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Tidbits - November 16, 2017 - Reader Comments: Sexual Predator on the loose in Alabama; North Carolina Black Church vandalized; Worker Abuse, Sexual Abuse; Russian Revolution; Muslim Ban - new resource; Announcements; and more....

Portside
Reader Comments: Sexual Predator Against Prosecutor of KKK in Alabama; North Carolina church vandalized this week by KKK; Picketing Kennedy White House against nuclear weapons; Worker Abuse and Sexual Abuse; Looking back - 100th Anniversary of Russian Revolution; Readers catch errors in Portside posts; How Should Progressive Talk About Muslim Ban - new resource; Announcements - New York City politics; Anti-Semitism today; Asian dance benefit for Puerto Rico; and more..

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A Tale Of Many Cities: Potholes in the Road To Municipal Reform

Steve Early Talking Union
Gonzalez, in his book Reclaiming Gotham: Bill De Blasio and the Movement to End America's Tale of Two Cities argues that de Blasio has presided over the “most left-leaning government in the history of America’s greatest city." He "reports that, under de Blasio, poor and working class New Yorkers have received a $21 billion “infusion of income and economic benefits” which also includes long deferred wage increases.

tv

"Master of None" Returns With Class and Daring For Season Two

Max Havey Vox
Master of None's second season tackles the intersection of queer identities and race, as well as the diversity of New York City, painting a fuller picture of the city than shows that have come before like Girls, or even Louie.

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Uber Recognizes New York Drivers’ Group, Short of a Union

By Noam Scheiber and Mike Isaac The New York Times
Unlike a traditional union, which contractors cannot form, the new Independent Drivers Guild will not be able to bargain over a contract that would stipulate fares, benefits and protections. But with Guild representation, drivers will be able to appeal decisions by Uber to bar them from its platform. Also, they will be able to buy discounted legal services, discounted life and disability insurance and discounted roadside help for problems they encounter while driving.

labor

Uber Recognizes New York Drivers’ Group, Short of a Union

By Noam Scheiber and Mike Isaac The New York Times
Unlike a traditional union, which contractors typically cannot form, the new Independent Drivers Guild will not be able to bargain over a contract with Uber. The drivers will be able to appeal decisions by Uber to bar them from its platform, and can have guild officials represent them in their appeals. Also, they will be able to buy discounted legal services, discounted life and disability insurance and discounted roadside help for problems they encounter while driving.

The Heresy and Evangelism of Bernie Sanders

Jesse Alexander Myerson The Village Voice
The New York of Bernie Sanders's childhood was full of Yiddish socialists. Often, these were Jews of Sanders's sort, their spiritual practice less fixated on giving glory to God on high than fighting for emancipation here on earth. Although that interpretation of Judaism may seem profane, even blasphemous, at first blush, it has a firm basis in scripture.

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Uber Drivers in New York City Protest Fare Cuts

Marc Santora and John Surico The New York Times
Tsering Sherpa, a Queens resident who said he drove for Uber six days a week, eight hours a day, predicted the fare cuts would force him to work 10 to 14 hours a day to make his rent and car payments. “New York City just keeps getting more and more expensive,” Mr. Sherpa said at the rally. “How are we supposed to survive with less money?” “They call us partners,” he added. “But they’re treating us like slaves.”

100,000 NYC School Children Face Airport-Style Security Screening Every Day

Cecilia Reyes, ProPublica, and Jenny Ye, WNYC ProPublica
Despite the widespread use of the scanners, the amount of contraband found is low. Some school officials believe the daily security checks actually lead to behavior problems among the students. The metal detectors send a message to the students, says one principal, that “we don’t trust you. And even if we trusted you, we don’t necessarily trust the guy behind you.” That message, she said, runs counter to what her school is trying to teach and “it’s alienating.”
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