I am taking the evening off.

This is the latest anti-union rant.

Really?

Hostess has problems for many reasons, including, mimicry and recipes dense in sugar. This started long before people went on strike.

Hostess might reflect on why Oreo survives and thrives but their Twinkie doesn't.

Everything has it's day.

Jails and prisons are inherently nontherapeutic environments

How can the USA even begin to reform their penal systems if the psychiatric community can't even agree on their own standards?

There should be NO QUESTION when seclusion of the incarcerated goes over the line. But, the fact wardens turn to mental health standards for their own practices is obviously a counter productive standard.

The chronic re-sentencing of a prisoner over and above the original sentence because of ill behavior while incarcerated is outrageous. It is a form of detention and not incarceration.

There is a lot wrong with the USA penal system, however, it is going to be up to governors to reduce prison populations while enforcing rehabilitation. Perhaps Walmart might hire the incarcerated as their sentences are commuted. Lord knows, the work environment isn't any different.

The review of Existing Guidelines (click here) showed that:

• Definitions vary widely; sometimes, the terms are not defined.
• There is little agreement on appropriate use, although there is general agreement that there should be no inappropriate use.
• The length of time permitted for use varies from guideline to guideline.
• Procedures also vary extensively. Some existing regulations and guidelines are extremely prescriptive; others leave wide latitude for professional judgment.
• Accountability and external monitoring are of interest to all constituency groups. Requirements vary.
• There is general agreement that staff should be trained in the techniques they will be required to implement. However, some guidelines only speak to a general need fortraining, whereas others identify specific educational requirements.

The review of Model Standards also looked at the six parameters noted above, but the individual focus of each model was also addressed. For example, one model includes recommendations for the administrators of juvenile correctional programs; another shows how a hospital’s nursing department developed a standard and a standard care plan related to seclusion and restraint.

Walmart reaches a new all time low, inhumane conditions.

Low income workers do not create jobs, they do not contribute to growth in the economy and suffer inhumane working conditions.

The idea a person's worth is measured in 'economic growth' is only contributing to the problem with an example of Walmart. Since when does a human being's treatment while working require the component of contributing to the nation's economic growth? 

Low income workers need increases in pay, not simply a Kumbaya moment for a 'feel good feeling.' These workers are valuable and they need to fight for more than working conditions, They need to fight for a better quality of life at home, too. Assuming, of course, they have a home life an not just a 24-7 working life.

Map of Walmart stores in the U.S., as of August 2010.

..NERMEEN SHAIKH: Historic labor protests (click here) against the nation’s largest private employer, Wal-Mart, are expanding to 28 stores in 12 states. Organizers are describing the actions as the first retail worker strike in Wal-Mart’s 50-year history. The strike began last week in Los Angeles and has spread to stores in Dallas; Seattle; the San Francisco Bay Area; Miami; the Washington, D.C., area; Sacramento; Chicago; and Orlando.

Wal-Mart workers are not unionized and have long complained of poor working conditions and inadequate wages. According to organizers, employees are protesting company attempts to, quote, "silence and retaliate against workers for speaking out for improvements on the job." This is Wal-Mart associate Carlton Smith speaking in June at Wal-Mart’s annual shareholder meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas....

Walmart CEO and President Mike Duke (click here), is earning his bonuses by depriving warehouse workers of water while sweating. But, don't blame Duke for the inhumanity, the Walmart headquarters is in Alabama where no one cares about human beings in poverty, only the money that can be gotten through their exploitation. It is a cultural right of Duke to deprive his employees of humane conditions, it has existed so long in Alabama it is near and dear to their hearts.

Duke gets confused about the values of his global empire as to the rights of workers to live through a work day shift.

Will Duke lose his job? We can only hope.

4/25/2012 @ 6:02PM 

Could Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke (click here) lose his job over the company’s Mexican bribery scandal?  CNNMoney had an intriguing article yesterday suggesting that Duke could become a target of law enforcement officials who are probing whether the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the federal law that makes it a crime for U.S. companies or their subsidiaries to bribe foreign officials. No boss of a major U.S. company has ever been charged under the law. Duke could be the first....

There is only one effective way to handle these violations and that is unionization. There is no other means to achieve recognition for work place suffering and danger. Unions can impose a change to the corporate culture to return decency to the businesses model.

News Corp, Walmart and CEO Failure to Investigate Wrongdoing (click here)

by Ben W. Heineman, Jr

11:21 AM May 4, 2012

CEOs must respond quickly, decisively and comprehensively to investigate and address wrong doing as soon as they learn of it.

Though it may seem common sense, that last phrase — "as soon as they learn of it" — seems repeatedly to elude, and then to haunt many a CEO, including high-profile ones. The key point for business leaders — and one that I would often make to executives when I was at GE — is this: You own the problem the instant you hear about. You will be judged by every action you take, or don't take, from that moment on.

The trials and tribulations of News Corp, as underscored by the recent findings of a parliamentary committee, and of Walmart, as detailed in the recent New York Times allegations of Walmart bribery in Mexico, illustrate vividly the adverse consequences when this fundamental governance rule is not followed....

The current conflict between Israel and Gaza is not about settlements.

When people, like David Frum, justify Israeli settlements as 'simply buildings' that anyone can live regardless of nationality; they are dangerously close to committing cultural genocide.

There is a reason why Palestine exists. It is not about 'simply land. It is about a people and their practices. 

The destruction of the Palestine culture is a genocide of those people. I realize that is an inflammatory word, but, it is the truth. The Palestinian territories are to preserve a people, a culture and a belief in the right all peoples have to exist. Israelis should embrace that, they know the pain of attempted extinction.

In embracing life, there is the issue of cessation of violence which accompanies it. 

The unfortunate truth of Hamas within Palestine is the fact they have lived their lives with the purpose of erasing Israel from the map. That is a false sense of purpose. There is no erasing Israel form the map. Hamas has a goal that is genocidal. They endanger their own lands and their enjoyment by practicing genocidal ideology against Israel. Hamas should never be armed. There is no reason for it.

When Gaza seeks to increase their military strength there are all kinds of precautions instituted by Israel to prevent exactly what is occurring today and the reasons it is occurring. The conflict today could have been prevented. Easily prevented. 

The people of Gaza suffer. There is no doubt about it, but, the reasons they suffer is directly linked to the violence. If the governing authority in Gaza were seeking the best outcomes for their people in regard to education, health, food sources and basically quality of life, none of the problems Gaza faces today would exist. 

Sharon believed once Gaza 'belonged' to the Palestinians they would settle in and be productive. That is not what has occurred. Instead, it emboldened Hamas and made their demands to destroy Israel greater and more toxic. 

To say Hamas is hapless in their attempt at sovereignty and governance is an understatement. It isn't as though the global community isn't supportive of their directives in having their own sovereignty, but, they have no ability to conduct themselves as responsible sovereigns of their nation. And worse than that Hamas has no desire to be responsible except for killing Israelis.

Sharon was not wrong, but, he was at a loss to have a viable partner in his peace efforts. There was no peace in the ambitions of the Palestinians when Sharon opened Gaza to them by removing settlers. There was no way of enforcing the peace. There was no authority to secure it. The authority manifesting out of the elections in Gaza don't have a definition of peace. So, while Sharon was desperate to achieve a peace; his efforts had no chance. There is nothing today different from those dynamics. Israel still has no viable partner in peace. The negotiations with Palestinians have proven to be untrustworthy.

Israel has to build a DMZ between Gaza and Israel. The idea is hideous when realizing the land involved, but, there is no other strategy to carry out. The IDF has to be able to enforce something. The only reasonable solution is a demilitarized zone, until the day comes when Gaza has a valid sovereign authority for peace. Who knows when that is going to happen? 

A DMZ will actually save lives. Palestinian lives and Israeli lives.

Petraeus is no longer the headlines since he is actually an asset to the Obama Administration and not its demise.

David Petraeus is not going anywhere. If nothing else his resignation has set him free to do with his life as wishes. After a very long time serving the USA that has to be somewhat a solace by itself.

Mr. Petaeus will become a private consultant to the USA if he isn't already. He loves this country and would no more consider doing anything but working within its military industrial complex than stop breathing. I can't help but wonder which news network is going to be the first to hire him as a talking head.

by Diane Dimond
continued...
Nov 18, 2012 7:59 AM EST
...This country (click here) has invested heavily in developing Petraeus into the successful and well-decorated military leader he became. And a decades-long ascension to the elite branches of government doesn’t come cheap. Look at Petraeus’s schooling alone: four years at West Point, where he graduated in 1974 in the top 5 percent of his class; Ranger School; The U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; and Princeton University, where he earned both a Masters and a PhD in international relations....

Today the Miami Herald is examining the impact of the post-panamax era. The Houston Chronicle is all about football. The Chicago Tribune is all about the deaths in the neighborhoods, the New York Times is looking at Israel. The Los Angles is talking about the happiness returning to California and finding the identity of a three year old lost to them so many years ago. And last but hardly least is The Boston Globe and its new female MBTA leadership. I love the T. It is a great subway linked to Amtack and the world was mine.

The point is Mr. Petraeus is doing well. He was more than helpful to the administration he resigned from by TELLING THE TRUTH. I'll be darn. The country is fine and the investment into our generals continues to be an excellent investment to our brain trust. 

The lack of exploitation of the sexual exploits of the former CIA Director and his mistress has moved to a place in the news where we will probably never hear about it again. The efforts by the GOP to call President Obama incompetent has ended and they have been proven to be adverse to the best interest of the country. The GOP needs to clean up its act and stop living in the 'Karl Rove Cloud' of Elections Happen 24/7.

The nation has problems that need to be solved. Attacking the elderly, the young and the helpless is not the way to solve them. Perhaps, and it is a remoye possibility, the GOP might even 'come home' to the reality and best interest of the country. I did say remote, didn't I? I didn't want to make that mistake. 

I firmly believe the only way to move the Republicans in the best direction for the nation is for the Democrats to begin a dense election strategy for 2014. Those elections should reflect the best values for the nation to the electorate in every Senate and House seat. The Democrats need to resist addressing rhetoric and stick to a solid message of problem solving. If they start now the electorate will 'get it' when pulling the levers in 2014.