Society's ChildS


Stock Down

"These guys are like diamonds right now,": America's trucker-shortage hits a crisis point

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Sat, 30 Jun 2018 19:34 UTC
trucking prices per mile
Nearly every consumer product - from food, to textiles to electronics - sold in the US at some point touches the bed of a truck. Which is why the shortage of truckers to ferry goods across the US has become such an intractable problem for American companies - and unemployment at 3.8% isn't helping.

A shortage of workers is forcing trucking firms to raise wages and provide other incentives as they seek to fill an "official" shortage of 60,000 jobs that some industry insiders say is really closer to 100,000.

Comment:

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Fire

Two more fires hit north-west England during heatwave

David Nowell
Blackpool Gazette
Sat, 30 Jun 2018 16:45 UTC
Major fire on the dunes at St Annes.
© @elliotscarwashMajor fire on the dunes at St Annes.
Fire are now damping down after spending all afternoon battling a large grass fire in the sand dunes on the Fylde coast. The blaze was in the dunes in St Annes, with thick smoke blowing along the seafront and over roads.

Major blaze in the sand dunes at St Annes Major blaze in the sand dunes at St Annes

Five fire crews were called to deal with the blaze, which damaged a large area of grassland within the nature reserve. Police have closed Clifton Drive north in both directions and appealed for people to stay away from the area. A spokesman for Lancashire fire and rescue said: "We had five fire engines at a grass fire on Clifton Drive in Lytham St Anne's.

"We're now damping down, but if you're close by, please keep your windows and doors closed."

Comment: The ground does appear parched and restrictions of water use - the 'hose pipe ban' - have been implemented in the UK as a heatwave strikes the UK. What is curious is that this area has not seen so many fires, some of them are exceptionally large, and in such a short time.

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2 + 2 = 4

What's really behind cannabis opposition

Ryan Cristián
The Last American Vagabond
Sat, 30 Jun 2018 19:09 UTC
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
drugs
One would be hard pressed to find a person not jaded by the American political system. Lies and deception accepted as "part of the process" as if to imply that it is outside the politician's control, and each is simply playing the game. Major news conglomerates stating contradictory "facts" about very important issues. What is one to believe?

The country has seemingly given up on trying to fix a broken system and become satisfied with choosing the lesser of two evils. As the public opinion begins to shift in favor of marijuana legalization many who once cried out, "Think of the children!" are now saying the exact same statement but fighting for the other side. Many are beginning to see what hemp and cannabis can truly do for the individual and for the country. It is important to differentiate between smoking cannabis, and using essential CBD oils (which do not get you high) to treat an illness. Many within the marijuana opposition want the uninformed to think the battle is being fought over one's right to smoke and get high. That aspect is a part of the debate, constitutional rights and all, but the least important of what is being fought for.
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Attention

German man suspected of killing 21 co-workers by poisoning their food


Deutsche Welle
Sat, 30 Jun 2018 18:19 UTC
German authorities launched a probe into a string of deaths after an employee was caught trying to poison a co-worker's lunch. Police found mercury, lead and cadmium in the man's home.
German Police
German authorities launched a probe into a string of deaths at a metal fittings company after an employee was caught trying to poison a co-worker's lunch. Police found quicksilver, lead and cadmium in the man's home.

The man was arrested for the incident in the town of Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock, northwest Germany. However, police now suspect he may be responsible for up to 21 deaths of people working for the same company.
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People

'We need to increase the birth rate": Putin pledges support for large Russian families


Free West Media
Sat, 16 Jun 2018 17:26 UTC
Russian dolls
© PixabaySupport for the family unit, motherhood, and childhood has been and remains one of the unconditional priorities of his country, the Russian President believes.
Russian parents who have large families "have chosen for themselves a happy, grateful, but very difficult and responsible path that is full of inconvenience and suffering, demanding colossal devotion," Vladimir Putin told the audience at the awards ceremony for the Order of Parental Glory.

"Support for the family has been and remains one of the unconditional state priorities," by Putin added. "We need to increase the birth rate," he said. He noted that this was "a reflection and continuation of the changes taking place in our country."

The President explained that a parent who wants large family needs confidence that their children will be able to access quality education, health care, and housing. "We consistently work in all these areas, and we will continue to do this," the Russian leader said.
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Map

Gallery owner Fernando Luis Alvarez arrested after dropping sculpture of giant drug spoon at Purdue pharma

Susan Dunne
courant.com
Fri, 29 Jun 2018 14:48 UTC
spoon
© Susan DunneArtist Domenic Esposito was inspired to create this 800-pound sculpture, titled "Purdue," by his brother's battle with addiction.
A Stamford art gallery owner was arrested and charged with a criminal misdemeanor and a felony Friday morning after dropping an 800-pound steel sculpture of a bent, burnt heroin spoon in front of Purdue Pharma, a top manufacturer of opioids, and then refusing to remove it.

Fernando Luis Alvarez, who is mounting an exhibit on the opioid epidemic, was charged with obstruction of free passage for his act of "guerrilla art," and for interfering with police in front of the 201 Tresser Blvd. corporate headquarters. The spoon was placed in an automotive drop-off spot, making the path unusable. The placement of the sculpture was the misdemeanor charge; refusal to remove it resulted in the felony charge.

Police also informed Alvarez he might be charged financially for the removal and storage of the artwork, which is 10 1/2 feet long.

Comment: Read more about Purdue Pharma and their 'reckless and irresponsible business practices':

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Folder

No work requirements necessary for Kentucky Medicaid recipients, rules judge

Kimberly Leonard
Washington Examiner
Fri, 29 Jun 2018 15:29 UTC
Matt Bevin
© Silas Walker/APRepublican Gov. Matt Bevin had threatened to discontinue Medicaid expansion in the state, which covers more than 500,000 people, if the requirements were struck down.
A federal judge has blocked a law that would require certain Medicaid beneficiaries in Kentucky to work as a condition of staying enrolled in the program.

The requirements would have gone into effect Sunday. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin had threatened to discontinue Medicaid expansion in the state, which covers more than 500,000 people, if the requirements were struck down.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, stated in his ruling that the Trump administration's decision to add work requirements was "arbitrary and capricious" because it did not consider whether it would help bring medical care to citizens, which is one of the goals of the program under Obamacare. He noted that studies showed 95,000 people would be rolled off of Medicaid in Kentucky if the plan were to go into effect.

Instead, the Trump administration had put more weight on whether the program would promote health among residents. A central argument from the administration has been that work promotes better health, which is one of the objectives of the Medicaid program.
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Eye 1

UK government has turned Tommy Robinson into de facto "persona non grata"

Alex Christoforou
The Duran
Wed, 27 Jun 2018 18:31 UTC
Tommy Robinson
© Press Association/BancroftTommy Robinson
Where is Tommy? Tucker Carlson has not forgotten, but all of mainstream media has remained silent.

It's hard to find much news about Tommy Robinson these days.

Mainstream media is not reporting much on the conservative activist's imprisonment for reporting in front of a grooming gangs court case in Leeds...but just because a media blackout on Tommy Robinson seems to be holding up, it does not mean that citizens in the UK are not aware of the controversial ruling against Tommy.

Comment:

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Cheese

Whole lotta cheese: US stockpile reaches 1.385 billions pounds


WXYZ
Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:51 UTC
Wedges of cheddar cheese
© Getty
America's stockpile of cheese is at its highest in more than 100 years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

According to a report on cold storage from the USDA, America has 1.385 billion pounds o cheese in its stockpile, the highest since records started being taken in August 1917.

The report found that the East North Central region of the United States has the highest stock of natural cheese for American and other cheese, with 339 million pounds of American cheese and 374 million pounds of other cheese.

According to the Washington Post, the cheese stockpile is so high because there's too much milk on hand for processors, and milk is more easily stored as cheese. Combine that with school being out and cows being more productive, you get the record number.

The lowest stockpile of cheese came in 1918, according to the USDA, where there was just over 23 million pounds of cheese.
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Biohazard

OPCW report on Syria is 'cynical and politicized' - Moscow

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Tue, 26 Jun 2018 16:44 UTC
OPCW inspectors chemical weapons
© Yousef Albostany/Local Committee of Arbeen/Associated PressOPCW inspectors
Moscow has classified the report of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW on the results of the inspection of facilities in the Syrian regions of Barza and Dzhamraye as "cynical and politicized". According to a note from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the document was approved under heavy pressure the US.

"We pay attention to the report of the Technical Secretariat of the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on the implementation of the decision of the 83rd session of the OPCW Executive Council, in which case the target, of course, was the Research Center with facilities in the cities of 'Barza' and 'Dzhamrayya'," the statement said.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, "for Syria, it had a key importance from the national economic point of view."

Comment: Russia is reasonable in its suspicions regarding the OPCW.

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