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One for All, and All for Hunt

Natalie Angier The New York Times
The dogs are “true altruists,” essentially willing to shorten their lives for the sake of the hive, They’re even further along the line of evolving into the mammalian equivalent of honeybees than we thought.

Eyewitness to Police Terror in Ferguson - Protestors Shot, News Reporters Arrested

Jon Swaine in Ferguson, Missouri The Guardian
Raw fury over Brown's killing may slowly fade, but the underlying resentment among Ferguson's young black residents about their treatment by a white police force will likely continue to simmer. Washington Post and Huffington Post journalists detained. Today, Governor Jay Nixon ordered Missouri Highway Patrol to take over supervision in Ferguson, MO.

The Collapse of the American Jewish Center

Sarah Posner Religion Dispatches
The polarization of American Jews, said Dov Waxman, Professor of Political Science, International Affairs, and Israel Studies at Northeastern University, has increased with each large-scale eruption of fighting between Israel and Palestinians. Jewish Voice for Peace has seen an increase in new supporters, the formation of new chapters since Operation Protective Edge, and in three weeks 50,000 new people signed up for its email updates.

Thinking about Robin Williams, American Humor and the Troubled Mind

SAG-AFTRA; Stewart Acuff; Geoffrey Jacques; Patrick Murfin
Academy Award-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams committed suicide earlier this week. He was an artist that brought joy to millions. He starred in 80 films and over two-dozen television series. Yet few knew of his psychological demons, or about a family legacy steeped in the history of U.S. racism. These could be seen as both troubling and as a spur to creativity. Here are four takes on his life, work, and the tensions that may have informed his creative persona.

Richmond Line-Up Reshuffled for Fall Contest With Chevron

Steve Early CounterPunch
A new left-liberal coalition has formed in Richmond, California, Former mayoral candidate Mike Parker called on voters and supporters to join forces. The task is need to challenge Chevron-backed candidates and those unwilling to stand up against Chevron when representing the community.

Tidbits - August 14, 2014

Portside
Reader Comments - Victory for Americans: Walgreens Won't "Invert"; Rosetta Comet Rendezvous; Reflections on My Seven Months in Israel; Incipient Inflation Freak-Out Could Wreck Economy; Jews Who Protest Israeli Policy; Academic Freedom Under Attack - The Firing of Steven Salaita; Anti-Semitism; Virgin America Flight Attendants Vote To Join Union; Healthcare - the NHS; Market Basket Srtike - Why Its So Important; On This Day in History - FDR Signs Social Security Act

Transport workers map global fightback at ITF World Congress

Tamara Gausi Equal Times
The fight against global inequality and opposition to the Israeli attack on Gaza were highlights of the International Transport Workers Federation. Delegates also pledged to continue their campaign against "Flags of Convenience," and their solidarity with all victims of anti-labor violence.

Racism, the Misuse of Genetics and a Huge Scientific Protest

Michael Hiltzik Los Angeles Times
Perhaps unwittingly, perhaps deliberately, Wade has blurred "the distinction between storytelling and science," writes Eisen. The blurring of that line is infecting scientific discussions that have great public implications--it's visible, for example, in the political attack on climate science, the promotion of creationism, and the marketing of California's multibillion-dollar stem cell program.

Violence by Rikers Guards Grew Under Bloomberg

By Michael Schwirtz and Michael Winerip The New York Times
During Mr. Bloomberg’s last term, use of force by officers on inmates jumped by 90 percent, according to Correction Department data. Inmates’ advocates and public officials charged with overseeing the jails said they pleaded for the administration to address the issue.

In North Carolina, Fast Food and Moral Mondays Movements Build Ties

By Kerry Taylor Labor Notes
“You guys are probably in the generation that is on the precipice of a change in the labor movement,” United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1208 President Keith Ludlum told the assembled workers, most under 30. “Us old guys and some of us who have been around awhile, we can advise you on things, but don’t be afraid to push the envelope,” Ludlum said. “Don’t be afraid to do things a little bit different. Be radical. Go after them hard and don’t ever stop.”