never lose by giving.















Monday, December 09, 2013

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Dickens Told the Tale of Today's Poor











Dickens Told the Tale of Today's Poor



By Ted Rudow III, MA



Friday December 06, 2013

In a very real sense, Dickens popularized many aspects of the Christmas we celebrate today, including great family gatherings, seasonal drinks and dishes and gift giving. Even our language has been enriched by the tale. Who has not known a Scrooge, or uttered "Bah! Humbug!" when feeling irritated or disbelieving. And the phrase "Merry Christmas!" gained wider usage after the story appeared.







"A Christmas Carol" may become an even more relevant tale as people cope with what is expected to be an economically bleak holiday season. Fast-forward to 2013, and America is in an acute economic crisis. There are a number of similar themes, including the increasing gap between the rich and poor.







People in the working class are losing their homes or struggling to heat their homes, and we're going into the holiday season with anticipated layoffs and high unemployment. For many, it looks like a pretty dreary Christmas. The message in "A Christmas Carol" also says it's not just good enough to donate money, but individuals need to get involved, as Scrooge learns in the end. This is a message we can all keep in mind this year. You never lose by giving.







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Thursday, December 05, 2013

A Christmas Carol


https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/12/05/18747301.php





A Christmas Carol

by Ted Rudow III, MA

Thursday Dec 5th, 2013 10:44 AM

From its first publication in 1843, “A Christmas Carol” has charmed and inspired millions. Less well-known is the fact that this little book of celebration grew out of a dark period in the author’s career and, in some ways, changed the course of his life forever.





In a very real sense, Dickens popularized many aspects of the Christmas we celebrate today, including great family gatherings, seasonal drinks and dishes and gift giving. Even our language has been enriched by the tale. Who has not known a Scrooge, or uttered “Bah! Humbug!” when feeling irritated or disbelieving. And the phrase “Merry Christmas!” gained wider usage after the story appeared.



“A Christmas Carol” may become an even more relevant tale as people cope with what is expected to be an economically bleak holiday season. Fast-forward to 2013 and America is in an acute economic crisis. There are a number of similar themes, including the increasing gap between the rich and poor. People in the working class are losing their homes or struggling to heat their homes, and we’re going into the holiday season with anticipated layoffs and high unemployment. For many, it looks like a pretty dreary Christmas.



The message in “A Christmas Carol” also says it’s not just good enough to donate money, but individuals need to get involved, as Scrooge learns in the end. This is a message we can all keep in mind this year. You never lose by giving.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Black horse

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/12/04/18747239.php





Black horse

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Wednesday Dec 4th, 2013 12:05 PM

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, ‘Come and see.’ And I beheld, and to a black horse......



This black horse’s rider with the pair of balances in his hand symbolizes the rich capitalists who have a major impact on world conditions through their manipulation of national economies. Only one other verse in the Bible pictures a man with balances or scales: “The merchant uses dishonest scales; he loves to defraud” (Hosea 12:7).



Another prophet, Amos, also said the merchants — the wealthy capitalists of his day who were robbing the poor instead of helping them — “set forth wheat, making the ephah [unit of measure] small, and the shekel [price] great and falsifying the balances by deceit ... that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail” (Amos 8:4-6)



The black horse, then, represents famine and poverty perpetrated by the rich who refuse to share with those in need. Oil and wine, throughout the Scriptures, symbolize abundance or luxury.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Spartan Daily

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Updated 8:43 pm December 2, 2013









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Black Friday, the aftermath



by Laura Nguyen Dec 2, 2013 9:53 am Tags: black friday, customers, deals, early, Employees, family, money, sales, Thanksgiving, work





Before Breanna van Gastel, a senior child and adolescent development major, arrived at work around 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, customers were already in line for Black Friday shopping.



“It makes me sad that every year we seem to be opening earlier and earlier,” van Gastel said.



Van Gastel said when she started working for Victoria’s Secret four years ago, the store opened at 7 a.m. on Black Friday and then began opening at midnight.



This year doors opened on Thanksgiving at 10 p.m., she said.



“I'm worried it will keep going until Thanksgiving doesn't exist anymore,” van Gastel said.



As college students enter the retail workforce, they may begin to realize that it can cut into family time and their social life.



“I personally don’t like Black Friday because it’s only been a larger problem in the last couple of years,” Gabriela Pinelo, a senior theater major, said.



Pinelo said she is an employee at American Girl and luckily had a regular shift this Black Friday.



“I’m only going to be working 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” she said.



She said her store didn’t promote Black Friday sales but it was open and is very close to a Macy’s, which she says is known to open early.



The American Girl store where Pinelo works opened an hour earlier on Black Friday and stayed open an hour later on Saturday and Sunday.



“It’s ridiculous,” Pinelo said about employees having to work on Black Friday. “I think it’s unfair because their livelihood depends on the job, and it takes away from the point of the holiday.”



Black Friday is flashy and not as great as people say it is, it’s just really good marketing, Pinelo said.



“Last year I bought a computer mouse on Black Friday for $12, but it was $2 cheaper after Christmas,” Pinelo said.



Lloyd Walker, a senior aeronautical engineering major, said the savings of Black Friday are already online, but some people are unaware or just shop because it's tradition.



“The sales are absolutely not worth it," van Gastel said. “It makes me so sad watching people gladly give up (time with) their family when I know plenty of people who would kill to be with theirs."



Walker said he used to love Black Friday more than Thanksgiving itself.



“On Black Friday, you get to stay up all night in the parking lot and go through stores,” Walker said.



He said he used to camp out with his dad on Black Friday.



“These companies aren’t evil,” he said. “They’re doing employees a favor, but some people like to complain.”



Walker said he has worked retail in the past and enjoyed it because he was paid time and a half.



However, van Gastel said that employees are only paid time and a half on Thanksgiving Day and regular pay after midnight.



“Because it is so busy, shifts go by very fast,” van Gastel said. “I also appreciate my coworkers who manage to stick together on the worst day of the year.”



Pinelo said she’s lucky that she didn’t have to work the crazy hours because she doesn’t have a car and would have had to commute by bus from west San Jose to Palo Alto.









Ted Rudow III, MA ·

Class of 1996





Black Friday?__by Ted Rudow III,MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) __“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, ‘Come and see.’ And I beheld, and to a black horse......

This black horse’s rider with the pair of balances in his hand symbolizes the rich capitalists who have a major impact on world conditions through their manipulation of national economies. Only one other verse in the Bible pictures a man with balances or scales: “The merchant uses dishonest scales; he loves to defraud” (Hosea 12:7 NIV).



Another prophet, Amos, also said the merchants — the wealthy capitalists of his day who were robbing the poor instead of helping them — “set forth wheat, making the ephah [unit of measure] small, and the shekel [price] great and falsifying the balances by deceit ... that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail” (Amos 8:4-6 KJV).



The black horse, then, represents famine and poverty perpetrated by the rich who refuse to share with those in need. Oil and wine, throughout the Scriptures, symbolize abundance or luxury.







Saturday, November 30, 2013

RTF RADIO












The United States and Iran secretly engaged in a series of high-level, face-to-face talks over the past year, in a high-stakes diplomatic gamble by the Obama administration that paved the way for the historic deal sealed early Sunday in Geneva aimed at slowing Tehran's nuclear program, The Associated Press has learned.



America and Israel conspire to silence this troublesome voice in the wilderness, to quell and to put out these fires which burn and trouble the world for them. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister has done this, so the stage is set. You can be sure of a confrontation and an escalation of confrontation between these two houses that battle at war.



This country, Iran, has been a hammer. It has been a tool to humble and humiliate proud and haughty America. But this tool is not enough to balance things, and as has been written by the journalists, Iran knows it shall be targeted, as Iraq was targeted and as Libya was targeted.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/























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The album the NSA doesn't want you to hear.



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Thursday, November 28, 2013

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lack Friday?

by indybay.org Tue Nov 26 15:08:26 PST 2013

Black Friday?



Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday.



One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.



The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.



Just like so many of our other holidays, the true purpose behind having a holiday called "Thanksgiving" is being totally obliterated by a tsunami of greed. Meanwhile, more Americans than ever are living in poverty this year and very few people even seem to notice. However, perhaps we should all take time this week to remember the tens of millions of Americans that are going to be deeply suffering this winter. They keep telling us that "the recession is over" and yet poverty continues to spread like an out of control plague. But for most Americans life is still relatively "normal", and so the horrible suffering going on out there doesn't really affect them.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot







RaiseTheFist

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TUNE IN NOW















The album the NSA doesn't want you to hear.


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

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Spartan community hopes to make impact with holiday drives



by Leeta-Rose Ballester Nov 24, 2013 7:11 pm Tags: food drive, KSJS, low income, Santa Clara County, Second Harvest Food Bank, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, toy drive, UPD







Members of the SJSU community are collecting donations for those in need as the days grow shorter and winter holidays draw nearer.



90.5 KSJS radio is collecting food donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank for its ninth year,  Ramon Johnson said, an alumni and long-time host for the station.



"Year to year we've done pretty well," Johnson said. "We have the ability, being a radio station, to communicate to the community. Even if they don't participate in our food drive we hope to encourage them to participate in some other food drive.?"



Johnson said KSJS hopes to serve as an example, and he takes the food drive to heart on a very personal level.



"For me this is important," he said. "I know what it's like to be low income and I know what it?'s like to be homeless. I know how much these donations mean to people."



The most important part of holiday drives, Johnson said, is ?being there? and reaching out to others.



"There's so many children in our community, even though we're considered a wealthy community, that go to bed hungry," he said. "You can really make a difference in a family's life. Imagine what it's like to be a parent and not know where your next meal is coming from for your family."



Johnson said collection barrels are located in Hugh Gillis Hall and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.



Caitlin Kerk, Second Harvest?'s media representative, said the organization raises half of its annual revenue during the holiday season.



"That?'s when people are thinking about food, the hungry and other people,"Kerk said. "Every little bit helps.?"



Serving both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, Kerk said Second Harvest provides food to more than 250,000 people each month—one in 10 people in these counties.



"Even people that are working cannot meet their basic needs," she said. "The cost of living is so high."



Kerk said donations are trickling in to meet the organization?s goal of two million pounds of food and 12,000 turkeys.



"Second Harvest operates thanks to the generosity of the community," she said. "Any contributions we get will help us do that. We appreciate the help of San Jose State."



The University Police Department is holding it's 22nd annual toy drive and Sgt. John Laws said many of the toys and grocery store gift cards that are collected will be distributed close to home.



"One of the underserved groups that we have are our own students and staff," Laws said. "We do try to reach out to the students, but many don't notice that this is appropriate to them too."



Laws said in addition to reaching out to Counseling Services, the employee support from Human Resources and the Accessible Education Center, the UPD also connects with Lowell Elementary School and often has repeat families who look forward to the annual event.



"We have a route with a truck and a Santa that goes down Fourth Street, and Fifth Street and Sixth Street, delivering to homes in the neighborhood,"? Laws said. "For those that don't live on the route, we have an operation set up here in the parking garage."



The UPD provided toys and gift cards to about 200 families last year, Laws said, and this year?s delivery day is scheduled for Dec. 14.



"It's always a nice event that makes you feel good," he said. "Sometimes you feel a little sad about just how dire the need is for some of these families."



Scott Livker, community service chairperson for Sigma Alpha Epsilon and junior political science major, said the fraternity is collecting toy donations in partnership with the Marines yearly Toys for Tots.



"Every active member in the fraternity will be bringing a toy for this event, and we have no minimum," Livker said. "We just want to help families and children during the holidays."



Livker said the fraternity has a donation box in the Student Involvement Center located in Clark Hall, but people can also bring an unwrapped toy directly to their house on South 10th Street.



He said he believes this is the first time the fraternity is doing a toy drive, but they would like to do it again.



"Our members are really excited and happy we have done this,"Livker said. "It involves us with the community more and shows that we know how some families struggle during the holidays. We would like to help them out since every child deserves a nice holiday break."



Leeta-Rose Ballester is a Spartan Daily staff writer.









Ted Rudow III, MA







Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day. ____Just like so many of our other holidays, the true purpose behind having a holiday called "Thanksgiving" is being totally obliterated by a tsunami of greed. Meanwhile, more Americans than ever are living in poverty this year and very few people even seem to notice. However, perhaps we should all take time this week to remember the tens of millions of Americans that are going to be deeply suffering this winter. They keep telling us that "the recession is over" and yet poverty continues to spread like an out of control plague. But for most Americans life is still relatively "normal", and so the horrible suffering going on out there doesn't really affect them. __Ted Rudow III, MA ________

Class of 1996

RTF RADIO




Palo Alto moved a step closer Monday night to outlawing smoking in all parts of the downtown and California Avenue business districts.



The city council voted 8-1 to task city staff with gathering feedback from the community on such a ban, as well as researching what other jurisdictions have done. The Policy and Services Committee would then mull the information and make a recommendation to the full city council.



A wholesale ban would build on the council's decision earlier this year to prohibit people from lighting up in parks and increase the no-smoking buffer around building entrances to 25 feet. It would essentially eliminate a handful of areas in the business districts where smoking is still legal, making the restrictions easier to enforce.



Smoking kills about six people every minute and is the biggest cause of adult death in the developed world. Smoking during pregnancy can have devastating effects on the health of the child. Studies indicate that a person who smokes more than a pack of cigarettes a day doubles the risk of developing cataracts, a disease in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/



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The album the NSA doesn't want you to hear.





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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Black Friday?

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/26/18746866.php
U.S.

Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism

Black Friday?

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Tuesday Nov 26th, 2013 2:51 PM

Black Friday?



Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday.



One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.



The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.



Just like so many of our other holidays, the true purpose behind having a holiday called "Thanksgiving" is being totally obliterated by a tsunami of greed. Meanwhile, more Americans than ever are living in poverty this year and very few people even seem to notice. However, perhaps we should all take time this week to remember the tens of millions of Americans that are going to be deeply suffering this winter. They keep telling us that "the recession is over" and yet poverty continues to spread like an out of control plague. But for most Americans life is still relatively "normal", and so the horrible suffering going on out there doesn't really affect them.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Add Your Comments

Sunday, November 24, 2013

The stage is set

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/24/18746764.php





The stage is set

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Sunday Nov 24th, 2013 12:00 PM

The United States and Iran secretly engaged in a series of high-level, face-to-face talks over the past year, in a high-stakes diplomatic gamble by the Obama administration that paved the way for the historic deal sealed early Sunday in Geneva aimed at slowing Tehran's nuclear program, The Associated Press has learned.



America and Israel conspire to silence this troublesome voice in the wilderness, to quell and to put out these fires which burn and trouble the world for them. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, so the stage is set. You can be sure of a confrontation and an escalation of confrontation between these two houses that battle at war.



This country, Iran, has been a hammer. It has been a tool to humble and humiliate proud and haughty America. But this tool is not enough to balance things, and as has been written by the journalists, Iran knows it shall be targeted, as Iraq was targeted and as Libya was targeted.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Thursday, November 21, 2013

A need

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/21/18746620.php





A need

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Thursday Nov 21st, 2013 12:56 PM

The White House and Afghanistan are reportedly close to an agreement that would allow continued U.S. raids even after most American troops withdraw in 2014. Under the deal, the United States would continue raiding Afghan homes under "extraordinary circumstances" to save lives. In return, the Afghan government has asked President Obama to write a letter apologizing for U.S. operations that have killed or injured Afghan civilians.





"No such letter has been drafted or delivered. There is not a need for the United States to apologize to Afghanistan. Quite the contrary, we have sacrificed and supported them in their democratic progress and in tackling the insurgency and al-Qaeda. So, that is not on the table."

Susan Rice



War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in its scope.

War is rarely necessary and never glorious. That’s one thing Americans should have learned from their experiences in Vietnam, and from seeing the daily horror and carnage of that war televised in their living rooms every night.



They don’t show the death and devastation in the little rural villages once full of farmers, the crippled children who happened to pick up cluster bombs, the charred corpses that are now called “collateral damage.” After all, showing such things would detract from the glory of war. "War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity. It destroys religion, it destroys states and it destroys families. Any scourge is preferable to it."--Martin Luther

Ted Rudow III, MA

http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Ban smoking

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/19/18746554.php





Ban smoking

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Tuesday Nov 19th, 2013 11:39 AM

Palo Alto moved a step closer Monday night to outlawing smoking in all parts of the downtown and California Avenue business districts.



The city council voted 8-1 to task city staff with gathering feedback from the community on such a ban, as well as researching what other jurisdictions have done. The Policy and Services Committee would then mull the information and make a recommendation to the full city council.



A wholesale ban would build on the council's decision earlier this year to prohibit people from lighting up in parks and increase the no-smoking buffer around building entrances to 25 feet. It would essentially eliminate a handful of areas in the business districts where smoking is still legal, making the restrictions easier to enforce.



Smoking kills about six people every minute and is the biggest cause of adult death in the developed world. Smoking during pregnancy can have devastating effects on the health of the child. Studies indicate that a person who smokes more than a pack of cigarettes a day doubles the risk of developing cataracts, a disease in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii

Friday, November 15, 2013

RTF RADIO












Wed Nov 13 13:44:06 PS

You can't call the U.S. the world's leading champion of peace, considering how many wars and conflicts it's been involved in and considering how eager it is to sell arms to those who would start new ones or keep old ones going!



Ask the Palestinians, who are being tear-gassed by American-made chemicals, shot by American weapons, and bombed by American missiles, how peaceful the U.S. is. Ask the Latin Americans who died at the hands either of governments or guerrillas wielding American arms how peaceful the U.S. is. Or ask the millions of others who are involved in conflicts in Africa, Asia, the Mideast and Europe, fueled and kept going by low-cost American arms, how peaceful the U.S. is.

If the U.S. would export half as much peace as it does weapons--working on feeding the poor, clothing the needy, and providing jobs to the destitute--then it would make the world a far better place!

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com



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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Peace

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/13/18746327.php





Peace

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Wednesday Nov 13th, 2013 1:13 PM

You can't call the U.S. the world's leading champion of peace, considering how many wars and conflicts it's been involved in and considering how eager it is to sell arms to those who would start new ones or keep old ones going!



Ask the Palestinians, who are being tear-gassed by American-made chemicals, shot by American weapons, and bombed by American missiles, how peaceful the U.S. is. Ask the Latin Americans who died at the hands either of governments or guerrillas wielding American arms how peaceful the U.S. is. Or ask the millions of others who are involved in conflicts in Africa, Asia, the Mideast and Europe, fueled and kept going by low-cost American arms, how peaceful the U.S. is.

If the U.S. would export half as much peace as it does weapons--working on feeding the poor, clothing the needy, and providing jobs to the destitute--then it would make the world a far better place!

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

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Our military is not our government



by Allison Williams Nov 10, 2013 8:19 pm Tags: freedom of speech, government, Military, respect, right to freedom of speech, Veterans Day







As a ‘90s child, a nation at complete peace is basically a foreign concept. I hardly remember a time when war and the military haven’t been issues or made headlines.



I have only known a country that has had a military presence in another country.



Political debates about the next military action and casualty counts flash on the news and in the papers.



What was once front-page news has slowly become a footnote. A quick “Oh, by the way” before people part ways.



I can remember after Sept. 11, a patriotic fervor planted itself in nearly every heart across America. And as the years have passed, I’ve noticed the change in sentiments.



Patriotism has turned into something similar to annoyance. Now, I see a large portion of people who don’t support the war. Unfortunately, I often see this coupled with an unpleasant view of the military.



Not agreeing with a war shouldn’t equate to not supporting our troops.



I may not agree with the actions of our government or the invasions and wars they declare, but I can’t assign blame onto the men and women they send to fight for them.



Whatever my political beliefs are, I am always thankful I live in America.



Do we have our problems? Yes, but in comparison, I don’t think ours are really that bad.



I may not be proud of every decision the national powers make, I confess that I’m not, but I think I’m blessed.



I’m blessed and thankful for the many men and women who have lost their lives throughout our history and the many others who risk theirs to protect the freedoms that many of us take for granted.



Our freedom of speech is something that we highly regard and respect in America. We can speak out against our government, usually without any fear. We can critique and be vocal about what we think is going wrong in our nation, and we hold hope that our voices will be heard.



It’s almost turned into an excuse to speak before we think.



It’s unfortunate that this freedom has resulted in some people turning their spiteful words toward the people who risk their lives to defend our right to do so.



In order to not support our military, we would have to believe that every single person was of the same mind and belief as the government.



According to the U.S. Census in its 2012 statistical abstract, there were 1,088,465 active duty military personnel in 2009. Add to that the 819,318 people in the National Guard and the reserves. That’s a total of 1,907,783 people, not including civilian personnel.



To think that almost 2 million people (more than that if you consider the 709,265 civilian personnel) all have the exact same thoughts about a war or invasion as the government is far-fetched, to say the least.



These men and women put aside their personal viewpoints and risk their lives. I doubt all of the people who have lost their lives in a war wholeheartedly agreed with the war, but they did what they were ordered to do. They put their own lives on the line for something they may despise, because that is their job.



They didn’t sit down with the president or Congress to decide what to do. They are told what to do.



Many of us go to a job every day, do what we’re told and go about our day.



It’s the same thing with military personnel, only there is a lot more on the line with their job.



It’s one thing to disagree with our government, it’s our right, but we should be careful to never confuse our unhappiness with our government with our respect for our troops.



You can disagree with a war and still support the men and women who fight it.









Ted Rudow III, MA ·



You can call the U.S. the world's leading champion of peace, considering how many wars and conflicts it's been involved in and considering how eager it is to sell arms to those who would start new ones or keep old ones going!__ Ask the Palestinians, who are being tear-gassed by American-made chemicals, shot by American weapons, and bombed by American missiles, how peaceful the U.S. is. Ask the Latin Americans who died at the hands either of governments or guerrillas wielding American arms how peaceful the U.S. is. Or ask the millions of others who are involved in conflicts in Africa, Asia, the Mideast and Europe, fueled and kept going by low-cost American arms, how peaceful the U.S. is.__ If the U.S. would export half as much peace as it does weapons--working on feeding the poor, clothing the needy, and providing jobs to the destitute--then it would make the world a far better place!






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Wednesday, November 13, 2013



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Published: Thursday, November 14, 2013







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Orwellian nightmare











Surveillance systems are of unimaginable scale and character. And of course now data can be collected endlessly. In fact Obama supposedly has a data storage system being constructed in Utah somewhere where all kinds of data are being poured in. Who knows what? Probably all your emails, all your telephone conversations, someday what you’re saying to people in the streets, where you’ve been lately, you know, who do you talk to, probably a ton of stuff like that will be there.

Poor Orwell, if he’d walk into the world today and see just what it’s really like, he’d probably die of fright! In his day it was all science fiction, a make-believe story to entertain people, but now it is a reality–one that’s not going to go away. Big brother wants to keep an eye on you. He believes in being his “brother’s keeper,” but it’s not for any sort of benign purpose — or at least it won’t be in the end. It’ll end up being for the purpose of control.

Ted Rudow III, MA

Encina Ave

Palo Alto, CA





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Sunday, November 10, 2013

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The Centralia Massacre

by indybay.org Sat Nov 9 14:48:41 PST 20

Lt. Warren O. "Wedge" Grimm (March 9, 1888 - November 11, 1919), was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. An All-American at the University of Washington and an officer in the United States Army, he served with distinction as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia stationed in Russia in 1918-1919. He was assassinated on November 11, 1919, by members of the IWW (Wobblies) during the Centralia Massacre in Washington State.



Warren (Wedge) Grimm, University of Washington Husky, circa 1911.Warren Grimm moved to Centralia, Washington at the age of four. He regularly achieved high academic marks and was a star on the local high school football team. Upon graduation, Grimm worked as a clerk in the Assessor's Office of King County, Washington, to pay for college. This experience led to his interest in the practice of law.

Grimm then attended the University of Washington, entering in the fall of 1908. During the following years, Grimm was best known for his athletic prowess, earning All-American honors on Washington’s famous football teams of the era. The leader of his freshman class, Grimm also joined the Sigma Nu fraternity.

It was at this inaugural event that Grimm earned the nickname Wedge that would identify him on football fields throughout the Northwest. Chosen Captain of the Freshman tie-up squad because of his size, Grimm actually showed his tactical acumen and organized his classmates into a tightly focused wedge that charged the sophomore formation. This highly successful maneuver became a staple of Husky football teams and contributed to his later All-American honors.

In 1910, Grimm was awarded the Flaherty medal by the University of Washington. He was also honored with memberships in every honor society to which he was eligible including the Oval Club and Fir Tree. His growing potential in the practice of law was also noticed and he was awarded membership in Phi Delta Phi, a national law school honorary fraternity.

After graduation from law school he returned to his home in Centralia. When the United States entered World War I, Grimm put his private practice on hold and volunteered for the Army. Sent to Officers Training Camp, he earned a commission of First Lieutenant and was assigned to the 12th Infantry. The 12th was ordered to Camp Fremont in January, 1918. On April 15th, 1918, Lt. Grimm received exceptional leave as he would once again tie the knot, this time to Miss Verna Barstad, Kappa Sigma, who was Centralia's librarian.

In August, 1918 Grimm's regiment was ordered to Siberia as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia (A.E.F. Siberia), under the command of General William S. Graves. Upon arrival at Vladivostok, Grimm was assigned to Co. I of the 31st Infantry and was stationed on guard duty about one hundred miles north of the Siberan seaport. Lieutenant Grimm was then transferred to Hardin, Manchuria, and assumed command of the 50 man detachment. In December, 1918, Grimm was rotated back to the HQ Company of the 31st Infantry and served as legal attaché for General Graves. Successfully completing its tour of duty, Grimm’s company left Vladvistock on April 1, 1919 and returned to San Francisco.

Grimm returned to Centralia to greet his wife and see his infant daughter, Shirley Ann, who had been born during his deployment. The town of Centralia decided to reward him for his combat service and elected him Commander of the Grant Hodge Post of the American Legion. Despite these honors, Grimm's primary focus was his wife, newborn daughter, and the resumption of his law practice. Unfortunately, Grimm had barely begun to resume his private life when his life was tragically cut short.



The Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) was a radical syndicalist labor union. Composed primarily of unemployed and homeless workers, including dissatisfied elements from the lumber industry, the IWW had a contentious relationship with the town as far back as 1914 when 47 members descended upon Centralia and tried to take up residence. After run-ins with local authorities led to the group being escorted from town, eight union members returned to Centralia and looted the local stores for food and other supplies.

Creating Union Halls was a key part of IWW strategy at that time since the vast majority of its members were homeless. In 1917, the IWW was finally able to open a Union Hall in Centralia at which point the already bad blood with the town of Centralia worsened. The hall was attacked in 1918 during a Red Cross parade, most probably at the hands of the local lumber companies and with support from Centralia's Elk Lodge. Consequently, by the fall of 1919, the Wobblies were spoiling for revenge. Whether by design or unfortunate circumstance, Warren O. Grimm, war veteran, local hero, All-American football player, husband, and new father, would become most famous as the first victim of the Centralia Massacre.

Centralia Massacre

Centralia and the neighboring town of Chehalis had planned to celebrate November 11, 1919, Armistice Day with a parade and subsequent festivities. As Post Commander, Grimm was leading the Centralia contingent of the American Legion in the parade. With the combination of poor parade planning, bad timing, and an already volatile situation, a tragedy may have been inevitable.

An entirely inadequate route had the parade doubling back upon itself at 3rd Street in the middle of Centralia. As the Chehalis contingent countermarched, the Centralia group paused to reform ranks, which allowed a gap to build between the two groups of Legionnaires. To make matters worse, the Centralia contingent was forced to halt in front of the IWW Union Hall.

Fearing a repeat of the 1918 looting of their hall, the Wobblies had armed themselves. In addition to manning their Union Hall, members with rifles had also taken up positions in the Avalon Hotel across the street and on a nearby hill with a commanding view, thus creating a killing ground in which to trap the Legionnaires.

As the Legionnaires approached the front of the Roderick Hotel, Grimm gave the command to Halt Close Up. At that instant, shots broke out. Standing in the middle of the street facing his troops, Grimm was the first to be hit and fell mortally wounded. Legionnaire Arthur McElfresh was the next victim and died instantly, shot in the head. Rifle fire continued to pour into the unarmed Legionnaires. Finally, as the dying Grimm was dragged to the sidewalk by his aide, a group of Legionnaires charged the Union Hall, breaking down the barricaded doors. Though armed, many of the Wobblies attempted to flee but were captured and turned over to local authorities.

To this day, the IWW claims that a small group of Legionnaires broke off and stormed their hall first, initiating the confrontation. However, eight of the captured Wobblies were convicted of Second Degree Murder for the deaths of Grimm, McElfresh, and two more Legionnaires. As a result, Mrs. Grimm and her daughter were placed under Federal protection and relocated.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/



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Saturday, November 09, 2013

Centralia Massacre

Indybay editor may choose to classify it as local or global, depending upon the content.



https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/09/18746164.php





The Centralia Massacre

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Saturday Nov 9th, 2013 2:09 PM

Lt. Warren O. "Wedge" Grimm (March 9, 1888 - November 11, 1919), was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. An All-American at the University of Washington and an officer in the United States Army, he served with distinction as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia stationed in Russia in 1918-1919. He was assassinated on November 11, 1919, by members of the IWW (Wobblies) during the Centralia Massacre in Washington State.



Warren (Wedge) Grimm, University of Washington Husky, circa 1911.Warren Grimm moved to Centralia, Washington at the age of four. He regularly achieved high academic marks and was a star on the local high school football team. Upon graduation, Grimm worked as a clerk in the Assessor’s Office of King County, Washington, to pay for college. This experience led to his interest in the practice of law.

Grimm then attended the University of Washington, entering in the fall of 1908. During the following years, Grimm was best known for his athletic prowess, earning All-American honors on Washington’s famous football teams of the era. The leader of his freshman class, Grimm also joined the Sigma Nu fraternity.

It was at this inaugural event that Grimm earned the nickname “Wedge” that would identify him on football fields throughout the Northwest. Chosen Captain of the Freshman “tie-up” squad because of his size, Grimm actually showed his tactical acumen and organized his classmates into a tightly focused wedge that charged the sophomore formation. This highly successful maneuver became a staple of Husky football teams and contributed to his later All-American honors.

In 1910, Grimm was awarded the Flaherty medal by the University of Washington. He was also honored with memberships in every honor society to which he was eligible including the Oval Club and Fir Tree. His growing potential in the practice of law was also noticed and he was awarded membership in Phi Delta Phi, a national law school honorary fraternity.

After graduation from law school he returned to his home in Centralia. When the United States entered World War I, Grimm put his private practice on hold and volunteered for the Army. Sent to Officers Training Camp, he earned a commission of First Lieutenant and was assigned to the 12th Infantry. The 12th was ordered to Camp Fremont in January, 1918. On April 15th, 1918, Lt. Grimm received exceptional leave as he would once again tie the knot, this time to Miss Verna Barstad, Kappa Sigma, who was Centralia's librarian.

In August, 1918 Grimm's regiment was ordered to Siberia as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia (A.E.F. Siberia), under the command of General William S. Graves. Upon arrival at Vladivostok, Grimm was assigned to Co. I of the 31st Infantry and was stationed on guard duty about one hundred miles north of the Siberan seaport. Lieutenant Grimm was then transferred to Hardin, Manchuria, and assumed command of the 50 man detachment. In December, 1918, Grimm was rotated back to the HQ Company of the 31st Infantry and served as legal attaché for General Graves. Successfully completing its tour of duty, Grimm’s company left Vladvistock on April 1, 1919 and returned to San Francisco.

Grimm returned to Centralia to greet his wife and see his infant daughter, Shirley Ann, who had been born during his deployment. The town of Centralia decided to reward him for his combat service and elected him Commander of the Grant Hodge Post of the American Legion. Despite these honors, Grimm’s primary focus was his wife, newborn daughter, and the resumption of his law practice. Unfortunately, Grimm had barely begun to resume his private life when his life was tragically cut short.



The Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) was a radical syndicalist labor union. Composed primarily of unemployed and homeless workers, including dissatisfied elements from the lumber industry, the IWW had a contentious relationship with the town as far back as 1914 when 47 members descended upon Centralia and tried to take up residence. After run-ins with local authorities led to the group being escorted from town, eight union members returned to Centralia and looted the local stores for food and other supplies.

Creating Union Halls was a key part of IWW strategy at that time since the vast majority of its members were homeless. In 1917, the IWW was finally able to open a Union Hall in Centralia at which point the already bad blood with the town of Centralia worsened. The hall was attacked in 1918 during a Red Cross parade, most probably at the hands of the local lumber companies and with support from Centralia's Elk Lodge. Consequently, by the fall of 1919, the Wobblies were spoiling for revenge. Whether by design or unfortunate circumstance, Warren O. Grimm, war veteran, local hero, All-American football player, husband, and new father, would become most famous as the first victim of the Centralia Massacre.

Centralia Massacre

Centralia and the neighboring town of Chehalis had planned to celebrate November 11, 1919, Armistice Day with a parade and subsequent festivities. As Post Commander, Grimm was leading the Centralia contingent of the American Legion in the parade. With the combination of poor parade planning, bad timing, and an already volatile situation, a tragedy may have been inevitable.

An entirely inadequate route had the parade doubling back upon itself at 3rd Street in the middle of Centralia. As the Chehalis contingent countermarched, the Centralia group paused to reform ranks, which allowed a gap to build between the two groups of Legionnaires. To make matters worse, the Centralia contingent was forced to halt in front of the IWW Union Hall.

Fearing a repeat of the 1918 looting of their hall, the Wobblies had armed themselves. In addition to manning their Union Hall, members with rifles had also taken up positions in the Avalon Hotel across the street and on a nearby hill with a commanding view, thus creating a killing ground in which to trap the Legionnaires.

As the Legionnaires approached the front of the Roderick Hotel, Grimm gave the command to “Halt… Close Up.” At that instant, shots broke out. Standing in the middle of the street facing his troops, Grimm was the first to be hit and fell mortally wounded. Legionnaire Arthur McElfresh was the next victim and died instantly, shot in the head. Rifle fire continued to pour into the unarmed Legionnaires. Finally, as the dying Grimm was dragged to the sidewalk by his aide, a group of Legionnaires charged the Union Hall, breaking down the barricaded doors. Though armed, many of the Wobblies attempted to flee but were captured and turned over to local authorities.

To this day, the IWW claims that a small group of Legionnaires broke off and stormed their hall first, initiating the confrontation. However, eight of the captured Wobblies were convicted of Second Degree Murder for the deaths of Grimm, McElfresh, and two more Legionnaires. As a result, Mrs. Grimm and her daughter were placed under Federal protection and relocated.

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

RTF RADIO










More than four million Californians -- including roughly a quarter of a million people in the Bay Area -- will see cuts in their food stamp benefits starting Friday when a boost included in the 2009 stimulus package expires. The cuts mean a family of four will receive $632, or $36 less per month in federal food assistance, even as California food costs rise. That is the equivalent of losing roughly 21 individual meals per month based on calculations used by the Department of Agriculture.



As many as one in nine California families receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- known as CalFresh in this state -- including 51,000 households in Santa Clara County, 14,000 in San Mateo County, 33,000 in Contra Costa and 62,000 in Alameda County.

There are lots of poor people--the homeless and hungry and people who nobody's helping. They've exhausted their unemployment insurance, and can't get welfare and food stamps any more. They've even found some pretty nice families with children living in their cars. Food stamps or special grants of surplus foods and all kinds of various government benefits that the government hands out a few crumbs for the poor!

Ted Rudow III, MA

http://tedriii.blogspot.com

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Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Propaganda

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/06/18746062.php





Propaganda

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Wednesday Nov 6th, 2013 1:06 PM

But what country of the world and what group are famous for their propaganda and for being able to persuade people with an ideology? But it nevertheless is a very effective method of conquering a country to persuade them you're not a conqueror you're not invading, you're not an aggressor, you are their friend and you're liberating them!



If it's Russia in our Western newspaper, it's always aggression, invasion, conquest, expansionism, colonialism! But if it's one of the Western friends, the United States or France or somebody like that, "Oh, well that's just intervention to protect the people and to liberate them and guarantee democracy, etc.!"



But of course, if one of the Western nations does it, if dear Eisenhower sends the Marines into Lebanon after the Communists have won the election because he doesn't want Lebanon to go Communist, well, that's just intervention to liberate the people from the Communists. If dear LBJ wants to send the Navy and the Army into Vietnam after the Communists won a free and fair democratic election there to make sure that the Communist government doesn't take over, that's not invasion, that's not aggression.



That's mere liberating protective intervention! "Oh, that's not aggression! You mustn't say the United States ever invaded any country! That's not invasion, that's a mere protective intervention!" The U.S. has no ideology left.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

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Posted: 11/04/2013 06:48:50 PM PST

Updated: 11/04/2013 11:54:58 PM PST











Food stamps



Dear Editor: More than 4 million Californians -- including roughly a quarter of a million people in the Bay Area -- saw cuts in their food stamp benefits starting Friday when a boost included in the 2009 stimulus package expired. The cuts mean a family of four now receives $632, or $36 less per month in federal food assistance, even as California food costs rise. That is the equivalent of losing roughly 21 individual meals per month, based on calculations used by the Department of Agriculture.



As many as one in nine California families receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh in this state, including 51,000 households in Santa Clara County, 14,000 in San Mateo County, 33,000 in Contra Costa and 62,000 in Alameda County.



There are lots of poor people -- the homeless and hungry and people who nobody's helping. They've exhausted their unemployment insurance and can't get welfare and food stamps anymore. They've even found some pretty nice families with children living in their cars.



Ted Rudow III,



Palo Alto



























Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Food Stamps

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Posted:   11/04/2013 06:48:50 PM PST
Updated:   about 11 hours ago



Food stamps



Dear Editor: More than 4 million Californians -- including roughly a quarter of a million people in the Bay Area -- saw cuts in their food stamp benefits starting Friday when a boost included in the 2009 stimulus package expired. The cuts mean a family of four now receives $632, or $36 less per month in federal food assistance, even as California food costs rise. That is the equivalent of losing roughly 21 individual meals per month, based on calculations used by the Department of Agriculture.



As many as one in nine California families receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh in this state, including 51,000 households in Santa Clara County, 14,000 in San Mateo County, 33,000 in Contra Costa and 62,000 in Alameda County.



There are lots of poor people -- the homeless and hungry and people who nobody's helping. They've exhausted their unemployment insurance and can't get welfare and food stamps anymore. They've even found some pretty nice families with children living in their cars.



Ted Rudow III,



Palo Alto























Monday, November 04, 2013

Halloween

Monday, November 04, 2013



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Published: Tuesday, November 5, 2013









Halloween: Paganism in a new package















Ted Rudow III, MA, Encina Ave, Palo Alto, CA

The true name of Halloween is “Samhain.” This was the Celtic Lord of the Dead. For 3 days from Oct 29-31, the Celtic people, along with their priestly class called Druids, hold an ancient rite which marks the beginning and the end of the year. A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic Western Europe, during the Iron Age.

Very little is currently known about the ancient druids because they left no written accounts about themselves. The druids then also appear in some of the medieval tales from Christianised Ireland like the Táin Bó Cúailnge, where they are largely portrayed as sorcerers who opposed the coming of Christianity.

Usually a week before the rites of Samhain began, the Druid had ordered the people of the Celtic tribe to disperse throughout the countryside and gather thousands of wicker reeds. They would then construct a giant human effigy as the wicker man. A wicker man was a large wicker statue of a human used by the ancient Druids (priests of Celtic paganism) for human sacrifice by burning it in effigy. Many cages had been built. Each prisoner would be tied to one of the cages. Then the Druids began their idea of fun and games.

Yet, I have seen many Christian churches throughout this nation hold Halloween parties within the church building. Every single one of these things is directly from the celebration of Samhain. You are simply trying to turn something evil into something good!







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Saturday, November 02, 2013

A few crumbs

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/02/18745836.php





A few crumbs

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Saturday Nov 2nd, 2013 2:55 PM

More than four million Californians -- including roughly a quarter of a million people in the Bay Area -- will see cuts in their food stamp benefits starting Friday when a boost included in the 2009 stimulus package expires. The cuts mean a family of four will receive $632, or $36 less per month in federal food assistance, even as California food costs rise. That is the equivalent of losing roughly 21 individual meals per month based on calculations used by the Department of Agriculture.



As many as one in nine California families receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- known as CalFresh in this state -- including 51,000 households in Santa Clara County, 14,000 in San Mateo County, 33,000 in Contra Costa and 62,000 in Alameda County.

There are lots of poor people--the homeless and hungry and people who nobody's helping. They've exhausted their unemployment insurance, and can't get welfare and food stamps any more. They've even found some pretty nice families with children living in their cars. Food stamps or special grants of surplus foods and all kinds of various government benefits that the government hands out a few crumbs for the poor!

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Friday, November 01, 2013

Stop the drone strikes




Friday, November 01, 2013



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Published: Friday, November 1, 2013







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Stop the drone strikes











Ted Rudow III, MA, Encina Ave, Palo Alto, CA

The Obama administration’s drone and targeted killing policy will come under scrutiny at the UN’s report concluding at least 400 Pakistani civilians have been killed by drone strikes over the past decade. Another 200 victims have been deemed “probable non-combatants.” The report also looks at US drone attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, as well as Israel’s use of drones in Gaza.

The UN report comes at a time when US drone policy is facing unprecedented public criticism. Amnesty International said some civilian drone killings in Pakistan may amount to war crimes. Human Rights Watch criticised US drone strikes in Yemen. Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif urged Obama to end drone strikes in Pakistan.

President Obama did not directly address the US drone war and probe of the US drone war. US Drone Strike Statistics estimate 370 drone strikes.

Total strikes: 370, total reported killed: 2,548 – 3,549, civilians reported killed: 411 – 890, children reported killed: 168 – 197.

Stop the drone strikes!







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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Halloween

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Updated 6:28 pm October 28, 2013





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Death is celebrated in good spirits for Dia de los Muertos



by Juan Reyes Oct 28, 2013 2:27 pm Tags: death, Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, Plaza de Cesar Chavez









Juan Reyes
Spartan Daily Tania Rojas (far right) takes the time to pose for a picture with other participants of the Dia de los Muertos Celebration in downtown San Jose on Sunday morning.

It may come as a surprise to some that Cinco de Mayo is not the only popular holiday in Mexican culture.



Hundreds of people showed up across the street of El Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose on Sunday to march down to the Martin Luther King Jr. library  for a pre-celebration of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, as it's known here in the U.S. This may be the oldest celebrated holiday in Mexico and the Mesoamerican regions with evidence dating back to the Spanish Conquest.



This particular holiday typically starts on Nov. 2 in Mexico, but can begin as early as Oct. 27 in other countries. Dia de los Muertos is a time to recognize the dead and to remember all of those who have passed on, particularly dear friends and family members. Lolo Minako recognized one of her ancestors during the abnormal, jovial holiday.



“My great grandmother is a very special person that we lost and she was kind of a soulmate to us,” Minako said. “This is a good time for me to remember and honor her memory.”



Minako was dressed up for the occasion in her olive green and black dress and white face paint, and stood about nine feet tall on a pair of stilts that she said didn't take long to learn to use.





Next to Minako was Chiquy Boom, another stilt walker who came out to celebrate the festivities to honor the dead.



“It signifies the memory of the people we have lost dearly,” Boom said. “To me, this holiday is very important because I take the time to recognize my mom and all the close friends that have passed away. It’s a way to keep them alive in our hearts and in our minds.”



A group of Aztec dancers put on a show to commemorate the holiday by performing a traditional ritual honoring the goddess Mictecacihuatl, Queen of the Underworld, or Lady of the Dead. The Aztecs believed the deceased preferred to be celebrated rather than mourned, so during the festival they first honored los angelitos, the deceased children, then those who passed away as adults.



Across the plaza was a group of people putting the final touches on their costumes and applying face paint, including event volunteer Tania Rojas who said she’s been part of the Dia de los Muertos event since she was in a stroller.



“I grew up around this,” Rojas said. “I’m getting a different version since I'm in the United States, but to me, it’s a lot about family and being unified, working together to remember the people that meant a lot to you in the past.”



Unlike most people in the U.S. who view death as a sorrowful and painful experience, someone such as Rojas said she likes to celebrate life through death because it’s something inevitable.



“You can't do anything about it,” Rojas said. “The best way to (deal with death) is to embrace it through celebrating how awesome someone was. It kind of motivates you to leave a mark in someone’s life.”



``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````



History of Halloween



by Ted Rudow III, MA



The true name of Halloween is “Samhain.” This was the Celtic Lord of the Dead. For 3 days from Oct 29-31, the Celtic people, along with their priestly class called Druids, would hold an ancient rite which would mark the beginning and the end of the year. A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age. Very little is currently known about the ancient druids because they left no written accounts about themselves. The druids then also appear in some of the medieval tales from Christianised Ireland like the Táin Bó Cúailnge, where they are largely portrayed as sorcerers who opposed the coming of Christianity. Usually a week before the rites of Samhain began, the Druid had ordered the people of the Celtic tribe to disperse throughout the countryside and gather thousands of wicker reed.This is a very strong and durable stick. Wicker furniture has been made from it and most of us are familiar with it. They would then construct a giant human effigy that would stand from 30 to 50 feet, as the Wicker Man. A wicker man was a large wicker statue of a human used by the ancient Druids (priests of Celtic paganism) for human sacrifice by burning it in effigy, according to Julius Caesar in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico. In modern times the figure has been adopted for festivals as part of some neopagan-the med ceremonies, notably without the human sacrifice element. Many cages had been built within it. Each prisoner would be tied to one of the cages.Then the Druids began their idea of fun and games.



Yet, I have seen many Christian churches throughout this nation hold Halloween Parties within the church building. Every single one of these things is directly from the celebration of Samhain. You are simply trying to turn something evil into something good!



Ted Rudow III, MA









Monday, October 28, 2013

US detention




Monday, October 28, 2013



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Published: Tuesday, October 29, 2013







Letters To The Editor







US detention centres in Afghanistan







Ted Rudow III, MA, Encina Ave, Palo Alto, CA

With less than a year left in his final term, president Hamid Karzai insists that he is eager to leave the presidential palace and lead a quieter life. It turns out, though, he may just be moving next door; to a lavish new home yard from the complex that has been the seat of his power for more than a decade.

Now the U.S. is between a rock and a hard place. Let the Afghan drug lords and warlords, who are now provincial governors and even cabinet officials, keep dealing in drugs and getting away with all sorts of criminal activities — kidnapping, rape, and murder. So the U.S. hasn’t exactly been a virtuous liberator, because while it proclaims how it has installed a new, more democratic government in Afghanistan, what it has actually done is set the drug lords and warlords free to operate again, who control most of the country outside Kabul, the capital. The U.S. has also taken advantage of Afghanistan’s lawlessness to convert its bases there into what one human rights advocate called “an enormous U.S. jail.” They have several large jails and detention facilities there, and smaller ones at more than 20 compounds around the country, where they hold more than 1,500 prisoners — Afghans and other nationalities. Nobody is really sure how many there are, because the U.S. military won’t say. The U.S. uses the fact that they can do whatever they want in Afghanistan to build all sorts of secret prisons there, because they have so many secret prisoners now, what the U.S. military calls “ghost detainees.”













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STAR ARCHIVE

Raise the fist com








The Obama administration's drone and targeted killing policy will come under scrutiny at the United Nations today with a report concluding at least 400 Pakistani civilians have been killed by drone strikes over the past decade. Another 200 victims have been deemed "probable non-combatants." The report also looks at U.S. drone attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, as well as Israel’s use of drones in Gaza.





The U.N. report comes at a time when U.S. drone policy is facing unprecedented public criticism. Earlier this week, Amnesty International said some civilian drone killings in Pakistan may amount to war crimes. Human Rights Watch criticized U.S. drone strikes in Yemen. On Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged President Obama to end drone strikes in Pakistan.



President Obama did not directly address the U.S. drone war and probe of the U.S. drone war. US Drone Strike Statistics estimate 370 drone strikes.

Total strikes: 370 Total reported killed: 2,548 - 3,549, Civilians reported killed: 411 - 890, Children reported killed: 168 - 197. Pakistan has repeatedly protested these attacks as an infringement of its sovereignty and because civilian deaths have also resulted, including women and children, which has further angered the Pakistani government and people. Strikes under the Bush Administration: 52, Strikes under the Obama Administration: 318

Stop the drone strikes!



Ted Rudow III,MA





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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Stop the drone strikes


https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/10/26/18745480.php





Stop the drone strikes

by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )

Saturday Oct 26th, 2013 2:31 PM

The Obama administration’s drone and targeted killing policy will come under scrutiny at the United Nations today with a report concluding at least 400 Pakistani civilians have been killed by drone strikes over the past decade. Another 200 victims have been deemed "probable non-combatants." The report also looks at U.S. drone attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, as well as Israel’s use of drones in Gaza.





The U.N. report comes at a time when U.S. drone policy is facing unprecedented public criticism. Earlier this week, Amnesty International said some civilian drone killings in Pakistan may amount to war crimes. Human Rights Watch criticized U.S. drone strikes in Yemen. On Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged President Obama to end drone strikes in Pakistan.



President Obama did not directly address the U.S. drone war and probe of the U.S. drone war. US Drone Strike Statistics estimate 370 drone strikes.

Total strikes: 370 Total reported killed: 2,548 - 3,549, Civilians reported killed: 411 - 890, Children reported killed: 168 - 197. Pakistan has repeatedly protested these attacks as an infringement of its sovereignty and because civilian deaths have also resulted, including women and children, which has further angered the Pakistani government and people. Strikes under the Bush Administration: 52, Strikes under the Obama Administration: 318

Stop the drone strikes!



Ted Rudow III,MA

Same Demise

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Check Armaments News





    

Full Coverage:

Open thread for night owls: Senate Republicans blast Sen. Ted Cruz for shutdown role



Same Demise

Oct 3, 2013
indybay.org



Ted Rudow Iii Cruz demise Rudow PartyOn Ted Tedr77 stand.The Affordable shutdown Bastiat fourth-longest Care III Frédéric Mises altruism

Same DemiseOct 3, 2013
indybay.org In the summer of 2013, Ted Cruz embarked on a nationwide tour sponsored by The Heritage Foundation to promote the congressional effort to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, arguing that a shutdown of the... Read more...





























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Peninsula readers' letters: October 22







From Daily News Group readers





Posted: 10/21/2013 06:14:19 PM PDT

Updated: 10/22/2013 12:19:36 AM PDT



Debt-ridden U.S.



Dear Editor: The total debt of the U.S. alone is $17 trillion. It's hard to even conceive of how much money that really is. Well, that is precisely how fragile and shaky the present dollar-based capitalistic system is. It is so delicate and artificial that almost anything could cause it to come tumbling down.



America's behaving like a drunk, all right. And that's only the "official" national debt; the unofficial national debt is much more than $17 trillion, not to mention the many more trillions that U.S. businesses and consumers owe. It took 150 years for the U.S. to reach the first trillion dollars of national debt.



How long do you think it will take the rest of the world to wise up to the fact that those growing trillions will never be repaid, that the U.S. can't go on living on borrowed money forever? As one economist put it, "Things that can't go on forever, don't." The crash will come, and those who've been "living deliciously" may find themselves struggling to fight off poverty. It's gotten to the point that even the International Monetary Fund is issuing warnings to the U.S. about the state of its economy.



Ted Rudow III,



Palo Alto



























Thursday, October 24, 2013

Fascism




United States Fascism







Fascism is the union of government with private business against the People.

"To The States, or any one of them, or to any city of The States: Resist much, Obey little; Once unquestioning obedience, at once fully enslaved;

Once fully enslaved, no nation, state, city, ever afterward resumes its liberty." from "Caution" by Walt Whitman



http://unitedstatesfascism.blogspot.com





Wednesday, September 7, 2011







2011-09-07 Letters to the Editor of the "Northbay Bohemian" newspaper

[http://www.bohemian.com/bohemian/09.07.11/letters-1136.html]

"Telling the Big Lie" by Ted Rudow III of Palo Alto

A new report by the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan to be released to Congress concludes that over the past decade there has been $30 billion wasted. Taxpayers have spent a total of $206 billion on contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than $40 billion of this was awarded to Kellogg Brown & Root, who, along with 21 other companies, accounted for more than half of the total. An additional $38.5 billion went to "miscellaneous foreign contractors."

An aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell has hit out at Dick Cheney, saying the former vice president fears being tried as a war criminal. The deceit of Dick Cheney is indeed of Shakespearean proportions, as evidenced in his new memoir. For the former vice president, lying comes so easily that one must assume he takes the pursuit of truth to be nothing more than a reckless indulgence. The bigger the lie is, the more people are apt to believe it, because they can't possibly believe you would dare to tell such a big lie unless it was the truth!











United States Fascism operates as an archive for the Solano Peace, Justice and Freedom Coalition [link], which submits news for commentary on a weekly FM radio news program [link], broadcast Thursdays, 4 to 5pm, at 89.5 FM in Vallejo.



A New Revolution Has Begun

















Fascism is Happening





The corporations and their allies in the KKK and Nazi Party never went away...











A free press ensures a free society...



"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history... in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.

The business of the Journalist is to destroy truth; to lie outright; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it and what folly is this toasting an independent press?

We are the tools and vassals for rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes." ~ John Swinton, former Chief of Staff, The New York Times, 1953