Portside

REWIND - A Week of Quotes and Cartoons

SUNDAY

Quote of the Day
November 24, 2013

'Researchers this summer purchased 42 children's
chairs, sofas and other furniture from major
retailers and tested them for toxic flame retardants
that have been linked to cancer, birth defects,
diminished I.Q.'s and other problems.

'In a study released a few days ago, the Center for
Environmental Health reported the results: the
toxins were found in all but four of the products
tested.

'"Most parents would never suspect that their
children could be exposed to toxic flame-retardant
chemicals when they sit on a Mickey Mouse couch,
but our report shows that children's foam furniture
can carry hidden health hazards," a co-author of the
study, Carolyn Cox, said in releasing the report.

These flame retardants represent a dizzying
corporate scandal. It's a story of corporate greed,
deceit and skulduggery, powerfully told in a new
HBO documentary, "Toxic Hot Seat," that is
scheduled to air on Monday evening.

'This is a televised window into political intrigue and
duplicity that makes "House of Cards" or "Breaking
Bad" seem like a Sunday school picnic. '

Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof
New  York Times
November 24, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Walmart Cares
The Strip - Brian McFadden
New York Times
 

MONDAY

Quote of the Day
November 25, 2013

'Rather than put our nation's top diplomats on trial
while micromanaging their every move, Congress
should join them and our country's finest national
security leaders in safeguarding the deal that has
been achieved. It would be foolish for Congress to
jeopardize a good deal that freezes and rolls back
the most urgent proliferation concerns of Iran's
nuclear program with unreasonable demands.

'Our diplomats must be empowered with the
maneuvering room to strike a comprehensive
agreement to guard against a nuclear-armed Iran
and war. If presidents and diplomats of the past
were subject to the same restraints that some in
Congress have tried to impose on the Obama
administration's negotiations with Iran, it surely
would have compromised Reagan's negotiations
with Gorbachev, Nixon's talks with Mao, and
perhaps even Kennedy's diplomatic outreach to
Khrushchev.

'This deal is an unprecedented step forward to
peacefully resolving the standoff over Iran's nuclear
program. It's time for Congress to support our
negotiators to ensure that this deal and the long-
term agreement that follows it is a success.'

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, distinguished adjunct
professor of government and public policy at the
College of William and Mary. During a 31-year career
in the US army, served as chief of staff to US
Secretary of State Colin Powell

Kate Gould, legislative associate for Middle East
policy at the Friends Committee on National
Legislation and board member of Churches for
Middle East Peace.

The Guardian (UK)
November 25, 2013

Toon of the Day

Bullies
Signe Wilkinson
 

TUESDAY

Quote of the Day
November 26, 2013

'We're at an exciting moment, the movement of low-
wage workers has taken off in 2013.'

Dan Schadelman, campaign director
for Making a Change at Walmart,
speaking of the upcoming Black Friday
protests, as Workers in Miami, and Brooklyn
Center, Minn. walked off the job Monday following
actions in Tampa on Saturday and  strikes in
Sacramento, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles
and cities in Ohio earlier this month

Common Dreams
November 25, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Creeping Black Friday
Jen Sorensen
 

WEDNESDAY

Quote of the Day
November 27, 2013

'How can it be that it is not a news item when an
elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is
news when the stock market loses two points?

'This is a case of exclusion.

'Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown
away while people are starving?

'This is a case of inequality.'

Pope Francis
UPI
November  27,  2013
 

Toon of the Day

Bibi Speaks
Jeff Danziger
 

THURSDAY

Quote of the Day
November 28, 2013

'... While the president cannot throw out whole
sections of immigration law to bypass Congressional
inaction, he does have discretion in choosing how to
enforce it wisely. Mr. Obama was firmly within the
law when he selectively halted deportations for some
immigrants brought here illegally as children and for
spouses and children of service members and
veterans. He can undoubtedly expand
administrative efforts to protect other immigrants
left stranded by legislative failure.

'Mr. Obama said on Monday that he was up for the
hard, messy work of reform. "I am going to march
with you and fight with you every step of the way,"
he said.

'But, as he keeps making such promises to people
whose family members he is deporting in record
numbers while protesting that he is powerless to
stop himself, it seems only fair to ask: How hard are
you fighting, really? '

Editorial
New York Times
November 26, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Thataway
Mike Luckovich
http://tinyurl.com/mgpq3ow

FRIDAY

Quote of the Day
November 29, 2013

'This attack shows that American forces do not
respect the lives and security of the people of
Afghanistan and the loya jirga decision. For years,
our people are being killed and their houses are
being destroyed under the pretext of the war on
terror.'

Afghan President Hamid Karzai
New York Times
November 29, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Wishbone
Rob Rogers
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
 

SATURDAY

Quote of the Day
November 30, 2013

'This is a grotesque taking of employees' retirement
security that seems both patently illegal and unfair.
It's a sharp jab in the eye - and the
heart - of public employees. There's a lot of anger
out there'

Daniel J. Montgomery, president
of the Illinois Federation of
Teachers, commenting on a plan
before the Illinois state
legislature plan to cut cost-of-living
increases for retirees, raises the
age of retirement for some employees
and set a cap on pensions for those
with the highest salaries

New York Times
November 30, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Working Day
Drew Sheneman