Portside

SUNDAY

Quote of the Day
September 8, 2013

'I can almost hear the ring of the camel bells and the
wisps of smoke in the desert.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping of
China, 'evoking the camel caravans
of the old Silk Road that traversed
the ancient plains of Kazakhstan
on their way from China to Europe.

New York Times
September 8, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Bake Sale
Signe Wilkinson
 

MONDAY

Quote of the Day

'Members of the Congressional Black Caucus were
scheduled to meet with NSA Advisor Susan Rice on
Capitol Hill at 3pm Monday on Syria.  The meeting
has been moved to the White House.  All members
of the House are scheduled to be briefed on Syria in
the Capitol at 5pm.  With that, CBC members will be
double-briefed.  Will the discussion change any
votes in the CBC? War weary and sequester weary
constituents are likely to get the final say.  The
financial issues around one million per scud missile
vs. 50 schools closed in Chicago to "save money," is
a point that has already been raised by many.'

Perri Small
The Perri Small Show
WVON-AM/1690
Chicago

Crew of 42
September 9, 2013

Toon of the Day

Military Stimulus
Adam Zyglis  - Buffalo News

TUESDAY

Quote of the Day
 

'If only it were as simple as making the city as
attractive as possible for people with money, so
wealth rolls down the mountaintop. "Wouldn't it be
great," Mr. Bloomberg mused, "if we could get all the
Russian billionaires to move here?" The benefits of
oligarchy are harder to see when your eyes are
inches from a wall as a cop pats you down for the
gun you don't have. Or when you can't pay bills
because your job pays minimum wage and all the
"very fortunate people" are driving up the rents on
your block.

'"When I walk the streets," Mr. Bloomberg said,
"people whose support I would never expect in a
million years - the truck driver - yell out the
window, `go for four terms!' " There's a strangeness
to that self-satisfied anecdote. Why would a mayor
be so disconnected from working people that he
would never expect - not in a million years - a
truck driver's support? Mr. Bloomberg's departure
may be sad news for Russian billionaires, but it's
the truck drivers we care about, and who are voting
for his successor. '

Editorial
New York Times
September 10, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

The Protector
Rob Rogers
 

WEDNESDAY

Quote of the Day
 

'They are startled and unsure how to react.
"Terrifying," is how one banker put it.

'Many in New York's business and financial elite,
stung by the abrupt ascent of Bill de Blasio, an
unapologetic tax-the-rich liberal, are fixated on a
single question: What are we going to do? '

New York Times
September 11, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Apples from the Teacher
Tony Auth
 

THURSDAY

'I've seen the housing crisis devastate Richmond's
neighborhoods. I've felt the heartache of families
who were evicted from their homes. Over half of our
homeowners are underwater, and the threat of
foreclosure still looms over far too many
homeowners. We're saying enough is enough. We
are determined to work to save our communities,
and Richmond CARES can begin to fix what Wall
Street broke.'

Mayor Gayle McLaughlin of Richmond,
California, the first U.S. city to offer to
purchase underwater mortgages from
bondholders and consider the use of
eminent domain in the event that the
bonholder do not agree to sell.

Beyond Chron
September 12, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Excellent Results
Signe Wilkinson
 

FRIDAY

Quote of the Day

'But there's another reason why Americans are
reluctant to get involved in a third Middle East war
in 12 years. And that relates to the fact that
Congress today has a 14 percent favorability rating
and millions of Americans have absolutely no
confidence that the U.S. House or Senate is even
remotely concerned about their needs or views.

'Here's the truth. The middle class in this country is
collapsing. The number of Americans living in
poverty is nearly the highest on record and the gap
between the very rich and everyone else is growing
wider and wider. And very few people in Washington
give a damn.

'Year after year the American people have begged the
Congress and the president to move aggressively to
protect the middle class from total collapse. And, so
far, their leaders have failed to act. Today, the
American people are demanding action to create
jobs for their kids and retirement security for their
parents.'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.- Vt.)
Huffington Post
September 12, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Bombing Syria Results?
Matt Bors
 

SATURDAY

Quote of the Day
 

'Wal-Mart put a gun to the mayor's head, and the
mayor capitulated. Wal-Mart and the mayor should
be ashamed that they're going to provide poverty
wages to people who get up every day and go to
work.'

Washington DC City Council Member
Vincent Orange, on the veto by Mayor
Vincent Gray of a bill requiring
Wal-Mart Stores and other large
retailers to pay their employees at
least $12.50 an hour that passed the
Council by an 8-to-5 vote

New York Times
September 12, 2013
 

Toon of the Day

Mr. President
Rob Rogers