Different worlds

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/01/06/18748835.php





Different worlds

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

Monday Jan 6th, 2014 3:37 PM

Five thousand miles away in Bangladesh, the Phantom Tac factory in the industrial suburb of Savar was a hive of human hands. Hundreds of men and women hunched over sewing machines to produce garments in an assembly line system unchanged for years. Speed was also essential, but that just meant people had to work faster.



Last spring, as it pushed forward with global expansion plans, Mango turned to Phantom Tac to produce a sample order of polo shirts and other items. Then, on April 24, the Rana Plaza factory complex collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people in the deadliest disaster in garment industry history, and destroying Phantom Tac and other operations in the building.



Now, eight months later, the question is what responsibility Mango and other brands should bear toward the victims of Rana Plaza, a disaster that exposed the murkiness and lack of accountability in the global supply chain for clothes. Under intense international pressure, four brands agreed last week to help finance a landmark $40 million compensation fund for the victims.



Factories like Phantom Tac in Bangladesh and the Mango operations in Spain are part of the same supply chains, but might as well be from different worlds.



Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

Being thankful

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/01/03/18748694.php





Being thankful

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

Friday Jan 3rd, 2014 11:09 AM

In Western World, our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century; without coal fires until the 14th century; without buttered bread until the 15th century; without potatoes until the 16th century;

without coffee, tea, and soup until the 17th century; without pudding until the 18th century; without eggs, matches, and electricity until the 19th century; without canned goods until the 20th century. Now, what was it we were complaining about?

Ted Rudow III, MA



http://tedriii.blogspot.com/

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/

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.

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/

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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

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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.

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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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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/

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.

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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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.

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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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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

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/

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/

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

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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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